The Nation Newspaper

Category: Arts & Life

  • Telling children stories with Ranga

    Telling children stories with Ranga

    The setting, that Saturday afternoon at W, GRA Ikeja, was grandiose. And for Ms. Yetunde Fawehinmi, who celebrated her 40th birthday last month on the same day she launched Ranga, it was fulfilling time. Rather than the milestone celebration of her birthday, it was the public presentation of Ranga, a beautifully illustrated children’s book which tells of the adventures of Ranga, the rabbit, that stole the show.

    Trained as an Economist in England after her primary and secondary school in Nigeria, Fawehinmi found herself working in nursery schools in England rising to become a nursery school manager. Believing she could also bring her expertise to benefit her country folks, she returned back to establish LeavesGreen Nursery and Primary school, which is located in Magodo, Lagos.

    Though, having lived overseas for 16 years, Fawehinmi isn’t one to forget her roots. In fact, she emphasises on the gradually eroding local cultures, hence, she said she decided to tell local stories. “I am proud of my culture,” the lady who hails from Ondo State, beamed. And Ranga is an adventure-based children series which has settings and activities revolving around the state. There is the Owena farms, there is the Idanre Hills, and of course, the Mare festival.

    Fawehinmi said the dearth of quality local reading material was what motivated her to write Ranga, which according to her is just the first in a series of other Ranga stories. “I felt it was high time,” she said, “Nigerian authors told children stories from the Nigerian perspective.”

    Advocating for a review in the public school curriculum, Fawehinmi said, “schools should focus more on how to teach students to read and write.” Then, she said it would be easier to learn other subjects well. She emphasised on the training of teachers and the need to dedicate greater resources to educational development. She also harped that teachers must strive to teach children Nigerian culture.

    The event was attended by friends and well-wishers including Hon. Toyin Hamzat, who represented Senator Gbenga Ashafa, Mrs. Oluremi Fawehinmi, Mr. Mohammed Fawehinmi, Mr. Olumide Fawehinmi and Mr. Saheed Fawehinmi.

    Pupils from her school were also on hand to entertain guests with readings from the book as well as dance performances.

  • NICO locates culture at the grassroots

    NICO locates culture at the grassroots

    The Executive Secretary of the National Institute for Culture Orientation (NICO), Dr. Backlays Ayakoroma, has said that the third tier of government has a lot to do to keep the rural people busy with cultural activities. He made this declaration while declaring open a two-day workshop with the theme: Culture and the Socio-economic transformation of local governments in Nigeria: Setting an agenda for development.

    In the view of Ayakoroma who has been in the forefront of organising workshops and seminars to point a way forward for the various local languages of the nation, “our focus here is to constantly use culture for national orientation and education. This nation is a nation of diverse cultures and we have traditional values and norms that are important to us. Our traditional rulers should be in the forefront of the promotion of those essential ingredients of tradition to make us a better society, a better people.”

    Ayakoroma further stated that the aim of the workshop was to remind the local government administrators how important they are to the advancement of the nation. “You people are very close to the grassroots. You know the importance of culture at the rudimental level . In fact the local government is designed to work very closely with the local dwellers using what is essential to them to cement love. This is why you need to propel development and encourage versatility in all spheres,” he asserted.

    The workshop which explored other sub-themes in the areas of socio-cultural and economic spheres tackled the problems of constitutional democracy and the role of local government system, promoting cultural industries and the imperatives of local government, and strategies for development, among other themes.

    The Minister of Culture, Chief Edem Duke, told the gathering that time had come when culture should be given its due place as a critical response to our contemporary challenges. “Culture should therefore be integrated into national development plans, policies and programmes. For me, it is of utmost necessity for the local government chairmen and top officials of the system to appreciate the critical role they have to play in the socio-economic and political transformation of the nation,” he said.

    Professor Olu Obafemi of the National Institute for Strategic Studies, Jos, Plateau State, called on the people to be custodians of their culture. “People should also identify with what is their own. Culture makes you who you are and so you need to constantly help to keep it alive. Moreover, let us all respect each others cultural values and norms,” he advised.

    Obafemi, a professor of English and Literary Studies, said that all his life he has been advocating the need for people to keep what they cherish most. “This, to me, will help the people to develop at their own pace.” The theme of his lecture which looked holistically at the local government system in terms of the promotion of the historical heritage of the people, called on governments to make the local areas more habitable for the people. “This will encourage a lot of people to have value for life and be busy too,” he enthused.

    Present at the occasion were traditional rulers, local government administrators, scholars, culture administrators, artistes and stakeholders in the culture sector. In the end, it was agreed that the symbiotic nature of the local government administration and the rural people can be effectively achieved if their monthly allocation is given to them directly. There is no need for the state to keep the money meant to the local people, thereby denying them of genuine democracy dividends.

