The Nation Newspaper

Category: Arts & Life

Mohammed holds Inspired

Yesterday, Inspired opened at Alexis Galleries, Victoria Island, Lagos, featuring 35 fascinating works of a talented young artist, Raji Mohammed, a realist who tries to represent his subjects truthfully. If not for the visible strokes, you would question if the artworks were paintings or photographs due to their near perfection.

Though he studied Art Education at Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education, Otto-Ijanikin, Lagos, and was trained to be an art teacher, Mohammed without doubt would stay in the studio to produce arts rather than in a classroom to teach art. The artist chose to express himself through painting and he sees “art as an unending adventure that keeps one moving from one level of creativity to another. The featuring works are oil on canvas and acrylic, they have striking similarities with those of Ebenezer Akinola’s. This similarity could be attributed to the training he had at A.S Ebenezer Studio under Ebenezer Akinola, who is a major influence on him.

The artist, who was born in Lagos, said he is inspired by works of great masters, happenings and moods of people around him. The Handover, one of the works on display captured the peace experienced by Nigerians during the handover of previous administration. “A couple of months ago we witnessed a peaceful transition from the past government. The calabash in this painting serves as symbol of peace. It depicts the peace experienced in the cause of the handover,” explained the artist.

The body of works he created such as The Offering, questions Nigerians on what they are willing to offer to the development of the nation. Brotherly Protection…in this painting you could see three boys and the one who seemed to be the oldest in the middle spreading his hands around the two younger ones “giving shelter to them.” Other works on view are Meeting Before Bed Time, We Are Almost There, Royal Escort, I Look into You, Ayo and Omo ‘mo Mama.

Mohammed is good at what he does and he rendered the works realistically well. This being his first solo exhibition, he said: “I feel excited. I am happy that I have been given an opportunity by Alexis Galleries to have a solo show at my age.” The exhibition runs till October 24, 2015.

Mohammed is a graduate of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (Lagos campus). His works are in private and public collections, both home and abroad. He also trained at the Universal Studios of Art, Iganmu, Lagos, in 2008 before undergoing training at A.S Ebenezer studio under Ebenezer Akinola who has been a major influence to him. Mohammed has participated in various group exhibitions such as Cupid and Fate just to mention a few. He is currently managed by Alexis Galleries.

Many will say he is too young to have a solo show, but the gallery owner and the exhibition curator, Mrs Patty Chidiac-Mastroginnis, doesn’t think so “because Raji is mature for a solo exhibition. I have other artists who are older than him but I don’t think they are ready. Raji’s works are already sought after, he sells very fast in our gallery, and collectors are waiting for the show. And I think he deserves the show because he worked hard for it.”

She admitted that “no gallery would give him a solo show at his age. But we believe in promoting young artists; getting them to the top and such talents shouldn’t go to waste, because it’s a shame if no one will give them the help they need in terms of exposure. As young as he may be I think Raji is ready. He delivers and he is serious about his work.”

The exhibition coordinator and the gallery consultant, George Edozie, who has had international and local shows, described the artists as “among the best craft men I have ever seen in his age bracket.”

To him, the expectation for this show is high. “In the history of this gallery we have not sold less than 80 per cent of the works in our shows, because we have a good formula. Our expectation is high and we know that Raji is going to sell out.” He added that Mohammed’s was among the 150 artists who participated in year’s Ofala Festival in Onitsha and the piece was sold.

October 18, 2015
Revisiting an important issue

Title: Managing Interpersonal
Relations: A Study on Temperament and Perception
Author: Kelechi S. Okoronkwo
Reviewer: Adinoyi Ojo Onukaba
Publishers: Kraftbook Limited, Ibadan, Nigeria
No. Pages: 212
Date of Publication: July, 2015

We all need relationships. We are all involved in relationships. Man’s need for affection leads him to building relationships. The need for affection is the need for relationships. To be human is to be involved in relationships, such as family, friends, business, communal and nation-to-nation relationships. No man is an island unto himself. We are human because we belong and relate with other people in the society. Building, managing and sustaining relationships are important in our lives.

These are some of the important messages in Kelechi Shadrach Okoronkwo’s book, Managing Interpersonal Communication: A study on Temperament and Perception. The book teaches us how to build and manage relationships in a sustainable and mutually beneficial way. Success in life, the book says, depends on our ability to manage relationships. It says that relationships have to be well managed to create maximum benefits for all concerned.

As we all know, it is not easy keeping relationships. But Success in every business begins with the ability to keep relationships. That will help you to get people to cooperate. How then do you get people to cooperate? All discussions, illustrations and demonstrations in Okoronkwo’s bookare models to answering this Interpersonal Relations question.

The author’s allusion to E.M. Forster’s essay on tolerates relives our moments and shows direction: Surely the only sound foundation for a civilization is a sound state of mind… If you don’t like people, put up with them as well as you can. Don’t try to love them. You can’t, and you’ll only strain yourself. But try to tolerate them. On the basis of that tolerance a civilized future may be built. Certainly I see no other foundation for the postwar world.

We can agree with Foster that the world is full of people, the way it has never been so full before, and people are all tumbling over each other.Most of these people, he says,”one doesn’t know and some of them one doesn’t like; doesn’t like the color of their skins, say, or the shape of their noses, or the way they blow them or don’t blow them, or the way they talk, or their fondness of jazz or their dislike of jazz, and so on. Well, what is one to do? There are two solutions. One is the Nazi solution. If you don’t like them, kill them, banish them, segregate them, and strut up and down proclaiming that you are the salt of the earth. The other way is less thrilling, but is on the whole the way of the democracies, and I prefer it”.

Theauthor’s demonstration of self-perception as a gateway to Live Positions—the ways people appraise themselves and others— is also instructive. The author says there are four Live Positions namely:I am Okay, you are not Okay.This is the situation where an individual thinks that he is superior to others. People with this live position find it difficult to cope with others because they puff-up themselves always and people tend to dislike them for that. The second is I am not Okay, you are not Okay. People with this live position think that everybody is the same—never-do-wells. They don’t see themselves to be good and they do not see other people to be good either. Individuals with this mental image are neither eventful nor daring. The third one is I am not Okay, you are Okay. People with this Live Position think that they are inferior to others. They feel that every other person could do better than they could do. This is a poor live position; and finally, I am Okay and you are Okay.This is the normal and only good live position. This set of people believes that they can do well the way others could. These characters expect other people to be good because they themselves are good. They are daring and most times successful.

