The Nation Newspaper

Category: Life – The Midweek Magazine

  • Mare Festival holds Dec 18,19

    Major activities of this year annual Mare Festival will hold on  Friday and Saturday December 18 and 19.

    Young music star, Olamide will lead a pack of artistes for the event.

    Mare Festival is an annual festival organised by Ondo state government to celebrate and promote the cultural heritage and showcase the tourism potentials  of the sunshine state

    In a an interactive session  with members of Guild of Tourism  Journalists in Akure  at the weekend the State Commissioner for  Information and Civic Orientation  Mr Kayode Akinmade said “ the budget for the annual event is affected by the economic situation in the country”

    “Although the current economic situation in the  country is not encouraging but we have to do it because it is part of our policy in Ondo State to ensure proper promotion of cultural and tourism events  in the state.  This, we have been doing in a new dimension since Dr Mimiko assumed office as the governor of the state

    Akinmade  disclosed that both local and foreign mountaineers and athletes are expected to perform in the competitions.

     

  • Solar Energy to the rescue

    Solar Energy to the rescue

    Although, the sun has been in existence since man- or even before him, if we’re to follow the Bible and the Qur’an; it wasn’t until recently that scientists began inventing devices that can be powered by solar (Sun) energy. Medinat Kanabe, in this report, looks at the solar energy and how Nigerians can benefit from it.

    As the world continues to evolve, scientists have continued to come up with alternative and easier ways of doing things, one of which is inventing devices that can be powered by solar.

    Nigeria is a country beleaguered by very poor power supply, which has culminated in the people spending so much on alternative energy sources such as petrol, diesel and kerosene.  With the recent scientific developments, many Nigerian homes, organisations and individuals are fast embracing the solar options.

    Fortunately, the common man is not left out in this development, as solar energy-powered equipment now come even in small lanterns, lamps and torch-lights, that can be carried around in replacements of the traditional fire lanterns and candles. Recall that fire lanterns and candles have contributed to disastrous fire incidents, claiming lives and property. With solar-powered home items, that problem appears totally eradicated.

    Solar-powered items also come as mini-chargers for phone devices, and very affordable too. Many of them have the capacity to provide up to 60 hours of lighting, while also charging your phones. And as for the environmentalists, it is green-house energy compliant.

    Prices for solar energy equipment ranges from as little as N1, 500 to millions of Naira, depending on what you’re subscribing to. This also depends on whether the user wishes to compliment it with the electricity provided by power stations or solely run the home or organisation on it.

    The Enterprise Development Centre EDC of Pan Atlantic University, PAU, Ajah, Lagos campus, is a good example of a centre that runs solely on solar energy. Describing the building as a true example of environmental sustainable building in Nigeria and West Africa, the Director, EDC, Peter Bankole told The Nation that they invested heavily on alternate energy to power the building.

    “The 2, 000 square meters EDC building, with three floors is significant in many ways. The first is that this building is a green building; as you walk into the main foyer of the building, there is an instant sense of light. We harvest at least 12 hours of natural light everyday; from the design stage, we wanted to save at least 40 per cent of energy usage when compared with similar buildings in Nigeria and across the continent; so we invested heavily in alternate energy.

    “Embedded in the roof is 96 double length solar panel that produce enough energy to power all the streets and perimeter lighting, all the access control, CCTV, internet, IP phones, the lighting in the main foyer, the general office and 50 per cent of the air conditioning in the general office.

    “Every floor is equipped with an online inverter system that carries other sensitive training equipment, from 5pm to 8pm everyday. On weekends and indeed at off peak periods, we run only on clean energy,” he said.

    Matthew Oshomogho is a family man who lives in his solar-powered house with his wife and four children. He told The Nation that he stopped buying touch lights, fire lanterns and candles since he discovered solar energy.

    “My sister, I built this house with all the money I had at the time and I have not recovered from it. I don’t want a situation where one day due to carelessness, my house will be burnt down. If I try to be very careful, what about my wife and children?

    “When I first stopped candles and fire lanterns, I began to buy battery touch lights but they don’t last. So I discovered the rechargeable touch lights; but when we don’t have steady power supply, how do I charge them? Solar energy don’t need electricity to work; all I do is make sure the panel is outside during the day and by night I can use them in the house. Rain cannot spoil the panels, so I am not scared when it rains and there’s nobody at home to bring the panels in.”

    Oshomogho is therefore of the opinion that very soon, Nigerians will be able to do without electricity, as there are solar energy panels that can power a complete building. He actually hopes to purchase one as soon as he can afford it, he revealed.

    Oshomogho is not left alone in his conviction; stakeholders in the power sector recently called on Nigeria and other African countries to look inwards in order to overcome barriers confronting implementation of renewable energy across the continent.

    The stakeholders who met at the 2015 Power-Gen Africa Conference held in Cape Town, South Africa agreed that Africa, especially the Sub-Saharan region, needs reliable and constant energy to develop.

    Presenting his paper titled: “Overcoming barriers to solar and wind renewable energy development in Sub-Saharan Africa: A new perspective,” at the POWER-Gen Africa 2015 conference held in Cape Town, Republic of South Africa in July, Dr. Maurice Ngwaba of University of Maryland, Eastern Shore, United States, explained that other nations are developing reliable, sustainable and cost-effective energy sources because renewable improves business processes, reduces operational costs and green house emissions.

    “Renewable energy development provides employment and improves quality of life. In the next 15 years, Africa will need $300 billion to have access to electricity. But the challenges that have been identified as constraints to adequate power supply in Africa include lack of infrastructure, present condition of existing infrastructure capacity and transmission limitations. All these make solar and other renewable energy development attractive,” he said.

    Ngwaba further posited that Africa remains a great opportunity area with young and growing population, especially growing middle class. He quoted U.S Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Global Markets, Arun Kumar, as saying, “the time is now to invest in Africa.”

    On how to break the barriers against full utilisation of renewable’s potential in Africa, he advised African leaders to adhere to key values and orientations through trust, respect, accountability, responsibility, courage, transparency, collaboration and understanding the true state of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) culture.

    “There is also the need to develop renewable energy policy that is integrated, clear and consistent with the economy, social and environment. Communication and dissemination of renewable energy policy to the citizens and to invest in renewable energy research and development,” he said.

    He said the governments of African nations must, as a matter of urgency, provide regulatory standards, environment that supports investment, develop innovative and implement renewable energy project finance mechanism through tradable renewable energy certificates, bonds, credit assistance, cloud financing and solar leasing.

    Specifically, Dr Ngwaba urged the Federal Government and Nigerians as a whole to explore a lot of potential and alternatives, which will enhance solar and renewable development.

    “Solar leasing is just one of the various aspects where the Nigerian government and other investors can make it affordable to people who have the credit, the capacity to have solar system installed in their houses, and by so doing they can be paying the investors or the government that installed them the actual electricity produced in those areas. By so doing, they will be able to expand the number of people that have access to electricity.

    “Privatisation of the power sector makes it possible for people to decide whether to stay on the grid or not. Knowing who Nigerians are, they would prefer to have their own system and control their units. By so doing, they are not affected by price increases that may come from the Distribution Companies (DISCOS).

    “For instance, at Maryland University, in 2010, I installed the first 2.2MW system at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore of the United States where I got very good rate (9cents per kilowatt/hour) and was commissioned in 2011. Now, I’m developing a new firm called Green Power Developers Ltd that will focus on helping people especially Nigerians to develop solar renewable energy.

    “The Federal Government has to create an enabling environment that includes incentive, tax credit. It can also support states to actually come up with bonds that can be used to create such infrastructures. You can sell municipal-backed bonds to create such infrastructure and it will go a long way to help develop the power sector,” he said.

    For governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, solar is the key to power access in Nigeria.

    The governor who spoke when he accompanied the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, to a solar power agreement signed between Nigeria and the United Kingdom in London, said the application of solar technology in the provision of electricity in Nigeria would democratise power access to the rural poor.

    El-Rufaí said the agreement was an opportunity for the country to acquire the latest technology in the sector.

    “This is a great opportunity for Nigeria to leapfrog from where we are, to the latest state-of-the-art technology to provide electricity to the poor.

    “Many people think that the only way to get electricity to everyone is through building huge power stations with transmission lines and distribution infrastructure. But in the last three to four years, there has been advancement in solar technology that has made it possible to democratise electricity in a way that you would have your own power plant in your own home to serve your needs instead of connecting to a centralised network.