  • Festival of empowerment

    Festival of empowerment

    As the 26th edition of the National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFEST) kicks off in Ilorin, Kwara State, the need to use it to cement love and unity among Nigerians becomes pivotal. Edozie Udeze reports

    Perhaps not many Nigerians are aware that the National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFEST) organiaed yearly by the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) predates Nigerian independence in 1960. Before Nigeria got her freedom from Britain, this festival had already been instituted, to harness, celebrate and promote arts in Nigeria.

    According to M. M. Maidugu, the Executive Director of NCAC, the idea was essentially to incorporate all aspects of the Arts into one to be able to give the nation a defined focus. When it began in the late 1950s, the total concept was to have a national unity forum to harness and update creativity in all fields of the arts, science, and technology.

    In an interview, Maidugu who has consistently held the festival in the past seven years explained that when the civil war ended in 1970, the federal government mandated NCAC to organise the celebration to reintegrate parts of the country involved in the war. In his words, “although there was the festival of unity to mark the reintegration of the Eastern states after the Nigerian civil war in 1970, what would be regarded as the first Nigerian Festival of Arts and Culture actually took place in Lagos in 1970.”

    Every year since then, each state of the federation opts to host the festival. This is to show that it is a celebration meant to cement love and unity in the country. This year’s celebration which began in Ilorin, Kwara State yesterday, has as its theme: Culture, Peace and Economic Empowerment. The Kwara State government is not only hosting it for the first time, but the governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, said it is for the state to contribute its quota to the unity of the nation. In an earlier statement, he told culture eggheads who converged in Ilorin that Kwara State was poised to prove to the world that it can be a rallying point for the progress of the nation.

    Addressing arts reporters in Abuja, the Minister of Tourism and Culture, Chief Edem Duke, reiterated the need for artistes and culture technocrats to use the opportunity of the festival to further advance the transformation programme of the federal government. He said: “NAFEST is being reorganised to serve as the preferred sector for the nation’s transformation goals. It will further help in the area of job creation, especially for our rural dwellers. We need to empower our youths economically and this is why we have chosen to harness all the creative arts in the rural areas to showcase them at the event.”

    He went on: “If the rural dwellers who form the bulk of the population of the nation are given the required attention to perfect their skills and creativity and then bring them to national lime light, we would have succeeded in keeping them busy. It is our primary focus to ensure that culture and tourism are properly used to create huge entrepreneurial spirit among our teeming youths.”.

    “Beyond this,” Duke said, “our heritage is a gift from age to age. These heritage abound in all crannies of the nation and therefore it is our responsibility to ensure that we empower ourselves with what we have. So, this is time for us to talk about peace, rediscover our love for one another and then use that to give ourselves economic power and reduce social vices.”

    Maidugu equally restated that this year’s festival is estimated to attract over 6,000 participants who would be involved in one programme or the other. “Our concern this year,” he said, “is to rediscover new talents in the intermediate category of traditional wrestling. After that, we will continue to promote and expose them to more competitions nationally and globally. This will also help to galvanise our wrestlers into action in future outings.”

    In the painting and drawing category, Maidugu, drew attention to secondary school students whom he said are the focus of this year’s edition. “We have told them to work on the theme of the festival. The idea is that once that is done, the kid artist would appreciate why unity and love are essential for the nation and the people. We will take the winners up and expose them the more,” he said.

    The event which began on the 13th of this month will end on 20th. Some of the events in the festival are visual art, dance, food fair, music, crafts, literary arts, children’s essay and so on. In the end, all the participating states are expected to use the opportunity of the event to fish out local talents in their areas. This is why too, the role of the local governments was emphasised by Duke who advised them to be more proactive in this wise. “The local people look up to them and they need to sit up,” he said.

  • Kidnapper in the cathedral

    Kidnapper in the cathedral

    It was supposed to be a prayer session and vigil at the Ibadan based church. However, an unusual drama interrupted the serene prayerful atmosphere. Tunde Busari reports

