The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • Marriage: A garden of treasures (4)

    The family is God’s delight.  When God delights in you and you delight in Him, He makes your life and your home a delightful place. If it is joy you need, He gives it to you. If it is money that is in short supply, God releases it. If it is peace that is required, He brings peace. Everything it takes for your family to succeed is made available. When God delights in your family, everyone against your family progress is silenced and you enjoy all-round security and speedy answers to your prayers.

    Furthermore, when your delight is in Him, your life will always be on the increase (Psalm 18:19); God will promote you and you will enjoy abundance in every area of your life. God’s Word says: Thou shalt no more be termed forsaken; neither shall thy land anymore be termed desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the Lord DELIGHTETH in thee, and thy land shall be married (Isaiah 62:4). This is God Word’s for you right now.

    Every successful home is a threat to satan’s kingdom, which is why he would do anything to destroy it.  Unfortunately, he gains entrance to many homes often through the woman. Remember, he gained access into the first home through Eve, and history always repeats itself. God’s Word says: But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ (2 Corinthians 11:3).

    For this reason, men should protect their wives spiritually, to ensure that they do not engage in private discussions with hell, which can send them out of their “garden”.  Once the woman is effectively shielded from satan, he will have difficulty in trying to penetrate the home.

    Read Also: Marriage: A garden of treasures (4)

    Women are more susceptible to the attacks of satan, because of their roles in the home.  She is usually more at home than the man; so, she is more available to satan. He creeps in on her and tells her, “What makes you different from the man? Are you a slave? Have you forgotten that you too are educated as he (husband) is? Have you forgotten your placement in your office? There is no Jew nor Greek, male or female; the same Lord is rich over all.” If unguarded, the woman would be tempted to agree with him.

    Somehow, satan is able to easily secure the attention of women, particularly when they are idle.  He barrages them with all sorts of negative information, which in turn makes them unhappy. He often arrests them by painting a deadly picture of calamity and woe, which they readily accept. But unfortunately, some women claim that it was God that revealed such information to them, not recognizing that it came through “the prince of the power of the air.”

    Woman, please learn to prove the source of the information that comes to you.  Find things out for yourself from the Word of God, because nothing anybody says can make the Word of no effect.  The destruction many families have experienced today came from information that had satanic sources.

    Man, it is time to awake and chase satan out of your garden! Until you say, “Get thee behind this family, satan”, he will keep hanging around. As man’s eternal enemy, satan has vowed to pull down the family unit.  God’s Word says: How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the Lord had shut them up? (Deuteronomy 32:30). He wants to stop you from destroying his kingdom.

    In the covenant, one can deal with 1,000, two, especially in marriage, are empowered to put 10,000 to flight!  Satan knows this and wants to keep his kingdom; so, he launches attacks on the family, to prevent them from destroying his kingdom.  Since one family can destroy 10,000 demons, Satan aims at destroying the 10,000 capacity destroyers.  If he succeeds, he has preserved more demons to run errands for him.

    Another reason the devil wants to gain entrance into families is found in I Peter 3:7; Likewise, ye husband, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.

    When a man and his wife are at variance with each other, their prayers are hindered, and they are disconnected from God.  They may pray all the time, but there will be no response from heaven.  Heaven will be shut, making it impossible for them to enjoy the harvest of whatever seed they may have sown.

    The man, who opens up his home to malice or discord, has blocked his access to God’s blessing.  Satan knows this, so he does all he can to see that there is rancour and strife between a man and his wife.  Anytime you sense any animosity rising within you against your spouse, know that satan is seeking an entrance.  Therefore, resist him steadfastly in the faith.  Tell yourself that since you have no intention of having another home, you will not give satan a foothold in your family!

    In case you are not yet born again, this is another opportunity for you to do so today. If you want to overcome satanic loopholes in your family this year, don’t miss this golden opportunity. You can become born again by confessing your sins and accepting Jesus as your Saviour and Lord. If you are ready for this new birth experience, please say this prayer: Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood. I accept You as my Lord and personal Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for delivering me from sin and satan to serve the living God and thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom.

