The Nation Newspaper

Category: Arts & Life

  • Agenda for growing filmmaking in Nigeria

    Agenda for growing filmmaking in Nigeria

    The  Plateau International Film Festival, which started six years ago in Jos, is fast becoming a major tourism event. Itsdirector, Mrs Debrah Jalmet-Ododo, speaks with Assistant Editor (Arts) OZOLUA UHAKHEME on the event.  

    Looking back, what are the challenges organising the annual film festival?

    Well, as usual every event and indeed each edition of the festival has its challenges. But then, these challenges have always opened new vistas for us to succeed. We have and are still dealing with issues of funding for the festival. We use this opportunity to thank our strategic partners and those who have supported us in several ways, too numerous to mention, for believing in what we have set out to achieve with this festival, which is in its sixth edition. We are very hopeful that in the coming years, film makers especially in and around Plateau State will beat their chest and there will possibly be no other film platform to promote creativity, employment and entertainment other than the Plateau International Film Festival (PIFF).

    Despite these challenges you kept faith with the festival, what is the staying power?.

    Yes, we have because film enthusiasts in and around Plateau State, Nigeria and the world over have keyed into what we are doing here. From the level of domestic and foreign participation in past editions, it is evidently clear that we have the endorsement and support of many. The level of foreign and domestic film entries have continued to grow with each edition of the festival. Our target is to develop principally young Nigerian youths who are either in the film making business or want to take to filmmaking as a career or profession. Consequently, we have leveraged on the existence of the National Film Institute (NFI), sited in Jos and hopefully we intend to access some of our participants to enroll at the NFI for further training in filmmaking. Above all, we are determined to sustain the film festival despite the daunting challenges, just as we  will count on the goodwill of our partners, hotel and hospitality providers, transportation companies and especially, the Plateau State Government and the Nigerian Film Corporation(NFC) in the hosting of this year’s, and future editions of the film festival.

    Specifically, what is the driving force or motivation that keeps you on?

    Participation has been the greatest force behind the successes of the festival. This includes film entries in the various categories of awards from domestic and foreign filmmakers, professional and upcoming. Apart from our determination, our team of resourceful management, resource persons and faculty, including diligent volunteers, have been instrumental to the sustenance of the festival.  We have, and are receiving commendations from around the world. These encourage us to forge ahead. Also, we are receiving notifications and advanced bookings for participation. And we are equally assessing and expanding the scope and content of the festival to meet modern day realities in contemporary film festival and markets. All of these and many more have made us to continue to drive the festival.

    What is the unique element of the festival that separates it from others?

    The uniqueness of the festival is hinged on the fact that we have targeted young and upcoming filmmakers, and we are succeeding. Above all, I think we have done more than even what we set to do in each of the festival editions. The participation levels of these categories of attendees have kept the festival going. And the support level is equally a factor. We shall continue to work on our strengths and develop strategies to deal with our challenges.

    Beyond entertainment, what socio-economic issues is the festival promoting?

    Beyond entertainment, our focus has been to empower attendees with the necessary skills and up-to-date information on filmmaking as a business venture. Consequently, we have always chosen themes in each edition  and aligned with the nation’s aspirations. In other words, we try to ensure that in all we do, the people and the nation Nigeria come first. For instance in 2011, the festival theme was ‘Art and Peace’, in recognition of film as a tool for peaceful co-existence. In 2013, it was ‘Building Relationship through Film’, in 2014 ‘Film, Tourism and Culture as a tool for education and entertainment and in 2015, ‘Film for the development of the society.

    What’s your dream for the festival?

    Our dream is to grow the festival into that which will make Jos, the Plateau State capital, the hub of filmmaking and entertainment. By this, the tourism potentials of the state will be enhanced. Employment will the generated and wealth created through the various trades associated with filmmaking, film festivals and market.

    When are you returning to the stage and screen as a specialist in cinematography?

    Even with the enormous task of mounting the festival each year, I am working on some productions and I intend to fully engage in active stage and screen appearance as well. In fact, preparation for the next edition of the festival begins from the closing ceremony of the out gone edition. Despite these, I do at times provide advisory roles and supervise some film projects, including the holding of technical sessions and briefs with international faculties on film matters.

    This year’s festival is around the corner what is the preparation level?

    Yeah, this year’s edition has since started. Call for entry has since opened, and as usual, filmmakers are responding. We are equally stepping up sponsorship; partnership and support drive to enable us achieve maximum success. We have also expanded the categories to now include, drama, animation, commercial/advertorial and music video. We obviously expect large turnout of participants. As usual, barring any circumstances we a hoping to live up to expectation and host a successful 2016 edition of PIFF.

  • Nigeria’s epidemic of imploding marriages

    Nigeria’s epidemic of imploding marriages

    Going by the spate of upheavals, violence and breakages in marriages, this year’s Family Day celebration essentially had enough issues on the front-burner, as several fora tried to explore the issues. Assistant Editor, Yetunde Oladeinde and Dorcas Egede attempt an appraisal of the situation..