    Florence Adeyemi’s cry of “My baby… where is my baby?” in the middle of the intense night prayer session in a church in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, did not only distract the congregation at the vigil, it abruptly terminated the session with all attention turning to the panic-stricken woman.
    The fact that such a spectacle was a rarity in the church, With God Mission Church, located at Sanyo axis of the ancient city made the prayer warriors to sacrifice their devotion to join the distressed woman in the search for her baby. At this time Adeyemi was inconsolable.
    She was drenched in tears within minutes. Fear gripped everyone including the leadership of the church who were scared of the implication of the incident on the image of their fast-growing church.
    “That night I sympathised with the church officials. I watched them lamenting while running around looking for the possible places within the church premises where they thought the child could be. The situation can better be imagined. I could not join the search team because I had health challenges which actually took me to the church that night. But I also felt the heat as a mother,” an eye witness who craved for anonymity said.
    Normalcy, however, returned when from one of the rooms in the premises came a shouting match between one of the church officials and an unidentified person. This encounter spontaneously diverted the attention of the people to his direction.
    The shouting match
    The official, shouting at the top of his voice, was attempting to drag out a woman from the room but the woman was resistant having realised what was awaiting her outside the room. The official opted for unusual solution as he broke the door to access the room where he was face-to- face with Adeoye Kemi holding a baby.
    Kemi’s countenance had already betrayed whatever defence she might want to put up. By the time the mother of the baby arrived the spot it became more apparent that Kemi attended the night vigil for a different purpose.
    “The mother rushed at the baby but she was prevented by other members of the church to allow the officials interrogate the suspect. The tension had reduced but the noise was too much. The officials of the church saved the situation as the people had started to throw objects at her calling her devil and all sorts of names. The suspect was looking dejected as if she was on drug. She did not look like somebody who came to the church to pray that night,” the source added.
    If the mother had been allowed to handle the suspect the situation could have degenerated and compounded the problem. The mother could have attempted to take a pound of flesh and in the process overreacted.
    Joys of motherhood
    “My mood was too bad that day. I felt like hitting her. I could have done this if not for the people that prevented me to move closer to her. Upon all the noise over her, she did not look as if she realised what she did was a crime. I give glory to God for not allowing her to take my baby out of the premises before we caught her,” the elated mother said thankfully.
    In the end, the church contacted the police at Sanyo Divisional Police Headquarters from where a team effected the, arrest of Kemi and detained her briefly after which she was transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Iyaganku, Ibadan.
    The Nation gathered that the 28-year-old suspect had arrived at the church early like others but hid within the premises. It was from where she hid that she patiently monitored the unsuspecting mother of the baby.
    She was busy preparing the baby for sleep to allow her uninterrupted prayer session with the congregation. When the baby had slept off and the mother left the spot, Kemi struck! She decided to carry out her devious plan. Nobody could explain how she tiptoed to the spot and carried the sleeping baby girl. She, however, offered an insight into the act.
    “I saw the baby sleeping and walked up to her and carried her. I tied her at my back and left the place. I then saw a room where I was when they saw me with the baby,” she said.
    Although Kemi alleged that she was sent to steal the baby by a woman she called Funmilayo Akande, further investigation could not establish the substance of the allegation. Akande’s claim revealed a link between her and Kemi but the police say they have no evidence of the duo’s recent contact. The woman was consequently allowed to go.
    “It is not proper to hold an innocent for offence she did not commit. The parlance is that it is better a policeman allow 100 criminals to escape than punishing one innocent person. Before we went after the woman, we had gathered some information about her from her area. This helped us to quickly resolve the matter,” a police source said.
    The general consensus based on the character trait of the suspect throughout her detention period suggests a mentally unstable woman. During cross-examination with her alleged sponsor, it was learnt, she left no one in doubt of her inconsistency, thereby vindicating the woman when she was expected to reveal more information that could have nailed her as a kidnap kingpin.
    A police source disclosed that a member of the suspect’s family had cleared air on the suspicion of her health challenge. She was said to have once been a patient at the University College Hospital (UCH) Ibadan after the family noticed a remarkable change in her behaviour.
    She is blessed with a kid but not married. According to the source, the suspect was also reputed for her diligence, the attribute that took her to Emmanuel Alayande College of Education, Oyo and later University of Ado-Ekiti where she studied Social Studies.
    “It is glaring that she is well educated despite her funny behaviour. We first thought she was trying to be smart. But whatever the case may be she would be charged to court”, the source said.
    Prompt investigation
    True to this promise, the suspect had since been arraigned at the Magistrate Court 12 in Ibadan on September 17. She was charged for child stealing but granted bail. The Acting Police Public Relations Officer of Oyo State Police Command, Daniel Oboyi, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, confirmed this and passed a judgement that the police acted well and in accordance to the Inspector-General, Mohammed Abubakar’s speedy investigation directive.
    “Elongating the investigation of this matter in particular will mean a contravention of the IG’s directive. And my CP has warned that whoever is found wasting too much time on a case that requires less time to investigate will face sanction,” Eboyo said.
    There are fears that child theft has sneaked into the crime list in Ibadan in particular with the arrest of yet another woman a few weeks ago. The suspect, Sherifat Hassan, was arrested at Iyana Church, while allegedly attempting to abduct two little boys.
    It was learnt that she lured the kids with biscuits from a play ground where she found them. Luck, however, ran out on her when a relation of the kid ran into her and raised a poser she could not answer.
    “The relation quickly raised alarm which attracted the people of the neighbourhood to the scene. That was when they took the suspect to the Monatan Division,” a source said.
    The suspect would later deny the theft allegation with a claim that she had gone to the area in search of a church where she was to seek a solution to a certain problem she had battled with in the past few years. She said somebody introduced the church to her as the right place she could get the problem solved after her past unsuccessful effort at different places.
    “So when I was told about this church I said to myself that it could be the place. That is what brought me to the place. I was resting, at the spot where the people came to me, after I have searched for the church for some time without success. So, I could not understand why they said I wanted to steal the kids when I am praying to God to give me my own too,” she said in emotion-laden voice.
    It was further learnt that the suspect, who also claimed to be a trained fashion designer, had a failed marriage. The factor which, a source argued, could be the reason she was searching for a church. The suspect also revealed she was into a fresh relationship and that given the reason she could not have done anything that could jeopardise her second attempt in marriage.
    She is already under prosecution having appeared before a magistrate at the Magistrate Court 12 at Iyaganku, Ibadan. Attempt to commit felony was slammed on her while the case has been adjourned to October 17.
    In a similar development, the duo of Martina Onwelikwe and Kingsley Linus are currently undergoing interrogation at the Abuja office of the National Agency for Prohibition of Traffic in Persons and other related Matters (NAPTIP).
    The suspects were detained following a discovery connecting them with a trafficking syndicate with network in major cities in Nigeria. They were arrested at the point of selling two babies for N400, 000 each.
    According to the Assistant Director of Press and Public Relations of the agency, Orakwe Arinze, the suspects’ modus operandi revolves round abduction and snatching of babies from their mothers, after which they transfer them to their agents, who are specialists in marketing the babies.
    NAPTIP officials are already on the trail of the agents while assuring that the suspects would be transferred to the police for further investigation and prosecution.