    “I think it is a great step; just as we leapfrogged from having half a million land lines to 150 million mobile phones. There is an opportunity here to leapfrog from having centralised power stations and transmission lines to 60 million Nigerians having electricity that they generate from solar energy in their own homes and paying for it on a pay-as-you-go basis.

    “It is a great initiative and if we are able to follow it through, we will be able to take electricity to the poorest parts of Nigeria without having to do huge investments that we have sank in NEPA and PHCN without results,” he added.

    To underline his conviction, the governor revealed that his state, Kadun,a is already funding the use of solar power in 40 primary healthcare centres.

    “What we want to do when we go back to Kaduna state is to send a team to Tanzania and Kenya to see where this model has worked and immediately begin to deploy it because it is low cost, it can be done very quickly, you don’t need to spend three years building a power station.

  • The Padding fad

    The Padding fad

    • Watch out! She may not be that voluptuous

    The delusion of a larger backside has become increasingly fashionable among women and this has given rise to the use of padded underwears that have literally flooded the markets, writes Adetutu Audu.

    In February 2011, an aspiring hip-hop dancer and choreographer, Claudia Aderotimi got hooked on the belief that a ‘bigger butty’ would make her famous and open doors of career opportunities for her.  The Nigerian British-born dancer thereafter went for a music video audition. She got all the attention with her big butty alright, but when it was discovered that the butty was fake and that she had been wearing bottom-padded trousers,  she was promptly dumped from the cast and left to rue her loss.

    In her desperation to beat off competition, she resorted to surgery, thinking that having a shapelier backside would fast-track her drive to become a Hip Hop star.  However the Thames Valley University student developed chest pains and struggled for breath 12 hours after she had the illegal silicone injections at a budget hotel. She was taken to a hospital but could not be saved. A preliminary examination found that the silicone filler had leaked into her bloodstream, leading to heart failure.

    It was not the first time Aderotimi had had the procedure. She was believed to have been treated in November the previous year and the latest injection might have been a ‘top-up’ procedure.

    In October 2005, former Nigeria’s first lady, the late Stella Obasanjo died in an exclusive Spanish hospital after she underwent a liposuction at the Molding Clinic in Marbella. The surgeon involved in the surgery was jailed for one year in 2009 by a Malaga Court in Spain.

    Last April, a Lagos-based businessman, Adelani Makinde filed for divorce just hours after his expensive wedding, after discovering that his bride had been wearing what is known as a “butt pad” to augment the size of her rear.

    According to the petition filed by the groom at the Ikeja High Court, the couple had come home from their premium wedding reception, eager to consummate their marriage for the first time, meaning that the groom had never seen his wife unclad before.

    The groom cited that his wife insisted that he waited in the bedroom, while she changed in the bathroom; but he couldn’t wait to touch her, so he burst into the bathroom, filled with passion, only to catch her holding up the butt pad girdle.

    The obviously angry groom, announced to whoever cared to listen that “her yansh was as flat as an ironing board and I prefer a woman whose rear is big.” Makinde promptly filed for divorce, citing false pretense as grounds.

    Soji Ibrahim, a 35 year old trader ended his marriage of two months to Rashidat because she had ‘small boobs.’ Ibrahim recalled that “It was her boobs that attracted her to me. I met her when she came to buy pepper from me and I couldn’t take my eyes off her big boobs.”

    Ibrahim was however shocked to discover after their wedding that his wife had been using artificial boobs. “Her boobs are as small as Agbalumo (cherry),” he said. “I detest those small size boobs. It is better to end the marriage.” He said, he’s anger still seething

    Narrating his own experience, John Okafor said a few months into  his marriage, his wife, Nkechi, started wearing butt pads. “I told her to stop, because I didn’t like the stuff, but she flared up and we had an altercation. She told me she had to look good to outsiders.  Throughout her pregnancy period, she wore the butt pads on daily basis even at home, I allowed her because of her condition, even though it looked disgusting on her. A few days after she put to bed, I told her to quit wearing the stuff, but she refused; then I seized it. She started ranting to the hearing of everyone in the neighbourhood that I had a taken her padded pants (aka butt pad) to a native doctor. I simply ignored her.

    “A few days later, she bought another set. On Christmas day (2014), she dressed up and wore the butt pads again; I told her to remove them but she refused, then I tried forcing her to do so, and that resulted into a serious fight. She tore my already ironed clothes to pieces, I tore hers too and forced the butt pads out from her body.

    “Hell was let loose that day because she called her sisters, who came to my house and created a very nasty scene in my neighbourhood. They insulted, ridiculed and made a mockery of me.”

    In a recent interview with Encomium Magazine, Ex- Footballer, John Fashanu commenting on his crisis-ridden marriage with society woman, Abigail Igwe, said it was ‘a sham,’ and that they only lived together for three months. He also alleged that she was after his lands in Lagos and Abuja, and that ‘she’s the worst cook in the world, who spends N200,000 on padded pants to make her bum look bigger.’

    The marriage, it was said, actually ended around April 2014, but divorce was filed about six months ago.  Both have also brought up sexual escapades as one of the major causes of their separation.

    Fashanu is not the only one in this category. Of all the stories about Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries’ impending divorce and fake show wedding, the latest that caught their fans’ attention, is that Humphries is threatening to expose his estranged wife (Kim Kardashian’s) butt as a fraud. According to him, Kardashian uses padded panties to make her ass look big.

    Although the reality TV sexpot insists her bubble butt is all natural and even displayed an x-ray of what she claimed was her backside on her show as proof.

    But some insiders claim the curvy 31-year-old beauty uses butt pads and say Kris filmed a video that proves his estranged wife’s prized posterior is phony.

    “Kris told his buddies that it takes a lot of work for Kim to make her bottom look as good as it does,” says a source. “He revealed all her secrets – how she uses ‘butty pads,’ Spanx and other things to enhance it. When she takes off the Spanx, the pads and everything else, it’s not the same.”

    Stories of the phony hot bodies abound and cut across races, classes and borders. Just last week, a tailor, Tina, based in Oshodi in Lagos, got linked up with some ‘big babes’ on Lagos Island. To her, it was big business coming, as she normally charge them ‘Island price’ and promptly went to take their measurements. She however got her biggest surprise, when this set of ‘babes’ specifically requested that she ‘pad up the front and back of the dresses well o.’

    As good as she is on her job, Tina, a born-again Christian, had never had this request before and had to be calling some of her more outgoing friends and colleagues, to confirm what she had heard.

    “So what happens when the guys they’re trying to deceive finally take of their dress?” She asked still amazed, mouth and eyes wide open.

    Extreme makeover

    In August 2015, an Algerian groom took his bride to court just a day after their marriage, accusing her of not looking as pretty as before the wedding and of cheating him into marriage with too much make-up.

    The groom, who is seeking $20,000 as compensation, told a court in the capital, Algiers that he was shocked when he got up the next morning and found that his wife looked so different, that he could not even recognize her.

    Newspapers in the North African Arab country said the groom swore in court that he even mistook his wife for a “thief who came to steal in his apartment.”

    “He said he was deceived by her as she used to fill up her face with make up before their marriage,” the papers said, quoting a court source.

    “The groom told the court that he is demanding $20,000 damages for his psychological suffering.”

    They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder. But for Jian Feng, from northern China, this was not the case. Earlier in the year, he divorced and sued his wife for being ugly.

    Feng won his case and was awarded a little under £75,000 by the judge, American TV channel, Fox 31 reported.  Feng said he took issues with his wife’s looks only after the couple’s daughter was born. He was shocked by the child’s appearance, calling her ‘incredibly ugly’ and saying she looked like neither of her parents.

    He was so outraged that he initially accused his wife of cheating on him. Faced with this accusation, his wife admitted to spending around £62,000 on plastic surgery which altered her appearance drastically.

    She had the work done before she met her husband and never told him about it after they met. “I married my wife out of love, but as soon as we had our first daughter, we began having marital issues. Our daughter was incredibly ugly, to the point where it horrified me,” Jian Feng told the Irish Times.

    Feng filed for divorce saying his wife had deceived him and convinced him to marry her under false pretenses. The judge agreed with him and awarded him the damages of $120,000.

    Perhaps for fear its repercussion or for those who are scared of undergoing cosmetic surgery, Nigerian ladies now go for  special underpants that have soft fabric and reinforced elastic band that lift, support and make the buttocks increase in a drastic way. Interestingly, the special underpants are so well made that even if you touch the wearer’s buttocks, you would never mistake it for an artificial one.

