The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • ‘Nigeria is Garden of Eden, not Botswana’

    By Evelyn Osagie

    African Socio-cultural Harmony and Enlightenment (ASHE) Foundation, backed by paramount monarchs, led by Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has dismissed reports of Botswana being the true Garden of Eden as cultural miseducation.

    A statement by its President, Prince Justice Faloye, noted that the news was a continued misconception of original African cultural and genetic origins and identity, which came from wrong archaeological conclusions that Tanzania was the origin of humanity, based on the hominid findings, to genetic anthropological conclusions of Botswana. The statement added: “However, it appears this cultural misconception goes beyond religion and also has geopolitical considerations. This latest study claiming the evolution of humanity occurred in a huge lake that previously existed in Botswana overlooks a fundamental requirement that the environment should be salty marine water and have a freshwater source due to the physiological makeup of Man that includes some salts.”

    According to him, no other African sub region has the necessary environmental conditions, apart from Southern Nigeria with the largest continental mangrove and freshwater swamp and lowland Rainforest in Africa.

    Faloye, who is author of “The Blackworld: Evolution to Revolution”

    posits: “Unlike with the theoretical Botswana lake that can only occur within a short timeframe by stretching the 26,000 year precession of the equinox, in Nigeria for millions of years majority of the rain from the Atlantic Ocean, especially from Guinean highlands and Jos Plateau watersheds, is funneled out back to the Atlantic Ocean through Nigeria’s permanent continental freshwater and mangrove swamps. Nigeria is also the center of the Yam belt known to be the food of evolution picked in the wild by hunter gatherers. When initially suggested that Man evolved in a rainforest, due to the fact that all hominids skeletons unearthed had dental markings that showed a previous rainforest habitat, what became known as the Wild Yam question was raised that Man couldn’t have survived on Yams alone without savanna agriculture. However, it has recently been proven by the Kyoto University study (Yasuoka 2013) that Man evolved eating wild Yams.

    Read Also: Marriage: A garden of treasures (1)

     

    “Now, the question is what did the first humans in Botswana eat? This recent study currently trending attempts to explain the inconsistency of the genetic study conducted by Sarah Tishkoffs (2009) that came to the wrong conclusion of Botswana, which was influenced by the wrong inclusion of the nonexistent ethnic group Lemande, instead of Yoruba, to determine the site of divergence. The inclusion of Lemande to be the only group older than Yorubas among full sized Africans that speak the continuum of dialects known as the Niger Congo ethno linguistic family made the decision biased towards Central Africa; as seen in Tishkoff, Sarah A.; Reed, Floyd A.; Friedlaender et al (2009-05-22). “The Genetic Structure and History of Africans and African Americans”. Science. 324 (5930): 1035-1044.”

    He added that another overlooked fact is that Western Pygmies are largely mixed with Bantus, while those that migrated to South Africa were isolated and retained their age more than their West Counterparts.

    He writes: “If the site of ancestral origin had been based on the true oldest DNA Yoruba, it would be have clear that the nearest source of salty and freshwater was the Yoruba coast. It is agreed in the theories of Bantu migration that the Benue-Congo ethno linguistic group diverged from Taraba/Adamawa into Cameroun across Central, East and South Africa as seen in (William Croft, ed. (2005); Genetic Linguistics: Essays on Theory and Method. Oxford: Oxford University Press;  Greenberg, Joseph H. (1948). “The classification of African languages”. American Anthropologist. 50: 24-30. doi:10.1525/aa.1948.50.1.02a00050; and The Languages of Africa. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. 1963).

    “This Benue Congo ethno linguistic group diverged from the Volta Niger group that includes Yoruba, Igbo, Ewe, Fon, whose cultural and social organization show a coastal evolution point with only Yam at the foundation of their culture.

     

  • Experts canvass whistle blower policy on piracy

    By Evelyn Osagie

    Intellectual property experts have called for the promulgation of a whistle blower policy to check piracy. They urged the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) to initiate a regulatory scheme for compulsory registration of copyright and a whistle blower policy to strengthen its renewed drive for enhanced copyright protection and effective anti-piracy enforcement.

    The call was made at a lecture at the NCC Kwara State office, as part of activities in commemoration of the commission’s 30th anniversary theme: “Changing the Copyright Narrative for Wealth Creation”. It had as keynote speaker, an Intellectual Property (IP) lecturer and Acting Head of Department of the College of Law, Kwara State University, Malete, Dr. Abdullahi Saliu Ishola.