    Congratulations! If you prayed this simple prayer of faith with me, you are born again and now a child of God. He loves you and will never leave you. Read your Bible daily; obey God’s Word and seek Christian fellowship (John 14:21). With this, you are guaranteed all-round rest and peace in Jesus’ name! Call or write to share your testimonies with me through contact@faithoyedepo.org, 07026385437 or 08141320204.

    For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work, Building a Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-Authored).

     

     

  • What is a urinary tract infection (UTI) in children? (2)

    TWO common abnormalities are: Vesicoureteral Reflux. Urine normally flows from the kidney down the ureters and into the bladder. This one-way flow is usually maintained because of a “flap-valve” where the ureter joins the bladder. With vesicoureteral reflux, the urine flows backwards from the bladder up the ureters to the kidneys. This urine may carry bacteria from the bladder up to the kidneys and cause a more serious kidney infection (pyelonephritis).

    Urinary Obstruction

    Urine flow may get blocked at many places in the urinary tract. These blockages are mostly caused by abnormal narrow areas in the urinary tract that prevent normal flow of urine out of the body.

    Can UTIs be prevented in Children?

    If your child has a normal urinary tract, certain habits can help prevent UTIs. Draining the bladder often is one of the body’s best defenses against UTIs. Drinking more fluids will increase urine flow to flush infection out of the body. Some children are more prone to getting UTIs, and low dose antibiotics can help. Treatment of constipation also helps.

    In babies and small children, changing diapers more often can help prevent UTIs. When children start toilet training, it is important to teach them good bathroom habits. After each bowel movement, girls should wipe from front to rear — not rear to front. This keeps germs from spreading from the anus to the urethra. Children should also avoid “holding it in” if they need to urinate and can reach a bathroom. Urine sitting in the bladder too long gives bacteria a good place to grow.

    Diagnosis

    If you think your child has a UTI, call your health care provider. The only way to diagnose a UTI is with a urine test. Your health care provider will collect a urine sample. The method your health care provider uses will depend on your child’s age and maturity. If your toddler is not toilet-trained, your health care provider may simply attach a plastic bag to your child’s skin to collect the sample. If your child is older, you may be asked to help catch the sample as your child urinates. It is important to keep bacteria from the skin from getting into the sample. Your health care provider may need to pass a small tube into the urethra or a needle into the lower belly to collect a good sample from inside the bladder.

    The urine sample is examined under a microscope. If there is an infection, your health care provider may be able to see bacteria and pus (white blood cells). This test takes only a few minutes. The health care provider may also order a urine culture, where bacteria from the urine are grown in a lab incubator. The bacteria can then be identified and tested to see which drugs will work best. Many kinds of bacteria can infect the urine, and different types of bacteria may need different types of antibiotics. It takes many days to get the results from the urine culture.

    Treatment

    UTIs are treated with antibiotics. If your health care provider thinks your child has a UTI, he or she will choose a drug that treats the bacteria most likely to be causing the problem. Sometimes a few days later, after your health care provider has the urine culture results, the antibiotic might be changed to one that works better against the type of bacteria that was found in your child’s urine. You can also help your child fight the infection by encouraging him or her to drink plenty of fluids and urinate often.

    The antibiotic drug, the way it is given, and the number of days it must be taken may depend on the type of infection. If your child is very sick and not able to drink, the antibiotic may need to be given as shots with your child in the hospital. Otherwise, the meds may be given by mouth. Depending on the type of antibiotic used, your child may take a single dose per day or up to 4 doses per day. You may be asked to give your child meds until further tests are finished.

    Read Also: Untreated fungal infection may lead to death – Expert

     

    After a few doses of the antibiotic, your child may appear much better. Most UTIs are cured within a week if treated the right way, but often it may take weeks until all the symptoms are gone. It is important that your child take the antibiotic meds as ordered by your health care provider even if the symptoms have gone away. Unless UTIs are fully treated, they may return, or your child may get another infection.

    If symptoms get worse or do not get better within 3 days, your child may need to go to the hospital.

