The Nation Newspaper

Category: Arts & Life

  • An ex-policeman’s undying hope on a death bed

    An ex-policeman’s undying hope on a death bed

    With half of his body decaying, many expect ex-police officer, Hassan Fatai Olisagho, to be long dead, but he has survived for nine years and now calls for help to live again. Taiwo Abiodun reports

    The mere sight of ex-policeman, Hassan Fatai Olisagho, evokes pity. As he lay on the bare, dirty mattress, his limbs, decayed, dried and immovable, you’re moved to tears, and almost want to imagine what he is going through. The feeling especially heightens when you learn that he’s been bed-ridden for nine years. Thankfully, he can still move the upper half of his body, and his sharp voice still rings loud and clear and could be heard at a sizable distance.

    According to Francis Ladi Akinwale, a journalist, who has known him for sometime, the news of Olisagho’s half dead situation has spread around Owo town, Ondo State and many people come over to see for themselves and sympathise with him. “Some actually come to see for themselves the miracle of the man whose lower part has decayed but who nevertheless remains healthy from his waist upwards. And some simply come to pray for a miraculous healing for a man, whose predicament is truly pathetic.”

    Another group, however is of the opinion that death had better come to the aid of the 45 year-old whom they believe has suffered enough. Families have long deserted him, and even his wife and children have stopped coming to check up on him, said Olisagho, who also said he has lost both parents. By his bedside lie his cooking utensils; stove, plastic cups et al. Not far from these is a potty, plastic rubber and cellophane bags, with which he defecates.

    Settling down for more discussion, Olisagho placed his decayed legs on a pillow. The legs have turned dark with holes in them while the bones are now visible to the naked eyes. To make matters worse, the room stinks to high heavens. To lighten up the atmosphere, this reporter threw a joke on whether the ex-policeman was looking for his rifle, to which he retorted: “For where? I can’t even remember what it looks like. I have not seen the sun for nine years. I only know the days and time by listening to the radio and thanks to the table clock over there.”

    His odyssey

    Narrating his story, he said “My name is Hassan Fatai Olisagho. I am 45 years of age and I have lost both my parents. I was enlisted in the Police Force some years ago. I rose to the position of Sergeant Corporal and I worked in Lagos and Ondo states; my duty was doing postings of officers to obas’ palaces. It was also my responsibility to report officers on their daily activities like absenteeism or punctuality at work. I once worked at Ikeja Area 5 under the Area Commander, right opposite the Police College. I was later posted to Oba Ile, Oka in Akoko, Ondo State. In 2006 I had an accident along Benin – Owo road, while coming from the office. I had just closed from patrol and was going to submit my riffle when a car hit me and I became unconscious.

    I was taken to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owo from where I was transferred to the Ife Teaching Hospital. But my family had no money to pay for my stay there and I was soon taken to a traditional bone-setter, where it was wrongly set and the situation deteriorated. My legs were becoming stiff, and bent; again, I was referred to Ife Teaching hospital for correction. I also went to Akure, courtesy of Princess Ebiseeni, a Regent of Apoi land, who assisted me through her NGO. I underwent three operations at Ife. When they removed the Plaster of Paris (POP), it was discovered that the two legs had decayed. Thereafter, I went to General Hospital Akure, where l spent one and a half years; and again to Ife Teaching Hospital, where I spent another two years, without solution. Not to forget, I went to Ife Teaching Hospital again in 2012. Overall, I have been lying down like this since 2006. Even my wife Ige Janet – she’s from Akoko in Ondo State, has deserted me with my five children.

    Converted to Christianity on his sick bed

    Originally a Muslim, Olisagho’s unyielding situation has also made him convert to Christianity. “I was a Muslim before but I became born again when I saw death. During my trying period, I wrote letters for financial assistance to the mosque, where I worshipped, but got no response. Believe it or not, this condition is worse than death, but I believe God has a purpose for me. I confessed my sins, repented and became a born again on my sick bed. There is nothing you can compare God with; He is real.” Momentarily, he picked his radio to listen to a Christian sermon.

    When he was done, he continued. “Once a pastor insisted on coming to pray for me from Akure; but when she got here, she could not enter as the horrible sight of me was too shocking for her. So she stood by the door and greeted me. She later sent me some money, apologizing for her behavior. She said she just couldn’t withstand my condition, and I reason with her. Even you can see that half my body is gone and really stinking. I actually consider it a miracle that a miracle.”

    Wants his legs amputated

    I want the two legs amputated. I am living in pains and I can’t even lift them. In fact there was a time when maggots were coming out from the legs. You can also see that they have dried up like bush meat. I cook here, use potty for toilet here; thanks to the kids who assist me. “

    He disclosed that he has also taken the legs to an old man in Idanre, who specialises in conditions like his, but without success. In a way, he blames the decaying conditions of his legs on the Plaster of Paris (POP) placed on it at the Ife University Teaching Hospital. “While in Ife, the physiotherapist suggested that my legs should be operated upon, but the doctor objected, saying they would be straightened. It was the Plaster of Paris (POP ) moulded on the legs at Ife in 2012 that caused all these decaying. “

    Life savings gone!

    Even though his situation may now seem irredeemable, Olisagho said he once had high hopes and struggled to make it in life. “I was using a Mercedes Benz Car 200, and even had a Station Wagon Passat car and a house under construction.”

    He, however lamented that all these are gone. “I sold the house in 2012,” he said with a dint of regret and pain.

    But how was he able to amass such huge possessions as an ordinary police sergeant? We asked.

    Sensing some kind of accusation, Olisagho said “I didn’t defraud anybody and I did not steal either. I got a loan from the People’s Bank and occasionally I traveled to Cotonou to purchase tokunbo (used) cars and resell.”

    Could his situation be a result of a curse from someone he might have offended, we prodded further, but he said, “Jesus is my living witness, I did not defraud anybody. I am not like that.”

    Neglected by the Police

    Despite his pathetic condition, Hassan Fatai Olisagho said he has neither been paid his pension by the Nigerian Police Force nor compensated. He said he contacted the PRO in Abuja immediately after the accident and an officer was sent to appraise his condition in 2009, but said he has not heard from the force since then. The state police command (CP) promised to assist but nothing has come out of that as well. My Force number is 172955.”

    Gratitude

    Olisagho is grateful for the support by some well-meaning Nigerians who have stood by him in spite of everything.  He singled out Mr. .Francis Akinwale Sadibo, a journalist, whom he said has been assisting with the little he has. Same for the Regent of Akpoiland, Princess Ebiseeni, whom he said “has been assisting me by giving me some stipend to feed.”

    As if to testify to Olisagho’s good character, a pastor, who came in to visit him on the occasion of this interview, Pastor David Odutale, said “I know this man, he is a very nice man; please don’t let him die. I have never seen a man whom half of his body is gone like this and still living.”

    Odutade spoke of how he met Olisagho, “We were in the same room at the General Hospital in Ile-Ife. I also had an accident then. He (Hassan) assisted me financially when I was admitted in the same hospital with him. I spent nine months in the hospital; I was taken to theatre four times for surgical operations and at a point, I had no money again. But this police officer, Hassan lent me 20, 000 naira for the operation. I can never forget him. This is my first time of coming to Owo. I had wanted his family to bring him to stay in my house in Ile Ife, but since I don’t know his relations, I found this a bit difficult. After I was discharged from the hospital, I used to go to his ward to spend two days with him at the hospital, and help him with cleaning. Even my wife wanted to come here (Owo) to see how he is faring. I hope he will get help before it is too late.”

    In company of Pastor Odutale was Temitayo Bolarinwa, a cripple, who said he heard the story of the ex-police officer in far away Modakeke in Ife and decided to come and see for himself. “As you can see, I have no legs, but I had to come with Pastor Odutade who has always spoken glowingly of this police officer.