    Proffering some practical solutions towards changing the copyright narrative in Nigeria, Ishola stated that the Commission should initiate proactive measures to check the prevalence of piracy, engender positive attitude of copyright owners and enlist an active role for right owners in the copyright system.

    Calling for a review of the Copyright Collective Management Organisations Regulations, he urged the commission to invoke its discretionary powers in Sections 38(1) and 39 of the Copyright Act to approve CMOs as its enforcement agents by appointing some of them as copyright inspectors. He said: “NCC should accredit NGOs as copyright activists like the Corporate Affairs Commission accredits lawyers, accountants and chartered secretaries to work for it as partners, relying on Section 45 of the Copyright Act which prescribes that the supervising minister can prescribe regulations for purposes of the Act”.

    The senior lecturer opined that copyright registration should not be optional, adding that all educational materials “should be officially copyrighted so that when people want to study, the registered works will be a standard”. He expressed concern over the high cost of foreign books that leads to them being pirated, urging NCC to encourage foreign publishers to come and publish the Nigerian edition of their works in the country to reduce costs.

    Dr. Ishola who commended the NCC, efforts at implementation of its mandates, canvassed for religious and cultural support for copyright, and underscored the need for awareness that Islamic law supports copyright through adoption of ‘waqf’ endowment for exploitation of religious works and creation of employment opportunities.

    Chairman on the occasion, Prof Olu Obafemi, represented by Prof. Abubakar Abdullahi, both of the Department of English, University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), in his remarks, emphasised that in order to change the copyright narrative for wealth creation in Nigeria, the scourge of piracy must be tamed. Prof. Obafemi expressed concern that the copyright industry was not being adequately funded and decried the attitude of Nigerians in patronising cheap pirated works without minding the loss to copyright owners, noting that unduly long litigation constituted a drawback to the fight against piracy. He added that lack of incentive in the creative industry was a discouragement to creative enterprise in the country.

    NCC Director-General Mr. John Asein, while appreciating the support of stakeholders, restated the Commission’s partnership with the Kwara State Government and key players in the creative industry to enabling a vibrant exploitation of the rich cultural endowments of the state, especially in the creative arts.

    Read Also: NCC, CBN, EFCC for mobile money confab

    Represented by the Director of Public Affairs, Mr. Vincent A. Oyefeso, the Director-General stated: “Today, we are in the global era of knowledge economy and Kwara State can leverage on the copyright system to grow its state economy on a sustainable basis as well as contribute to the national economy. In this wise, NCC is committed to continue to partner with the State Government to attain its development goals, especially in the creative sector. The Commission is also committed to enhanced collaboration with all authors and stakeholders in the copyright based industry to change the copyright narrative for sustained and sustainable wealth creation and national development.”

    Senior Lecturer in Faculty of Law, University of Ilorin, Dr Kayode Adam, had noted that the current copyright narrative was inherited or borrowed from the British legal system, adding that Nigeria’s copyright policies should be based on its fundamental national values. Dr. Adam stated that a new copyright narrative would serve three purposes, namely guide the adoption of a national copyright policy; assist judges in correct interpretation of our copyright law; help in creating awareness on Nigeria’s copyright values and law.

    Chairman of Kwara State House Committee on Land, Housing and Urban Development, Honourable Awodiji Tayo Felix, in a goodwill message, assured that the State House of Assembly would support the Commission’s bid to review the Copyright Act in the interestof right owners and for sustainable development of the copyright industries and the economy.

  • That’s a Mistake! (2)

    Lanre Amodu

     

    Great to have you on this column again! Last week we shared the story of Sir James Dyson who, out of frustration with his Hoover vacuum cleaner, decided to invent his own. Recall that he was inspired by a 30-foot-high centrifuge at a local sawmill to infuse a cyclonic separation technology into a vacuum cleaner. After 5,127 prototypes, rejection from the manufacturers and distributors in the United Kingdom and a disastrous experience in the United States, his product, G-Force, was finally launched in Japan, where it later won the 1991 International Design Fair Prize. We also must not forget to mention that Sir Dyson’s real time net worth was $5.7 billion as of the last report of Forbes in 2019.

    Now that we have done a quick recap of the story, we can go immediately to the lessons as promised last week:

    • Your disposition to challenges matters: people have different attitudes to challenges; some ignore them, some complain about them while some face and change them. Wouldn’t it be ridiculous to think that Dyson was the only one who experienced discomfort by the use of his Hoover? He, however, decided that instead to playing the victim because he had no choice, he would do somethings about it. One way or the other, he could not shake off the idea of solving the problem until he did. The problem you notice and are passionate about may be an indication of your gift. Redirect your energy from complaining about it to solving it.