  • Why I oppose DNA testing for MKO’s children, says Abiola’s younger brother, Mubashiru

    Why I oppose DNA testing for MKO’s children, says Abiola’s younger brother, Mubashiru

    Fourteen years after the death of Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola in controversial circumstances, after he was held by the federal government for declaring himself winner of the 1993 annulled presidential election, his memory is still fresh in the mind of his younger brother, Alhaji Mubashiru Abiola, the present head of the family. As he speaks, his words are heavy and his emotion deep, betraying an inner feeling which indicates that the wounds may have dried up on the surface, but definitely there’s still sore inside. In this interview with Paul Ukpabio in Abeokuta, Mubashiru Abiola talks about the mind of the family concerning how his brother died, the state of his properties, why the DNA verification of his children will remain controversial, and the present state of the Will.

    Fourteen years since the death of your brother, how have you been remembering him?

    Personally, I do prayers with Alfas every Friday for his remembrance. The family are doing the same here in Abeokuta where he had a mosque in his house and also at his Ikeja home in Lagos. Everybody knows that he was the bread winner of this house and since he has gone, the family is all right though not fully. We are trying our best, even MKO’s children are trying their best, and Kola is trying his best.

    Is there any particular reason why only two of his wives are staying in the house at Ikeja?

    There are no particular reasons why some wives live in Ikeja and others do not live there. That is how MKO left his thing. We are having two wives; the one that is senior now is Alhaja Adebisi Abiola. That one is living there and Dr. Doyin Abiola is living there as well. And the children like Hafsat do not live there permanently, since she comes and goes, she lives in Belgium with her family, Jamiu and Mumuni – all children of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola. Mumuni is now permanently in Nigeria. He is here with his wife and children.

    As head of the family, what role do you play?

    I have always been trying my best to unite the family and in doing that, I always work in collaboration with Kola because he is the first son of the family, while his sister Kuburat Omolola Edewor-Abiola is the senior daughter in this family. I talk to them regularly, though Kola is always travelling. I am presently trying to get him to talk to me about some things. There are things to talk about.

    Who are the people staying in the Sabo area home of your late brother currently?

    We rented out some part of the place, while some family members too stay there. This is because if we leave the house without people inside, it’s likely that the house may just collapse. It is not like most of the people living there are paying the real worth of the rent, no. Some of them are just staying there, in order to take care of the building.

    But the place looks unkempt when we got there this morning. The building which used to host top government officials, traditional rulers and dignitaries from abroad when the late Abiola was alive is in abandoned state.

    I don’t know, but I go there regularly. The truth is that, I’m having plans to refurbish the whole buildings in the compound before the end of this year.

    But that will cost a lot of money. Does that mean that you are comfortable?

    Not that I am very comfortable. I am not comfortable and at the same time, I am not in discomfort. I am in the middle. But I know that when I want to do it, if I don’t have the power to do it, I will call on our Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, he is my brother as well.

    I believe that God will do it. People are living in the houses there right now; the mosque is being used too. Though, none of my late brother’s children is living there. Those who live there are extended family members and also those we have rented out the place to. It is not that we collect exorbitant amount from these people, it is to help them and also make them tidy up the place.

    How far has the family gone with the issue of the Will?

    There is nothing wrong with the Will, except that we do not have the original yet. Nobody can say that he has MKO’s original Will. We have not seen the original Will. I don’t know how government can help us with that; I was at Abuja some time ago on the matter.

    If you go to my late brother’s home at Ikeja, Lagos, you’ll find out that the place is always as if the man is still around. This is because of the efforts of Alhaja Moriamo Adebisi Abiola who has been taking care of the place; even paying for security, workers etc. I give real kudos to her and I always pray for her. Truly, she really deserves to be the head of the wives.

