The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • 300 artists eye Impart Artists Fair

    By Ozolua Uhakheme,

    Assistant Editor (Arts)

     

    No fewer than 1,000 artworks by 300 African artists will be on display at the maiden edition of Impart Artists Fair holding from October 25 to 27 at Eko Atlantic, Victoria Island, Lagos.

    The three-day event, organised by LASMARA, with the theme Art meets tech, will attract about 6,000 international and local art collectors, members of the art community, students and art enthusiasts.

    According to the founder, Director of Lasmara, Hana Omilani, the fair is being organised to increase awareness on the African arts and culture sector, as well as to improve African art recognition in the global market. “This is where technology plays a vital factor and we believe that through technology we can reach a larger audience – the audience that is needed to create volume in the transaction of African Art.

    “What’s important to understand is that the fair is a way to officially launch Impart the platform,” she further revealed.

    “Impart is a new initiative – a platform to promote African artists and the Impart Artists Fair – is just one of the series of initiatives. Impart Artist Fair uses technology to promote art, this is why the maiden edition of Impart is themed Art meets tech.”

    “We have ongoing plans to empower artists through this platform, as we are actively involved in social, non-profit activities, such as community building, portfolio management, talks, artists’ workshops, residency programmes and special workshops for women, to help increase the representation of female artists in the field,” she said.

    She disclosed that the vetting for the fair was very thorough by the selection committee of 11 art professionals and collectors.

    Other activities, during the fair, are a digital art showcase (using ground-breaking virtual reality and augmented reality technologies), workshops with artists and professionals, and  exclusive collectors’ events, among others.

    With the support of Templars (a law firm), the Consulate of the United States in Lagos, 9Mobile, Mirinda Apple, AXA Mansard and Iron Capital, the fair will offer artists a platform to exhibit themselves via the use of interactive and immersive technology.

    She added: “You cannot afford to miss this experience.  So, tell a friend to tell a friend to tell another friend. Come and enjoy the best that African art has to offer. Interact with your favourite artists, purchase their artworks, meet new people and make new connections while taking pictures and enjoying lovely music. It will be a very exciting and stimulating experience.

    “Our database of artists is constantly expanding, both well-established and up-and-coming, but always exciting and original. Our speciality is African but our interests are global, and we work with clients, galleries and art houses all over the world.

    “In addition to sourcing and acquiring artworks, we can also assist with the liquidation of art collections, resale of artworks, art handling, administration of loans and consignments, shipping and storage, and much more. We look forward to working with an expanding array of Nigerian and international clients, to meet their requirements while increasing awareness of African art and African artists across the globe.”

    Lasmara is an independent art consultancy, specialising in contemporary African art. It offers a wide range of specialist art services, from commissioning artists and sourcing works to creating strategies for investment and exhibition.

    Lasmara sees every client, like every piece of art as unique.  So, it collaborates very closely with clients to understand their individual aesthetic and requirements, and to provide personally tailored solutions.

     

  • UNODC, NAPTIP partner aviation agencies to tackle human trafficking

     By Ozolua Uhakheme

    Assistant Editor (Arts)

     

    When she was offered a ticket to Oman to start work as a house help, Adaora, 28,  envisaged a bright future abroad. But, once in Oman, her dreams turned into a nightmare. Confronted with a slave-like condition of service, she suffered serious physical and psychological abuse and eventually was forced into prostitution.

    Her passport was taken from her and there was no escape. She managed to send a distress call home to her family who reported to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), which flew her back to Nigeria.

    Adaora’s trafficking by air is not an isolated case. Air travel remains the primary mode of transportation for human traffickers. According to UNODC 2018 Global Report on Trafficking in Persons, 20 per cent of the 225,000 victims detected worldwide between 2003 and 2016 were trafficked by plane.

    Read Also: 31 victims of human trafficking return to Katsina

    Airlines, their crew as well as passengers can play a key role as first-line responders in detecting victims and their traffickers before departure and while on board aircrafts before victims become difficult to trace in destination countries.

    In the context of its ongoing project with NAPTIP, UNODC is, therefore, supporting the agency to engage airlines, airport management authorities, travel agencies and through them travellers at large in helping to detect and prevent the trafficking of persons. Following its successful partnership with Ethiopian Airlines, UNODC together with NAPTIP, is forging alliances with key stakeholders in the aviation sector, such as the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA) and flight company Air Peace, that has recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with NAPTIP.