The book 212-page book has two parts. Part A discusses Temperament and Perception and their effects in Interpersonal Communications. It goes on to argue that Temperament and Perception are factors that affect relationships. The key to successful management of relationships, the book reveals, is in understanding behavioural differences among people. Indeed, people are different. What works for some people may not work for others. The way we relate to some people may not be the way we relate to others. It is important, therefore, to understand each person’s temperament, expectations and idiosyncrasies in order to know how to relate well to the person. This is what is meant by temperament in this valuable book. Perception is not always the same as reality. But perception is as important as reality.In relationships, we need to understand and manage perception. Inter-personal communication is critical to successful management of perception. We need to communicate well to avoid perception problems and to ensure sustainable relationships. Communication is the key to the success or failure of relationships.

Part B dwells on some nuggets that make relationships work. They adequately summarized in his two quotes on page 101 that “Every one of us has conscience. You can always appeal to our consciences by challenging our weaknesses in a positive way”, and “Eventually, great men in all businesses go out of their ways to keep their relationships; because their relationships are their businesses”.

This book teaches us how to value, understand and keep relationships. Successful management of relationships requires great skills. This book teaches us those skills. For example, the principle of reciprocity is “a valuable philosophy underpinning relationships”. We must do unto others as we want them to do unto us. We must strive to make people feel important. We must notice and appreciate good gestures. Also, the book advises us to place at the heart of relationships the core values of tolerance, forgiveness, love, honesty, trust and self-disclosure.

Okoronkwo’s choice of personalities and photos for illustration in the book is adequate and fitting.He has done a good book and added to knowledge on Communications. His background as Public Relations Executive and journalist give him the credibility to advise on how to make relationships work.

Okoronkwo’s book is a treasure-trove of ideas and advice on the management of inter-personal communication in relationships. His book is certainly not the first on interpersonal communication, however, his ability to use understandable illustrations for both local and international readers has made this book the first of its kind.Everyone will find it useful. It will guide us through the often slippery grounds of familial, business, political and international relationships. I have enjoyed reading it.

Dr. AdinoyiOjoOnukaba is former Managing Director of Daily Times NigeriaPlc.

October 18, 2015
Free kidney treatment for neighours

Medinat Kanabe writes about a hospital that decided to offer free kidney check-up in its neighbourhood.

When some Lagosians residing along the Lekki area of the state visited the Healing Stripes Hospital, Lekki last week, their intention was to just go for a normal check-up but they ended up discovering that their kidneys were not functioning well.

It was the annual free medical camp by the hospital and this year, it decided to do kidney health awareness; free kidney screening, free medical consultation with Nephrologists and free haemodialysis. This was to mark two years of operations of the dialysis centre.

During the three days that the free medical service lasted, about 20 new cases of kidney disease were discovered.

The routine was for patients to go in, register, see the doctors for their vital signs, go for blood and urine tests and then see the Nephrologist with the result and hear what next.

The doctors, Vidya Shankar, a Consultant Nephrologist and transplant physician and Prakash, a Radiologist are from the Vikram Hospital, Bangalore, India. According to them, they came to partner with the hospital in seeing patients for free medical services. “We do free screening for the patients through urine test to know if they need to be treated or if they need dialysis, then they are treated or go through the free dialysis.”

They advised avoidance of excessive alcohol intake and smoking, consumption of red meat, obesity, and engaging in regular exercises, avoid driving in traffic which he said can stress the lungs, and stay away from gas pollution, to avoid kidney diseases.

New way to save costs

They also noted that kidney dialysis and treatment is ten times more expensive in Nigeria than in India. To make organ transplant cheaper they advised against burying the dead with their organs. For instance, “In India, if someone is brain dead, we can use the person’s kidney for another person. That is how it is done in many countries. We have cadavers that are used so Nigerians too should start having cadavers.”

They explained that kidney damage is irreversible except a transplant is done. “A damaged kidney cannot come back to normal because the cells are dead so it is better if it is discovered early and something is done. When it is discovered early, it can be treated with medicine but when it becomes severe, it can only be treated through replacement therapy. A person can live a normal life if he goes through kidney transplant. ”

They called on government to help in the control of import duties so that equipment, drugs and other consumables can come into the country cheap.

For Mr. Owoicho Benard, 39, an Electrical Engineer, who has been battling kidney disease and undergoing dialysis for two years, it was an opportunity for him to undergo one session of dialysis and save N25, 000 even though he has already spent N4.5m on dialysis.

The Benue State indigene said: “I discovered I had kidney disease two years ago. I have been going to Gbagada General Hospital every two weeks for dialysis but I heard about this free dialysis and came.”

The father of two called on well meaning Nigerians to help in paying for his dialysis stating that the company where he used to work paid for him until July this year when he was retrenched.

On her part, the Managing Director of the hospital, Dr. Ezinne Onyemere, told The Nation that they will be giving 60 free dialysis sessions to 60 people.

She said that kidneys are complicated and amazing organs that do many tasks to keep one healthy. “The main job of the kidney are to make urine, remove wastes and extra fluid from the blood, control your body’s chemical balance, help control your body’s blood pressure, help keep your bones healthy, help you make red blood cells.

“A person can lose up to 90 per cent of their kidney function before experiencing any symptoms. Early detection is the first step in treating chronic kidney disease. Symptoms of kidney disease includes Nausea and vomiting, passing only small amounts of urine, swelling, particularly of the ankles, and puffiness around the eyes, unpleasant taste in the mouth and urine- like odour to the breath, persistent fatigue or shortness of breath, persistent high blood pressure, muscle cramps, especially in the legs, pale skin, excessively dry, itchy skin, and loss of appetite. In children it is increased fatigue and sleepiness, decrease in appetite, and poor growth.”

She said ways to prevent it includes keeping fit and active, monitor one’s blood pressure, keep regular control of one’s blood sugar level, eat healthy, keep one’s weight in check, maintain a healthy fluid intake, do not smoke and do not take over the counter pills on a regular basis.

A 32 year old patient, Miss Okechukwu McJossy who spoke with The Nation said she heard about the free medical camp through a mail, and saw it as an opportunity to be part of it.

October 18, 2015
10 years after Bellview crash: ‘It’s been tough living without our breadwinner’

Mrs. Esther Ekene, a native of Ubulu-Uku in Delta State, is a civil servant. Her husband, Andrew Uwandi Ekene died in the ill-fated Bellview Air crash in Lisa Igbore village, Ifo Local Government of Ogun State. On that fateful Saturday, October 22, 2005, 117 lives perished. Now, 10 years after the mishap, Mrs. Ekene who has since got her life back on an even keel, reminisces on fond memories of her husband, the daily struggles of grooming her two kids all alone, with Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf

It is exactly 10 years after the ill-fated Bellview Air crash, in which you lost your husband. How has it been?

Time really flies. It still looks like yesterday. I want to thank God so far. God has been faithful to me and my children. I thank God for today because I thought I was going to die at that time the plane crashed killing all on board including my darling husband. Time as they say heal wounds. I want to use this medium to thank my family members my in-laws and friends for their support in this past 10 years God will bless you all.