    Are you saying that she is co-coordinating the wives to your satisfaction?

    In fact, you know women, but what I can say is that this woman is trying her best, because each time I go there and see the place and the way she is handling affairs of the place, I am always delighted with her, and I must keep praying for her. I am happy with her.

    Has the family accepted the fact that there is no Will?

    I must absolve Kola of all blame here if the Will is available, I’m sure that he will handle it properly, and he has always been doing his best. However, I am surprised that this country is not treating this family well; the government is not treating this family well. Even in Ogun State where we belong. This is because it is this man that laboured to get these people there. They know that it was MKO that laid his life down for all of them to benefit. They are supposed to do something for the family. It is this country that killed this man. And everybody knows that in this country. Who among these present governors can face the military, face people with guns? It was this man that laid his life down because he wanted this country to survive, to be a very good country, to be democratic.

    But President Jonathan Goodluck recognised him recently, by re-naming the University of Lagos after him.

    That is fantastic, we appreciate it. He did well.

    However, people protested that MKO Abiola deserved more than that. Do you agree?

    I understand that, but somebody has to start from somewhere. This man has started by doing something, he can still do more. And that is our expectation. We are even planning to go and see him officially and thank him for the gesture.

    As the head of the family, what can you say about the actual size of the family?

    We are having about 77 children all round the world.

    How does the family keep in touch with one another, and how do you keep tab with everyone?

    The children are all in separate places across the world; America, Belgium, London, Nigeria and so on. The children keep communication going between themselves. As a family, we try to communicate and reach them one by one. I call them on phone regularly. And some of them are doing very fine. Some of them come home too at times and Kola especially, always goes round to see them abroad. Presently, I am trying to organise a family re-union, whereby all the Abiola family will be coming together at a particular time, though some of them are staying in faraway places. Most of them are abroad, but they have been connecting themselves on phone and on the internet. They make appointments and they meet in London and America.

    How did you resolve the issue of some wives that were accepted, while others were not?

    The wives are still there, but the only thing is that most of them were not living with him when he was alive. There were four wives living with him before he died. But right now, two among the four are alive.

    The other wives, do they still identify with the family?

    Yes, they still do that. Anytime they have a problem, they call on me or they go to Kola, they go to his house and Kola, to the best of my knowledge, gives them assistance at such times.

    Without an original Will and a sharing formula guided by a Will, are there grudges or any grouse?

    As far as I am concerned, Kola has his own family too, so he can only do his best with his siblings’ school fees and other matters.

    Fourteen years after, has any of his wives re-married?

    In fact, we have not experienced or had such a situation! None of the wives he left behind has thought or made known intention to re-marry. Most of them already have children for him, at least one or two children. So the women are still maintaining his name till today.

    How about the continuity of politics in the Abiola family? Is the family encouraging and embracing participation in the nation’s political affairs?

    Yes, his first daughter went into politics, she is still in it. Right now, she has a federal government appointment in Abuja. Then Lekan in recent times has gone into politics. He told me about it, and I gave him the blessing. The only thing is that he made a political mistake. He has realised it, and he has plans to correct his mistake. Though right now, he is not in any particular party. Most of the children do not really feel inclined towards taking part in politics. They don’t seem to be interested. I am talking as of today, because I don’t know what will happen tomorrow.

    Why is it that it is only few of the children that are interested in politics?

    See what they did to our bread winner who went into politics. If Abiola had not joined politics, he would still be around and alive. He was killed. The way they killed him is what we don’t know yet, but he was killed by the government of General Sani Abacha. I don’t even advice anyone of them to go into politics. Gen Ibrahim Babangida is not the one that killed MKO. He may have been the one that annulled the election, but it was not his fault. It was the Yoruba people that compelled him to annul the election. And that is the honest truth. The Hausa people voted for him. He was voted for in the east and in the west, but most of the Yoruba leaders did not vote for him. They were the people behind his death. There is a Yoruba proverb that says that, Ti iku ile o ba pa eniyan, iku ode o le pa eni na. So it is Yoruba people that killed him. However, we don’t owe the Yoruba people any grudge over it. Here in this family, we believe in God, and we put everything to God to judge. Though we will like to see the six states in the western part of Nigeria do something for Abiola’s family. Apart from Lagos and Ogun States, no other state has made effort to identify with the family. Abiola identified with everybody. He did not limit himself to Lagos and Ogun States alone.

    Chief MKO Abiola was a man of wealth. Fourteen years after, will you say that the wealth has continued in the family?

    I can’t say yes, I must confess to you. It is not so all right and it is not so convenient. That much I must tell you. But Kola is doing well and trying his best to keep some element of wealth going on. Most of the businesses he left behind are down. However, we have individuals within the family, who God is also blessing, even among his children. Then also, the wives. That woman I mentioned to you earlier, Alhaja Adebisi Abiola, may God bless her, she is a business woman and a very strong member of this family. Once she hears of anything concerning the Abiola family, she throws her full weight behind the matter. Some of the wives are lawyers too.

