The Nation Newspaper

Category: Online Special

  • ‘Why uniformed men should pay transport fare’

    ‘Why uniformed men should pay transport fare’

    If you live in Nigeria, especially Lagos, you would agree that uniformed men don’t pay transport fares whenever they aboard commercial buses. This is not new in this part of the world as even some of the commercial vehicle drivers look forward to having a recognised uniformed man on board — especially a soldier. Most of them do this to avoid the huge amount of money extorted from them.

    An average Lagos commercial bus driver would prefer having a policeman or a soldier as a passenger. In view of this, uniformed men have made it their right to enjoy free ride and ordinary Nigerians are of the opinion that uniformed men should pay their transport fares too. It was on this premise that The Nation sought to feel the pulse of its Facebook fans.
    As expected, torrents of comments from a large percentage of The Nation’s Facebook fans were of the opinion that uniformed men should pay transport fares just like ordinary Nigerians while others think they should continue enjoying the privilege. A handful number of fans, however gave reasons uniformed men may be spared the payment of transport fare or otherwise.

    Below are some of Nigerians think about the issue:

    Promise Amadi:
    Why won’t he pay his transport fare? He did not buy the vehicle for the driver. Uniformed men are being paid salary monthly, so also that transport fare is the salary of the driver and the conductor. That is what they use to feed their families, pay school fees and rent, among other dues. If uniformed man refuses to pay his transport fare, he is denying the driver and his conductor their means of livelihood, which is wickedness. In other words, they should be paying their transport fare.

    Mudia Osborne Ivwurie:
    It is a wrong practice. But, I think is still depend on the bus driver and the general public relationship with the uniform men. Most time, many people had suffer intimidation, unlawful maltreatment which can make them deny that free will gift. But they can be assisted because of the nature and their pay so low. But is so wrong for any one of them to say is compulsory and is their right. The uniform man should be sacked and be prosecuted.

    Oladunjoye Oladayo Segun:
    It’s very wrong, if they are carrying out essential duties does not stop them to do the right thing. Nurses and Doctors among other fall into this categories and they also pay transport fare. So it’s not right for them not to pay fare.

    Lawrence Tope:
    It got me annoyed most times if they say there is staff inside the bus, who is the staff that is not paid salaries, and most time if these driver commit a little crime they are the one that will charge them huge amount of money.

    Terry Karimu Zekeri
    Why not? Does the vehicle belong to him or her? The driver is looking for his own livelihood as a taxi driver and his occupation whether permanent or temporarily and the uniformed man is doing his/her own job as security agent as his or occupation.

    Adeyemi Shogo Festus:
    I think this practice is peculiar to Lagos. I wonder how and when it started! It’s a very bad habit and should be discouraged. I’ve seen a Danfo driver beaten to a pulp by Military guys, over his refusal to carry additional Personnel having had one police man on board already. Since they earn salaries and much more incentives, I beg them to pay for service rendered.

    Blues Yohan:
    Come and face me to collect. I have so many uniform men who are my friends if I like I collect if I like I allow them what’s your business? I love them

    Oduh Sunday:
    It’s very bad because their work is not a hospitality work, they are being paid. If they are on special duty, their office should be able to provide them with means of transportation not that they will come and be intimidating others who are struggling for survival.

    Aduloju Kayode Festus Abdulgafar:
    My comment will start by asking des questions: is he (the uniform personnel) not paid for the work he does? Does putting on uniform guarantee someone not paying of transport fair?
    Well, am not surprised because our uniformed men are fond of extorting Public.

    Michael Amos:
    They must not pay depending on some circumstances. It is important for them to know that above all things that the vehicle is a private one whether it is bought by government or bought by an individual as far as it accountable by someone. On the other hand, I think it is wise to treat them with some sense of regards, having in mind that they mean a lot to our nation.

    Tunde Odeyale:
    I get annoyed whenever I see a uniform man boarding commercial vehicle and not willing to pay…..don’t they receive salary?

