The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • BPP okays Public Funds Expenditure

    by Collins Nweze

     

    The Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) yesterday said Nigeria has made tremendous improvement in the expenditure of public funds through Public Procurement.

    The Director-General, BPP, Mamman Ahmadu, who stated this at the  the opening ceremony of the second edition of  the 2019 conversion training programme for Procurement Officers in the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), held in Lagos, said the support of the Federal Government  to BPP has boosted the success rate of the Procurement Reforms and would continue to promote  the implementation of the Public Procurement Act (PPA), 2017.

    Ahmadu, who was represented by BPP Director, Energy and Infrastructure, Engineer Babatunde Kuye, said the  training, started by the BPP about nine years ago, was key to the institutionalisation of procurement reform in the Federal Civil Service.  According to him,  the training would equip the participants with the right skills to carry out their responsibilities in line with the PPA, 2007 provisions.

    Ahmadu said: “The  Civil Service being the heartbeat of any nation’s Public Service Administration is central to the implementation of political and economic plans of Governments such as the present Next Level thrust of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    “It is important we get things right in the allocation or use of resources, hence the BPP is strengthening the Public Procurement Reform through continuous training. This three week conversion and certification course geared towards providing the needed expertise in the implementation of the Procurement Reform is a case in point,” he said.

    Explaining how procurement process works, Ahmadu said: “It is good to note that when allocations are made in budgets, we do not simply write out letters awarding contracts to contractor A or B based mostly on personal interest as was the case before the reform but based on Due Process of PPA, 2007. It is also noteworthy to mention that the nine essential steps of public procurement start with efficient procurement plan driven by needs assessment. Then there has to be adequate appropriation, followed by advertisement, and transparent pre-qualification.  Bid submission and bid opening process followed by bid evaluation process have to take place as well. Afterwards we have Tender Board or Federal Executive Council (FEC) Approval, and then contract execution. This is becoming entrenched in the Public Service as good credit for the reform”.

    He said that henceforth, on certified Procurement Officers will be allowed to be posted as Procurement Officers adding that the Head of Procurement Department reports directly to the Accounting Officer of their respective MDAs.

     

    Where there are no certified Procurement Officers, the schedule officer in charge will have to take responsibility in the meantime and report to the Accounting Officer as appropriate adding that it will be  business as usual.

     

    He said that transparency, competition, quality and the attainment of value-for-money are central to the Procurement Process. “We therefore do not have an alternative route to good Public Procurement practice. It is for this reason that we must continue to harp on its importance and internalize its details in order to effectively implement it. The Public Service is the engine room for change, and it is our collective responsibility to ensure that all sections of the law governing Public Procurement are fully put into practice.”

     

    Read Also: Bureau of Public Procurement saves N680b from contracts

     

    “I must say that we are not unaware that some people are itching to be Procurement Officers because they think it is a route to sudden wealth through the award of contracts. This wrong notion is rather unfortunate; I therefore urge you to lay emphasis on continuous professional development so as to engender good service delivery in order to enhance performance in the Cadre”.

     

    Ahmadu said the BPP was working with some agencies of government to address specific structural and capacity challenges in their procurement processes. “In the same vein, as part of the procurement reform, Federal Government with support from the World Bank has approved six centres of excellence across the six geo-political zones to train and have graduates at the Master, Post Graduate Diploma and advanced certificates in procurement, environmental and social safety for both the public and private sectors.”

    This, he added, would support the efforts of the BPP in providing right skills for its workforce adding that the BPP will work with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) to enforce and apply appropriate sanctions on Agencies using unverified Procurement Officers in their operations.

     

    He said the BPP was working with Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Federal University of Technology Owerri, and University of Lagos, to ensure standardisation of courses and researches directly impacting the economy, environmental and the social needs of the country.

     

  • Nyanda dazzles in Lagos

    By Olaitan Ganiu

     

    Jamaican dancehall singer, Nyanda of Brick and Lace surprised fans last Saturday with an epic performance at the maiden edition of ‘DJ Bobbi Red Alert Concert in Lagos.

    Nyanda took to the stage to perform a single, Take Me Back, Never, Never and Hold Up and followed it up with a collaboration she recorded with DJ Bobbi titled, Red Alert.

    The sensation singer then sent her audience wild when she reeled out the hit single, Love Is Wicked to round up the night.

    Read Also: Headies 2019: Burna Boy’s ‘Ye’ wins best song of the year

     

    Brick and Lace consisting of sisters, Nyanda and Nailah Thorbourne, they were born to a Jamaican father and an American mother before Nyanda stepped away in 2013 to pursue a solo career.

    The headliner, DJ Bobbi also delivered a jaw-dropping show with his unique video mix to wow his fans.

    Also performed at the event are talented stars Jaywon, Niniola, Ajura, Soft, Mr 2K, Magnito. The compelling event also featured a live band, Salt of the Earth Entertainment as well as disc jockeys comprises of DJ Jimmy Jatt, DJ Sose and others.

    About 15 participants also got a scholarship into DJ Bobbi’s scratch academy.

