The Nation Newspaper

Category: Arts & Life

  • ‘Writers are pillars in nation-building’

    ‘Writers are pillars in nation-building’

    Today, a new winner will emerge for this year’s Nigeria Literature Prize sponsored by the Nigeria LNG Limited. The winner will walk home with a princely $100,000. The three contenders for the prize, which is on prose fiction, are Abubakar Adamu Ibrahim’s Season Of Crimson Blossoms, Chika Unigwe’s Night Dancer and Born On A Tuesday by El-Nathan John. As Nigerians await the winner, NLNG General Manager, External Relations, Kudo Eresia-Eke believes writers play significant role in nation-building. In this interview with EVELYN OSAGIE, he speaks on the impact of the prize on literature. 

    Is literature worth investing in?

    Our interest in literature is not so much for the business. There would be those who would reap from it, like all the stakeholders in the book chain. Technology cannot improve if people don’t read. The vision of the Nigeria LNG Limited is global, helping to build a better Nigeria. No nation can be built in darkness, writers bring enlightenment. So, writers are fundamental pillars for nation-building and development, and must be encouraged. And in promoting the prize, you’d never know what the rippling effect may be. But I am sure it would be positive.

    In many cases, organisers of prizes throw parties to announce the winner, but Nigeria LNG Limited always celebrates the books that make the initial list, with lots of funfare. Why?

    Nearly 200 writers, 173 to be precise, sent in entries for this year’s edition of the prize. Now, if out of 173, 11 people emerged out of very qualitative writing, it is no longer a longlist but actually a shortlist. And I think anyone, who has come out of this forest of quality writing as a possible winner among the 11, has cause to celebrate. We, at Nigeria LNG Limited, believe that each of the 11 writers is a winner in their own right, and should be celebrated.

    Since 2005, your company has been sponsoring this literature prize along with the prize for science. How has been the experience, in terms of support and its impact on the quality of writing?

    It has been an exhilarating experience. It has been also very fulfilling, giving a feeling that one is doing something noble and seeing the result. You can tell from the observations on the quality of books. I am not just talking about the content, which has shown a lot of improvement. But just look at the very essence of the book, its cover, its production, and the interest in our writing, you’d see a progressive improvement in our literature over the years. You also see that all the stakeholders are making maximum effort to push the envelope of excellence; and that’s really what counts for us. Before noon today, one person will win the prize, but that’s not the real harvest. The real harvest is the mass impact that is generated in the pursuit of that prize. One that makes publishers brace up, makes editors brace up, makes writers to brace up and makes everyone in the chain to brace up. And at the end, it is the country that is the beneficiary.

    So, through the prize, we are developing higher standards of literature. On this year’s initial shortlist, are the whole spectrums of the generation of Nigerian writers that are alive today were represented. Besides that, this prize enables us to showcase excellence as a culture, because people often say that Nigerians do not care about excellence. That we just want to do shortcuts, no! This prize demonstrates that we are hard-working, painstaking people who take improvement and continuous improvement seriously. And you can see that manifest in the journey of this prize.

    Speaking of journeys, some literary critics believe that Nigerian literature has come of age. Compared to the literature of world, what do you think?

    I think Nigeria is dominant. You cannot mention the literature of the world and not mention Nigeria for God sake.

    That is being patriotic…

    I am not just being patriotic. Look at the continent of Africa for example, where do you have the multitude of writers that we’ve produced? Which country compares … I challenge you. And look the basic prizes known around the world and see how many times Nigerians have won them. In fact, some people say some prizes have been colonised by Nigerians.

    What would we be expecting from this year’s edition?

    You should expect that the best book would emerge the winner. I would like to commend this year’s judges, led by the distinguished Professor of English Language of Prof Dan Izevbaye, Bowen University, for their painstaking efforts so far, and the Advisory Board, led by Emeritus Prof Ayo Banjo, in their efforts to help midwife this year’s edition. I have faith in their decision.

  • Efuru@50 tours varsities

    Efuru@50 tours varsities

    Flora Nwapa’s epic novel, Efuru is 50. And the National Organising Committee (NOC) for the EFURU@50 celebrations, led by Dr Wale Okediran, is on the move. With them are the late writer’s son and lawyer, Uzoma Nwakuche (Chairman, Flora Nwapa Foundation) and Paschal Mebuge Obaa (Enugu LOC Chairman).

    Other members of the committee on the visit were Chinyere Obi-Obasi, Ikeogu Oke, Salamatu Sule and the committee’s Secretary, Glory Obasi.

    From Lagos to Maiduguri, their recent stop was Abuja. The tour is part of the committee’s preparations for the forthcoming commemoration of the book’s 50th anniversary, which is scheduled to hold across five cities between November 29 and December 11.

    In Lagos, the team, along with Nwakuche and Obaa, were received by Prof Hope Eghagha, Head of English Department, University of Lagos (UNILAG) and Lagos LOC Chair and the Dean of the Faculty of Arts Prof Muyiwa Falaye, who received them on behalf of the VC. At the meeting, Falaye pledged the university’s support for the event, which will kick off from UNILAG on November 29.

    The next stop was University of Maiduguri, where the team met with the two Deputy Vice Chancellors, Prof Aliyu Shugaba (DVC Academics), Prof Godowoli (DVC Central Adminstration), the Registrar and Director of Works, who received them on behalf of the Vice Chancellor, Prof Ibrahim Abubakar Njodi, who was away on official duties. The LOC Chairman, Dr Razinat Mohammed, whose postgraduate work were on Efuru, reminded the gathering that the late Nwapa, was a visiting professor in the university between 1997 and 1998, during which she introduced the Creative Writing course to the Department of English.