    Now as he lay on his sick bed, all Olisagho is praying for is assistance.”It is not money, but I want my two legs removed, so I can be able to use a wheelchair, and live again. I am begging anybody who has the milk of kindness in them to contact me before I die. You can contact me directly if you live in Owo, Ondo State or through this reporter at The Nation’s office in Lagos.”

  • Widows and one woman’s uncommon passion

    Widows and one woman’s uncommon passion

    Three widows share their experience of uncommon love, care and passion for the needy in the hands of one fellow woman. Medinat Kanabe who took a trip to their world reports 

    Nigerian woman, especially housewives, the fear of widowhood is the beginning of wisdom. More of the time, the fear is not in losing their husbands per se, but more in the unpalatable experiences and drama that usually ensue. These include abandonment, betrayal, victimisation, deprivation, and other such horrors. Notably the cruelty some women are subjected to in some parts of the country after their husbands’ death resonates and is now legendary. Some are even baselessly accused of being responsible for their husbands’ death, while others are made to forcefully marry their husbands’ relatives or strip them of their inheritance as punishment.

    This and several other reasons were what propelled Ifeoma Igbokwe to establish Grace CIIFEK Initiative, an NGO to cater for the needs of widows and orphaned children, despite not having any form of income outside her husband’s support. The Nation encountered some of the widows under her care who took turns to share their experiences since joining her NGO.

    Cordelia Azuine

    When her husband died 10 years ago, Mrs Cordelia Azuine who was 42 years-old at the time felt the day had become dark for her.  Now 52, the primary school teacher has paddled the canoe on her own without the support of any family member.

    According to her, when it became too difficult for her to cope at a time in those years, she opted tore marry; but her mother in-law discouraged her saying she was the reason she had not died after her son’s death.

    According to the mother of six, it wasn’t easy for her, but she has survived it. “I felt it so much because nobody can fill the vacuum. When I remember the way he pampered me and the children, I feel bad. The worst is that my husband’s younger brother gave out the portion of land, which was the only property he left us.

    Consequently, things became so difficult that her children could not continue their education, she revealed. “Only one managed to enrol for part-time studies in a university and graduated. My second daughter did National Certificate Examination, NCE before she got married and left. The others didn’t further after their secondary school education.”

    The Imo State-born Azuine who would be retiring from teaching after 35 years is however grateful that she encountered and joined the Grace CIIFEK Initiative.

    She said: “I joined the NGO two years-ago and it has really helped me and other widows. When we go there people come to talk to us, encouraging us through preaching. We also get money from the NGO many times. There is no time we meet that we don’t get something to take home. During the last Christmas, she gave a chicken each to all of us and money to prepare the chicken. I also remember when I was sick and had no money for treatment, she came and took me to the hospital and paid my bills.”

    Mrs Azuine also revealed that the whole gesture has been entirely at the instance of Mrs Igbokwe, with the support of her husband Mr Casmir Igbokwe, Editor-In-Chief, The Union newspapers. She therefore calls on the governors of Lagos and Anambra, two states where the NGO operates, to come to their assistance as Mrs Igbokwe cannot do it alone.

    Abigail Samuel

    For Abigail Samuel, another widow, losing her beloved husband ten years ago was to say the least, unbearable. According to her, it is something she can never forget, because it created a very great vacuum in her life that nobody can fill, except God.

    The 45 years-old mother of four also said it has not been easy at all, adding that it wasn’t even easy for them when her husband was alive. The widow who now works as a cleaner also revealed that she has had ugly experiences at the hands of NGOs in the past before joining Grace CIIFEK Initiative.

    “I have registered with many NGOs in the past but nothing came out of it. They were only using our pictures and children’s pictures to do business; but this one is not like that. The lady (Mrs. Igbokwe) has been very helpful; out of nothing she gives us something.

    “Every time we go to her house, she gives us something. She does not do any other work but cater for us. And to think that and she has never got any support from the government! We go for prayers once every month and we can approach her for favour at anytime.  Last December she gave us a lot of things. She even gave us cloths, which she had bought for her own use.”

    Nnadi Dorothy

    For Nnadi Dorothy, a 41 year-old mother of five, who became widowed at 32, losing one’s husband is a very painful experience.

    According to her, “It was as if the world has come to an end for me. I didn’t know what to do. To tell the truth, I don’t even know how I have been surviving because I work for a government ministry and sell cooking stuffs like Melon in Oyingbo Market, Lagos during my spare time. But there is little to show as profit.

    “However, since I joined Grace CIIFEK initiative, Mrs Ifeoma (Igbokwe) has paid my house rent and children’s school fees on a number of occasions, which is the greatest challenge I faced before joining the NGO.  Even now, she cannot do it alone,” she said because she

    Asked if her husband left her any inheritance and if she faced any harassment from her husband’s family after his death, Dorothy said her late husband didn’t leave them much, as he had cleared his account to build a house in the village. “He cleared his account in June 2006 to build a house that he intended to open in December 2006 but he died that same month.”

    She also said “My in-laws fought me very well. They broke my things and seized my properties in the house, saying I don’t have a right there. When I was leaving the house, I locked our two rooms and left the room they use and the living room for them; but when I travelled home to remove the clothes that I used to mourn my husband, I discovered that they had burgled the rooms and carried lot of my belongings. And when I asked, they all claimed not to know anything about it.”

     “I had to change the locks, locked the rooms again and took the key away. My husband’s ender sister who is leading others to take negative actions against me went to my mother to fight her, saying she is the one advising me. Somehow, I ignored them.”

    She however gives thanks to God for meeting Mrs Igbokwe, whom she says has helped her find an accommodation in Egbeda area of Lagos and paid the rent.

     Interestingly, she revealed that her husband’s family called her three years ago to apologise for their behaviour. “They said they have not treated me well and begged that I forgive them. They also said they were scared that I might never come back to the village. I have travelled once with my children after that, but we have never travelled together since then because I don’t have the money to travel with everybody.”

    Asked how she met Mrs. Igbokwe, she said it was through prayers. “God connected us. I was working with Jesus the Saviour Ministry, Lagos before my husband died where I prayed for people. We met and I prayed for her too; so when I lost my husband, she remembered me and came to assist me.”

    Igbokwe’s call for support

    Mrs Igbokwe on her part is calling on Governors Babatunde Fashola and Willie Obiano of Lagos and Anambra states respectively to come to her aid in this good work. She revealed that she has made several entreaties and visits to government offices without any success.

    Undeterred, the mother of three, who is in her early 40s said she has a land in Anambra, on which she intends to build an orphanage home, and possibly a village for orphans and widows.

    “The orphanage I want to build is not for only people that don’t have parents, but also for those whose parents cannot take care of them due to one reason or the other.”

    She spoke of her encounter a young mother who is finding it hard to take proper care of her children. “She is living with them in a very unhygienic condition. I have spoken with her and will take the children by the end of the month to my house. I have some of them in my house already but all of them have parents. Some of them go and come but I am responsible for their up-keep.”

    Asked how many the widows are in her care, she said she has 60 in Lagos and 20 in Anambra. She also said she has not really started taking in orphans because of the delicate nature. Hence she is waiting to build the orphanage home.

    Her inspiration

    The graduate of Business Education/Accounting from Nmandi Azikiwe University, Awka also revealed that her desire to always make people happy gave vent to the NGO. “I don’t like seeing people going through pains and difficulties.

    “When I was very little my mother would give me food and instead of eating alone, I would share with people in my neighbourhood. I didn’t know that it would turn out to be like this  a call for me.”

    Continuing, she said “It really started about 6 years ago, when I tried my hands in different businesses and jobs but all failed. I wanted to work and get some money to start up an NGO for widows and orphans. I got a contract to supply a company some goods; but on the verge of carrying out the supply, they stopped me, even though I had spent a lot of money on the business. I went on my knees and asked God why I was going through such difficulties; and He spoke to me. He told me to go and liberate his people  widows and orphans.