    Families, healthy lives and a sustainable future. That is the theme for this year’s Family Day celebration. Unfortunately, a lot of things threaten the existence of the family today. This includes the spate of spousal abuse, abandonment, betrayal, extreme financial crisis and the unbearable desire to get rich quickly. Spouses are therefore always ready to do anything to satisfy this – no matter whose ox is gored.
    Marriage, interestingly, is one factor that is considered when describing who is a responsible member of a society and who is not. In spite of the advantages, we still have a great number of divorce cases in our societies. One therefore begins to wonder what has gone wrong with this most respected social institution.
    The reason for this ugly phenomenon is not far- fetched. It ranges from economic problems to misunderstanding from both parties and other extraneous factors.
    Violence and spousal abuse has become very rampant because of frustrations and economic problems. One of the most recent cases involves Lekan Shonde, the dockworker who allegedly killed his wife, Ronke during a scuffle at their Egbeda residence in Lagos. 31-year-old Akolade Arowolo, who went on trial for allegedly killing his banker wife, Titilayo, about five years ago, was sentenced to death by hanging by an Ikeja High Court.
    Celebrities have had their fair share of crisis on a regular basis; and on such occasions, you are inundated with tales of how things fell apart. However, there are some celebrities who have been lucky with their marriages; instead of experiencing diminishing returns in the union, they wax stronger. Ashionye Michelle Raccah has been lucky to find a man who understands her personality and career. “Marriage has been fantastic, my husband and I are like friends; we are like brother and sister, more than husband and wife. We don’t have secrets, we share everything together.”
    The singer, actress and producer added: “I believe that is what has been keeping the marriage going. I am lucky to be married to someone who is also in the business and enjoys it. There are no restrictions, he believes in professionalism. We thank God for the journey so far, and we are praying to be together till we are grey and old.”
    Infidelity is one of the greatest reasons for the crisis and subsequently disentanglement. For Ene Aliu, this certainly is not the season for love at all. She recently discovered that her man betrayed the marriage vows barely ten months after they got married. “I did not know that anything was going on. He kept on travelling for business trips. Each time he came back, my husband came with so many gifts and I was so impressed with him. I told everyone around me that he was the best husband in the whole world.”
    Sadly, the dream ended abruptly. “Someone sent me some pictures of my husband with another woman and a love child. I was so sure it was a lie and I didn’t believe it. Perhaps it was a ploy to bring confusion within.” So she decided to find out from her husband to allay her fears. “When I asked him about it, he said it was true and he was not sober at all.”
    She was devastated.
    Interestingly, deception in marriage is not just about infidelity. It actually comes in different guises. Florence Adigun is another woman whose marriage hit the rocks from the onset. “I got married on the 8th of October 2003 to a man I met through his mum. Even though, he was older, he was very good looking, simple and easy going.”The wedding process went well but the crisis came when she discovered that the man she just got married to was impotent.
    “On the night of the wedding, we were together in a hotel for our honeymoon and I looked forward to our first night together. All night, we were together but he did not make any move towards me and I was so confused. I also noticed that he became restless and when it was 5am I asked him what was wrong. Suddenly, he went on his knees begging me and telling me he was impotent. He also pleaded that I should not tell his mother anything because if she finds out, she will kill me.”
    Like Adigun, twenty-nine year old Rebecca wished her marriage would last a lifetime. To make this happen, she took her time and refused to date just anybody. Finally, she found someone she loved. “We met at a friend’s wedding and it was love at first sight. We got married shortly afterwards and everyone in his family was so good to me”.
    Lucky? Not really! Barely two weeks after tying the knot with her Romeo, she discovered that he was mentally unstable. “I felt so bad because it was something everybody knew about but they cleverly kept it away from me”.
    Sadly, she continued her story: “He got angry with everything I did and I became a punching bag. One day, I ran away from his house; I didn’t wait to pick anything. I was so traumatised and just didn’t know what to do with my life after that experience.”
    Once bitten, twice shy. This aptly captures Thelma Adikwu’s views on marriage. Born with the silver spoon, she was unfortunate to have fallen in love with a gold digger. The marriage lasted for about eighteen months and she just had to move on with the pieces. “While I was growing up as a little girl, at some point in my life, I said I did not want to get married. It was because of what we had seen. Also while I was growing up, my father left my mother and the experience was not a nice one.”
    Divorce and marital crisis is not synonymous with celebrities and the rich alone. It actually cuts across every strata of the society. Visits to a few customary courts reveal a number of dramatic cases, where parties concerned seek dissolution to the unions they promised to keep ,’till death do us apart”, depicting the sad state of the marriage institution.
    At Oriade Local Council Development Area in Lagos, a petitioner, Jemila Zubair sought the approval of the court to dissolve the less than two years marriage with her husband, Jamiu Zubair.
    Jemila Zubair wants the marriage dissolved on the ground of infidelity, lack of trust, disrespect and incompatibility. Jemila, who wants the marriage dissolved because Jamiu has married another woman, told the court that she couldn’t continue living with him because of his infidelity.
    Jamiu however revealed his frustration to the court. He said he was left with no other choice than to remarry because his wife wets the bed, and having done everything possible to help her stop the bad habit without success, he decided to take another wife.
    Jemila said she wants the divorce because according to her, she has found someone else who is interested in marrying her, but wants to end her marriage with Jamiu in order to forestall any future problems.
    The case which has been adjourned on three occasions was again adjourned to the 31st of May 2016.
    In another sitting at the customary court, a petitioner, Mr. Nkemakolam Charles has sued for the dissolution of his 7-year-old marriage with the respondent, Mrs. Amaka Charles.
    Nkemakolam wants the marriage contracted in Anambra State, Nigeria, in accordance with the Christian customary vow, and blessed with two children, Bishop Chibuize Charles, aged 6 and Adaeze Success Charles, aged 4; dissolved on the ground of a broken marriage, incompatibility, and repeated threats from Mrs. Amaka.
    The petitioner, therefore, seeks for order to dissolve the existing marriage with the respondent, order to grant the custody of the children to the petitioner and respondent; feeding and school fees maintenance allowance by the petitioner, and order for the protection of life from the continuous threat of the respondent.
    This case was examined on the 17th of May 2016, and judgment for the dissolution of the marriage was passed by the court president.
    At another customary court in Igando, Lagos, you are faced with another addition to the list of failed marriages and it breaks the heart. Here the court dissolved the marriage of one Ganiyat Falana, 37, on the grounds of infidelity.
    Ganiyat and Dare Falana were until the dissolution of the union, married for 15 years.
    Dare, a 40-year-old business man, had approached the court, seeking the dissolution of the marriage because of infidelity and threats to his life. The estranged husband, who described his wife as adulterous, claimed to have caught her with a man friend in his room eating and chatting.
    “My wife is always threatening my life with dangerous weapons, and she once chased me with a knife in our street threatening to stab me. She is a good fighter, her hobby is fighting. I have at least on five occasions bailed her from the police station.
    Ganiyat however described Dare as fetish, claiming that he killed the foetus in her womb.
    “I saw my bra inside my husband’s brief case; I queried him but he said he wanted to take it to the church for prayers. He also brought a handkerchief home for me to clean my private part with and return to him; but I refused. Apart from his fetish nature, he also turned me into a punching bag.” She said bitterly.
    Delivering judgment, the president of the court, Mr. Adegboyega Omilola said, “the court has no choice but to dissolve the union; in spite of the fact that the wife still claims she loves her husband.”
    “The court pronounces the marriage between Dare Falana and Ganiyat Falana dissolved today. Both parties henceforth cease to be husband and wife.” Omilola ruled.
    The vows taken during the wedding ceremony, according to Naomi Adams, a social worker and counselor, hint that marriage is not a bed of roses. “Unfortunately, a lot of people go into wrong relationships that are prone to trouble from the onset. The focus usually is on beauty and other material things, which usually turn out to be temporary. As soon as these things disappear, they change their attitude towards the person they claim they love. The problem is that so many people are desperate to get married at all cost. Yet, they do not want to do the things required to get loyalty and win a heart without tears.”
    Immaturity, according to some experts, is usually responsible for a number of the marital woes that are rampant now. “I was a victim of teenage marriage. At eleven, my father married me off to a village teacher and I never liked the idea. I could not refuse and that action destablised me then and later in life. I didn’t know or understand the implication of marriage as an institution then because I was in primary three,” informs Benedicta Ibrahim who hails from Kogi State.
    That marriage lasted for four years and her brother, a banker helped to refund the dowry. “Luckily, I was too tender to get pregnant and I went back to school. Somehow, I was lured into another marriage which lasted for three years and I went back to school again”, she recounts.
    However, it is not all negative. There are a number of people who are having wonderful times in their marriage. Aramide Oladele, who has been married for about 28 years, is one of such people. “Whenever my husband is happy, I try to make him happier. I cook his favourite dish for him. And it is during this period that I put before him issues that, have been waiting for him to handle. This is the time I can get money and all the basic things I want from him. If he is angry, I try to pacify him. But when he makes me angry, I just keep quiet. Over the years, I learnt to keep quiet when he is angry. I withdraw, I will not talk again and when he observes this, he would come to me and ask me what he had done wrong.”
    Pastor Bisi Adewale, an expert of marital issues believes that there are certain ingredients needed to sustain a blissful home. “The first is commitment, a state of being willing to give a lot of time, energy and resources to one’s spouse. Secondly, the spiritual wellbeing of the couple is also very important. They must allow God in their home and give Him the leadership role. Once, the presence of God is missing in a marriage; the devil will be in the driver’s seat driving such homes into stormy waters.”
    He adds that: “Togetherness is compulsory where marriage must be the best. Research shows that couples that do things together tend to be closer, understand each other and have a successful marriage, than those who don’t spend time together. If your marriage must be strong, you must live together, talk, sleep, play, pray and eat together. Mind you, many things like hours spent at work, watching TV, talking to your friends, salon and the internet are competing seriously with your time to the detriment of your marriage. To make your marriage a success, you must make your spouse part of your daily schedules, regardless of how busy you are.”