    Following consultations with these partners and with the support of the US government, UNODC in partnership with NAPTIP have developed a series of specific airports and on board sensitisation materials on trafficking in persons. Aimed at travel agents, airport personnel, flight crews, and passengers, the materials seek to provide basic information on how to identify victims of trafficking and how to report such suspicion safely. Initially, these materials will be deployed in Abuja and Lagos international airports halls, including on electronic boards, on boarding passes, tickets, in-flight magazines and through public announcements on board.

    Such materials are part of a sensitisation campaign conducted under the project also targeting traditional rulers, youths in school, civil society organisations, entertainment industry, border communities, law enforcement agencies, state governments and road transport sector.

    In parallel and recognising that awareness raising materials may not be enough to sensitise the air travel industry, NAPTIP and UNODC trained managers in the air transport sector on specific operational measures that can be taken to facilitate the detection of victims and their traffickers   from October 7-10 in Lagos.

  • Talking drums with master drummer

    Dr. Sylvanus Kwashie Kuwor, scholar and leader, Hesu African Drum Ensemble, Ghana, is the head of Department of Dance Studies at the University of Ghana. He has over a decade experience in Britain as a cultural educator, where he used African drum, music and dance to integrate African refugees into mainstream society. Kuwor, who was lead speaker at a roundtable, titled: Drumming the future at this year’s African Drum Festival in Abeokuta, Ogun State, speaks with Ozolua Uhakheme on the relevance of drum to the preservation of heritage, the place of drum in development and how the younger generation can buy into the culture of drumming, among other issues. 

     

    What is your take-home from the interaction at this African Drum Festival?

    My take-home is in different dimensions, but primarily with the theme of the festival I want to say that there is a momentum in gathering to ensure that the drum is used as a tool for conceptualising a better future that all African nations are really craving for.

    So, I have decided to emulate Nigerians who have initiated thoughts that will see some of my communities in Ghana, owing to building a consensus that I will eventually bring up as a National Festival of the Drum.

     What methods are you thinking of?

    Well, I am looking at trans-disciplinary methodology, which has to do with combining science with society. It will also involve co-production of knowledge. So, we are not going to look at drummers alone, but will also look at the story-tellers too. We will look at the dancers as well. We will look at the people who do sculptures. We will look at dancers, we will look at the historians-bringing all of them together. Playing drums as master drummers may be alright, but there are certain pieces of  information that we have not been really privy to. We need a historian. We need oral tradition speakers to come in and tell us why these drums were made and what the purposes were at the beginning. You will also realise that the concepts of performance of these drums and music may have changed overtime; these things need to be documented. So, I am looking at trans-disciplinary as an approach that will actually get close to something accurate. We may not get to a perfect position.

    Read Also: Drogba, Aguero tear football fans apart

     

     Now that all is geared toward development, is it bottom-top or top-bottom approach?

    Yes, of course. We have used the top-bottom approach so long, it never worked. But, this is actually bottom-top, and in the sense that, the new liberalism that various governments have adopted does not only leave you alone, but also gives you the power to decide what will work for you. So, in reality, I will say this is one of the appropriate methods that we can develop. Development is not about building houses, building universities or hospitals. Development has to do with knowledge. If you don’t have knowledge, you are not enlightened; you have not developed yourself. As an individual, he must develop him/herself to be able to have that awareness to respond to the socio-economic problems. So, I believe this is a platform that brings us to that realisation.

     In these days of globalisation and the influence of Information Technology, how do you overcome all of these, especially among our youths?

    It is very simple. Globalisation does not exclude anybody. The global is not completed if you have not been included. So, the first thing to do is to discover and rediscover your identity. So, if we have a globe, you should have a position in that globe. And the technology world is giving the opportunity.

     

     

    ‘ We have used the top-bottom approach so long, it never worked. But, this is actually bottom-top, and in the sense that, the new liberalism that various governments have adopted does not only leave you alone, but also gives you the power to decide what will work for you. So, in reality, I will say this is one of the appropriate methods that we can develop. Development is not about building houses, building universities or hospitals ’

     

  • Controversy stalls Chief Lulu Briggs burial

    by Oladapo Sofowora

     

    If a soothsayer had told late Kalabari billionaire, High Chief Olu Benson Lulu Briggs before his death that controversy would trail his family after his demise, he would surely rebuff such claim. Having invested so much in humanitarian cause during his lifetime, it is expected that his legacies will be upheld even after his demise.

