The Nation Newspaper

Category: Life – The Midweek Magazine

  • Ondo ARTFEST:Understanding the dynamics of culture

    As countries like Singapore continue to make huge money through their culture and tourism sector, experts have said understanding the dynamics of culture will help Nigeria galvanise the potential the sector holds.

    They made this assertion at a recent briefing tagged: “Reflection and Projection of Ondo Art Festival (ARTFEST)”.

    The maiden edition of the festival held last December at Akure, the Ondo State capital.

    With the theme, Togetherness, the festival is a partnership between the Ikorodu -based Oshodi Art Gallery, owned by Seyi Paul Oshodi and the Ondo State Ministry of Arts and Culture.

    Recounting the successes of the festival, which featured former Arts Editor of The Guardian newspaper, Ben Tomoloju, who is culture activist, as keynote speaker, Oshodi observed that culture and tourism sectors have all it takes to bring about economic boom for the state. “Ondo is a tourism brand that can be sold to the world in such a way that tourism could become a major revenue earner for the state. All that is needed is for the stakeholders, government and private organisations, to look inward and reinvent themselves.

    On why he partnered his home state for the festival, he disclosed that it was to promote cultural and socio-economic development. He said: “We are getting it wrong in today’s society, and without culture, we can never get it right. We started from Ondo because charity begins at home.

    “The theme, Togetherness, was meant highlight our similarities. Despite being a Yoruba-speaking state, there are different dialects in Ondo. This was why we chose the theme, and we brought everybody together in Akure. The concept is quite different from what they were doing before. They had ‘Mare’ to celebrate the rock in Idanre, but ours is about bringing all the people in Ondo together, and the content is different.”

    While stating that Ondo ARTFEST is one of his organisation’s moves towards cultural reawakening, Oshodi hinted that his gallery is focusing on diverse cultural initiatives that will impact people’s lives. “We are planning another one in Lagos that will be campaigning against child abuse, domestic violence and human trafficking. After the Lagos event, we will be displaying 1,000 crowns of Yoruba kings. We will highlight the significance of each Oba and his crown.”

    On this year’s Ondo ARTFEST, he said the festival hopes to showcase the state’s rich tourism and cultural exports on the world’s stage, while promoting cultural and socio-economic development.

    On his part the festival consultant, Mr Makinde Adeniran, said if properly harnessed culture can sell more than oil. “Culture is a strong element that comes from us. You cannot compare it to oil. There is no gainsaying that we need to go back to our roots and reinvent and rebrand what we have for the global market. And that is what we can achieve, using Ondo ARTFEST,” he said.

  • Garlands for Dangote at 62

    THERE is overwhelming empirical evidence of the brilliance and excellence in business leadership and uncommon philanthropy demonstrated by Africa’s richest man and President Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote who clocks 62 on Wednesday April 10, 2019.

    From cradle to his looming presence and leadership in African entrepreneurship, Dangote has surpassed global imagination. In fact, in Africa and the black race, the Kano-born billionaire, who is affable and media-shy dwarfs all superlatives.

    His faith in the brand Nigeria and indeed Africa, despite all odds and damning negative economic indicators, has perhaps motivated the business mogul to invest massively and establish industries producing essential items required by the low and mighty in the society.

    Little wonder then that brand Dangote rings a bell in virtually every nook and cranny and won several accolades across Nigeria and beyond even though he has not held any public office including that of President or Governor.

    Deeply religious and one with a great passion for alleviating the plight of the most vulnerable members of society, Dangote before plunging into full business in 1981 in Lagos State, must have imbibed the American billionaire Warren Buffet’s wise counsel that three virtues namely intelligence, energy and integrity are a must for any man to succeed in any chosen endeavor in life even though the third is the most important.

    In other words even though he has become a role and business model for many across the globe, the billionaire at a young age realized that there is dignity in labour which clearly has been one of his abiding principles in life journey. Therefore, it is not surprising that he has never been a guest to any of the nation’s anti-graft bodies including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission, ICPC.