    “I asked how I could do this without money, but he insisted that I should go and start and that he would be with me. At a point I got frustrated and heeded the call. One thing I know is that he always made my husband prosper in whatever he chooses to do, so I felt he was blessing me through my husband.”

    When she started the NGO, Mrs Igbokwe realised that it isn’t just about money but showing the widows, love and support. “The women and children need to be given hope and encouragement; they need to be counselled and spiritually uplifted. So I started with the little money I had then and my husband’s support.” She said.

     So far, she said she has groomed many people who can handle their programmes when she is not around and train new members. “We teach them how to make soap, liquid antiseptic, snacks and some other things that they can do to survive.

    “Our programmes also include breakfast with widows, held once every month. During this programme, I invite people to come and assist them; they bring things for the widows.  I always encourage people to come for our programme, so they could relate with them and give them the gifts directly. They need the love and attention. ”

    Talking about her relationship with the widows, she said she is so close to them that they can come to her anytime for counselling. “They come when they need assistance to pay their children’s school fees and house rent. Apart from the money and gift items, they are lonely, they need friends and people to relate with and listen to them.”

    She also said that “Some come to my house to chat with me, while some even sleep over – especially when they are not feeling too well. I also try to find jobs for them and their children. Sometimes when I buy something for myself, I am instructed by God to give it to the women. It is not easy to buy something for yourself and give it to another person. But when I obey, I get rewarded in bigger ways.”

    Speaking on why widows seem to suffer so much in Nigeria, she said many of them are affected by culture. “The culture that doesn’t treat widows well is also a part of it. They are abandoned and looked down upon. Some family members will accuse the women of killing their husbands and take all the properties the man left behind, and then throw the women and their children out on the streets.”

    On how she copes with the NGO without a job of her own, she said it is through her husband and few caring friends.

    “My husband has been so supportive even till now. I know what he passed through when I started. Friends have called him to discourage him from supporting me. They even called me a lazy woman who doesn’t want to work, but he has kept on supporting me out of the little he has.”

    Asked if she is not scared that the women could be tempting to her husband, she said she trusts her husband and knows that he cannot fall for such.

    “My husband is a very good man and very accommodating. He doesn’t womanise. My house is also very big, so I have made sure that I don’t disturb the family with my programmes. We use one part of the house for the programme while my family use the other part of the house.

    “Apart from that, I take my time to admit women into the NGO, since we are still using my house. God is also on my side and I am a prayer warrior. He shows me things before they happen.

    “Before admitting them to the NGO, I do some screening. If I discover they are not good women, I don’t take them. I also make sure they are in good terms with their in-laws.

    Advising widows generally, she said widowhood isn’t a sickness and called them to come out of their shells and socialise. “There are some people that are not married at all. It is not a curse. Encourage yourself, don’t allow people see you as are a burden; don’t keep crying everyday because it will not solve anything. Rise up and continue living.”

  • Activist gives 100 reasons why Jonathan must go

    Activist gives 100 reasons why Jonathan must go

    THE growing animosity against the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) led by President Goodluck Jonathan is yet to abate as many critics have done everything humanly possible to show their seething dislike for the ruling party.

    One of such efforts is the public presentation of a book titled: ‘Two-Faced Jonathan’ authored by Blessing Agbomhere.

    At the presentation tagged: ‘100 Reason why Goodluck Jonathan must go’, held at Lagos NUJ, Lagos, South West, recently, speakers after speakers were unsparing in their criticisms of President Goodluck Jonathan, whom they described in the most unkind words, especially for his errors of omission and commission in delivering good governance.

    While addressing the packed audience, the author, who also doubles as the Executive Director, Gatekeepers Foundation as well as Director-General, Change Ambassadors on Nigeria, CAN, gave plausible reasons why he embarked on the onerous task of penning a book against the political interest of the ruling party.

    The book, he said, “analyses the errors and crimes committed by Goodluck Jonathan-led administration from when he was deputy governor till date as president. This book posits that Goodluck Jonathan is an unpatriotic president, who does not care about the unity and progress of Nigeria.”

    Expatiating, he said, “The book mirrors Jonathan as a president of the cabal, Tompolo, Asaridokubo and a few other corrupt elements who are sponsoring Boko Haram to destroy Nigeria Unity.  The book says Good luck Jonathan has failed to defend the constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria and as such Goodluck Jonathan should not seek re-election or ask for a job he know he does not has the capacity to do.

    “We dare Mr. President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, to act on NNPC forensic audit report conducted by the PriceWaterHouseCoopers which indicted Diezani’s NNPC of unaccounted $1.48billion, if he is not corrupt or if he can defend our constitution.

    “The same report which further indicted the Minister of Petroleum of running the NNPC without the Board, and with the aid of family members viz: Bernard Otti, GED, Finance and Accounts, Diezani’s Husband’s brother, Anthony Muoneke, Managing Director, NPDC, sponsored by Timi Agama, Diezani’s brother, NPC’S Secretary, sponsored by Timi Agama, Diezani’s brother, prince Haruna Momoh, Managing Director, PPMC, a family friend of Diezani, who lived in her house during his NYSC in Port Hacourt, Mr. Komolafe, General Manager, Crude Marketing was sponsored by Mr. Haruna Momoh.”

    The author further reiterated that judging from the foregoing discourse, “Jonathan is not fit to be a president of Nigeria not to talk of seeking re-election.”

  • Artistes and politics of endorsement

    Artistes and politics of endorsement

    Gboyega Alaka takes a look at the new trend of artistes open romance and endorsement of politicians and political parties.

    Between the late Sikiru Ayinde Barrister and King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal (KWAM1), it may be difficult to determined who braced the trail in publicly endorsing and waxing records for politicians during campaigns. Both fuji musicians waxed an album each for the then Lagos state governor, Bola Ahmed Tinubu during the countdown to his second term campaign in 2003. Since then, KWAM1 especially has pitched his support wherever the Lagos political juggernaut pitched his tent, although he somehow took it too far in 2007, when he also publicly sang support songs for the opposition Musiliu Obanikoro and was publicly condemned.

    No thanks to the cold hands of death, we can never tell if Barrister himself would have gone the same way, although it is important to note here that Barrister never publicly supported any politician or party during the second republic, when he was at the peak of his stardom. The best, he and his contemporary, Kollington Ayinla did was to celebrate positive government policies from time to time, and condemn dereliction in government, whenever the need arose.

    Even their precursors in the hi-life and other genres like Sir Victor Olaiya, Eddie Okonta, Sir Victor Uwaifo, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, King Sunny Ade, Ebenezer Obey and the late Sonny Okosun hardly dabbled into politics, as they felt safe outside partisan politics. That way, they also were never consumed by the passion that usually followed.

    The story is however different today. With that flag-off by the fuji musicians, D-banj, openly romanced and flocked around the then ‘breath of fresh air, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, as he campaigned for election, after seeing through his late boss’ tenure. The fracas that heralded his assuming the mantle of leadership after the Late Umaru Yar’adua’s death also threw up lots of supporters for Jonathan. Chief amongst them were pop singer, Onyeka Onwenu, Sammy Okposo, and Nollywood actors like Chidi Mokeme, Kate Hensahw-Nuttal et al.

    Justifiable, their advent was to enforce the constitution, which was then being undermined, as a few cabal seemed hell-bent on preventing Jonathan from becoming president after his principal’s death. But somehow, it seems they have had a taste or the juicy apple, and like the biblical progenitors of mankind, their eyes had become opened to the sweetness inherent in flocking with power politicians.