    After Treatment

    Once the infection has cleared, your child’s health care provider may suggest more tests, particularly if your child has been treated for a kidney infection. The tests are to make sure there are no problems in the urinary tract that might keep your child’s body from fighting off infection, and to see whether there has been any damage to the kidney from the UTI. No single test can tell everything about the urinary tract that might be important to know after a UTI, so many tests are often ordered. If these tests show something abnormal in the urinary tract, your health care provider may want your child to see a pediatric urologist (a health care provider who specializes in problems of the urinary system in children).

    The tests may include:

    Kidney and/or Bladder Ultrasonography (Ultrasound)

    This test gets pictures of the kidney and bladder using sound waves. This test may show shadows that point to some kinds of abnormalities, like blockages, but can’t show all important urinary tract abnormalities. It also can’t tell how well the kidney is working.

    Voiding Cystourethrogram (VCUG)

    This test can show abnormalities of the inside of the urethra and bladder, and if urine flow is normal when the bladder empties. It also shows if urine from the bladder is backing up into the ureters (vesicoureteral reflux) and whether it reaches the kidneys. For this test a small, soft tube (catheter) is placed into the urethra. A liquid that can be seen on x-rays is then put into the bladder through the tube until your child urinates.

    Nuclear Scans

    There are different kinds of scans of the bladder and kidneys, and each can give different kinds of information. These scans use liquids that have tiny amounts of a radioactive tracer in them. From these tests, a health care provider can sometimes tell how well the kidneys work, the shape of the kidneys, and if the urine empties from the kidneys or bladder in a normal way. Though the liquids used have radioactive matter in them, the amount is very small and will not hurt your child.

    CT Scan or MRI

    These tests look at the bladder and kidneys in 3-D. They are sometimes used in cases where other studies are not clear and more details of these organs may be needed.

  • Should spouses tell each other everything?

    SECRET. Everybody has a secret. You know that one or two things happened in your past that you’ d rather not talk about. It could even be business plans, investments that you don’t want another to know about. It could also be that shameful act that you were once involved in.And I tell you this, a lot happened to an individual when no one is looking.

    So, now that we all get the gist of where I am going with this, what happens when you are married? Is it ideal to keep secrets secret? Are you meant to keep everything close to your chest, hoping your spouse will never know? I want to know if people tell their spouses everything. Do you have limits on what you will or won’t share? Should you tell your man if a man makes a pass at you? Should you tell your wife if another lady catches your fancy or flirts with you? If, as a lady, you are opportune to buy one or two plots of land and you can afford to put a structure or two; should you confide in and carry your man along or keep him in the dark? If, as a man, you are spending more money outside the home to support a friend or family members, should your wife be in the know? Or do you feel that, as a woman, it is really none of her business?

    Speaking generally,  in most circumstances, it is good to be open and honest with your spouses. Honesty breeds trust and trust makes for a happy, healthy home life. Unfortunately, however, according to research, there are things you just cannot afford to tell your husband or wife. Some things are really better left unsaid. Reason is because, there are pieces of information that can destroy, rather than mend your homes. Things that are to be left unsaid are issues like saying ugly things about your in-laws. Saying ugly things about your spouse’s friends is one thing, doing so regarding in-laws is considered a cardinal sin, one which  you will pay for, for as many years as you and your spouse remain married.

    Another no-go area is, when you begin to recount good memories of your ex. One thing that really makes a spouse boil  is hearing the mention of an ex in a good light. Even if everyone doesn’t admit it, every married person hopes deep down that all the ex’s your spouse might have had, should not be compared to them. This is especially true about things that go on in the bedroom. Just don’t go there. Details about your past relationships to your spouse will only end up destroying the home you have both laboured to build. Do not tell your spouse certain things about your sex life. A few things are trickier or more of a touchy topic between husband and wife  in a marriage than  sex. This is because everyone likes to think that he or she is great in bed, better than anyone else and that he or she is huge turn on for his or her spouse. If any of this is not true, pointing it out to your spouse is likely to cause not just a rift but capable of  ruining  your marital relations. A better approach will be to teach him or her how to please you in bed.