    His flawless business record so far should serve as a big lesson to all especially upcoming youths some of whom are currently very desperate to succeed in life by cutting corners and engaging in all manner of criminality.

    Reputed to be the second employer of labour coming after the Federal Government and the leader in indirect employment through his numerous business chain churning out wide ranging products like sugar, flour, cement and services in Nigeria and across the continent, his latest foray into the petrochemical industry through Dangote Refinery which is expected to bring permanent relief to the nation’s troubled petroleum sector when it comes on stream later this year, is outstanding.

    Aliko Dangote holder of Nigeria’s second highest honour, the Grand Commander of the Niger, GCON had an estimated net worth of US$10.6 billion as of March 2019. He is ranked by Forbes magazine as the 100th-richest person in the world and the richest in Africa.

    According to Wikipedia, “Aliko Dangote, an ethnic Hausa Muslim from Kano State, was born on the 10th of April 1957 into a wealthy Muslim family. He is the great-grandson of Alhaji Alhassan Dantata, the richest African at the time of his death in 1955”.

    Dangote was educated at the Sheikh Ali Kumasi Madrasa, and Capital High School, Kano. He has a bachelor’s degree in business studies and administration from Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt.

    Speaking on his foray into the unpredictable world of business, he recalled: “I can remember when I was in primary school, I would go and buy cartons of sweets (candy) and I would start selling them just to make money. I was so interested in business, even at that time.”

    However, like the mustard seed, Dangote Group which was planted as a small trading firm in 1977, the same year the upcoming entrepreneur relocated to Lagos, the company has blossomed to the consternation of many. It is also on record that his path to stardom didn’t come easy as the young Aliko started his business with the NGN 500,000 loan he took from his uncle, Sani Dangote in 1977 after laying out his plan to establish a business outfit and his uncle’s decision to grant his request to start the business.

     

  • In 4th Republic, Kate Henshaw is political Heroine we’ve been waiting for

    Political movies are not the best when it comes to choices of what to watch. More so, the genre in Nollywood has never been properly put together with terrible plot twists, cheap and inappropriate costumes.

    There are unfortunate settings and a whole list of time wasting dialogue and picture. Also, female characters are often reduced to stereotypes: scream queens in death news, escorts to the political men before meeting an untimely death in evil rituals.

    Ishaya Bako, Director of the Movie

    But Ishaya Bako new movie 4th Republic, in theaters all over Nigeria on 12 April, presents a new kind of woman heroine—one who doesn’t scream, doesn’t squirm, and definitely doesn’t need a man to save her.

    Her name is Mabel King played by Africa Movie Academy Award winner Kate Henshaw. The actress’s performance in 4th Republic is convincing, like everything she does, but it’s more than that: It’s a powerful portrait of a Nigerian woman in a fictional Conference State who contests for a gubernatorial seat, looses—survives the threats of the incumbent governor Idris Sani (Sani Mu’azu) and teaches women how to fight back on their own without having to bribe.

    4th Republic like a portrait of Nigeria’s current political situation comes with a quick succession of scenes that led up to the shocking denouement. It has good subtext that engages a viewer’s mind to think, be sad and at the same time laugh at some of the comic dialogues.

    King moves through the movie with a firm sense of purpose. When the men in her political circle advise her to bribe her way in winning the electoral tribunal, King says: “I will never bribe anyone for anything.”

    Also, when her personal aide’s brother is arrested by EFCC, she refuses to call people who can help but advises the right way to help is to follow due process.

    This makes her a shining example of how following due process is the ultimate way to follow if we must shun corruption.

    Co-producers, Bem Pever_ Kemi ‘Lala’ Akindoju_ Director, Ishaya Bako and Executive Producer, Ummi Yakubu

    Standing up for the truth and fighting for justice makes ugly situations disappear.

    Resilience is another important theme in 4th republic and King has it in spades. In the movie, we watch King’s car shot seriously by unknown gunmen.