    In view of this, she observed that bringing the celebration of Efuru to the institution was very appropriate. Uzoma said his mother’s stay in the university was one of her most enjoyable in her academic career. Prof Shugaba apologised for the VC’s absence and promised that the university would support it since the celebrator was once a member of the university’s staff.  He reiterated the university’s commitment to a strong academic tradition, the main reason the University remained open throughout the very difficult six-year insurgency period in Borno State.

    Other members of the LOC are Dr Abubakar Othman, Mr Bulama, Elisha Isiah, Francis Okoye and Miss Akiya Amos.

    At the University of Abuja, the NOC members were received by the Dean, Faculty of Arts, Prof Effiok Uwatt and the Chairman, LOC, Prof Vicky Sylvester, Dean of the Faculty of Science, Prof. Abu Mallam, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Dr Musa Olaoye, Dr Daniel Omatsola and Safiya Yero.

    At the meeting, Okediran explained that Nwapa was being celebrated because of her position as the first African woman published writer. “This was why the Flora Nwapa’s Foundation has decided to organise a five-city celebrations between November 29 and December 11, 2016. The visit, therefore, was to intimate the VC of the Abuja leg of the celebrations, which has been fixed for December 3 and December 6. While a Children’s Carnival will take place at the NTA’s Arena on Saturday, December 3, a symposium, which will attract local and international scholars will take place in the University on Tuesday December 6 2016,” he said.

    He sought  the university’s support for the event.

    In his response, the VC thanked the Committee for choosing the university as one of the conference venues. While acknowledging the significant contributions which the Humanities have made to the nation at large, he hoped that the Sciences would do the same. He promised that the university would do all it could for the success of the forthcoming events.

    Prof. Uwatt thanked the VC for the promises and promised that the Faculty of Arts will do everything to make sure that the event was a huge success.

     

  • ANCO 79/84 set plans N20m development fund

    ANCO 79/84 set plans N20m development fund

    THE 1979 /84 set of Anglican Commercial Grammar School, Osogbo is planning to raise about N20million for the development of the institution.

    The fund, which would be sourced from members, private organisations and philanthropists in two years, would be used to fix urgent infrastructure decay, especially  projects that would be of benefit to the 42-year-old school, according to its Director of Administration, Mr. Adewole Afolabi.

    Afolabi, who spoke at the maiden re-union of the set in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, where the set’s Principal, Pa Emmanuel Oyetade and some former teachers were honoured, emphasised the need to strengthen public-private partnership as a veritable tool for development.

    “Our intervention activities are geared towards complementing government’s efforts as government alone cannot shoulder all the responsibilities of funding education. Besides, it is going to be our own way of giving back to the institution that made us what we are today,” he said.

    According to him, the school will be restored to its past glory if other sets emulate this laudable idea of the 79/84 Set.

    The set’s President, who is Registrar, Osun State Polytechnic, Iree, Maruf Salawu, expressed his happiness for meeting most of his colleagues 32 years after leaving the institution. He pointed out the need to intervene positively to preserve the school for future generations. While lamenting the rot that public schools had become, he said solution to turn the tide rested on everybody.

    Specifically, to turn the alma mater around, Salawu, a lawyer, suggested the need to inquire on whether the school had a survey or a master plan and how this had been infringed, the need to intervene on the structural decay of the school, ways to contribute to the improvement of  students and their education, as well as impacting on the teachers who are in the school now.

    He said the teachers should feel the impact of the old students while there are urgent needs for interconnectivity among the old school colleagues for positive improvement.

    Value was further added to the convivial atmosphere with paper presentation by two notable alumni, Hon Justice Kola Adegoke of the High Court, Osogbo, who spoke on “Importance of Will” while Dr Nasir Waheed, Medical Director, Ola-olu Hospital and Maternity, Idiroko, Ogun State, spoke on “Heart attack and heart failure” with emphasis on the need to live a healthy life.

     

  • A feast to empower youths

    A feast to empower youths

    Despite the prevalent economic challenges, this year’s National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFEST), which  was held in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital last week, engendered creativity and capacity development of the rural people, especially the artistes and the youth. But only 18 out of the 36 states participated in the 40-year-old national festival, reports Assistant Editor (Arts) OZOLUA UHAKHEME. 

    Unlike past editions, this year’s National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFEST) focused mainly on how to develop the capacity of youths in the creative industry to eneable them generate employment.

    With the theme ‘’Exploring the goldmine inherent in Nigeria’s creative industry,’’ the 29th edition of the festival, organised by the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) between October 2 and 9, provided a platform for children – a major plank not only in transmitting culture, but also in long-term economic empowerment.

    From various competitive and non-competitive events, such as painting, drawing, essay writing, traditional wrestling, colloquium and indigenous poetry performances, the children drawn from public and private schools in Akwa Ibom State had rewarding experiences.

    NCAC Director General, Mrs Dayo Keshi, described this year’s festival as a huge success considering the state of the economy, adding that such a festival would always encourage healthy interactions that would lead to building bridges of understanding, harmony and peace, which are imperative in the country.

    According to Mrs Keshi, NAFEST has consistently promoted national integration, peace and unity. This, she said, had been demonstrated in the level of participation, which cuts across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Also, participating in the festival were non-governmental organisations, artists, craftsmen, community-based groups, professional associations as well as schools.

    She said the festival was designed to redirect the nation’s attention towards using the indigenous cultural products and expressions to develop the creative industry.

    She added that NAFEST leverages on traditions, indigenous knowledge as well as creative capital of the people.

    “Its capacity to mobilise the grassroots, the custodians of our various traditions is one of its defining characteristics. This gives the festival the peculiar flavour of being a platform to directly engage with greater percentage of rural dwellers and producers of the art, crafts and other creative products exhibited at the festival.

