The Nation Newspaper

Category: Arts & Life

  • Dealing with literature of June 12

    Dealing with literature of June 12

    A book titled June 12 Election, Campaign for Democracy And The Implosion of The Nigerian Left written by Onyeisi Chiemeke, one of the frontline participants in the events of 1993 was presented to the public in Lagos last weekend. Edozie Udeze was there

     

    The Nigerian left, members of the Human Rights community and those who have over the years stood solidly behind the people, agitating and advocating for good governance in Nigeria, regrouped last weekend in Lagos to honour one of their own.  From the gathering, it was clear that the group has not given up or lost hope that Nigeria will ever get better.  In his book titled June 12 Election, Campaign for Democracy and The Implosion of The Nigerian Left, Onyeisi Chiemeke a lawyer and human rights campaigner went deep into the events and circumstances that led to the 1993 annulment of the presidential election won by the Late business mogul, Chief MKO Abiola.

    The public presentation of the book which took place in Lagos saw some members of the Nigerian Left, those of them who still believe in the ideals and philosophies of the idea to make Nigeria an egalitarian society where the equal distribution of wealth is guaranteed and where poverty is reduced to the barest minimum, lampooning the leadership and those in authority who have consistently refused to do things right.

    In his own remarks, John Oda, a former Secretary General of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) praised the author, Chiemeke, for his resilience and boldness and courage in going back into time to unearth all those important issues that made the Nigerian left a force to reckon with in the years of yore.  “For the role we played and the road we chose to thread, democracy is a reality today.  Chiemeke is like one of the chroniclers of the salient elements that propelled the 1917 Russian Revolution,” he said.

    Those events finally signposted the revolution.  In this carefully written historical documentation, Chiemeke gave the day-to-day details that led not only to the formation of the Nigerian Left, but the hub of the 1993 presidential election.  The place of Abiola in this matter is made clear and unambiguous by the author.  Today, no history of the salient issues of 1993 can be recounted without a direct reference to this book.  This was why Oda gave double kudos to him, asking his other members to come out of their cocoons because it is time once more to go to town for the benefit of the masses.  “The struggle is not over yet,” he said.

    The book is not just an indepth excursion into time, it is also a bundle of revelations, assertions and insights into an era; an era that is too difficult to wish away in the annals of Nigeria.  This was why in an interview, Chiemeke took his time to explain the reasons for his mission, the task of putting the work together and the core essence of the Nigerian left.  “Yes, I was active in the process, the principal organization that stood against the annulment of that June 12, 1993 presidential election.  This was done through The Campaign for Democracy.  We were very active and I was one of the group of people, young Nigerians who were fresh out of tertiary institutions, bubbling with energy, but refused to allow bad leaders to continue to hold us hostage.  We were street workers for June 12 then, under the auspices of Campaign for Democracy.

    “So, after whatever that had transpired in those days, I personally came to a conclusion that some stories, most times, are terribly misrepresented.  This is so because these stories are not being told by participants in the events.  So, I was active, hence this book.  It is a story I can conveniently tell with all the facts and figures in place.

    “My own contention in this book is that part of the problems of the Nigerian left was also attached to how they approached the issue of June 12.  It became like a slaughter house for the Nigerian left.  In the middle of that fight there was a disagreement; this fundamentally affected everybody.

    This also further created more divisions which led to the birth of other groups.  It wasn’t that there were no disagreements before now.  But this particular one bordered on deep bitterness and by 1998 – 1999, the problem had not been solved.  Based on that, the transition created its own problems,” he said.

    Chiemeke also believes that the sort of leadership we have today and the sort of purposelessness that accompanies it, is essentially due to the lack or absence of a formidable left.  “Yes, I should think so.  If you look at how it had always been prior to that time, before the advent of democracy, we were up and doing to checkmate leaders, even the military.  The Nigerian left had been in opposition in the society.  We tackled fundamental issues, not from the middle of the road.  Go back to how we tackled the issue of Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP), of the era of Ibrahim Babangida.  There was a clear-cut idea of what we wanted the government to do.  That, we have lost now, in my own view.”

    The author berated his members whom he said have scattered here and there, thus giving government and leadership enough space to toy with the lives of Nigerians.  “They are in different political parties.  I can even also accuse myself as one of those who now see in Buhari as the salvation general.  But if we are to view it from its proper context, that is from ideological politics; we still have a lot of way to go.  So, with a book like this, with the regrouping of some of us here today, we can begin to be where we should be.  Yes, some people may think you have attacked them but the book will generate other debates within us.  It is this debate and more that will make us to move forward.”

    It is time also to begin the re-engineering of the left and for more members to write more expose on June 12 and what it means to democracy in Nigeria.  With this sort of situation, the society can make more progress.  Even those who many people thought before belonged to the left tradition, were not really in that class.  “In this book, I made a clear distinction between human rights politics and left politics.  The two are not the same in my own contention.  There is a clear division between human rights activism and left wing activism.  In the core tradition of left politics, you can always see the difference,” he said.

    “Ours is not about articulating a position and letting the government know.  It is about letting the people know that there is an alternative to what we have in place today.  That is the fundamental issue and that it is wrong to see the world from this narrow world-view.  The world can be seen from a more fundamental and qualitative way.  In it, I don’t really want the government to feel my impact.  We are not advocating for reform.  No, that is not what we stand for.

    “What we advocate is a fundamental change in the way and manner the Nigerian system is being run.  This fundamental change must address the question of income distribution, and production process.  Who gets what and how does the person get what he gets?  This is the only way the change we need can come into fruition.”

    There are fundamental issues, according to Chiemeke, that the government lacks the capacity to tackle.  But even if the present government wishes to address these issues, it cannot address them because this government is viewing the world from the context of foreign investments.  “Foreigners do not develop any country.  That is my view and that is a historical fact.  The history of the world is that societies are developed by the owners of the land, by the indigenes of that society.  Ours therefore cannot be different.”

    He equally lambasted the Labour Party which could not  fulfill the mandate of the masses but to join in the foray of free for all political jamboree in the society.  “The type of Labour Party we expected is not this type we have whereby if you are tired, you join PDP or APC.  Segun Mimiko is an example.  That is not the kind of Labour Party we are talking about.  Even Adams Oshiomhole did not join the Labour Party even when the party has its office right there in the NLC secretariat in Abuja.  What does that tell you?  It tells you that something somewhere is wrong.  Nigeria is already a one party state whether it is PDP or APC.  Because what are they saying?  Are they saying what is different from each other?  It is just that, to me, the ruling class needed some stability and Buhari who had that good man image would provide it.  Therefore it is for the government to function and keep going.  It is not that the government will do better.  But at least it is to give it confidence so that you and I can say, it is working.”

    He had a word or two to splash on Jonathan.  “Oh, yes the way he was going, even members of his party would have said, oh, this is not what we bargained for.  We want peace.  I have a small analogy to give to you.  You see, the mosquito would prefer that you go to sleep before it decides to bite you.  Because if it bites you while you are awake you will disturb it.  And if it becomes mannerless it will not be able to bite you.  Jonathan was heading in that direction and they needed somebody who had this image that we can make a fortune.  To me, that is what we have now,” he said.

    The book goes deeper than that, however, to dissect many problem areas of the nation.  Chiemeke did all these in 14 Chapters with profound historical accounts which dwell on different dimensions of the series of struggles that gave vent to June 12, 1993.  And it is clear that the history of the struggle whether of the left or of the fight to entrench democracy cannot be complete without this June 12, 1993.

    In his own remarks, Frank Oshanugor, who handled the publication of the book from its infancy to fruition, highlighted the need for people like Chiemeke to regale Nigerians with books like this.  “When I saw the first draft, I knew that this is a great book of history.  Today, what we have is a book on the history of June 12 and the genesis of the struggle.  It is a great work that deserves the attention of all.”

    The presentation witnessed people from all walks of life; people also came to savour the meaning of the Nigerian left and what the author had to offer.  Like Oda remarked, “we will endeavour to re-present this book later in Abuja.”

  • Women who made headlines in 2015

    Women who made headlines in 2015

    The year 2015 is gradually coming to an end. For many, this is time to count their blessings and losses. For the womenfolk, it was a year that witnessed the good, the bad, as well as the ugly. As you take a cursory look, you also find some women who set the pace, changed records and made remarkable strides on the local and international scenes. Yetunde Oladeinde (Assistant Editor) and Gboyega Alaka unveil these women and the things that made them stand out.

    One woman that caused a big stir in the political scene this year is Aisha Alhassan. Her recent proclamation as winner of the 2015 governorship election in Taraba State has attracted varied reactions from across the country, more so as she gets the enviable position of the first woman to be elected governor in the history of Nigeria.

    The tribunal sitting in Abuja had nullified the election of Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during the April 11, 2015 election and declared Senator Aisha Jummai Alhassan of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the duly elected governor in the state.

    Although she has been sworn in as Minister of Women Affairs just days earlier, Alhassan, fondly called Mama Taraba, is most likely to resume duties at the Government House, Jalingo, seat of the Taraba State government, if the Appeal Court upholds the judgment of the Taraba State Elections Petitions Tribunal.

    Interestingly, Alhassan has had a series of other ‘firsts’ attached to her career, having been the first female to contest a leadership position in the Students’ Union Government at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1978; she later became the first female acting president of the union.

    Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

    Over the years, Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche has received accolades and recognition for standing out in the literary world. This year, she added another feather to her crowded cap, with the Baileys Prize as its ‘Best of the Best’.

    During the year, Half of a Yellow Sun was named the best winner from the last decade of the women’s prize for fiction.

    Adichie’s book competed with nine other titles that include Zadie Smith’s On Beauty to Eimear McBride’s A Girl Is a Half-formed Thing. At the end of the contest, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s novel on the Biafran war, Half of a Yellow Sun, emerged as the best winner of the women’s prize for fiction of the last decade – by both the public and a 10-man strong judging panel.

    The award, now known as the Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction, chose to mark its 20th anniversary by asking the chairs of judges of the past 10 years – including Joanna Trollope, Shami Chakrabarti and Daisy Goodwin – to pick their ‘best of the best’ winner from the last decade. Andrea Levy’s Small Island, which won the award in 2004, had previously been named the “Best of the Best” novel in the prize’s first decade.

    Adichie said she had “a lot of respect for the books that have won [the award] in the past 10 years and also for the books that have been shortlisted.”

    “This is a prize I have a lot of respect and admiration for – over the years it’s brought wonderful literature to a wide readership that might not have found many of the books,” said the novelist. “I feel I am in very good company. To be selected as ‘Best of the Best’ of the past decade is such an honour. I’m very grateful and very happy.”

    Kemi Adeosun

    Within the financial sector today, the name that readily comes to mind is Kemi Adeosun, the current Finance Minister. As soon as her name was mentioned, the rumour mills went agog with many wondering if she was the right person for the job. However, when she stepped out in the senate to talk about her plans for the sector, it was obvious that the lady certainly knows her onions.

    Her antecedents also speak volumes. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from the University of East London and a Postgraduate Diploma in Public Financial Management from the University of London. She then commenced her career as an Accounting Assistant at the British Telecom Company, London, from 1989 till 1990, after which she moved to Goodman Jones, London, working as a Senior Audit Officer from 1990 till 1993.

    She became Manager of Internal Audit at London Underground Limited, London and Prism Consulting from 1994 till 2000, before joining Price Waterhouse Coopers, London as Senior Manager from 2000 till 2002. In 2002, Adeosun became Financial Controller at Chapel Hill Denham Management and, subsequently, Managing Director in 2010. After working with Quo Vadis Partnership as Managing Director in 2010 and 2011, she was appointed Commissioner of Finance in Ogun State from 2011 till 2015.

    Linda Ikeji

    This year, super blogger Linda Ikeji stole the show online. The writer, former model and entrepreneur, best known for her controversial publications and her media contributions to the development of the Nigerian entertainment industry, continued expanding her horizon in a unique way. The celebrity blogger recently played host to a few of her friends at a house-warming party at her multi-million naira mansion in Banana Island, Ikoyi, Lagos.

    Controversy  about the source of the money used for purchasing her Banana Island mansion estimated to have cost a whopping N600 million also dominated the scene this year.

    Ibukun Awosika

    During the year, Mrs. Ibukun Abiodun Awosika became the new Board Chairperson of First Bank, Nigeria’s second largest lender. She took over the helm of affairs from Prince Ajibola Afonja, who retired. This appointment makes Awosika the first woman to assume this position since the establishment of the bank in 1894.

    Just before this appointment, Awosika who has a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from the University of Ife was a non-Executive Director of the bank.

    Awosika is an alumna of the Chief Executive Programmes of Lagos Business School and the Global Executive MBA Programme of the prestigious IESE Business School, Barcelona, Spain.