    Sam Akinwale:
    It’s absolutely wrong unless the driver decide not to take any penny from them. And this has become a common norm for many of our uniform men in the society; they forget that many of these drivers need to pay a substantial amount of money to the owner of the vehicle each day. Besides, the drivers incur other expenses on the vehicles, and also pay their family’s bills. These Uniform men on the other hand are collecting huge salaries from government and they never spend a dime from on daily basis because most of them depend on the bribe they are collecting from the motorists and the likes to meet up with their daily upkeep.
    So majority of the uniform men are people whose characters are doubtful, they must pay up their fares responsible Nigerians whenever they board any vehicle to redeem their lost glory. Integrity must be everybody’s watchword.

    Ken Eboigbe:
    It is an act of oppression on one hand and on the other hand, and most times, the drivers don’t collect fare from them because with them (Police etc.) being in the vehicle, the police on the road (checkpoint) might not collect money from the driver. In all, uniform men should be paying their fare because the drivers get nothing for free, that’s their source of daily bread and if they carry more than one uniform man free of charge for the day, it’s their loss.

    Nanchin Datom:
    Are you trying to tell us that in Nigeria; its only uniform personnel that is important to the country? Every citizen of this country has a role to play and should be accorded equal importance. Look at those in the health sector, education, media etc, the nation wouldn‘t be an entity without them. So we are all important, regardless of which sector I belong because the country is made up of all the sector. And if you think of free transport then all should be entitled to the same policy as long as our country is concern. Besides, I pay tax and i don‘t even know whether the uniform man is a tax free person. Furthermore, uniform work in Nigeria is a hotcake, anyone who think he is suffering, should be given free transport, I am calling on that person to kindly put a personal resignation as many unemployed youths are waiting to fill in the gab even with lesser penny

    Ologbonori Femi:
    As an officer, we are not supposed to be paying transport fares. Government should look into that because we are security agents

    Adekunle Oyewale:
    It was due to the injustice and immoral behaviour display by the uniform men that prompt mass to demand for money for the services rendered to them which is normal had it been that they exhibit courtesy nothing stop citizens to rendered the services free of charge

    Elamah Ray:
    It is very wrong. We have no policy of free transportation for anybody including the aged and the physically challenged. Even if we did it will only apply to public transport not private/commercial. So what makes the military special or any other uniform man/woman special?

    Olola-Akintimehin Oladejo Francis:
    It is not proper for them not pay. Its day light robbery is it uniform that buys and registers the vehicle for transportation?

    Johnbull Oghenedoro Diemuodeke:
    He or she should pay. First, there are provision (transportation) for their official duties, secondly, once they are off duties they are like every other Nigerians and such behave like one, thirdly, their presence does not in any way reduce cost on the commuter, fourth, there is no law or any legal provision to that effect, therefore that some commuters do help them should not be seen as right and must not be abused, fifth, the same uniform people collect money from them on the road, so tell me why they should not pay fares because they on uniform.

    Read more comments here>>https://www.facebook.com/thenationng/posts/628297270570748

  • 18 facts you didn’t know about Bridget Aisha Lemu

    1. Bridget Aisha Lemu, a British-born author and religious educator, was born in Poole, Dorset,United Kingdom on 14th October 1940 as Bridget Anne Honey.

    2. At the age of thirteen, she began to question her faith and began exploring other religions including Hinduism and Chinese Buddhism.

    3.She attended Uplands School, Parkstone, Doorset between 1950 and 1955 and proceeded for a year course at Oxford Technical College 1955 — 56.

    4. She studied at the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), majoring in Chinese history, language and culture.

    5. She got converted to Islam in 1961,having met Muslims at the Islamic centre who gave her Islamic literature to read during her first year of study, picking up the arabic name, “Aisha”.

    6. She helped in founding the Islamic Society at SOAS becoming its first secretary and assisted in the formation of the Federation of Student Islamic Societies.

    7. Bridget Aisha Lemu had her postgraduate studies in Postgraduate Certificate in Education, qualifying to teach English as a foreign language teacher.

    8. She met Sheikh Ahmed Lemu,who would later become her future husband,at the University of London where he had been studying at another college and was involved in the Islamic activities around the institution.