    “The capacity of such a large gathering of vibrant, productive Nigerians to impact directly on the economy of a host state can be determined by the brisk trading, direct exchange of products such as souvenirs, indigenous fabrics and services such as transportation, hotel accommodation, feeding and allied culinary services,” she added.

    Continuing, she said: “It is against this backdrop that we aim to encourage the continuous development of NAFEST while working on its syllabus to encourage the staging of at least, one festival in every geo-political zone of the country. For a nation with a population and culture as large and diverse as ours, one festival per zone is not in any way superfluous.”

    She also canvassed a deliberate and structured investment in the creative industries – an economic structure that would engineer demand for products of creative industries, provision of soft loans for art vendors to increase the sales of art works as well as establishment of arts and crafts villages or clusters in states capital to serve as marketing outlets for artistic products.

    Admitting that the nation’s cultural assets abound, Mrs Keshi, however, noted that converting such potential to economic benefits has been a serious challenge. She hoped that through the forum, the private sector would see the cultural sector as a viable and profitable area for investment. She charged culture administrators, intellectuals and professionals to come up with a roadmap for exploring the positive dynamics of the collective heritage.

    “It is against this backdrop that we aim to encourage the continuous development of NAFEST while working on its syllabus to encourage the staging of at least, one festival in every geo-political zone of the country. For a nation with a population and culture as large and diverse as ours, one festival per zone is not in any way superfluous,” she said.

    Mrs Keshi described the cultural market as representational of the geo-political zones as products on display cover all aspects of Nigerian culture. She noted that the arts and crafts market is what will sustain the soul of NAFEST.

    “Moving forward, there is no doubt that we will continue to improve both in the quality of  products and the number of participants. Moving around the market, I observed that some have sold close to their third batches of products and the market is just few days old. At this year’s festival, we observed that the recession is not seriously affecting the sales as the artists are here showing their wares.

    ‘’Again, it is one aspect of our economy that touches every Nigerian, especially the grassroots and we must begin to empower them in a bottom to top approach.

    “We must continue to make it a strong industry because this would reduce employment at the grassroots. I am impressed by this festival, but I am aiming that next year will be much better in terms of sales, exhibition and participation because we will start planning much earlier,” she added.

    However, she observed that at this year’s outing, size of state contingents has dropped compared to past editions when a state could send close to 200 delegates, noting that some states sent  20 participants at this year’s edition. This development, she said, must not be taken as a failure of any sort, adding that  it only  shows the signs of the time.

    “I do believe that in future, once we show the few that took part in the current edition that there is money to be made many artists will on their own sponsor themselves to the festival.

    The festival can only grow bigger and better and again, it has nothing to do with the size of delegates from states. I am hoping that we will have more states participating next year.

    On why the colloquium was focused on the youth, the director-general said though the colloquium remains the intellectual segment of the festival, ‘’’we thought this year, we needed to think outside the box in line with the festival theme. That is the reason we brought specialists who are practising to share their experiences with the youth. At that colloquium, we had children who were curious to learn how to make it in life, having listened to presentations by resource persons who were drawn from the fields.’ The high point of the colloquium is that there is no age limit to use creativity to generate wealth.

    The two lead speakers at the colloquium were Mr. Dayo Adedayo, an accomplished photographer and Mr. Chimezie Uwando, a small-scale entrepreneur. Discussants were Prof Best Ochigbo, Prof Femi Shaka and Ngozi Uya, while Prof Ben Ekanem chaired the colloquium. Expectedly, the Art and Craft market provided opportunities for arts and craft dealers to sell their wares. Also, for the eight days the festival ran, food and drink vendors, keke operators made quick business as participants and tourists thronged the Ibom Hall premises daily in large numbers. Among the 18 states, including FCT that participated in this year’s edition of NAFEST, were Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Benue, Bauchi, Delta, Kano, Katsina, Taraba, Ogun, Lagos and Niger.

    NAFEST as a flagship festival must be given adequate attention-funding and promotion- for its game changing capacity in the creative industry. The festival should not be seen as mere celebration of dances because all its activities have direct economic impact on different areas of creative industry-arts, crafts, branding, tourism, costuming, drama, music, among others.  There is no better way to act the talks about diversification of the economy than believing and promoting the creative industry.

    Apart from the negative impact of the recession, the festival however suffered from late arrival of contingents from states in the Middle Belt and northern zone. For instance, some members of Niger State contingents did not arrive in Uyo until Friday, a day to closing of the festival. The delay, according to the contingent, was due to the poor state of the roads, which affected their journey from Minna to Uyo.

    But movements in and out of all the venues in Uyo were hitch free as the roads were in good shape and devoid of heavy traffic. Local musicians, such as Twins Solototo, Sir Wilka Jackson and AT Bass, took turns to thrill the contingents at the opening ceremony of the festival at Uyo Township Stadium.

    Expectedly too, most contingents to the festival savoured the hospitality of Akwa Ibom State, with its capital Uyo, priding itself as one of the cleanest capitals in the federation. The state is third on the list of states that have hosted the festival more than once since 1970. Kaduna and Lagos came first and second with four and three hostings.

  • Teenagers advised on sexual honesty

    Teenagers advised on sexual honesty

    A non-governmental organisation (NGO), His Marvellous Grace Support Foundation (HMGSF), has organised a pep talk for teenagers on the importance of sexual honesty. The talk, designed to equip teenagers with  tools to navigate a fast-changing world, was held at the Redeemed Christain Church of God (RCCG) Fountain of Grace, Ibeshe in Ikorodu, Lagos State.

    The NGO, which has been helping and empowering teenagers since 2013, has provided free medical services and organised several empowerment and talk shows for young people, mostly in Ikorodu area.