     

  • Photographer emerges first MBDGN queen

     By Omolola Afolabi

     

    TO promote inclusive representation of women, Maria Okese has won the first-ever  the Most Beautiful Deaf Girl in Nigeria Beauty Pageant (MBDGN) pageantry held at Standard Bearers School, Lekki, Lagos.

    She will represent Nigeria at the 2020 Miss Deaf World in Prague, Czech Republic.

    She emerged winner among the 14 contestants across 13 states, including Lagos, Enugu, Abuja, Kaduna, Ebonyi, Ogun, Anambra, Edo, Benue, Rivers, Ogun, and Kwara.

    MBDGN organisers, Dr. Tolu Oke-Igaire and Uri Ngozi Chukwukwuka, said one of the factors that inspired the pageantry was the signing of the disability bill, which also created a platform for canvassing inclusion for the women with hearing and speech impairments in society – classrooms, playgrounds, workplaces or social places, and to drive attention to their abilities and not their disabilities because people tend to see the disabilities first.

    Read Also: BoI partners Daily Times on Miss Nigeria Beauty Pageant

     

    Okese, a professional photographer and arts enthusiast, said she would create awareness on the issues of raising the standard of education for deaf children, and the need to motivate, especially those in Rivers State to contribute to the society despite their disabilities.

    She continued: “I would like to show Nigerians and non-Nigerians that irrespective of their limitations, they can become who they want to be.”

  • Olu Akengbuwa: clip of global power tussle

    By Omolola Afolabi

     

    History and culture of the Itsekiris were revisited in the stage play Olu Akengbuwa,   written and directed by award-wining filmmaker Alex Eyengho.

    It was staged recently at the  Muson Centre, Onikan, Lagos.

    Olu Akengbuwa tells the story of the 16th Olu of Warri, who reigned between 1795 and 1848 AD. Akengbuwa was the Warri monarch before the 88-year interregnum, which the play was centred on.

    It is believed that the people called the Itsekiris today are descendants of different groups of people that settled in Benin, Forcados and Escravos rivers in the present day Nigeria. The play traces incidents in the historical trajectory of the Warri monarchical system. Historians link two of the incidents as the cause of the interregnum in the ancient kingdom of Warri which are curse the placed on the kingdom by a certain herbalist from Ife, Oyo empire and a pronouncement by Olu Akengnuwa against his son, Prince Omateye.

    Eyengho said though the storyline revolves around the Warri kingdom, the event speaks to some national and global realities, it’s the story of tussle for power, succession, desperation, scheming, these are themes that have universal applications and can be dealt with as such.

     

    Read Also: Afolayan’s new movie, The Citation gets deal in three countries

     

    “Again, we try to put things together by interpreting these through our culture, tradition, nuances as such, it’s a universal story and it is not limited to Warri kingdom alone,” he added.

    The epic play, which has over a hundred cast and crew has been staged for four years now as it had its debut performance in 2015 in Warri, had the viewership of then ruling governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan and it was subsequently staged in the Government House in Delta State.

    There are plans to take the play abroad as a contingent because the gradual return of our culture must continue gaining momentum as this can be done most effectively through theatre as the only total entertainmen.The turn out speaks volumes to this, Eyengho revealed.

    Speaking on our history and making a call to action, there were talks on the need to seek the resuscitation of our culture and never to allow the foreigners write our indigenous stories. Researches that have been conducted revert to originality and we can truly write our own history and we need to start living by the essence of our own history so our very essence and the core of our humanity may not be lost.

    Actors, such as Nobert Young, Ejike Asiegbu, Teejay Moorgan, Stephen Osezua, Williams Ekpo,  and Lanre Falana, all performed to convey the rich history, culture, music, dance and tradition of the Itsekiri people.

  • Village Headmaster at 50: Positioning drama as tool for development

    Celebrating Village Headmaster (VHM) at 50, surviving cast, crew as well as stakeholders gathered recently in Lagos to chart a new path on the essence of drama in national development, Chinyere Elizabeth Okoroafor reports. 

     

    Themes of The Village Headmaster, one of Nigeria’s most popular TV drama series now rested, can never be forgotten by those who watched the longest- running television drama series in Nigeria.

    The drama, whose characters were household names, reinforced traditions, ethics and values before it was rested in 1988.

    It made its debut in 1968; each episode dwelt on various social problems in the society. There was something to learn and ponder on in every episode.

    Moderating a roundtable with the theme Drama as a Tool for national development, former Director-General Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC), Dr Nasir Danladi Bako, reminisced on Village Headmaster‘s heydays, the impact it created and the lessons learnt. He wondered why storytelling in contemporary Nigeria is evolving towards futile trends, instead of issues on ethics and values that can project the nation.

    Responding, Revd. Bayo Awala, a former producer of Village Headmaster, said theme should be the first consideration of any creative work.

    ”The problem is that many dramatists are confused because what they give out are not impactful. Drama is supposed to evoke emotion and provoke a call for action.  Nigerians are ignorant of their environment. Drama of advocacy, propaganda is the kind of drama that we should pursue as a developing nation. If you are a creative writer, let it show. A drama that will intervene in the economic situation of this nation is sine qua non,” he said.