    Despite the fact her opponent, incumbent Idris Sani is perceived to be behind it, she never backs down. That’s so incredible to see from a female protagonist.

    Facing your fears is difficult, but it’s necessary for survival, both in movies and real life, where the fight is just as scary.

    Political movies, like other movie genre, often end with a fine line between the protagonist and the antagonist. To defeat the villain, characters become upright for good to win over bad.

     So, her determination to do everything right to make up for that moment of a wrong decision changes.

    In a world full of threats, especially for women, we need more onscreen heroines like King. When done properly, like in 4th republic, political movies are the perfect place for women to see how to be brave in a dominated- men space.

    Strength, patience, resilience, empathy: These are all traits King has in 4th republic and they’re what we need to fight the monsters in our own lives.

    L-R. Yakubu Mohammed, Kemi ‘Lala’ Akindoju, Kate Henshaw, Enyinna Nwigwe at the premiere of 4th Republic Film

    Representation matters. Emil B. Garuba and Zainab Omaki writing and Henshaw’s acting bring to life a woman who’s powerful, bold, and balanced: exactly the woman we need to see in 2023.

    Mabel King is leading a new path in politics, one that shows female characters conquering fears in their life once and for all.

  • How to protect your child from predators

    There could not have been a better time than now to present a book on sex and child abuses considering the increasing spate of sexual abuses in the society today. The recent presentation of protecting your child from sexual abuse written by Pastor Bisi Adewale therefore came at an appropriate time when parents need such valuable information on how to protect their children from predators.

    Speaking at the presentation in Lagos, Pastor Bisi Adewale said the 163-page book was borne out of an urgent need to ‘mitigate this great problem in our society today and I am happy you are a witness to the coming alive of this life-changing and destiny-preserving book.’

    He stated that the menace of child sexual abuse in the society has become so alarming that one can only imagine what is happening under the roof.

    He also disclosed that statistics about child sexual abuse keep increasing every day for the worse, adding that with its presentation to the public today, ‘one child or more may be delivered.

    Who knows how many children will have their lives transformed and delivered from the hands of pedophiles? The book, which is the 92nd book from the Family Booster’s stable, contains about 51 heart rending stories of past victims of child sexual abuses.

    According to the author, the book was written to help in dealing with the menace of child sexual abuse in the society. “A study revealed that 1 in every 10 children would be sexually abused before age 18. The book seeks to open the eyes of parents to the need to protect the lives of their children from pedophiles in our society. Many of these victims, now adults, shared stories of what happened to them when they were younger. Some were as young as four years old,” he said.

    The book reveals what sexual abuse is and how a child can be abused. It also gives the differences between sex education and sexualisation, recent statistics on child sexual abuses and shows reasons why parents should be careful about people they trust with their children’s upkeep.

    A study revealed that about 80% of sexually abused children have been abused by people known closely to them (Uncles, Cousins, Aunties, Teachers, Spiritual leaders, Neighbours, Nannies, Baby sitters etc).

    Indicators or signs that a child is being sexually abused are also revealed in the book while factors that predispose a child to sexual abuse are also mentioned.

    In the book, readers will be exposed to mistakes parents make that exposes their children to sexual abuse; what to do when a child is sexually abused; how to prevent abuse and how to protect children from abusers.

    The latter chapters of the book expose how to give an age-grade sexual education by giving a practical guide on how to educate toddlers, pre-scholars, grade-scholars, pre-teens and teenagers.

     

     

  • ‘Life as Amazon of Nigeria’s petroleum industry’

    They call her the “Amazon of the oil and gas industry who successfully blends brain with fashion”. For over three decades, she operated in a male-dominated terrain and got to the pinnacle of her career. Meet the woman who became a force in the industry, Mrs Patience Maseli. For 35 years, she served in various positions, heading several committees, such as the first steering committee of Women in Geosciences and Engineering (WiGE). Maseli has just retired as a Deputy Director at the Directorate of Petroleum Resources (DPR). The highlight of her career was the christening of a drillship West Capella in South Korea on which her name is inscribed. In this conversation with EVELYN OSAGIE, she speaks on voyage into the oil industry, her work and family life.