    Explaining the difference between love and infatuation, Timi Oyebode, said the decision-making part of the brain, which resides in the front, is usually not fully formed until one is 21. Therefore, many decisions made below this age are likely to lack maturity.

    She spoke about the participants teenage years, telling them not to be too eager to experience adulthood. She said: “As teenagers, it is only natural that you want to be adults quickly. But how many of you have fallen in love or even know what love is?”

    While these questions drew blushes from the teenagers, Oyebode used her experience to inspire the teenagers, explaining that she suffered sexual abuse as early as age  seven. This, she said, made her spiral down to depths of sexual escapades, including lesbianism and masturbation, advising the children to stay away from such practices.

    She also recommended a therapeutic process to the teenagers in case any of them was already ‘hooked’ to any sexual vice. ‘The 21-day rule’, as she referred to the therapy, is an effective method to rehabilitate such a person. Such a person, she continued, must desist from this sexual activity before it deteriorated seriously enough to visit its attendant health and emotional challenges on the person.

    Meanwhile, Oluwadamisi Tayo-Ladega of HMGSF noted that the foundation chose the topic of the event because of the rate at which the times were changing, and the way children were being exposed to sexual perversion. She said: “There are some parents who are ‘teenagers’. They do not even know their right from their left, and they certainly do not know the difference between right and wrong on this matter.”

    Tayo-Ladega spoke briefly to the teenagers on the importance of imbibing a culture of courtesy and respect. Respect, she explained, goes beyond reverence for the elderly; it encompasses appreciation of the individuality of everyone, including the younger ones.

    She expressed gratitude to the parish pastor of RCCG, Fountain of Grace and his wife, Pastor and Deaconess Ebenezer Sofowora as well as the children teachers of the churches under the parishes and HMGSF volunteers.

  • Kakadu for Africa Day celebrations

    Kakadu for Africa Day celebrations

    After three years of very successful performances in Nigeria and Davos, Switzerland, the award-winning Kakadu the Musical will be on stage at the Nelson Mandela Theatre, Johannesburg as part of the Africa Day Celebrations from June 7 to 18, 2017. This was announced by the Executive Producer, Jo’burg City Theatres Claire Pacariz.

    “Kakadu is a highly creative, original production which has been internationally acclaimed as the first ever musical from Nigeria and that is why we are interested in bringing it to South Africa for the 2017 Africa Day celebrations. Africa Day as you know is the annual commemoration of the founding of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) on May 23, 1963, when on that day, leaders of 30 of the 32 independent African states signed a founding charter in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia”, Ms. Pacariz said.

    Kakadu, the Musical is based on several pivotal events that happened in Nigeria between 1965 and 1974, the watershed years immediately following independence from British colonial rule, leading to the Biafran War and the aftermath of that war. It is written and produced by one of the leading lawyers in Nigeria, Uche Nwokedi (SAN). Musical direction and orchestration is by Benneth Ogbeiwi and the artistic and technical direction is by Kanayo Omo.

    With a strong plot, captivating storyline, spectacular dance and a blend of the anglo-american soul and pop music of the fifties and sixties that influenced musical expressions in 1960s Africa,  High life music, Afrobeat and traditional Nigerian folk music, Kakadu is the most wonderfully eclectic musical ever performed anywhere. It is a unique “must-see, must experience” production.

    “It is quite significant to the ethos of Kakadu that we have been invited to a theatre named after Nelson Mandela, a champion of liberties…” says the writer and producer, Uche Nwokedi (SAN). Kakadu joins a long list of world-class productions invited to the Nelson Mandela Theatre in Johannesburg.

  • When Owo town stood still for Igogo festival

    When Owo town stood still for Igogo festival

    The annual Igogo festival held recently in ancient Owo town in Ondo State, was a spectacle both for the natives and  local and international tourists who thronged the town. Taiwo Abiodun reports.

    THERE were over 2,000 men, aged between 40 and early 70s; and they belonged to three traditional age-grades. Most of them were half-clad, with some bare-chested tying only traditionally-woven wrappers around their waste. The fairly old ones held two buffalo horns, which they struck intermittently to create sounds. The second set, a bit younger, held iron metal gongs, which they also struck to produce sounds, while the youngest group was ‘armed’ with long canes, which they swung threateningly in the air.

    Septuagenarian, Samuel Olayiwola Ogunleye (aka Musese), a native of Owo and an active member of one of the groups, said the group of men are called Ayoyo. He said the ayoyo comprises the Ologho (the buffalo’s horn careers), the Eletenten (metal gong careers) and the Kaya (cane careers). He explained that there is a traditional progression amongst the groups, with the men in Kaya moving to Eletenten and then to Ologho; and that they normally come out during the Igogo festival to perform their traditional roles, as customs demand.”

    The men sang, danced and rejoiced, as they returned from Ugbo Ulaja (Ulaja bush), where they had ‘seen’ Oronsen’s headgear, whilst she was running away from the palace. Oronsen was a famed wife of one-time Olowo Rengenjen , with lots of tradition around her. They were celebrating and rejoicing for witnessing another year’s festival.

    Musese explained that the men make sounds with their various items because leather drums are forbidden at the Igogo festival. In nine years, he said, “We in Ologho group will celebrate our age grade while the other group (Eletenten) will be promoted upward to Ologho.”

    Prayers

    In the evening, prayers and sacrifices were offered by the town’s chief priest, High Chief Michael Adelanke Ajana, for long life for the monarch, townsmen and women; and general progress of the community. Each prayer request by the priest was followed by a thunderous “Aaasseeeee.” According to Ilori Tunde Elerewe, an historian versatile in the Owo culture and tradition, “It is not the job of the Olowo of Owo (the monarch) to perform rituals, but that of the chief priest, who is the spiritual head of the town.