    Selling profusely

    The padded underwears have taken over the markets and sellers  have been smiling to the banks as they enjoy huge patronage from ladies, who want curvy, fuller hips and butts.

    Tope  Faronbi, a cosmetologist and CEO Tejuvee Beauty and Cosmetology School, Lagos told Sunday Nation that fashion has gone haywire. “For those who want fuller hips or butt, it is a way of helping them, so that dresses can sit well on them. Once they can afford it, why not?” She queried. The price starts from N2, 500 depending on the quality.

    Toyin Elegbede who deals in these underwears  told Sunday Nation that most rear enhancers in the market today are padded. They are butt enhancers usually constructed with specially knitted panels or bands to push up the posterior. If you just want a lift, I believe these are the most comfortable to use.  I also have designs called butt-lifters, where the rears are cut out so that the buttocks are pushed out, and then up, by bands that go around them.

    Varying opinions

    Cdm Eleng, a fast rising rap artiste says he does not appreciate such fad because it is not real. ‘It is a fake sh*t and the ladies are just out to freak the men,’ he said.

    City Milliner and interior decorator, Nena Kal Hunter says the whole idea of butt pads is very funny to her. “I’m personally not against anyone who wishes to enhance their body shape with butt pads, as long as they have an explanation for their partners when they eventually take them off.” She advised that they should also ensure to get good quality, well-rounded ones that don’t appear lop-sided when sat on, so that they don’t look like grown women wearing diapers.

    “If body shape enhancers makes a person happy, why not?” She reasoned.

    Alex Okoroji, actress, self-help mentor and daughter of former PMAN president, Tony Okoroji explained that “People have the choice to do what makes them happy and helps their self-esteem. I have nothing against those who feel like they need something extra to validate themselves. That said, I’m personally not in support of padded butts or any other form of implants because as a self-help mentor, my purpose is to promote the ideals of being authentic, of being naked. And being naked is really about being transparent, real, vulnerable, accepting who you are, just the way you are and being comfortable in your own skin. It’s about understanding that there’s beauty in flaws, and that the awry ideals of perfection that society applauds is in fact, a mirage.”

    According to her, “It is deceptive when people present themselves to be what they are not. Just imagine a situation where a man chooses a lady because of her big round a***, only to get intimate and find out it’s not real. Besides, there are exercises women can do to get rounder buttocks, like squats & lunges. I say this, because I have tried them and they work. The solution to a problem isn’t to hide it, but to fix it. And to me, the most logical way to fix body issues is to exercise; there are no major risks to that. And there’s nothing better than having people who love and accept you just the way you are.”

    Journalist and poet, Gbenga Ogundare says it is ‘a unique revolution’ in the world of fashion. “Indeed, it is a clear indicator that more men are being attracted to women with surplus flesh. Although it is difficult to conclude that those artificial endowments have come to stay.”

  • Violence of teenage love

    Violence of teenage love

    Increasingly, times are changing, and the world is witnessing unusual development, including teenagers or children- if you like –  falling in love and willing to kill to preserve their love. Medinat Kanabe takes a look at the rising spate of violence and killing by young people over love

    Ibrahim Ogunkoya is a 19-year-old, Oyingbo, Lagos boy with a big dream of becoming an international footballer. He had even begun pursuing his dream, as he had started playing for a local league football team.

    Things however came to a halt for him in September, when he was charged to court for allegedly murdering Toyin Eniola, who he claimed snatched his girlfriend. Ibrahim had in a moment of rage, stabbed Eniola in the armpit, inflicting on him a fatal body injury that eventually led to his death.

    The teenager, who has been remanded by the Ebute-Metta Chief Magistrates Court sitting at Oyingbo, Lagos state, was arraigned on a two-count charge of conspiracy and murder. He now faces a bleak, bleak future.

    Another teenager named Funmilola was also recently arrested for attempting to kill 15 year-old Haliya Odunaya, a senior secondary school student for dating her boyfriend.

    Funmi, slashed Haliya’s neck during a heated argument and Haliya, severely injured and bleeding had to be rushed to Stars Clinic along Apapa Road, Ebute-Metta.

    It was gathered that Funmi, who is 16 had warned Haliya to stop dating her lover or face trouble.

    Just last week in Bauchi State, a 20 year old girl, Fatima Baba Isa, killed a 28 year old lady, Iklima Alhassan for dating her boyfriend, Nasiru Banki, 30.

    The above are just a few cases of boys and girls, who have killed or attempted to kill because they felt they were in love.

    Temilolu Okeowo, a pastor and founder of the Girls Apostolic Ministry of All Nations, New York and Girls Club of Nigeria spoke to The Nation on the matter, using her teachings as examples. She said the teen-age is that period when one can lay a solid foundation for one’s destiny, adding that once a teenager doesn’t get it right, there’s every likelihood that they’d have great difficulty fulfilling their destiny in the future.

    “The teen years are a critical period for learning and development foundation for a young person’s future. Opportunities missed at this period can never be regained. If young people don’t take advantage of these opportunities, they may never develop their full potentials,” she said.

    Okeowo, who teaches life skills based on the word of God, which she says doesn’t even permit teenagers to fall in love with anyone else but the man they are legally espoused to, says, “people should fall in love with only their husbands or wives.”

    “Pre-marital sex as far as I am concerned is a taboo for teenagers or anyone who is not married. I don’t encourage girls to have romantic relationships or boyfriends in their teens because to start with, there’s no mention or approval of boyfriend in the bible; secondly, it distracts them spiritually and more often than not, derails them from the path of their destiny. When your heart is clouded by romance, fantasies, love songs etc, how can the spirit of God which will ignite your inner mind and show you your divine path, function?”

    Asked if love can make teenagers kill, she said yes. “Love can make teenagers kill because when they fall in love, they do so passionately and lose all sense of proportion. Teenagers live in a world of their own, they allow their emotions to rule their intellect and they do everything with so much gusto.”

    In order that they do not get reckless, she said parents must first have God. Without the fear of God, she said no parent can effectively bring up a child the right way. As it is, she said too many parents have a faulty upbringing.

    “Aside this, the world out there is hostile and everyone wants to be loved and made to feel special. Parents have to love their gifts from God passionately and express it at every given opportunity before any wolf in sheep’s clothing takes advantage. So many parents are too busy to give their children the required attention, especially in their impressionable years when they are confused by divergent views about life.

    “Without wasting time, they must prayerfully, lovingly and appealingly discourage them by drumming the risks into their ears and letting them know the beneficial advantages in waiting till the right time.”

    She said the dangers of getting involved in romance and emotional relationships at a very early age include low academic performance, gangster-ism, unprotected and more frequent sexual intercourse, addiction to pornography, unwanted pregnancy, emotional distress, suicidal behaviour, abortion, early parenthood and dropping out of school.

    Parents speak

    Mrs Bose Ironsi of Women’s Rights and Health Project and mother of three said, children need the guidance of their parents to have direction in life. “For a child to have that kind of freedom to be able to fight over a boy or girl, it means there is something wrong in the home. Lack of communication between the children and parents is a big problem in some homes. Parents should be able to communicate with their children and give them all the necessary information they need to have at certain age, so that they will not go and get the information outside and get misled.

    “I am free with my children; I play with them, dance with them, listen to them and sing with them. Because of this, they can tell me anything and they listen to me. Parents should engage their children, understand who their friends are, have more close time with them, even if it means missing work for a day. Find out their talent and help them to pursue it, so they will be busy with it.”

    Mrs Ironsi also said children are very energetic, so parents should multi-task them and not forget to teach them sex education.

    Pastor Agu, another parent, said there are different types of parents; some encourage their children when they do wrong while some don’t.

    He said “It takes God’s intervention for people to lead good lives and it is the duty of parents to speak to their children. It is advisable that from the day a child is born, the parents speak into their ears, telling them what to do and not to do.”

    He said many parents are so busy that they leave their children in the hands of maids who don’t have the time to take proper care of them nor have the capacity to talk to them about life and what is expected of them.

    Another thing, he said “is the ‘I-don’t-care’ attitude of Nigerians, where they don’t make attempt to correct other people’s children. Children are for everyone, so let us correct them whether they are ours or not; otherwise tomorrow, someone will just walk into your kitchen and steal away your pot of soup.