    She started her career as an Audit Trainee during her National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) at Akintola Williams & Co (now Deloitte). After her NYSC, she moved to Alibert Nigeria Ltd, a furniture company where she worked as a Showroom Manager for three months. She resigned from Alibert Nigeria Ltd at the age of 25 to begin her entrepreneurship journey. She started her own furniture-manufacturing company, Quebees Ltd, that later evolved to The Chair Centre Ltd.

    Ibukun Awosika also sits on the board of several other companies, among which are Cadbury Nigeria Plc, Digital Jewels Ltd and Convention on Business Integrity. She is also the Chairman, Board of Trustees of Women in Management and Business (WIMBIZ), as well as Chairman of Intermac, organisers of SmartCard Conference in Nigeria.

    Aisha Muhammadu Buhari

    Her photographs before, during the political campaigns and after the election graced the pages of magazines, newspapers and television. Simple and beautiful, Aisha Muhammadu Buhari stepped out gracefully as the wife of Muhammadu Buhari, the President of the Federal republic of Nigeria, who assumed office on May 29, 2015 after defeating the then President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.

    The cosmetologist and beauty therapist was born in Adamawa State, North-Eastern Nigeria. Her grandfather, Alhaji Muhammadu Ribadu, was Nigeria’s first Minister of Defence. Her father was a civil engineer while her mother is a descendant of the Ankali family, renowned farmers and textile giants.

    She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Administration from the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), and a master’s degree in International Affairs and Strategic Studies from the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Kaduna. She obtained a Diploma in Beauty Therapy from the Carlton Institute of Beauty Therapy, Windsor, United Kingdom and specialised in Permanent Make-up, Mesotherapy and Miocro-dermabrasion. She holds a Post-graduate Diploma in Cosmetology and Beauty from Academy Esthetique Beauty Institute of France. She is a member of the United Kingdom Vocational Training and Charitable Trust and the International Health and Beauty Council.

    Mo Abudu

    Mosunmola Abudu, popularly known as Mo Abudu, literally took over the film industry when she premiered her movie titled Fifty this year. The package which featured Ireti Doyle, Dakore Egbuson-Akande, Omoni Oboli and Nse Ikpe-Etim was directed by Biyi Bandele with Mo Abudu as the executive producer.

    Fifty had its London Film Festival premiere in October, and critics say the production is Mo Abudu’s quest to showcase African women coming of age, vis a vis aspirations and dilemmas faced by their contemporaries everywhere, while yet navigating traditions and obligations.

    Set in Lagos, “a city of disproportionate and breathtaking contrasts,” Fifty celebrates the pulse and energy of this fast developing metropolis and explores the diversities and complexities of its colourful people through the lenses of its women.

    The energetic talk show host, TV producer, media personality, human resources management consultant, entrepreneur and philanthropist has been described by Forbes as “Africa’s Most Successful Woman.”

    Amina J Mohammed

    For close watchers of government operations in Nigeria, the name Amina J Mohammed, Honourable Minister of Environment, may not be a strange one after all. Aside being one of the six women that made President Muhammed Buhari’s ministerial list and scaled the senate screening hurdle, Mohammed comes with an incredibly loaded CV, having impressed in several other endeavours.

    The latest on her list of exploits before coming home to be minister was her role as Special Adviser to the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon on post-2015 development planning. In that capacity, she acted as the link between the Secretary-General, his High Level Panel of eminent persons (HPL), and the General Assembly’s Open Working Group (OWG) amongst others.

    Before taking up that appointment, Ms Mohammed had served as founder and CEO of the centre for development Policy Solutions and as an Adjunct Professor for the Master’s in Development Practice Program at Columbia University. She had also worked as Senior Special Assistant on Millennium Development Goals, serving three Nigerian Presidents (Obasanjo, Umaru Yar’a dua and Goodluck Jonathan) over a six-year period in the process. Between 2002 and 2005, she coordinated the Task Force on Gender Education for the Millenium Project; while in 2005, she was charged with the co-ordination of Nigeria’s debt relief funds towards the achievement of the MDGs.

    For her activities in the Nigerian public sector, Mohammed was recently described by American fashion and lifestyle magazine Vogue, as “a public sector strategist involved in crafting and implementing fiscal projects aimed at fighting poverty in Nigeria.”

    She was also amongst the 13 women photographed by the magazine for a feature story on the role of women in the ongoing UN climate change conference.

    Mohammed was also CEO and founder, Think Tank Centre for Development Policy Solutions. Her appointment as minister is therefore another high point, expected to avail her more opportunity  to bring her wealth of experience to bear on her own country, helping the new President Buhari-led government to achieve its much-touted change mantra.

    Born in 1961 of a Nigerian father from Gombe and a British mother, Amina Mohammed also founded Afri-Projects Consortium, a multidisciplinary firm of engineers and quantity surveyors, serving as Executive Director. She also worked with architectural engineering firm, Archon Nigeria in association with Norman and Dawbarn, UK.

    Asisat Oshoala

    In a year that is rolling by rather quietly for Nigeria’s sportswomen, football player, Asisat Oshoala stands out with the highest achievement and impression.

    First she clinched a coveted spot in January in the star-studded Liverpool FC female team, to the delight of family, friends, fans and Nigeria’s Football Federation; and though the amount of that contract was ‘undisclosed,’ one could be rest assured that the 20-year old football talent had negotiated herself into the elite group of female footballers, and away from poverty of local football.

    A few weeks before that, the former Rivers Angels striker had earlier been named African Women Player of the year by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for the year 2014, following her exceptional performance for her club and country that year.

    With club, she had won the Nigerian Professional Women’s Football League title in 2014 (having also won it in 2013); while she and her colleagues in the national team stunned the world at the 2014 FIFA U-20  Women’s World Cup in France, finishing as runners-up behind Germany.  Her performance at that tournament and at the African Women’s Championship, where Nigeria won her seventh African Women Championship title earlier, contributed to her emerging as CAF female footballer of the year. For her performance, she was also named Most Valuable Player at both tournaments.

    Her highest point in the outgoing year would however be her emergence as the inaugural BBC Women’s Footballer for the 2014/2015 season in May.

    To underline the quality and value of the award, Oshoala won it ahead of Veronica Boquete (Spain and FFC Frankfurt) Nadine Kessler (Germand andVFL Wolfsburg), Kim Little (Scotland and Seattle Reign FC) and Marta (Brazil and FC Rosengard).

    But for playing in a group of death that included Sweden, USA and Australia and generally posting a  poor run as a team, pundits are of the opinion that Oshoala would have again distinguished herself at the FIFA Women’s World Cup, as she scored a brilliant individual goal in the opening 3-3 draw against Sweden at the Women’s World Cup in Canada. Injury also stopped her from featuring at the Olympic qualifiers, inadvertently giving arch-rivals, Equatorial Guinea a lee-way to clinch the ticket at Nigeria’s expense.

    Omoni Oboli

    Wikipedia sums up Omoni Oboli’s personae as ‘actress, scriptwiter and producer. Perfect? No, as the online encyclopaedia forgot to include the tag, ‘movie director’.’

    She loves directing, she told a glossy lifestyle magazine in a recent interview; adding that directing means being able to give my script my DNA.” She directed her latest and rave-making film, First Lady, which she is very proud of and which recently premiered in the United Kingdom and across Nigeria with much pomp. First Lady has been described as’a comic drama with compelling storylines backed with impressive acting.’

    Aside the film, which stars top acts like Joseph Benjamin, Alexx Ekubo, Yvonnne Jegede, Chinedu Ikedieze, Anthony Monjaro and Omoni Oboli herself; another high point for Oboli was being named The Sun Nollywood Personality of the Year 2015.

    The Delta Born French graduate of the University of Benin, who kick-started her thespian career with a cameo role in the urban telling ‘Not My Will’ as far back as 1996 has certainly seen it all. Over the years, she has also garnered awards and recognitions. In 2010, she won the Best Actress – Narrative Feature at the Los Angeles Movie Awards, and the award for Best Actress at the Harlem International Film Festival. She was also nominated for the Best Actress in a Leading Role award at the 2014 ELOY Awards, for her movie, Being Mrs Elliot.

    Omoni Oboli was also unveiled in the year as Nunu milk brand ambassador, in a renewed Nutricima campaign to encourage mothers to fortify their kids with milk for adequate mental growth, enabling them ‘Grow Everyday’.

    Born in Benin and raised on the grounds of the Delta Steel Company (DSC) in Aladja, Delta State, Omoni  started acting with big time Nollywood movie stars in her first year in the university.

    Yemi Alade

    Afro-pop sensation, Yemi Eberechi Alade burst onto the Nigerian music scene in 2009 when she won the Peak Talent Show. But her hit song, ‘Jonny” sealed it for her, catapulting her into the galaxy amongst the stars of Nigeria, and indeed African music.

    In no time, she has amassed several nominations, awards and recognitions both locally and on the international scene.

    Her highest point in the year 2015 would be her emergence as Best Female Act in the MTV African Music Awards. She also got a nomination in the BET Awards in the Best International Act, Africa category, along with Wizkid, both of them losing the award to Stonebwoy from Ghana.

    In 2014, she also got nominations as Female Artiste of the Year in the Nigerian Entertainment Awards;  Female Artist of the Year at the City People Entertainment Awards and Best African Act at the MOBO Awards.

    In 2013, her potentials as a new act was also recognised by ELOY Awards, which nominated her as the Most Promising Female act in 2013.

    Before her Peak Talent Show feat, Alade had featured in an all-girls group called Noty Spices in 2005. But her hit song, Jonny, produced by Selebobo and leaked to the internet in 2013, dominated music charts in Tanzania, Kenya, Ghana, South Africa,Liberia, Uganda, Zimbabwe and the United Kingdom, and remains till date one of the best songs of 2013.

    She also headlined the Super Diva’s Nite at the 2013 Calabar Festival, and opened performances at the 2013 Headies Awards.

    Her first album, King of Queens was released on October 2, 2014.

    Born in 1989 in Abia State, to a Yoruba father and Igbo mother, Yemi Alade graduated from the University of Lagos with a degree in Geography.

    Dr Ibilola Amao

    Dr Ibilola Amao, Principal Consultant, at Lonadek has for two decades been in the forefront of youth empowerment and development in the country targeted at Vision 20:20.

    Amao’s Lonadek is an independent local content development organisation focused on building the capacity of Nigerians, Nigerian companies, businesses and vendors, in delivering quality goods and services in the oil and gas industry. Lonadek is therefore committed to the implementation of state-of-the-art Engineering IT solutions in the Oil and Gas industry by a highly skilled workforce and is driven by a passion to see more Nigerians excel and participate actively in High-Technology driven industries.

    For twenty years, Amao has been preoccupied with her Vision 20:20 Youth Empowerment and Restorative Initiative, focusing especially on the oil and gas industry, where from experience, she had discovered that Nigeria lacks adequate manpower and potential to make any impact anytime soon, if something drastic was not done. For her, a situation where only foreigners dominate the very lucrative sector, at the expense of Nigerians was no longer acceptable.

    This year’s edition, which held in May at the MUSON Centre, focused on career counselling, industry awareness and youth empowerment, and it was especially aimed at the most intelligent science technology, engineering and mathematics students from SS 1 to SS3, undergraduates and unemployed graduate, to catch a vision about creating value in information technology in Nigeria. The annual programme focuses on engendering and enterprise.

    Amao once said that she was prompted to undertake this mission, when sometime in 2005, she sat at a panel with foreign expatriates to recruit Nigerians into the industry and discovered rather shamefully that otherwise brilliant Nigerians flopped woefully when questions that required them to think outside the box  or apply  the knowledge they had in a skilled manner were thrown at them.

    Amao is UK-trained, having attended Manchester Business School, Bradford University and Queen Mary College, University of London. She holds a Ph.D in Computer-Aided-Design  and Draughting and a First Class honours degree in Civil and Structural Engineering. Amao is chairperson for the industry Advisory Team, Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board; a Fellow of the Energy Institute (EI), UK, a chartered member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE); a certified HR professional with the Chartered Institute of Personnel Managers (CIPM), a member of the Institute of directors programmes committee and coordinator of the Young Members & Graduate Empowerment at the Energy institute, UK, Lagos Branch.

    Itoro Eze-Anaba

    Itoro Eze-Anaba is to different people a saviour, a helper, a liberator and a defender. Her Mirabel Centre, founded in 2003 and located inside the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH,  Ikeja, is the first Sexual Assault Reform Centre in Nigeria, and second in the whole of West Africa. The centre offers medical examination and treatment of illnesses and injuries caused by assault, counsels victims, helps report cases to the police, offers legal information and refers victims to other agencies for help not provided by the centre – all for free.