How has it been coping with your two kids without your breadwinner?

I must confess it has been a huge challenge raising the kids alone. However, with the help of God I’m trying my best to give them good upbringing and also play both roles in parenting. Playing both roles has not been easy, especially with my teenage son because at the age he is one really has to be firm with decisions so that the child will be well-guided in life. By the grace of God, I have pulled through thus far.

How old where your kids when their dad passed on and how have you been able to let them know he is no more?

When my husband passed on my son was three years old while my daughter was five months old. I waited for five years before they knew the real situation of things, I could not disclose it to them alone because I was worried about their reaction. So, my elder sister broke the news to them at the crash site in Lisa village on October 22, 2010, exactly five years after the sad episode.

How do the kids feel about his absence?

The kids have adjusted to the fact that everything is mummy but as children they sometime wish that daddy is around especially when they see other children with their fathers.

Would you say your hubby would be proud of you to see what the kids have become?

I’m sure wherever he is, he would be very proud of me because of how well I have carried on without him, especially in raising the children. He used to jokingly tell me then what can you do without me honey?

Any plans to remarry?

Hmmm! The plan to remarry is for God to decide. Let his will be done.

What are your future aspirations?

My aspiration is to have a fulfilling life, so when I get older I can look back and feel happy about my endeavour. My children will also grow to be responsible and successful in their life endeavours too.

What are your views on some unwholesome widowhood practices in Nigeria?

No woman envisages the death of her husband. In our society today when a man dies, fingers are pointed at the wife that she is responsible for the death of her husband. In some cultures, the woman is subjected to all forms of torture and humiliation from her in-laws and sometimes from elderly women in the village. In some parts of the country, the widow is forced to get married to her late husband’s brother. These practices should stop because already the woman is mourning so why add more stress and heartache to her.

Advice to young widows

My advice to young widows is that they should hold unto God who is the husband of the widow and father of the fatherless.

October 18, 2015
Malnutrition: Silently killing Nigerian children

Over a million Nigerian children are malnourished while many die every day according to UNICEF 2014 report. Sina Fadare, Assistant Editor, who recently visited one of the Nutrition and Community Management of Acute Malnutrition, (CMAN) Centre in Kano, reports.

Perhaps the case of the Nigerian child against malnutrition can be likened to a paradox of staying in the middle of a sea, yet no water to drink. If a country that prides itself as the giant of Africa could afford to approve N9 billion to provide ordinary environmentally friendly stove to be distributed throughout the country by the Goodluck Jonathan administration, yet could not afford adequate resources to cater for her children who are dying in droves like due to acute malnutrition, something definitely went wrong somewhere.

In other climes, children between birth and five years of age are cared for like a delicate egg that requires attention, otherwise it got broken. All medical expenses which include good dietary system are taken care of by the government in order to aid their development so that all their potentials will be developed to full capacity. Unfortunately the case is opposite in the country.

The recent data released by the United Nations International Children’s Fund (UNICEF) revealed that over one million Nigerian children between the ages of birth to five years are malnourished while many died everyday due to acute malnutrition.

This mind boggling figure equally revealed that this made the country the second largest contributor to the under five and maternal mortality due to acute malnutrition in the world.

According to the UNICEF head of nutrition, Arjan de Wagt, “There are approximately 1.7 million severely acutely malnourished children under five in Nigeria, accounting for a tenth of the global total. Nearly a thousand Nigerian children die of malnutrition-related causes every day a total of 361,000 each year. Acute malnutrition also leads to stunting of children causing life-long physical limitations and can reduce intellectual capacity.”

According to him, rates of stunting in Nigeria have stagnated for more than a decade, adding that about two in five Nigerian children are stunted, with rates of stunting varying throughout the country and almost 30 percent of Nigerian children are underweight, meaning they don’t weigh enough for their age, “This is more than double the proportion of neighbouring Ghanaian children who are underweight.”

Perhaps irked by the precarious situation, the Nigerian children are passing through in the hands of malnutrition, UNICEF recently organized a two day media dialogue with journalists in Kano.

The UNICEF representative in Nigeria, Jean Gough also said: “Community-based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) was piloted in Gombe and Kebbi States in 2009 and has now been introduced in 11 northern states where malnutrition poses the greatest threat. CMAM treats acutely malnourished children from six months to five years old on an out-patient basis.

“More than 830,000 children have been cured in the programme with the cure rate rising steadily currently standing at 85 per cent. Of the remaining children, about two per cent do not respond to treatment and are referred to hospitals; the current mortality rate is just one per cent, while the other children have defaulted from the programme.”

Gough pointed out that “CMAM is carried out during weekly appointments over approximately eight weeks at primary health care centres. It includes education of parents and caregivers on nutrition, the importance of continuing breast-feeding and the role of hand-washing and hygiene.

“The nutrition status of the children is assessed and children are given a health screening; if necessary, they are also treated for other illnesses. Children are given highly nutritious Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) during the sessions and mothers and caregivers are provided with supplies of RUTF to feed the child at home.”

According to her, the cost for CMAM is just $160 for each child treated, including $76 for the RUTF; the remaining $84 covers all other costs, including staff time and training, transport and storage of supplies, and basic medicines adding that UNICEF and the Government of Nigeria are scaling up the CMAM response and UNICEF is advocating for increased investment in CMAM from both the government and external donors.”

If Nigeria is a signatory to the Convention on the Right of the Child which is the most rapidly and widely ratified international human rights treaty, which stipulates that every child has a right to life and that government should ensure that children survive and develop healthily, what went wrong?

The Nation learnt during a visit to Yan’awaki Primary health centre, one of the CMAN centres in Kano metropolis that helpless mothers visit the centre to access the UNICEF succour, ‘Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food’ (RUTF), which are given to the children directly to save their lives from acute malnutrition.

The Nurse on duty, Maryam Abdullahi in a chat with the reporter disclosed that the women bring their malnourished children to the centre in droves and they are treated as outpatients, only the critical ones are placed on admission.

According to her, the centre attends to between 50 to 100 patients everyday and they are supplied RUTF free of charge, a situation that encourages a lot of them to visit the centre.

“We usually give them the drugs provided by the government and the UNICEF but if it is exhausted due to high demand, we request them to buy on their own. However, we educate them to make sure that their children are breastfed for about six months from birth so that they will have high immune system that will help to fight any related diseases in their body.

“We also educate them on the type of food they should give these children after they are weaned since majority of it are available. This is necessary so as to reduce the scourge which is going towards dangerous dimension,” she explained

Why we are in this mess?

If the Nigerian government could afford to spend about N1.9 billion on mere centenary celebration and of recent another N12.9 billion on members of the National Assembly in two months, why are helpless children dying in millions everyday due to acute malnutrition which can be perfectly controlled?