     

             Read Also: That’s a mistake!

     

    • Look out for inspiration: inspiration works in strange ways. It sometimes comes when and where you least expect. That is why you need to be sensitive and pay attention. The centrifuge at the sawmill that inspired Dyson had been there for years and was seen by many. It was “common” to some but it held the solution Dyson was looking for. When your heart is searching for answers, even the wind may inspire you. With inspiration, ordinary things become special.
    • Allow no limitation: Dyson had several reasons not to pursue the project and chief among them was his educational background. Ordinarily, one would consider it strange that someone who studied furniture and interior design at an Art School would venture into inventions. However, when you are consumed by an idea, you will find the knowledge required to bring it to live. The only reason you are still giving excuses about your dream is lack of passion. The success of the unlikely G-Force led to the establishment of Dyson Ltd, which now has about 60 consumer products. Don’t expect another idea when you have not done anything with the one you currently have. If you don’t take the first step, it is very unlikely that you will arrive at your destination.
    • Don’t give up: you are not a failure until you stop trying. Dyson did not go to sleep hoping his idea will become a product one day. He worked hard at it and he had 5,127 prototypes to show for it. If you believe in it, don’t give up on it, but you must pay the price for it. It may appear like all your efforts are wasted but just keep at it. Someone may wonder, “So, when should I give up on a dead dream?” The answer is simple, “when the dream is dead!” For as long as it is alive, stay with it. Another thing that should keep you going is progress. Each of the 5,127 prototypes was an improvement on the previous. For as long as you are making progress, rest assured that you will achieve your goals.

    There are still a few more lessons to learn from Sir James Dyson. Join me again next week as we explore this story further. You may send me the lessons you have learnt from this story and I will gladly share them in the next article.

    Thanks for reading my article today. I would really love to hear from you. So, do share your views with me by sending SMS to 07034737394, visiting www.olanreamodu.com and following me on twitter @lanreamodu. Remember, you are currently nothing compared to what you can become. This can be your year if you want it to be!

  • Room

    By Habib Akewusola

     

    Within a home of six

    Everyone have a corner to each

    Loneliness begin to kick

    Walls cover each other’s grieve

    In a home of twelve

    Single space to hold our bed, kitchen and toilet

    We share same meal

    Same plate and same drink.

    Love fills the air

    You can’t hide your tears

    Mama will hear.

    Riches remain a dream

    Illusion that can never be fulfilled

    Love is ultimate help

    Speak fore a heart shall be healed

    Rooms destroy tons of home

    While internet teach the kids

    Mummy test new enhance cream

    Daddy chats a new chic

    Depression finished lots of rich kids

  • Okeigbo holds renaissance carnival

    by Evelyn Osagie

    Youths in the ancient Okeigbo Town in Ondo State are bracing for a community Unity Carnival tagged: “Okeigbo Rebirth Carnival 2019”.

    The event, according to a statement, jointly signed by the pioneer chairman and the CEO, Promade Nigeria Limited, Prince Ayoade Ayodele and the coordinator, Ojetayo Oluwadamilare, is a unity carnival conceptualised with a strong vision to bring about cultural renaissance of the olden days to modern Okeigbo Kingdom.

    The youth, through the coordinator, spoke of the Okeigbo Rebirth Carnival 2019, schedule to hold on New Year Day in 2020. He said the event would help showcase the cultural heritage, social economic and tourism potential of the town to the world.

    Read Also: Ayade unveils 2019 Carnival Calabar theme

     

    Oluwadamilare said the huge success recorded by the 2018 edition, tagged Okeigbo like mind coronation show, gave the youth and other cultural minded indigenes the impetus to plan an elaborate 2019 edition. The 2019 edition started with a good omen as the event already received the royal blessing of the paramount ruler of Okeigbo kingdom, Oba Olu Babajide Bamigbala I.

    Another major attraction of the 2019 carnival is the careful planning by the organisers who had contracted three major public relation and media management companies as the official event management partners. The coordinator explained that the top level brand and perception companies have also been involved to give the event the desired brand as many local and international companies have been signifying their interest to grace the event powered by Promade Group.

    Other highlights of the event include cultural parade and award night to honor and celebrate deserving indigenes at home and abroad. Many A-List Nolly wood actors actress and reigning musicians 9ice,Jaywon Clever J and many more among others Okeigbo indigenous act.