    As a legal practitioner, Itoro had set out in the year 2000, traversing Nigeria and lobbying to get the Domestic Violence Bill (DVB), which she had initiated, to be passed into law. In the course of that, she met a 14-year-old, who told her a story of how her father had sexually assaulting her since she was 11; and this prompted her to conceive something more urgent to attend to the ugly scourge, hence the Mirabel Centre. At the last count, the centre has received and attended to well over 650 patients/victims.

    The centre is equipped with doctors and nurses, who are forensic medical examiners; and counselors, who have undergone training on sexual assault trauma confidentiality.

    For her invaluable services, Itoro has been variously honoured. This, she was amongst the three women nominated for Vlisco’s 2015 Women’s Month Award, for being a trend-setter and for all her hardwork in the battle against rape and sexual assault in the country.

    Itoro also established Blue Ribbon, the first ever all-male advocacy group campaigning for women’s rights in Nigeria

    Dotun Akande

    Dotun Akande, a banker, educator, initiator of the Patrick Speech and Language Centre and Pure Souls Learning Foundation for Children with Autism, this year emerged as the 2015 overall winner of the Vlisco award.

    Wondering what gave her an edge over others and she replies this way: “It was the work that we did. Somebody nominated me, that is how it works. Then we went to the polls and people voted for me. Autism won, it’s not Dotun that won. Ever since I won the awards, I have been relishing. A lot has happened. They pamper me, do my makeup and bring fabrics and clothes for me. I look elegant and it’s been a beautiful experience. I have also met a lot of people in the process. I have met great people. I have met wonderful people doing great work in the things that you do.”

    To have a total understanding of the issues, Akande had to go for training abroad and she is still attending courses. “I go out of my way to call friends abroad on updates and to clarify grey areas. I was in banking for 13years.” Apart from counselling and therapy, she has done some programmes, like the talent hunt concert, which is a yearly event. The inspiration came when her son was diagnosed with autism.

    “We started in 2008  and started with the Centre for children with Autism before starting the Patrick’s Speech and Language Centre. My first memorable case was one  little girl that came to the centre. We tried for over eight months to try to let her release her words. Then she was the first that started using words ‘like pass the ball’. She actually made a sentence and she is now in a regular school. She graduated to secondary school and her parents never left the shores of Nigeria, meaning that it is possible to get help here.”

     

     

  • Fela and the future of Africa

    Fela and the future of Africa

    The event was quaintly tagged ‘AFRICA FUTURE’. The date was 26th November, 2015.

    It was billed to start at 6 pm. The venue – the grounds of First Foundation Place, Opebi, was more familiar as a watering hole for medical groups for their conventions and meetings, and it was a strange setting for a gathering that promised to feature Fela’s famous protégé – Dede Mabiaku as its centre piece, playing the music of his idol – Fela Anikulapo Kuti.

    Many of the invitees, as they drifted in, admitted they were mystified at what might be on offer. They were a motley group, made up of politicians, business people, bankers, media icons, big name Nollywood actors and government officials.

    The design of the invitation letter had the names of all the invitees embossed on the page, and you could see them at a glance.It was  a full, rich house. Senator Seye Ogunlewe and Senator Olorunimbe Mamora sat together at a table up in front, near the klieg lights. Other VIP guests were scattered all over the place. Near the entrance, there was a ‘red carpet’ in front of a large banner of the Africa Future project. Dr Tosin Ajayi, portly, smiling, was there to welcome new arrivals, and to take photo shots with them.

    It was a slow start, but the champagne and other wines were flowing, and nobody seemed to mind.

    At length the Master of Ceremonies took the microphone and announced the commencement of proceedings.

    The formality, such as it was, was very sparse. He welcomed everyone to the unique event. He gave a little background story which began to provide an insight into the questions in many people’s minds – ‘ Where is Dr Tosin Ajayi coming from in all  this?What is this business about Africa Future?

    The man was a notable medical practitioner. The locale itself even had a place of sorts in Nigeria’s social history. It was to First Foundation Hospital, located in these premises, that the shredded body of Dele Giwa had been brought after he was blown up by a parcel bomb. So many memories. So much angst.

    The doctor had moved on from there, building up a mighty presence in areas ranging from medical equipment to medical education and e-health. He had established partnerships with some of the most prominent international brand names in the healthcare industry. He was a front-rank figure in healthcare in Nigeria, working from these premises.

    The MC disclosed that the Ambassador of Finland had recently paid a visit to First Foundation Place. Looking round, and getting a talk from Dr Ajayi on his projects and plans, she had been so impressed that she proceeded to invite him to be a panel member at an event the embassy was proposing to hold at the Wheatbacker, a stately hotel in Victoria Island. Dr Ajayi had readily accepted.

    That was the beginning of a story within a story, according to the MC. The focus of the Finnish event was how to improve the health indices of Nigeria, and Africa, using the model of grassroots ‘Family Medicine’ that was the hallmark of the healthcare system in Finland. In the audience were medical practitioners, figures in the media and entertainment industry, government officials, and prominent persons from the private sector.

    Finland was acknowledged to have one of the best healthcare systems in the world, and the standard of well-being of its citizenry was the stuff of legend. A Professor of General Practice from Finland was invited to give a keynote address. After this a panel, which included Dr Ajayi, was brought up on the podium to discuss ways by which Nigeria could borrow from the Finnish example or chart its own course in reducing unnecessary death and ill-health among its teeming population. A lady talked about her Cancer charity, which was perpetually in the news. To her, deploying more resources to Cancer would be a major game changer in the country. Other people talked in positive, optimistic tones. By and large, they drew inspiration from the Finnish example, and acknowledged that the Scandinavians were world leaders not just in organized wellness, but in standards of living.

    When it came to the turn of Dr Ajayi to say something, the expectation was that it was going to be more of the same. He was an ‘elder statesman’ of the Medical profession in Nigeria, and surely had something to say for the future of the profession? What was the road to Nigeria’s future Health, he was asked. And what were the prospects?

    ‘I don’t know’ he responded.

    The hall was stunned. The facilitator persisted.

    ‘Surely there is something we can do? Surely there is hope?’ It was a tentative question, and no longer carried the certainty of a statement.

    ‘I don’t know what we can do. Maybe we should invite the foreigners to do it for us.’

    This was a Nigerian doctor with decades of experience in the field, and a known passionate advocate in the cause of Health.

    You could hear a pin drop in the hall. The facilitator – the famous television personality Ebuka – offered a few tepid jokes to break the tension, took a few comments from the audience, and soon announced that it was time to break for cocktails.

    The Master of Ceremony this evening at First Foundation Place recalled this event graphically, and tied it to the reason why they were all gathered here at the behest of Dr Ajayi. They were gathered to share the frustration that led to the outburst at The Wheatbaker, and that frustration was not just about Africa’s Health but about the continent’s whole being. They were here so he could urge them to begin to develop a vision that could give Africa a future.

    The picture was beginning to get clearer, even as the victuals landed on the tables and Dede’s band tuned up in the background.

    Tosin Ajayi came up on the podium to explain himself, and share his mission, in a process of self-exegesis.

    In his sixties now, and looking to be in reasonably good health, he peered myopically at the audience over the rim of his spectacles. He still had a good many years to go, from all appearances. Of course they could not be as many as the years gone before. He picked his words and enunciated slowly, but he was not reading from a script. He was free-associating, speaking from the depth of his soul. Here was a man clearly frustrated by the lack of progress in his nation, and his continent.

    ‘I have been here a while…’ he started.

    It was the mother of understatements. The ‘here’ had several layers of meaning, surely. Here, in Opebi, where he received the shattered body of his friend, Dele Giwa. Here in Opebi, where he built First Foundation into a veritable behemoth, but found he could not do anything about the equivalent of one plane load of Nigerian women dying in childbirth every day. Every day. Here in Nigeria, where you could not comfortably run a lift up the several floors of First Foundation, because the power often failed. Here in Nigeria, where he could not stop healthcare workers walking off at the drop of a hat, leaving the hapless citizens to die. Even doctors.

    ‘What about the Oath’, he had often asked his young colleagues, in his perplexity?

    What oath was their response. Some even derided him as a government puppet. He – Tosin – a puppet?

    In all that span, totaling almost half a century of Nigerian history, he has been a presence here in Opebi, Lagos. You sensed that he could feel a sense of urgency, of time running out with not a lot accomplished. Not money – that was not the issue. What was money, in the midst of all this misery?

    He had never had the gift of the garb, and this evening, he expressed himself as much by what he did not say as what he actually said.

    Africa needed to have a future. Did that mean he had given up on the present?

    On the screen close to where he stood, messages and quotes were slowly scrolled.

    ‘Africa Future… Bridging the Development Gap…New Agenda Now Or Else…’

    He was not talking a lot, but he was communicating about a continent that did not govern well, did not innovate, and did not have the respect of itself, not to talk of others.

    And even the things he did not say were scrolling up in the minds of his audience. The barbs from the rich, racist buffoon who could well be America’s next President – Donald Trump.

    ‘…Look at African countries…those people are stealing from their own government and go (sic) to invest the money in foreign countries. From the government to the opposition, they only qualify to be used as a case study whenever bad examples are required…I hear they abuse me in their blogs but I don’t care because even the internet they are using is ours and we can decide to switch it off from this side…These are people who import everything including matchsticks. In my opinion most of these African countries ought to be recolonized again (sic) for another 100 years because they know nothing about leadership and governance…’

    Words like poison arrows in the heart of an old warrior like Tosin Ajayi. Was he in despair?

    No, not despair, it turned out. Only an invocation, a call to action for this privileged audience.

    ‘Let us prime ourselves and enjoy the Emancipation songs of Fela Anikulapo Kuti, produced by his protégé – Dede’

    And with that he left the stage.

    At the table near the stage where the band would play, Senator Ogunlewe and Senator Mamora engaged in friendly banter about ‘Change’. They talked about the legacy of Awolowo.

    Dede came on, and the evening erupted.

    He looked like Fela, dressed like Fela, spoke like Fela. Even his mannerisms were Fela-esque. The ‘young’ Dede was getting on himself now, and under the klieg lights the age was beginning to show. He would be in the fifties, or was it sixties? An acclaimed actor, the son of a Warri High Chief, he had found Fela early in life, and never left him, despite being ‘excommunicated’ by his parents and his clan.

    He started with ‘yabis’.

    ‘The future of Africa can never be in the hands of anybody but Africans…the truth – was what Fela stood for…The first African ever to be represented on Broadway was Fela…Have you listened to his lyrics?…There is depth… and knowledge…’

    Then he launched off into ‘Water No Get Enemy’.

    The crowd pulsated. Even the Senators were swaying.

    Many in the audience, movers and shakers in society,  truth be told, would not have given Fela the time of day in his day. Now that he was safely dead, and a world icon, they all owned him, and many were already standing at their tables and dancing away like ‘Shrine’ regulars as the trumpet went off in a riff.

    Dede was doing something to Afrobeat – he was adding Scat. It made a provocative delicious blend.

    He played some of his own material. He had ‘over 50 records’ ready to go, he announced off-handedly. Which raised the question – why was he not recording?

    He brought on his guests. Gloria Ibru – who played with an uptempo Itshekiri rhythm. Majek Fashek, back from wrestling with his private demons, brought the house down with ‘Send Down the Rain’.

    And Seun Anikulapo Kuti took your breath away. He played ‘Rere Run’.

    It was part of the set he had played a few months ago when he had his gig at Ronnie Scotts- the most famous Jazz venue in the world. He was clad in t-shirt and shorts, and he admitted he only got the invitation to this event from Dede twenty four hours ago. He didn’t even know he was coming on stage – he had omitted to bring his sax. But Dede was his mentor – as Fela had been Dede’s mentor. He had taken him under his wing at his moment of epiphany. There was no saying ‘No’ to him.

    So yab he did – afterall he was Fela’s son.

    ‘Dede no tell me say na show – e just say na event about Africa Future…’

    When he began to sing Rere Run the atmosphere became electric.

    Hidden beneath the lyrics was a conundrum. On the surface it was a diatribe against the military and authoritarianism. The deeper meaning was the tragedy of a people disconnected from their highest Art, and their highest Artist. Bogged down in the trivia of law and order, they could not mobilise for higher purpose. Would Fela have sung the ‘Change’ mantra and helped to mobilise for true Change, for a change? Afterall nobody could remain an outsider for ever. True PMB had jailed him in a previous incarnation, aborting an epochal American tour because he possessed cannabis, which Feladubbed Nigerian National Grass? Suffering from a crisis of un-belief, would Fela’s voice have helped the masses to believe, at last? And believing, would it have helped them to transform, and to become the best they could be – both in their lives and in their society?

    Or was it a vain and hopeless delusion?

    Excitedly, Tosin Ajayi was dancing by the footlights with the rest. His demeanour had an uncanny resemblance to the writer Lyndsay Barrett when he danced at Fela’s Shrine, a stocky man with his spirit uplifted, and a glint of fever in his eyes.