    9.She moved to Kano in Nigeria in August 1966 to teach at the School for Arabic Studies while her husband worked as headmaster.

    10. Bridget Aisha Lemu got married in April 1968 to Sheikh Ahmed Lemu, becoming his second wife.

    11. She later became the principal of the Government Girls College, having moved to Sokoto.

    12.Sheikh Ahmed Lemu became the Grand Qadi of the Sharia Court of Appeal of the State of Niger when it was founded in 1976 while Aisha became the principal of the Women’s Teachers College in Minna from then until 1978.

    13. Bridget Aisha Lemu, along with her husband ,later founded the Islamic Education Trust. She remained its director-general till 2018 when Alhaji Arzika Rimau was installed.

    14. She was a member of the Islamic Studies Panel, set up by the Nigerian Educational Research Council, with the mandate of revising the national Islamic curriculum for different school levels.

    15.She founded the Federation of Muslim Women’s Associations in Nigeria (FOMWAN) with other Muslim women and was elected as its first national Amirah for four years In 1985.

    16. She founded the Alimajiri Literacy Initiative (ALI) helping hundreds of almajiri children in Niger State become literate.

    17.She was awarded the Member of the Order of Niger’ (M.O.N) national honour presented by the former President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2000.

    18. She died on 5 January 2019 in Minna, Nigeria leaving behind her husband, Sheik Ahmed Lemu, children: Nuruddeen and Maryam Lemu and grandchildren.

  • Can stretch marks be prevented?

    Can stretch marks be prevented?

    If you’re noticing stretch marks on your body, you’re not alone. Whether they’re caused by pregnancy or weight gain, one thing’s for sure: No woman wants them. Ninety per cent of pregnant women will get stretch marks that show up on their breasts, thighs, hips and butt.

    Expecting mothers produce hormones that soften the ligaments in the pelvis so that they are more flexible during birth. Ligaments are strong bands of tissue that hold joints together. However, these hormones also soften the fibres of the skin, making one prone to stretch marks.

    Stretch marks are also a common and normal part of puberty when girls and guys grow and develop. Stretch marks usually occur when bone growths outpace muscle and soft tissue growths. The skin is usually fairly elastic, but when it’s overstretched it can result in a scar, or stretch mark.

    These scars can be caused by an increase of cortisol in your system. Cortisol is a hormone that is naturally produced by the adrenal glands that are located on the top of each kidney. This stress hormone is known to make the skin lose its elasticity.

    People who are obese or gain weight quickly over a short period of time is a common cause of excessive stress on the body. If you need to lose weight, it’s important to do it slowly by eating a healthy diet and getting plenty of regular exercise. Experts agree that one should not lose more than 0.5kg a week.

    It’s important to add light stretching exercises to your daily routine. Exercise improves circulation and skin elasticity as well as tightens and tones muscles. Drinking water and keeping the skin well hydrated will help keep the skin elastic. Dry skin has much less elasticity.

    A healthy, balanced diet that is rich in vitamins and minerals, particularly vitamin C, vitamin E, and the minerals zinc and silicon are important to keep the skin healthy. These nutrients stimulate collagen production, which has been shown to help prevent the development of stretch
    marks.

    Massaging your skin every day with stretch mark-reducing moisturisers can help improve circulation and encourage new tissue growth as well. Apply to the skin at least twice a day. If you’re really worried about stretch marks, talk to your doctor about prescription retinoid creams.

    Stretch marks can be associated with genetics but that point of view only prevents women from taking proactive steps in their lifestyles. Being proactive is better than reactive when it comes to preventing stretch marks.

    Couillard is an international health columnist that works in collaboration with the World Health Organization’s goals of disease prevention and global health care education. Views do not necessarily reflect endorsement.

     

  • Jumia Launches Late-night Food Delivery Service

    Jumia’s marketplace for restaurants has launched a late-night delivery service to enable customers to order food up until midnight.

    The Managing Director of the company, Guy Futi disclosed this at a press conference held at Krispy Kreme, Victoria Island, Lagos.