  • A day at the marriage registry

    A day at the marriage registry

    When two lovebirds discover that they are meant for each other, the next step is to hit the altar. Church weddings are colourful and glamorous. However, it comes with its costs. Getting married and settling down goes beyond falling in love. It comes with a lot of financial implications and this can be a deterrent to many. There is no doubt that the choices you make about your wedding day can make a huge impact on the total cost.
    There are also optional extras which you can choose or decline, according to your budget. You do not have to have any of these extras, but many couples are keen to have at least some. If you choose them, they will cost extra. A number of young people are opting for weddings in the registry because its saves all the other unnecessary costs.
    It’s a calm Thursday morning at the popular Ikoyi Marriage Registry on Alfred Rewane Road (formerly Kingsway Road), Ikoyi, Lagos. The time is 9.45 am and the place is a beehive of activities. From the entrance, you could feel the excitement in the air, as you imagine the ‘happily ever after’ romantic dream.
    A beautiful bride, a stretch limousine and a horde of photographers and gaily dressed family members catch your fancy. The groom wore a red silver silk suit, looking awesome. All this gave their corner, the ambience of a big celebrity wedding. This must be the first part of the ceremony and as you move away, you wonder if they would survive the odds, weather the storms together or become one of those who end up on the long list of failed marriages.
    You move inside, and there is so much fun within. The wedding bell chimed every five or ten minutes. Every couple looking different, feeling different, and excitement was in the air. While some had few guests, others came with the full bridal train and more.
    The would-be couples glowed as they walked around in different attires. A lady in a mini-dress that was so revealing caught the attention of a middle-aged woman who exclaimed. “What kind of wedding dress is this? Didn’t she look at the mirror before stepping out?”
    The other would-be couples walked around, laughing, holding hands at the fact that in a couple of minutes, the emotional deals would be sealed. Those whose marriage had been consummated walked out looking relieved and showing off the wedding bands to friends and family.
    Twenty-eight-year-old Mosunmola wowed everyone as she stepped forward in a white cotton and chiffon wedding dress embellished with stones. Her better half, Olukayode, 34 quickly ushered her into her seat and this was followed with a kiss. Applause!
    Number 18. Well, the couple was not in sight. Luckily, a friend went out to find them and they walked in looking rattled. They were the simplest of them all. Just three witnesses and the dressing was plain and almost colourless. A closer look and you discover that the bride was a natural beauty, no makeup at all. Her wedding gown was a simple Ankara dress with no embellishment. A modern day Cinderella! They take their vows and exchanged rings to the applause of the audience.
    One other couple that catches your fancy was announced as No. 22. Quickly, they moved forward and occupied the first three rows of the wooden chairs with their families and guests. Marital vows exchanged, they hugged and kissed each other lovingly. At the conclusion of the simple event, the groom gave her another kiss while their little crowd sang a version of Louis Armstrong’s, “What a wonderful world.”
    Fate accomplished, they danced their way towards the exit. Well, the first part of the hurdle was over and time and chance would determine how they would cope with the more tedious part of the arrangement.
    Now, it was the turn of the Omowunmi’s, a couple in their late fifties. Dressed in white lace, buba and iro outfit, the bride walked forward with the groom who was wearing the same lace. Their children, grandchildren and family members sat closely behind them, laughing and giggling. “Tunmigbe!” That was the exclamation on the lips of the father of the bride sitting a few meters away. Yes, he was right. It was a renewal of marital vows. They had obviously weathered the storms together and the union has complied with the injunction of, ‘Go ye to the world and multiply.”
    At this point, the crowd gets thinner and you wonder if it is all over. Not yet, there is a small hall inside the registry and the couple with the largest turn-out retires here. The place is decorated in yellow, the colour scheme for the day. About fifty guests are seated within and the ‘Eko for show’ flavour dominant. The parents of the bride and groom sat in a prime location and in less than fifteen minutes, a colourful Nikai ceremony was conducted. They moved on to have an engagement ceremony and the Alaga Iduro took over in style. She danced, cracked jokes and sang different songs in the different Yoruba dialects. The atmosphere was fully charged and the guests and family members came forward, spraying her with wads of the naira notes. The items required for the ceremony was also displayed and in another 20 minutes the engagement ceremony was over.
    Now, it was time to dance, drink and be merry. Maureen, a Briton married to a Nigerian and dressed in traditional buba and iro outfit took to the floor. “She danced to the drumbeat in frenzy and for a few minutes, she became the cynosure of all eyes. The drumbeat changed and he sang; ‘Aya wani, Iyawo wani,” her dance steps were awesome and it brought more excitement from all.
    Speaking in smattering Yoruba accent, she said it is important to understand what your spouse loves and help to fill in the gaps. “I have been in Nigeria for about fifteen years and I can cook a lot of Nigerian dishes. My husband loves the way I cook African dishes’, she said chuckling. In fact, she had mastered the game and you could tell from her gesticulations that culture and distance is no barrier to a blissful marriage. Though a Briton, she has inculcated African values and mannerism.