    For Chief Executive Officer Syntel-Aza and former NTA content producer, Deborah Ogazuma, drama can teach a lesson without been didactic.

    Veteran filmmaker, Femi Odugbemi,  said when the creative industry expanded, a gap was created between early artistes and those who are there now and that didn’t help.

    “During the time of the Village Headmaster, there was a tradition in NTA of a certain model for storytelling. There was a philosophical foundational understanding that storytelling is medicine. It can be a poison or it can heal. The difference between what we are doing today and what we were doing then is ignorance.

    “To close that gap, we could close it through our schools. Unless you are building the storyteller, the story is bound to be mush,” he said.

    Veteran actress, Joke Silva’s argument was simple; storytellers must look at their environment and write stories that reflect it.

    But musician and actor, Dede Mabiaku blamed the government for not taking up the responsibility of modifying the nation’s image through drama. He said during the Village Headmaster and others, the government should have seen it to propagate the unity of the nation, the strength of the people, the power of the people and the economic development of the people and drama should have been the tool and should be the tool and the propelling force.

     

    Read Also: Craziest transfer deadline dramas: Odemwingie 2013 re-echoes

     

    ‘’Through drama you develop what the people should focus on in education. Education doesn’t have to be strictly western. Education about who we are and what we are,” he said.

    But Mabiaku believed that storytellers in Nigeria could get it right when they upheld culture and tradition. Quoting Fela’s take on the essence of culture and tradition, he said, “When we be pikin, Papa and Mama be teacher, when we dey for school, teacher na teacher. When we go university, lecturer na teacher. When we start to work government na teacher, who be government teacher? It is culture and tradition.”

    He added that what drives culture is drama. ”It is the culture and tradition of the Japanese, Chinese and Indian that is moving them and propelling them the way they are today. What drives a culture? It is the drama, the stories they share with themselves that move from generation to generation. The more we don’t harness the essence of what we are, who we are becomes irrelevant and inconsequential,” he said.

    Former NTA Director-General Dr Christopher Kolade said since drama is a resemblance of reality, it is important that storytelling project life as it is for the purpose of edifying the audience.

    “For drama to be a tool for national development there has to be a belief in what you are telling. I was told many years ago that those who work in drama must apply some suspension of disbelief.  When I watch Femi’s work on TV for example, I know that there’s something they are telling me. What they are dramatising is either what I am or what I want to be, so because of that, I am willing to watch it. Any generation that wants to use drama as a tool for development must learn about where they are and where they want to go. If you want to develop young people of this generation, you must use the things they need because they have many options to choose from and this is what creative must always remember,” he added.

    The session also featured contributions from artists, such as Joke Sylva and Kemi Lala. On the second round of discourse themed, Drama as a tool for national unity,  Prof. Duro Oni, Bassey Ekpenyong and Taiwo Ajayi-Lycett also contributed.

  • That’s a mistake!

    Have you ever had challenges with some of your home appliances? Have you bought a piece of equipment that didn’t perform up to your expectation? That was the exact experience of James Dyson when in 1978, he was dissatisfied with his Hoover vacuum cleaner because whenever the dust bag was filled with dust, its pores became clogged and the suction reduced. Other people would moan and groan about the problem or simply get a replacement for the device if available, but that was not Dyson. He started to think of his own invention that would solve the problem.

    He was inspired by a 30-foot-high conical centrifuge of a local sawmill that made use of cyclonic separation. Dyson imagined that if the technology could be scaled down, it would be possible to create a vacuum cleaner without a dust bag and that wouldn’t lose suction. For a man who spent only a year at the Byam Shaw School of Art and then proceeded to study furniture and interior design at the Royal College of Art, it was quite an audacious dream. The lofty dream, however, was not without its challenges. Dyson went on to work on 5,127 prototypes within five years. I guess we can say he failed or made mistakes 5,126 times before he got it right. Recounting the experience, Dyson noted that by his 2,627th attempt, he and his wife were counting their pennies; and by his 3,727th attempt, his wife had to start giving art lessons to make some money.

    Finally, he created a successful model. And that was the end of the joyful story? Certainly not! Next came the challenge of sales. One would have thought such an invention would be received with great excitement but not so. After he launched his “G-Force” vacuum cleaner in 1983, no manufacturer or distributor in the United Kingdom was interested. The rejection was because the existing industry had built its profit around the sale of dust bags and filters, both of which Dyson had eliminated in his design. His experience at the United States was also disastrous. For three years, Dyson travelled the world trying to sell his product without success.

    A reasonable person would wonder why Dyson was so obsessed with the invention. After all, he wasn’t the first person to be dissatisfied with a product and he definitely won’t be the last. “Why put five years of your life on the line, producing 5,126 useless prototypes?” one would ask. “Why travel the world to try and sell your product?” The answer is clear but not an easy one. It took all the failed attempts to get to that desired success. He failed, yes. He made mistakes, yes. But he succeeded, YES!!!

