Category: Life – The Midweek Magazine

As part of their commitment to promote art and tourism in Nigeria, the Association of Travel and Tourism Writers of Nigeria (ATTWON) is putting forward a bold narrative on security issues that beset the country in order to boost the tourism industry. Led by its president, Mr. Ayo Omotosho, the association believes that curbing insecurity in Nigeria is the only way to strategically and judiciously promote arts and tourism in the country.

In a recent event hosted by the group  with the theme: Insecurity in Nigeria: Which Way Forward for Tourism?, the association engaged various stakeholders and tourism experts from both the private and public sectors to explore the nexus between insecurities and tourism and the way forward for from this lingering issue. Held at Citiheight Luxury Hotel Lagos, the event had as panelists dignitaries such as  founder OYASAF, Prince Yemisi Shyllon, Commissioner of Arts and Tourism Edo State, Hon. Bamidele Obaitan, security expert and consultant, Dr. Roy Okhidievbie, Charles Ukomadu as well as Mrs. Tewo Jegede, a legal practisioner, to discuss the topic.

According to Prince Shyllon, tourism is a delicate and fragile industry which requires the collaborative efforts of all stakeholders and citizens in order for it to thrive. Having visited different countries and tourism attraction centres, Shyllon believes that although there are insecurity issues in Nigeria, these issues are not exclusive to the country, adding that it’s all about perception and how we project our country to the international community.

He said: “Your perception is your reality. When you see something wrong and you refuse to talk about it, you are part of the problem. In my candid opinion, Nigeria is a beautiful destination of choice for tourists from across the globe.”

For security expert and ex-military personnel, Dr. Roy Okhidievbie, the insecurity witnessed across the country today can be traced as far back as two to three decades ago, in which boys scouts and girls guilds were removed from primary and secondary schools, giving rise to grassroots occultic activities. He also lamented the poor payment of security personnel in the country. According to him, the Nigerian police force is underpaid and underfunded. As a result, they are not usually motivated to prioritise the lives and properties of their fellow citizens.

He said: “One thing I discovered in the past 20, 30 years is that immediately the boys scouts and the girls guild started leaving the schools, and cultism started coming , that was where the challenge came from. The cultist boy in the secondary school must be passed. Hence, they started to do special centres to pass GCE and WAEC. The lecturers will even give you the questions. The boy goes to the university and joins cultism full-time. He passed out from the university, become a lecturer and end up being a Vice Chancellor. So the anti-cult club in the school had to die and the cult own had to rise. The fact remains that there’s criminal activities that have overridden the agencies in Nigeria. The fact remains that the security agencies are underpaid and they are not motivated. Imagine military people protesting on the road because their pensions haven’t been paid.”

Speaking from a legal perspective, Mr Jegede noted that although the step towards reintroducing community police is a welcomed gesture from the Federal Government, but there is still more  to be done to support the security architecture of the state.

“We need to start with the laws. What laws have we put in place? What implementation strategies do we have in place? At one point, the Amotekun force came up and everybody was excited. I was excited because I felt we were going back to community police which would have strengthened whatever security architecture we had on ground. But I don’t know as of date how well the Amotekun force have been able to thrive because we still have incidence of kidnapping around. Even the regions where we’re supposed to have the Amotekun force. How will our laws push for us to go back to community police? At that point, most of the state house of assemblies actually made effort to support the Amotekun force. But as for today, what are we staying? Amotekun still don’t have the needed weaponry to confront cases like banditry or kidnapping,” she noted.

For Okonwa, Nigerians need to do more to protect and project a good image about the country, without which tourism can’t thrive in the nation. He said that in spite of the insecurity in the land, we need to project the right narrative to the international community so that they will realise that not all parts of the country are unsafe.

On his part, the commissioner of arts and tourism Edo State, Prince Obaitan noted some of the key achievements of the state by the governor in curbing insecurity. He also believed that the federal government can borrow a leaf from the leadership style of Edo State in delivering security to the people of Nigeria. According to him, parts of the key achievements of the state include building necessary infrastructures through public-private partnership, encouraging community police and security personnel as well as installing CCTV in many parts of the communities, among others.