  • Celebrities who hawked wares on their way up

    Celebrities who hawked wares on their way up

    On the heels of a recent revelation by his Royal Majesty, Ooni Adeyeye Ogunwusi that he once hawked wares on his way to economic independence, Gboyega Alaka catalogues a few notable Nigerian celebrities, who once pounded the streets with goods on their head.

    Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi’s recent declaration that he once hawked biscuits, sugar and vegetables in the market came a bit as a surprise to many, considering his royal background, pre-monarchical economic status, which was by no means low; and present royal status. But it no doubt goes a long way in reinforcing the fact that hawking is a part of the African culture, and can only be regulated but not eradicated.
    Speaking at an Ife Youth Empowerment Economic Summit, which he co-sponsored with another Ife indigene and prince, Senator Babajide Omoworare, in Ile Ife, Osun State recently, the 41-year-old monarch charged the youths to take the bull by the horn and liberate themselves from the shackles of poverty. To buttress his point, he told them the amazing story of his early struggles in life and little beginning. “What was it that I didn’t sell? Except human parts. I sold biscuits, vegetable oil, rice, sugar, name it. I kept on working. The going was rough and tough but I was not deterred.”
    He said it was in the course of his persistence and gradual growth that he started meeting business juggernauts like Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, Dr. Adeleke, emirs and co.
    Ooni Ogunwusi is however not the only celebrity who have confessed to once combing the streets, peddling their wares for survival earnings. Popular radio personality, comedian and television act, Steve Onu aka Yaw once revealed how he “sold ice water and soft drinks” at Yaba market and even did bus conductor for a while just to survive.”
    Yaw, who became a household name as a presenter on the then novel Wazobia FM radio revealed his grass to grace story on his Instagram account. He wrote of how as the seventh child in a family of ten siblings, he came to Lagos to seek greener pastures; how he used to trek long distances, struggled to take a diploma at the Lagos State University, hustled from show to show and eventually went back to do a degree programme in Theatre Arts in 2000.
    He wrote: “I sold ice water at Yaba market, did bus conductor once in a while just to survive with a friend called Mutiu. Joining the movie industry wasn’t easy in 1995, I remember days of walking from Kilo to Fadeyi or walking from Utziz Garden near 23rd to Mile 2, and taking a bus to Oshodi, from there take Molue to Iyana Ipaja & from the bus stop; I’d trek to my aunt’s place in Alimosho.”
    In the same vein, sonorous gospel singer, actress and Nollywood soundtrack producer, Tope Alabi once told a soft sell newsmagazine how she hawked raw eggs, rice, garri and stuff as a child before going to school every day.
    Her words: “Aside acting, I hawked raw eggs, rice and stew before going to school in Ewutu Grammar School. It was in Ibadan that I sold boiled egg.”
    Alabi, who initially made a name for herself in acting, said she chose music over acting when the late movie producer and actor Alade Aromire implored her to do a song for a movie he had written, but said the early days were anything but easy.
    Another top Nigerian celebrity who once confessed to hawking is former Super Eagles Skipper Austin Jay-Jay Okocha. Like a man not ashamed of his humble beginning, Jay-Jay has spoken severally of how he hawked oranges amongst other things, while growing up on the streets of Enugu.
    Like every other kid, Jay-Jay said food was about the only thing he cared about and that he used to sell oranges on the streets of Enugu after school, to support his mom’s business and keep the family going. Looking back, Jay-Jay however expressed gratitude that his success with the round leather game changed all that.
    Another football sensation whose background reflects humility is Watford FC of England’s goal poacher, Odion Ighalo. Ighalo, whose father, Pa Paul Ighalo owned a bakery in the heart of Ajegunle, hawked bread along with his other siblings in ‘Jungle city’ to support the family business. This much reporters found out during a recent condolence visit to the family house in Ajegunle, on the occasion of the passing away of his father.
    It was reported the late Pa Ighalo, who was reputed for his disciplinary nature ensured that the children hawked bread as part of business training and also to augment the family income and ensure little waste in the perishable product.
    One of the siblings was however quoted to have said it was all fun for them. “For us kids, it was great fun hawking bread.”
    Okocha and Ighalo are just two of Nigerian football sensations who rose from humble backgrounds to hit it big on the global stage with their God-given talent.
    But this list would not be complete without a peek into the world of some Nigerian music and movie stars, who have also confessed to trekking the streets of Lagos and other Nigerian towns and cities (where) they grew up), plying goods on their heads or hands and trying to rake in income to make ends meet.
    One of them is ‘Girlie o’ crooner, Patrick Nnaemeka Okorie aka Patoranking. Patoranking, who said the story of his humble beginning and rise to fame is one he is always happy to recount, said he grew up in the ghetto and in deep poverty. Aside revealing that music eventually took over his initial ambition to read Information Technology, Patoranking has also revealed that he sold rat killers amongst other stuff in the perennially thick Lagos traffic along Kingsway Road, Ikoyi, to survive.
    Said Patoranking in an interview he granted an online magazine recently, “I belong to the group that lived in poverty. I wanted to go to school to read Information Technology but I was not opportuned. I just had to pursue music. Life in the ghetto offers you few options. It’s either I did music or I would have been on the headlines of that popular TV program, that showcases robbers; Crime Fighters. I was determined to come out of poverty. Being the first child of the family, I needed to change the face for my family. So I did a lot of hustling. Rat killer was one of the few things I hawked on the streets of Lagos. I hawked on the popular Kingsway road in Ikoyi close to Golden gate. I sold rat killer in traffic and other types of ‘runs’ just to make ends meet while I pursued my dream of doing music.”
    Multi-talented actor and winner, Best Supporting Actor, AMVCA (Africa Movie Viewers Choice’ Award) 2015, Chidozie ‘Sambassa’ Nzeribe is another celebrity, who has been through rough patches before attaining stardom. Shortly after winning the coveted award, Nzeribe, who said he grew up in Isolo, a suburb of Lagos and lost both his parents at a relatively young age, told reporters that he hawked virtually everything, from fufu to puff-puff.
    He said, “There is nothing we didn’t sell to make some money. I hawked fufu, vegetable and puff-puff on the streets of Isolo. My mother was also a drama teacher and choir instructor at our parish, St. Mary Catholic Church, Isolo. And I was a part of the drama and music group. There I developed love for music and drama. But sadly, she died of fibroid related issues when I was rounding-off my secondary school education. Thank God the Catholic Women Organisation (CWO) took up the responsibility of training me and my siblings via their Orphans’ Scholarship Scheme. They saw me through secondary school after which I wrote JAMB and gained admission to study Creative Arts at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) and here I am today.”
    2015 winner of N7.5million Nigerian Idol TV Reality show, K-Peace, real name Olakunle Ogunrombi had also spoken of how he hawked gala, chin-chin, pure water and soft drinks in traffic, to ease financial pressure after losing his father.
    K-Peace, who also won an all-expense-paid trip to Dubai and a Hyundai Sports