    To mention a few, Onyeka Onwenu has reaped from that open support for President Jonathan, as she was subsequently appointed Executive Director/CEO of National Centre for Women Development (NCWD), a federal government agency with office in Abuja. Some artistes of Nollywood extraction have also begun enjoying the ‘fruit of their labour,’ as the president’s largesse purportedly for the development of Nollywood has started trickling to them. Never mind the widespread complaint that accessing the loan is tantamount to the proverbial camel passing through a needle’s eye.

    But while the romance and bias for politicians have largely been sublimated by the artistes in the past, such is no longer the case, as they now come out in droves to sing in adverts, mount podiums with politicians and follow their campaign train all over the country.

    Many have also wondered why they have suddenly thrown cautions to the wind. Could it be because of the sudden boost in the music and movies industry that has thrown up multiple stars and pseudo-stars? Could it be a case of too many artistes looking to make a living and the politicians simply catching in on a cheap opportunity? Never before has Nigeria boasted of so many celebrities, who also enjoy huge followership across the nation’s demography.

    Many have also wondered at how safe this adventure is for the artistes? Would it not impact on their followership if it turned out that they had jumped on the wrong train? What happens if the camp they log on to loses out and they also lose out of big shows and concerts that may subsequently emanate from the government in power?

    Ganiyu Olowu, a public relations practitioner with Lagos-based PR Redline says it is not a crime for artistes to openly endorse or show support for politicians or political parties, since no law forbids them in this regard. “To start with, there is no universal rule that prevents celebrities, sportsmen and women, actor and actresses and musicians from endorsing political parties or politicians of their choice.”

    What he however considers dangerous for their professional existence is the fact that they may be toying with the emotions of their huge followership, which may in turn have dire consequences for their careers.

    Olowu again speaks: “In brand building, you don’t toy with your huge followership by hurting their feeling with either religion or politics. This trend I must observe is dangerous and many of them may not gain their followers back after the jamboree.”

    This may thus explain why older artistes have chosen wisely to stand aloof, when it comes to partisan politics. Even the late Ayinde barrister only joined the fray in the twilight of his career, when he probably thought it was safe.

    Wasiu Ayinde however makes no excuses for his partisanship, declaring unequivocally in an interview in another medium that “Majority of the people are not truly enjoying good governance and we should not shut our mouth to this.”

    He Nigeria is not enjoying the benefit of good governance, and said that his encounters with Nigerians abroad have shown that this is the main reason Nigerians have been moving out of the country in droves in the last 30 years. He also disclosed that his involvement in politics is not new and that he has always been involved in partisan politics and is thus not afraid of any consequences. He also revealed in that interview that he has been a party member for a long time, and was even voted as an executive of the youth wing of a party in Nigeria as a 17-year old.

    This response may however not suffice with some people, who have already concluded that the fuji star has been smiling to the bank all the way. Some even say that he gets paid as much of five million naira for every APC show or record he waxes.

    Kwam1’s response to that allegation however is that he is blessed with his job and that as a 58 year-old, he does not need to be financially induced to take a position in the political dispensation, as a Nigerian.

    However, while it might be said that people like KWAM1 have reached the climax of their career and therefore have no reason to be scared, this may not be said of the younger stars, as they or their careers may be consumed in the fallout, should their favourite party or candidate lose out.

    Ganiyu Olowu again responds to this danger, “The day a Musician or Sportsman becomes an icon that is loved and cherished by cult of followers, he or she must not think like a faceless citizen. His destiny is hung to the neck of his followers. So he must not equally toy with the mutual love by declaring open relationship with a particular politician or political party.”

    Indeed, some say this was why, people like Eedris Abdulkareem lost out in many corporate and government shows after his ‘Nigeria jagajaga” song, while artistes like Tony Tetuila reaped massively with his song, E go beta.’

    Recall also that former President Olusegun Obasanjo had to personally express his anger and distaste for the ‘jagajaga’ song, saying it was most unpatriotic and irresponsible to so refer to your own country.

    It is on the backdrop of this that artistes need to beware of what might be their portion the morning after.

  • Staying close to business

    Staying close to business

    Title:                                     21 Top Secrets of Outstanding

    Indigenous Government

    Contractors

    Author:                               Tomi Vincent

    Pulishers:                         Oasis Media Network, Lagos

    Year of Publication:   2014

    Reviewer:                        Edozie Udeze

    To begin with, what does it entail to become a government certified contractor?

    Does one need to have people in government in order to have access to government contracts? There are one or two issues that need to be sorted out if one intends to belong to this group of people who are saddled with the onerous responsibility to do government contracts.

    In this booklet, Tomi Vincent, a legal practitioner who has been in close league with many government agencies and paratatals, gives an insight into the core essence of doing business with government, whether federal, state or local. To him, There are 21 top secrets embedded in this matter. These top secrets are so outstanding that every indigenous government contractor who wishes to perform to his optimum level should possess them.

    He, however, states without mincing words that doing business in this regard with government has indeed remained one of the most veritable means of the mega profits for a lot of businessmen and managers. “Therefore it cannot be overemphasised to say that many entrepreneurs who are conscious of the benefits of doing business with government agencies have been able to grab these opportunities with both hands.” These have invariably helped to improve their fortunes in business and other areas of life.

    But then, the pertinent question is: who are these contractors? What indeed qualifies one to be a contractor and then be in a better position to do business with government? These and more are the topical issues the author addresses in this booklet. The concept of it all is to redirect people’s attention to this area of business which the author admits is juicy and profitable.

    Done in three parts for easy assimilation, the first part dwells on what he describes as planning and familiarisation. In this case, this early stage should help intended contractors to stop doubting and be ready to take the risk. “Yes, successful government contractors possess die-hard confidence in themselves no matter the circumstance,” is how the author opens the presentation. But more than that, however, “believe you can become a great and a successful government contractor. It is sad and surprising that many people cannot imagine of themselves as one”.

    As a matter of fact, you do not have to know everything to become a contractor. All you need is an idea of what to do, where to go, who to collaborate with and how to mobilise the appropriate people and the machinery for the contract. However, this does not mean one can become a charlatan. Concentrate on the area where you can proficiently, profitably and effectively make a mark as a contractor. Carve a niche for yourself and set a reputation overtime as somebody who is trustworthy to execute any given contract effectively and efficiently in the area of your strength”.

    In this regard, proper information to guide one is necessary. Government agencies thrive on information dissemination and so for you to flow very well with them, you need to be abreast of the events in the area. In addition to that, you have to obtain all the necessary registration documents expected of a certified contractor working with government. The author insists that all these variables are a prerequisite and therefore essentially in order so that government would not feel that you are either fake or unserious.

    After this, the next stage is to reach out to the people that matter in such a business circle. “You have to stay ahead of competition and let your antennae be very sharp and receptive. Be resilient and resolute and determined to hit the road. You need to resolve to do this business in order to render service to the people. In other words, you should be ready to diversify or exhibit some dynamism and creativity so that you can be seen to be the best and more.

    In part two, the book takes a look at the nature and formalities of government business while part three treats the issue of execution, payment and dispute resolution. All these are essential ingredients if one hopes to be the best in this field of human endeavour. In 80 pages the author sums up these issues. However, the book is too slim to be able to offer deeper insight into this important topic. A bigger approach would have done a better magic to the issue at hand.

  • ‘This is the way to Idoani’

    ‘This is the way to Idoani’

    Sango is a US-trained Nigerian filmmaker with over 25 years of experience. Having sojourned in the US and UK with his first love, which is moviemaking, he decided to pack it all up and return home to chase another endeavour, farming. He speaks with Ovwe Medeme on his first indigenous production, Idoani, African spirituality, among other topics. 

    Why the name Sango?

    It used to be Sangopemibut when I was young, a few things happened in the family and they said one of the reasons why the things were happening was because I used additional names. It is my actual name, not a nick name. My parents were a little bit uncomfortable having their child being called Sango. There is a surname but I just like to keep it as Sango. I have always been just Sango for the last 20 years.

    What informed your decision to return to Nigeria?