    For Mr Patrick Onaighise, parents have a great role to play in correcting this wrong. He says, they should not pretend as if they don’t know what their children are doing, when in actual fact, they do. They should call them and speak to them about the possible consequences of their actions, should they make mistakes. “If you want your child to make you proud, teach them how to differentiate between, good, bad and ugly.

    He should know that if he gives the key to his room to his friends to rape someone, even if he doesn’t participate in the rape, he has committed a crime.” Onaighise said.

    A psychologist speaks

    When asked if it is possible for children to fall in love psychologically, Dr. Leonard Okonkwo, a clinical psychologist at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, said: “I like the fact that you said psychologically. There are different ways of looking at it: morally, religiously, psychologically. Psychologically, it is possible. Love or romantic feeling is an idealised feeling of attachment and it starts way back from the very beginning.

    “From the psychoanalytical point of view, when the child is between the age of 0-1, he possesses an instinctual libido, also known as sexual energy that develops in five stages. The first stage is the oral stage, when the child expresses sexual impulses through the mouth. This can be through feeding from his mother’s breast and from the oral exploration of his or her environment, i.e. the tendency to place objects in the mouth. He begins to form ego at this stage.

    “Then it moves to the anal stage, which is from eighteen months to three years, wherein the infant’s erogenous zone changes from the mouth to the anus (the lower digestive tract), while the ego formation continues. Toilet training is the child’s key anal stage experience.

    “The next stage is the phallic stage, which is between the ages of three and six years, where the child is involved in infantile masturbation and he is attached to the parent of the opposite sex. He is seen always touching his private parts and you hear parent threatening to cut off his penis if he doesn’t keep his hands away.

    “They gratify physical curiosity by exploring each other and their genitals and so learn physical differences between male and female and the gender difference between boys and girls.

    “”Then later on in life, he moves to the latent stage which is from six years to puberty, where the child consolidates the character habit he or she developed in the three earlier stages of psychological and sexual development.

    “The last stage is the adult sexual stage or genital stage, where they begin to have attachment and love relationships with the opposite sex. Also this stage is centred upon the genitalia but the sexuality is consensual and adult rather than solitary or infantile.

    So children can fall in love because it has to do with emotional attachment. For example, how old was Romeo and Juliet when they fell in love? The thing here is that, if there is a problem at any of the stages, there will be a problem of adjusting later on in life. But because of the parents’ threatening of the child and the society, the child may not go to the extreme.”

    Dr. Okonkwo also said that “Different levels of the influence of the parents or the society or what we call the super-ego, has different influences on the individual; so different people have different level of acceptability of the expression of these feelings. So such people are likely to get out of hand.

    “What I am saying is that the parents are the ones who say “don’t go there, don’t do this in the early stage, to keep the child away from these ills until they get to adulthood, when they are old enough to control their feelings.”

  • Sexual Abstinence: A fast dying value

    Sexual Abstinence: A fast dying value

    Dorcas Egede takes a look at the running standoff between advocates of abstinence from sex before marriage and a morally bankrupt world that glamorises sex beyond limits.

    Then on her wedding day last October, American lady, Brelyn Bowman, presented a “certificate of purity” to her father; it was an overwhelming surprise, both to her father and to the over six hundred guests in attendance. As a proof of its authenticity, the certificate was signed by her doctor. The old man, her father grinned from ear to ear with pride, as his daughter presented the certificate. While as a pastor, he had taught his three children the importance of keeping themselves till marriage, as a way of honouring God, Brelyn’s declaration that beautiful day nevertheless came as a surprise, a pleasant one.

    Shortly after, a post of Brelyn presenting the certificate to her father, which a guest at the wedding had put up on her Facebook page, went viral. A barrage of comments ensued. While some of the comments applauded her action and encouraged young folks to follow in her footsteps, majority of the comments were however critical, to say the least. One aggrieved facebook user wrote, “What is with this religion-nut obsession with virginity?”Another commented, “This is sick and only brainwashed religitards are applauding this sick mess.” Yet another user said, “This reminds me of how women are still treated like property in many underdeveloped countries. If they are found “unacceptable,” they suffer terrible consequences. I would hate to see that here in the USA, a woman is not a business dealing that comes with a contract or proof of quality certificate like a cattle.”

    Those were just few of the negative comments that trailed the facebook post. While a few people were thrilled by the very fact that there are still a few people who can make a decision to abstain from sex until marriage and make it good, the greater majority were outraged and threw all sorts of hate words at Brelyn and her likes.

    A sex-driven world

    Indeed, that such news of uncommon courage would rather bring about a barrage of insults is a pointer to the perception of morality in our present world.

    What would have been applauded by the majority some years ago is now considered an anomaly, a taboo.

    In fact, the predominant mantra in the 21st century society seems to be “sex is everything”. Wherever you turn, sex, in all forms, is endorsed and glorified. Movies, both foreign and local, preach sex. Advertising billboards, musical videos and chartbusting lyrics all compete to evoke sexual imaginations in an unguarded mind.

    Recently, a five-year-old girl who was asked to define love said “Love is when a boy and a girl look at each other, smile, hold hands and go into a room.” Without doubt, the scenes from movies she has been exposed to informed her perception.

    Further proofs abound. These days, it is not strange to find adults who used to be advocates of good moral values, being the very ones luring youngsters into premarital sex. An older man was overheard telling a young virgin that: “I’m actually offering to take away your virginity for free. Men aren’t marrying virgins anymore o…Your husband will thank me…We men don’t have the energy for you women’s disvirgining drama. See, if you die now without “doing” it, it’s ants that’ll eat it in the grave o!”

    Swimming against the Tide

    It is however cheering to know that despite the current sex-obsession, there are a few people who have decided to stand apart from the crowd, by putting sex in its right perspective. These are the ones who are deciding to maintain their virginity, or innocence as some will say, until they are married.

    Even in the western world that is perceived as highly morally depraved, a number of people have made public their decision to practice abstinence. One of them is famous American football quarterback, Tim Tebow, who was reportedly dumped by his girlfriend, former Miss USA, Olivia Culpo, because of his refusal to have sex with her, owing to his decision to maintain abstinence.

    Famous sportsman, Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite, popularly known as Kaka, also recently remarked that he was a virgin until he got married at the age of 23. He said in an interview, “The majority of people say that after marriage, they don’t like jumping into bed with their partner because there is no desire. However, this is not true, my wife is the person I love and it was worth waiting. …I think people need to prevent themselves from making love before marriage. Of course, everyone has their own opinions, but I think it was worth the wait.”

    Back home in Nigeria, owing to a facebook campaign tagged, the #icanwait campaign initiated by one Stella Eyuruntela Ashe, a significant number of people have been proudly declaring their virginity status and their decision to wait for sex till the right time, despite pressures. One of the facebook users told a compelling story of how she began facing pressures to give up her virginity at a very young age. She said, “When I was 13, four of my mates got together and decided to have sex as their birthday presents to themselves. When they did, they began to act like they were superior to me. But I paid them no mind.”

    Stella Eyuruntela who champions the #icanwait campaign admits that choosing to abstain, not just from sex, but all forms of sexual impurities has been the best decision she has made for herself. Fortunately for her, her fiancé also upholds the same belief -a negation of the ideology that abstinence is not for men.

    Why Choose Abstinence?

    Abstinence means different things to different people. While some consider abstinence to mean going without vaginal intercourse, others regard it as staying away from all forms of sexual behaviours, including kissing, cuddling and any posture capable of arousing the emotion.

    From surveys and interviews, several reasons have been given by advocates of abstinence. These include: safeguard against sexually transmitted diseases, not going against the laws of God, avoidance of unwanted pregnancy and unplanned responsibilities, as well as precaution against the emotional rollercoaster that comes with heartbreak resulting from breakups. There are others still, who simply believe that one of the best ways to show love and respect for their future spouse is to keep themselves solely for them.

    One lady, Eketi, said she chose abstinence not just because her mother taught her so to do, but because she wanted to do it for her God. In her words, “Along the line, I grew up and decided I wasn’t going to be chaste because of what Mum said or for a man. I was going to do it for me, and because I love Jesus. I would wait till marriage. ”

    The Price of Abstinence

    Truth be told, abstinence, from all indications, is not an easy choice. Whatever the reason for abstinence, those who practice it testify that it does come with a price. Do they have struggles? Yes. They struggle with their own emotional needs. Asked how she copes with her emotional needs, Stella said, “The decision to wait is not one that comes easy. The needs are constantly gnawing at you, but I have learnt to allow myself be led in a walk with the Spirit of God. I have come to the realization that it’s not a walk I can take on in my own strides, except through the help of God, and so I ask His help through prayers, while constantly renewing my mind through His Word.”