    Those following the recent controversy rocking his family would wonder why close to a year after his demise, the chairman of oil exploration and production company Moni Pulo Limited, in Ghana is yet to be buried by his family members.

    Society Rendezvous gathered that the real reason the octogenarian has not been buried is fueled by the lingering bad-blood between his eldest son, Dumo – a former Rivers state gubernatorial aspirant under Accord Party and the deceased’s wife Mrs Seinye Briggs over the cause of the billionaire’s death and the content of his Will.

    Interestingly, the said Will was supposed to have been read in April 2019, but Dumo secured an ex-parte order from a High Court sitting in Umoku, Rivers State, barring his late father’s lawyer from reading. Months after, the order was set aside and the Will was read to the family members on July 26.

    Read Also: Tino Tipsy drops ‘Fresh’ song

    It was gathered that, the content of the Will further escalated the matter as Dumo doubted the authenticity of the Will claiming it must have been doctored in favour of Seinye, who got substantial amount of wealth, while the rest of the asset was left in trust to be managed on behalf of the children and their off springs.

    A source further revealed that the late High Chief did not accommodate any of his three older sons in the Will, but stated clearly that they should be taken care of. However, the source added that, it was stated in the Will unequivocally that any of his sons who instigates trouble against his wish should be automatically cut off from the Lulu-Briggs Estate.

    However, it was learnt that in the Will that the late statesman expressed his wish to be given a befitting Christian burial and specifically noted that his wife fully be involved. According to the autopsy report carried out by the Military Hospital in Ghana, it stated that the billionaire Oil and Gas mogul died of cardiac arrest after living and managing Parkinson disease for close to two decades.

    Meanwhile, a reliable source also revealed that there is a serious crack among the children, Dumo, Senibo and Sofri. Though the incumbent Governor of Rivers state, Nyesom Wike, former governor Peter Odili and the Amanayabo of Kalabari, King J.T. Princewill Amachree, have intervened in the family feud, the warring children have refused to sheath their swords and work hand in hand with Seinye, to give the late High chief a befitting burial as he so desired in his Will.

     

  • We have infrastructure constraints, says FCT Water Board

     

     

    The General Manager of the FCT Water Board, Aliyu Ahmad Nahuche, who spoke with our correspondent, admitted that indeed residents of the areas have been hardship regarding the water supply.

    Nahuche said: “Yes, I know they do not have water like other parts of Abuja. It is not twenty-four hours, but there is a supply. The infrastructure that is supposed to be provided for Bwari is not completed. The responsibility of that is not in our purview. It is in the purview of the Satellite Town Development Authority (STDA). If infrastructure had been in place and handed over to us, then we operate.

    “The infrastructure in Bwari has not fully developed. We have the transmission line, the tank and one line for the city. We have a transmission line that goes to Bwari, which is to distribute to other parts of that area. But those infrastructures are not fully completed, which also affects these places you have mentioned, Ushafa, Peyi, Kogo and others.

    “We do all our best to make sure we give them water even though like I said, it is not as constant as it is supposed to be. The major line that carries water to Bwari distributes on the way before getting to Bwari, which is not supposed to be so. The water is supposed to reach the tank and start redistribution. In Peyi, Jigo and Pampara they have water, though they are tapping, that tapping is affecting the supply to Bwari.

    “They are supposed to deliver the main bulk of water to Bwari then we have the secondary line coming back to Ushafa, and then other villages and towns would be able to get water. The second reason is the terrain to Bwari is not like the one that comes to the city. We send the water to the city by gravity, but in Bwari it is an elevated supply. We have to pump the water continuously for people to get it. Pumping requires energy, electricity, sustenance of AEDC supply or standby generators.

    “Getting all that efficiently is not an easy thing. It is not easy because power is not constant; pumping the generator continuously is not very easy. This contributes to the reason why they do not have water on a smoother level like the city but we are seriously working on it. We have been discussing with the engineering department on that issue. We go through the budget and the process of procurement and others.