    Utili
    ty Vehicle that year, said he came from a family of five, where all were well-cared for, until his engineer father lost his job and eventually passed on.
    During this tough period, K-Peace said he “covered from Mile 2 to Maza-maza and Alakija, selling chin-chin. I later started selling gala, pure water and soft drinks around the “Chopping Centre” neighbourhood of Festac Town.”
    The list definitely is endless, but it nevertheless reiterates the depth of the culture of hawking in most below average Nigerian families and the fact that the end ultimately justifies the means.

  • Machine that never got tired

    Title: From Machine Boy to Managing Director: The Biography of Felix Matthew Ogbeyewebor Osifo.
    Author: Hope Eghagha
    Reviewer: Sam Omatseye

    When Professor Hope Eghagha was working on the book, it looked like an eternity because, in the course of the past few years, including his distracting time as commissioner in Delta State, our conversations flashed occasionally into the subject. It seemed it was a project of the age of Methuselah. Although I never ventured to say it, I prayed in private earnest that the Almighty God granted the plenitude of double grace. The first grace was that the subject, Mr. Osifo, would enjoy longevity enough. The second grace was that God would give the project the speed of an eagle and turn a Methuselah into a young and bustling David. Put simply, I prayed that Mr. Osifo outlasted the book project.

    So, when I picked up a call from Benita Osifo, the subject’s daughter, about my role as reviewer, I thought to myself, “at last, the eagle has landed. Thanks to the Lord on high.”

    It would seem, on the surface, like clockwork to review a biographical account of a personage like Felix Matthew O Osifo. The reason is that one has known him virtually all my life, at least my adult life. But that, precisely, is why it poses a challenge. I am playing a double role as  interlocutor and witness. Sometimes the roles collapse and dovetail.

    As one read from page to page, it became clear that projects like this book titled, From Machine Boy to Managing Director: the Biography of Felix Matthew Ogbeyewebor Osifo, justify why the lives and activities of great men are written. They afford us the opportunity to play amebo into the lives of people we know, or we think we know. Even more so, into the lives of people we know of but whose public exploits arouse a restless and drooling appetite to know.

    Generally, as FMO Osifo, as his friends and colleagues often refer to him, grew in profile as a corporate and public success, stories that wound around him did little credit to the toil and dynamism of his early years. Thanks to this book, we know better. The public only knows of his outward persona, his physical attributes, his guttural voice, his majestic strides, his sometimes imperial or royal carriage, his guttural voice, or what Felix Ohiwerei calls his “robust laughter,” the charisma of a tireless inspirer, his eyes that are at once bold and kind, his impeccable sartorial taste, his air of prosperity without ostentation, his pious dignity, his gregarious grace, his sharp and dissecting intellect, a man who simultaneously soars and bows, depicting a success that recognises the root of his route.

    But few know the following. That the same FMO was a houseboy, the same FMO of the swagger once pushed truck, that the same corporate giant hawked items to keep body and soul together, that he accompanied his father to the farm when he was not toiling at his studies. He was also a motor park help, he re-baggged cement and worked at building sites.

     Professor Eghagha alluded to the psalm by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow to demonstrate FMO Osifo’s life reminds us that “Lives of great men all remind us/ we can make our lives sublime.”

    Yes, the beginning was turbulent. His father was poor. His mother, for all her love for the children, could not do more than the little that was available. But the young Osifo did not limit himself to the environment. He completed his primary education and decided, unlike some of his contemporaries with ambition, that he was going to chart a path all his own: that of a doctor of machines.

    When he told his mother, she resisted. The virtue of persistence shone early in his life. He wanted to train to be like one Amachree who had been gloriously introduced at the Feast of Tabernacles in Warri as a doctor of machines. He wanted no other dream. He had seen his role model. Osifo rallied his friends, members of the God’s Kingdom Society, including the president, the late Brother Ebenezer Temisanren Otomewo, to persuade the mother. She acceded to her son’s request and sold her jewelry to pay for his son’s journey and training as a doctor of machines.

    Ambition is like leaping in the dark. The young man had left home, father, mother, siblings and the security of the unknown for the wild and boisterous unpredictability of the big, bright Babylon that Lagos was believed to be.

    With Amachree and Co., he set out and he outpaced those he met in training. He also put his imagination to work, scraping from his meager resources to take advantage of a correspondence course. So good was he that when his training and apprenticeship ended, the owner of the business did not want him to leave. Here again, we see the single-mindedness of FMO. He joined G. Gottschalk as journey man or technician. That was the beginning of a trajectory up.

    From then the author tracks how FMO rose. But it happened with an unswerving devotion. He paid attention to detail and his energy was boundless. More importantly, he bested his fellows and his bosses noticed. Before long, he was approved for a course in the United Kingdom, this was the beginning of a string of courses and travels that would illuminate his career for decades.

    Promotions came, his fortunes improved, and the Osifo who sought free accommodation in No. 1Pike Street, soared to become one of the mainstays of the UAC and jewels of corporate Nigeria.

    A few points need to be observed here. First, he worked in an ambience of jealousy. A funny scene happened when his stature intimidated quite a few of them and someone planted a fetish abject, or juju, in his work place. An undaunted Osifo poured petrol over it and burned it while invoking the power of the Holy Bible. The culprit had to confess. Ironically he was Osifo’s senior but he would later serve as his junior in the office.