    The royal dance

    Armed with a shining silver-metal gong and accompanied by his retinue of chiefs, amongst them, Babatunde Olugbade, Tola Ogwatowose, royal family members and princes and princesses, the monarch, Oba David Victor Folagbade Olateru-Olagbegi III emerged in his fully customised beaded ‘Ewu Okun’ royal dress. His hair was braided and decorated with four sparkling white feathers (Urere Okin. Attached to his ‘skirt’ was a traditional sword symbolising royalty. Oba Olateru-Olagbegi walked majestically, beaming with smiles. Not long after, he was cited, dancing, albeit skilfully. At the Oja Oba Market, the Oba clanked his silver gong, as he led traditional songs with his velvet voice while his chiefs followed in chorus.

    With this performance, Musese said the monarch dismissed the rumour that he was no longer interested in the festival.

    Hon. Yinka Osho, another prominent indigene of the ancient town, expressed delight at how well the people participated in the festival, which he described as a festival of love. “I love the Olowo of Owo, for he shows love to all and sundry; and that is why I decided not to spend my holiday in the United Kingdom but here with my family and people. We must invest in our festivals and attract tourists to them.”

    The dress code

    The Igogo, celebrated annually, is a three-week festival held in memory of Olowo Regenjen’s wife, Oronsen. Olowo Rengenjen ruled the ancient town about 600 years ago. During the festivities, the male chiefs make-up and dress like a woman; caps are not to be worn by the men; no booming of the guns or beating of leather drums. Only the Olorisas (goddess worshippers) are permitted to beat their special drum called ‘Osuji’ at the palace.

    Cultural Ambassador of the town, Tunde Onibode, explained that “men temporarily ‘transform’ into women during the festival, wearing women costumes, plaiting their hair or putting on wigs. They also pad up their chest and buttocks to further enhance the female look and mannerisms to mimic and honour Oronson.

    One of the chiefs, Chief Samuel Oronbato was literally taken for a woman by the viewing public, as he pranced in his female costume. Amidst the celebration, he told this reporter that he has never for one year missed the festival since his instalment as chief in 1973.

    A festival of didactic songs

    According to High Chief Adeniyi Adewole (Chief Eminiken of Owo) the Igogo festival also serves as a medium for moral songs, designed to correct societal ills. Shortly before the festival, Eminiken explained that the natives would go round the town to watch and listen to what was happening and compose songs to condemn or encourage.”

    As a testimony, a man alleged to have been having canal knowledge of his daughter (whom the daughter later reported to the police) was caught and publicly flogged by men of the Ayoyo group. They also composed and sang of the man’s deplorable act to warn others to desist.

    This is our own Valentine

    Prince Segun Ogunoye, who is the Chief Asawo of Unaun in Owo Kingdom, said the festival unites the kingdom. “It revolves around love and our parents seize the opportunity to look for their spouses. That is why we call it our own Valentine. In fact it was courtesy of the festival that many married their spouses.”

    He however debunked insinuations of fetishism surrounding the festival. “We pray during the festival. We pray to our ancestors, we pray for the progress of the town and for everybody to unite. It is full of prayer and nothing else. No human sacrifices.”

    All through the duration of the festival, people ate, drank, danced and exchanged gifts in an atmosphere of sheer fun and excitement. Local musicians sang songs of love laced with panegyrics, proverbs and wisdom to entertain visitors who had come from far and near.

    Stray animals fall prey to the special celebrators (the Ayoyo group), who confiscate and slaughter them, hence  pet owners are inclined to keep them away from the streets at this time.

    In the past, Ilori Elerewe said maidens turned out bare-chested, their pointed breast, serving as attraction to potential suitors. This part of the culture has however been jettisoned due to civilisation; same for the sacrifice of slaves. The maidens however still parade, though in fashionable dresses and hairstyles.

    The aged also looked on with fascination, though their feeble bones and lean purse no longer permit them to actively participate in the activities. 94-year-old Chief (Madam) Christiana Famulagun was one of such. But she still celebrated and entertained visitors in her home with food and drinks.

    Another of such chiefs, Olusesi Osenepen, also entertained visitors both at home and at the palace, but lamented that his lean purse has seriously curtailed expenses.

    Genesis of Igogo festival

    The festival started over 600 years ago during the reign of Olowo Regenjen, who married a mysterious woman, Oronsen, whom he loved dearly more than his other wives because of her beauty and contribution to the progress of the town. Stories had it that she used to excrete expensive coral beads, of which the monarch used and even sold and which brought prosperity to the town.

    She however warned Olowo Rengenjen of her taboos, which were that they should not throw firewood in her presence; no one should grind okra before her and no man born of a woman should splash water in her presence. The monarch was however tricked by one of his queens to reveal the (taboo) secrets. One day the king went on a hunting expedition, which gave the wives who had been jealous of Queen Oronsen the opportunity to break the taboo, causing her to fled to Ugbolaja (Ulaja forest), where she wept uncontrollably. When the Olowo returned and learnt of the incident, he got angry and ordered the palace guards to go search for her. They however came back only with her head tie and reported that they only heard her voice in the forest. Despite pleadings, she refused to return to the palace, but instructed the king to observe the festival in remembrance of her.

    A tourists’ spectacle

    The State’s Commissioner for Culture, Femi Adekanmbi, was on hand to witness the festivities; same for Mrs. Bola Tunde-Suara, her hair regally plaited, who said she had to be more active in the celebration since her mother (Chief Famulagun) could no longer join the monarch in the annual celebration. “I have never missed the festival since my mother became chief in 1964.” She said.