    Eketi, who was also very honest about her emotional needs, admitted that there are times she feels horny and in need for male companionship. At those times, she finds a way to busy her mind either by praying, playing or working herself to stupor.

    Do they suffer ridicule? They most certainly do. People who choose abstinence suffer untold ridicule from their peers. They are garbed in many nomenclatures. While some of them are called hypocrites, others are referred to as religious bigots and archaic. Some are called stupid and dumb, while some are even regarded as devoid of emotions or engaging in self-deception. Eketi, in her facebook post told how she had been ridiculed by friends. “When the world went crazy and being a virgin became very unfashionable, to the point where some people verbally abused me for being one, and tried to shame me into having sex, I held on. ‘Sufferhead. The last Nigerian virgin,’ they’d say. ‘You don’t know what you’re missing!’ ‘If you start having sex early, you won’t have pains during childbirth.’ Through the lies, I held on.”

    Have you ever felt in the wrong even when you are certain you are in the right? That is exactly how people who have chosen abstinence are made to feel. One facebook user who also lent his voice to the #icanwait campaign put it rather succinctly when he said, “Having been subjected to vigorous peer pressure, or due to the hammering forces from the internet and social media, many gave it up…. Shying away from being called a virgin, or due to the embarrassment of being called a nerd, amateur or inexperienced, many gave it up….

    Because the world preaches it as norm, or describe it as the lack of opportunity, most gave it up….”

    Profits of Abstinence

    Just as abstinence comes with a price, it certainly has its benefits. One blogger said that abstinence affords, among other things, security in a relationship and the satisfaction that your partner loves you for you, not just for the sex.

    Relationship experts are of the opinion that abstinence saves you the trouble of comparing your partner with one of your old lovers. There is no room for such comparison because you are each other’s first experience at lovemaking. Moreover, it reduces the risk of unfaithfulness in marriage, as neither you nor your partner had had any experience in lovemaking before yourselves.

    Above all, you will agree that abstinence is the most effective way of saving yourself from unwanted pregnancy and the risk of miscarrying your destiny. Abstinence is still the surest and only way of preventing sexually transmitted diseases and the eventual loss of life. You will face challenges alright, but the waiting is worth it. And if you are out there and you have lost your virginity, either by chance or at your will, you can decide to start waiting from this moment on. It is better late than never.

  • ‘I would have been more successful if…’

    ‘I would have been more successful if…’

    In 1997, Seun Kuti was 14 years old when his father, the legendary Afrobeat musician, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, died. Today, Seun, 32, is touring the world with his father’s band, Egypt 80. In this chat with UDEMMA CHUKWUMA at his residence in Lagos, he talks about the band, his career, belief and how he feels about his father’s death 18 years after.

    When you listen to Seun Kuti’s songs, it seems as if you are listening to his father’s. The flow of Fela’s music can be felt in it. Perhaps it could be as a result of Seun’s interaction with those who worked in his father’s band – the Egypt 80, but Seun doesn’t think so. “I wouldn’t say it’s because they played with my father; it is the Afro beat spirit,” he said, while flipping through one of the dailies, adding: “It is the musical spirit and the camaderie we shared that exist in Afro beat music.”

    This spirit, he said, is in those who make Afrobeat music, which, he affirmed, could be found in Europe, America and Asia, especially Japan. ‘’There are lots of bands, which have that same spirit and trying to create that same sound,” he said, with a brown mug in his hand which he sipped from.

    Seun, like his father, is committed to preaching freedom, Africa’s unity as well as advocating for the poor masses with his songs. However, his fear is that Afrobeat is declining in the country because “everybody is afraid to speak the truth, people are afraid to speak to those in power and Afrobeat cannot be separated from its message, its identity, and its identity is its representation of its people.”

    He sees the decline as a problem which needs solving. “I don’t think it’s a real problem for Afrobeat music. There are over 500 Afrobeat bands in the world, today. Afrobeat is not doing badly at all; it is Nigeria that is suffering by not tapping the benefits of something that is owned by us. And now Afrobeat is being controlled by the forces outside Nigeria.’’

    Talking about musicians outside Nigeria, Seun didn’t hide his feelings when he talked about American musician Beyonce, who wouldn’t release her album which was inspired by Fela. “I think it is good for Afro-beat that Beyonce didn’t drop the album. What is she going to add to it?” he asked. ‘’There is nothing at all; probably that is why she didn’t release the album.”

    Beyonce “has no real message to give to Africa. And the young Nigerian musicians are already trying their own best to bastardise what they think in their own way of Afro-beat music, which has no message and does not represent the people. What she wanted to do had been done by young Nigerians. It is a good thing that she didn’t release the album”.

    The Egypt 80, which consists of 15 persons, he said, has survived because everybody sees each other as important to the group. “The Egypt 80 is a mixture of generations; it’s an intergenerational band, with some in their 70s and 30s.”

     

    The music industry

     

    Nigeria has no music industry as far as Seun is concerned, despite the waves Nigerian musicians are making on the international stage.

    His reason: “Maybe if there was a real industry, artistes will have time to develop themselves. As an artiste you need time to develop yourself.

    “People are making music because they want to eat. Music in Nigeria has become like lottery for many young people, and with technology today, you don’t have to be a musician to play music. With technology the worse singer can be made to sound like Michael Jackson. People who can’t play instrument can create music, so technology has brought music to everyone’s fingertip. And you can’t blame desperate young Nigerians who see it as way to take themselves out of poverty. Everybody does what he wants and if the radio likes it and the people like you, you can find something for your family. I don’t think anybody can blame them, you won’t blame them.”

    “Every artiste must go through the transformation from man to artiste. In Nigeria, there is no transformation for artistes to go through. Everybody is just making music, man must chop.”

    The essence of music, to Seun, has been defeated. “And I think that is why Nigerians enjoy corruption. Everybody is myopic. Everybody is focused on consumerism because it is perpetuated in our society.  Nobody is beyond corruption, even the men of God. Most of the things the pastors use for their status symbols are not made by Africans. Everybody in Africa is advised to make money and then spend the money on things Africans didn’t make.”

    He blamed this on the youth who, he said, have what he called the “American dream. Our dreams as young Africans cannot be about things that we cannot afford or consumerism. The problem why many young Nigerians are stressed is because they have the wrong  dream; they have been sold the wrong dream which is the American dream. We, in Nigeria, cannot have the American dream. When young people start dreaming of flying in private jets, having models, driving in expensive sport cars and having enough money in their pocket … that can only create unnecessary pains, heartaches and stress in our minds.

    “We, as Africans, should have the African dream, a dream of liberation, not a dream of consumerism, a dream of political advancement on our continent. They should shift their mindset and dream about a free Africa instead of the American dream. I really believe it is where their hope lies.”

    Fela was known to be outspoken and constantly used criticisms to pave way for social change. His messages can be described as confrontational and controversial. Seun is going in this direction using his songs to fight for the masses. He had been arrested twice as well as received threats, he said.

    “Let’s just say the police were just doing their job. But the issue here is that we, as Nigerians, have no reason to be afraid if we are going to speak our mind and being able to identify the problems of our country are going to lead towards solving the problems of Nigeria.”

     

    Religious and political views

     

    Too many articles have been published about Seun and, in many cases, he said he does not believe in God and he repeated it: “I don’t believe in God,” though he  used the word God while talking about churches and musicians. “It is what people use, pastors use God and musicians use it in their songs when they sing. Now they have given these people the kind of blueprint they are going to use to control us; it is the same blueprint that they are using to control people in America. The same idea is brought to Nigeria to control the people.

    “You don’t hear any pastor in Nigeria preaching about community organisation, you don’t hear them promoting and expousing Nigerians coming together, uniting under one umbrella. It is African religion that is used to kill Africans. And this is a lie. I am not religious but I remember my culture. But this is the mindset that is being perpetuated to the mindset of Africans. So, is it difficult for Africans to come together to create something for ourselves and that is not being controlled by the people ruling and extracting us. You find many streets with churches and the same people that donated to build that church still donate to expand the church and donate to buy jet for the pastor.”