    Soon it was time to go.

  • Reporters need to go beyond the ordinary – Lanre Idowu

    Reporters need to go beyond the ordinary – Lanre Idowu

    Following a successful 24th edition of the DAME awards for the media recently, Lanre Idowu, CEO, Diamond publications and trustee of the awards, x-rays the events of the night, challenges of running the awards over the years and more. He spoke with Gboyega Alaka.

    Dame literally shot down about two categories of awards this year; what were these categories and were the entries so bad?

    I believe you are talking about the Investigative Reporter of the Year Award category, and the Political Reporting category. When we talk about investigative reporting, it is supposed to be like the most challenging in the print category. Incidentally, the number of entries for the investigative reporting category was actually second only to Informed Commentaries. The committee that looked into that category, shortlisted five entries; then another committee, which is like a peer review committee looked through those five and picked three. And when it came for general discussions, we found out that there were still some gaps, and those gaps were serious enough that we did not feel in all honesty that we should give out any award in that category. The same goes with Political Reporting. We felt that they didn’t break new grounds. They weren’t telling us anything new or special. Reporters were telling us very much what everybody already knew and it was more about putting it in elevated language. And then there were just too much of editorialising. They were just telling us their own views. Yes we need some analysing in reporting, but at the same time, it was all common-place information.

    Could it be that the reporters got lazy or that they were biased and simply pitched their camp with their favourite?

    I think it’s a combination of all these. The reporters failed to interrogate the status quo, so to speak. Essentially, when you talk about investigation, there are two critical areas: the hows and the whys. The more answers you get to your ‘how’ and ‘why’ questions, the more you’re able to enrich your work and make it more insightful. But of course this is not the first time we’re shooting down certain award categories; and the idea is that we are not compelled to give an award for the sake of giving an award. We want to be sure that anyone that we say is a winner in that category is truly deserving of that title.

    But the Wole Soyinka Award for Investigative Journalism took place a few days after the DAME and produced winners, would that be because they were trapped?

    I cannot speak for them. Besides, I don’t know the entries that they received. I have sat on the panel before and I know that they’re very thorough. Maybe if I see the winning work, then I might be able to understand why it won.

    Investigative reporting might seem like the most difficult to handle for journalists; why is this so and what tips would you offer aspiring winners?

    Without doubt it is the most challenging. We do something annually, which we call ‘Widening the Pools of Excellence Workshop’; we’ve done it for two years and interestingly, two of the major supporters of the workshop are The Nation and The Punch. What we do there is to actually take people on what we see as deficiencies in the previous year’s exercise. We’re going to do that by the grace of God in the New Year. We look out for the active players and we organise a retraining workshop, where first of all, we remind them of the fundamentals of reporting and then break them into groups and take them into further nitty-gritty that we saw were lacking in the previous entries. You will also recall that I said that the Insurance Reporting prize was not given for many years, because we just could not find a winner. But the winner this year has won it about four years back; even in those years that we didn’t award it, she was always sending in entries. But she attended that retraining workshop and I’m sure part of what she learnt at that training helped her to get back to winning ways. The whole idea is to help our craft get better, to help journalists put up their best and ensure that those roles they need to be playing are not overlooked.

    Could the dearth of quality investigative reporting also be because a lot of people are simply trying to save their neck and not fish too deep into dangerous waters?

    There is no story that is worth dying for. But having said that, some of these shortcomings are not so much about danger, but more about not pushing enough or maybe not understanding what they should be looking for. In some of these stories, you find out that the writer starts well, but after sometime, they’re relapsing. Some don’t know the right thing to look out for; and that needs nurturing in-house, as well as reading wide. What is the story about? What is the approach to the story? Maybe we shouldn’t blame the reporters alone; we must also talk to their news managers. I believe media houses still have their editorial meetings, where you discuss story ideas before going after them. We’ve had some conferences, where we encouraged people to share story ideas, but we’ve found out that people are not so welcoming of this because they believe their colleagues would steal their ideas.  But overtime, we have been able to let them realise that when you share ideas, you learn more. The other person you’re sharing with may have some angles that you may not be aware of but which may be vital to the success of the story. Somebody can question your premise and by the time you listen to different shades of opinion and are able to harness them, you find out that they help you to unleash the investigative exercise. There is nothing wrong with collaborating, but in our own case, we give the award to the media house once the writers are more than two.

    What do you make of the ongoing tussle between the social media and the traditional media?

    What is the threat? The threat is that once upon a time, to break news, you have to wait on the NTA network news at 9 o’clock, but that is not the case anymore because things are happening and getting posted online immediately. Good enough, every mainstream media now has a web presence; so for me the web is there to break news and the print is there to give you more substance and understanding of the news. So I see more opportunities; for engagements, for specialisation and depth in reporting. I don’t believe the print media will disappear, but for some publications, especially those who are development-oriented, for which the print may not be the most ideal outlet. For instance, Media Review, which we publish at Diamond Publications; of course it’s not going to circulate like your usual traditional print newspapers, so what we are doing is to turn it into an online publication and occasionally do the print version. So the newspapers will just have to do more work. Nobody wants to pick up a newspaper at N150, to read exactly what they have read online.

    The DAME Awards night was by all means a beautiful night; how have you managed to sustain it for 24 years?

    We started with just eight categories only in the print media. But over the years, we have been building on it. Don’t forget the name: Diamond AWARDS for Media Excellence; so it’s not just one award. Our style is to look for partners in terms of sponsors to support the different categories, to encourage the reporters to continue to improve in the different categories. So we categorise the beats and look for sponsors to support the categories. The best thing we would have loved is for somebody or an organisation to endow it in perpetuity, for say X million of naira; but that’s not always easy.  So, some people agree to sponsor for a term and observe. But again there is also the question of who are the people or players, who are strong enough to sponsor the award or awards in perpetuity? We run the risk of turning it into a strictly elite thing or a money-bag affair. In DAME, we always look for a linkage between the sponsor and the prize. For example, we have the Editorial Writing category, which my mentor, the late Tunji Oseni endowed for a while before he died; hence it is called the Tunji Oseni Prize for Editorial Writing. He endowed it with some money – not exactly in perpetuity; but we also published a book on him after his demise, and used the seed money – after paying the royalty, to continue the award, because we wanted to continue the prize in his honour. We also have some, like Business Reporting, which Aliko Dangote has endowed for a term. And then we also need judges; we have a collection of academics and veteran journalists who serve as judges. The whole idea is to have a community of believers, who believe in the nobility of the idea; because again, it is essential to keep the nobility of the idea alive, so that the quality of the award is not compromised in any way. And of course we have friends who now and then donate to support the exercise.  But we’ve not been lucky to get one sponsor for the whole event.

    Some people enter great stories in the wrong categories; do you ever take the liberty to put them in the right categories while sorting?

    Yes, we’ve done it once or twice, but it’s part of the responsibility of the writer to read the instruction very carefully and enter stories in the right category. Once a reporter entered a story in the Health category, but the extent of work done was so huge that the judges decided it should go for the investigative reporting category.

    You were quite a young man, when you kick-started this awards; what prompted you into the whole exercise?

    I was in my late 30s alright, but I had worked at The Daily Times, at The Guardian and at The Democrat – I was a pioneer at the last two; Thisweek Magazine too; and I’d even worked at the USSIS (United States Information Service). But all the while, I had some ideas in mind. I wanted to do a directory of the media; I wanted to do review for the media, because I have always seen the media as a profession, not something you just stumble in and stumble out. At that time too, the debate about how the media should be regulated and co were also going on. So the idea of Media Review was born, the idea DAME was also born. My colleague and friend Taiwo Obe worked with me briefly on the projects before he moved on; but he still shared that passion for the media.

    What other thing is Diamond publications into?

    Diamond publications is a publishing company. It publishes books, magazines, biographies…. We organise in-house training as well, and do general consultancy for organisations.

     Journalists are looking forward to the days when winners will begin to smile home with as much as 1million Naira in cash prizes.?

    I wish there were prizes when were younger. We started with N5,000; but it’s not about the cash. I think the idea that you have won is more than the money. But…maybe One million, five million, ten million, I don’t know. Let’s wait and see.

  • Pupils of Pacelli School for the blind share Xmas plans

    Pupils of Pacelli School for the blind share Xmas plans

    It was celebration galore at the Pacelli School for the blind last week, as pupils and management held their annual Christmas carol and also lunched their 2016 calender. Olusegun Johnson was there.

    The PACELLI School for the blind and partially sighted children had its annual Christmas Carol during the week. The colourful event which had a creative rendition of songs by the pupils also witnessed the launch of its 2016 calender.

    The principal of the school Rev. Jane Onyeneri said the event was memorable and would certainly be a source of inspiration for many. Her words: “It is with great pleasure and immense gratitude to God that I welcome you all to this Christmas Carol and launch of 2016 Calendar for the Blind and Partially Sighted children here in Pacelli.”

    Happily she goes down memory lane to recall that: “There are people who have been supporting this school for years and that is why we celebrate our Christmas carol this way every year as a way of thanking them for their love and support.”

    She added that: “We are appealing to Lagos state to come to our aid to support the school. The total number of students we have here is 135, and they belong to the state. We however need Lagos State to step forward to support us financially to pay our staffs salaries and all individuals because they belong to all of us”.

    To buttress her point, Onyeneri informed that: “We are doing this fund-raising for the children, so that they will not run out of cash next year when the session begins. This is also why we are launching our calendar”.

    Apart from the core educational programs, the 135 students in Pacelli School also engage in vocational skills such as tye and die, making of perfumes, table mats, key-holders, bags, necklace among other items”.

    Former PDP gubernatorial candidate of Lagos State, Jimi Agbaje was a guest and he talked about the need to show love to the less privileged this season.  “Christmas is a season of love, a day to remember those that are less-privileged like this. It is a season of hope; hope that Nigeria will become a better country. Pacelli School for the blind has always being there for the blind. Pacelli School has been able to bring about children who might have been thrown away to the backyard. They are here to develop themselves in a way that is unique; this way they would be able to hold their own and compete with those that are sighted”.

    The Chairman of the event, retired Inspector General of Police, Alhaji Musiliu Smith was represented by Engineer Saheed, a retired permanent secretary with the Lagos State civil service. “Today is a celebration and we’re happy to be here just as we were here last year. We need to thank God for keeping us alive. I have the privilege to tell you that the retired I.G has promised that he will continue to support Pacelli School for the blind. And to the physically challenged children here, we will never forget you; we always have you in mind. That is why we are here for this gathering and we pray you endure this session.”

    On his part, Alhaji Hammed Quamel, a parent of one of the physically challenged students, “We should all learn to see beyond the disability of these children. We have a lot to do and the first step is to come together to look at how we can help. We should not wait or look at what the government will do for us every time”.

    Bernard Okodua, a priest with Saint Anthony Catholic Church, Igbaja talked about the vision and mission of the School, as well as some of the achievements recorded over the years.

    “It is mainly for the pastoral, spiritual and educational care for the less-privileged children who are visually handicapped. The idea is to give this people the opportunity to realise their potential in the society, despite their disability. Being blind is not the end of life but it is painful to live in darkness. Pacelli School for the blind has gone a step higher to take care of the blind. There are some of them in the universities. We have some lawyers, musicians, teachers and other professionals, who have gone through this school”.

    Okodua adds that: “It is a non-fee paying school. The school clothes them, feeds them, buys books for them and educates them. Most especially, Pacelli is not for catholic members alone. Irrespective of your religion, you are always welcome. The government does not fund it, but individuals and private organisations from time to time make donations.

    ‘Our Christmas plans’ by Pacelli students

    Some of the students also spoke about how they intend to spend this Christmas.

    Faith Iyejuwa

    I see Christmas as a day of joy. A day Christ came into this world and a day to be remembered at all times. During this Christmas, I pray that I have a wonderful time. I will like to visit places, friends and family and I will also be preparing for my JAMB examinations next year.

    Moses Udoh

    Christmas is a wonderful time and something that I look forward to every year. For me, it will be spent in a glorious way, by the grace of God.  During that time, I will be reading my books and visiting friends. These include people I know and those I don’t know.

    Nelson Onaja

    Christmas is a time to share and give. During Christmas, I will be spending more time with my family by going on trips, visiting different places like restaurants because they promised me that they will take me out. I also look forward to going to the beach.

    Lazarus Immanuel

    Christmas is something we must commemorate every year for the lord died for our sins. During this Christmas, I will really enjoy going out with friends and going to church to celebrate our Lord Christ Jesus for keeping us alive from January to December.

    Afolabi Oluwapelumi

    During Christmas, I will like to spend time with my friends and family and I will like to showcase my talent in drama with other people when I go out during the Christmas season.

    Femi Adedayo

    I will spend time with people at home and travel out with my family. I will also perform the talent we are taught, such as how to make perfumes and beads during the Christmas for my family.