    Read also: Lagos teacher wins 2019 Inspirational Educator Award

    Dyson was able to launch the vacuum cleaner in Japan using catalogue sales. G-Force, which was manufactured in bright pink and was only available in Japan, sold for £2,000 equivalent and soon became a status symbol. The product went on to win the 1991 International Design Fair Prize in Japan. In 1993, fifteen years after Dyson set out to invent a vacuum cleaner, he established his company, Dyson Ltd, in the same United Kingdom where it was initially rejected. According to Forbes, as of 2019, his real time net worth was $5.7 billion. His company also employed more than 5,800 engineers, has about 60 consumer products, and is reported to spend $10 million a week on product development.

    So, you think you’ve failed? And you believe you’ve made mistakes? Who would you consider a pathological failure if not someone who failed 5, 126 times? Yet, it wasn’t failure at all but steps on the journey to success. You are not a failure until you stop trying. Join me again next week as we break down the story of Sir James Dyson and bring out valuable lessons that can aid our journey to success.

    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  nothing compared to what you can become. This can be your year if you want it to be!

     

  • Edo Community monarch gets staff of office

    By Ozolua Uhakheme, Assistant Editor (Arts)

     

    Edo State Commissioner for Local Government and Community Affairs, Hon. Monday E.O. Osaigbovo, has enjoined traditional rulers in the state to continue to pray and support Governor Godwin Obaseki, the people and government of Edo State as they have always done, to take the state to next level.

    He said Obaseki holds traditional rulers in high esteem as demonstrated by his recent directive to pay five percent statutory allocation in addition to councils’ five percent revenue grant due to them.

    Osaigbovo, who spoke while presenting a staff of office to the monarch Anthony Elo Aleburu (I) as the Odibiado of Sobe, in Owan West Local Government Area of the state, implored the good people of Sobe to support the Odibiado to enable him effectively discharge his royal duties as the Odibiado.

    He blamed the seven-year delay in the presentation of staff of office to the monarch on the litigation that trailed his appointment.

    He however appealed to the warring or dissatisfied groups to sheath their sword and allow peace to reign, adding that Sobe is one big family and it is known for peace. He said it is his hope and desire that all hands will be on deck to bring about the much needed development to Sobe community and it’s environment in line with the vision, programmes and policy of Governor Obaseki’s led administration.

    “As you are no doubt aware, no meaningful development can take place in an atmosphere of rancor. In this regard, I appeal to you as the father of all in Sobe land to endeavour to use your exalted position to make positive impact on the people and to chart the path of peace, order and development at all times.

    “In the same vein, I wish to implore you and your subjects to be vigilant and to promptly report any strange and suspicious character in your midst to the law enforcement agencies so as to reduce the incident of crime and at the same time ensure peace in your domain,” he said.

    Read Also: Traditional rulers to partner Osun govt on security

    The commissioner reiterated that government will not tolerate what is capable of undermining the peace and tranquility in Sobe community, urging the traditional ruler to be fair and firm in taking decisions affecting your subjects. “You should also live peacefully with your neighbours as the state government will not tolerate any breakdown of law and order in any part of the state,” he added.

    Presenting the staff of office to the Odibiado, Hon. Osaigbovo, who represented Obaseki said: “On behalf of the state governor, Mr.Godwin Nogheghase Obaseki, the governor of Edo State, I present to you, your royal highness, Anthony Ero Aleburu, the staff of office associated with the title of the Odibiado of Sobe.”

    Commending the state government, the Odibiado of Sobe appealed to it to complete the lingering construction of Sobe-Sabongidda-Ora Road project so as to bring Sobe closer to the local government headquarters.

    “We also wish to appeal to our governor to make judicious use of Sobe Farm Settlement by making it a campus of the State School of Agriculture. It will also be appreciated sir, if the fencing of Sobe High School is done to ward off intruders and the school should be adequately staffed.

    “We thank our governor for the Cottage Hospital that is under construction. It is our hope that when completed, a resident doctor and other allied staff would be employed to man the facility,” he said.

    He assured Governor Obaseki of total support for his administration, adding: ‘’We whole heartedly support your second term ambition so that you can continue with the good work you are doing in Edo State.’’

  • ‘Lack of gallery edifice a huge setback’

    By Ozolua Uhakheme, Assistant Editor (Arts)

     

    Twelve years after former Director-General, National Gallery of Art (NGA), Chief Joe Musa, initiated plans to build a befitting art gallery for NGA in Lagos or Abuja, the management of the 26-year-old federal agency has renewed its determination to realise the goal.

    NGA Acting Director-General Dr. Simon Ikpakronyi said the  edifice meant a lot to the art community and remained a major priority of his administration.

    He noted that without a gallery edifice where NGA could hold its events, the government and the people will not acknowledge or appreciated its functions. According to him, if NGA has an edifice it will host exhibitions of its works that are rotten away in stores. “Such exhibitions will be opened to Nigerians and foreigners to appreciate the quality of artworks by Nigerian artists, living or dead. This is my major concern and direction,” he said.