    Among eminent personalities to be honoured include posthumous award for the late D.O Fagunwa of “Igbo Olodumare” fame, and Oba Timothy Fasawe. Other awardees are Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi; Oluoke of Okeigbo; Oba Lawrence Bamigbala; Prince Femi Babajide; Adesope Aresa; Festus  Adefiranye; Evangelist Funmi Aragbaiye; Mrs Rebecca Adeoyin and Prof. Jerome Elusiyan, among others.

  • Our way of life, by Indian community

    Cheery voices greeted guests as they drove into Ota Industrial Estate, Ogun State. Welcome to Indian Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh family retreat that celebrates global peace and nature. Paul Ukpabio and Evelyn Osagie report

     

    Ota, a border town between Lagos and Ogun states, is home to various industries that produce household consumer brands. It is also blessed with an industrial estate that boasts of a residence for a small community of Indians.

    The cloud was dark in Ota, Ogun State. The rain poured irregularly as if in a symphony, fast and then soft like a drizzle on the wet tarred, winding road leading to the security check point that keeps unwelcomed visitors away at the Ota Industrial Estate.

    As one drives into the estate, some bungalows come within view, then the high rise buildings follow, well-architectured and in orderly fashion. As one approaches one of the flats, one is greeted by cheerful voices of men and women, some with their young children. They are members of the Indian Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh resident in the estate.

    The Indian Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh is an organisation representated in 44 countries. Its members had gathered there for a family retreat.

    “Our mission is to bring global harmony, peace, connectivity, and nature appreciation in the communities that we live in,” began Dr. Ram Vaidy, the group’s world joint coordinator, who flew into town to visit.

    ”We belong to the Hindu philosophy where our ancestors in India practise these same philosophies to the present day. It is our responsibility to bring these philosophies to the country where we are living in. So we believe that for the family to be sustainable, everybody should take care of the planet, we should always take care of each other, support the fight against terrorism and against exploitation,” he said.

    According to him, its is a regular meeting for families. “The meeting is a family retreat where we come to know and understand the vision and mission and mechanism of our organisation. We call it a retreat. This retreat is for understanding our philosophy. We have four Shakha that is branches in Nigeria which meets weekly at weekends when families come together. When we meet we practice physical fitness, yoga, play some games and sing songs together. We also discuss issues and how to move communities forward and we celebrate some festivals together. Also important is that, we pray to Almighty that He should give strength to all of us. Our motto is that we achieve by our own efforts.”

    Read Also: Taskforce relocates Indian’s lion to Lekki zoo

     

    For the joint co-coordinator in Nigeria, Sanjay Srivastava, observed that “Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh is a way of life”. But what does the retreat involve? Srivastava explained that: “What we do when we meet is, we start with warm up exercise, yoga, we play traditional family home games whose main purpose is to get to know one another and bring harmony between us by encouraging strength building and bonding. We also sing songs about our struggles and about our leaders in history. We discuss issues in the society and we take views from everybody on how ills in the society can be solved. So in one hour meeting time, we have six activities that mean that we do not spend much time on each part of the programme. With these practices we build bonds, friendships, relationships, we increase our knowledge and intellectuality and the most important thing we do is character building.

    “This is a branch of what we have in India. This is one organisation in India that has stood the test of time. It is presently over 90 years old. Founded in India in 1925, it is Indian’s oldest voluntary organisation and about the oldest in the world. It is an NGO known by the United Nations and popular with other organisations. But when we came out of India and spread all around the globe, we also spread the voluntary duties of the organisation. We have branches now in Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, UK, Australia and so on. You know Indians are known to love nature, low cost, good management, integrity, loyalty and so on. In 1947, our ancestors came to Kenya and they decided that they will start the Shakha that is a branch there like we have in India. That was achieved in 1947. So anyone coming from India could meet for a retreat there. That was the beginning of the group in Africa.” Taking part in the family retreats helps us so that when we go back to our organizations, we perform better. We work proactively; we work as better leaders, giving service to the people.”

    Although Srivastava was not born into the group, he recounted his involvement with the group. “I joined when I was five years old. I saw a retreat like the one we had today, taking place near my house on a football playground. That was when I developed interest in learning about the group and taking interest in the games. From there I started and I have been in Nigeria now for 12 years. Six years ago, we had volunteers and we were able to restart here.”