    I came back home to farm. I have been making films for about 25 years now though I am not tired of that,I wanted to come back home and do something a little bit close to nature. I lived in the US. I made films in the US. I used to run a film school up in the UK. We had the biggest independent studio in Central London but I packed that up and came back home. I just finished shooting my movie titled Idoani.

    What is the concept behind the movie, Idoani?

    The film is really about two children who are grounded in African spirituality. They lost both parents in the village so they get on a bus to Lagos to search for their grandfather. The bus breaks down a few times before getting to their destination. It is just the journey of these children who were later befriended by a mad woman and a dog. Idoani is generally inspired by a growing discomfort of people accepting who they are especially as it pertains to their language and spirituality. Traditionalists have almost become a taboo topic in Nigeria. I tell people my name is Sango and that Ifa is my religion and some will stigmatise me.Whereas in other parts of the world, it is the fastest growing religion. We hear the same thing; that the world is civilised now. I don’t know what that means.

    Is this your first indigenous movie?

    It is my first indigenous movie, though before now, I had done other films in America. Some of the films include Quiet Storm, Miles, Cross Wires and 187. I have done others but I usually mention the ones I have produced and directed independently. I am passionate about short films. I have done about 35. I still make short films.

    I also used to own and run a film school in the UK which I decided to fold up when I took the decision to return to Nigeria.

    In total, how much did it cost?

    You lose count. You lose count because it is a road film. And that was another suicidal thing that we did. Nobody warned me about that. We wanted to do a good film. We figured short of coming to create scenes where we spend about $40,000 just to get the lighting right for a scene, let’s do a lot of it during the day when we have natural light. But when we got on the streets it was something else. The touts and the omoItas did not let us film. So we brought a DOP that worked with me on other projects. He came down and stayed. For the first three and half weeks, we didn’t shoot anything. From being physically taken and put in a car and told we cannot leave until we pay, to the people threatening to smash our cameras. And I’m not talking once. It was on a consistent basis. So we shot some footages and when the DOP left and we couldn’t match the footages, I had to dump about 80% of what we shot and go back to the drawing board. Having said that, we wound up shooting at the bus garage in Obalende. We met wonderful people there. As much as when I was shooting in Mushin, I hated everything about anybody that was in town, when we got to Obalende, the concept of what I heard about touts changed. I think these young boys totally changed it for me. From pitching in to carrying our cameras. It started with a fight, but when they knew that we were not going to cave in, they calmed down. We shot even as late as 2am with a crew of just myself and a camera man because a lot of people were too afraidto go in the night. When we got to Obalande,we met lovely people. I can categorically say that among these people, there are some magnificent human beings which promptedme to want to do a workshop. I have to say this. I submitted a project to the Nigerian Film Corporation but when they heard that it was going to be a workshop rendering film service to ex-convicts and omoItas and agberos,that just totally threw them off. They said their director will not go for it. I shed why? Being among them you see the interest in the arts in them. Till today we have not heard back from them.

    You also farm alongside making movies…

    I love farming. I have always loved farming. I wanted to come back to farm. I also wanted to make films that could be doable in the environment where I was farming. There was doing a little theatre workshop in the village where I was farming, I didn’t think that would be very farfetched. We had bought projectors to facilitate cinemas in those villages where we were going to be farming. We brought a few of them along but it did not work out as well but the next film we are doing is going to be totally, absolutely based in the village. The films that we do from here on will be based in the village. This was supposed to be a very quick film to get us on the way there, something to try the ground with. There are other films that we have that are a little bit more complex. Every producer, every director wants three things from a film. They want it fast, they want it cheap and they want it good. You can onlyever have two of them. So we figured if we are making films on the farm, we can make it very good and very cheap. But it won’tbe fast because we are in an environment where people probably spend six or seven months in making a movie.

    What crops do you farm?

    I farm tuber, I farm cassava;I farm everything that people farm including fish. I like farming with my hands. I did bring a few machines but it was from a perspective of making money but I think the moment you start to work the soil, there is a relationship that you create. It is not something I can describe to you. If you don’t feel it, it is not in you. I think the land just has a way of calling you.

    Does farming fall in line with your course of study?

    When I decided I was going to farm, I took a few workshops on how to plant things. I took the workshops in the states and obviously, it was different because they don’t farm yams over there. And the kind of vegetables we plant over here. I studied filming, I majored in anthropology in NYU

    What was growing up like?

    I had a wonderful father and a wonderful mother. I lived in a village with my grandmother in Nigeria though I spent the bulk of my life in the US. When we came back, I went to school in Lagos but I was a very problematic person. My father sent me to the village to live with my grandmother and I loved it. It was supposed to be a punishment but I loved it. I could walk six miles without anybody bothering me. I could roam day and night. I think it was a calling when I decided to come back home. That was my memory of home. I brought my son back with me and he left because he could not stay in Lagos. He was happy in the village but he couldn’t cope in Lagos. I did a stint at Methodist Boys High School and I was also doing music. So I brought all these musical equipment down with me. And one day the principal called and said I would donate the equipment to the school. I refused. He asked me to sign a letter and that was how we wound up in Maloney Police Station. Everything is still like a joke. It was a very bad experience. Eventually some family members. Then we still had the army. That was when I developed respect for the army. They beat the hell out of me. I think for me, the affection has always been for the village.

    Where exactly are you from?

    I am from Ondo State. I hail from Idoani  in Owo. I have two children

    Is there a signature to carrying your beards this way?

    I didn’t shave my beards for a little while and my sister and a few other people kept nagging me. There is no signature to it. I just decided I am not going to shave because everybody was so particular because I had little rough beard. The razor might probably come anytime I choose to pick it up. When I am on the farm, I am never worried whether I have a razor or not.

  • Making the fall more meaningful

    Making the fall more meaningful

    Title of Book:           The Fall of the Mighty.

    Author:                      Pastor J.O Afolayan J.P.

    Number of Pages:  64 pages.

    Reviewer:                Julius Adegunna

    Publisher:                Gospel Arts Promotion,

    Iyana Ipaja, Lagos State.

    I feel highly honoured to have been called upon to do and present a review of the book The Fall of the Mighty. I have been privileged to have an advanced copy and that has given me the opportunity to know and understand the content ahead of many of us present here today. The book – wouldn’t have come at a better time than this looking into the church of God and their contemporary leaders. When the fear of God is almost nothing, when many choose to exalt themselves before God, and when many choose to do their biddings rather than doing the bidding of God. They thus see themselves as the Mighty of God. Many see them as strong men of God, and to a keen observer, many are gradually falling off the track. The book has come as a wake-up call to our ministers of God across age, groups, and denominations.

    For apt understanding of all and sundry the book has been presented in a simple descriptive and analytical way. Right from the foreward readers are presented with what to expect from this prophetic message from the Most High God. The author delved authoritatively unto the issue of definition, sharing the differences between the fallen, and the falling men and women of God. He proceeded further to show us who can be regarded as the mighty one with distinguishing characteristics of an assumed great and Mighty one.

    The author moves further to share what it means to be a fallen Mighty one, a message which in all intents is very prophetic and directed. He did not leave us there but move forward to let us know what happens when we say a mighty person has fallen within God and contemporary examples in the bible and our modern days. It has been shown that no one is exempted from this but by the grace of God.

    But as a man of God, Pastor Afolayan was practical enough to let us know that know there is a way out of theof the pit from the fallen one. His way out, he devoted a whole chapter to repentance and how to keep the Mighty of the Lord from falling.

    In a special way, Pastor Afolayan reminds all that choose not to repent of the place of the unrepentant one- as the place of the fallen Mighty. He concluded by offering his advice to all Christians and how to avoid their fall in their Christian race and journey.

    As people of God, this is the book one can recommend for all for a successful completion of Christian race.