    Ikpakronyi, who spoke on his six months in office, described the lack of such facility as a huge setback  to the growth of Nigerian art and artists, adding that the poor conditions of some artworks in the stores wouldn’t have arisen if NGA had its edifice designed to host as many shows as possible on periodic basis.

    “Periodically, artworks in our collections would have been exhibited for months and later returned to the store for preservation. Artworks are supposed to be kept under certain conditions and space that enhance their preservation or conservation. As we speak, we cannot guarantee such appropriate conditions and spaces where the works are now. We have over 3000 artworks by the masters in our collection. By cramping them together we are denying the artworks life,” Ikpakronyi lamented.

    He stated that he has been part of the NGA journey and now is the opportunity to make a difference.

     

    Working towards the goal

    During my defence of NGA budget at the National Assembly recently, I made it clear that my dream and direction is for NGA to have a befitting gallery. The good news is that the two committees (House and Senate) on culture and NGA are on the same page on this matter.

    ‘’NGA has been at the Federal Secretariat Complex, Abuja for some years now. And you cannot find any identification to show NGA exists there. Yet, we have about 26 outstations across the country.

    ‘’We may adopt Public-Private partnership arrangement to raise funds for the project. I know for sure that building such an edifice is not a day’s work, but we can start from somewhere. And it will grow from there,’’ he said.

     

    Overcoming challenges

    It is a huge challenge running a parastatal like NGA. Till date, many top government officials cannot differentiate the functions of National Commission for Museums and Monuments from that of NGA and National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC). To this end, we are planning to host members of the two National Assembly committees on culture to rub minds on these key agencies’ needs and mandates including having edifice that represent the quality and quantity of works Nigeria has.

    Again agency like Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilisation (CBAAC) deserves same edifice that will house its collections, which maybe in poor state like those of NGA and NCAC.

    Resuscitating major art programmes and image of NGA

    ‘’Truly, NGA has been doing some of its programmes but in few months these will be forgotten. However, we will still do the major ones, but we have not been able to hold major ones, such as ARESUVA, that we transformed to Biennale. This is worrisome.  In fact, we need to resuscitate these programmes and possibly trim them.

    ‘’As for the Aina Onabolu Complex in Lagos, it is unfortunate that as at today, it is the only property NGA has. Yet, we have not given it adequate attention. But it is going to be of priority to us now. We will soon be in Lagos for a Christmas exhibition featuring works from our collection. Hopefully, we will turn the complex around.

    Read Also: New gallery, fresh breath on Lekki artscape

     

     

    Celebrating producer of FESTAC mask, Pa Joseph Igbinovia Alufa

    On November 26, NGA will hold an exhibition of the artist’s works and images in Benin City. Already, a documentary is being done on him because up till now, no single write up on him. Remember that Pa Alufa rescued the Black race from British embarrassment when Britain refused to return the original Queen Idia mask that was used for FESTAC 77 symbol. On this note, we decided to put a search light on him and project his works to the world. The exhibition will be accompanied with a book

     

    Scorecard in the last

    six months

    “I came in at a time programmes of NGA were no longer coming up as regularly as before due to paucity of funds. Even though the Gallery account was almost empty at the time, I was convinced that we could bring NGA back to reckoning again. For me, programmes are the soul of any government organisation. There are no excuses for not executing them on a regular basis. As a foundation staff, I looked back to NGA’s glorious past and I was poised to turn the table, money or no money. Hence, I rolled up my sleeves and dared management and staff of NGA to think outside the box and bring back that glory.

    On July 8, at Cyprian Ekwensi Centre for Arts & Culture, Abuja, NGA held a programme tagged, Rainbow art: Unlocking creativity designed to tap the hidden creative genius of children and youth to the admiration of the culture community.

    Between July 16 and 20 at Exhibition Pavilion, Opposite Radio House, Abuja, NGA staged a major art exhibition featuring the works of Nigeria’s revered artist and scholar, Prof. Jimo Akolo titled, Jimo Akolo: Eminent Scholar and Painter. A comprehensive book publication documenting the life and works of the Professor emerged from the programme.

    Also, between July 26 and 28, at the same Exhibition Pavilion, Radio House, Abuja,  NGA held another major exhibition and a standard book showcasing and documenting the works of the iconic artist and architect, Demas Nwoko titled, Demas Nwoko: Renowned Artist and Outstanding Architect emerged.

    From August 22 to 24, NGA was in Benin at the Conference Hall, Protea Hotel, staging another major exhibition tagged, Art of Benin Kingdom: Complementing Coronation and Igue Festival. A rich publication on Benin Art was equally presented at the occasion.

    On August 30, NGA was at Igbo-Ukwu, Anambra State where it had a successful and colourful art exhibition to mark this year’s New Yam Festival. The exhibition was received with applause by the indigenes and visitors.

    On the 2018 Senior Staff Promotion, I released funds for it to be conducted. The result barring any delay will be released soon.  Arrangement is also ongoing for that of 2019 and all things being equal will be held before the end of the year.