  • ‘Reporters need to go beyond the ordinary’- Lanre Idowu

    ‘Reporters need to go beyond the ordinary’- Lanre Idowu

    Following a successful 24th edition of the DAME awards for the media recently, Lanre Idowu, CEO, Diamond publications and trustee of the awards, x-rays the events of the night, challenges of running the awards over the years and more. He spoke with Gboyega Alaka.

    Dame literally shot down about two categories of awards this year; what were these categories and were the entries so bad?

    I believe you are talking about the Investigative Reporter of the Year Award category, and the Political Reporting category. When we talk about investigative reporting, it is supposed to be like the most challenging in the print category. Incidentally, the number of entries for the investigative reporting category was actually second only to Informed Commentaries. The committee that looked into that category, shortlisted five entries; then another committee, which is like a peer review committee looked through those five and picked three. And when it came for general discussions, we found out that there were still some gaps, and those gaps were serious enough that we did not feel in all honesty that we should give out any award in that category. The same goes with Political Reporting. We felt that they didn’t break new grounds. They weren’t telling us anything new or special. Reporters were telling us very much what everybody already knew and it was more about putting it in elevated language. And then there were just too much of editorialising. They were just telling us their own views. Yes we need some analysing in reporting, but at the same time, it was all common-place information.

    Could it be that the reporters got lazy or that they were biased and simply pitched their camp with their favourite?

    I think it’s a combination of all these. The reporters failed to interrogate the status quo, so to speak. Essentially, when you talk about investigation, there are two critical areas: the hows and the whys. The more answers you get to your ‘how’ and ‘why’ questions, the more you’re able to enrich your work and make it more insightful. But of course this is not the first time we’re shooting down certain award categories; and the idea is that we are not compelled to give an award for the sake of giving an award. We want to be sure that anyone that we say is a winner in that category is truly deserving of that title.

    But the Wole Soyinka Award for Investigative Journalism took place a few days after the DAME and produced winners, would that be because they were trapped?

    I cannot speak for them. Besides, I don’t know the entries that they received. I have sat on the panel before and I know that they’re very thorough. Maybe if I see the winning work, then I might be able to understand why it won.

    Investigative reporting might seem like the most difficult to handle for journalists; why is this so and what tips would you offer aspiring winners?

    Without doubt it is the most challenging. We do something annually, which we call ‘Widening the Pools of Excellence Workshop’; we’ve done it for two years and interestingly, two of the major supporters of the workshop are The Nation and The Punch. What we do there is to actually take people on what we see as deficiencies in the previous year’s exercise. We’re going to do that by the grace of God in the New Year. We look out for the active players and we organise a retraining workshop, where first of all, we remind them of the fundamentals of reporting and then break them into groups and take them into further nitty-gritty that we saw were lacking in the previous entries. You will also recall that I said that the Insurance Reporting prize was not given for many years, because we just could not find a winner. But the winner this year has won it about four years back; even in those years that we didn’t award it, she was always sending in entries. But she attended that retraining workshop and I’m sure part of what she learnt at that training helped her to get back to winning ways. The whole idea is to help our craft get better, to help journalists put up their best and ensure that those roles they need to be playing are not overlooked.

    Could the dearth of quality investigative reporting also be because a lot of people are simply trying to save their neck and not fish too deep into dangerous waters?

    There is no story that is worth dying for. But having said that, some of these shortcomings are not so much about danger, but more about not pushing enough or maybe not understanding what they should be looking for. In some of these stories, you find out that the writer starts well, but after sometime, they’re relapsing. Some don’t know the right thing to look out for; and that needs nurturing in-house, as well as reading wide. What is the story about? What is the approach to the story? Maybe we shouldn’t blame the reporters alone; we must also talk to their news managers. I believe media houses still have their editorial meetings, where you discuss story ideas before going after them. We’ve had some conferences, where we encouraged people to share story ideas, but we’ve found out that people are not so welcoming of this because they believe their colleagues would steal their ideas.  But overtime, we have been able to let them realise that when you share ideas, you learn more. The other person you’re sharing with may have some angles that you may not be aware of but which may be vital to the success of the story. Somebody can question your premise and by the time you listen to different shades of opinion and are able to harness them, you find out that they help you to unleash the investigative exercise. There is nothing wrong with collaborating, but in our own case, we give the award to the media house once the writers are more than two.

    What do you make of the ongoing tussle between the social media and the traditional media?

    What is the threat? The threat is that once upon a time, to break news, you have to wait on the NTA network news at 9 o’clock, but that is not the case anymore because things are happening and getting posted online immediately. Good enough, every mainstream media now has a web presence; so for me the web is there to break news and the print is there to give you more substance and understanding of the news. So I see more opportunities; for engagements, for specialisation and depth in reporting. I don’t believe the print media will disappear, but for some publications, especially those who are development-oriented, for which the print may not be the most ideal outlet. For instance, Media Review, which we publish at Diamond Publications; of course it’s not going to circulate like your usual traditional print newspapers, so what we are doing is to turn it into an online publication and occasionally do the print version. So the newspapers will just have to do more work. Nobody wants to pick up a newspaper at N150, to read exactly what they have read online.

    The DAME Awards night was by all means a beautiful night; how have you managed to sustain it for 24 years?

    We started with just eight categories only in the print media. But over the years, we have been building on it. Don’t forget the name: Diamond AWARDS for Media Excellence; so it’s not just one award. Our style is to look for partners in terms of sponsors to support the different categories, to encourage the reporters to continue to improve in the different categories. So we categorise the beats and look for sponsors to support the categories. The best thing we would have loved is for somebody or an organisation to endow it in perpetuity, for say X million of naira; but that’s not always easy.  So, some people agree to sponsor for a term and observe. But again there is also the question of who are the people or players, who are strong enough to sponsor the award or awards in perpetuity? We run the risk of turning it into a strictly elite thing or a money-bag affair. In DAME, we always look for a linkage between the sponsor and the prize. For example, we have the Editorial Writing category, which my mentor, the late Tunji Oseni endowed for a while before he died; hence it is called the Tunji Oseni Prize for Editorial Writing. He endowed it with some money – not exactly in perpetuity; but we also published a book on him after his demise, and used the seed money – after paying the royalty, to continue the award, because we wanted to continue the prize in his honour. We also have some, like Business Reporting, which Aliko Dangote has endowed for a term. And then we also need judges; we have a collection of academics and veteran journalists who serve as judges. The whole idea is to have a community of believers, who believe in the nobility of the idea; because again, it is essential to keep the nobility of the idea alive, so that the quality of the award is not compromised in any way. And of course we have friends who now and then donate to support the exercise.  But we’ve not been lucky to get one sponsor for the whole event.

    Some people enter great stories in the wrong categories; do you ever take the liberty to put them in the right categories while sorting?

    Yes, we’ve done it once or twice, but it’s part of the responsibility of the writer to read the instruction very carefully and enter stories in the right category. Once a reporter entered a story in the Health category, but the extent of work done was so huge that the judges decided it should go for the investigative reporting category.

    You were quite a young man, when you kick-started this awards; what prompted you into the whole exercise?

    I was in my late 30s alright, but I had worked at The Daily Times, at The Guardian and at The Democrat – I was a pioneer at the last two; Thisweek Magazine too; and I’d even worked at the USSIS (United States Information Service). But all the while, I had some ideas in mind. I wanted to do a directory of the media; I wanted to do review for the media, because I have always seen the media as a profession, not something you just stumble in and stumble out. At that time too, the debate about how the media should be regulated and co were also going on. So the idea of Media Review was born, the idea DAME was also born. My colleague and friend Taiwo Obe worked with me briefly on the projects before he moved on; but he still shared that passion for the media.

     What other thing is Diamond publications into?

    Diamond publications is a publishing company. It publishes books, magazines, biographies…. We organise in-house training as well, and do general consultancy for organisations.

     Journalists are looking forward to the days when winners will begin to smile home with as much as 1million Naira in cash prizes.?

     I wish there were prizes when were younger. We started with N5,000; but it’s not about the cash. I think the idea that you have won is more than the money. But…maybe One million, five million, ten million, I don’t know. Let’s wait and see.

  • Pupils of Pacelli School for the blind share Xmas plans

    Pupils of Pacelli School for the blind share Xmas plans

    It was celebration galore at the Pacelli School for the blind last week, as pupils and management held their annual Christmas carol and also lunched their 2016 calender. Olusegun Johnson was there.

    The PACELLI School for the blind and partially sighted children had its annual Christmas Carol during the week. The colourful event which had a creative rendition of songs by the pupils also witnessed the launch of its 2016 calender.

    The principal of the school Rev. Jane Onyeneri said the event was memorable and would certainly be a source of inspiration for many. Her words: “It is with great pleasure and immense gratitude to God that I welcome you all to this Christmas Carol and launch of 2016 Calendar for the Blind and Partially Sighted children here in Pacelli.”

    Happily she goes down memory lane to recall that: “There are people who have been supporting this school for years and that is why we celebrate our Christmas carol this way every year as a way of thanking them for their love and support.”

    She added that: “We are appealing to Lagos state to come to our aid to support the school. The total number of students we have here is 135, and they belong to the state. We however need Lagos State to step forward to support us financially to pay our staffs salaries and all individuals because they belong to all of us”.

    To buttress her point, Onyeneri informed that: “We are doing this fund-raising for the children, so that they will not run out of cash next year when the session begins. This is also why we are launching our calendar”.

    Apart from the core educational programs, the 135 students in Pacelli School also engage in vocational skills such as tye and die, making of perfumes, table mats, key-holders, bags, necklace among other items”.

    Former PDP gubernatorial candidate of Lagos State, Jimi Agbaje was a guest and he talked about the need to show love to the less privileged this season.  “Christmas is a season of love, a day to remember those that are less-privileged like this. It is a season of hope; hope that Nigeria will become a better country. Pacelli School for the blind has always being there for the blind. Pacelli School has been able to bring about children who might have been thrown away to the backyard. They are here to develop themselves in a way that is unique; this way they would be able to hold their own and compete with those that are sighted”.

    The Chairman of the event, retired Inspector General of Police, Alhaji Musiliu Smith was represented by Engineer Saheed, a retired permanent secretary with the Lagos State civil service. “Today is a celebration and we’re happy to be here just as we were here last year. We need to thank God for keeping us alive. I have the privilege to tell you that the retired I.G has promised that he will continue to support Pacelli School for the blind. And to the physically challenged children here, we will never forget you; we always have you in mind. That is why we are here for this gathering and we pray you endure this session.”

    On his part, Alhaji Hammed Quamel, a parent of one of the physically challenged students, “We should all learn to see beyond the disability of these children. We have a lot to do and the first step is to come together to look at how we can help. We should not wait or look at what the government will do for us every time”.

    Bernard Okodua, a priest with Saint Anthony Catholic Church, Igbaja talked about the vision and mission of the School, as well as some of the achievements recorded over the years.

    “It is mainly for the pastoral, spiritual and educational care for the less-privileged children who are visually handicapped. The idea is to give this people the opportunity to realise their potential in the society, despite their disability. Being blind is not the end of life but it is painful to live in darkness. Pacelli School for the blind has gone a step higher to take care of the blind. There are some of them in the universities. We have some lawyers, musicians, teachers and other professionals, who have gone through this school”.

    Okodua adds that: “It is a non-fee paying school. The school clothes them, feeds them, buys books for them and educates them. Most especially, Pacelli is not for catholic members alone. Irrespective of your religion, you are always welcome. The government does not fund it, but individuals and private organisations from time to time make donations.

     ‘Our Christmas plans’ by Pacelli students

    Some of the students also spoke about how they intend to spend this Christmas.

    Faith Iyejuwa

    I see Christmas as a day of joy. A day Christ came into this world and a day to be remembered at all times. During this Christmas, I pray that I have a wonderful time. I will like to visit places, friends and family and I will also be preparing for my JAMB examinations next year.

    Moses Udoh

    Christmas is a wonderful time and something that I look forward to every year. For me, it will be spent in a glorious way, by the grace of God.  During that time, I will be reading my books and visiting friends. These include people I know and those I don’t know.

    Nelson Onaja

    Christmas is a time to share and give. During Christmas, I will be spending more time with my family by going on trips, visiting different places like restaurants because they promised me that they will take me out. I also look forward to going to the beach.

    Lazarus Immanuel

    Christmas is something we must commemorate every year for the lord died for our sins. During this Christmas, I will really enjoy going out with friends and going to church to celebrate our Lord Christ Jesus for keeping us alive from January to December.

    Afolabi Oluwapelumi

    During Christmas, I will like to spend time with my friends and family and I will like to showcase my talent in drama with other people when I go out during the Christmas season.

    Femi Adedayo

     I will spend time with people at home and travel out with my family. I will also perform the talent we are taught, such as how to make perfumes and beads during the Christmas for my family.