Speaking to The Nation on how things went wrong, a nutritionist with UNICEF, Dr. Bamidele Omotola, said that it is sad that Nigerian children are experiencing such agonizing situation in the midst of the resources available.

He noted that “There is no Nigerian child that should experience this situation; unfortunately we do have this precarious situation in our hands which we cannot help. A child who has this condition should have a place that is free to access health care in order to curb this situation. Just like when a child had malaria which ordinarily he should not, there should be a readymade hospital to access health facility at little or no cost.”

Omotola who insisted that government provided the facilities that are being used in all the CMAN Centre’s in the country, said that UNICEF only assists to get same goal.

“Let me put the record straight, the facilities are provided by the government. UNICEF is only assisting in order to run it. The government is facing a lot of enormous challenges. The health system is not immune to the challenges. The government is paying the staffs; we are only supporting, through supply, training and the tools to do the needful. We equally provide supervision to be sure that it is done properly.”

The nutritionist regretted that some of the state governments did not cue in into the UNICEF programme in order to assist the malnourished children. “Very few governments in the country at state level cued into this programme and we are also constrained in the limit of what we can also raise from the donor community. The government is encouraged to make sure that universally, the services are available in all the Primary Health Care System in the country.” he said.

Speaking in the same vein, the President of the Nutrition Society of Nigeria, Prof. Ngosi Nnam pointed out that an average Nigerian child is short changed in the fight against acute malnutrition with the available resources the country is endowed with.

The Head of Department of Home Science Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Nigeria, Nzukka, said the implication is that the future generation of Nigerian children has been affected. “When they are malnourished it affects the generality of their potentials and they will not be able to put their best to national development. When a child is malnourished it indirectly affects their brains. It will not develop well as how it ought to be developed since the brain controls every part of the body.”

According to her, “if the brain is not developed because of malnutrition, it affects such a child particularly his reasoning ability. Children that are malnourished are stunted. When you compare them with relatively their age mate, they are smaller, again all the development organ of the body is also stunted. That means that whatever they are doing will be equally stunted.”

The University don pointed out that “When it comes to knowledge acquisition like education, they will not conceptualize well and will not be able to reason well. This development will put the country backward.”

However, a food scientist Mr. Emmanuel Ajayi heaped the blame on government who look elsewhere when billions of naira is looted away in the past with impunity and nothing was done to curb it adding that with the enormous resources the country is endowed with such a huge Nigerian children should not be killed like a chicken by acute malnutrition.

Ajayi who recently came from India said despite the huge population over there, children health and welfare are in the front burner. “The reason why the case of malnutrition is endemic in the north is because of the poor level of education and ignorant. The bitter truth is that Nigeria child has been shortchange and at the dead end due to massive corruption of her past leaders.”

He regretted that the little available resources which the government provided was not monitored properly, hence the country is dancing on same spot and paying lip service to primary health care system in the country.

Step taken

If acute malnutrition is so preponderant in 11 states of the north and some of the states claimed to have spent huge resources on health care delivery, why was the effect unnoticed, this is the question stakeholders are asking?

Speaking to The Nation in Kano, a nutritionist with the Federal Ministry of Health, Dr. Chris Osa Isokpunwu said that a lot of positive steps had been taken by the government to combat the scourge adding that a lot is still needed from all the stake holders to achieve a favourable result.

He noted that the country has spread her tentacles to international community like UNICEF and alike for a collaborative efforts to address the scourge.

“Nigeria is one of the newest countries to become a SUN member and we are joining more 45 countries and over 100 international organization and donors to rally around a common agenda and solutions with the goal of mobilizing broad commitment and resources to advance our nutrition agenda.

“We also have several multi-sectoral initiatives such as Maternal Newborn and Child Health Programme and Mainstreaming Nutrition in Agriculture, all of which are expanding nutrition intervention across the country to reach more of those in need.”

The nutritionist argued that there is a lot all the stakeholders can do to curb the menace of acute malnutrition, adding that it is a collective effort. “The well to do in the society can also come to the aid of these children because it is capital intensive to be able to attend to all the victims,” he explained.

Speaking in the same vein, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health, Mr. Linus Awute said “The government is committed to reaching more children with CMAM. We cannot accept that Nigerian children continue to die of malnutrition and that our potential future leaders should be diminished by its effects.”

Way Out

If nearly four out of five Nigerian children do not meet the World Health Organisation’s recommendation for exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months of life, it is obvious that a lot has to be done on advocacy and enlightenment programmes for nursing mothers especially at the grassroots.

According to her, malnutrition has a lot to do with the brain. Though there is no study to back it up, but it is obvious that one can attribute poor performance in school to poor nutrition particularly during the 1000 days of life of a child.

“Nigerian government should give more attention to the child health care in its entire ramification. The issue of nutrition should be urgently tackled. The issue of nutrition is domicile in ministry of health and agriculture but if we can harness it together. Let the government establish a nutrition council that will address the issue of nutrition holistically, if this is done it will go a long way to address the issue of malnutrition in the country;”she noted

Thinking along this line, Dr Omotola pointed out that the 1,000 day period from the start of a woman’s pregnancy until her child’s second birthday represents a critical window of opportunity.

“Adequate nutrition during this period can avert malnutrition, ensuring that children have the best possible opportunity to grow, learn and rise out of poverty. If this golden opportunity is missed, the effects are often irreversible.”

Omotala argued that the solution is to redirect its priority in order to accommodate the basic need of an average child in the country. “It is necessary that our children have access to quality food and basic health facilities that are required. Aware that one of the factors that is contributing to our high mortality figure is poor health and feeding, to reduce this there should be a deliberate funding of the sector to save Nigerian children.”

He explained that “A breast is just like a well the more you draw from it the more it produces. If you do not draw from a well sooner or later it dries off. Mothers need to have appropriate knowledge and need to be encouraged to breast feed their children, it should not be assumed that all mothers can breastfeed.”

To Ajayi, if all the money stolen from the nation’s treasury are recovered by the present government, part of the money should be spent on children if the country wants to secure their future in terms of development and innovation.

Speaking on how to curb malnutrition, UNICEF head of Nutrition, Wagt noted that it is a national problem that should be tacked nationally adding that two out of three infants and children in the country are not well fed.

According to him exclusive breastfeeding has the potential to save more children’s lives than any other preventive intervention lamenting that “An estimated 13% of child deaths could be averted if 90% of mothers exclusively breastfeed their infants for the first six months of life.”

October 18, 2015
‘At 60, God and life have been good to me’

At three scores Yinka Fasuyi who is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Ibadan Business School and Supreme Management Consultants says life has been good to him. Taiwo Abiodun met him.