Other dignitaries in attendance included Mr. Olufemi Talabi, Chairman of CitiHeight hotel,Mr. Dada Bankole, Prince Folasagbade Kudehinbu, Richard Inumah, and Olalekan Akinruli, both media consultants.

The Advisory Board for The Nigeria Prize for Literature released the longlist of 11 drawn from 287 books in the running for the 2022 edition of the prize, focused on poetry.

The literature prize is sponsored by Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) with a cash award of $100,000.

The 11 books on the longlist, in alphabetical order by the title of the books, are: Augusta’s Poodle by Ogaga Ifowodo; Coming Undone As Stitches Tighten, by Iquo DianaAbasi; Dispossessed, by James Eze; Ife Testament, by Olusegun Adekoya; Memory and the Call of Waters, by S. Su’eddie Agema; Nomad, by Romeo Oriogun; The Lilt of The Rebel, by Obari Gomba; The Love Canticles, by Chijioke Amu Nnadi; Wanderer Cantos, by Remi Raji;Yawns and Belches, by Joe Ushie; and Your Crib, My Qibla, by Saddiq Dzukogi.

The list was presented to the Advisory Board by the Chairman, Panel of Judges for this year’s prize, Sule Emmanuel Egya, a professor of African Literature and Cultural Studies at Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai, Niger State. Other judges are Toyin Adewale-Gabriel and Dike Chukwumerije. Adewale-Gabriel is a poet and fiction writer.Dike Chukwumerije is a Spoken Word and Performance Poet and an award-winning author.

The Judges described the longlist of 11 as the best of contemporary Nigerian Poetry, rich in experimentation with language, style and theme.

Accepting the recommended longlist, the Advisory Board commended the thorough work done by the judges. Reacting on behalf of the Board, Professor Akachi Adimora- Ezeigbo, the chairman, said the quality of work in the list shows that a lot of scrutiny and work went into selecting deserving poets who have distinguished themselves by the quality of their submissions.

The judges will also continue adjudication on the 87 entries for The Nigeria Prize for Literary Criticism, which runs concurrently with The Nigeria Prize for Literature. The literary criticism prize carries a monetary value of N1 million.

The Nigeria Prize for Literature rotates yearly amongst four literary categories – prose fiction, poetry, drama, and children’s literature.

A shortlist of three is expected in September. A winner, if any, will be announced by the Advisory Board in October.

The Eze Ndigbo of Bucknor/Jakande, Isolo, Lagos, Emenike Okpaga, has rolled out the drums to celebrate the first anniversary of his coronation. The event, which was held at the Exquisite Resort and Hotels, Bucknor, also coincided with the installation of the kingdom’s Prime Minister (known as Onowu in Ibo), Chief Godwin Ekezie and other members of their cabinet.

Ohanaeze Ndigbo youths in Ejigbo made up mainly of women, added colours to the ceremony as they welcomed guests with their beautiful dance steps. They also decorated them with pins. It was not free as they used the opportunity to solicit for funds. They were supported by some dance groups who entertained guests, who were expected to appreciate their efforts with some crisps of Naira.

At the event known also as the kingdom’s First Ofala Festival, were the Eze’s wife Loveth, Eze Alex Nwoye of Ejigbo, Lagos; Eze Charles Nnamdi Emesim of Oke-Afa, and Eze Nicholas Njoku.

Also present were High Chiefs Kate Onyechere Njoku; and Peter Nwogbu, chairman, Igbo Community, Bucknor/Jakande. There was also the President Ohanaeze, Lagos Chapter, Chief Solomon Ogbonna Aguene.

Ekezie said: “Our goal is to chart a course that will serve as an important tool that strategically galvanise our people for a homogeneous and peaceful co-existence.”