  • Dealing with literature of June 12

    A book titled June 12 Election, Campaign for Democracy And The Implosion of The Nigerian Left written by Onyeisi Chiemeke, one of the frontline participants in the events of 1993 was presented to the public in Lagos last weekend.  Edozie Udeze was there

    The Nigerian left, members of the Human Rights community and those who have over the years stood solidly behind the people, agitating and advocating for good governance in Nigeria, regrouped last weekend in Lagos to honour one of their own.  From the gathering, it was clear that the group has not given up or lost hope that Nigeria will ever get better.  In his book titled June 12 Election, Campaign for Democracy and The Implosion of The Nigerian Left, Onyeisi Chiemeke a lawyer and human rights campaigner went deep into the events and circumstances that led to the 1993 annulment of the presidential election won by the Late business mogul, Chief MKO Abiola.

    The public presentation of the book which took place in Lagos saw some members of the Nigerian Left, those of them who still believe in the ideals and philosophies of the idea to make Nigeria an egalitarian society where the equal distribution of wealth is guaranteed and where poverty is reduced to the barest minimum, lampooning the leadership and those in authority who have consistently refused to do things right.

    In his own remarks, John Oda, a former Secretary General of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) praised the author, Chiemeke, for his resilience and boldness and courage in going back into time to unearth all those important issues that made the Nigerian left a force to reckon with in the years of yore.  “For the role we played and the road we chose to thread, democracy is a reality today.  Chiemeke is like one of the chroniclers of the salient elements that propelled the 1917 Russian Revolution,” he said.

    Those events finally signposted the revolution.  In this carefully written historical documentation, Chiemeke gave the day-to-day details that led not only to the formation of the Nigerian Left, but the hub of the 1993 presidential election.  The place of Abiola in this matter is made clear and unambiguous by the author.  Today, no history of the salient issues of 1993 can be recounted without a direct reference to this book.  This was why Oda gave double kudos to him, asking his other members to come out of their cocoons because it is time once more to go to town for the benefit of the masses.  “The struggle is not over yet,” he said.

    The book is not just an indepth excursion into time, it is also a bundle of revelations, assertions and insights into an era; an era that is too difficult to wish away in the annals of Nigeria.  This was why in an interview, Chiemeke took his time to explain the reasons for his mission, the task of putting the work together and the core essence of the Nigerian left.  “Yes, I was active in the process, the principal organization that stood against the annulment of that June 12, 1993 presidential election.  This was done through The Campaign for Democracy.  We were very active and I was one of the group of people, young Nigerians who were fresh out of tertiary institutions, bubbling with energy, but refused to allow bad leaders to continue to hold us hostage.  We were street workers for June 12 then, under the auspices of Campaign for Democracy.

    “So, after whatever that had transpired in those days, I personally came to a conclusion that some stories, most times, are terribly misrepresented.  This is so because these stories are not being told by participants in the events.  So, I was active, hence this book.  It is a story I can conveniently tell with all the facts and figures in place.

    “My own contention in this book is that part of the problems of the Nigerian left was also attached to how they approached the issue of June 12.  It became like a slaughter house for the Nigerian left.  In the middle of that fight there was a disagreement; this fundamentally affected everybody.

    This also further created more divisions which led to the birth of other groups.  It wasn’t that there were no disagreements before now.  But this particular one bordered on deep bitterness and by 1998 – 1999, the problem had not been solved.  Based on that, the transition created its own problems,” he said.

    Chiemeke also believes that the sort of leadership we have today and the sort of purposelessness that accompanies it, is essentially due to the lack or absence of a formidable left.  “Yes, I should think so.  If you look at how it had always been prior to that time, before the advent of democracy, we were up and doing to checkmate leaders, even the military.  The Nigerian left had been in opposition in the society.  We tackled fundamental issues, not from the middle of the road.  Go back to how we tackled the issue of Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP), of the era of Ibrahim Babangida.  There was a clear-cut idea of what we wanted the government to do.  That, we have lost now, in my own view.”

    The author berated his members whom he said have scattered here and there, thus giving government and leadership enough space to toy with the lives of Nigerians.  “They are in different political parties.  I can even also accuse myself as one of those who now see in Buhari as the salvation general.  But if we are to view it from its proper context, that is from ideological politics; we still have a lot of way to go.  So, with a book like this, with the regrouping of some of us here today, we can begin to be where we should be.  Yes, some people may think you have attacked them but the book will generate other debates within us.  It is this debate and more that will make us to move forward.”

    It is time also to begin the re-engineering of the left and for more members to write more expose on June 12 and what it means to democracy in Nigeria.  With this sort of situation, the society can make more progress.  Even those who many people thought before belonged to the left tradition, were not really in that class.  “In this book, I made a clear distinction between human rights politics and left politics.  The two are not the same in my own contention.  There is a clear division between human rights activism and left wing activism.  In the core tradition of left politics, you can always see the difference,” he said.

    “Ours is not about articulating a position and letting the government know.  It is about letting the people know that there is an alternative to what we have in place today.  That is the fundamental issue and that it is wrong to see the world from this narrow world-view.  The world can be seen from a more fundamental and qualitative way.  In it, I don’t really want the government to feel my impact.  We are not advocating for reform.  No, that is not what we stand for.

    “What we advocate is a fundamental change in the way and manner the Nigerian system is being run.  This fundamental change must address the question of income distribution, and production process.  Who gets what and how does the person get what he gets?  This is the only way the change we need can come into fruition.”

    There are fundamental issues, according to Chiemeke, that the government lacks the capacity to tackle.  But even if the present government wishes to address these issues, it cannot address them because this government is viewing the world from the context of foreign investments.  “Foreigners do not develop any country.  That is my view and that is a historical fact.  The history of the world is that societies are developed by the owners of the land, by the indigenes of that society.  Ours therefore cannot be different.”

    He equally lambasted the Labour Party which could not  fulfill the mandate of the masses but to join in the foray of free for all political jamboree in the society.  “The type of Labour Party we expected is not this type we have whereby if you are tired, you join PDP or APC.  Segun Mimiko is an example.  That is not the kind of Labour Party we are talking about.  Even Adams Oshiomhole did not join the Labour Party even when the party has its office right there in the NLC secretariat in Abuja.  What does that tell you?  It tells you that something somewhere is wrong.  Nigeria is already a one party state whether it is PDP or APC.  Because what are they saying?  Are they saying what is different from each other?  It is just that, to me, the ruling class needed some stability and Buhari who had that good man image would provide it.  Therefore it is for the government to function and keep going.  It is not that the government will do better.  But at least it is to give it confidence so that you and I can say, it is working.”

    He had a word or two to splash on Jonathan.  “Oh, yes the way he was going, even members of his party would have said, oh, this is not what we bargained for.  We want peace.  I have a small analogy to give to you.  You see, the mosquito would prefer that you go to sleep before it decides to bite you.  Because if it bites you while you are awake you will disturb it.  And if it becomes mannerless it will not be able to bite you.  Jonathan was heading in that direction and they needed somebody who had this image that we can make a fortune.  To me, that is what we have now,” he said.

    The book goes deeper than that, however, to dissect many problem areas of the nation.  Chiemeke did all these in 14 Chapters with profound historical accounts which dwell on different dimensions of the series of struggles that gave vent to June 12, 1993.  And it is clear that the history of the struggle whether of the left or of the fight to entrench democracy cannot be complete without this June 12, 1993.

    In his own remarks, Frank Oshanugor, who handled the publication of the book from its infancy to fruition, highlighted the need for people like Chiemeke to regale Nigerians with books like this.  “When I saw the first draft, I knew that this is a great book of history.  Today, what we have is a book on the history of June 12 and the genesis of the struggle.  It is a great work that deserves the attention of all.”

    The presentation witnessed people from all walks of life; people also came to savour the meaning of the Nigerian left and what the author had to offer.  Like Oda remarked, “we will endeavour to re-present this book later in Abuja.”

  • Fela and the future of Africa

    Fela and the future of Africa

    The event was quaintly tagged ‘AFRICA FUTURE’. The date was 26th November, 2015.

    It was billed to start at 6 pm. The venue – the grounds of First Foundation Place, Opebi, was more familiar as a watering hole for medical groups for their conventions and meetings, and it was a strange setting for a gathering that promised to feature Fela’s famous protégé – Dede Mabiaku as its centre piece, playing the music of his idol – Fela Anikulapo Kuti.

    Many of the invitees, as they drifted in, admitted they were mystified at what might be on offer. They were a motley group, made up of politicians, business people, bankers, media icons, big name Nollywood actors and government officials.

    The design of the invitation letter had the names of all the invitees embossed on the page, and you could see them at a glance.It was  a full, rich house. Senator Seye Ogunlewe and Senator Olorunimbe Mamora sat together at a table up in front, near the klieg lights. Other VIP guests were scattered all over the place. Near the entrance, there was a ‘red carpet’ in front of a large banner of the Africa Future project. Dr Tosin Ajayi, portly, smiling, was there to welcome new arrivals, and to take photo shots with them.

    It was a slow start, but the champagne and other wines were flowing, and nobody seemed to mind.

    At length the Master of Ceremonies took the microphone and announced the commencement of proceedings.

    The formality, such as it was, was very sparse. He welcomed everyone to the unique event. He gave a little background story which began to provide an insight into the questions in many people’s minds – ‘ Where is Dr Tosin Ajayi coming from in all  this?What is this business about Africa Future?

    The man was a notable medical practitioner. The locale itself even had a place of sorts in Nigeria’s social history. It was to First Foundation Hospital, located in these premises, that the shredded body of Dele Giwa had been brought after he was blown up by a parcel bomb. So many memories. So much angst.

    The doctor had moved on from there, building up a mighty presence in areas ranging from medical equipment to medical education and e-health. He had established partnerships with some of the most prominent international brand names in the healthcare industry. He was a front-rank figure in healthcare in Nigeria, working from these premises.

    The MC disclosed that the Ambassador of Finland had recently paid a visit to First Foundation Place. Looking round, and getting a talk from Dr Ajayi on his projects and plans, she had been so impressed that she proceeded to invite him to be a panel member at an event the embassy was proposing to hold at the Wheatbacker, a stately hotel in Victoria Island. Dr Ajayi had readily accepted.

    That was the beginning of a story within a story, according to the MC. The focus of the Finnish event was how to improve the health indices of Nigeria, and Africa, using the model of grassroots ‘Family Medicine’ that was the hallmark of the healthcare system in Finland. In the audience were medical practitioners, figures in the media and entertainment industry, government officials, and prominent persons from the private sector.

    Finland was acknowledged to have one of the best healthcare systems in the world, and the standard of well-being of its citizenry was the stuff of legend. A Professor of General Practice from Finland was invited to give a keynote address. After this a panel, which included Dr Ajayi, was brought up on the podium to discuss ways by which Nigeria could borrow from the Finnish example or chart its own course in reducing unnecessary death and ill-health among its teeming population. A lady talked about her Cancer charity, which was perpetually in the news. To her, deploying more resources to Cancer would be a major game changer in the country. Other people talked in positive, optimistic tones. By and large, they drew inspiration from the Finnish example, and acknowledged that the Scandinavians were world leaders not just in organized wellness, but in standards of living.

    When it came to the turn of Dr Ajayi to say something, the expectation was that it was going to be more of the same. He was an ‘elder statesman’ of the Medical profession in Nigeria, and surely had something to say for the future of the profession? What was the road to Nigeria’s future Health, he was asked. And what were the prospects?

    ‘I don’t know’ he responded.

    The hall was stunned. The facilitator persisted.

    ‘Surely there is something we can do? Surely there is hope?’ It was a tentative question, and no longer carried the certainty of a statement.

    ‘I don’t know what we can do. Maybe we should invite the foreigners to do it for us.’

    This was a Nigerian doctor with decades of experience in the field, and a known passionate advocate in the cause of Health.

    You could hear a pin drop in the hall. The facilitator – the famous television personality Ebuka – offered a few tepid jokes to break the tension, took a few comments from the audience, and soon announced that it was time to break for cocktails.

    The Master of Ceremony this evening at First Foundation Place recalled this event graphically, and tied it to the reason why they were all gathered here at the behest of Dr Ajayi. They were gathered to share the frustration that led to the outburst at The Wheatbaker, and that frustration was not just about Africa’s Health but about the continent’s whole being. They were here so he could urge them to begin to develop a vision that could give Africa a future.

    The picture was beginning to get clearer, even as the victuals landed on the tables and Dede’s band tuned up in the background.

    Tosin Ajayi came up on the podium to explain himself, and share his mission, in a process of self-exegesis.