    He continued: “We, Nigerians, prefer to give the money to the pastors to protect us from the other Nigerians who want to kill us. This is the mindset of people. So, what is there to believe since what they are perpetuating is fear? They don’t tell us to be afraid of America or Europe.

    He went on: “Politicians are free to steal money because as soon as they have money, God has done it for them and everybody is happy with it. In other countries people get punished for being fraudulent and the society avoids them, no bare clash for evil people in our society, we celebrate them. That is the system in Africa, and that is what they use God for here.’’

    To him, the ministerial nominees are “government of compensation and when you are running government of compensation, you can never be effective. There is nothing that is going to happen here in the next four years. Nigerians are going to clamour for another government, but that is the beginning of actualisation.”

     

    Tour/career

     

    Seun has been touring the world with the Egypt 80s band for about five years. It has taken him to 70 cities in Europe and America. The tour, he revealed, would end next March.

    Do people come to watch him as Fela’s son or as Seun Kuti? He said: “Either way, it doesn’t really matter as long as they come to watch me. Both reasons are fair enough. I have fans who like me, who follow me because of what I do.

    Would Seun have become successful if he were not Fela’s son?

    “I would have been more successful if I weren’t Fela’s son. As Fela’s son, everybody is measuring you up with your dad, and you have to realise that I am the second musician son of Fela,” he said.

    What does he miss most about his father?

    “I was 14 when my father died. His death was the most painful event of my childhood. I have closure on my father’s death and I have accepted his death. I wouldn’t say it still hurts me but I miss his presence. I miss him as a person. I miss being around him. His death is not too much an issue that drags me down but we all wish Fela were here physically. He is here in his music. He was able to develop an idea which cannot be killed. In a way, he left an indelible mark and a big part of himself with us.’’

    Seun, who claimed he is “perfect”, is working on a major project and chose not to call it a pet project because “pet projects are for billionaires”.

    If Seun wasn’t a musician, he said he would have become a footballer or an economist. I have passion for sports. I enjoy football a lot. I enjoy politics, but what I do now is music. I would never have done a nine-to- five job, the only reason I hated school was because I have to wake up early. I have never really seen myself as a lawyer or doing a white collar job. I am not saying I couldn’t have done it. I could have been a lawyer or an economist but I chose music because it is in my blood.

     

  • Pre-coinage currencies, their features

    Pre-coinage currencies, their features

    Money has become a modern means of exchange in every country. In today’s world, there is practically nothing that one could get done without money not only as a means of exchange but as an item which one must have enough to meet individual’s needs.

    Historically, money is not as old as man. This is because the development of modern day currency has been a gradual process.

    Today, every nation of the world has her own currency clearly different from that of others. However before the advent of modern day currency, man has been involved in exchange of goods and services with one another.

     

    History of Barter System

    What is barter system

     

    Before the coinage era, the means of exchange was trade by barter. Barter system can be traced back to 6000BC. It was introduced by the tribes of Mesopotamia and spread to other parts of the world. It is said to be in use for centuries throughout the world. It has been in existence before the advent of the monetary system.

    Barter system is an old age system adopted by people living in the same locality to exchange their goods and services. It is the system of exchanging what you have for what you need. It can be between an individual and the gods they worshipped. Equally between friends and relations. In the case of men and gods, they offered properties in order to appreciate the gods for longevity, good health, success in hunting, farming, fertility and so on. While between individuals, friends and relations exchange were carried out regardless of the value of the item, what was important is the spirit of exchange.

    Despite all these, barter system had its challenges, which include

    • No acceptable rate of exchange
    • Problem of Transportation
    • Problem of durability
    • Divisibility of some of the materials/items involved. This challenges give arise to pre-coinage currencies.

    Nigeria due to the fact that she is made up of many ethnic groups and the ecological factors obtained in the different parts of the country made her to have no rival with any African country in terms of the diverse pre-coinage currencies that were used, throughout the country.

    Her trade contact with the Arabs coming from the North and the Europeans coming from the South by sea is another reason for the diverse currencies.

    Currency according to the oxford English Dictionary is defined as “that which is current as a medium of exchange” meaning object that is currently accepted by the people and and use as a medium of exchange and which command value.

    The pre-coinage currencies is divided into two

    1. a) Local/Indigenous currency items- used for internal trade, they include iron, animals, salt, feathers, red berries seed, farm products, textiles, beads and stick tally.
    2. b) Imported/Non indigenous currency items: – cowries shells, manilas, copper bars/brass rods and wires, iron bar, gin and tobacco.

    Local/indigenous currency items

     

    1. Iron: Different types of iron with different shapes, were used in different parts of Nigeria. They include
    2. The ‘Y‘ shaped iron bar:This iron bar was known as Ogoja penny was used as currency in Ogoja in Cross River State. In the same area, among the Nkum, it is known as Efufy and among the Akuju as “Iya Yaw”. The Tiv of Benue State called theirs Yakaro while at Afikpo (Ebonyi State) it is called erichia.
    3. Hoe: This was common in the Northern part of the country were hoe is used for farming. The Jukuns in the present day Taraba State called it “akika” while the Anago people of Plateau State and the vokkude people in Adamawa province used their hoe currencies for payment of bride price.
    4. Neddle money: it was used among the Igbos living between Awka and Enugu and they had different names for it. The names are aiyu, ozala and umumu. They are worth 1/10th of a penny.

    Today, they are used as part of the items for offerings to the gods.

    2) Animals (cattle, horse, goats): Cattle as a currency was mainly used among the Fulani’s, where a man’s wealth is determined by the numbers of heads of cattle he has. According to Baikie, a horse could buy slaves. Horses and saddles were used as currency while in Biu area horses and goats were used in paying taxes.

    3) Salt: We had the indigenous type of salt and the imported type which was bought into Southern Nigeria by almost every European trader. They were used side by side as currency.

    They were used as currency in Bornu State and Bonny in River State. It was still in use till about Forty years ago for payment of bride price in Bornu. The salt comes in cones shape and the price was determined by the distance of the market to the source of the salt or salt factory.

    According to Baikie, in Aboh Enugu State in 1856, 10 – 12 bags of salt could buy a stout male slave while 8 – 10 would buy a young female.

    4) Feathers: Feather currency was used among the people of Wamba Division in Gongola which is the Present day Adamawa State. The feather was that of the plantain eater (Muso phaga Violacea) five of these feathers were worth a chicken or one penny towards the end of the 1930s.

    Red Berries Seeds: These seeds (with red and black colour) were very much in demand in Nigeria. Their importance compete with that of cowrie shells because they were more decorative than the cowrie shell. They were exchange at the rate of 100 to a penny, in the 19th century. The Igala people used them in decorating their wooden helmet mask called oju egu used in the royal ancestral cult.

    5) Farm Product: Variety of farm products were used in trade by barter but some were used as currencies.

    Among the Wukari, some 50 years ago a Calabash full of corn (Agi) was worth one large manila. Yams were used as currency among the Umon people of Ogoja in Cross River State. “According to Captain Allen 1841, 10 yams was worth a child along River Niger in 1841. Equally palm oil and kernels were very popular as currency in the Delta area towards the end of the 19th century.

    According to Talbot, dried fish in Delta area were used as currency in 1920.

    6) Textile: Before the advent of imported textiles, local textiles of various range including mats that were locally woven were used. With the introduction of the non-indigenous textile/cloth both were used as currencies side by side.

    Langtang cloth was used by Mumuye people for payment of bride price until 1940’s.

    The Kabadir and the toko of the Kaltungo people of Bauchi woven by men were used in the payment of bride price. One Kabadir was equal to five hoes.

    In Benin (Edo State) Loin wrapper known as pawn or pagne worth three pence in 1789 was use as currency.

    In Gwato (Ughoton) Edo State, a male slave cost about 100 pawns while a female 90. It later became a standard of value.

    The most popular of the foreign currency was the Manchester cloth prints which came in 10yds and a bundle worth six shillings in Calabar.

    The Madras and George cloth were used as currencies among the Kalabari (Rivers State). George is still valued by the Ibos and Ijaws. It is today incomplete for a woman not to have the material among the collections of clothes in her wardrobe and it has spread to other areas.

    Mats: They were also important, particularly the large Bornu mats. Among the Yako in 1951, raffia bundles was a constituent of bride price payable until 1930s.

    8) Beads: Local beads were used before the introduction of imported beads called trade beads.