    My journey into oil and gas industry

    My journey in the industry began in 1982 after my graduation from the University of Benin.  I was sent to Rivers State for the mandatory National Youth Service Programme. My primary assignment was in NNPC Research and Development Division where I worked as a palynologist within the geology laboratory.

    My performance earned me employment into the organisation in 1983, and I was deployed to the Petroleum Inspectorate Division,  which today is the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR)

    With a career spanning 35 years, through diligence, hard work and grace of God, I rose through the ranks from Petrophysicist in 1983, Senior Geologist in 1992, Chief Geologist 2003, Assistant Director 2006 to occupy the position of Deputy Director and Head, Upstream in 2017 up till November 2018 when I attained the mandatory retirement age.

    Upon my promotion as an Assistant Director in 2006, I was responsible for the Resources Management branch of the Upstream Division of DPR.  In 2014, I was redeployed to the Exploration branch which also doubled as the National Data Repository (NDR) where all oil and gas industry data is kept in safe custody. It’s actually called the industry data bank. One of the remarkable achievements is that under my leadership, the standard of the facility was raised to international level. In 2015, I was deployed to the Domestic Gas Obligation branch of the Gas Division to strengthen the regulation and monitoring of the domestic gas sector. During this period, the domestic sector went through a commendable level of gas revolution in alignment with the seven big wins programme. This gave rise to the Nigerian Gas Flare Commercialisation project, which will be a big leap towards actualising the flare down programme by the Petroleum Minister.

    Having effectively established the Domestic Gas Branch, I was then redeployed to Head the Upstream Division in 2017.

    Within these periods, I represented DPR at many forums, locally and internationally, travelling to  Norway, France, UK, US, South Korea, Italy and other places.

    It’s been an interesting experience.

     

    Challenges women

    in the field

     

    Getting a female mentor was a challenge since women were few and had to cope with challenges with having male mentors.

    Women had to work twice as hard as the men to get to the top. That was tough because as a woman you had to take care of the home as well.

     

    My nugget for reaching the peak in a male-dominated field

     

    To get to the peak in a male dominated industry, glass ceilings had to be broken down. When I was recruited, women hardly went to the rig because the infrastructure was not gender sensitive and we were relegated to the office. This was disadvantageous as young engineers and geologists were expected to be in the field and build capacity. We pushed for change, and today women are in there with men. Modern rigs have been built to accommodate both genders.

    I was at the drilling site when Shell’s Agbada 59 and 60 wells were drilled, and did one week on and off in the late 80s. That experience helped me a lot in my career.

    Navigating to the top required hard work, DPR sent me for several trainings locally and internationally, in addition to self-development.

    I belonged to several professional bodies like the Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists ( NAPE) where I am a fellow, Nigerian Mining and Geosciences Society (NMGS), American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) and Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE). I also served as the first steering committee chairperson for Women in Geosciences and Engineering (WiGE). A lot of capacity is built from participating in the technical meetings of these associations and attending international conferences as well.

     

    My advice to women

    aspiring for the field

    For students in secondary institutions, they have to take some of the STEM subjects. Those already in the field, I will advise, must be hardworking, professional, focused, dedicated and committed, and also develop themselves without relying solely on the organisation. They should make their voice heard, contributing at meetings, putting their opinions across and not allowing themselves to be relegated to the background.

    Balancing family and work

    It took effective planning, family support, especially from my spouse, my mother and domestic wards, and the grace of God.

    Being 60 and looking young, dashing and very energetic

    It takes a lot of discipline to be healthy and fit. The secret lies in eating fresh foods, fruits and vegetables, exercise, avoiding frizzy drinks and packet juices. Being active for God has also helped tremendously. It brings a lot of refreshment to the body. For instance, I have been singing in the choir right from primary school till date; from the Church of God Mission (the late Archbishop Benson Idahosa’s church) and the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Promised Land Parish. Also, to God be the glory, being happily married takes a lot of stress off me.