    Read Also: Five secrets to irresistible smile

    A neighbour of mine once told me how she taught her spouse how to make love . She said at first, her man would just pounce on her and before you knew it, he was done. For months, she was dissatisfied but being newly wedded, she was not ready to puncture her husband’s ego. So, rather that verbalize her dissatisfaction, she decided to use actions, she taught him how and where to touch to make her happy and of course, you know that naturally, if you make a woman happy, it follows that everybody in the house will be happy. Do not discuss your fantasies with your spouse. Hmmm, fantasies. It is said that having fantasies is healthy. I will say that it is healthy if you keep them to yourself. Regardless of whether they are sexual fantasies or wishful thinking, keep it to yourself because your spouse will see them as dissatisfaction of the status quo or worse as a threat to them.

    Esteemed readers, do you recall what was published recently about a messy divorce scandal between a gospel artiste and her producer / hobby? The cause of their divorce, according to her, was his sexual fantasies. Often times, he compelled her to have anal sex with her. Today, their marriage is history. Some have fantasies that cannot even begin to appear on the pages of newspapers. So, you see, some crazy fantasies should be kept within you, period.

    Having said that, there are things, that I feel must be told to one’s spouse without hesitation. Things like when one buys a parcel of land or is involved in one form of an investment or the other, your spouse must be in the know. I assure you no man will settle for less; for all you know, his input might be a very positive one and even the builders or the workers on your site will reckon with you and respect you more when you visit your site with your husband.

    Secondly, I have heard of women who will buy parcels of land and keep their husbands in the dark until after completion of the project. In my opinion, that is unacceptable. A particular case study is the secretary of a client of mine. She told me she had this land she bought over four years and that her husband knew nothing about it. I tried in my little way to dissuade her but it did not work.

    Also, do not disparage your spouse’s friends, it could come back to haunt you.

    In conclusion, there are kept secrets meant to keep harmony in the marriage, not as a first step towards lying. However, honesty and openness is still a better approach.

  • The dangers of hypersexuality in a relationship

    With Rois Ola

    Ugonna and Chris (not real names) had been dating for a year.Six months into the relationship, Chris discovered that Ugonna had a serious sex addiction problem.

    He spoke to her about getting help, but she insisted there was no issue,although  deep within herself she knew that she had a major sexual behavior challenge. She secretly did a research online and found out she was suffering from hyper sexuality also known as sexual addiction.

    One day, Ugonna had an official meeting with a few colleagues and felt a sudden urge to play with her private part. She reached out to her clitoris and gently started rubbing it. A few minutes later she got an orgasm.

    Unknown to her, a colleague had seen Ugonna dip her hand into her pant.A feeling of disgust and embarrassment seized her colleague. She soon  told other people what she saw, one of them a cousin of Chris who quickly called his attention to Ugonna’s disturbing behavior on that day.

    This is one of many examples of what people experiencing sexual addiction face.

    Others may experience compulsive masturbation and other intimate behaviors. Anyone who has a partner exhibiting such symptoms should be on the alert. These can come in various forms like

    * intense sexual fantasies and orgies that take up all your time and are out of their control, even when you try to help them.

    *You have an argument with them or they go through a tough time at work or any situation and the next thing they do is to engage in sexual behavior that has serious consequences (for instance, fondling private parts more than once unconsciously in public); or

    * you discover your partner has trouble establishing and maintaining  a healthy relationship with you, with some sexual fantasy that may not agree with you. This can lead to many complications  such as  struggling with shame.They may develop mental conditions in addition;  lie about their  situation; show signs of depression ;or engage  in sexual activity especially through the internet. In some cases, when your spouse is unable to function normally in a social gathering and environment they end up losing their job and ability to relate properly with people.They may end up  accumulating debts, or give you sexually transmitted infections.

    If you notice that your partner is spending endless hours watching pornography or , chatting on phone  while you are physically and emotionally available for her/him,then you need to act fast  to address the problem. Some have lost the will for discipline and even watch porn while at work, stay up all night watching porn and would prefer calling in sick instead of addressing how this behavior is affecting your love for them and health.