    How about the DNA issue?

    In fact, that DNA test to acknowledge the paternity of all the children was instructed by MKO Abiola. And it was done by most of the children that were around. However, not all the children took part in that exercise because not all of them were around. Some were abroad and there were even those that reside in Nigeria, who were unavoidably absent.

    As an African, isn’t there other ways apart from DNA that we can use to tell or identify a man’s children?

    In fact, as far as I am concerned, I don’t fully believe in DNA. I didn’t believe in the exercise because there ought to have been an elder from the family to take part in the verification exercise. Not that they will just go and then come back with the result. No, it shouldn’t be done in that way. We don’t do things like that in Africa. There has to be a reliable elder from the family who is mature to be part of the verification exercise, not for us to just depend on DNA test. I am not saying it is not good but this is Africa. If some people are saying that they are the true sons or daughters of this family, allow them, let them say it. They could be right. We were not there; we were not witnesses of such relationships. So it needs the maturity of family elders. How can you just do DNA test without family elders and then publish it in newspapers. That is bad and not acceptable. That is too bad. Who in Africa has ever done that before? I don’t know of anybody. As Africans, we wash our dirty pants in our house and not in the general public. That is why I stand against it. If anyone comes round to us and says I am the daughter of MKO, of course, we will admit him or her. The man said something like that before he died that if anyone comes after he dies and says he or she is a son or daughter, that I, his younger brother, should be called to confirm if it’s true or not. And anywhere I see the Abiola sign I will know. We have a sign in this family. If I see the sign, I will admit the person immediately.

    But has there been a situation where you admitted someone into the family after seeing such a sign?

    Yes. And that is why I don’t believe in DNA, this is Africa; anybody can do anything with the result of a supposed DNA test. As a matter of fact, for a man, you will be lucky if you don’t have a bastard child. But at the same time, if he was to be alive, he will know better. For instance, it will be wrong for anyone of my own direct children to come out and say the other one is a bastard. He can’t do that: one child telling another child that? How can you call another child a bastard? What about you? How are you so sure that you are not a bastard yourself?

    What would you say is your present concern about the family right now?

    I will like to see the government assist us by paying the debt that the federal government owes our late bread winner. They owe him a very huge amount and they could start by paying us gradually.

    How much is it?

    The federal government knows how much it is. It is about N33 billion. Let them pay some of the money or give contracts that can help people in this family. I have four children who have been looking for employment now and they are even depending on me now even when they have completed their education. Government has to come to our aid.

  • ‘My music is spiritual’

    ‘My music is spiritual’

    He attained national limelight in 1992 at the age of five. Chief Ofonime Felix Okon was that little boy who played to the delight of the First Ladies conference in Lagos in 1992. Edozie Udeze met him

    He was made a chief at the age of three. At five, he was already a national hero. Ofonime Felix Okon (aka Udo Maryam) is a child of destiny, someone whose path was paved with gold. When he began to play xylophone music at the age of three way back in 1990, little did he know that that would usher him into the world of recognition where he would begin in earnest to dine and wine with kings and princes.

    But that has been his story. In 1992, when he played at the First Ladies International Conference, held in Lagos, the then Nigeria’s First Lady, the late Dr. Maryam Babangida was so impressed that she went up to the stage to lift him up. At that momentous moment, an elated Babangida intoned: “This is my second son.” And so began little Ofonime’s glorious sojourn into national and global reckoning.

    He tells the story thus: “I started playing at the age of three and since then the talent has taken me to all over the world. It was during the First Ladies Conference in 1992 when I played and the then First Lady Dr. Maryam Babangida discovered me. She was so thrilled by my performance that she came to the stage and carried me in her arms. She then declared, ‘oh, you are my second son.’ I was so moved and so fascinated by those words.”

    Okon had just turned five then. “Beyond that, she gave me a scholarship to the university level. From that moment on, she continued to expose me globally, taking me along to national and international conferences to perform for people all over the world. She also commissioned me to travel far and wide with my act, showcasing my talent,” he said.

    At the moment, he is a Higher Diploma student of Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic, Ikot Ekpene, where he is studying Business Management. “After my education, I hope to establish a music school where I will teach younger artistes how to play musical instruments. I basically play African music, even though I don’t sing. When a music comes into my head all I do is use the instruments to play along, displaying my God-given talent. I also use the instruments to spread the gospel of love and peace among the peoples of the world. That is my mission as a musician.”

    Okon’s instrument is no doubt unique and efficacious to him. “Ah, what I play is called xylophone, it is an African instrument, a sort of piano, made from woods and perfected to give it its own unique jingles and sounds. I developed it myself from local materials and still produce more for those who need them.”