Though a year-old in office, Eze Okpaga, also a prince from Ekwashi Ngbo Kingdom, Ebonyi State, received accolades from eminent personalities far and near.  In a letter dated April 14, 2022, the Vice Chancellor, Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, Professor Sunday Elom, praised the monarch for his sterling leadership qualities in public and community service.

Former Ebonyi State Governor Sam Egwu praised Eze’s ‘wise leadership’, adding that it had brought huge successes to his community. Emeritus Head of Service, Ebonyi State, Dr. Chamberlain Nwele, said royalty runs in the Eze’s family. In a message, Nwele stated: “Royalty runs in your blood and we are not surprised at the height you have attained both royalty, economic and social status.” He said like his father, the late Eze Achi Okpaga, the Ezoha 1 of Ngbo Kingdom, the son has “shown love, kindness and generosity to many people, both high and low, in the society.

The Ekwashi Ngbo Progressive Union, Lagos Chairman,         Nwachukwu Chukwuma and the  General Secretary, Chukwumeka Obegu wished Okpaga a ”successful reign” while Nzube United Brothers’ Excellent Club of Nigeria (NUBEC), Surulere, Lagos  prayed for Eze. Ngbo Divine Friends Club of Nigeria through their Chairman Mr. Godwin Ede and General Secretary, Nwaeke Emeka felicitated with the Eze.

  Highpoint of the event was the conferment of awards on some personalities such as High Chief Solomon Aguene, Mr. Jude Nwankwo, Comrade Monday Onah, Chief Joseph Egbo, Chief Obinna Ugwu. Others were Alhaji Musa Shittu Falomo, Ngbo Great Stars Club of Nigeria.

Novelist and poet, Mrs Margie Chinyere Offoha, has said that her poem ‘Flag of Our fatherland: Nigeria’ is her effort to bring global attention to Nigeria’s prevailing security problems.

Offoha, a Nigerian-American, told The Nation in a recent interview, that ‘Green white and Green is in her effort to bring global attention to Nigeria’s prevailing security problems, helping the people and the government save lives’.

This is coming after the poem, which she wrote about her motherland gained pride of place on the global highly rated allpoetry.com.

The trending poem, which is just one out of Offoha’s numerous poems, is currently generating so much viewership on the platform as it reflects a form of Ode to the Nigerian flag. The beautiful unifying Green white and Green colours, literally appeared to be losing their unifying and friendly powers driven by peace and unity.

The poet, through the poem, appealed  to Nigeria through its national symbol, the flag,  Nigerians and the leaders to work assiduously towards restoring the peace and conviviality for which the country and her citizens are known, as they seem to be eluding the citizens.  Strife, the poet in the poem, worries, seems to be overtaking the brotherhood, and promises of nationhood, the country promises.

The poet raises concerns on the prevailing state of affairs in the country, with a question, “Oh, mighty flag of our fatherland, are you still there? Reflecting on the cover the flag hitherto gives to Nigerian citizens in every part of the country and the world at large.

The poet went on to query, “Oh, mighty flag of our fatherland can you see the pain and suffering your children are enduring? Oh, mighty flag of our land, can you hear our cry? Oh, mighty flag, what happened to the promise you made, many years ago? United you promised us but divided we are”.

She said “Even though I am in America, I follow the events happening in Nigeria passionately. As a great empathy, I carry other peoples’ pain in my heart. I think this is a time for people living outside the country especially poets and artists of various kinds to use their voices to bring global attention to Nigeria, who knows it may make a difference in the lives of poor Nigerian citizens who are forever suffering.”

While calling for stronger action to save lives and build a more united country, the poet in stanza three wrote ‘’Peace and unity have eluded your children. The echo of one Nigeria, one Nigeria is now met with doubt as many no longer believe. Oh, mighty green, white, and green, the flag of our homeland, hear our cry. Rise and bring your children under your shade again”

Carl Scott Harker, a poet and literary enthusiast commenting on the poem on the allpoetry.com platform wrote, “This is a powerful poem which speaks directly to the pain felt in Nigeria, but I suspect, reflects the condition in too many countries in this world. Well done’’

The Poet, Margret Offoha has authored many other poems, which include, I Am a Nigerian, Kindness, Domestic violence against women, Forgiveness, and Faith, amongst others.