    The truth is your partner could be having issues with anxiety and depression. It could be that it is not “addictive” but a means to reduce” stress”, boredom, low mood.  Are you and your spouse having a mismatch in sex drive? It is common to accuse a partner of being sexually insatiable all the time and yet you are the one that has a low libido, so low that compared to the average person, your performance level is poor. There are cases where women set a time table for sex once in a month, probably on birthdays, Christmas day and maybe Valentine day.Anything else is no no !! The implication of this is that your spouse may end up patronizing strippers and sex workers to have as much sex as they wish.They love you and don’t want to divorce you, so would rather keep going to sex workers to keep the home. This CAN NOT LAST. Or do we talk about the men who prefer having a new sex partner every week, and decide they do not want the stress of monogamy. In some cases, if they are very attractive they ensure they indulge in sex to the full. Let’s not even talk about the ones that love “kinky sex” playing with “dangerous” life threatening “toys”.

    Read lso: How to identify your soul mate in your relationship

     

    If you think your partner may be hypersexual, ask yourself if their sexual behaviors cause you harm or distress, or impairment in your daily functions including those they relate with generally. The best way to help them overcome this behavior is to address the underlying issues driving this behavior, as opposed to focusing on the sexual nature of them. Honesty is very important here, denial of your spouse in this issue cannot help recovery.They need all the support they can get. Counselling with a mental health professional might also be helpful when working through these problems.

    As a society, (maybe because of dictates of our culture) we need to stop stigmatizing people around sex, it leads to pain and suffering. Let us address the issues from the root .If your spouse is going through self-denial, you need to be gentle in showing them the way. Or else you will be hindered in having an  open discussion which can help you know the exact help they may require. These few steps can help

    • Know and understand what the exact issue is.
    • Know what to do after identifying this issue with your spouse.
    • Help your partner know themselves.
    • Help them to be willing to communicate by showing love and not disgust.
    • Seek for counselling medical or mental, they must accept either or both of the options.
    • Avoid procrastination: if your spouse is actually enjoying the destructive nature of this challenge, and has no control, then you need to decide if you can bear it or not .Procrastination in dealing with the issues on ground can destroy you both

    A few friends always ask how can this be avoided? I don’t have an exact answer to this, but I can say some things for sure, you need to RUN from risky situations. If you are familiar with the story of Joseph when he was escaping from Potiphar’s wife, it is said that he fled for his life. RUN as fast as you can but the first thing is to own up if you or partner is facing this, that is the first stage to healing. Ensuring you avoid risky places or things that can trigger it will help with time. It is a battle your spouse may not be able to win alone, unless he or she has a very strong will to actually stop or seek help. It is a battle that can be won together!! I wish you all the best.

  • Ex-ANA President gets chieftaincy title

    Vivian CHIMEZIE

    Former President of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Dr Wale Okediran has received a chieftaincy title from his hometown in Iseyin, Oyo State. Okediran was conferred the title, Onigege Ara which refers to “the Man with the Wonderful Pen” penultimate Saturday,  by the Aseyin of Iseyin, HRH, Oba Abdul-Ganiyu Adekunle Salau, Ologunebi II.

    Read Also: Cameroonian, three Nigerians for Ebedi writers’ residency

     

    According to Oba Salau, the writer “was given the title in recognition of his meritorious contribution to the political and intellectual development of Iseyin, and his literary achievements, especially the establishment of s writer’s residency, the Ebedi International Writers Residency in his hometown”.

    Okediran is also an award winner of the 2005 ANA Price for fiction and Co-winner of 2010 Wole Soyinka’s prize for African Literature.

  • NICO holds annual lecture

    Vivian CHIMEZIE

    The National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO) will hold its quarterly lecture with the theme: Implementation of Sustainable Development Goals in Nigeria -The Culture Dimension on December 3 at the Peace and Conflicts Resolution Complex, African First Ladies Peace Mission Secretariat Conference Hall, Central Business District, Abuja, by 10am.

    The Dean, Faculty of Arts, Federal University, Lafia, Nasarawa State, Prof Victor Dugga is the Guest Lecturer; Honourable Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, is the Special Guest of Honour, Chairman, Senate Committee on Culture & Tourism, Senator Rochas Owelle Okorocha will chair the occasion while the Chairman, NICO Governing Board, Hon. Yusuff Shittu Galambi will be the chief host.