    “We have been communicating with the STDA to know the update on what they are doing. It is their responsibility to put in the infrastructure. They have started. The Arab construction company has been in Bwari for so many years. It is just that I don’t know the process, maybe budgeting and other things may slow down the work. It is ongoing. Putting infrastructure in place is not only about water, roads, sewage lines, drainages and others.”

  • Electronic boss Timothy Ofoezie to throw soiree for mum

    by Oladapo Sofowora

     

    Top businessman, Timothy Ofoezie, Chairman and CEO of Tino Electronics is not someone who loves attention. Like the proverbial gold fish that has no hiding place in the water, he never goes unnoticed.

    The Enugu-born respectable businessman and his delectable wife, Olufunke will play host to top dignitaries such as, businessmen and women, politicians, technocrats and well-wishers at his country home in Isikare Achi, Oji River LGA, Enugu State, for a 3-day event lineup to celebrate his beloved mother, Mrs. Ezinne Clarice, who glides into the league of octogenarians.

    Read Also: Nollywood: Gov. Ayade, NFVCB Boss honoured at AIFF 2019

    The 80th birthday soiree will hold between  November 15 to 17 and will commence with a Praise Concert, headlined by top Igbo gospel artists like; Evangelist Chioma Jesus, Chigozie Anyanwu and Nonso Chukwumere.

    The second day, the heart of the birthday celebration takes place in Ofoezie’s compound. Top dignitaries and guests present will be feted to an array of sumptuous meals laced with exotic wines.

    The celebrant, Mrs Ezinne is a highly spiritual and devoted Christian. The grand finale of the birthday shindig will round-off with a church thanksgiving service at Christ Church, Isikare Achi, Oji River LGA, in Enugu State.

  • Tony Elumelu’s dream for African youths

    by Oladapo Sofowora

     

    Since his formative years, Tony Elumelu had showed traits of greatness, especially when he rose to the post of the youngest branch manager of Standard Trust Bank at age 28, a record that remained unbroken till date.

    The Afri-Capitalist originator is regarded as one of the most valuable assets out of Nigeria, with his undying passion to create wealth for Africa. If you doubt his brilliance and Midas touch in economics and business related matters, his tremendous achievements over the years, speak volume.

    In 2005, the Economics graduate from Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, proved critics wrong by leading the most audacious bank merger in the history of Nigeria’s capital market – merging United Bank for Africa (UBA) with Standard Trust Bank. He further went ahead to position the bank as Africa’s global bank with easy innovative banking channels.

    Those in the know aver that Tony has made a covenant with his creator, to keep using his God given resources to equip African youths, using his Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF), as a tool for empowering Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) business developers and entrepreneurs by mentoring them. For close to 10 years, the foundation has injected over $100 million dollars to fund over 10,000 African entrepreneurs.

    Read also: Oyetola advises youths to embrace entrepreneurship

    Last week, the Chairman of Heirs Holdings was invited as a guest speaker by the French Minister of Economy and Finance, Bruno Le Maire to deliver a speech in Paris, in order to attract French investors to look in the direction of Africa for long term investment opportunities that youths will benefit from.

    He stated that Africa has the youngest workforce in the world, with over 60% of its population below the age of 25. This is a potential demographic doom that could be turned around to become the continent’s greatest asset if the youths have jobs and economic opportunities.

    According to him, “Africans do not need aid. Rather, our young people need investments. Private equity is a force for positive development in Africa. We have a large youth population, who are eager and innovative. They are looking at solutions to problems in their communities but are hampered by the access to capital and investment, mentoring and training. When done right, this kind of investment can bring not just capital but can also strengthen job creation, corporate governance and help improve sustainable business practices”.

     

  • Femi Otedola’s uncommon grace

    by Oladapo Sofowora

     

    For someone like Femi Otedola to have bounced back to winning, after he was ruffled by the fall in global oil price in 2008 is enough testimony that his name “Oluwafemi” meaning “God Loves Me” answers every question about his uncommon grace.

    As Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “He who loses money, loses much. He who loses a friend, loses much more. He who loses faith, loses all.” Femi Otedola is a man who was raised to believe in his Creator just like the biblical people of Zion, when God turned around their captivity. After tenaciously trudging through that tough trial, providence granted him his heart desire by favouring him. The chairman, Geregu Power PLC had a chance to smile again, rubbing shoulders with top billionaires across the world.