    Cultural Ambassador Onibode, who is of the Kaya group said “I am a lover of Culture. I was in Porto Novo to celebrate Sango Festival; I was also in Oyo to celebrate Oranyan festival and I’m here live to celebrate my town’s festival, which is one of the richest in Yoruba land.”

    Other notable personalities who graced the celebration includes High Chief Henry Oladipo Ogwatowose and High Chief Akinsote Adetula, the newly installed Sasere of Owo, who lives in the United States of America but came all the way home to witness the festivities. There was also Prince Lawrence Loye, the Obaloye Adimuka of Ijebu-Ijesa, who said he came from Edo to witness the festival. He confessed that it was his first time at the festival and that he had never seen such a unique festival before. He testified to the visible show of love in the atmosphere and jocularly asked if he could get a new wife to take home as a souvenir.

    Side attractions were traditional wrestling matches (ugbama), Ayo game, with winners attracting prizes.

  • Abandoned babies: a nation’s rising scourge

    Abandoned babies: a nation’s rising scourge

    For various reasons, including the fear of dragging their family names into the mud, unstable financial situation, non-committal partners aka baby fathers; many young girls and some married women seem to be finding an easier solution in disposing off their babies. Medinat Kanabe investigates.

    FOR a whopping 18 years, her name was simply Oyinbo. But her neighbours who  nicknamed her Oyinbo  changed it sometime in 2014 to that girl, a phrase  meant to depict her waywardness in the community. But her official name is Rebecca shortened to beck, which anybody rarely called her. At the moment however, nobody seems to know where she is.

    Her story, though pathetic, hardly evoked pity from people around, because of the step she took to put food on the table. Becky had a normal childhood and grew up to be a fine young girl until she lost her parents after her secondary school. Life became difficult for her (as first child) and her two siblings. She took to yielding rather indiscriminately to advances from men and soon got pregnant at 20. According to a neighbour, “She must have tried to abort the pregnancy because she had no source of livelihood, but met someone who offered to take care of her until she had the baby. We also heard a rumour that she sold the baby to the woman who took her in.

    “After she had the baby, we didn’t see or hear from her and her sisters. We heard she took the money and went to rent a place somewhere far from the neighbourhood.”

    Last month, a young woman, Ifunanya Eme from Enugu State dropped her one-day-old baby girl on the street somewhere around number 1, Prince Bello Street, Ajagbandi, Lagos and walked away. Her reason? She could not afford to take care of the baby with her three other children.

    Some neighbours alerted the police and she was later traced to her abode and apprehended.

    Now undergoing rehabilitation, she reportedly explained that she had no choice but to dump the baby when the father denied responsibility. “I am separated from my first husband, who is the father of the three children. I got pregnant for another man who rejected the pregnancy, so I had no choice but to dump the baby and pray that someone finds her fast.”

    There is also the story of another young girl, whom this reporter missed by a few minutes. She had taken her three-month-old baby to a crèche, where this reporter had stopped by to make some enquiries and requested to leave her baby with them until she finds a place to live in. She promised to always come around to check on the child but the operator refused. This reporter, who met the crèche staff discussing the matter, heard the crèche owner say “I sensed she was looking for who to dump the child with and abscond; so I told her that we can’t take in the baby for more than the hours we operate and that she had to pay before registering the child, so she left.”

    When this reporter asked for her number, the crèche owner however said “I threw it away as soon as she left. If I had prior knowledge that she could take the child to an orphanage or give him to the social welfare and go check on him regularly, I would have advised her.”

    All efforts by this reporter to trace her were fruitless.

    Dumped children: a recurrent indices

    In recent times, stories of dumped babies have literally become recurrent in our news media. In April 2015, the Lagos state government through its then Permanent secretary, office of Youths and Social Development, Dr. Adesegun Oshinyinka, said it had rescued no fewer than 62 babies abandoned across the state in the last one year. 34 of the rescued babies were male while 28 were female. It therefore goes without saying that the figure may have risen, considering the number of cases chronicled in the media in recent days.

    Not long ago, police officers on patrol along Shodipo Crescent in Ikeja GRA picked up a nine-month old baby crawling on the street unaccompanied, ostensibly abandoned. The residents, who had been bewildered by the strange spectacle, had alerted the police patrol team, who inevitably felt inclined to stop and ‘rescue’ the baby. He was later taken to the nearby state police command headquarters in Ikeja.

    It is not known, whether the baby has yet been claimed by anyone.

    Just last week, an infant baby-girl was found abandoned near a health centre in Avodim village, Umuahia South Local Government Area of Abia State with a note purportedly from the mother that she should not be sold, but handed to a motherless babies’ home or any well-meaning Nigerian, who could take care of her.

    The baby was rescued by a team of the Abia State Nigeria Security and Defence Corpse (NSCDC).

    Efforts are ongoing to get the mother to show compassion and come forward to reclaim the baby.

    In Kubwa, Abuja, the people woke up early August to behold a day old baby girl abandoned near a transformer and in critical health condition. Thankfully, the people took swift action, alerted the police and she was immediately transferred to Kubwa General Hospital, where she was placed on life support.

    In Minna, Niger State, Rariya, an online Hausa news medium reported the story of a newly born baby dumped with his umbilical cord in a well by his unknown mother in June. It was rescued by concerned neighbours and passers-by, who cleaned him up and took him for medical check-up and treatment.

    There have therefore been worries and questions about why this ugly trend has been on the increase. They wonder why these ‘mothers’ are not taking advantage of orphanages and other government facilities, rather than dumping them indiscriminately and in manners that may jeopardise their lives.

    Orphanages on how unwanted pregnancies are taken care of

    Rev. Mrs Dele George, founder of Little Saints Orphanage, who spoke with this reporter in one of the homes in Lagos, said if a child is found abandoned or even abused, the case should be reported to the police because it is criminal to abandon or mistreat babies/children.