    You can read and understand, you can read and learn and you can acquire and recommend for others. However despite encomiums, we should understand the zeal and the choice of Pastor Afolayan to write and publish this unique book. We should also understand that Pastor Afolayan is still bubbling to write other books. That is why he needs to be encouraged for all those who are genuinely keen on populating the Kingdom of God.

    I humbly recommend that you should not get a copy for yourself but extend it to others, especially to church leaders, pastors and workers across denominations by doing this

    I want to say within a very short time again we will gather again to pick a book from the stable of Pastor John Omodele Afolayan J.P.

     

  • ‘Door to IT age is not computer but books’

    The publisher of Lantern Books, Otunba Olayinka Lawal-Solarin, is 80. He marked  his birthday with his 50th wedding anniversary last week with fanfare. With over 40 years experience in pharmacy and publishing, Otunba Lawal-Solarin remains an inspiration to young entrepreneurs. How did he do it? He shares his inspiration, publishing voyage and thoughts on Nigeria in this interview with Evelyn Osagie. 

    It’s beautiful to find people like you aging gracefully. How does it feel being 80?

    Fine. I feel fine! I woke up this morning feeling very strong. My kids are here. Tomorrow, we are going out to play golf in the morning and I am going to beat them. And we would all laugh about it. “Aging gracefully”, that’s the word for it. I love being a grandfather. Being a grandfather is most desirable. I love dancing and I would still dance if I get good music. I may not be as enthusiastic as when I was 30 years old, but I like good music and still listen to them on my IPhone. I don’t listen to contemporary Nigeria music because I wasn’t brought up with such. I like highlife and jazz (play Lagbaja, Lagbaja be l’ode eru oni ba wa o) I like Lagbaja. My wife loves dancing and she is always dragging me to dance. And if we need to “dig” I “dig”. But as an 80-year-old man, you are a bit shy. But my wife would tell you that I can still dance.

    With the activities you are involved in and the book industry no one would believe that you are actually 80. What is the secret?

    It is not what you know how to do best, but the grace of God.

    What is your advice for those who desire to live up to 80?

    I would advise that they live a moderate life. I would also advise that they have a goal and be focused. The way you live life as a young man will eventually tell at old age. Some people drink, eat, womanise and gamble in excess, and stay out late; as they grow older it tells on their health and aging process.

    At your birthday celebration, it was said  you wrote a book to commemorate your 80th birthday. It is great to know that at 80 you can still write well; what inspired it?

    The book is Entrepreneurship: The Courage to Succeed. It is a guide for entrepreneurs because in Nigeria, you have a lot of problems when you are running an organisation. Call it government policy somersault, infrastructure deficiency, financing etc. When you succeed, it is something to be celebrated, and sometimes you wonder how you made it. By the end of the month or early March, we are going to start marketing the book with reviews and interviews in the papers and television.

    How did you survive as an entrepreneur?

    It took painstaking efforts that spanned more than 40 years because I decided to make a difference in publishing. I am a pharmacist – I could have made a difference in anything I did! But sometimes, it is the grace of God as well. Everybody has a talent, but the ability to harness it is God-given grace. Nigeria has a lot of brilliant people. In seeing an opportunity, the ability to grab it with both hands is a God-given talent. Some people have opportunity staring them in the face and they look the other way. It doesn’t matter what it is, even meeting a woman. (Laughs). But it’s true. When some people are in love, the next thing is that they’d start looking for faults.

    So, in the spirit of Valentine, are you saying being and staying in love also demands talent?

    Not exactly, but being and staying in love demand accommodation, understanding, tact and not to think that everything is perfect. My wife is a white woman. I could have said “Oh, my mother won’t like a white woman…”, and thought of all the reasons in the world not to marry her. But that is not what I did. Since that is the person I wanted to spend the rest of my life with, I went ahead to marry her. It has not been easy. I mean it is two different races, systems and cultures; to live together demands the desire to make it work. Nothing in life is easy. To succeed as an entrepreneur, you also need all of the above along with honesty of purpose. Nowadays, people want to start a business today and start riding a jeep tomorrow. That is the Nigerian way of doing business. It doesn’t work like that, while building a reputation, build a good one because that is what will speak for you. It is what we’ve done with Lantern Books. We make sure that every book we publish is educationally sound for children, and that has worked. My younger son is there now and he is still following the same policy, but we still have a lot of problems.

    Does the problem include that of funding? Most entrepreneurs complain about the gap in funding, especially from the government?

    Yes, it does, but who came to the world funded? I never got one government funding. So, you’ve got to go get family funding to start with and show the ability to succeed, and then seek bank funding. Even Aliko Dangote is being funded all the time, by the banks and the Stock Exchange, but one must first excel in what one does. A couple of years ago, a governor, who was trying to encourage young people, had asked me to talk to them after given them money to start businesses. Those kids were not prepared. Many considered it as government largesse, so some had used the money to go to Mecca, others bought cars and other things. Even market women survive through thrifts, so don’t talk to me about government largesse.

    From pharmacy, you delved into publishing. How easy was it for you to go from pharmacy to publishing?

    Whether then or now, it doesn’t matter what age, business start-up is never easy because you can fail very quickly if you don’t get your acts right. It wasn’t easy at all. I had difficulties, but the saying that “whatever your hands find to do; do it well,” had always been an inspiration. I had to borrow money from the bank, which I had to pay back. I had difficulty in convincing my bank managers, but once they saw I had honesty of purpose they yielded. I played my part in ensuring that I did not default on the pledge I made to pay back their money and got more support. Like I have said, “survival in the publishing industry takes painstaking efforts because publishing is a cerebral occupation that has long gestation period”. Unlike other business, its process is long and difficult. No matter the subject/genre, you have to find good authors, editors, assessors, then package the book for the market, promote and get it accepted. If it is not accepted, you’ve made a loss. I have made Lantern Books a household name in the Book Industry and I can now expand and improve on our books, but it takes a long time – more than 40 years to get to where we are today. Dangote is one of Nigeria’s richest businessmen because he produces what everybody needs. But books are different.

    Over 40 years and still counting…could you share with us how the publishing journey began?

    I started by publishing a book/ journal of Medicine in 1969. When I did Medipharm, I didn’t have the idea that it was going to be that successful. However, before publishing a book, you had to have a publishing house – that was how the publishing house was born. But I was still running the pharmacy then. So, I did the book with a partner but that partnership didn’t last. In fact, from the beginning, nobody gave the book a chance. For 40 years, a printer was printing the book for me. I used to go there to edit it twice a day because it was so technical and I couldn’t afford a mistake. When it succeeded and it became popular, I decided I had to build a printing press to carry on with the printing because my printer was always having problems. Then, came the question, “what do I do with the printing press?” That was when I went into full-scale publishing of children books. But before I built a printing press, I had published a book for children called Pussy Merry Birthday party. From day one, I had been interested in children books. I think if I didn’t do anything, I would have made the education of the child my main aim in life. Even if I had kept the pharmacy, I would still have been involved in something that had to do with children education.

    So, what happened to the pharmacy?

    In a country like ours, you can’t leave one thing for the other; people would ruin it for you. And that is what they did. Once you leave people and expect them to carry on, the first thing they’d do is to try to feather their own nest, hoping they’d succeed by that. But it doesn’t work out like that.

    How would you score the Nigerian Publishing Industry in the last 40 years compared to its counterparts across the world?

    We haven’t started. We haven’t got publishers; we’ve got booksellers, who feel the only way they can succeed is to bribe teachers and government officials to sell their books so that they can invest in something else and forget about books. No electricity. I spend a lot of money on powering our organisations all over the country. We are on generator all the time. These make it difficult to run a business.

    Who is to blame for this?