    Read Also: Femi Otedola’s generosity

    On Monday, November 4, Femi Otedola was gifted another birthday by God on mother earth. He received deserved felicitations from all over the world. Archetypal of his billionaire peers, who love to throw massive birthday shindig or call a gathering of praise singers to sing their praises to high heavens, Femi spent the day quietly in the company of his family for lunch at a serene highbrow restaurant in the heart of London, United Kingdom.

    The son of former Governor of Lagos state, quietly jetted into the country few days ago in preparation to host the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and other top dignitaries at the “Gold Gala” dinner organised by his Disc Jockey daughter, DJ Cuppy at the Congress Hall Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja on Sunday, November 10.

     

  • Ibidapo-Obe seeks more attention for education

    Former Vice Chancerllor University of Lagos (UNILAG), Prof Oye Ibidapo-Obe has called for more attention to the educational sector, saying it is the bedrock of the economy.

    Ibidapo-Obe, who was guest speaker during the inauguration of the President of Rotary Club, Onigbongbo, Mr James Olajide Ajayi in Ikeja, Lagos, said if attention was paid to education, many of the country’s challenges would be solved.

    He said the call became necessary because things were going from bad to worse in the sector. He said some teachers were non-challenat to their professional duties, preferring to sale things rather than teach. He lamented that in many public schools are in decript state, where pupils carry their tables and desks on their heads to school to learn either in dirty environment or under trees.

    He recalled that in those days, children were attracted to go to schools because they were beautiful with well-laid lawns and flowers adorning them. Also, the teachers were more dedicated, such they give report cards to pupils to take home every weekend.

    Read Also: Rotary offers free medical services

    Noting that the right to education is fundamental as it is enshrined in the Constitution and the The African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (also known as the Banjul Charter), Ibidapo-Obe called for attitudinal change from government, parents and teachers to enable children enjoy this right. He said in the sector is not about more funding alone, but more of change of attitude by the stakeholders. He said the government could put all the money, but if  the attitudes of the practitioners were not changed, there would be minimal or no results.

    He urged Rotary to fill the gap, adding that the government could not do the work alone.

    Ayayi unfolded his programmes and projects during his tenure, which include education, saying he  had hit the ground running with the donation of textbooks to Immaculate Junior and Senior High Schools, Maryland and marking of  Rotary’s Literacy Week with a seminar on adult education.

    At the event were former Deputy Vice Chancellor, UNLAG Prof Duro Oni; former District 9110 Governors Dr Wale Ogunbadejo; Kola Sodipo and  Dr Sodeinde Soga.

     

  • Akwa Ibom governor’s wife honoured

    by Oladapo Sofowora

     

    If there is anyone who believes so much in the words of Harry Golden that “ The only thing that overcomes hardluck is hard work”, it is no other person than Akwa-Ibom state firstlady, Deconess Martha Udom-Emmanuel.

    Indeed, if you ever tell her she has gotten to this enviable position in life based on luck, she will probably shake her head in disapproval and declare that it is all a product of hard work and the absolute grace of God.

    The third child of High Chief Bernard Sampson Idiong and Prof. Stella Idiong of Obio Akpa in Oruk LGA of Akwa Ibom in 1996, tied nuptial knots with her hearthrob, Governor of Akwa-Ibom state, Emmanuel Udom ever since then, they have both embarked on a blissful marital sojourn, blessed with beautiful kids.

    The aqua-cultural farming expert has been living a modest and simple life in line with biblical teachings even as firstlady.

    Read Also: Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa to get N3b oil and gas parks

    A devoted Christian, preacher and women advocate, she is the Patron African Women in Leadership Organization (AWLO) and Patron Nigerian Medical Women Association to mention a few.

    Last week, at the just concluded convocation ceremony of University of Uyo, Uyo, where she graduated several years back with a degree in Biochemistry, the Eka-Uwana as she is fondly called, was conferred with an Honorary Doctor of Philosophy of Science in Social and Human Sciences (Honoris Causa).

    We gathered that the conferment was as a result of her drive for charitable cause affecting humanity. This is evident in her pet project – Family Empowerment and Youth Reorientation Programme (FEYReP), which has touched the underprivileged across the state and beyond.