    Two, he operated in an era of meritocracy in Nigeria’s corporate world. Partly because it was that era when the company elite were expatriates, especially British, and were not crimped by the Nigerian penchant for ethnic or clannish proclivities.

    He later moved on as the managing director of Vono. It was a task he did not want at first. But it was a job that tested him, and his good sense triumphed over ego. He wanted the job as chairman and managing director and that was what befitted him.

    This brings out some high quality of the man. He began as a machine boy and dreamt machines. But his versatility shone so that his bosses saw that he was not only a man of technical virtuosity but also a manager of the first rank. When he trained abroad he bested his mates. He did so at work.  So good was he that in the course of his career, he became a mister Fix-it. That was why he went to GBO and that was why he was asked after his GBO exploits to save Vono.

    Now, Vono provided an interesting drama. Osifo had long dreamed of owning his own concern, and sometime in the 1970’s, he had wanted to quit the company. But friends and his wife, Beatrice, cautioned him. He relented. He saw a great opportunity in Vono. When he took over, Vono International was contemplating shutting down the business until the hand of Osifo breathed a new and profitable life into it. The business owners decided they did not want to sell it any more.

    Osifo eventually decided to quit in line with his dream to be on his own when he turned fifty. The decision shocked everyone at the top. He had so become a big part of the UAC success that his leaving blindsided the corporate brass of the company.

    Osifo formed Osiquip and showed that he could do for himself what he had done for others. Osiquip became a nimble company, and he had to overcome a lot of the teething challenges of setting up a company.

    But his corporate life was not without its chink. It was a story of false allegation that involved his chairmanship of a bank, Royal Merchant Bank. The author tracks with pathos how he was accused, how he had to spend time in detention and went on trial here in Lagos and Jos. The story ends with his vindication and he had to shed tears and also have a party with friends and church members.

    The other part of his story is his faith. From reviling the church, he joined the GKS early and took part in its very early years. Missing in this narrative is the process of conversion. How did he imbibe the church’s clearly different train of doctrines? How did he navigate such distinctive beliefs as Christ has come, not every faithful will go to heaven, who are saints, what is a soul, the challenge of trinity, etc. I would have wanted to read how the young Osifo grappled with this universe of doctrines, especially from his father’s paganism. His mother may have had to wrestle with the same existential transition.

    Because of his devotion, he became the secretary of the Lagos Branch and later the head of the laity worldwide. His was a leadership without the whiff of scandal or profligacy or ostentation or vanity. It made him very easy as a role model for many young, such as myself.

    All through the book, the support of his wife Beatrice shines. The courtship and wedding reads like a fairy tale. And she was a consistent bower through all his travels and travails.  As she herself said, she knew how to talk to him.

    I would have wanted to read more about Beatrice though, especially how her vision of family coincided with the husband’s, with clear anecdotes. Also, the children seem to have taken a back seat in the narrative. We know of Benita the Iron Lady, Emmanuel the CEO, Ebenezer in the United States, etc., but snippets about them as they grew would have enlivened this beautiful book. The author acknowledged difficulties of ferreting some facts.

    There are letters that move the heart. For instance we read the one from Otomewo congratulating the young Osifo when he was promoted foreman. We also read the letters between him and  Ernest Sonekan. He avails us his action plan to turn Vono around after his successes at BEAM and GBO, successes he attributes to the divine guidance and mercies.

    From Machine Boy to Managing Director is a keepsake. Professor Eghagha weaves the stories with an eye for details, and it is written with curiosity, analytical flair, warmth, compassion and an enthralling simplicity. It lacks a professorial pomposity or book tedium. His particular eye on the trajectory of the subject up the corporate ladder bears so much detail and sometimes picturesque fascination that the reader sometimes feels transported in time.

    We also enjoy the philosophical quotes that help situate sections and chapters of the story. Osifo’s reliance on God bears the frequent quotes from the Bible. One quote that sums up his life is this: “Seest thou a man diligent in his business. He shall stand before kings and not before mean men.” Proverbs 22:29.

  • Of murder and mystery

    Title: A Sketch of Murder
    Author: Precious Titilayo Idienumah
    Publishers: WestBow Press
    Number of Pages: 206
    Reviewer: Emeka Onwuegbuzia

    A sketch of Murder’, Precious Titilayo Idienumah’s first book published in 2015 does not fall short of an enthralling piece of literature. It is a well written piece of fiction; which combines the themes of crime and romance in a fascinating manner. The nuances of satire also loudly resonate in the work of Christian fiction.

    For a debutante, Precious has outdone expectations by weaving the plots of the novel in an un-put-downable manner.

    Centred on resolving the circumstances surrounding the death of Adetara ‘Tara’ Omolade, the author takes us round the twists and turns of a journey of alliances featuring a doctor, an office assistant and a Journalist. These characters were participants in a gruesome murder that began with a desire to give another woman comfort in her dying moments.

    Each chapter begins with unique quotes and verses with meanings deeply woven into the respective chapters. These quotes form a special part of the book as they show the author’s depth and maturity towards her subject of discourse.

    The romantic plot revolves around interesting characters, Derin, Jason, and the very irrepressible Temi who happens to be the centrepiece of both men’s desires. Fireworks spark but are calmed between Temi and Derin, but Precious allows them simmer between Jason and Temi.

    As a Christian fiction, it did not come as a surprise that the intricately woven  plot of the novel is made to reflect  the unconditional love that Jesus offers and the redemption that is found in His arms.

    A Sketch of Murder excels in many ways but traipses with regard to its Nigerian content. Being a novel set in Nigeria, I would have enjoyed a lot more of the Nigerian flavour.

    The author made readers beg for a sequel as she left the concluding part of her book on a cliff-hanger. Successfully fuelling her readers’ tension, she left the readers wanting her to reveal more; declining to do so was a ridiculously brilliant move.

    The novel ends on a good note, allowing the reader the opportunity to create their perfect ending.

    The novel also follows the trend of most religious christian fiction by engaging readers with study questions and references in the form of scriptural passages. It is also worthy of note that the author opened each chapters of the book with scriptures and anecdotes. This perhaps serves to confirm that Idienumah might have been influenced a great deal by the writings of Francine Rivers, that great American Christian fiction writer.

    For any reader who enjoys beautiful love stories with anecdotes of crime, mystery and humour in between, A Sketch of Murder is a standard reference for a great leisure read.