    My life after retirement

    I am retired but certainly not tired. I’m still full of energy and have a lot more to contribute to the petroleum industry. I do more of consulting and taking care of my grandchildren (Laughs). For now I will like to take a break and get recharged for the next phase and catch up on things I could not do because of my hectic work schedule – living a relaxed life and exploring the world and places that hitherto I couldn’t see. I am also spending time with my family who are spread over the world. Above all. I plan to continue with the service of the Lord.

  • Diffusion: Celebration of energy, creativity

    Despite producing colourful paintings from opposite ends of creativity and expressions, the duo of Promise Onali and ChibuikeUzoma, two young contemporary Nigerian artists, are thrilling art lovers to a rare collection at the Temple Muse on Victoria Island, Lagos.

    The joint art exhibition tagged Diffusion, which opened on Monday, is featuring 45 paintings that take a critical look at the evolution of consciousness and how individual and communal identity is affected by history and socio-cultural evolution.

    The two artists employ diverse painting techniques and use of materials, which set them apart as adventurous artists. Diffusion, curated by Sandra Mbanefo-Obiago of SMO Contemporary Art, will run till May 17, and is supported by VeuveClicquot.

    Onali, who studied Fine Art at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, graduating in painting in 2007, uses diverse media to explore scientific questions such as the origin of evolution, which is grounded in strong linearity and embryonic metaphors.  His fascination with the expansion of individual and collective consciousness is evident in the subtle layers of his mixed media works.

    Among his paintings that share common colour scheme and tonal level include Tainted Perceptions, Landscape of Monumental dreaming, Dreaming on a Nebulla, Thin line between Heaven and a Game of Chance, Millennial for Sale,Code of Dharma and Intensions11. His mixed media works are akin to clinical search or approach to painting that examines the anatomy of human parts such as brain and body frame. He uses wire gauze to create void within the canvass thus creating strong effect.

    “My capacity rests in part, on my signature style which manifests as embryos, cells, skins and tissues in my artworks. I use mixed-media to explore the concept of neo-evolution and how it affects socio-political, cultural, economic and social relationships.

    My creative dexterity is hinged on a combination of paper, fibre, wood, metal, wire, fabrics, polystyrene and a careful expressive rendition of colours. My technique is an ambiguous interplay of colours, fabrics, wire gauze, wood and a host of other unconventional materials which tell the stories of the human experience, using Africa’s consciousness evolution as a point of departure.

    As Nigeria passes through a drastic phase of economic and socio-political turmoil, my recent works interrogate how this new wind of change has affected the community in ways like emotions, passion, empathy, spirituality as well as other aspects of modern interpersonal relationships. These recent mixed media works, pull the observer into a world of lineal complexity comprised of careful rendition of lines and swirls that evoke a certain sense of ambiguity,” Onali said.

    He added that “My paintings of circles and embryos are metaphors for the evolution of consciousness, with most of the figures in profile, embedded in circles or laden with embryonic swirls which represent the consciousness bubble of each individual, family, community, nation, etc.  We find ourselves in these bubbles of our own creation and it influences the way we interact with other people and handle sensitive situations. Embryos represent our state of consciousness and it grows every day, but it’s growth rate depends heavily on what  and how we feel it

    For Uzoma,a multidisciplinary artist who is skillful not only in painting, but also in photography and drawing, graduated from the University of Benin in 2013 majoring in painting. Though heading to Yale University for a Masters of Fine Arts degree later this year, Uzomaalso references contemporary politics in Africa and the Diaspora and questions popular culture against the backdrop of global conflict. He creates visual poetry which reflects our universal struggle with identity in a fast changing universe. “I try to make images that express the basic and necessary elements of human experience: freedom, love, joy, possibility, hope, and even tragedy,” he said.