Meeting him sitting comfortably and in a relaxed mood one will not believe that he is sixty, he looks younger than his age. However, when he speaks you marvel at the wisdom and the labyrinth of history he has witnessed. He is vibrant, and shows no stress, asked what it feels like to be have clocked six decades, he declares, “At 60 I feel excited and thrilled. I feel fulfilled and I feel appreciative to Almighty God for the journey has been ups and downs; failures and successes and when one adds everything together the result in my life has been amazing. Sixty years no doubt is a long journey in the life of a man, over the years one has faced disappointments and promotions, ups and downs, failures and successes. But when you add everything the result is: my life has been an amazing one.”

‘The young millionaire’

While many would claim their beginning was rough, Yinka Fasuyi as he adjusted his chair recalled his growing up with confidence, “My beginning was very sweet, interesting and full of fun. I was born into a well known and a very prominent family in Ilesa, Osun State. My father is the late Pa Jacob Olowookere Fasuyi and my mother the late Felicia Sijuwola. The interesting thing is that my father was a renowned community leader and a successful business man in the likes of the ‘Osomaalo’. While growing up especially at the secondary school level I experienced a privileged access to my father’s funds whereby through such access I had been able to support my early social life in Ijesa land and its environs. I was nicknamed ‘the young millionaire’ because as far back as 1971 when I was in Form Three at Ilesa Grammar School, I would not only organize parties for friends to enjoy ourselves, in fact, I single-handedly brought the great musician Segun Bucknor (who was then the only rival to the late Afro Beat King Fela Anikulapo – Kuti ) to Ilesha to come and play, that gives you a life picture of how life was to the extent that my aspiration was to just finish my school certificate in Ilesa and take after the type of business my father. But, immediately I completed my secondary school, that privileged access stopped. I, who was paying for people’s entrance fee of 20kobo and painting the town red and could not do so again, this was very destabilizing. But a disappointment could be a blessing and that disappointment later turned out to be a blessing in disguise.”

A new direction

His life took a new turn after his secondary education when he had to move to Lagos to live with one of his older siblings. According to him, his older siblings were not ready to accommodate his extravagant lifestyle. However, he got a shoulder to lean on, that of his older brother Olatunde Fasuyi, now late. “He knew about my rascality, social affluence and the life I lived in Ilesa, and despite that was able to influence my life through counseling that I don’t need to have access to my father’s money all the time to be successful in life. He advised me that if I want to succeed I needed good education, and with that everything good of life will follow. I went to re enroll in a school in Marina, but they were reluctant to register students who were not known to the authority, but my senior brother, Chief Olabode Fasuyi spoke to the principal and it was based on that privilege that I was enrolled. When the result came out, out of 141students the school presented for the school certificate examination I was among the nine students who had Grade One.” That was the beginning of the change of his fortune and that made him to be the new toast of the family.

“The family celebrated me and that I was the first to record Grade One in school certificate in the family. It now became a turning point in my life and I knew the value of education.” Not too long after again, he almost lost the opportunity when he joined the Ministry of Finance. He continued, “while working I tasted money again, with little amount I earned then one could afford to buy anything and it took a lot of courage to go back to school.”

Travails in life

Going back to school after summoning courage took another turn as Fasuyi revealed, “My life was full of ups and downs, I went to the Federal School of Arts and Science, Ondo, and while there in the second session there was a crisis in the school and I never knew anything about it and it led to the closing down of the school as lorries were brought with mobile police to maintain peace. The man that chaired the investigation panel was a teacher who had made love advances to my girlfriend and thinking he would take over my lady, he saw it as a good opportunity to nail me. About 16 students were invited and they said I was the mastermind of the crisis. Others were suspended for two weeks, some were given verbal warnings but for me it was an indefinite suspension. I was only allowed back to go and write my examination. I passed my promotional examination and also in my Advanced level, I did very well to the amazement of all.

I later proceeded to University of Ibadan where I read Economics. When I completed my one year compulsory NYSC, I worked in the Ministry of Education and was later posted to Queens College and as a Tutor for a couple of years. I later got employment with Total Plc.

“This was through my senior brother who some people discouraged him saying he should not allow me to ruin his career by employing me. He was then a senior manage there. When I joined the company, I was working in the defunct Western Region, I was putting in my best and I was featured in our in- house magazine within six months. I had put in three years before they knew that the General Manager was my brother.”

Education is not a means to meal ticket

After obtaining his MBA certificate, he became aware that there was more to be done. He decided to aim at self employment. “The time I went for my second Master’s degree, I knew for the first time the meaning of education. That is the message I will like to share with people: education is just a window to see opportunities in life. But unfortunately our education policy makers, our education administrators; I am not sure whether majority of them appreciate this true meaning of education: Education is not an end, it is just a means to an end but Nigerian students today if you go ask what they want to do at the completion of their programme they would tell you they want to work in blue chip companies and so on. That is not the essence of education and the root of that misconception has to do with our colonial history. The British system want people to go there and fill in to do white collar jobs. Today, if you look at what is obtainable in the United States of America the syllabus of their educational institutions you will see the difference in their educational direction and that of ours, people are trained to see opportunities. But here our emphasis is on certificates, we still see education as a meal ticket.

Exit from Total

Working with an oil company is a lifelong dream for many Nigerians, either in the past or now. However, Fasuyi was not carried away by the glamour and glitz of the oil industry. He had his focus and was not ready to let go. After working for seven years, he decided to call it quit.

According to him, “Three people knew about my resignation: God, my wife, and a friend that I borrowed money from.” What were the opportunities that he saw that made him to resign his plum job? “While I was in my last posting in in Ilorin I was covering Niger, Kaduna etc. I was living with a friend who was working with a capacity building institution.” He initially toyed with the idea of setting up a training institution with this friend, but the friend declined and said he would only accept to work for him as a consultant, “I asked how much he would take and he said he would take 40 percent. I was shocked, I said I have not started and you are taking 40, he insisted that if I needed him I should let him know. At another time he came and I told him I could give him 20 per cent, the argument went on.”

Shortly after he went for a course and he discovered that all he wanted his friend to do for him were taught during the course. Since his friend was proving difficult he decide to work on what he was taught by starting off and as the cliché goes, the rest is history.

‘Lessons from my late father’

“My father was an astute businessman of note in his lifetime. I have the key values I imbibed from him. One is integrity: in integrity your word is your bond. With integrity you don’t compromise, with integrity you don’t compromise, and should be fair to all parties. So over the years I grew up to experience it under my father, the moment people can have confidence in you, you don’t need other things because confidence that is based on integrity, confidence that is based on accountability is all. People will respect you, that is one of those values I learnt from my father.”