    “We introduced the late-night delivery service to accommodate customers who order food at night. The late night delivery combined with initiatives like greater customer accessibility, more payment options, more locations, lunchtime deals, seasonal deals and new related products (Jumia Party) has led to over 120% increase in the volume of orders,” Guy said.

    Speaking on efforts to ensure quick delivery of foods ordered on the platform, Guy, who was recently appointed the Managing Director of the marketplace said: “We have made it possible for orders to be picked up by the rider closest to a restaurant’s location. With this, we can deliver orders to the customer’s doorstep within 40 minutes and interestingly, the delivery process can be tracked right from the time when the customer places the order to the moment the order is delivered.”

    On what to expect in 2019, the Head of Marketing and Vendor Success for the Marketplace, Chioma Odimegwu said that operational efficiency will be an integral part of the company’s focus in 2019.

    Her words: “In 2019, we are looking forward to welcoming a new and exciting restaurant/vendor on board within the month. We will also be engaging new partnerships across other industries to provide added value to customers, onboarding more restaurants with longer and later open hours, more focus on corporate catering offerings, encouraging closer relationships with our customers and restaurant vendors.”

  • Birthday Special: Why we love Buhari – Femi Adesina

    “That’s him, that’s him,” the two old women, wrinkled and bent with age, exclaimed. You could see wonderment and fulfillment in their eyes. And as if on cue, they both began to cry.

    It was in Bauchi earlier this year. President Muhammadu Buhari was visiting to commiserate with the people on the ravages of windstorm, which had destroyed many homes and other property. As he waved at the tumultuous crowd, the two women saw him, perhaps for the first time in their lives. And so great was their satisfaction, their pure joy, that they began to cry.

    That is the kind of emotion that courses through millions and millions of Nigerians when they behold their President, the honest man (mai gaskiya), the man of integrity, man of accountability, one whose word you can take to the bank. The man who loves them, and they love and trust in return.

    Don’t misunderstand me. Not all estimated 196 million Nigerians share this sentiment. Not possible. There are those who are passionately opposed to the President. They are a very vocal minority, who abhor his integrity, hate his sense of accountability, and even want him dead. But we are not talking about those who Fela Anikulapo-Kuti called “opposite people.” On this day of his 76th birthday, we are talking of the teeming masses who love Buhari, and who can go to the ends of the earth for him.

    Why do they love Buhari? Or better still, why do we love Buhari? The old, the young, men, women, boy, girl, the strong, the infirm. Why do we love the tall man from Daura? For many reasons.

    I have said it before, and say it again. It will take a while before Nigeria will see another political leader with such ability to pull an unsolicited and uninduced crowd like Muhammadu Buhari. Anywhere he goes, he doesn’t have to procure the crowd. They turn out in their numbers to see and hear him. They will trek from Africa to China, walk from Cape Town to Cairo, all to see, hear and cheer the man they love.

    Why?

    Many reasons. He is an honest man. My father, that stern educationist, who ran the home and the schools he administered with an iron hand, used to tell us: “Honesty is the best policy.” That was true over 50 years ago when he drummed it into our ears, and it is still true today. And will remain true tomorrow, and forever. That is why we love Buhari. He is an honest man, who will tell the truth to his own hurt.

    At a recent meeting with governors, while discussing the seemingly knotty issue of minimum wage, the President told them to level with him. He said he knew that general elections were by the corner, “but I don’t like to lie to anybody. I will still like to tell Nigerians the truth, and nothing but the truth, as to what we can truly afford to pay.” Consultations are still ongoing.

    Some people will give you fibs, just because they want to hoodwink you, and get your votes. They will announce that they’ve increased the salaries of fictitious workers, even when truly they are owing many of their employees. But not President Buhari. Nothing for him is a matter of life and death. Truth is the best thing in a man’s keeping. Make yourself an honest man, and there is one rascal less in the world. That is why we love the man.

    Accountability. I will never forget a promise Buhari made to the crowd at a campaign rally in Lagos in 2011, when he ran with Pastor Tunde Bakare of Latter Rain Assembly. Two honest men. “Every kobo that comes into the treasury will be used for the good of Nigerians.” That’s the accountable man, who would not dip his hands into the treasury for private gains, who will not line his pocket at the expense of the people. That is why we love him.