    Another Nigerian coordinator of the group Pushkraj Moghal, who was born into the group, disclosed that he has been a member right from India. “When I came to Nigeria, I became part of the organisation which was founded in Kenya, I believe in plurality since childhood, I believe that everybody should be treated equally,” adding that:  ”As Hindus, we build our character; behave in a proper way, which in the end automatically means that society will behave in a proper way.  At the end of the day, it boils down to Dharma which means duty. That is duty to the society. Everyone is supposed to come together irrespective of your religious belief. And do it for the betterment of each other. That is the Hindu way of life. We believe the whole world is a family. One family! We believe in family. Wherever we are born, we try to be the change within change in the society through character building. We do that by interaction, games, connecting ourselves, irrespective of our different followings, we are one. I lead the Nigerian chapter,” says Pushkraj, “which means that, I lead the team that works for this noble cause.”

    During the visit, it was observed that members of the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh pray. When asked if the prayers indicate that the group is a religious organisation. Moghal said: “No,” was his immediate response. “It is not about religion but about humanity and sustainable development of mankind and we have many similarities between Nigeria and India. We have same kind of cultural and traditional way of life. It is that traditional way of life that encourages building of good character that our group is all about. And we also have a philanthropy aspect of it, whereby we donate books to schools and teach young people yoga; it makes them understand us better. It is beyond religion. It is basically for humanity, philosophy and culture. So any person from any religion can participate in it.”

    Interestingly, according to him, the Indian Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh is also opened to Nigerians and other citizens wherever the group is located. “We have a few Nigerians in our group just like in Kenya. Our activities are attractive to Nigerians but they need to understand that we are ready and open so we have to communicate that to Nigerians because we are one family. There is no hierarchy, it is a family system. Like in family we have grandparents, parents, children and everybody has their own work to do.

    “I enjoy eternal freedom. It doesn’t affect my religion. The group allows you to follow your religion, you are still accepted and I can follow mine too. We ensure that whatever we do, we do not hurt the other. That is what I like best. Presently, we have about 150 families here and about 40-50 families are in Northern Nigeria: About 25 to 30 families are in Abuja and perhaps 250 all over Nigeria. And together we try to connect with Nigerian brothers and sisters. We are going to increase the number of families to ensure that society gets better and better. Just like we say, it is a way of life for us,” he said.

    To the youth, Srivastava said: “The whole world is going through some transitions now and we cannot just say that the government must be responsible for everything. It is our responsibility to bring about the change in the society wherever we are living in. When we become proactive and assertive to bring about the change in the society, the first thing is to bring about the change in our lives. The youths should not be spectators but be involved.”

     

    ‘As Hindus, we build our character; behave in a proper way, which in the end automatically means that society will behave in a proper way’

     

  • Queen Moremi is beyond theatre, says Ooni

    Thousands of years after Yoruba heroine Queen Moremi Ajasoro saved her race from extinction, she has become a beacon of women liberation and strength. To immortalise her, the play Queen Moremi The Musical will hit the stage next month from the stables of the Oduduwa Foundation. But to the custodian of the Yoruba culture, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, it is more than theatre. In this interview with EVELYN OSAGIE, he speaks on the historic relevance of the queen, the play and more

     

    Moremi’s story of heroism

     

    I can go on and on about the story of Moremi. Today we are spread all over Cuba, Brazil and the world and have kept expanding. But without Moremi, there would never be a race of Yoruba people. She volunteered several thousands of years ago when the whole world as it were, at that time, was turning against the Ife nation. We were all in one location at the time as Ife people: there was nothing like the Yoruba nation then.

    Moremi helped to solve an unsolved mystery behind the attacks at the time when even the people we were together with were coming to dislodge everybody. So, it was difficult for one to know who the real enemies were, because they were of one’s blood. And even through oracle, they could not check it because of that same reason. Moremi volunteered and everyone said, “You? A woman: what good can come out of you?” But she surprised everybody. Moremi’s story is the story of today’s world.

    Till date, the world looks down on the woman – in the place of work and the home. They call them all sorts of names, saying that they belong to a particular room. It shouldn’t be.

     

    Moremi: The strength of a woman

     

    “Moremi” reflects the strength of womanhood. What a man can do, a woman can do better. In fact, I do not like calling women, the weaker sex because they are not. They are stronger than men. They are very strong. Everything they do is timed – they are very cautious of what they do and are very sensitive.

    And just as it is in humanity, female animals as little as chicken also depict the strength of a woman. They go out to hunt, protect and provide for the children and reproduce.