  • ‘Let’s write to tell our stories’

    ‘Let’s write to tell our stories’

    As Nigerian authors gathered last week in Lagos to discuss the theme: Everybody feeds on the author, but who feeds the author?  it was clear that the yearly Nigeria International Book Fair is an avenue to proffer ways to prosper the book sector, Edozie Udeze reports.

    One of the major highlights of the Nigeria International Book Fair every year is the gathering of Nigerian authors to deliberate on burning issues that trouble the book sector in the country.  This year’s was not only interesting; it dwelt on a topic that intrigued everybody.  With the theme: Everybody feeds on the author but who feeds the author?, it was disturbing to raise the topic particularly now when the reading habit has almost fizzled out.

    Yet it was indeed time for authors to gather.  It was also time for those who contribute to the making of books – marketing, publishing, library, et al, to say their minds on how to move ahead.  But if the author feeds the public, who or how then does the author get fed?  Professor Kole Omotosho who delivered the key note address traced the formation of Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) in 1981 and disclosed that the idea behind it was to encourage Nigerian authors to have a central voice.

    “Before the war in 1967,” he said, “we had this association in place.  But when our colleagues in the East left because of the crisis and the war, that left a big vacuum in the association.  So what Professor Chinua Achebe and the rest of us did in 1981 at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) was more or less a rebirth of ANA.  This is why I commend Lagos ANA for this authors’ groove every year.  It is within the same spirit of keeping the sector active and relevant.”

    Omotosho, a professor of English lambasted the Nigerian government for its inability to keep the book industry on sound footing.  He berated pirates whom he said have kept authors out of business.  “Nobody knows how they do it, how they publish and pirate people’s works even before the writers begin to reap from the fruits of their labour.  This is disturbing indeed,” he said.

    He challenged Nigerian authors to keep telling their stories irrespective of whether the West accepts them or not.  “We do not need to worry too much about this.  If you have a story to tell, to write, please do so.  Everyone has a story to tell.  There are lots of stories in the country.  It doesn’t matter which political party that is in power.  What matters now is that corruption is in charge.  But change must come whether we like it or not.  We cannot continue to live like this where we celebrate evil and eulogize those who bring us down.  So, we have to write and expose these ills.”

    In his own contribution, Sam Omatseye of The Nation Newspapers who is also a seasoned and prolific author, critic and columnist, chided the elders of the clan who could not mentor younger authors in a way to be able to carry on the mantle.  “Now, it seems we have to wait for Britain or America to tell us who is a good writer among us.  It usually takes America’s observation to tell us who is a good writer among us.  It took America’s approval of the talent imbued in Chimamanda Adichie for Chinua Achebe to give vent to her writing prowess.”

    Omatseye who described himself as an author of many volumes of works cutting across all genres of literature, said, “I am here not to bury the author but to inspire him.  The author has to be more proactive.  The author has to read far and wide.  As a reporter I used to spare money to buy books to build my intellect.  Even then every spare time I had, I used it to read.  It could be in a bus, in my spare time, in the office or at night before going to bed.  Constant reading and inquisitiveness should be the habit of anyone who wants to be a writer,” he proffered.

    Omatseye, while reiterating the urgent need to stop piracy, charged writers to establish book clubs through which they can prosper their fortunes.  “We should create book clubs and use them as an avenue to market our books.  In doing this, we can incorporate other bodies and let the government key into it so that our books will go places.  When we do this we can target schools, meet with the schools and harmonise on the modalities for this to function well.  Now, if we put our minds to it, we can achieve.  Now, we do not need writers like Ben Okri who have lost touch with their roots to tell us whether our stories are authentic or not.  We have to write what we live and experience every day and what make our stories authentic,” he said.

    Dayo Alabi who stood in for book publishers traced the genesis of the decline in the fortunes of the book industry in Nigeria.  “But when we started this book fair in 1998, the idea is to bring nearer home what we used to attend in Zimbabwe and other book fairs around the world.  If Zimbabwe could run an international book fair every year and attract the whole world, we can also do it.  So with the encouragement we got from Professor Chukwuemeka Ike, Otunba Lawal Solarin, and others, the idea was berthed.  Today, we are in the 16th edition of it.”

    He, however, challenged writers to read well in order to produce quality crafts and materials.  “If you do not read well, you cannot write well.  Now, as a publisher, if you publish such a book you’ll not sell.  At the moment we have serious problems in the sector.  With the decline in reading culture where poverty and other exigencies have taken over, both the book publishing industry and the fortunes of writers are in jeopardy.  It is the economy; the decline in the economic fortunes of most families, have forced them to move away from books.  Books are only bought now when they are recommended in schools.”

    He berated his colleagues, some of whom he said are not trust worthy.  “Yet, not all publishers are bad.  Some still publish and sell and declare profits to the writer.  But what we all can do together is to combine forces to fight piracy.  Piracy has killed creativity.  It has reaped where it did not sow.  A good book is published but piracy makes a big mess of it within days.  This is not a way to encourage the sector to grow,” Alabi, the CEO of Book Company, decided.

    ANA national president, Denja Abdullahi reminded his colleagues that the bring back the book programme put in place by the Federal government could not work because it was founded on a shaky foundation.  “When you have such a programme without involving stakeholders in the book business, it will not work.  You make all the noise, waste all the money, yet the books do not get to the targeted audience, it is a bloody waste of time and money,” Abdullahi lamented.

    Almost everyone who spoke blamed the government for the lull in the sector.  Now, most of the public and community libraries in the country are dead.  Government no longer considers it imperative to establish, run and maintain libraries to encourage more people to read.  This issue has to be addressed by government at all levels so as to recharge literacy.

  • Again, Invisible Borders artists hit the road

    From May 12 to June 26, a set of nine artists from Nigeria will be on tour of 14 states of the nation.  Entitled Borders within 26, the trans-Nigerian road trip, embarked upon by these artists known as the Invisible Boarders will traverse these states to register their presence in forms of films, photographs, writing and more.  It is to show that Nigeria is one and that artists can use this format to solicit for love and harmony.

    In a press conference, the artists reminded Nigerians that this is the 6th edition of this road trip.  “This is also the first time we are getting hundred percent support from Nigeria.  This also shows the support we have from Diamond Bank and other corporate bodies who have come in to make this possible,” the artists said.