    In his sixties now, and looking to be in reasonably good health, he peered myopically at the audience over the rim of his spectacles. He still had a good many years to go, from all appearances. Of course they could not be as many as the years gone before. He picked his words and enunciated slowly, but he was not reading from a script. He was free-associating, speaking from the depth of his soul. Here was a man clearly frustrated by the lack of progress in his nation, and his continent.

    ‘I have been here a while…’ he started.

    It was the mother of understatements. The ‘here’ had several layers of meaning, surely. Here, in Opebi, where he received the shattered body of his friend, Dele Giwa. Here in Opebi, where he built First Foundation into a veritable behemoth, but found he could not do anything about the equivalent of one plane load of Nigerian women dying in childbirth every day. Every day. Here in Nigeria, where you could not comfortably run a lift up the several floors of First Foundation, because the power often failed. Here in Nigeria, where he could not stop healthcare workers walking off at the drop of a hat, leaving the hapless citizens to die. Even doctors.

    ‘What about the Oath’, he had often asked his young colleagues, in his perplexity?

    What oath was their response. Some even derided him as a government puppet. He – Tosin – a puppet?

    In all that span, totaling almost half a century of Nigerian history, he has been a presence here in Opebi, Lagos. You sensed that he could feel a sense of urgency, of time running out with not a lot accomplished. Not money – that was not the issue. What was money, in the midst of all this misery?

    He had never had the gift of the garb, and this evening, he expressed himself as much by what he did not say as what he actually said.

    Africa needed to have a future. Did that mean he had given up on the present?

    On the screen close to where he stood, messages and quotes were slowly scrolled.

    ‘Africa Future… Bridging the Development Gap…New Agenda Now Or Else…’

    He was not talking a lot, but he was communicating about a continent that did not govern well, did not innovate, and did not have the respect of itself, not to talk of others.

    And even the things he did not say were scrolling up in the minds of his audience. The barbs from the rich, racist buffoon who could well be America’s next President – Donald Trump.

    ‘…Look at African countries…those people are stealing from their own government and go (sic) to invest the money in foreign countries. From the government to the opposition, they only qualify to be used as a case study whenever bad examples are required…I hear they abuse me in their blogs but I don’t care because even the internet they are using is ours and we can decide to switch it off from this side…These are people who import everything including matchsticks. In my opinion most of these African countries ought to be recolonized again (sic) for another 100 years because they know nothing about leadership and governance…’

    Words like poison arrows in the heart of an old warrior like Tosin Ajayi. Was he in despair?

    No, not despair, it turned out. Only an invocation, a call to action for this privileged audience.

    ‘Let us prime ourselves and enjoy the Emancipation songs of Fela Anikulapo Kuti, produced by his protégé – Dede’

    And with that he left the stage.

    At the table near the stage where the band would play, Senator Ogunlewe and Senator Mamora engaged in friendly banter about ‘Change’. They talked about the legacy of Awolowo.

    Dede came on, and the evening erupted.

    He looked like Fela, dressed like Fela, spoke like Fela. Even his mannerisms were Fela-esque. The ‘young’ Dede was getting on himself now, and under the klieg lights the age was beginning to show. He would be in the fifties, or was it sixties? An acclaimed actor, the son of a Warri High Chief, he had found Fela early in life, and never left him, despite being ‘excommunicated’ by his parents and his clan.

    He started with ‘yabis’.

    ‘The future of Africa can never be in the hands of anybody but Africans…the truth – was what Fela stood for…The first African ever to be represented on Broadway was Fela…Have you listened to his lyrics?…There is depth… and knowledge…’

    Then he launched off into ‘Water No Get Enemy’.

    The crowd pulsated. Even the Senators were swaying.

    Many in the audience, movers and shakers in society,  truth be told, would not have given Fela the time of day in his day. Now that he was safely dead, and a world icon, they all owned him, and many were already standing at their tables and dancing away like ‘Shrine’ regulars as the trumpet went off in a riff.

    Dede was doing something to Afrobeat – he was adding Scat. It made a provocative delicious blend.

    He played some of his own material. He had ‘over 50 records’ ready to go, he announced off-handedly. Which raised the question – why was he not recording?

    He brought on his guests. Gloria Ibru – who played with an uptempo Itshekiri rhythm. Majek Fashek, back from wrestling with his private demons, brought the house down with ‘Send Down the Rain’.

    And Seun Anikulapo Kuti took your breath away. He played ‘Rere Run’.

    It was part of the set he had played a few months ago when he had his gig at Ronnie Scotts- the most famous Jazz venue in the world. He was clad in t-shirt and shorts, and he admitted he only got the invitation to this event from Dede twenty four hours ago. He didn’t even know he was coming on stage – he had omitted to bring his sax. But Dede was his mentor – as Fela had been Dede’s mentor. He had taken him under his wing at his moment of epiphany. There was no saying ‘No’ to him.

    So yab he did – afterall he was Fela’s son.

    ‘Dede no tell me say na show – e just say na event about Africa Future…’

    When he began to sing Rere Run the atmosphere became electric.

    Hidden beneath the lyrics was a conundrum. On the surface it was a diatribe against the military and authoritarianism. The deeper meaning was the tragedy of a people disconnected from their highest Art, and their highest Artist. Bogged down in the trivia of law and order, they could not mobilise for higher purpose. Would Fela have sung the ‘Change’ mantra and helped to mobilise for true Change, for a change? Afterall nobody could remain an outsider for ever. True PMB had jailed him in a previous incarnation, aborting an epochal American tour because he possessed cannabis, which Feladubbed Nigerian National Grass? Suffering from a crisis of un-belief, would Fela’s voice have helped the masses to believe, at last? And believing, would it have helped them to transform, and to become the best they could be – both in their lives and in their society?

    Or was it a vain and hopeless delusion?

    Excitedly, Tosin Ajayi was dancing by the footlights with the rest. His demeanour had an uncanny resemblance to the writer Lyndsay Barrett when he danced at Fela’s Shrine, a stocky man with his spirit uplifted, and a glint of fever in his eyes.

    Soon it was time to go.

  • Women who made headlines in 2015

    Women who made headlines in 2015

    The year 2015 is gradually coming to an end. For many, this is time to count their blessings and losses. For the womenfolk, it was a year that witnessed the good, the bad, as well as the ugly. As you take a cursory look, you also find some women who set the pace, changed records and made remarkable strides on the local and international scenes. Yetunde Oladeinde (Assistant Editor) and Gboyega Alaka unveil these women and the things that made them stand out.

    One woman that caused a big stir in the political scene this year is Aisha Alhassan. Her recent proclamation as winner of the 2015 governorship election in Taraba State has attracted varied reactions from across the country, more so as she gets the enviable position of the first woman to be elected governor in the history of Nigeria.

    The tribunal sitting in Abuja had nullified the election of Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during the April 11, 2015 election and declared Senator Aisha Jummai Alhassan of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the duly elected governor in the state.

    Although she has been sworn in as Minister of Women Affairs just days earlier, Alhassan, fondly called Mama Taraba, is most likely to resume duties at the Government House, Jalingo, seat of the Taraba State government, if the Appeal Court upholds the judgment of the Taraba State Elections Petitions Tribunal.

    Interestingly, Alhassan has had a series of other ‘firsts’ attached to her career, having been the first female to contest a leadership position in the Students’ Union Government at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1978; she later became the first female acting president of the union.

    Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

    Over the years, Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche has received accolades and recognition for standing out in the literary world. This year, she added another feather to her crowded cap, with the Baileys Prize as its ‘Best of the Best’.

    During the year, Half of a Yellow Sun was named the best winner from the last decade of the women’s prize for fiction.

    Adichie’s book competed with nine other titles that include Zadie Smith’s On Beauty to Eimear McBride’s A Girl Is a Half-formed Thing. At the end of the contest, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s novel on the Biafran war, Half of a Yellow Sun, emerged as the best winner of the women’s prize for fiction of the last decade – by both the public and a 10-man strong judging panel.

    The award, now known as the Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction, chose to mark its 20th anniversary by asking the chairs of judges of the past 10 years – including Joanna Trollope, Shami Chakrabarti and Daisy Goodwin – to pick their ‘best of the best’ winner from the last decade. Andrea Levy’s Small Island, which won the award in 2004, had previously been named the “Best of the Best” novel in the prize’s first decade.

     Adichie said she had “a lot of respect for the books that have won [the award] in the past 10 years and also for the books that have been shortlisted.”

    “This is a prize I have a lot of respect and admiration for – over the years it’s brought wonderful literature to a wide readership that might not have found many of the books,” said the novelist. “I feel I am in very good company. To be selected as ‘Best of the Best’ of the past decade is such an honour. I’m very grateful and very happy.”

    Kemi Adeosun

    Within the financial sector today, the name that readily comes to mind is Kemi Adeosun, the current Finance Minister. As soon as her name was mentioned, the rumour mills went agog with many wondering if she was the right person for the job. However, when she stepped out in the senate to talk about her plans for the sector, it was obvious that the lady certainly knows her onions.

    Her antecedents also speak volumes. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from the University of East London and a Postgraduate Diploma in Public Financial Management from the University of London. She then commenced her career as an Accounting Assistant at the British Telecom Company, London, from 1989 till 1990, after which she moved to Goodman Jones, London, working as a Senior Audit Officer from 1990 till 1993.

    She became Manager of Internal Audit at London Underground Limited, London and Prism Consulting from 1994 till 2000, before joining Price Waterhouse Coopers, London as Senior Manager from 2000 till 2002. In 2002, Adeosun became Financial Controller at Chapel Hill Denham Management and, subsequently, Managing Director in 2010. After working with Quo Vadis Partnership as Managing Director in 2010 and 2011, she was appointed Commissioner of Finance in Ogun State from 2011 till 2015.

    Linda Ikeji

    This year, super blogger Linda Ikeji stole the show online. The writer, former model and entrepreneur, best known for her controversial publications and her media contributions to the development of the Nigerian entertainment industry, continued expanding her horizon in a unique way. The celebrity blogger recently played host to a few of her friends at a house-warming party at her multi-million naira mansion in Banana Island, Ikoyi, Lagos.

    Controversy  about the source of the money used for purchasing her Banana Island mansion estimated to have cost a whopping N600 million also dominated the scene this year.

    Ibukun Awosika

    During the year, Mrs. Ibukun Abiodun Awosika became the new Board Chairperson of First Bank, Nigeria’s second largest lender. She took over the helm of affairs from Prince Ajibola Afonja, who retired. This appointment makes Awosika the first woman to assume this position since the establishment of the bank in 1894.

    Just before this appointment, Awosika who has a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from the University of Ife was a non-Executive Director of the bank.

    Awosika is an alumna of the Chief Executive Programmes of Lagos Business School and the Global Executive MBA Programme of the prestigious IESE Business School, Barcelona, Spain.

    She started her career as an Audit Trainee during her National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) at Akintola Williams & Co (now Deloitte). After her NYSC, she moved to Alibert Nigeria Ltd, a furniture company where she worked as a Showroom Manager for three months. She resigned from Alibert Nigeria Ltd at the age of 25 to begin her entrepreneurship journey. She started her own furniture-manufacturing company, Quebees Ltd, that later evolved to The Chair Centre Ltd.

    Ibukun Awosika also sits on the board of several other companies, among which are Cadbury Nigeria Plc, Digital Jewels Ltd and Convention on Business Integrity. She is also the Chairman, Board of Trustees of Women in Management and Business (WIMBIZ), as well as Chairman of Intermac, organisers of SmartCard Conference in Nigeria.

    Aisha Muhammadu Buhari

    Her photographs before, during the political campaigns and after the election graced the pages of magazines, newspapers and television. Simple and beautiful, Aisha Muhammadu Buhari stepped out gracefully as the wife of Muhammadu Buhari, the President of the Federal republic of Nigeria, who assumed office on May 29, 2015 after defeating the then President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.

    The cosmetologist and beauty therapist was born in Adamawa State, North-Eastern Nigeria. Her grandfather, Alhaji Muhammadu Ribadu, was Nigeria’s first Minister of Defence. Her father was a civil engineer while her mother is a descendant of the Ankali family, renowned farmers and textile giants.

    She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Administration from the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), and a master’s degree in International Affairs and Strategic Studies from the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Kaduna. She obtained a Diploma in Beauty Therapy from the Carlton Institute of Beauty Therapy, Windsor, United Kingdom and specialised in Permanent Make-up, Mesotherapy and Miocro-dermabrasion. She holds a Post-graduate Diploma in Cosmetology and Beauty from Academy Esthetique Beauty Institute of France. She is a member of the United Kingdom Vocational Training and Charitable Trust and the International Health and Beauty Council.

    Mo Abudu

    Mosunmola Abudu, popularly known as Mo Abudu, literally took over the film industry when she premiered her movie titled Fifty this year. The package which featured Ireti Doyle, Dakore Egbuson-Akande, Omoni Oboli and Nse Ikpe-Etim was directed by Biyi Bandele with Mo Abudu as the executive producer.