     

    Staff welfare

    Welfare is a priority to me. It is a motivation that the staff needs to perform at optimum. So, when I met backlogs of security and cleaners’ salaries among others, I had to deal with the issue decisively. I began by offsetting three months at once from the meagre allocation the organization received. I have since then been able to maintain regular payment to them. I ensured that a considerable amount is set aside to offset backlogs of Staff Welfare stipends.

     

     

    ‘I came in at a time programmes of NGA were no longer coming up as regularly as before due to paucity of funds. Even though the Gallery account was almost empty at the time, I was convinced that we could bring NGA back to reckoning again’

  • How political intrigues, feud marred ANA convention

    Writers, under the auspices of Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), will not forget Enugu State in a hurry. Thirty-eight years after their inaugural convention held in the state, their recent return to the Coal City for this year’s  edition, tagged ANA Homecoming 2019 left them without a leadership for the first time in the association’s history. The event was tainted by political feud and theatrics. EVELYN OSAGIE reports

     

    They rode into Enugu, the Coal City, and capital of Enugu State, with high hopes of charting a way forward for the Nigerian literature and their craft.

    The city was instrumental to Nigeria’s independence and is today the seat of Enugu State Government. But, for the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), it was a Homecoming. The maiden edition of its yearly convention held in the state 38 years ago, when the association was established by the patriarch of Modern African Literature, Chinua Achebe, and others.

    Over 400 delegates, comprising creative writers, literary critics, journalists, academics and other stakeholders, converged on Enugu, determined to deliberate on Literature, Nationalism and the Poetics of Integration, the theme of this year’s convention.

    But nothing prepared them for the political feud and theatrics that fouled the air at the 38th ANA International Convention held from October 31 to November 3, at the Institute of Management Technology (IMT), Enugu.

    “What happened at the convention should be an eye-opener to ANA to reinvent itself, flush out the weeds that strayed in and strive to become again the ANA that Achebe founded in Enugu 38 years ago,” said an ANA Trustee and Editor, African Literature Today,  Prof Ernest Emenyonu, who flew in from the United States for the conference.

     

    Theatrics, feud that taint

     

    It was another election year, with four aspirants – Camilus Uka, Ahmed Maiwada, Ofonime Inyang and Chike Ofili – contesting for the post of National President. Excitement was in the air – it was with delight that the delegates began the conference with an evening of cocktails on Thursday. This was followed on Friday, November 1, by cerebral and book activities, including performances.

    However, like a premonition of what was to come, they were reminded of their role in the society by various speakers at the grand opening. Prof Zainab Alkali urged the writers to rise to their responsibilities, “first as healers of a sick society, mobilisers of collective consciences, moderators of excessive behaviours, tamers of unruly conducts, but, above all, as agents of love”.

    Prof Emmanuel Egya Sule of the Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) University, Lapai, Niger State, who gave the convention’s keynote address, warned that literary writing should provide a critical insight to Nigerians in the course of rehabilitating the idea of a nation-state.

    Veteran poet Odia Ofeimun who lamented that writers, who are supposed to influence the politics of the larger society, have been unfortunately influenced by it; advising that they should lead by the examples of ANA’s founding fathers in their conducts, politically or otherwise. All the pieces of advice seem to have gone with the wind.

    Saturday, November 2, was characterised by political feuds and theatrics that culminated in the cancellation of the election allegedly on the grounds of “faulty” electoral process. The tension was heightened when the outgoing executive, led by Mallam Denja Abdullahi,  was said to have allegedly brought in “soldier boys” and other security operatives to the venue, perhaps to monitor elections, amid counter allegations of money changing hands, among other malpractices.

    Aggrieved delegates not only raised the alarm over the move, they also faulted the electoral process. As a result, a new electoral panel was constituted with Prof. Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo as chairman. Mr. Ofeimun, a former ANA president, Prof. Remi Raji, Diego Okenyodo and chairman of Lagos ANA branch Yemi Adebiyi as members.

    All hell broke loose when displeased delegates, especially from Akwa Ibom branch, were further aggravated by discrepancies in the list of delegates qualified to vote. This led to a swarm of writers protesting, calling for the cancellation of the election.

    Fearing that violence might arise, the leadership of IMT, venue of the meeting, ordered that they vacate the hall.

    And since decisions could not be reached on how to conduct the election, after a long deliberation that ran into the night between Adimora-Ezeigbo-led panel and the 25 ANA branch chairmen, Raji addressed delegates in line with the association’s constitution, saying: “After deliberation between the five-man panel led by Prof Adimora-Ezeigbo and the 25 ANA branch chairmen, it was agreed that election is postponed, and would hold within the next 180 days as enshrined in the ANA constitution. The place or state where it would be held would be communicated to us through the chairmen of the state branches.”

     

    Writers on the convention

     

    The convention has ended but writers have continued to trade blame, while reflecting on the convention. Some blamed the past executives; others blamed the aspirants, particularly the presidential candidates. Some others blamed it on those they called “hoodlums” allegedly “parading themselves as writers”. Many, however, observed that the battle was not about who led the association but a war over ANA land at Mpape, Abuja.