    In a statement, they said:  “The artists of the road trip will travel across 14 states, making about 15 stops in cities scattered across all the regions of the country.  Photographers, filmmakers and writers invited to participate in the six-week road trip will undertake to produce images and text that reflect impressionistic, yet critical readings of contemporary Nigeria.  The central questions would be: Who am I in relation to the artificial map?  How am I a product of what I have been inevitably named?  How do I interact across the several visible and invisible borders I confront as a Nigerian?

    According to Emeka Okereke who spoke on behalf of his colleagues, “What is foremost is the encounters: we shall meet, converse, dine, play and live with Nigerians from all walks of life, with hopes that the works produced eventually will be precipitates of those encounters.

    The physicality of the geographical enclave is equally of importance – a space, an environment is always a reflection of the people therein.

    This project follows in the tradition of the artistic road trip intervention established by invisible Borders in the course of five editions.  This implies that the artists will travel together in the same vehicle, all the while living, working and interacting with each other.  The route will be fluid, allowing for detours, but equally encompassing.  Beginning in and returning to Lagos, the artists will move circularly through several Nigerian cities and towns whose history shaped and continue to shape a contemporary Nigerian Identity.

    Each participating artist will be tasked with developing one major body of work as a follow-up to the trip.  Writers will be required to produce long travel essays (of up to 7,000 words), while photographers will be required to produce at least an encompassing body of work from the trip.

    In addition, invisible Borders will present several short, personal, narratives by residents of the towns and cities en-route, with the aim of creating a crowd-sourced narrative of contemporary Nigeria.

  • Adams, Oluwasegun, Wilson for Abuja Writers’ Session

    The Abuja Writers Forum (AWF) will on Saturday, May 28 play host to Lois Otse Adams-Osigbemhe, Victor Oluwasegun and Judah Wilson for the May edition of the Guest Writer Session which holds at Nanet Suites, Cental Business District , Abuja by 4pm.

    Ms Adams-Osigbemhe is author and publisher, her new work is a biography, Olaitan Oyerinde: His Struggles For A Better Nigeria, which chronicles the life and times of the erstwhile adviser to the Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomole, who was killed four years ago by assassins.

    Also, Victor Oluwasegun of The Nation Newspapers will be reading from his latest book, a collection of short stories titled Beyond Measure. His previous works include In The Shadow, Messie’s Kingdom, Nightfall, Aminat & Mahmoud and A Big Surprise.

    Judah Wilson (whose real name is Wilson Emmanuel Haruna) is a singer, songwriter, choreographer and producer based in Abuja. He is working on releasing some singles before the end of the year.

  • NTDC signs MoU with Cote D’Ivoire Tourisme

    NTDC signs MoU with Cote D’Ivoire Tourisme

    Domestic tourism across the West African sub-region got a boost last week when the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) led by Mrs Sally Uwechue-Mbanefo signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Cote d’Ivoire Tourism Board.  The ceremony, which was witnessed by tourism stakeholders and officials from the Nigerian Investment Promotion Council (NIPC), its Cote D’Ivoire counterpart, Centre de Promotion des Investments En Cote D’Ivoire (CEPICI), held during the Nigeria-Cote D’Ivoire Economic Forum in Lagos.

    Also present at the forum were the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Skye Bank, Mr John Olatunde Ayeni; Ghana High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. William Azumah Awinadar-Kanyirige; Ambassador of the Republic of Cote D’Ivoire to Nigeria, Mrs Toures nee Kone Maman; Mr. Essis Esmel Emmanuel; Sergie Olivier Gaddah; Mr. Assoua Raymond and Wande Akinboboye, among others.

    The forum, which featured presentations on the investment climate and opportunities in both countries, urged nations of the West African sub-region to trade among themselves.

    Mrs Mbanefo said Nigeria needs to improve its production capacity and invest in labour intensive sectors such as tourism, agriculture and manufacturing. This, she said, was the only way to create jobs for the small and medium scale entrepreneurs, the youth and women.

    She disclosed that the corporation has been holding talks with Ghana Tourism Board and  the South African Tourism Board. “Two years ago, we signed an MoU with The Gambia Tourism Board and the first batch of NTDC staff were approved for training and best practice exchange. We will not stop until we achieve a West African Tourism Brand, so that when a tourist begins his trip in one African country, he or she can conclude it in Nigeria to get a holistic approach to tourism in West African,” she said.

    The Director-General said: “We want to encourage other African countries that have best practices for cocoa production, textile and fashion industries to collaborate with Nigeria to create jobs for the youth. If our manufacturing and agriculture industries are reawakened, tourism would have contributed to job creation through such synergies with Cote D’Ivoire and other African countries, where we can emulate their industry best practices.’

    Mrs Mbanefo explained that ‘Nigeria must encourage mechanised farming and industrialisation. “I’m happy associations like Manufacturers Associations of Nigeria (MAN), which I worked very closely with when I was in Lafarge Cement, are here. The Fashion industry is also a great opportunity to empower youth with skilled labour and grow small and medium scale enterprises,” she said.

    Skye Bank CEO Mr. John Olatunde Ayeni called on West African countries to continually provide information about investment opportunities in their countries and share same for overall development of the region. He said trade among West African countries should be encouraged, describing the signing of the MoU as the ‘beginning of good things to come. “Lets network and invest in ourselves,” he said.

    According to Mbanefo, the corporation has been collaborating with Cote D’Ivoire Tourism Board for the past three years. “They have been coming to the corporation for collaboration between the two countries, but the MoU signed today will unite us and help achieve the ECOWAS Tourism Brand Regional Alliance, which NTDC has been working on with other African countries,” she added.

    She described tourism as a value chain that touches every sector in the economy because “tourism is leaving your house to seek business, leisure, sports, cultural or religious adventure and the vehicle you use is either a car, bus, plane or train that are manufacturers’ benefits, fuelling it benefits oil and gas sector and going to a bukka or restaurant to eat, benefits the agricultural sector”.

    The Director-General reiterated NTDC’s mandate as the apex tourism promotion and marketing agency in Nigeria to include marketing and promoting the beautiful products of Nigeria such as cultural festivals, arts, Nollywood, musicians and numerous eco-tourism products and link them up to the rest of Africa.

    Ambassador of the Republic of Cote D’Ivoire to Nigeria, Mrs Toures, thanked  all the participants for honouring her invitation, saying: “We will co-operate and partner Nigeria in many areas such as Tourism, textiles, telecommunication, power, health and  education.”

    Mrs Toures added that “the Forum is a platform for Cote D’Ivoire to form an alliance with Nigeria to enable the two countries strengthen the existing areas and explore new fields of co-operation on a win-win situation and reduce poverty in Africa”.