    Fifty had its London Film Festival premiere in October, and critics say the production is Mo Abudu’s quest to showcase African women coming of age, vis a vis aspirations and dilemmas faced by their contemporaries everywhere, while yet navigating traditions and obligations.

    Set in Lagos, “a city of disproportionate and breathtaking contrasts,” Fifty celebrates the pulse and energy of this fast developing metropolis and explores the diversities and complexities of its colourful people through the lenses of its women.

    The energetic talk show host, TV producer, media personality, human resources management consultant, entrepreneur and philanthropist has been described by Forbes as “Africa’s Most Successful Woman.”

    Amina J Mohammed

    For close watchers of government operations in Nigeria, the name Amina J Mohammed, Honourable Minister of Environment, may not be a strange one after all. Aside being one of the six women that made President Muhammed Buhari’s ministerial list and scaled the senate screening hurdle, Mohammed comes with an incredibly loaded CV, having impressed in several other endeavours.

    The latest on her list of exploits before coming home to be minister was her role as Special Adviser to the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon on post-2015 development planning. In that capacity, she acted as the link between the Secretary-General, his High Level Panel of eminent persons (HPL), and the General Assembly’s Open Working Group (OWG) amongst others.

    Before taking up that appointment, Ms Mohammed had served as founder and CEO of the centre for development Policy Solutions and as an Adjunct Professor for the Master’s in Development Practice Program at Columbia University. She had also worked as Senior Special Assistant on Millennium Development Goals, serving three Nigerian Presidents (Obasanjo, Umaru Yar’a dua and Goodluck Jonathan) over a six-year period in the process. Between 2002 and 2005, she coordinated the Task Force on Gender Education for the Millenium Project; while in 2005, she was charged with the co-ordination of Nigeria’s debt relief funds towards the achievement of the MDGs.

    For her activities in the Nigerian public sector, Mohammed was recently described by American fashion and lifestyle magazine Vogue, as “a public sector strategist involved in crafting and implementing fiscal projects aimed at fighting poverty in Nigeria.”

    She was also amongst the 13 women photographed by the magazine for a feature story on the role of women in the ongoing UN climate change conference.

    Mohammed was also CEO and founder, Think Tank Centre for Development Policy Solutions. Her appointment as minister is therefore another high point, expected to avail her more opportunity  to bring her wealth of experience to bear on her own country, helping the new President Buhari-led government to achieve its much-touted change mantra.

    Born in 1961 of a Nigerian father from Gombe and a British mother, Amina Mohammed also founded Afri-Projects Consortium, a multidisciplinary firm of engineers and quantity surveyors, serving as Executive Director. She also worked with architectural engineering firm, Archon Nigeria in association with Norman and Dawbarn, UK.

    Asisat Oshoala

    In a year that is rolling by rather quietly for Nigeria’s sportswomen, football player, Asisat Oshoala stands out with the highest achievement and impression.

    First she clinched a coveted spot in January in the star-studded Liverpool FC female team, to the delight of family, friends, fans and Nigeria’s Football Federation; and though the amount of that contract was ‘undisclosed,’ one could be rest assured that the 20-year old football talent had negotiated herself into the elite group of female footballers, and away from poverty of local football.

    A few weeks before that, the former Rivers Angels striker had earlier been named African Women Player of the year by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for the year 2014, following her exceptional performance for her club and country that year.

    With club, she had won the Nigerian Professional Women’s Football League title in 2014 (having also won it in 2013); while she and her colleagues in the national team stunned the world at the 2014 FIFA U-20  Women’s World Cup in France, finishing as runners-up behind Germany.  Her performance at that tournament and at the African Women’s Championship, where Nigeria won her seventh African Women Championship title earlier, contributed to her emerging as CAF female footballer of the year. For her performance, she was also named Most Valuable Player at both tournaments.

    Her highest point in the outgoing year would however be her emergence as the inaugural BBC Women’s Footballer for the 2014/2015 season in May.

    To underline the quality and value of the award, Oshoala won it ahead of Veronica Boquete (Spain and FFC Frankfurt) Nadine Kessler (Germand andVFL Wolfsburg), Kim Little (Scotland and Seattle Reign FC) and Marta (Brazil and FC Rosengard).

    But for playing in a group of death that included Sweden, USA and Australia and generally posting a  poor run as a team, pundits are of the opinion that Oshoala would have again distinguished herself at the FIFA Women’s World Cup, as she scored a brilliant individual goal in the opening 3-3 draw against Sweden at the Women’s World Cup in Canada. Injury also stopped her from featuring at the Olympic qualifiers, inadvertently giving arch-rivals, Equatorial Guinea a lee-way to clinch the ticket at Nigeria’s expense.

    Omoni Oboli

    Wikipedia sums up Omoni Oboli’s personae as ‘actress, scriptwiter and producer. Perfect? No, as the online encyclopaedia forgot to include the tag, ‘movie director’.’

    She loves directing, she told a glossy lifestyle magazine in a recent interview; adding that directing means being able to give my script my DNA.” She directed her latest and rave-making film, First Lady, which she is very proud of and which recently premiered in the United Kingdom and across Nigeria with much pomp. First Lady has been described as’a comic drama with compelling storylines backed with impressive acting.’

    Aside the film, which stars top acts like Joseph Benjamin, Alexx Ekubo, Yvonnne Jegede, Chinedu Ikedieze, Anthony Monjaro and Omoni Oboli herself; another high point for Oboli was being named The Sun Nollywood Personality of the Year 2015.

    The Delta Born French graduate of the University of Benin, who kick-started her thespian career with a cameo role in the urban telling ‘Not My Will’ as far back as 1996 has certainly seen it all. Over the years, she has also garnered awards and recognitions. In 2010, she won the Best Actress – Narrative Feature at the Los Angeles Movie Awards, and the award for Best Actress at the Harlem International Film Festival. She was also nominated for the Best Actress in a Leading Role award at the 2014 ELOY Awards, for her movie, Being Mrs Elliot.

    Omoni Oboli was also unveiled in the year as Nunu milk brand ambassador, in a renewed Nutricima campaign to encourage mothers to fortify their kids with milk for adequate mental growth, enabling them ‘Grow Everyday’.

    Born in Benin and raised on the grounds of the Delta Steel Company (DSC) in Aladja, Delta State, Omoni  started acting with big time Nollywood movie stars in her first year in the university.

    Yemi Alade

    Afro-pop sensation, Yemi Eberechi Alade burst onto the Nigerian music scene in 2009 when she won the Peak Talent Show. But her hit song, ‘Jonny” sealed it for her, catapulting her into the galaxy amongst the stars of Nigeria, and indeed African music.

    In no time, she has amassed several nominations, awards and recognitions both locally and on the international scene.

    Her highest point in the year 2015 would be her emergence as Best Female Act in the MTV African Music Awards. She also got a nomination in the BET Awards in the Best International Act, Africa category, along with Wizkid, both of them losing the award to Stonebwoy from Ghana.

    In 2014, she also got nominations as Female Artiste of the Year in the Nigerian Entertainment Awards;  Female Artist of the Year at the City People Entertainment Awards and Best African Act at the MOBO Awards.

    In 2013, her potentials as a new act was also recognised by ELOY Awards, which nominated her as the Most Promising Female act in 2013.

    Before her Peak Talent Show feat, Alade had featured in an all-girls group called Noty Spices in 2005. But her hit song, Jonny, produced by Selebobo and leaked to the internet in 2013, dominated music charts in Tanzania, Kenya, Ghana, South Africa,Liberia, Uganda, Zimbabwe and the United Kingdom, and remains till date one of the best songs of 2013.

    She also headlined the Super Diva’s Nite at the 2013 Calabar Festival, and opened performances at the 2013 Headies Awards.

    Her first album, King of Queens was released on October 2, 2014.

    Born in 1989 in Abia State, to a Yoruba father and Igbo mother, Yemi Alade graduated from the University of Lagos with a degree in Geography.

    Dr Ibilola Amao

    Dr Ibilola Amao, Principal Consultant, at Lonadek has for two decades been in the forefront of youth empowerment and development in the country targeted at Vision 20:20.

    Amao’s Lonadek is an independent local content development organisation focused on building the capacity of Nigerians, Nigerian companies, businesses and vendors, in delivering quality goods and services in the oil and gas industry. Lonadek is therefore committed to the implementation of state-of-the-art Engineering IT solutions in the Oil and Gas industry by a highly skilled workforce and is driven by a passion to see more Nigerians excel and participate actively in High-Technology driven industries.

    For twenty years, Amao has been preoccupied with her Vision 20:20 Youth Empowerment and Restorative Initiative, focusing especially on the oil and gas industry, where from experience, she had discovered that Nigeria lacks adequate manpower and potential to make any impact anytime soon, if something drastic was not done. For her, a situation where only foreigners dominate the very lucrative sector, at the expense of Nigerians was no longer acceptable.

    This year’s edition, which held in May at the MUSON Centre, focused on career counselling, industry awareness and youth empowerment, and it was especially aimed at the most intelligent science technology, engineering and mathematics students from SS 1 to SS3, undergraduates and unemployed graduate, to catch a vision about creating value in information technology in Nigeria. The annual programme focuses on engendering and enterprise.

    Amao once said that she was prompted to undertake this mission, when sometime in 2005, she sat at a panel with foreign expatriates to recruit Nigerians into the industry and discovered rather shamefully that otherwise brilliant Nigerians flopped woefully when questions that required them to think outside the box  or apply  the knowledge they had in a skilled manner were thrown at them.

    Amao is UK-trained, having attended Manchester Business School, Bradford University and Queen Mary College, University of London. She holds a Ph.D in Computer-Aided-Design  and Draughting and a First Class honours degree in Civil and Structural Engineering. Amao is chairperson for the industry Advisory Team, Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board; a Fellow of the Energy Institute (EI), UK, a chartered member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE); a certified HR professional with the Chartered Institute of Personnel Managers (CIPM), a member of the Institute of directors programmes committee and coordinator of the Young Members & Graduate Empowerment at the Energy institute, UK, Lagos Branch.

    Itoro Eze-Anaba

    Itoro Eze-Anaba is to different people a saviour, a helper, a liberator and a defender. Her Mirabel Centre, founded in 2003 and located inside the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH,  Ikeja, is the first Sexual Assault Reform Centre in Nigeria, and second in the whole of West Africa. The centre offers medical examination and treatment of illnesses and injuries caused by assault, counsels victims, helps report cases to the police, offers legal information and refers victims to other agencies for help not provided by the centre – all for free.

    As a legal practitioner, Itoro had set out in the year 2000, traversing Nigeria and lobbying to get the Domestic Violence Bill (DVB), which she had initiated, to be passed into law. In the course of that, she met a 14-year-old, who told her a story of how her father had sexually assaulting her since she was 11; and this prompted her to conceive something more urgent to attend to the ugly scourge, hence the Mirabel Centre. At the last count, the centre has received and attended to well over 650 patients/victims.

    The centre is equipped with doctors and nurses, who are forensic medical examiners; and counselors, who have undergone training on sexual assault trauma confidentiality.

    For her invaluable services, Itoro has been variously honoured. This, she was amongst the three women nominated for Vlisco’s 2015 Women’s Month Award, for being a trend-setter and for all her hardwork in the battle against rape and sexual assault in the country.

    Itoro also established Blue Ribbon, the first ever all-male advocacy group campaigning for women’s rights in Nigeria

    Dotun Akande

    Dotun Akande, a banker, educator, initiator of the Patrick Speech and Language Centre and Pure Souls Learning Foundation for Children with Autism, this year emerged as the 2015 overall winner of the Vlisco award.

    Wondering what gave her an edge over others and she replies this way: “It was the work that we did. Somebody nominated me, that is how it works. Then we went to the polls and people voted for me. Autism won, it’s not Dotun that won. Ever since I won the awards, I have been relishing. A lot has happened. They pamper me, do my makeup and bring fabrics and clothes for me. I look elegant and it’s been a beautiful experience. I have also met a lot of people in the process. I have met great people. I have met wonderful people doing great work in the things that you do.”

    To have a total understanding of the issues, Akande had to go for training abroad and she is still attending courses. “I go out of my way to call friends abroad on updates and to clarify grey areas. I was in banking for 13years.” Apart from counselling and therapy, she has done some programmes, like the talent hunt concert, which is a yearly event. The inspiration came when her son was diagnosed with autism.

    “We started in 2008  and started with the Centre for children with Autism before starting the Patrick’s Speech and Language Centre. My first memorable case was one  little girl that came to the centre. We tried for over eight months to try to let her release her words. Then she was the first that started using words ‘like pass the ball’. She actually made a sentence and she is now in a regular school. She graduated to secondary school and her parents never left the shores of Nigeria, meaning that it is possible to get help here.”