    Just over a week ago, I met a man who was an accountant at the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF), when the then Gen. Buhari was chairman. Executive Chairman, who could do anything he wanted, since the place was awash with billions of petrol money.

    “I told him his salary would be N200,000 monthly,” the man recounted.

    “He said it was too much, since he still drew pension from public coffers as a retired General and former head of state. I don’t know how he calculated it, but he said he would rather be paid N84,000 monthly. And that was what he earned.”

    Yet some people say don’t follow this honest man. Till he has one tooth left in his mouth, and is bent double over his walking stick, we will, no matter what they say. Honesty is still the best policy. Today, tomorrow, and forever.

    See all the positions he has held in this country. Governor of North-east, then made up of what is now six states. Minister of Petroleum for over three years. Head of State for 20 months. Chairman of PTF for many years. Yet he remains a man of modest means. That is why we love him.

    In the early days of this administration, when oil prices had crashed to as low as 39 dollars per barrel (from as high as 115 in preceding years, stabilizing at over $100 for a long time, yet we had no savings, no reserves), it was usually a spectacle to see the President and the then Finance Minister, Kemi Adeosun, seated and apportioning funds for the week. Depending on what was in the coffers, they prioritized spending, just like traders with low capital base.

    Nigeria had been run into a hole. No reserve for the rainy day, and we were being badly beaten by the rain. Yet salaries must be paid as at when due. At least 27 states could not meet their obligations, till President Buhari gave them a lifeline. And then, one day, a counsel was given at a meeting: “This is the time to ideally cut the strength of the federal civil service by at least half, as we may not be able to carry the load for long.” It made a lot of fiscal sense. But to the President, it was nonsense. “If it lies within my powers, I will ensure that no single person loses his or her job. Yes, it may be the right thing to do, looking at the state of our finances, but I won’t do it,” President Buhari said.

    And you say we shouldn’t love this President? We will love him till Africa and China meet.

    A confederacy has arrayed itself against the honest man. A crooked confederacy. Anybody that is anybody in the pantheon of questionable character is there. Are Nigerians fools? After their eyes have been opened, will they willfully afflict themselves with blindness again? Not on their lives! The country will never go back to the slave market. Not after we have known prudence, experienced accountability, and we are are inching out of the morass in which we were soused and marooned.

    For more than five decades, mere lip service was paid to diversification of the economy. But we remained a mono-product country. Oil. So, whenever the price of oil crashed in the international market, we simply crashed with it. Now gradually, and inexorably, we are on the road to a diversified economy. Wonders are being done in agriculture. Mining is flexing muscles. Manufacturing is showing prospects. All in less than four years.

    What of infrastructure? The sum of N2.7 trillion spent in two years. The roads are roaring to life. The rail is snaking in. Power is powering back. Wonders are being unfolded in different parts of the country. And we shouldn’t love this President? We will, no matter what the naysayers say.

    Hear pensioners rejoice: This is the best administration we’ve had since the advent of Contributory Pension Scheme 14 years ago.

    Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State spoke at a meeting of governors with the President last Friday. He said since the creation of the state, this was the first time pensioners were being paid, adding that pension liabilities have been cleared by about 40%. Just because there is a President that cares.

    Former Nigeria Airways workers. Railway workers. Former Biafran policemen. And many others, have had their pensions paid. And we shouldn’t love the ‘birthday man?’ They should tell it to the marines.

    When you have a heart for men, it is God himself that keeps you alive. We have seen a practical demonstration in President Buhari.

    From the brink of death early 2017, there is now an unmistakable glow in him, evidence of good health from the inside. It is God at work. No wonder wicked people came with the idiocy of Jubril of Sudan. Otiose. Hollow. Products of addled minds. That was why we ignored them, till the President himself responded to a question from Nigerians in Poland two weeks ago.

    And you know what? Our love for this President is at no cost. No charge. Whether we work for him, and for him, or we don’t, the real cost of our love is no charge.