    Women are multipliers. Give a woman anything; she would reproduce it for you, provided she is happy. Microcredits the world over prefer to give women credits without collateral than men because they would pay back. Anywhere in the world, people that pay their loans mostly are women. They are always very committed in anything they do. That’s the story of Moremi. I’ve just given you a general caption of whom and what Moremi is and stands for but it’s better for you to come watch the play, Queen Moremi The Musical for you to have a full grasp of her persona. Seeing is believing (Laughs).

     

    Moremi as musical theatre

     

    We have had a history of women who have played heroic roles, but the choice of Moremi as heroic figure to take to the stage was motivated by the fact that she was the pioneer – she was the liberty heroine. She was the first in history to do what she did. We have several of others in Yoruba history but they all came after her.

    When I watched “Queen Moremi, the Musical” on stage, I felt very touched, almost to tears. It’s a very touchy story. I looked to my left and right and saw that people were touched to tears by the selflessness and strength of a woman – what a woman can do to actually save her race.

    And that really stuck to my head and got me really motivated to speak more for women.  Moremi is a source inspiration to womenfolk and the  Girl-child. And so, I decided to give thoughts to women empowerment and leadership because of Moremi’s story. And by virtue of my being the custodian and progenitor of the entire Yoruba race as the Arole Oduduwa, I decided I’d go all the way, give it all the support and take it all over the world. I’d like the world to see what is called leadership, and empowerment for women. I was determined to use stories like this in form theatre, movies and manpower training and development to encourage and show the Girl-child and young females from a very tender age what is called the strength of a woman.

     

    Moremi beyond theatre

     

    Moremi’s story is one that would continue to resonate. To me, it’s not just a theatre; in the long term, it’s going to become a very strong movement. And that is why we are doing a reloaded version of the “Moremi” theatre.

    Moremi is a movement to encourage the Girl-child globally and particularly in Africa because it is where you have the plight of Girl-child is a major issue. They are the most oppressed both in the south and north of Nigeria. They are always afraid to speak or act. It is the girls that would be told to dress in a particular way. You barely hear the voices of women. How many voices of women can you hear compared to the men – you can’t count 200 in Nigeria. I can give you that test, you journalists, count 100. Okay, I want to help you further, count 50. It’s difficult to get 50.

    But still, there are a lot of women doing well – we have a lot of women CEOs. When I see women doing well as CEOs and chairpersons of big organisations, I’m always very proud, but it started from when they were girls. And that’s why we have to start now to reorientate their minds: that “Moremi did it; they can also, These would give them the courage that “Moremi was bold; I can be bold in the society. What men are doing, I can do it better.”

    Nigeria as a nation has never had women as its major leaders.

     

    Read Also: Ooni to govt: tap art, tourism potential

     

    Moremi Reloaded and

    traditional elements

     

    It has always been in the plan to make the Moremitheatre, an exportable product – a proudly Nigerian one to be taken all over the world. We are out to promote what belongs to us and for the world to see and accept us for who we are. And we are set to make Queen Moremi The Musical a marketable export. More than ever before, it is very important to bring more of our tradition into the show. And one of the ways we are going about it is that this time around, the reloaded version would be spiced with more traditional element like music. And it is being refined to blend tradition and modernity.

    Based on experience, when I go abroad I realise that they are used to our contemporary music, but anytime our traditional music is played, they are always very happy. Yoruba would say one’s worth is oftentimes celebrated and valued abroad than it is at home. It is very important that we imbibe and promote our culture. If you look at Lion King”, the soundtracks are driven by South Africans – South African native languages were there.

     

    Moremi Reloaded: tours

    and December show

     

    Our “Moremi” on stage experience last year was explosive. It was very successful in that regard. And we want to keep the brand and goodwill. A lot of people came out to watch, and in fact, when we stopped, they were asking for more. And we had to bring it out in April and still had a good success story then too. They are still asking for it again. And we are set to bring the reloaded version of Queen Moremi, the Musical back to the Lagos stage.

    After a wide range of consultations and discussions, under the platform of Oduduwa Foundation, we have gotten to the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, Cuba and Brazil. And they are willing for us to bring it on board.

    But charity begins at home, that is why we still want to keep it here. And all those very influential foreigners where we have been can now come and see the show. That’s our strategy.  We have done the stage play and launched the book in Ife. The reloaded version will definitely go back to Ife because Ife is the custodian of it; and move worldwide.