    Professor of art history and theory,Prof. Frank Ugiomoh, said “Diffusion comes against a backdrop of contemporary social consciousness and how it connects to history as certainty lived out. What is evident in the body of work here is the overwhelming import of the place of consciousness, and the cerebral aspects of the human family symbolised in thought processes.”

    According to exhibition curator Obiago,”Uzoma and Onali’s friendship and professional appreciation of each others’ different approaches to art is quite rare and refreshing. Onali’s exact, clinically scientific approach to painting and his commitment to the environment and scientific discoveryis a wonderful contrast to Uzoma’s fluid, impulsive and exuberant style which stems from an intellectual curiosity influenced by thought leaders like Franz Fanon and Chinua Achebe.”

  • Sofy sanitary pad supports women in Lagos

    Sankin Industries Ltd, the makers of Sofy sanitary pad, has continued to place great importance on helping women succeed. It is poised to support the sixth edition of Hangoutwithtee ladies’ event on April 7 at the Panda Events Centre, Oyadiran Estate, Sabo Yaba, Lagos.

    The Hangoutwithtee is a free-to-attend women’s event. It is designed to help women learn and grow together in a fun and friendly environment.

    The sixth edition hangout, which is themed OyaShift, will include inspirational talks, music, poetry, a dance competition, games, a raffle draw and many other fun events.

    It will feature speakers like Toki Mabogunje who is Deputy President, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry; TewaOnasanya, the Publisher, Exquisite Magazine; and Zimbabwean Actress & OAP VimbaiMutinhiri.

    Entertainers will include Female saxophonist Funmi Sax Ajayi, singer and guitarist Sha-de, The Bio Poet Lady Yudy; NekkyThe Body Confidence Chick.

    The show will be hosted by Jessica Fortunes.

    Doors open at 2pm and the curtains will drop on the event by 6pm.

    For all  women in Lagos, this hangout is an event not to be missed.

  • Today and now

    Some people are obsessed with the past; they can’t take their eyes off their failures or even their successes. Some others only care about now; their philosophy is “live, eat and enjoy all you can today because no one knows tomorrow”. Yet, some live in the dread or hope of the future and they waste their present. There’s got to be a balance somewhere. Interestingly, yesterday, today and tomorrow have something in common- they are made up of time. For yesterday, time had passed, today, time is passing right now and tomorrow, time is going to pass. One way or the other, we can’t keep time from passing.

    What you do with your time is what determines whether you are wise or not. Your time is your asset; you will become rich in whatever you invest it into. When you administer your time wisely, you will build your wealth gradually. As time passes without much formality, so will your wealth grow without much publicity. You should have a proper disposition towards time. Let yesterday teach you, let tomorrow motivate you, but don’t let today pass you by.

    How much of your day do you invest in profitable activities? I’m not trying to judge you; I’ve gone through the evaluation myself. Try out these suggestions:

    • Mind your own business: if you know what other people are doing, the time they are doing it, why they do it and probably why they shouldn’t be doing it (unless it is your job to know), watch out! You are probably doing nothing yourself! Protect your time as much as you can. Avoid whatever does not help you to achieve your goals.
    • Avoid time wasters: there are some people who are gifted in consuming other people’s time. If they visit you while you are preparing to attend an event, you may end up going late or not going at all. After making your plans for the day, all you need is to meet them and your plans go out of the window. I’m not being unkind, it is just the fact. Once you identify such people, find a strategy to manage your relationship with them.
    • Plan with time: any plan that is not set to time is no plan at all. At the beginning of everyday, make a list of what you want to achieve and assign time to each of them. This will give you a sense of mission. Even if you cannot follow through completely, you will have a sense of accomplishment when you evaluate your activities at the end of the day.
    • Trade busyness for productivity: have you ever been so busy that you hardly had a breathing space, yet by the end of the day, you hadn’t achieved much? Find out the things you invest most of your time on that bring little or no dividend. Try to reduce the time you allot to them. On the other hand, when you discover the activities you spend little time on that end up being productive, increase the time allotted to them.
    • Delegate responsibilities: I know you think no one can measure up to your standards or do things exactly the way you want them done. Nevertheless, unless you desire to wear yourself out quickly, you need help. If a leader feels that subordinates can’t perform tasks to his/her taste, it is a clear sign of leadership failure. If you train them well, they will take a lot of burden off you and you will do more productive things with your time.