    He explains why and how he came into music. “Yes, music is in my family. My father was a choirmaster in my local Catholic Church in Akwa Ibom and he was well-known then. I started playing early with my elder brother. For me, music is a spiritual thing. My inspiration comes basically from God. When I sit down, it comes and rings in my brain. All I do is begin to tap on my knees. Then the sounds begin to register and I try to form the parts as they flow bit by bit.”

    Okon says he spends an average of four hours three times every week to rehearse. “I don’t joke with that. We have rehearsals both in Lagos and in Akwa Ibom. In fact I shuttle between Lagos and my state where I play from time to time. Music has given me all I need in life – satisfaction, joy, fulfillment, comfort and all that. And I am grateful to God. This is why I have to acquire education so that my music will flow better.”

    Even then, he says, “the government of my state is paying special attention to entertainment and tourism presently. And we artistes are the greatest beneficiaries. Therefore, we need to contribute our quota to make artistes feel good and discharge their responsibilities to the people of Akwa Ibom State,” Okon further explained.

  • Feting Akinadewo; the journalist-writer

    Feting Akinadewo; the journalist-writer

    While a columnist may not necessarily be described as a journalist, a writer could transform into one. Such were the submission of AkogunTola Adeniyi last Tuesday at The Sheraton Hotel and Towers, Ikeja, Lagos. And the occasion was the public presentation/launch of a book, Here Come the Commander In Chief, a collection of incisive weekly articles written in the spate of the last four years by Gabriel Akinadewo, satirical columnist and editor of the Nigerian Compass.

    Crammed inside the hall, seasoned politicians and elite journalists, especially of the print media stock, which is Akinadewo’s immediate constituency. And on ground to felicitate with him were senior colleagues in the media. In attendance were editors of the major newspapers as well as veterans in the industry.

    With panegyrics ushering the special guests which included two former governors of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel and Abia State, Orji Uzo Kalu, amidst other dignitaries, the event got a spice of Yoruba culture.

    And in the keynote address delivered by Akogun Adeniyi, a consummate journalist who was a former Chairman/Managing Director/Editor-In-Chief of the Daily Times group described Akinadewo as a journalist writer.

    The book whose running theme revolves around changing Nigerians’ negative attitude is a compilation of the author’s incisive articles in the last four years as editor of the Nigerian Compass.

    In his welcome address titled, ‘Why do Nigerians commit crimes per second?’, Akinadewo contended that: “Almost everywhere else, democracy is working except in Nigeria.”

    Arguing that Nigeria’s corruption does not seem from lack of relevant laws, he said; ‘I argued severally that we have enough laws in the land to make Nigeria one of the best countries in the world.’

    According to Akinadewo who looked suave in a dark blue suit; ‘There is no perfect Constitution in the world. Even in Britain, a leading economic and political power on the globe, there is no written Constitution.’

    He could not resist taking a swipe at how the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo unilaterally changed Section 188 of the Nigerian Constitution which stipulated ‘that two-thirds of the members of a House of Assembly must vote ‘yes’ before a governor is removed.”

    He went further to say, “Many Nigerians would describe several actions of the Obasanjo administration between 1999 and 2007 as atrocities committed against the Constitution but, pitiably today, Obasanjo is still being referred to, in some quarters, as the father and mother of modern Nigeria.”

    Opining that Nigeria’s problems have little to with its laws or the system of governance in place, Akinadewo said; ‘The major problem has to do with the attitude of Nigerians, leaders and the led. Any country whose citizens have the wrong attitude to achieving an egalitarian society, will continue to grope in the dark.”

    “Nigeria’s problems border on the consistent inconsistencies of Nigerians which have to do with our attitude growth, life, death, development, and our welfare.”

    No doubt, in a lucid and entertaining manner, Akinadewo’s articles analyse issues and problems confronting the country.

    In one of the articles, Akinadewo ensures justice comes the way of the family of three year old Kaosarat who was killed by a policeman’s bullet while her parents were further harassed by the same police.

    Reflecting on that story, Adeniyi said; “Written in prose, Akinadewo nonetheless brings the horrendous tragedy and man’s inhumanity to man to the fore. The power of his prose compels tears.”

    It is not news that Nigeria is going through hard times. Hopefully, the sense captured in Akinadewo’s compendium of articles, Here Comes the Commander In Chief ‘can fix Nigeria.’

  • Talents in creativity

    Talents in creativity

    In a society where the standard of education has been under serious scrutiny and many concerned citizens have been of the opinion that children are not receiving enough attention both from their parents and teachers, a lover of children, Ita Hozaife, has come out with a solution. With her INK Marks, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) which specialises in the training of kids in all aspects of the arts and creativity. she has succeeded in redirecting attention to the need to encourage them to be more serious about their God-given talents and innate creative abilities.

    Last weekend, Hozaife, in collaboration with the Lagos Country Club, Ikeja, put together an award ceremony tagged Reel Kids Awards to reward children who participated in a 3-week summer training/workshop organised by INK Marks. The training was in the areas of speech, script writing, poetry, drama and film making, among others.