Regrets

He is not happy the way Nigeria has turned out to be, “We expect change to happen yet we are not making the desired improvement in our management life. I have been to 59 countries in the world and through all these exposures I see societies that are moving in the right directions, why is ours different? What are the problems we have? The identification of that problem what the Ibadan Business School is established to solve. Part of the role that people in our category should do is not only to identify problems but to proffer solutions.

“I discover that as a society and as a nation it is our dream, it is our desire to transit to developed countries where the quality of life will be better. Any policy that does not improve the quality of life of human being is a waste. If it is true and we are serious to transit to developing economy we must come up with a programme that will fill the gaps of the driver’s seat, and this is the public sector. But here our public sector are frustrating the private sector, our public sector is the one to provide the enabling environment under which the private sector will thrive but if not it will remain a life dream that will not translate to reality to expect Nigeria to move from developing to developed state.

Past time

In one of the songs of chief Commander Ebenezer Obey, he sang that anyone that works hard should fine time to relax, in living up to that maxim, Fasuyi said, “I listen to music and dance. I like working very hard and enjoy very hard, I don’t compromise my fun. I love parties, I love being in an environment that I will feel happy. I love my socials and I don’t compromise my work.”

For to him, to be sixty is a grace, “A grace in the sense that when you live in an environment that is full of uncertainties , working through the environment to have thoughts and ideas and to work it, I consider it as a special grace from God. In a society with average life span of 47 or 48,we have people dying at age 5, 10, 40 and with the kind of challenges like armed robbery and if you also look at various afflictions health wise, the environment, and one is healthy. On the journey of life, the final lesson is this; life should be faced early and with expectations; life is not a bed of roses and recognizing it that in this life there are lot of challenges. It is those who don’t see this who get drowned. I have always seen the hidden opportunities, I try to unravel, discover and explore the challenges.”

On the secrets behind his young look, he said, “I enjoy dancing, if you are 30 years younger I can challenge you.” Talking about humility, he said “My family background makes me to be humble. We were brought up to be humble, to respect people and ideas and it is also a religious part of me. I have also ensured I drum that into my children. I have four children and two of them have Masters Degrees.”

In all, Fasuyi said his life has been full of grace and opportunities and he remains grateful to God and all those he has met in life who have helped to shape his world view.

October 18, 2015
Diary of a witness

Medinat Kanabe looks at malnutrition and how to prevent it

Rekiah’s father brought her to the crèche by 7.30 am. He gave her bag to the nanny and quickly ran out to meet up with his work. Her mother had already gone to her place of work.

Almost immediately her father left, she began to cry. This reporter who was at the crèche to make an enquiry noticed the baby crying. She wasn’t crying like all the other children. It was as though she didn’t have the strength to cry.

She looked very skinny and had pale skin, bloated stomach, and seems smaller than all her crèche mates. Rekiah is three. She looked obviously malnourished.

The nanny began to go through Rekiah’s bag, she brought out her food flask and gave a sigh of relief. “Thank God they have changed her flask to a much bigger one,” she said.

The reporter looked at Rekiah again, and told the nanny that the girl may be hungry. “Why not give her a biscuit or snack from her bag,” I requested.

The nanny again brought out her bag and looked, she looked very hard as if there was a hidden pocket but she didn’t find any biscuit. Her face suddenly changed and she began to complain.

“What kind of rubbish is this? This girl’s parents don’t give her anything good to the crèche. Madam (me) do you know that whenever they give her the usual two biscuits, they put a very small plate of food for her, and when she finishes the food by 9am which is when we feed them, she stays like that until about 4pm when her father comes to pick her up. Today they gave her a bigger flask without any snack?

“When she just started coming I used to buy her snacks but I stopped because it is against the school ethics. When I complained to her father, he said she has Ribena and cartons of biscuits at home but I have never seen her with Ribena. Why is he lying?”

This reporter looked at Rekiah again, felt pity for her and requested that the nanny gave her the food. As soon as her food flask was brought out, Rekiah stopped crying. She was indeed very hungry.

The nanny fed her with the beans and plantain in the flask and kept the remaining for when she is hungry again.

Then she began to complain again “Everyday, this girl does not eat before she leaves the house and they don’t give her enough food to the crèche. They will not buy her toilet paper or any of the things in the list given.”

Rekiah is one out of the so many malnourished children in Nigeria. According to August 2015 UNICEF report, 1.7 million Nigerian children are severely malnourished and in dire need of prompt service to curtail the menace.

“Nearly a thousand children die of malnutrition-related causes every day- a total of 361, 000 each year. About 10 per cent of the total malnutrition cases are in Nigeria,” the report stated.

Former Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr Femi Olugbile says malnutrition is poor or inadequate nourishment over a sustained period, affecting the functioning of the body negatively.

He said it can be caused by poor or inadequate diet, chronic illness, leading to poor appetite or inability to feed.

“You can know a child is malnourished through their appearance and behaviour. They look weak, lean, and have possible skin changes. Emaciation may be conspicuous; specific syndromes such as Kwashiorkor; body organs, including brain may be damaged, especially in very young children; increased vulnerability to other illnesses due to diminished immunity.

“To prevent malnutrition children should be fed balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables, as well as proteins and minerals,” he said.

Nothing that any child can be malnourished either through ignorance, war or torture, he said the only way to prevent malnutrition in children is by giving them balanced diet and general care.

He noted that less privileged children can be healthy if they eat balanced diet from local food items that are not usually expensive.

“Ignorance is a major factor here,” he said.

According to Nemours, an online children health centre, Malnutrition is not the same thing as hunger. People who are chronically malnourished lack the nutrients needed for proper health and development. Someone may be malnourished for a long or short period of time and the condition may be mild or severe. People who are malnourished are more likely to get sick and in severe cases, may even die.

The growth of the child may also be stunted, making them much shorter than average. In developing country, 1 out of four children younger than age five are underweight.

People who don’t get enough food often experience hunger, and over the long term this can lead to malnutrition, but one can become malnourished for reasons that have nothing to do with hunger. Even people who have plenty to eat may be malnourished if they don’t eat foods that provide the right nutrients, vitamins and minerals.

October 18, 2015
Twin brothers’ legacy for media

In every profession, there are those whose contributions and actions play critical roles in the growth of such human endeavour. Often times, such individuals help shape and define the trends and practices and thereby become masters of the trade. This, perhaps, informed the choice of 50 world journalists that make Mike Awoyinfa and Dimgba Igwe’s book entitled 50 World Editors (conversations with journalism masters on trends and best practices.

But, who are these world class masters of the pen profession? Your guess is as good as mine. They are drawn from top flight media organisations in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas. The 628-page book is a compilation of conversations with the masters on issues ranging from day-to-day schedules of practising journalists to what defines a news, what defines a front page story, quality of news, tips for success as a reporter, core values of a media house, the defining story of a reporter, and many more. In all, the conversations though share many things in common, reveal some interesting stories about some editors and their media organisations, including personal experiences.