An art technology company focused on the promotion of contemporary African arts, Artgidi Limited, is set to celebrate the iconic South African freedom fighter and role model politician Nelson Mandela. It opened its doors with the maiden auction to commemorate Nelson Mandela International Day.

With the theme: “Holding On”, the charity auction, which opened Monday and runs till July 23, is in honour of Mandela contributions to humanity. Under the auspices of Artgidi.com, the company has created a unique ecosystem that brings together African artists of all genres, calibres and cadres on the one hand and art enthusiasts and collectors on the other.

At a pre-launch of the art platform in Lagos, Rufus Ashiru, Artgidi CEO, stated that even in death, Mandela remains a strong inspiration to the world, particularly at this time when humanity is faced with serious security concerns.

According to Ashiru, who is Artgidi co-founder with Tayo Olatimehin (the Chief Technology Officer), the platform is of great benefit to the artists as there is no registration fees or imposition of exclusivity right to the sale of the listed works.

Ashiru, who is also the curator of Artgidi.com said: “The theme connotes defending and upholding the quality legacies that Mandela lived, suffered and ultimately became globally renowned for. Our commemoration of the Nelson Mandela International Day is not only to extol the virtues of the great Mandela, but an important window for African artists to turn the spotlight of the entire globe and international art market to Africa by exposing the beautiful works of its artists. In the spirit of selflessness, part of the proceeds of sales from the auction will be donated to Funda Wazi Foundation, an organisation owned by the late Rosemary Simangele Nomthi Odukoya

“As a global platform, Artgidi.com, embraces creatives from all works of life but majorly focused on promoting contemporary African Arts and giving African Artists visibility in the international market. Hence, we are showcasing the best of contemporary African art and it is a rare opportunity for Africans, particularly Nigerians to appreciate the value inherent in collecting artworks as it can act as a store of value and wealth for the future. Three auction houses sold over $1 billion on online auction in 2022 and that Africa also contributed a sum of $13 billion to the global art market in 2018. According to verifiable sources, this figure is predicted to rise to $15 billion by the year 2023”

The participating artists praised the platform’s efforts at promoting art and its global reach.

For Adubi-Mydaz Makinde, who is auctioning three of his works, Mandela’s life of selflessness and absolute commitment to the cause of freedom has continued to inspire his brush. “It is an honour to be part of the charity auction is noteworthy venture. Mandela was the major factor that galvanised the world towards taking a stand against apartheid, ultimately bringing an end to it and desegregating the South African society, at least, constitutionally.”

On his part, Ayoola Mudashiru, a painter and originator of Hulah Motifs (Hulaism) style of painting, expressed that he was skeptical about the platform at first but when he visited and uploaded his first work, he found out that the website was well-structured and user-friendly. He also has three of his works in the auction,

The auction, which is still ongoing, features works of artists of different cadres, including iconic artists such as Dr. Kunle Filani, Tola Wewe, Jossy Ajiboye, Idowu Sonaya, Mufu Onifade and John Onabrakpeya. Other versatile artists are Gbenga Ajiboye, Oladejo Akande, Olushola Obayan, Olubunmi Oyesanya-Ayaoge, Ogochukwu Ejiofor, Aina Felix, Achike Anayo, Ifedilichukwu Chibuike amongst several others.

“This auction provides buyers a great window to acquire masterpieces in a transparent bidding process that artgidi online auction provides. As an icing on the cake, Artgidi is offering free worldwide delivery on some categories of works. The process of buying works for this exhibition is easy. Artworks will be available as orilimite and limited editions. All a buyer or art collector needs to do is to just click, bid and buy. All a buyer needs to do is to visit https://artgidi.com/auctions and follow the prompts,” according to the organisers.