    Emenyonu observed that it is a reflection of how far the aims and objectives of the founding fathers of ANA have been polluted and debased in contemporary times.  He said: “There are many people in ANA today who do not know what the association is all about.  Some of them roam into it, believing it is one of those political forums where you go to make money.  Thirty-eight years ago when Achebe founded ANA, it was an association of published creative writers. You could be a professor of English, published extensively in your field without being a member of ANA. Today chapters go to secondary schools to recruit members without even reading the ANA constitution. In the early decades of ANA nobody scrambled for offices, nobody campaigned for offices. In some cases new members were invited.

     

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    “Today, you have people who go to wayside printers to print trash and thereafter proclaim themselves authors! ANA should purge itself of these loafers and return to the ANA founded by Achebe and follow its lofty ideals and objectives, which had earned it world-wide recognition and respectability. What transpired at the ANA convention was the mistake of some people who tried to see ANA as an organisation akin to a contemporary Nigerian political forum with all its mannerisms and antics.”

    Former Art Editor, The Sun newspaper, now a university don, Dr. Sola Balogun, said: “It’s so clear now how society has changed our men of letters rather than the other way round. The immediate past president of ANA has, by his conduct, undermined the integrity and sanctity of the writers’ profession.”

    Abdullahi denied the accusations, saying it was a calculated attempt by a few to disrupt the process.

    He said: “ANA is an association of intellectuals. Anyone vying for any leadership position must do so with a mind to serve. Leadership is not a do-or-die affair. We know of those who paid for people’s accommodation and were sharing money. Why? What for? It is indeed unfortunate.”

    On his part, former Rivers State ANA branch chair, Uzo Nwamara, stated: “We keen watchers of ANA were not fooled by the well-planned and executed coup by men desperate for power. We know those who worked so hard to abort the elections because they realised that they would be disqualified because they broke the rules. We know those who could not win free and fair election in ANA and boasted that they will kill ANA and only their regional body where they play god will thrive in the land.

    “We know their cronies and poster boys deployed to successfully execute their evil agenda against the general interest of ANA members. Let those who trade in violence know that the day a brave man was born in one community was the day another brave man was born in another community. We allowed you to show your lack of leadership capacities and decorum to the world yesterday. You can take this to the bank: ANA will not be led by thugs.

    “People stood their ground that the whole process must stop and it stopped. Kudos to the electoral committee. Within the next six months, ANA election will be conducted at a neutral place and everyone shall be alright,” Akogun Tai Oguntayo, a lawyer and one of those vying for the post of general secretary, said.

    ANA Oyo Branch Secretary, Afolabi Tawakalit El-Mubashir called for sanitisation of the association. He said: “ANA needs a total reshuffle to accommodate exigencies. It needs to come up with legislations that will guide its future progress – put in place a streamlined structure that would regulate admittance of members and code of conduct guiding same. Otherwise, ANA would be just a farce!’’

     

    ‘There are many people in ANA today who do not know what the association is all about.  Some of them roam into it, believing it is one of those political forums where you go to make money.  Thirty-eight years ago when Achebe founded ANA, it was an association of published creative writers.  You could be a professor of English, published extensively in your field without being a member of ANA. Today chapters go to secondary schools to recruit members without even reading the ANA constitution’

  • Owerri.. No longer Nigeria’s cleanest city

    In time past, Owerri, the capital city of Imo State, was adjudged the cleanest city in Nigeria. CHRIS NJOKU writes that the state has become a city of mounting garbage

     

    Ngozi Adaoha sells cooked groundnut in a wheel burrow along Douglas Road in the Municipal Council of Imo State. She has the penchant for leaving the shell of her groundnut on the spot where she sells. Each time her neighbours complain, her response has always been “are you the owner of the road?” Today, other groundnut sellers have also lazily joined Adaoha to litter the environment with groundnut shells.

    Unlike Adaoha, Nwaoyi Janet, a trader at the popular Ekeokwu Market has the habit of fly-tipping the solid waste she generates from her shop daily into the gutters. In front of her shop is this heap of garbage which has mounted as a result of her careless dumping of garbage in the gutter.

    Typically, people have become too lazy and unwilling to throw away trash appropriately. It is common to see people discard trash out of their kitchen windows or balconies probably because they are too lazy to put it in the rightful places. Carelessness has also made people just throw garbage anywhere without even thinking about it. The result is heaps of garbage littering major streets and roads.

    The deleterious practice is on the increase in Imo State. This is projecting the state which was once regarded as the cleanest state in the federation in bad light.

    Experts are now worried about the nonchalant manner traders and residents dispose waste products in the once-cleanest state.

    An environmentalist, Godson Anukam, who condemned the attitude of most traders in major markets in Owerri, Orlu and Okigwe in terms of waste disposal, noted that the people usually stuff the gutters with solid wastes generated from the shops daily.

    “The roads are littered with garbage even when there is a constant effort by the government to evacuate the waste on a daily basis,” he said.

    He also noted that major roads and streets that ordinarily should be neat and glittering are littered daily with garbage that creates unhealthy environment.