But, the book, which is a result of the authors’ ten years of traversing the globe interviewing key players in the industry, is not all about editors, but top media players some of them at the apex of the media pole-publishers, presidents, managing editors, editor-in-chiefs, editors, bureau chiefs, line editors and correspondents who made great marks in journalism. The scope is all embracing as it covers practitioners in print, broadcast journalism and international news agencies such as Reuters, AFP and Globalpost. The book is ‘ultimately biographical in the sense that each of the candidates featured in this collection shares his or her own journalism story and in so doing, reflects on the diverse aspects of the practice and precepts of journalism in different generations covering different countries.’

To the authors, the book is a lived experience rather than a pedantic narrative of scholarly exploration, capturing similarities, diversities and sociological nuances of media operations in different countries of the world.

Published in 2014 by Corporate Biographers Limited, the book is in three sections A to C, with The Americas having 20 of the 50 masters, while Europe has 19 and Africa and Asia share 11 masters. Nigeria’s newspaper legend Alhaji Babatunde Ajose of the old Daily Times led the pack of masters featured in Section C that comprises Africa/Asia alongside Segun Osoba, Nduka Obaigbena Thisday newspaper), John Momoh (Channels TV), Dele Olojede, Bayo Onanuga (The News magazine), Joseph Odindo (Nation Media Group, Kenya), Ferial Haffajee (Mail & Guardian South Africa among others.

From The Americas and Europe Sections A and B are masters such as Michael Goodwin (New York Daily News), Jill Abramson (New York Times), Chris Cramer (former President CNN), Alan Rusbridger (The Guardian UK), Robert Thomson (The Times UK), Victor de la Serna (El Mundo, Spain) and Alan Johnston (BBC Correspondent).

On the challenges of being editor of Daily Times at the era of Nigeria attaining independence, Alhaji Jose said: “We published a paper that was trusted by the readers. To be trusted you have to show the integrity of a leader. The people knew that I had no political ambition. I had access and was consulted by highly placed government functionaries, prime ministers, presidents. So they know that whatever we did, it was not because I am a Yoruba man. They had seen the paper openly attacking Chief Obafemi Awolowo-the leader of the Yorubas.”

But given the content of the book, it can be described as the ‘most encyclopedic book on global journalism.’ It ranks among publications such as Martin Walker’s 1982 award winning book, Powers of the press: The World’s Great Newspapers. Apart from that, one unique character of the book is that it presents the journalistic views of the world editors in their own words.

Again, the public presentation of the book at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Victoria Island, Lagos on September 15 was more than a launch. It brought together veterans in the industry to celebrate a worthy product, an effort that would gladden the heart of the late Igwe in great beyond. However, some oversights were noticed in the compilations. For instance, the retaining of late Dimgba Igwe’s email and telephone number suggests the book had gone to press with all the information before the death of Igwe. But, classifying Gillian Tett (Financial Times, USA) under Europe is an avoidable error of proof reading. If charity, they say, begins at home, 11 masters interviewed in Africa/Asia combined is an under-representation by the book, especially when considered against the conditions under which these media operate. Or is it a case of get one, you get all? Nigeria and indeed Africa deserves more representations in the book.

Notwithstanding, the book is a legacy of a sort for the media industry, which makes it a must read for all-students of journalism, politicians and other professionals. 50 World Editors is a well-packaged book with clean quality prints and is a collector’s item any day. It will be useful for researchers, media operators and practicing journalists irrespective of generation or region of practice.

October 14, 2015
‘Tourism is the greatest employer’

Director-General Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Mrs Sally Mbanefo, has described tourism as the greatest employer. She said the corporation under her would ensure practical development and promotion of domestic tourism, which will propel job creation, develop the nation’s economy and raise social awareness on cultural preservation and environmental protection.

Mbanefo spoke at this year’s World Tourism Day, with the theme, 1 Billion Tourists, 1 Billion Opportunities, held in Enugu State which underscored the role of tourism sector as a valuable and sustainable source of livelihood for millions of people.

“Nigeria has a better advantage over so many other countries to benefit from tourism. We have the advantage of population. Tourism contributes 10% to the global GDP but as at now, Nigerian is not fully benefiting from tourism like other countries. For instance, 4,333,000 tourism visited Nigeria in 2013, which contributed about 4 per cent to our GDP, while tourism contributes 17.7 per cent to the GDP of Gambia; 13 per cent to Egypt; 12 per cent to Kenya; 11.9 per cent to Mexico; 9 per cent to South Africa, and 6 per cent to Cuba.

“We need to know that Nigeria should focus more on tourism as the best alternative to oil, with domestic tourism as the catalyst. I need to emphasise that Nigeria has the best of the ingredient of tourism. We have fascinating tourist sites, enviable cultural festivals, good weather, good and hospitable people. Have you ever wondered why most diplomats, after serving their terms chose to stay back in Nigeria? It is because of the warmth and friendliness of our people, environment and potentials,” she said.

Mbanefo, who emphasised that the potential of tourism in Nigeria is N4billion prayed that government should take privatisation to the next level, which according to her will facilitate further facilitate an enabling environment for tourism to thrive in Nigeria.

The NTDC boss lauded the Enugu State government for making tourism alive in the state, describing the state as a hub of eco-tourism.

Meanwhile, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Mrs Nkechi Ejele, described tourism as the way forward for Nigeria. She noted that the Ministry is, on a daily basis, intensifying efforts at ensuring the money spinning sector is well developed and promoted in Nigeria, to ensure Nigerians, among the people of other countries, maximally benefit from the potentials of tourism.

The Group Managing Director, Viko Nigeria Group of Companies Limited, Mr Lucky Kanu, expressed the readiness of his company to further support NTDC in promoting domestic tourism, thereby creating more jobs and wealth in Nigeria.

“Our partnership with NTDC could be best described as demonstration of a successful practice of public private partnership in Nigeria, as the partnership has yielded opening of information desks in about six states in Nigeria, while we are working on a new project that will create over 500,000 jobs for the youth in every state of Nigeria,” Kanu said.

October 14, 2015
‘Stop promoting Boko Haram’

In the face of terrorism, distrust and disillusionment, a university teacher, Dr Yinka Olomojobi, has written a book entitled: Frontiers of Jihad, Radical Islam in Africa. The book’s presentation drew high-profile guests to the MUSON Centre, Lagos. EVELYN OSAGIE reports.

Why would anybody choose to write a book on terrorism,” Dr Folake Olomojobi had wondered, when her husband, Dr Yinka Olomojobi of Babcock University, first set out to write the book, Frontiers of Jihad, Radical Islam in Africa. Then, she was consumed in fear. Today, her thoughts have changed from fear to pride.