    Read Also: NICO holds public lecture Tuesday

     

    The lecture series was conceptualised as a vibrant quarterly programme to serve as a platform for intellectual discourse on culture; sensitize Nigerians to the strategic importance of culture in the promotion and sustenance of good governance and our nascent democracy; effect a sense of cultural direction in the citizenry to better appreciate the need for Nigerians to embrace our culture, cherish its inherent values and accord it a pride of place in all aspects of our development agenda.

  • Three writers close 2019 Ebedi Residency

    Evelyn OSAGIE

    Three writers from Rwanda and Nigeria, will close this year’s Ebedi International Writers Residency Programme. Rwandan writer and visual artist, Moise Izabiriza, Abdullahi Lawan Kangala (Nigeria) and Daniel Mbolo (Nigeria) have arrived the residency located at Iseyin, Oyo State, as the last set of the seven sets for 2019.

    The residency programme is a private initiative for creative writers wishing to complete their works in a conducive environment at no cost. It was founded by former president of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA). The programme, which is affiliated to some international literary bodies including the Wole Soyinka Writers Residency in Abeokuta and the Belgium based African Moves Arts (AMA),  has hosted over 120 writers from 10 African countries since it was established nine years ago.

    Izabiriza will use his stay at Ebedi to complete work on some new ideas and also facilitate art workshops in some selected secondary schools in Iseyin. He is a self-taught artist who uses his art  as a medium of expression and communication for positive social change. In 2015, Moise participated in the “Creating Art For Positive Social Change” workshop and art exhibition as part of the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence campaign at the American Embassy in Kigali.  In 2016, Moise also attended the Kenya Art Fair in  Wasanii Art Gallery Nairobi and in 2019 created the set designs for the play titled “Small Citizens” during  the International Theatre Festival at Camp Kigali , Rwanda. His works have been published by Daily Monitor, Easter African Magazine and New Time Magazine.

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    Kangala from Kano State will also mentor Iseyin students by teaching them Hausa language and culture. He writes in his native Hausa language. A prodigious author of many works in poetry, drama and short stories, Kangiwa is also a member of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) Kano Chapter. Apart from his writings, Abdullahi is also a literary activist. He is the creator of an online organisation, Kangala Global Awareness through which he  mentors up and coming Hausa writers. He is also a regular contributor on Hausa Literature with the Kano based Arewa Radio, 93.1 FM. Abdullahi wishes to spend his time at the Residency to complete his forthcoming collection of Hausa poems.

    Apart from completing work on his second volume of ‘dramatic poetry’, the third writer, Mbolo will also mentor Iseyin students in the twin arts of drama and poetry during his stay at the Ebedi residency. Mbolo, who writes under the pen name, Sheathsword Nazaritus dropped out of school during the final year of his Law degree programme at the Niger Delta University in his native Bayelsa State in order to concentrate on his writings. He has patterned his works after that of William Shakespeare, a style which embraces dramatic poetry style in telling stories. His latest work, ‘The Divine Tragedies’ is a composition of 25 plays adapted from the Holy Bible. The first volume of “Divine Tragedies” which is a 1,017-page book was completed in 2018.  When Mbolo showed the book to the Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka, the latter was very impressed and is currently engaging Mbolo in some literary projects.

  • Coming to terms with entrepreneurship in Nigeria

    Entrepreneurship has been a part of human existence because of its essence as a means of production. Thus over time, it gained recognition as a critical factor in economic growth and the development of society. From most available evidence, societies where there are many entrepreneurial individuals, growth and development are more rapid  than  societies where there is entrepreneurial deficit especially of individuals.

    The fact is that such societies have for long recognised individual entrepreneurs as partners in development and nation building. This realisation has taken almost forever to be embraced by a lot of developing societies, and part of the problem has been the impact of colonisation. In most developing countries education was basically designed to produce a literate workforce that would enhance the extraction of resources by the coloniser even after independence.

    Frantz Fanon, the French West Indian psychiatrist, political philosopher, revolutionary, and writer from the French colony of Martinique, whose works are influential in the fields of post-colonial studies, critical theory and Marxism, argued that Africans were overwhelmed by colonialism. Consequently a slave mentality has been entrenched.