     

    Financial implication

    of Moremi

     

    Theatre is not very strong in Nigeria too. It is capital intensive nature compared to movies. It is a long term thing. You don’t make money or get anything done at the initial stage. To really break even, it has to be in the theatre for minimum six months. But to have  eight days of theatre, forget it. How do you want to get it done? There are so much expenses and intellectual capacity that go  into it. But for movies, it’s a one-off thing – you act it once and keep playing it. But in the theatre, you must act it every time. And every scene and every appearance is like doing a fresh play. But for us, we are not looking at money, but an initiative, a content that would eventually dovetail into movement. That is why we are committed to it.

     

    ‘It has always been in the plan to make the Moremi theatre, an exportable product – a proudly Nigerian one to be taken all over the world… We are set to make Queen Moremi The Musical a marketable export. More than ever before, it is very important to bring more of our tradition into the show’

  • Nigerian startup, others shine in South Africa

    GeroCare, a subscription-based healthcare service for the elderly, was among the top 10 startups handpicked as Best of Ecosystem from each of the major capitals on the continent.

    This was announced during the just-concluded AfricArena Summit held in South Africa.

    Others were Cloud 9 XP from Kenya; Fresh Box from Rwanda; African Food from Ivory Coast; Afrikamart from Senegal; Popaddress from Morocco; Echo from Tunisia; Xiot from Egypt; Africa Business Integration (ABI) from Cape Town and KHULA from Johannesburg.

    GeroCare provides affordable, easily accessible and regular checkups by physicians. The idea was born out of the need for people show love and care from anywhere they may be in the world to their parents in Nigeria.

    According to a statement, the startups were selected during the AfricArena Tour – a crucial element of the Summit.

    Over a seven-month period, the AfricArena team embarked on a tour of the 10 leading tech hubs on the continent to find the most promising tech-based startups in these areas.

    The statement said the third annual AfricArena Summit kicked off Cape Town Tech Week with two days of intensive pitching from over 100 of the best African and African-focused tech startups and innovators from over 20 countries. The summit was also a destination for inspiration where seasoned entrepreneurs such as Vusi Thembekwayo and venture capitalists like the founders of Breega Capital shared their experiences and thoughts with attendees wanting to enrich their knowledge.

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    Of this year’s winning startups, AfricArena Founder, Christophe Viarnaud said: “Entrepreneurs are Africa’s number one asset and the more than 100 startups that attended the Summit this year are amongst the very best innovators on the continent, and demonstrated their desire to create innovation not only to resolve challenges in Africa, but to make the world a better place.”

    Silicon Cape Director, Zimkhita Buwa added: “AfricArena is a platform filled with opportunity to showcase amazing African startups like these and give local and global investors an opportunity to hear their stories and provide the necessary funding required to scale these startups.”

    In addition to pitching sessions for the startups, the Summit hosted a refreshing session during which three tech hubs – Nairobi, Dakar and Cape Town – pitched to attract the best entrepreneurs.  Each hub came up with creative ideas to illustrate the strengths of their ecosystem.

    Finally, in a reversed role pitch battle, three investors –an Angel Investor and Chairman of ABAN (Nigeria), Tomi Davies; Boldewijn Sloet from Africa Tech Ventures (Kenya) and Danai Musandu from Goodwell Investments (Netherlands) – pitched to the startups and corporates.

  • New survey: Power outages a major constraint for techentrepreneurs

    By Daniel Essiet

     

    Nigeria’s young tech sector is facing a major hurdle in unreliable power supply, with the average tech firm reporting 30+ power outages per month, according to a new survey of the  tech sector by the Center for Global Development and the ONE Campaign.

    The survey covered 93 tech firms across the tech industry. Firms, were asked about a range of potential business obstacles, including access to credit and electricity, corruption, taxation, the legal system, and more. Political instability, access to finance, and reliable power were the most severe constraints, according to respondents.

    Nigeria is becoming a major African destination for tech investment, driven in part by a large, well-connected population. but the survey raises concerns about the fundamentals of the business environment tech entrepreneurs operate in.

    “Everyone is talking about 5G access or startup accelerators, but we found Nigeria’s tech industry is struggling with much more basic problems, like unreliable electricity. The firms we talked to are dealing with dozens of power outages per month. That’s hard for any business, and especially for a technology company,” said one of the authors of the report and a Senior Fellow at the Center for Global Development, Vijaya Ramachandran.

    “Basically, Nigeria’s 21st century economy is being held back by very 20th century problem: lack of power,” she said. Among some of the survey findings were that 57 per cent of tech firms surveyed said reliable access to power was a “major” or “severe” obstacle to their business. 53 of the tech firms surveyed reported 30+ outages, and another 22 reported more than 20 outages per month.