    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!

     

  • Firm trains youths in writing

    Over 120 writers across Nigeria were trained on how to improve their craft and take their writing career to the next level at the first edition of Instincts Writing Workshop.

    The training organised by a media platform, Young and Cerebral, had representatives from literary organisations, illustrators, authors, writers and students from schools and colleges participated. It held at Sabo, Yaba, in Lagos State. The theme was, “Writing beyond a hobby”.

    Founder, Young and Cerebrals AdewunmiOshodi-Tapa, said Young and Cerebral is a media platform that provides inspiration, opportunity and empowerment through radio programmes, trainings, workshops and seminars.

    She said the workshop was its way of giving a voice to people who write.

    “We realised that people want to write and there are a lot of writers on the street. This workshop is to give writers a hope, dream and action plan that they can write and people will read their stories. It is the first of its kind and it will continue,” she said.

    Read also: Payment service firm gets CBN e-payment award

    She said Young and Cerebral is a clan of curious and imaginative story tellers based in Lagos metropolis. “We help enthusiastic 18 to35-year-olds to triumph by providing inspiration, empowerment and opportunities so that they can achieve personal fulfillment. We preach self-actualisation through our Media and Brand Services.

    “We profile thought-leaders, inventors, influencers, founders, whose lives embody our message. During our Saturday shows on Unilag103.1FM and LagosTalks 91.3FM, we celebrate and focus on individuals who make a difference across a wide variety of industries including but not limited to Marketing, Banking, Film, Telecom, Fashion, HR, Tech, Music, Food, Education and Photography,” she said.

    A Blogger and Bestselling Author, Sally Kenneth-Dadzie, speaking on the topic: “The Journey to writing the first line”, urged writers to overcome fear and laziness, be consistent, believe in themselves and in what they write.

    “You have to overcome fear, if you want to be a writer because fear can pull you down. Don’t be a lazy writer, know that no one is perfect, put in your best and never kill your story.”

    She said writing is hard work, urging writers to overcome unbelief in the writing process, make good use of opportunities including the use of social media to develop they witting skills, and that they should never let rejection pull them down.

    “Encourage writers around you,  find time to write, determine to be a writer that stands out so that when readers read your content, they will come back to your site,” she said.

    Another speaker, A Self Published Author and Writer, UfuomaEmerhor-Ashogbon, who spoke on “What it takes to publish”, noted that to publish a book there must be vision, message, talent, skill and perseverance.

    “You must have a vision of who you are and where you want to be, and your witting must have a message because your message is one thing that will distinguish you.”

    She added that there is a talent for writing, saying it is natural, inbuilt and God given. “You need skills to write, which requires that you have to develop, learn and train on how to write. Perseverance is what you need to push for you to be known,” she said.

    Another speaker, a writer and author, SeunOdukoya, spoke on ‘Writing as a trade’; said money can be made from writing, urging the writers to place value on themselves and on what they write.

    “It is your responsibility to make your writing make money for you; get inspiration to write, don’t give yourself excuses. There are several things you can write on, be good at whatever you are doing, don’t do it for free, and have faith and confidence in yourself. Write all the time, you cannot be great and be lazy, work at what you want to achieve, set a goal for yourself and constantly work towards achieving your goal, take responsibility for your witting, put value on yourself and on your work, pay attention to what you write and put value on your work,” he said.