Goge Africa management seeks to explore intra–connectivity in Africa in areas of trade, investment and tourism. During a recent visit to two East African countries, Tanzania and Burundi, the tourism promotion outfit tasked political and economic leaders to stop moving the wealth of Africa outside the continent if they want the progress of Africa.

To the team led by its Chief Executive Officer, Ambassador Isaac Moses and Managing Director, Ambassador Nneka Isaac–Moses, the trip was an insightful one and a learning curve for them in their new quest in identifying barriers to intra African trade and working towards eliminating these barriers.

While in Tanzania, the team met with Tanzanian Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr. Alfred Bana, and facilitated a meeting between Goge Africa, Tanzania Tourist Board and Zanzibar Commission for Tourism. They were received at Tanzania Tourist Board office in Dar Es Salam by the Director of Marketing, Dr. Gladstone Mlay, who agreed that concerted efforts must be made to promote African tourism and investment opportunities especially within the continent.

The team also met Dr. Mohamed Mkurugenzi Masoko, who had to sail from Zanzibar to Tanzania, to meet with the team at Kigamboni area of Gezaulole at Bamba Beach, a privately owned resort on the peninsula.

Relieving his experience, Isaac Moses said: ‘‘Bamba beach is a very beautiful eco-friendly resort with huge potential for investors in tourism sector. It has a nice curvy lake amidst the green vegetation that runs slowly into the ocean.”

The visit to Burundi, which was on the invitation of the Nigerian Ambassador to Burundi, Ambassador Elijah Onyeagba, took the team to the Mayor of Bujumbura, CP. Jimmy Hatungimana and held a meeting with the Ministry of Sports, Culture and Heritage. The team in company of Her Excellency Mrs. Udo Onyeagba and others toured the boarder of Burundi and Congo Democratic Republic, as well as Parc National De La Rusizi. “It was a magical journey of discovery,’’ revealed Nneka Isaac- Moses.

‘‘From the quiet waters of brown coloured Rusizi, we watched a pod of hippopotamuses, different species of birds that fluttered away as we clapped from our boat. Within minutes, we were at the magical but natural divide where brown coloured Rusizi meets with blue Lake Tanganyika.”

The boat cruise experience was capped with a cultural feast served by Burundians as the team was treated to a sample of the internationally acclaimed drum ensemble and dance of Burundi.

According to the CEO of Goge Africa ‘‘these and more are information you may not readily get online. Burundi is not a poor country. They have food sufficiency with one of the most fertile land in the whole of Africa. Lake Tanganyika is a fresh water lake and home to over 200 species of fish.”

Six years on, Mabawonku Babafemi Akinwale, a budding thespian is determined to realise his dream of becoming a renowned artiste despite the increasing challenges on his pathway.  He said issue of ‘God fastherism’ in the creative sector has stood between him and his dream career having attended many auditions preparatory to acting a role in movie production.

Mabawonku, a 2016 graduate of Theatre Art  from Lagos State University, Ojo, had featured in school productions such as Red is the freedom road by Femi Osofisan, Love and colours in Delphi by Lekan Balogun, The king must dance naked by Fred Agbeyegbe and Tearful laughter, among others.

In Femi Osofisan’s Red is the freedom road, he acted a warrior king, which was his most cherished play he acted in.

“My challenges have always been the ‘God fatherism’ in the movie industry. I have attended several auditions where I know I am fit for a particular role and even other actors and judges are always wowed. But, at the end of the day, no call up and this has been very discouraging. But I hope for a better Nollywood,” he said.

Though the young thespian is yet to be fully engaged as an artiste, but he has chosen alternative platforms through which to express his talent and keep abreast of trends in the sector.

“I am very much determined about this dream….and I have been doing some videos on ticktok and also I do duet on other people’s act…never say die is the spirit,” he said in a telephone conversation recently.