“Initially, it was weird. I was asking myself: ‘why would you want to do this; wouldn’t you turn out to be a terrorist yourself?’ But as the world news added more spotlight on terrorism, I saw the need for this; and started supporting and paying attention to the work he was doing.

“It was very time consuming and challenging. It was not easy for all of us. He put in a lot of work: he stayed away from home most of the time as his research took him far from home; he stayed up so many nights, when others things had to be done.

“But today, we are happy with how it turned out. Whether we like it or not, it is a present reality. And we need people who have been so trained to go into historical reviews, appraise present realities and project into the future. I not only understand the need for the book at such a time as this, I am proud that my husband dedicated his time and knowledge to write it,” she said.

Her words reflect the feeling at the formal presentation of the controversial book from the stable of Safari Book Ltd at the MUSON Centre in Lagos.

Dignitaries from within and outside Lagos thronged Agip Recital Hall of the centre for the event.

Olomojobi’s book focuses on how and why ‘radical Islam’ finds a breeding ground, especially in Africa. Structured into two parts, it consists of 10 chapters. The first part, Exploring the Frontiers of Jihad, has four chapters, the second, Radical Islam in Africa, consists of six chapters and an epilogue.

With terrorism on the rise globally, any book, such as Olomojobi’s that seeks to throw more light on ways of curbing it is commendable, guests said.

Like Dr Folake, many at the event praised the author for approaching the issue from an intellectual point of view. They observed that “guns alone will not defeat the insurgents, neither will nuclear armaments”. Success in the fight against terrorism, especially in Nigeria, “remains an illusion as long as sponsors and godfathers of terrorists occupies government positions, wine and dine with those who claimed to be fighting insurgency”, they said.

They called for the prosecution of all those allegedly linked to Boko Haram, urging Nigerians to stop promoting insurgency and the insurgents by calling them “Islamic radicals”.

On the line-up of eminent guests were Former Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN); Founder of Latter Rain Assembly, Pastor Babatunde Bakare; Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola, represented by Dr Adeleke Ipaye; Executive Secretary, Muslim Ummah of Southwest Nigeria, Prof Dawud Noibi; veteran journalist, Aare ‘Lekan Alabi; Justice G. C. Okeke (rtd) and Executive Chairman, CEO of Safari Books Limited, Chief Joop Berkhout.

Also in attendance were the author’s parents, Prof Zach and Justice Rebecca Olomojobi.

Fashola, chairman of the event, noted that linking acts of terror with criminality gave rise to what is now known globally as “Radical Islam”. Fashola called for a collective fight against the insurgents.

“The biggest risk of succumbing to this propaganda is to put a religion on trial while expecting its adherents to join the fight against criminals. There is such a word as ‘Radical Islam’. The simple truth is we have allowed the voices of a few criminals to rise above that of billions of law abiding global citizens. I would say it is ‘Radical Dis-Islamisation’. What we are dealing with is a new wave of crime, by criminals who seem to have an edge because of the need for a new global legal order and the gaps created by globalisation.

“Guns alone will not defeat them, neither will nuclear armaments. It is our collective understanding and our collective agreements that this has nothing to do with religion, it is our development of the appropriate counter-messaging, it is our collective resolve to stop helping to promote their brand, by calling their names, that will expose them for what and who they are, and help us to defeat them,” he said.

Fashola described Olomojobi’s book as a “seminal work” that answers some burning questions in his heart. The questions, the former governor said, were inspired by a report on Cable News Network (CNN) that North Korea was threatening war on South Korea and an American professor was bought on set to proffer intelligence on North Koreans. And just as he was set to provoke a debate on Nigeria’s university dons/experts and the localisation of knowledge of other African states with the mind of providing intelligence that would form the basis of national security and economic decisions, he got the invitation to attend Olomojobi’s book presentation.

He said: “I hope it challenges others to respond; because if we take the power of knowledge seriously, we would be reorganising Nigerian universities, encouraging and sponsoring scholars to specialise and do seminal work diverse areas of national and global interests. I am not suggesting that these things do not exist but think if we have more information on terrorism and terrorist groups, it would assist the security services to deal with the terror problems we are currently facing.”

Bakare, the chief launcher, said the fight against insurgents should be a collective one. He called for the empowerment of more scholars to do such research.

He said: “I appreciate the contribution of Fashola in separating Islam from radicalism. I was born and raised a Muslim right in the heart of Sokoto; and we still have Muslims in my family. We don’t kill ourselves. Several years ago my uncle was Sarkin Yoruba right in the palace of the Sultan of Sokoto. We live in harmony. And those who are taking advantage of us, we must join hands together to push them out of our quarters.

“And I trust that we can genuinely do that when we have accurate information so that we do not begin to suspect ourselves. My job is to present the book to you.

“Thank God for the book has just been presented today. I believe that it would be a good instrument in the hand of those who are in charge of our security. It’d give them insight to look at the mind-set of the people behind the Boko Haram insurgency. “As soon as I held the book, I went straight to chapter eight, Opening the Pandora’s Box of Boko Haram, I browse through and said ‘whoa!’ what an insight. I pray our nation would begin to focus attention and give tools like Dr Olomojobi to do what they are trained to do so that we can collectively benefit from their genuine efforts.”

Prof Noibi said the insurgents did not represent Islam. The professor also called for cooperation of all Nigerians to fight insurgency.

He said: “This well-researched book focuses on the subject which is very important to every Nigerians. Coming from a Christian that is writing on an aspect of Islam, shows that we can live together peacefully with mutual understanding which has been lacking. The important thing to note is that those who carry out evil activities in the name of religion cannot be said to represent Islam which the author has well-explained.

“I think that this message should be spread across the country so that we learn to show respect one another for the benefit of Nigeria. I believe that if we all unite to fight insurgency and extremism, it is the totality of the Nigerian population that would benefit.

While blaming the past administration for popularity the terrorist groups have gained thus far, the reviewer of the book, Dr Laja Odukoya said, Olomojobi’s book provides an anatomical dissection of the mode of operations and networks of terrorist groups in Africa.

He observed further that the book calls attention to the mutation of terrorist and terrorism through exploiting the instrumentality of Internet possibility for training in weapons and self-radicalisation.

“I find his suggestions of a revised process of de-radicalisation through the same process by which an individual becomes radicalised and the application of African and International solutions to the terrorists challenge logical and illuminating.

“It is thus apposite to argue that leadership failure, maladministration, cluelessness and corruption of the Goodluck Jonathan administration contributed in no small measure to the monumental crisis and national embarrassment that the Boko Haram has become,” he said.

The event was steered by Mr Seyi Apampa, a lawyer and colleague of the author.

October 14, 2015