  • Why your organisation needs an in-house coach

    If you want to get better at something get coached, says Atul Gawande, a professor in the department of Health policy and management at Harvard, according to him coaching isn’t just good for athletes it can help anyone from lawyers to doctors to musicians, for him despite being an experienced surgeon, he saw his surgical complications reduce after he hired a coach to come into his surgery room to watch him, and give him feedback. He found the process a bit rough at first because like every human being receiving feedback could be tough, but as he adhered to every feedback he saw his complications drastically reduce. This is essentially the definition of workplace coaching.

    Workplace coaching is the process of equipping people with the tools, knowledge, and opportunities they need to fully develop themselves to be effective in their commitment to the organisation, and themselves. Workplace coaching is essentially shifting individuals within an organisation from where they are to where they need to be, for the overall good of the organsation.

    Organsations like Hewlett Packard, IBM, MCI and others have recognised that employees must be coached, and have included coaching in their management/leadership development. A company is a group of people who come together to achieve a goal, it only makes strategic sense that an organisation will hire someone to come on board to help the individuals maximise their potentials so the organisation can reach it’s goals.

    Research has shown that the traditional “command and control” style of management, which requires rapid response, individual effort and performance in order to remain competitive is no longer effective in today’s workplace environment. Coaching is a development process whereby an individual meets with a coach on a regular basis to clarify goals, deal with potential stumbling blocks, and improve their performance.

    Workplace coaching is not training or a workshop unlike these methods, coaching helps the individuals leverage on their inner wisdom, creativity and productivity.

    Below are three major advantages of coaching in the workplace:

    GOALSETTING: Goal setting is a major part of an organisational progress. It is important that in an organisation the employees are immersed into the goals of the organisation so much so that their personal goals are aligned with that of the organisation. This creates a sense of harmony within the employees and they are able to work more from a place of passion instead of aggression. In an organisation where the employee’s goals are not aligned with that of the organisation it results in internal conflict and such employees only work for a monthly pay check, in the long run this stifles progress, creativity and productivity in the workplace.

    PROBLEM SOLVING: Give a man a fish, you feed him for a day, teach a man to fish and you feed him for a life time. Having an in-house coach in the workplace is simply teaching a man how to fish, problem solving is not what an individual learns in a 5 hour seminar or training, problem solving is a deliberate and intentional process that individuals have to be coached through. Coaching individuals on problem solving in the workplace is a skill they are able to carry on to their personal, financial, spiritual and psychological lives. Coaching helps employees tap into their inner wisdom and grooms them to look for answers within them instead of always blaming the next person, the next colleague, the manager, the government etc. Coaching encourages resourcefulness within one’s self.

    ENHANCED PRODUCTIVITY AND PERFORMANCE: This two P’s as I like to call them are key indicators of progress in an organisation both on a personal level and in the organisation. One important tool to ensure enhanced productivity and performance is via feedback. According to Bill gates we all need feedback to help us improve. Great industry leaders like Steve Jobs are known to surround themselves with people who are committed to give them un-biased and constructive feedback. According to Eric Schmidt, former CEO of Google, his coach always sat in on staff meetings, simply to observe and give constructive feedback on how he could have handled such meetings better.

    In more progressive climes learning and development and Human Resource professionals are now taking a shift towards inputting coaching into the yearly budget of the organisations, it is seen as the quickest and most effective way to transform the organisation from the inside out, one person at a time.

    In the Nigerian workplace coaching is gradually gaining momentum, a few organisations already make use of coaches. Here are some added advantages of hiring a coach for your organisation.

    To work through workplace conflicts.

    To work through emotional issues.

    To overcome motivation slumps.

    To improve performance and results.

    To identify solutions to problems..

    To become responsible and independent thinkers.

    To develop their emotional intelligence.

    To develop a positive approach to learning.

    To make use of their strengths and work through their weaknesses.

    To learn more about organisational coaching, or how your employees can be coached follow me on Instagram @coachgbemz or send me a mail at gbemieobadan@gmail.com

    Organisational coaches are your external eyes and ears, providing a more accurate picture of your reality. They recognise the fundamentals, break your actions down, then help you build them back up again, hence they are a worthy investment.