    For the three weeks that the training was in session, the kids were made to write their own songs and film scripts which they produced. Part of the film and musicals were shown to the guests during the award ceremony.

    Hozaife explained that she got into the project about ten years ago because she discovered that a lot of kids were not doing well in the areas of English and Literature. “And if you do not do well in these two subjects, no matter how gifted you are, it will be difficult for you to express yourself confidently. So, our focus is essentially on youth development through media. This includes creative writing and content development. Basically our target is to develop these skills in children and young adults using interview techniques,” she said.

    The INK Marks training/workshop has so well developed that a lot of the kids have elected to go into filming or song writing. The awards were put in place primarily to encourage them to continue to tap on their innate creative powers. One of the kids named Uche simply said: “I love to play the piano. When I am on stage too, I feel cool.” Uche is just 11 years old and has been so indoctrinated that she now knows what it takes to be a deejay and a music star. “Music is good and I love it,” she said.

    The awards came in the following categories: best overall student, best team leader, best team player, most inspiring Reel kid. Others were Reel kids music videos, best team collaboration, best original song, best music video concept and so on.

    It was while the recorded videos of the workshop were playing that a lot of parents really stood up to cheer their kids. The children performed with so much dexterity that one wondered how they could have perfected their act within three weeks. The joy of it is that those talents have been discovered and the kids can jolly well prove their worth.

    Hozaife said: “This is for me an opportunity to give love to others, to help families and prepare the kids for the challenges ahead. That’s my joy.”

  • Book on Dokpesi launched

    The Man, Raymond Dokpesi” a book by Raymond Dokpesi Centre for Media Development was launched recently in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

    The book, according to Christopher Obuetse, the director general of the centre, is an update of his first memoir “Raymond Alegho Dokpesi, a Legend of Our Time”.

    He said the new book takes a look at the life of Dokpesi a man he said is worthy of note and emulation.

    “Raymond Dokpesi epitomises struggle, his spirit in adversity is never broken. He is a man who has gone through tough and challenging periods in life. His second name is storm, turbulence and in all these, God stood with him.

    “The book is an intellectual material aimed at bridging the gap in broadcasting history and media struggle in Nigeria,” he said.

  • Building a musical bridge

    Building a musical bridge

    THE National Troupe of Nigeria (NTN) knows how to hold the audience spellbound with variety of dances and dramas. Apart from their statutory demands as Nigeria’s foremost dance and drama troupe, NTN has carved a niche for itself. It has so far created so many dance dramas based on the nation’s repertoire of rich cultural heritage, that once their artistes mount the stage, the audience will have no choice but to cheer and giggle all the way.

    This was exactly what took place last weekend as the nation celebrated its 52nd Independence anniversary. The Troupe created what it termed The Bridge, an assemblage of musical dance – drama to whet people’s appetite on the occasion. But it went beyond that. The Bridge dwelt on the story of Nigeria, a nation with so much in the midst of poverty. It showcased in hilarious and dramatic forms a nation in the throes of confusion, in the belly of rudderless situation in all spheres. But dance can also be used to melt the heart; to put people in a lighter mood to face the problems of life. That exactly was the hallmark of the dances that were presented on that day.

    Arnold Udoka, the dance director of NTN, said it took him four days to repackage what he termed the enlarged version of The Bridge. “It is to portray the totality of the nation in terms of drama, music and dance as it turned 52,” he said. When some old tunes of Rex Lawson were played by a band made up of Femi Ogunrombi, it was really time to reflect on the entity called Nigeria.

    The tunes threw people back into time. It reminded the audience about the good old days when Nigeria was the pride of the Black man and people were happy in their little cocoons and hamlets. Today, the situation is different because there is poverty in the land. The youths have no jobs, crimes in all guises have taken over the arena. But the tunes drove bliss into the hearts of the people. Some even sang along, while Pamela Udoka and Osezua Stephen sang and danced away on stage. The scene was not only electrifying, it depicted a nation that can be made better if the necessary indices of progress and developments are put in place.

    The Bridge demonstrated the story of a man who has just been promoted a bank manager. But the sudden transfer to a place named Tanfo did not appeal to him. Perhaps the name Tanfo irked him, or somehow due to the insecurity of lives and property there, he was reluctant to go. Ordinarily promotions come with joy and celebration. Nigeria’s situation is a peculiar one; people shun certain places where lives are taken so cheaply. Now do you blame the bank manager for being so indifferent about his promotion?

    This is why that desired new order of peace and harmony is enthroned in Tanfo. Udoka devised that means to reach out to the people. And Sir Martins Adaji, the Artistic Director of NTN, described it as the basis for our unity. “It is a total entertainment to throw us back and forth on the need to build bridges of love and trust,” Adaji explained.

    The dance itself demonstrated a metaphorical interplay of chaos and peace, struggle and attainment, denial and opportunity and so on, usually associated with the challenges of nationhood, a nation on the march to building new bridges of love and cohesion.