    Nigeria’s Chinua Achebe, in his collection of essays The Education of a British-Protected Child, adds clarity from the perspective of national development: “ I do recognise, of course, that there are broadly three components  to the equation for national development: system, leader and followers. In an ideal world, each would mesh nicely and efficiently with the other. But quite clearly Nigeria is not in such a world, not even on the road to it. She seems in fact to be going in the opposite direction towards a world of bad systems, bad leadership, and bad followership.”

    Quite concerned by this dreadful situation, Achebe asks the following pertinent questions: How do we redirect our steps in a hurry ? In other words, where do we begin and have the best chance of success? To change the Nigerian system; to change the Nigerian leadership style; or to change the hearts of one hundred and twenty million Nigerians ?”

    All of the above are reflected quite instructively in the new book, Successful Nigerian  Entrepreneurs: How They Started. Curiously the book does not mention the authors even though it is obviously a sponsored project. Written in simple and sometimes lively prose, the book seeks to document “homemade inspirational entrepreneurial stories”. This seemingly simple objective is commendable when considered against the background of our poor culture of documentation across board.

    Read Also: Inspiring a new generation of African entrepreneurs

     

    In twelve chapters, the book shows us within a limited space a number of fairly young contemporary businessmen and women, spanning enterprises from broadcasting to construction through couture, dairy production, public relations, innovative digital platforms, health products and cosmetology. Some are  well known, others are not. So there is a John Momoh and his Channels story which opens the book, and at the other extreme the Okunoren Twins whose fashion label is globally recognised, yet the owners consciously avoid courting publicity. Several strands run through the book which could easily serve as some kind of primer for entrepreneurship.  The standard belief is that an enterprise should start by identifying a niche. The stories in this book serve as a basic reminder, even though a realisation of such an opportunity can come in different ways. For Nkiru Emordi, it came from what is now an endemic situation in the country, lack of employment. Although a graduate, she could not get a job after a couple of interviews. She faced not just the obstacle of the large number of applicants vying for   highly limited positions, but also the daunting “job experience”. She was quick to realise that a Plan B would be her lifeline and it turned out to be something  she had an inclination for – shoes. That marked the beginning of her enterprise now known as Home of Theresa.

    For others lack of job satisfaction and the desire to break staid standards led to seeking a new terrain of self-expression. Muhammad Abubakar left a comfortable banking job to start an agribusiness L&Z Farms. Bukky George followed a similar route in the pharmaceutical industry to set up HealthPlus.

    The other big deal in running a business is what I would call immersion, getting to know all the relevant principal facets right from the basics. All the entrepreneurs in this book reflect various degrees of immersion, starting from understanding the technology relevant to the business. Iyinoluwa Aboyeji,founder of Flutterwave, strongly believes in embracing and demystifying technology: “Technogy is just a way to do two things, reduce your cost or increase your reach. Social media, for example, is designed to increase your reach. Instead of spending dollars on fliers and billboards in the name of marketing, you can reach the same number of people or more via Twitter or Facebook without spending money to print fliers that will be thrown away within hours.”

    It could be even directly hands-on as Oluyemi Ojo, Ayodeji Adeogun and Ibukun Oloyede found out at various stages before and during the birthing and running of Printivo, a blossoming printing firm with clients beyond the shores of Nigeria. That orientation has become a maxim for Ojo, who at some stage had to learn the rudiments of printing and the nitty-gritty of advertising agencies: “ You don’t pay consultancy for things you can do yourself. Secondly, no one can know your brand than your team; and that helps you to simplify your branding, marketing and other aspects of your organisation.”