    The local beads include Segi beads from Ife in Osun State, glass beads from Kano State and Bida in Niger State respectively while the Vere of Adamawa province was noted for their brass beads.

    They were used as currencies, although largely as ornaments until their importance were reduced as a result of massive importation of trade beads.

    9) Stick Tally: This was common among the Mumuye of the former Gongola province.

    Several sticks of shorts length were tied together to form a unit which could buy a goat while sticks were also woven together in the manner of mat and used in payment for a bride.

     

    Non – indigenous currency items

     

    Cowrie Shells:- It is the most widely known pre-coinage currencies. They are found in the waters of the India and Pacific Ocean. In Nigeria two species were used as currency. The larger cowries called “Cypraea annulus” were preferred in the west of the Niger while the smaller type called “Cypraea moneta” was in voque in east of the Niger. Large quantities of cowries were imported in Nigeria, for instance in 1869 about 3,330 tonnes were imported.

    Cowrie among the Fulani is called sedere, the Yoruba, Owoeyo, the Bini, Iguo while the Igbos the smaller one is called Ayolo and the large one Okpokpo or Nwefe.

     

    In Fulani a slave would be bought with 100,000 cowries while a horse is between 50,000 and 1,200,000 cowries. In Plateau among Biroms a leather cup called wareng full of cowries could obtain a wife or a slave. Prof Nwankwo recorded that as late as 1940, sixty shell equal half a penny while 120 shells is worth a penny. It was also used for settlement of bride price, 12 men carries the cowries to the bride’s parents. It was also used in the payment of import duties on salt, and kolanuts.

    King Dosumu ceded the sovereignty of Lagos to the British government in 1861 for 1,200 bags of cowries which is equivalent of about N2,000.

     

    In 1923, cowrie shell importation was out lawed. However, It was still in use up to 1940.

     

    2)         Manillas:- It was first introduced into Benin from where it spread to old and new Calabar. It was manufactured in Birmingham England solely for West Africa trade. Nine different kinds of manilas existed with different names according to the area of useage. For example the Jaja Manillas used in Opobo in Rivers State, nkob kob manillas was used among the Efik and Ibibio of Cross River and Akwa Ibom State respectively while Ejema among the Bende in Abia State.

     

    There was the king’s, queen and prince Manillas they were more of a status symbols and a store of value than currency. A king’s Manillas was worth about 100 smaller manillas queen’s was equal to 75 while Prince manilas was equal to 50 smaller ones.

     

    In Calabar, they were used in the hinterland markets to buy slaves and palm oil, these enrich the chiefs and the nobleman.

    By 1911, they ceased to be a legal tender but was still used alongside with coins introduced in 1912 by West African Currency Board.

     

    In 1948, the Eastern region House of Assembly out law the used. Campaign was launched to redeem all existing Manillas. This exercise cost the government E436, 500 to redeem about 33½ Million Manillas but some are still be found in private hands to this day.

     

    (3)        Copper bars/brass Rods and wires:-  copper bars/brass rod are also called Calabar bars. They are round in cross section. Brass rods are called Okpoho okuk. They are cut into three equal parts and then twisted/plaited together to form an arm ring and were used as currency. Example: six iron knives = one bar. A male slave was bought for 38 copper bars and a female slightly less. One copper bar was worth one shilling in old Calabar 1856.

     

    Brass rods:- were equally used in Bornu and Bonny, uptill the 20th Century. it was called “roti” in Bornu and in Igbo Land it was known as Ude.

     

    Brass Wire:- Introduced into Calabar by captain Cheetem and was called cheetem after its inventor by the Europeans while the Calabar called it Sitim. They were used mainly in Cross River State. They were exchanged at 18 to a bar.

     

    Iron Bars:- The imported iron bar was not a common currency but an acceptable standard unit of value for all products and manufactured goods. It value fluctuated through the years, in 1790 a bar was worth 40 manillas while in the 19th century. One iron bar could buy a goat.

     

    4)         GIN:-was also used as currency. It can easily be divided into smaller units. A case contained twelve bottles and each bottle was worth a shilling. Its importation was restricted and the yearly increase in the custom duties made the value of gin to appreciate regularly. Bottles of gin can pass through several hands without being open, this made it to be use as a store of value.

     

    In 1905 a crate of gin was worth 40 coppers rod or (12 shillings) in Cross River. It went up to 60 rods or (15 shillings). In 1914 during the outbreak of the First World War, gin was scarce and wealth was measured by the number of gin bottles or crates one possessed.

     

    It was one of the essential items needed in the payment of bride price. The square faced bottles being the most popular. Long after colonial currency was introduced the people of Yenegoa still insist on their bride price being settled in gin.

     

    5)         Tobacco:- The usage of tobacco as currency was not extensive probably because it was easily consumable. However it was used as currency among the Kagoro people of Southern Zaria and Gombe division.

     

    In Eastern Nigeria, it was used for payment of bride price among the people of Owerri in present day Imo State as late as 1937.

     

    Modern Day Currency

     

    Modern day currency came as an indigenous introduction into modern trade as it eliminated the burden of other means of exchange such as iron, cowries, gin, textiles etc that have been discussed above and used as means of exchange during the pre-coinage era. The use of these items needless to say were rather limited to a particular area, which most of them are cumbersome, most lack the distinctive characteristic of modern day means of exchange (money) and the value of these items keep fluctuating as a result of the introduction of colonial currency by the European traders.

     

    This now create a need for a more uniform and acceptable means of exchange. With the introduction of coin and paper money in 1912 by the West African Currency Board. Nigeria introduced hers in 1959 “still using the British pounds, shillings and penny” but in 1973, it adopted a national currency in decimal form (naira and kobo) which is today been generally accepted and used as currency and as a medium of exchange.

     

    The monetary system operated the world over today has completely eliminated all the challenges associated with pre-coinage era.

     

    All the nations of the world now have their individual currencies with different denomination and it is easy to identify each nation with its own currency. This system has brought the world closer in modern system of trade and exchange.

     

    Although pre-coinage currencies are no longer used as a means of exchange, it is of importance to note that they are being kept in the museums for posterity and also in the Banks, cowries shells are found in their possession as a reminder of one of the most popular means of exchange during the pre-coinage era.

     

    Most of items are still being used in our day to day activities, so each time you come across any of these objects just take a second look because they have been very valuable part of our monetary history in Nigeria, Africa and even across the world.

     

    Ekwunazor is of the National Museum, Onikan, Lagos.

  • Like Osun goddess, like Afo

    Like Osun goddess, like Afo

    Infertility simply means the inability of a man or woman to have or produce the cells that are essential for the conception and delivery of a child.

    The issue of infertility has been in existence since time immemorial. We can see that in biblical days, women like Sarah, Hannah and Rebecca to mention but a few were infertile. Due to this reason, they called upon the highest power to heal them and bless them with children which he did.

    In the traditional Nigerian society, fertility is believed to be spiritual i.e. the gods are assigned the responsibility for human, crop and animal fertility. These gods are usually represented in carved wooden figures, stones, rivers, shrines etc It is also believed that our ancestors are still living within us and presiding over the affairs of their loved ones and entire community, so in times need i.e. people who are unable to reproduce, consult and appease the ancestors to bless them with children.

    Afo is a group of people who live in the low plains of Nasarawa State. These people are into agriculture and rearing of livestock as a means of livelihood. Like some people in different parts of the world, they were also faced with the issue of infertility among their women. Infertility, as is common in most parts of Africa, is unacceptable as the women will not be allowed to participate in some communal festivity/occasions and will be disregarded by the community because it is believed that the women or her family had sinned against the ancestors. Her husband will also be treated with contempt and not assigned important roles in the society. As a result of this, women sought the help of their ancestors to help them out of their predicament and in this case Afo fertility figure

    Afo fertility figures are mythical female ancestors of the tribe. They are wooden objects which are carved out as mother and child or children and is usually in a seated position. The mother is depicted with big / elongated breast, which is given suck to a child.

    Sometimes the object is seen carrying another child on her back. This depicts fruitfulness i.e. the woman will be blessed with many children. The figure also has linear scarifications on the face, hands, burst and back which is the tribal mark of the people. The seated position depicts prestige and honour for the woman as any woman in the community who is blessed with children is highly respected.

    These objects are kept in shrines and consulted through the help of a chief priest who makes sacrifices on behalf of the woman and then gives her a solution which could be a concoction to drink or rituals to perform. After some time, the woman will conceive and give birth to a child or children who will be given names to honour the ancestors (Afo).