    Do you know that classic song, No Charge, made popular by Shirley Caesar and Sonia Spence? It told the story of a small boy who decided to charge his mum for all that he considered favours he had done her.

    “For mowing the yard, five dollars
    And for making my own room this week, one dollar

    For going to the store, 50 cents

    And playing with little brother while you went shopping, 25 cents

    Taking out the trash, one dollar

    And for getting a good report card, five dollars

    For raking the yard, two dollars

    Total owed, fourteen seventy-five.”

    The woman looked at her son, standing there expectantly. Then she collected the paper from him, and wrote on it:

    “For the nine months I carried you,
    Growing inside me, no charge

    For the nights I sat up with you
    Doctored you, prayed for you, no charge

    For the time and tears, and the cost through the years, no charge

    When you add it all up, the full cost of my love is no charge.”

    For millions upon millions of Nigerians who love this President, it is an unconditional love. The full cost of our love is no charge. Happy birthday, Mr President.

    Adesina is Special Adviser to President Buhari on Media and Publicity.

  • ‘Nigerians don’t have to travel abroad to visit health resorts and spas anymore’

    Mrs Gloria  Awobasivwe is the CEO of GO Wellness Resort, the first integrated, ultra-modern wellness facility in Port- Harcourt, Rivers State. The health-conscious lady began nursing the idea for the resort over ten years ago as a way of providing wholesome top range wellness services to Nigerians locally and at high industry and international standards. In this interview, the wellness expert, businesswoman and award- winning entrepreneur speaks on the importance of preventive healthcare, her motivation for going into the wellness business, why Nigerians need to eat more natural, wholesome foods, the role of aromatherapy in treating ailments, challenges of doing business in Nigeria, her humanitarian work with women among others.

     

    What’s your motivation for going into the wellness business?

    For me, I think my main motivation was my own health challenges and discovering that I wasn’t satisfied with the options and even with the concept that some ailments were life conditions. I just couldn’t accept that as a person. Initially, I had quite a few issues I was dealing with including high blood pressure, arthritis, ulcer etc.

    I wanted to be able to reverse them and go back to a healthy life. With time, I realized that my eating habits were aggravating my condition so the first thing I did about ten years ago was to start getting certification. I got certified in fitness and nutrition; I did my training in an institution in the United Kingdom.

    I also did a wellness certification called ‘Mind, Body and Soul’ as well as studies in alternate therapies. Recently, I did a certification in aromatherapy. So, for me, it was just like getting help for myself first and foremost and finding a way to reverse my own health conditions. In the process of that, I found out that a lot of people need what I was also discovering for myself

     What is the relationship between food and health?

    There’s a lot. For instance, the nutrition certification I did opened my eyes to the fact that, it’s the food we are eating that’s killing us. I realized that there’s a gap in the industry with proper awareness of Nigerian foods. So, I decided to go into that not just to study nutrition but to study Nigerian nutrition to find out foods in Nigeria that are healthy, beneficial and that can actually cure ailments.

    Sometimes, I might get a call from someone that they are having ulcer and all that- and some simple Nigerian foods like okro and garden eggs can actually relieve their condition. So, that’s part of my motivation which is going back to nature so we don’t just say, we must take a tablet for everything- we can take a fruit or food for some things and get a more natural relief.

    Can you elaborate more on treating ailments with aromatherapy?

    There was a time, I had chronic arthritis and it got to a point I was limping and I felt there was an option I wasn’t exploring. I remember I went into a shop in the United Kingdom one day and the ladies there asked me about aromatherapy, about using essential oils- that was the first time I heard about oils and it fascinated me.

    They gave me some oils to try and immediately, the pain I had been taking steroids for all subsided and I realized this was a potential treatment option. I now went to get certified for aromatherapy which is using essential oils to take care of everyday ailments. That has being a real life saver and also balanced the whole package as I’ve now come in with fitness, nutrition, alternate therapies, food awareness and aromatherapy which gives us some kind of therapy that can help certain health conditions without relying on tablets. So, that’s where I started from.