    Immersion also includes investing in adequate book knowledge in the specific business, a decision that both Oke Maduewesi (Zaron Cosmetics) and Bukky George found invaluable. Maduewesi not only spent time researching Nigeria’s economic sector for gaps that could be filled, but ensured that her MBA disseration was a study of the cosmetic business in Nigeria. She is quoted as saying: “ I wanted to build this quality brand and build it Nigeria, so it was imperative to I understand my market. That is one of the best decisions I made so far.”(p22)

    Partnerships are critical in running enterprises. One type of partnership could be biological as evidenced by Sunday Egede and David Ojei, owners of Prince Ebeano Supermarket. Though not siblings, they have an Uncle and Nephew maternal linkage. It could also be non-biological  and non-ethnic as in the case of Red Media’s Adebola Williams who is Yoruba and Chide Jideonwo who is Igbo. Indeed, almost every enterprise documented in this book reflects some form of formal or informal partnerships. One of the advantages of partnerships is leveraging on strengths to counter weaknesses as evidenced in all the testimonies in each story.

    Innovation can be a useful oxygen for an enterprise. Halima Yunusa has had to think out of the box every step of the way in the process of growing her start up fashion outlet, 41 Luxe. Inspired by her mother to get into trading but leveraging on her personal interest in fashion, Halima soon came to the realisation that she could not make much headway in designing. She found a simple solution, hiring designers. That also became the route for taking her enterprise notches higher.

  • Amachree calls on FG to involve state govts in electricity management

    By Okorie Uguru

    A frontline promoter of Nigerian culture, Chief Mike Amachree, has called on the Federal Government to involve state government s more in the production and distribution of electricity. He said this will fast-track development in the country.

    Amachree told reporters in Port Harcourt that  lack of efficient electricity supply is hindering the economic development of the nation. Chief Amachree noted that Nigeria, as the giant of Africa and  its numerous mineral resources, should have long ago overcome the challenge of electricity supply.

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    The current poor supply of electricity in the country,he added, is adversely affecting the hospitality industry as hoteliers and entrepreneurs spend a very huge amount of their of income on power generation. He described  this as  a minus for tourism development in the country.

    The tourism mogul emphasized that lack of electricity supply has contributed to the closure of many industries in the country noting however that no new investor would appreciate any business environment without electricity.

  • Annang Festival of Arts and Culture 2019 holds on December 20

    By Okorie Uguru

    The Annang Festival of Arts and Culture (AFAC), in partnership with other Annang Organisations, Nto Annang Foundation (NAF) is set to host this year’s edition of the festival, AFAC 2019.

    The aim of the festival is to preserve Annang history, language and culture, to promote Annang cultural heritage, market the  arts and crafts including advancing the appreciation and understanding the artistic production.

    The festival will hold between December 20 and 22 at Ikot Ekpene Township Stadium and Ikot Ekpene Plaza in Akwa Ibom State. According to the organisers, activities have been lined up to mark the cultural tourism festival. The theme for this year’s festival is: “Harnessing Annang Cultural Assets for Economic Gains.”

    The festival, which enjoys the endorsement of the National Council for Art and Culture (NCAC), Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) and Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Culture and Tourism, promises to be one of the biggest show stoppers and largest fiesta in 2019.  Now in its third edition, the National President of the NAF, Abom Ephraim Okon, said arrangements have reached advanced stage for the hosting of the event. According to him, it promises to be a colourful and exciting showpiece of the cultural wealth of the Annang people, with exhibitions spanning both the intangible and tangible heritage of the people and spiced by culinary display, arts and craft as well as live performances by notable Nigerian musical Icons.

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    ”The event shall model strategy for effective travel trade business, cultural synergy and enduring unity through culture and tourism as a special purpose vehicle. This model we intend to replicate for global peace efforts and to mark our cultural product at the international stage,” said Okon. He stressed that the festival, which debuted in 2016, has helped greatly in developing the tourism market of the state, as it has gone in a long way in generating tourist traffic to the state and Ikot Ekpene.

    According to him, the rich and enlarged content of the festival this year include: Colourful cultural display from over 5, 000 cultural revelers; 800 spectacular masquerades display; Annang warriors trek, drum ensemble of over 5, 000 extinct African drums; art exhibition and colloquium/cocktail party for VIP and foreign envoys.

    Also speaking on the festival, the Executive Director of Akwa Tourism Development Company Ltd (ATDC), Mr. Ubong Ekpe, whose company is consulting for the festival, said it is informed by the need to promote Annang and re-enact its unique cultural heritage, stressing that it is aimed at exposing the Nigerian people to the city of raffia and its colourful and attractive heritage.