    It is believed that this figure is brought out to the village square once a year during the Aya festivals where men pray for increased fertility in the lives of their wives and also make gift offerings of money and food to the ancestors.

    As stated earlier, the issue of infertility has been in existence since time immemorial and cuts across various tribes and cultures. Based on this, different cultures have adopted various means of addressing this through the help of the ancestors.

    The deity of Yoruba land is believed by the devotees to give children to the infertile. Thus, there’s yearly festival celebrated in Osogbo, Osun State  where women from various walks of life come to seek children by sacrificing and drinking the Seleru water. The emblem of the Osun cult is the Blue Yoruba Segi Beads worn by the devotees.

    This is a full figure headdress worn in the Ogbom dance, which is known among many regions in eastern Nigeria.

    Ala is the earth goddess who plays a very important role in human and agricultural increase. The Ogbom head dress is used during a dance in honor of Ala. The problem of infertility is not peculiar to Nigerian people alone but the whole world, but each society has its own way of addressing the issue.

     

    • Okoh is of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Abuja.

  • Artists in alliance for Today in history

    Seven years ago, the Iponri Artists stunned the Lagos art scene with quality works of art when they made their debut exhibition New Dawn, at the National Museum, Onikan Lagos.  In 2009, they had a follow-up, Isokan (Togetherness) at Terra Kulture, Victoria Island, which confirmed the arrival of this new generation of gifted young artists. In tandem with the independence anniversary of Nigeria, the group is in alliance with other young talented artists and held an independence show at Abuja, titled Today in History, between last Thursday and today at The Thought Pyramid Art Centre, Abuja.

    The artists are Tayo Olayode, Bede Umeh, Kehinde Oso and  Sanusi Abdullahi who are in alliance with non-members such as Bimbo Adenugba, Gerald Chukwuma, Uchay Joel Chima and Bolaji Ogunwo.

    For the group, showing with non-members is not new because in 2011, the group, had, in Abuja exhibited with other artists, and a year after continued with an international collaboration when the artists showed in Accra, Ghana, again with non-members.

    According to Olayode during a preview session in Lagos, the partnership will continue in the next few years, and may take the artists to U.S or Europe next year for exhibitions. He disclosed that the choice of Thought Pyramid Centre as a space has to do “with our diverse and big canvas.”

    Apart from the pedigree of Iponri Artists’ name, none of the exhibiting artists is a stranger to the Nigerian art scene as each has made a mark on the Nigerian art space. From Olayode, to Chukwuma, a mixed media relief sculptor artist, Umeh, a painter with depth of skills on the canvas; Abdulahi, a metal sculptor, Adenugba, a painter with strong passion for realism and Chima, a mixed media artist, the group outing at Thought Pyramid, Abuja may be a turning point.

    Some of the works include A Time To Ponder, Umeh’s painting that takes the texture of an embossed portrait. Other works of the artist for the show include Adaobi, a multiplication effect; and Delegation, a stylised figural of people in gathering.

    Since their return from residency at Vermont in the U.S., Olayode and Chima have been sharing their wealth of experiences.  For Olayode his signature is distinct in his painting of figures, where he uses crowd effect. Night Market and Royal Procession are two of his works at the group exhibition and it confirms that the artist is stepping up his game.

    One year after, Chima had his first post-residency show titled Connection, a two-artist’s exhibition. But, his outing with Iponri Artists is a fresh window to celebrate his new technique. Chima, again brings his narrative about burns and darkness as explained in portraiture of a couple rendered in black rubber pieces.

    Chima is known for his eclectic use of alluring materials and unique artistic process, often questioning environmental and social issues around the world. Chima’s works have continued to evolve, remaining relevant to developments in contemporary art. Weaving a tapestry of memory, imagination, societal happenings and emotion, he combines various fond objects, including strings, sand, wax, charcoal, old sacks, with paint and other mediums in an aesthetic that informs his oeuvre. He creates thought-provoking presentations, which address the realities around us whilst employing a mixture of conventional and unconventional approaches in his unceasing explorations.

    Ogunwo explained his work: “My art is informed by the people and events that permeate my immediate milieu. In the course of my artistic career   spanning over a decade, I have resolved not to be led by just the trending thematic and stylistic culture in the art practice  but to see and represent ideas the way I feel and not just the way they are, hence my art is cathartic; a purgation of my emotions on frenzied canvases. I ventilate loudly through my pallette addresing socio-political issues ranging from corruption and moral deficit knowing full well that Nigeria will soon assume her position as the giant of Africa indeed.”

    The only sculptor in the group, Abdullahi flaunts the beauty of natural metal with works such as Our Domain, a depiction of insects on cobweb;  drummer of native Yoruba dance steps, in Bata; and another insect life, Tussle, where butterflies perch on a hibiscus flower. Perhaps adding painterly touch to Tussle with red hibiscus and yellow butterfly, Abdullahi offers quite a choice in collection tastes.

    As for the non-members such as Adenugba he brings his new canvas of realism into the gathering with works such as Ecstassy, Green For Sale anf Fragment. In the last few years, he has populated his realism canvas with signs and motifs, some of which are pronounced, for example in Ecstacy, a piece about ladies in sensuous dancing.

  • ‘I’m at home with portraitures’

    ‘I’m at home with portraitures’

    At any time you encounter a two-year-old baby you will appreciate his innocence. The expression on his face will also tell if he is anxious, happy or sad unlike adult who will pretend. These are among features that attract young Nigerian artist Oluwaseyi Gbadebo to produce many portraitures and paintings of children and pet faces.

    Gbadebo’s solo art exhibition, Synonyms opened penultimate Saturday at Quintessence Gallery, Lekki Lagos is showcasing these similarities between the traits of a child and that of a pet, especially the expression on their faces. No fewer than 25 paintings will be exhibited and will include bold images of children between ages one  and 10 as well as pets. The artist who trained at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomosho, uses palette knife to splash vibrant colours on canvas thereby creating images that are almost jumping out of the canvas space. His colour application is one tool with which he conveys his emotions in a near impressionistic manner.

    “I love children and the joy on people’s faces lures me to do portraits. I am more of a portrait artist though I am still evolving and I will dig deep portraiture. In fact, capturing the likeness of a mortal being on canvas is like immortalising him because after his death, the artwork will remain,” he said at a preview session.

    Gbadebo who is shortlisted among the finalists in this year’s LIMCAF in Enugu, recalled that he got engulfed by portraiture after overcoming some challenges in portraiture class in his 300 level programme at the university.

    Gbadebo said: ”God is the creator of man, woman is his helper and children are his heritage but dog is man’s best friend.” Of Synonyms (a tale of man’s heritage and man’s best friend) and why the focus on children and pet, he said: “The subject of children and dogs has always enthralled me. I’m inspired by their character, the facial expressions they display and how they tend to live in the moment. They don’t remember the past neither are they worried about the future. These values of theirs are beautiful and they inspire me as a person. I noticed that with children and pets (dogs in this context) we tend to be very free as persons. While children seek attention, dogs retain the capacity to read our mood and then act accordingly.  I remember Coco (now late), my brother’s Boer bull dog. Whenever I was excited, Coco was excited but whenever I was sad, Coco was silent and she laid low. The Parisian artist, Francoise Nielly, inspires me by her bold and colourful approach to painting, but I find balancing my works in terms of mixture of techniques and use of colour personally suitable.

    The aim of this exhibition is to portray the wonder, innocence, self-less nature and beauty of childhood and also the loyalty and beauty of dogs. This exhibition is set to echo the values they stand for and to make society appreciate them more and most importantly to be grateful to God who has planted them in our lives.”                                                                                        The management of Quintessence started working with Gbadebo in 2012 when they noticed the potentials in his paintings and this stimulated the desire to give the emerging artist a solo exhibition.

    According to curator of the exhibition, Moses Ohiomokhare, Gbadebo is thrilled by expressions and has found great joy in children and animals. “His style is different from the stylised works that are in the market today. The body of works he has created also tends to show how much he has been influenced by animals in his youth as pets. Dogs are called man’s best friend because of their intelligence, loyalty and devotion and children being innocent and loving beings are best of friends of dogs,” Ohiomokhare said. Synonyms which will run till November 11 will feature works such as Lala, I hear you, George, Lunch time. Others are Rex, Baby’s rage and Max.