Mabawonku graduated as one of the best actors in the department and his role model has always been the great Olu Jacobs. From childhood days, he has always wanted to be an actor. For him, the legendary Olu Jacob is an embodiment of a renowned dramatist. “Olu Jacobs is my role model because of how he has been able to stand out as one of the greatest actors in the Nigerian movie industry. The way he takes his lines and his poetic renditions of lines makes him the envy of many in the industry. He is a thespian who can blend into most roles.

“As a thespian, I get inspired by the day-to-day happenings in the society and I believe acting is a medium to pass information to entertain and also to educate the targeted audience,” he added.

He recalled that after his university days, he had the ‘opportunity of featuring in a movie serial killer, a TVC case file project based on true life story about a serial killer in Port Harcourt gracious David West, I took the role of the serial killer. And I also featured in the tales of eve as one of the agents.’

He disclosed that he is not confined to acting alone as he can also direct plays.  According to him, he enjoys role that has to do with love or being a leader, adding that he doesn’t select role.

Father of Nigerian Tourism and proprietor of Brooklyn Group of Hotels Chief Mike Amachree has called on Nigerian electorate to vote only candidate for elective position that has agenda on how to improve and develop tourism at all levels in Nigeria.

Amachree, in a statement, said in the light of the importance of tourism all over the  world, it will not be in the interest of the country to elect candidates that have no clue on how to harness the vast potentials of tourism in the country to generate income and improve the country’s economy.

Amachree said: “I want to use this opportunity to appeal to Nigerian electorate to be wise and only vote in candidates that would help and develop Nigerian tourism.  Our current revenue from oil is unreliable and the overdependence on oil is doing great harm to the country’s economy.

The tourism mogul said: “Nigeria has a huge abundance of tourism endowments both at the level of culture and eco-tourism. This has not been effectively tapped. So, it is important the country elect leaders that would help develop our tourism to attract both local and international visitors. This is the only way the country can generate revenue from it.

“As you may be aware, tourism helps to drive industrialisation as most investors first come in as tourists before seeing business opportunities to exploit and establish in that country.

“When tourists come, the country benefits not just from the immediate influx of cash from their expenditure while on tour, tourists help to industrialise a destination. When they come, they see business opportunities to invest and also build industries and also invest in agriculture.  This help to bring foreign investment into the country. So, it is very important the country vote in a government that will not pay lip service to tourism.”

Continuing, he added: “In addition to this, the lack of stand-alone tourism ministry has also stunted the development of tourism. It is very important the government as a matter of urgency, create a tourism ministry which is not attached to any other ministry to oversee and supervise the growth and development in the sector.

“Because of the importance of having a stand-alone ministry of tourism, I was among those that continue to put pressure on the military government for a tourism ministry until it was finally created during the tenure of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

“Unfortunately, the present administration lumped tourism under the Ministry of Information and Culture.  This has negatively affected the growth of tourism in the country. The government should as a matter of urgency re-establish the ministry of tourism and culture.”

Executive Director, Hope for Second Chance Foundation, Mrs Ibukun Otesile has been in the forefront of the crusade against domestic violence against women and children. Her two books speak to these issues as shared during a chat with Assistant Editor (Arts) OZOLUA UHAKHEME.

Child Rights Campaigner and Counselling Psychologist Mrs. Ibukunoluwa Otesile has called on parents and guidance to speak out against any form of domestic violence against women and children. She said that where there is domestic violence, there is likelihood of parental neglect which, in turn, predisposes for sexual abuse. She noted that what makes these vices thrive is the culture of silence.

The author of The cost of silence, The new game, and Executive Director Hope for Second Chance Foundation, who spoke during a chat on her two books, said that an average girl-child is raised barely able to speak not because she doesn’t have the capacity but because the society doesn’t give much consideration to the voice of a woman. This, she said, was still reflected in the recent anti-woman disposition of the National Assembly.

“Women go through abuse and are not able to speak out because for instance, the average girl is raised to believe the responsibility of the success of the girl-child work, she has failed.  So, when abuse sets in, she absolves it just so it can work.