    She said “The police will then take such child to an orphanage, which will in turn call the social welfare to get a referral letter for the child to be placed in the orphanage. So we don’t directly go to the streets to collect children because we are not the law enforcement agency.

    “Even if a Good Samaritan finds a child, it is the responsibility of such Good Samaritan to take the child to the police station or to any nearby juvenile centre; and the juvenile centre will in turn contact the orphanage, which will then contact the social welfare.”

    She thus concluded that “If you go to every orphanage, you will find that every child has a police extract or a referral letter from the social welfare. If children need to be reconciled with their biological families, the state government helps us to take care of that.”

    She is however of the opinion that cases of abandoned children in bushes, dumped in pits or flushed down a latrine have reduced.

    Going down memory lane, she said, “When we just came in, in a month we may get up to five babies; but as I speak to you, in five months we have only got about two children. This is because there is a lot of enlightenment out there. There is a lot of information on internet as to what women who have unwanted pregnancies can do. There are a number of Non Government Organisations out there that are helping out. Sometimes they help them have these babies and then place them temporarily in an orphanage and after a while the mothers are empowered and then they can come for their babies.

    “So, I’d say the abandonment is not as rampant as it used to be before because a woman with unplanned pregnancy can always go to any orphanage or such organisations for help. That is however not to say that the rate of unwanted pregnancies have reduced; it is just that they can now get help and go through pregnancy with much ease.

    “In five months, I have had about five of them come to my office and I have referred them to the different NGOs that I know. Before now, these women just go to a place to hide, have the baby, throw the baby away and go back to their houses but now they can get help.”

    Asked the reason such girls give for wanting to dispose off their babies, Rev George said “the main reason they give is persecution from family. Because if a family is not supporting an 18-year Old child who is pregnant and unmarried to bring forth that child in the home, then she will obviously be compelled to go out and abandon the baby when she delivers.

    “But once the family is there to support her, it is very unlikely that she will abandon the child. Also, they don’t want to disgrace their family. That is why when you tell them that you want to talk to their father or mother, they refuse saying their family will say they have brought shame and disgrace to them.

    “We have also had women who dump their babies because they think they have terminal diseases. Some dump their babies because they have HIV; often, the mothers must have transferred the disease to the child.”George reasoned.

    Mrs Vivian Osuntokun of the Heritage Home Orphanage, Lagos, speaking in a separate interview also agreed that the rate at which girls dump children have reduced. “We don’t know what is happening but we know that it has reduced. We have had them come here to say they want to give up their child; we give them a lot of counselling; we let the social workers talk to them and let them see reason why they should keep the child.

    “If we discover that such mother wants to give up the child because she is not financially okay, we let her see how else she can take care of the child.”

    Osuntokun said “Quite a number of cases have happened and we have supported the women; we have seen them through; worked with them; taken them to the Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, WAPA to see what they can learn, so that they can start up something to be able to take care of the children.

    And quite a number of them that we have worked with are happy with the children ; we also talk to NGOs to see if they can provide accommodation for the women. So I think these counselling have helped.”

    Asked what makes the girls and women dump their babies, Osuntokun said “The number one reason is poverty. Income is not like before, so for those who have had other babies, it is because they cannot afford to take care of the child along with the others.

    “Some have put their children at the entrance of the gate and run away because they know that we will take care of the child and they don’t want the child to die.”

    She however said she would not ascribe everything to poverty. “Any young girl that goes to a man and say please give me money is looking for trouble. Some young girls and even boys are the ones doing the parenting instead of their parents. So when they are on the street hawking this and that, one thing may lead to another.”

    Like George, Osuntokun is of the opinion that some people dump their children because of certain medical conditions. “We have had children who had cerebral palsy, Down’s syndrome, hole in the heart, blood infection, castor oesophagus infection or even HIV. We have had different health cases but we take them in because we don’t reject babies.

    “We have had seven HIV-positive babies and along the line three of them were healed. Those who adopted them have done the test over and over again and they have been certified clean. The government have made it easy for us by providing us with different homes. So we have homes for normal children, home for HIV-positive children, home for children with the Down’s syndrome. So all we need do is inform the government and transfer such child to the appropriate special home.”

    Osuntokun explained that Heritage Home orphanage also does home tracing and has been able to reconcile quite a number of the children with their families with the help of the ministry, social welfare and the police.

    “We had a case that the family never knew that the lady had a child. We have even had some cases where we had to do DNA tests to confirm the father of the child and the claims of the lady. But we don’t do it without informing the ministry because any child that comes in here, the ministry is aware of it and they give permission and approve that the child should be brought in here.”Osuntokun finished off.

  • 300 out-of-school girls empowered

    RECENT study shows that the number of children and adolescents who are out of school is on the rise. The UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) figures show that 1 in 11 children is out of school. Incidentally, girls are the most affected. Nigeria, with 10.5million out-of-school children, amounting to 47% of the total global figure, has the highest number.

    With almost 70per cent of Nigeria’s population living below the poverty line, girls are often at the receiving end, as they are sent to work in the markets or hawk wares on the streets. To break this cycle, Lagos State government in collaboration with Action Health Incorporated, Ford Foundation and UNFPA have empowered over 300 out-of-school girls with entrepreneurial skills. The girls, who were drawn from three Lagos slum communities, namely; Ojo, Ijora-Badia and Makoko Iwaya were empowered with skills such as Catering, Make-up/ GeleTying, Bead-making, Soap/Pomade Making, Hair Dressing and Tailoring.