    Everybody. The people who are in publishing have no honesty of purpose. What is the history of publishing industry in Nigeria? The British, in order to educate us, imported their books to the schools they founded so that the graduates can work in the British administrations. So, what kind of books did we read? Robinson Crusoe, Alice in Wonderland and William Shakespeare’s books – stories that the Nigerian child cannot relate with. But how many Nigerian publishers today are publishing books that are relevant to our society, except textbooks? If our writers write books, publishers won’t publish them. And who are the publishers anyway? The publishers we have are foreigners, who import books all the time. Even when they call themselves Nigerian publishers, how much of Nigerian publishing do they do?  Only school books. The university lecturers do hand-outs, and if you write a book in University of Lagos, University of Ibadan may not buy it because it is not by their own professors. And yet they go to India to buy books. Look, the African man has not started.

    Parents who spend over N50,000 a year, talking on GSM to spend more on books for their children. We say government must give us books. And the government cannot afford it, but they don’t want to tell people because it is political. Now, everybody says they can provide free education; it doesn’t work that way.

    Are you saying free education cannot work?

    It can, only if government partners with parents to purchase books for children. Government cannot afford to give all books free. We must emphasise that the door to the IT age is not just the computer, but books.

    As Nigeria is in the verge of another transition process, what can we do to correct this?

    The government has plenty to do to correct this. All governments (whether military or civilian) that have come and gone don’t pay any attention to education. There is a National Book Policy that nobody is paying attention to. I have written a lot about it and nobody is listening. I said “if we don’t get things right this time as we have not done in the last 40 years, we may continue to grope in the dark and breed more illiterates”.

    How can we begin to correct this?

    Don’t ask me. What we need is a leader, who has a purpose and knows where he is going. The only person who has done that in this country is the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo. He knew exactly where he was going in all facets of life. What we have are people, who are trying to imitate Awolowo, but do not have Awolowo’s philosophy. What the western states is enjoying today is based on his philosophy.  And they called him all sorts of names like they are calling some of our leaders now, who are determined to bring about change. When I was chairman of the Book Fair Trust, they conspired against me, not minding that I built it up because they thought I was making money when I was sweating and investing all my money in it. Indians are now running the Nigerian Book Fair. Once, my battle cry was that we must build the capacity of the publishing industry in Nigeria.

    With all the political candidates gunning for power, do you see any as the saviour Nigeria needs at a time like this?

    I don’t want to be political. I have my views and I would rather keep my views to myself. Now on social media if you are not for party A or B, it is pathetic how people abuse each other – nobody talks about issues.

     

  • Foundation unveils Sally The Artist

    Director-General, of Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation Dr. Sally Uwechue-Mbanefo, will on February 22 exhibit some of works as part of activities to mark her 50th birthday. She will present a charity art exhibition tagged: Sally The Artist,  featuring her paintings and a coffee table book containing over 150 of her paintings at the Banquet Hall of the Civic Centre on Victoria Island, Lagos at 4pm. It be followed by a dinner at 6 o’clock.

    Earlier in the day, a thanksgiving mass will hold at the Holy Cross Cathedral (Catholic Church), Lagos Island, opposite City Hall, Lagos, by 8am. On Monday, there will be a service at the Perpetual Help Catholic Church, Musa Yar’Adua Street on Victoria Island, Lagos, at 1p.m.

    A statement by The Sally Mbanefo Foundation (organisers of the event), said the  would be hosted by Mbanefo’s expatriate friends, brothers and sisters in Lagos. The proceeds from the sale of the coffee table book will be used to build vocational skills acquisition schools for the under-privileged, starting with Lagos State. The statement added that subsequently, It is intended that the school will be run from proceeds of the annual auction of Mbanefo’s paintings and sculptures.

     

  • Leadership, security and national development

    This lecture focuses on leadership, security and national development from African and global perspectives. Security and what it constitutes can take many forms. However, it is all about the survival of an individual, a group or an entity such as a state. It should be noted that there is a duality in every country’s security challenges, and these manifest as the internal and external factors that shape its state of security. Due to socio-political and geo-political peculiarities, every nation’s security challenges and imperatives are, to a large extent, unique. This is why the security situation of one country, with its attendant implication for peace and national development, can be very different from another’s even when their external security challenges are similar.

    Although national security problems arise out of conflicts or threats within or outside a given nation, how these conflicts are resolved, managed or contained is critically dependent on the effectiveness of existing governmental institutions for conflict prevention and resolution. This also entails the disposition and orientation of leadership at local and international levels. Social chaos is, therefore, often a manifestation of a failure of government machinery or governmental systems as may be revealed by a thorough and dispassionate examination of past conflicts. Indeed, government never became necessary until humankind saw the need to invent systemic machinery for managing social crisis and maintaining public order. This is why there is need to begin this discussion by looking at the evolution of formal or governed society as we know it today.

    From State of Nature to State of Society

    Overwhelmed by hazards in the unorganised natural environment and by the antagonistic effects of his own primitive self-centredness, man, generically speaking, needed a “neutral” authority to protect his life, family and property.  Formal society developed out of this basic need to preserve oneself and one’s possessions. Organised society evolved over a long period before the dawn of civilization as we know it today. Political thinkers, notably the English philosopher Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679), argued that individuals, persuaded by enlightened self interest, traded off the insecure “state of nature,”1 where only freedoms existed, for a state of society governed by a central authority that enforced the rights of everyone. The state of nature, according to Hobbes, was not only “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short” but also in its entirety “anarchic.”2 The emergence of centralized government, responsible for common security, is therefore meant to curb the excesses of selfish and unscrupulously competitive individuals.3

    Although the modern nation state is commonly the most developed form of the state of society, monarchy, a crude form of centralized social order in medieval times, had preceded it. Under the monarchical dispensation, the people were ruled by supposedly divinely appointed kings who reigned indefinitely, often for life, before yet another king took over to, literally, lord it over the populace.  With time, it became clear that what the people needed was governing machinery, not a ruling institution.

    Defining the nature of the relationship which should ideally exist between the state’s governing authority and the governed, John Locke (1632—1704) stated that such relationship should be in the form of a social contract that is subject to periodic public renewal of confidence.4 According to Locke, the authority of government should be based on “just powers from the consent [i.e. delegation] of the governed.”5 This gave rise to variants of the social contract theory, particularly in the 18th and 19th century, that became the bases of the evolution of systems of government powered by periodic elections. Thus, in the event of the elected authority losing the confidence of the public, the people, under the Lockean social contract system of governance, reserve the right to change it through the ballot box or, if necessary, by violent means. By this stance, revolution becomes justifiable in the last resort.

    It should be born in mind that for one to talk of security and national development presupposes that there is a country or state and that there is a governing authority. A state or country is recognisable under international law only if there is a defined territory that is reasonably populated and has a de jure or a de facto government. A de jure government obtains in the event of a government in exile which is recognized by others.

    Socio-Economic and

    Political Modalities

    A democratic state, particularly one where the people directly elect the leaders, is usually founded on the basis of a constitution or some other governing set of rules. Such rules set out the modalities by which human rights and the state’s commitment to the provision of the basic needs of the people are guaranteed on a sustainable basis. For such a high level of expectation to be met, it would entail the formulation of policies and programmes for national development. The constitution would, of course, establish a structure of government and provide for security machinery to create an atmosphere conducive for individual pursuits and for government to prosecute its national development programmes.

    It is lack of consensus on the best formula or set of modalities for the achievement of such objectives that engenders continuing debate, nationally and internationally, among politicians, opinion leaders, and the intelligentsia. The issues under discussion have always been choice of system of governance, leadership disposition and orientation, performance of the institutions of government and management of resources. Around all this is the spate of continuing debate on the need for strong leadership or strong institutions or both.