“Now to the crux of the matter, when this happens, children are usually the collateral damage. This is significantly responsible for the prevalence of sexual abuse and the decadence of our adolescent that we witness today,” she added. Explaining what prompted her second publication The cost of silence, she said it was written because many parents are not aware of the interconnectivity and relatedness of many of these social vices. Another reason, she said is because any development work or social change that will be sustained must involve children. ‘They are the ones that will guarantee that the advocacy doesn’t fizzle out.’

But, in order to effectively engage the children, she adopted the story-telling approach that x-rays these issues in children- friendly and easy-to-read text.

She stressed that parents need to realise that the consequences of silence are not only grave but also heavy in terms of cost. Every social vice thrives in silence!  According to her, The cost of silence which was published last year has been well received as many schools across the nation have already introduced it as a reading literature text for their school libraries and in the class room.

“The cost of silence looks critically at domestic violence, sexual abuse, sexual immorality and substance abuse, which are major concerns today. It also brings to light the important role of counseling psychologist with the view to change the orientation of our people when it comes to seeking help where mental health and psychological well-being is concerned. The prevalence of substance abuse in Nigeria is critically alarming. Our children are exposed to all kinds of substances that interfere with their ability for sound judgment.

“Studies have shown clearly that substance abuse is also significantly linked to increased sexual immorality among Nigerian children and youths. So many cases of unbelievable sexual atrocities being committed by our children and youths go hand in hand with substance abuse,” she added.

Continuing she said: “Abuse has a cycle and attendant issues, when parenting is faulty, where society fails, a child becomes predisposed to sexual abuse. When that happens, that child is very likely to predispose to her peers, children younger or even older to such atrocities. It’s a case of a rotten egg. If you keep a rotten egg in the crate full of eggs, it’s only a matter of time before all the other eggs become rotten.”

She, however, tasked caregivers to be proactive to forestall these unfortunate incidences from happening. To her, whether it is bully, sexual abuse or sexual immorality, ‘we must begin to hold care givers to higher standards where protection of children is concerned.’

“When we begin to hold parents and care-givers liable in the court of law, maybe we would be better disposed to protecting children. The culture of silence or trying to sweep things under the carpet must be strongly condemned. The cost of silence is always grave. Each time you stay silent over a vice that you witness or hear about, you feed that vice. The bigger it grows, the harder it becomes to curtail such vice,” she noted.

Interestingly, Mrs Otesile is not alone in the campaign for the protection of children particularly girl- child and women’s rights. Recently, Mrs Ifeoma Theodore Jnr E, in a book chat shared her experiences on how parents, teachers, and policy makers can prevent the growing spate of sex-related abuses among teens in schools. Her two books Trapped in Oblivion and My daughter and I address many of these issues that are manifesting among youths in the country.

With her KEE Foundation initiative (#Thechildrenarenottoblame), supported by Magna Carta Health and 1922 Limited, she has kept faith with the advocacy, visiting some schools in Lagos State counseling students. She urged government, schools and parents to play their roles in shaping the future of the children, noting that it is a value chain.  “We are not here to trade blames. It’s a value chain. As soon as we can understand and accept that we are all held liable, except these children, because they are under our care. It is the society we created for them. There’s no shortcut. We talk about Maltina Dance Hall. It is what you’ve given them. We talk about talent hunt. It’s what you have given them. With Big Brother Naija, they see so many things. I don’t think we are magicians. The point is, instead of trading blames, we should accept that it is what we have created for them. That’s what they are giving,” she added.

While reacting to video scandal and child bullying in two Lagos schools recently, she called on parents, institutions and government to stop the blame game and work together for a better future for the children. “So let’s work together. It is not time to trade blame. Let institutions come out and do something to make things better. You owe it to these kids,” she added.

According to her, the lasting solution is residual knowledge which the children can refer to. This, she said, is why she keeps on advocating for materials for knowledge. “It’s not enough to preach the gospel. What materials can these kids have that will be a constant reminder that this is what I know? Something that can make them engage with one another,” she added.