    The beneficiaries could not hide their joy, as each of them apart from receiving their certificates also got Start-Off Equipments, courtesy, Lagos State government and their partners. Damilola Ayeni of Sari-Iganmu, a beneficiary who learnt bead-making, said she intends to start work with it and begin to make money immediately, while Adijat Sanni of Otto, who got empowered with catering skills could not hide her feelings, when she said “I can’t wait to start my own business and start making money to assist my younger ones.”

    Lagos State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Hon. Lola Akande said the programme conforms with the vision for Lagos State by 2025 as stated in the state’s Development Plan, with focus on mobilising resources to maximise the potentials of out-of-school adolescent girls, especially in the slum communities. She said the programme will be replicated in other slummy areas of the state.

    Executive Director, Action Health Incorporated (AHI), Mrs Adenike Esiet said the programme aims to improve the girls’ sexual and reproductive health and increase their income generation potentials as well as promote their willpower to contribute to change in the society.

    While challenging other civil societies and corporate bodies to partner with the state government, a representative of Ford Foundation, Mr Dabesaki stressed the need to make the right investment in the current youth bulge by strengthening them and positioning them to make the right decisions.

    And Dr Omosehin of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) said:  “These girls are no longer marginalized. They are now off the streets and are empowered with skills to make a living.

  • Applause as FG reintroduces History in schools

    Applause as FG reintroduces History in schools

    With the recent pronouncement by the Minister of Education to return History as a subject into schools’ curriculum, stakeholders have been reacting. Gboyega Alaka reports

    THE news penultimate Thursday that the federal government has ordered the reintroduction of History as a subject in primary and secondary schools across the country came as a welcome development to many. To some, it is a prayer answered, while to others, it is a battle won. Academics, politicians, public analysts, educationists and especially Historians have since 2009/2010 academic session when the subject was suspended from schools’ curriculum berated the nation’s education policy-makers, querying the rationale behind such action.

    Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, who called for the disarticulation of Social Studies in the current curriculum of basic schools and reintroduction of History as a subject, said this became imperative, given the critical nature of History to a nation’s socio-political development.

    Malam Adamu made the call in his address during the 61st meeting of the National Council of Education Ministerial Session in Abuja. He said the reintroduction will give the Nigerian child a sense of identity of who they really are. He added that “It is only the study of History, our own history, that can explain and give meaning to our very humanity and that is why we must study it and teach our little ones.”

    As an addition, Malam Adamu said “we must (also) teach them about their God.”

    He thus underlined priorities for Nigerian history and both Christian Religious Knowledge and Islamic Religious Knowledge as compulsory subjects for both Christians and Muslims to the end of Senior Secondary School.

    It will be recalled that the minister had earlier given vent to his bias for History shortly after his appointment, when he told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN in an interview in May, that “Somebody who doesn’t know his history is even worse than dead.”

    He also indicated the direction the reintroduction would be taking, when he said “It would even be better if we study local history first. You have to know who you are before you can be anything in this world.” He opined that the study of local history will promote national unity.

    The minister, it must be said, was literally echoing the arguments many have put forward in their battle to reinstate the subject in the curriculum.

    As if to complement Malam Adamu’s pronouncement, the All Progressives Congress, APC national leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu last week made a strong case for a quick return of History into the nation’s schools’ curriculum, arguing that a nation which forgets its past has lost a beacon to guide its actions. He argued that if not reinstated, the nation’s younger generation may be deprived of their history and tradition as well as knowledge of past mistakes, which would inadvertently guide them aright taking decisions for the future.”

    Asiwaju made the call at the launch of the book, Muhammadu Buhari: The challenges of Leadership in Nigeria at the International Conference Centre in Abuja, where he was reviewer.

    In a rare show of solidarity, Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State last week commended Asiwaju Tinubu and the federal government for aligning with his position to reintroduce History into schools’ curriculum. Even before the minister’s pronouncement, Fayose had earlier ordered the reintroduction of History in schools in Ekiti, arguing that “Ekiti people must learn from past events to have a better future.”

    A nation without history is soulless – Alao

    Professor of Legal History at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Dr. Akin Alao while reacting to the pronouncement said “It is a welcome development, which should be applauded,” noting that it is only those who understand (its) relevance in nation building that could have taken such decision.

    In his words, “A country without a sense of history is a soulless country. It could safely be said that many of the challenges facing state and nation-building efforts in Nigeria are indeed as a result of the neglect of history.

    “History of inter-group relations in Nigeria has confirmed the extent of interactions among Nigerian ethnic groups or nationalities long before the imposition of colonial rule. It would have been the duty of History as a subject in schools, to bring these truths to young Nigerians to influence their understanding of life and what role they could play in cementing the relationship among groups. It would also have meant that young impressionable Nigerians very early in life develop positive self-concept and awareness that would be the basis for the emergence of an identity that will be truly national and well-conceived.”

    Dr Alao gave kudos to the History Society of Nigeria and other well-meaning stakeholders for fighting a good battle. He said the next step should be to demand that the Nigeria University Commission enforce its regulation concerning the teaching of Nigerian History and culture as special electives to be taken by students in universities irrespective of their disciplinary specialisation.

    Commenting on what could have influenced the decision to drop History in the first place, Dr Alao said it may not be unconnected with the perception that History as a discipline may not be as employable as in the past. He however insisted that History provides other values beyond paid employment and can serve as foundation to other professions.

    “History has values in developing the mind and there is no discipline without its own history, including medicine. What is required is the acquisition of the techniques of history. For example, a lawyer has to know, understand and consider the two sides of a coin to make a good case. A medical doctor needs the history of the patient and the ailment before he can have a successful diagnosis. An architect must have a sense of history to know what designs will meet specific needs. An administrator must be very familiar with the history of the people before he can administer successfully.” Alao said