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    A typical power outage lasts two to three hours for most firms, although for a significant group (about 15 per cent); the lights usually stay off for five or more hours at a time. A third of the surveyed firms reported losing more than 20 per cent of their sales due to power outages.

    ”We know that unreliable power is a huge issue across Nigeria, and now we have data on just how badly outages are affecting technology companies. Big Silicon Valley investments and government-sponsored tech hubs can be helpful, but Nigeria needs to get the basic business environment right first. That means providing the energy infrastructure all businesses need to flourish,” Ramachandran said.

  • Advancing women entrepreneurship

    There are concerted efforts to support the growth of women entrepreneurs as a strategy for poverty reduction, social well-being and sustainable economic growth. One of these is anchored by a Lagos-based non-governmental organisation (NGO), Metro Women, in partnership with Creditpro Limited. They held a Female Founders Accelerators Conference in Lagos, in commemoration of Women Entrepreneurs Day. DANIEL ESSIET writes.

     

    Women’s entrepreneurship is an invaluable tool for boosting economies and empowering women. In recent years, Nigeria has made significant progress on its socio-economic status, yet women are estimated to own a little percentage of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) and face various barriers to entrepreneurship, which include, among others, limited access to finance, infrastructure, lack of business knowledge and discriminatory social norms.

    The case for investing in women’s economic empowerment is compelling.

    Speaking at a Female Founders Accelerators Conference in Lagos, in commemoration of Women Entrepreneurs Day organised by Metro Women, in partnership with Creditpro Limited, the founder, Mrs. Chinenye Nnoli, said women were true agents of change whose innovations can lift communities and the nation.

    Mrs. Nnoli said getting involved in business would help women gain valuable knowledge and experience to escape the poverty trap. She said with this in mind, government and the private sector should focus on giving business training and aid to women interested in entrepreneurship.

    She said the country needs a business environment that enhances women entrepreneurs’ access to capital through innovative financing mechanisms, saying tackling the unique challenges faced by women entrepreneurs would require innovative approaches, including innovative financing mechanisms. To this end, she said her organisation, in partnership with Creditpro Business Support Services Limited, Soar & Heritage and Stage Africa Foundation, established a female founder’s accelerator to provide women-owned enterprises with the resources, skills and enabling environment to grow their businesses and generate sustainable and inclusive economic growth.

    She said the accelerator initiative was important because it has proven to be a tool to promote economic development, stating that it would help businesses run by women entrepreneurs to scale up into successful enterprises so as to reach their full potential by providing them with 12 months of training, mentorship and advisory services at no cost.

    Mrs.  Nnoli said its Business Accelerator for women-led small and growing businesses and invited applications for its inaugural batch of 30 ventures, saying  30 startups were carefully chosen from over 500 applications to undergo training. Training activities will include self-assessment of business, case-study based approach to covering business basics including growth, and expansion of business and fine-tuning business plans.

    During the training period, she said mentors would assist and help business owners to broadly identify the problems their ventures are facing and counter them, stating that  the hub for the accelerator  was  provided by Access Bank and  that small businesses can access up to N2 million as start-up capital.

    The Chief Executive, Creditpro Business Support Services Limited, Mr. Sola Adeyiga,  said his organisation was delighted to have the opportunity to champion the capacity-building of women entrepreneurs .The diversity of enterprises, he pointed out offers great scope to encourage some unique ventures, enabling women’s empowerment and their ability to support their families and add value to their neighborhoods.

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    Adeyiga said the partnership was focused on strengthening women entrepreneurship, best practices, use of innovation in improving women entrepreneurs’ role in economic development and financial constraints in entrepreneurship.

    The Lead Partner, Soar& Heritage, Jennifer Daniel, said her organisation was happy to be part of the Entrepreneurship Accelerator, designed to inspire, educate, and empower women.

    The Accelerator, according to her, supports efforts to encourage women-owned businesses.

    A major highlight of the programme was a session which banker-turned hairstylist, Bruno Oaikhinan, told the audience how he spotted a hair business opportunity in Ikeja Mall.

    Oaikhinan said he decided to set up a hair salon in a Lagos mall after realising that no matter how the economy is faring, people are always prepared to spend money on their hair. At weekends it is packed with women, men and children being groomed.

    He said he was always interested in hair and during his 12 years in the financial industry, took lessons and apprenticeships on the side to learn the trade. Then he spotted an opening and began saving. He noticed there was no salon in a mall and he wanted to be the first – though it was a big risk.

    Eventually, he opened the hair salon which has turned to a business success.

    He believes the secret of his success is having a business model that suits all budgets.