    The lack of consensus at the international level leads some countries or a bloc of them to resort to ideological warfare or armed intervention to persuade or cajole other countries to adopt certain socio-political and economic systems. This behaviour, which ensued for several decades, characterised the Cold War and still appears to be the pursuit of some powerful countries which act outside the dictates of the United Nations. With the ascendancy of the capitalist market economy system, following the apparent defeat of communism and the collapse of the communist bloc in the late 1990s, the intensity of the Cold War has greatly reduced. However, a strong undercurrent is still evident in some turbulent spots of the world.

    Leadership and Global Security

    International security covers a variety of interconnected issues within states that have impact on the peace, stability and survival of individuals and groups across states. The issues range from “traditional or conventional modes of military power, the causes and consequences of war among states, economic strength, to ethnic, religious and ideological conflicts, trade and economic conflicts, energy supplies, science and technology, food, as well as threats to human security and the stability of states from environmental degradation, infectious diseases, climate change and activities of non-state actors.”6

    The leadership role of the United Nations, particularly the role of its Security Council, has been rather ambivalent. Events of the World War I (1914-1918) and the failure of the League of Nations, formed to prevent such wars in the future, led to the occurrence of the World War II (1939-1945) and the formation of the United Nations. The UN kicked off with the five leading victorious powers becoming the permanent members of the core group, the UN Security Council, and arrogating to themselves veto power. Those powers enjoying such a unique privilege have so far resisted moves to reform the Council and admit new members with veto power. This situation has prevailed in spite of agitation and significant contributions to the maintenance of world peace by UN member countries outside this club.

    UN Leadership Style, Globalisation and Sovereignty

    The leadership style of the United Nations, particularly its growing tendency to over-scrutinize the affairs of members of so-called developing countries while glossing over the malfeasance of some world powers, has reduced its credibility among the developing countries. This ambivalent leadership style has also led to a situation where globalisation has been allowed to undermine seriously the exercise of state sovereignty. There is now a thin line between what should be regarded as internal affairs of a country and what should be matters of international concern.

    These days, foreign countries and organisations take more than casual interest in the conduct of elections and national census.  While this may be excusable because of lack of openness and fairness in the manner these exercises are carried out in some polities, what about unsolicited foreign interventions in the policy-making process of sovereign nations? In many developing countries, the formulation and execution of national development plans are undertaken in collaboration with foreign countries and international organisations. Such collaborations, though helpful in many ways, can be suspect. Indeed, some foreign aids can be classified as the proverbial Greek gift while others arrive with conditionality that worsens the security and developmental challenges of recipient countries.

    The motives and actions of some countries and international organisations may pose great dangers to a country’s survival. For instance, over the last few decades some foreign organisations and countries loaded some countries with ill-tailored loans, ostensibly meant for development, but which left those nations poorer, more debt-ridden and insecure. Social upheavals that compromise a country’s sovereignty and even jeopardise its very existence as a viable entity usually arise when the debt burden becomes unbearable. Some loans are so suspect that the supposedly friendly donors appear to have set out to deliberately mislead and undermine the development efforts of a target country just to subjugate or even destroy it altogether.

    What could make a country to be so adversely targeted? A country’s commitment to an independent path of development could make it a target, particularly if it is a country of great potential. All kinds of accusations are usually contrived to intimidate such a country and make it toe the line dictated by some powerful nations threatened by its independent strides. Such tactics employed to undermine certain countries have been elaborately reported. One of such notable reports is that of John Perkins who revealed how targeted countries were ensnared, leading to high ranking individuals falling victims of “tragic story of debt, deception, enslavement, exploitation and the most blatant grab in history for hearts, minds, souls, and resources of people around the world.”7 According to Perkin’s account, the victims, mainly heads of state and OPEC member countries, were under constant threats and surveillance.

    Nowadays, under any pretext, a country, particularly one without the backing of a permanent member of the Security Council, could be invaded for “reasons” ranging from human rights concerns to humanitarian considerations. Such UN-sanctioned interventions, these days, are hardly primarily based on the criterion of threat to international peace and security, which is the clear provision under the UN Charter.

    The perpetual contest for power in international relations portrays a picture of predator relationship between the bigger and smaller nations. The bigger powers jealously protect their privileged positions, hegemony and spheres of influence against states perceived to have the potential to challenge their supremacy. Size of territory and population may matter in the assessment of power relationship but more relevant is the level of technological skill and general mobilisation of human and material resources. It has also become clear that the weapons of warfare employed in the power contest at the UN are no longer primarily traditional military hardware, more sophisticated though they have become. The media has become an important battle field, and would be more so in the future. An observer succinctly put it thus:

    Global media, social media, ICT and powerful nations or regional groups working in concert are the tools of warfare, no longer merely tanks, missiles and battalions.8

    A bit of such media propaganda and campaign was employed during the Cold War with positive results. Since then, there has been a general improvement in ICT and the medium is being perfected to a higher degree. Media warfare is real; hence, the increasing cry of cyber attacks and other acts of illegalities among world powers.

    In spite of its shortcomings, the UN remains the organisation the world most direly needs for the maintenance of world peace. Its formation in 1945 became necessary when mankind and the powers that be realised that maintenance of international peace and security was beyond the capacity of a single nation. Supplementary to that was the felt need to establish international organisations as UN specialised agencies dealing with cross-border socio-economic issues that may endanger mankind. Hence, UN organs and agencies, such as the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), World Health Organisation (WHO), the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), United Nations Economic Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP),9 came into being.

    The importance of such organisations is underlined by the realisation that peace and security cannot be guaranteed by application of military hardware alone. The activities of the UN agencies are therefore intended to forestall or mitigate occurrences that threaten the international system without the involvement of military means. Imperfect though the current arrangement, supported by regional defence groups, may seem, it remains about the only central machinery on which the maintenance of international peace and security is anchored. Success of this arrangement is supposed to allow member states to conserve their resources and focus their developmental efforts on meeting the needs of their people.

    Unfortunately, such conserved resources are being drained in many countries by the challenges of dealing with the problem of insecurity.

    muster every available means to quickly restore normalcy and reassure the public.

     

     

    Conclusion

    In conclusion, it should be observed that in spite of the centrality of man in security and development considerations, conduct and performance of states, group of states and non-state actors would continue to dictate events in the international system. As man in a state of nature is said to be selfish so are the states presently in their conduct, including the insensitive positions many powerful nations have taken on environmental matters. But there is a glimmer of hope in the determination of the global community to tackle the heating up of the environment which portends great danger to humanity.

    The year 2014 was said to be the hottest in recorded history. After the Lima Conference of December 1-14, 2014, attended by 195 member countries, all hopes are now placed on the Paris Conference to be held this year (2015). At the Paris Conference, countries would be expected to specify their individual contributions towards checking climatic activities in their countries that contribute to carbon emission and global warming.

    Unfortunately, many countries are only out to promote their national interests at the expense of others. Unwarranted violence inflicted against others and even beneficial collaborative efforts among them, such as the determination by certain countries to review the world economic order and create more global financial institutions to remove the prevailing bottleneck in access to money required for investment, infrastructural and social development, must be seen in that light. The United Nations as a supra-national body is not a government. It has no standing army. A few privileged members acting individually or in concert with other nations sometimes arbitrarily invade other nations hiding under a manipulated resolution.

    An international court of justice is in place but a look at those who have so far been arraigned before it shows that it is selective. Some leaders commit similar or worse crimes against others and get away with it simply because they are powerful. Powerful nations act as predators against weaker nations who may be unjustly punished for trying to develop potentials that could rival their entrenched positions. Thus, the world, in spite of the existence of a supra national body, is still operating in a state of nature governed by the law of the survival of the powerful, a law that replicates or typifies the conduct of man in a state of nature.

    Under the leadership of the United Nations, mankind may not have entirely escaped the savagery of the state of nature. However, some sections of mankind, like many nations of the Western world, have made commendable strides in leadership, security and national development. African leadership can galvanize positive changes in their various nations instead of looking up to the prejudicial leadership of the UN to bail the continent out of its current security and developmental challenges.