    Anukam expressed concern that since this is the season for fresh maize, people selling and roasting maize have equally joined in the act and are blocking the water channels.

    He said: “Agreed that it is the duty of government to provide infrastructure, citizens must make efforts to protect and preserve such infrastructure and ensuring the safety of the environment.

    “Even practices such as leaving items overflowing beside a dust bin, deliberate throwing of items from vehicles and abandoning items or wrappers by the roadside qualifies as littering.”

    According to him, littering is a dangerous activity and should not be taken lightly because it impacts the environment in multiple ways. “It can facilitate the spread of diseases, even as it pollutes the environment.”

    Aside from this, millions of naira is spent by the state government monthly in clean-up efforts to reduce littering. This makes littering a huge problem because money that would have been used for progressive development is partly directed to waste management programmes. It was learnt that the government spends close to N25 million monthly in clearing wastes.

    Though this estimate is slightly higher than what the man in charge of refuse evacuation in the state revealed his agency spends monthly to discharge its responsibility.

    The General Manager, Imo State Environmental Transformation Commission (ENTRACO), Alex Emeziem, told The Nation that “the very first money we received for the monthly sanitation exercise was N13 million. The highest we had received was N20 million.

    With this amount, the agency, he said, is expected to take care of its three zonal offices in Owerri, Orlu and Okigwe, take care of the police, civil defence; mobile court, hire vehicles and equipment.

    It was gathered that the budget now is a far cry of what the agency was receiving during the administration of former Governor Ikedi Ohakim who, incidentally was appointed the Chairman of the agency by the current administration of Ihedioha.

     

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    “The budget under Ohakim was much higher than what we receive now. But because of the financial situation of the state, we make do with what we receive from government. ENTRACO doesn’t get dire for daily evacuation of garbage.

    “We have a lot of financial challenges. The cost of evacuating garbage is huge; waste is something you don’t keep for 24 hours. If you don’t cart away garbage today, tomorrow, it is doubled because everybody is generating waste, including newborn babies,” he said.

    “Moreover, he observed that Owerri, the capital city, “is getting overpopulated; it is getting congested. So, without an effective system of waste evacuation in place, the situation may be worse. That’s why we have decided that people must pay their sanitation fees. We did not make the law; it has been in place since 1978. But we don’t want to go asking people to pay now because we want to ensure the service is effective,” he said.

    But there appears to be trouble in the system that may hamper envisaged effective service delivery.

    According Emeziem, there are people who are trying to sabotage the agency’s efforts in providing effective service for the public.

    “Some people who were managing it before during the time of the immediate past administration allegedly felt they should sabotage us so that ENTRACO would be seen as incapable and would be recalled to take back the job. The saboteurs allegedly went to dump garbage at the Government House Roundabout and some other places just to embarrass the government. But we are on top of the game.”

    He said beginning from this month; the agency will constitute taskforces that would go from street to street to evacuate garbage.

    “We advise residents not to dump their wastes on the streets. They should rather leave them in their premises. We give them two days a week just as it is done in the civilised world. If we are going to your street on Tuesday and Friday, we tell you the time the truck will come. All you need to do is to neatly pack your garbage in the sanitation bags which attracts a fee of N50 for evacuation.

    “All you need to do is to bring out your waste to your gate. As the trucks pass-by, they will pick them up. If we see people carrying garbage on the road after the November 1, the task force will arrest and charge them for illegal dumping. That is the way forward for waste management in the state.

    “We are going to have a task force on abatement. Once your gutter is desilted and you are caught throwing waste into it, you will be slammed with abatements,” he said.

    As the operation is yet to commence, our investigation reveals that the agency’s waste disposal bins which are over 1,000 in number and bought at the cost of N65,000 each and mostly placed at various bus stops in the city, are small in size to contain the garbage to be dumped in them daily as the wastes, most times, spill to the roads.

    The agency’s boss explained that the bins were bought when the agency thought it was a good deal until sabotage crept in.

    “We thought it was good deal to take the refuse off the roads with bins, and they were serving perfectly well until sabotage crept in. People came to fly tip in those places leaving items overflowing beside the dust bins. It is not our intention to keep bins on the streets for too long. In the next six months, the bins will disappear from the streets because we won’t expect people to bring out their wastes to the streets anymore,” he said.

    As the agency makes frantic efforts to cart away garbage heaps in order to keep the urban areas clean, there appears more serious problem of waste evacuation in the rural areas.

    Investigation revealed that some garbage had stayed over five years without evacuated while people have resorted to dumping wastes in undesignated areas. As a result of this, wastes spin into roads thereby making some roads impassable.

    The General Manager, who admitted that there are a lot of wastes in the villages, revealed that the current administration formed ENTRACO in all the local government areas to evacuate garbage.

    “The local government chairmen were also mandated to give the ENTRACO some amount of money every month. We cannot do daily evacuation in various areas. We lecture the villagers, particularly the marketers, on where to drop the wastes they generated, separate the organic wastes from non-organic ones and put them at a particular spot so that on clean-up day, we hire a truck to cart the garbage away. They are doing the work well,” he said.