    I started nursing this passion about twelve years ago- that was when I finished my first certificate and since then I just continued.

    What are some of the challenges you faced in turning your passion to reality?

    The main challenge is even getting people to take you serious- most people tend to take their health for granted, take food for granted, take everything for granted. Most people don’t want to go a step further into preventive health care- they just want to do curative care- they have headache or malaria, they take drugs.

    They don’t want to explore the option of what they can do before hand to prevent it. That was a major challenge. The average Nigerian didn’t even know about essential oils. When you tell them about oils, they think about cooking oil- palm oil, groundnut oil and others. So, it’s a case of complete re-orientation and education. And people get fascinated about it- they wonder how oil they put on their skin can help them overcome an ailment. So for me, it’s basically educating and training all round.

    For the food, I had to go do a lot of food awareness talk and help people see how simple things are killing them. For example, a lot of foods have been demonized but are actually quite healthy- foods like palm oil which is among the top ten beneficial oils in the world right now. But people want to avoid palm oil. So, people avoid what they should be eating and eating what they should be avoiding. Our ancestors ate palm oil a lot but they didn’t die of all the ailments we are dying off today. I believe it’s the combination of the eating habits of the past and the corruption of the fast food diet culture that’s causing all these ailments. You have palm oil in your diet then you eat meat pie and drink coke. Our ancestors didn’t drink coke and eat fast food- they ate basic, natural foods. So, we are going to basic nutrition. Eat your food wholesomely and properly and avoid anything artificial. Our whole concept is back to nature, as much as possible nothing artificial.

    Another area that fascinated me is the issue of ‘swallows’.  I believe that the concept of eating swallows and soups is not the problem because the soups are normally healthy. So, we now decided how do we make the ‘swallows’ healthier for people with diabetes and other ailments; also for people who want to lose weight. We now came up with the sweet potato swallow which we process from beginning to packaging. The sweet potato swallow has taken the market by storm because everybody is so fascinated that you can actually swallow sweet potato and feel so good with yourself. So, it’s a whole industry- we’re just trying to create food substitutions because we noticed that when you try to make people eat healthy or work on their weight, they don’t have substitutes. We are trying to give people substitutes in terms of healthy pastries, food options which we are seriously researching and developing.

    Preventive health care is quite new in the country. What do you think should be done in terms of creating awareness so more people can key into it in order for us to have a healthier society?

    I think the best thing is creating the opportunities and doing more of public education- if you can let people know that it’s not the food they are eating that is damaging in itself but what the food contains has some damaging effect. For instance, if you eat a meat pie that has about 500 calories, it’s not the calories that’s damaging to your body but the fact that the meat-pie is made from wheat of which a lot of wheat products have so much corruptions that many people are not even aware of. Many people have wheat intolerance, they react to wheat, have inflammations and all that so what we try to do is substitute the flour for a more wholesome flour that the body absorbs better, like almond and coconut flour. So, we are changing the platform of which we present our pastries so things like meatpies, samosas, shawamas even burgers, cakes and cookies; we are substituting all these with healthy sugar options like coconut and sugar cane and healthier milk options like almond and coconut milk. We keep things as close to nature as possible, no preservatives or additives.

    Like the ice cream we produce, it’s strictly with coconut-100 per cent. So far, nobody even notices the difference- if we don’t tell you if it’s not the regular sugar and milk, you’ll think you are taking regular ice cream. So, we are filling the gap we noticed in the industry so people who want to be healthy will have a whole range of healthy options and won’t have any excuse. We also have our Go Nature range which include essential oils made from natural ingredients and are NAFDAC certified.

    What are some of the unique facilities at the resort?

    Our facilities are in three phases- first phase is fully completed which is already operational. We have a cardiovascular/aerobic gym which includes twelve bikes for speed bike class with an instructor, ellipticals, steppers as well as a boot camp gym which is the weight gym. It contains equipment used in training the US army and other military units- it’s a gym where any military establishment can come in and have a work out as it was set up with that in mind.

    We also have a glass house indoor pool fully equipped for aqua aerobics and aqua zumba, water games and exercise which is unique in the industry and the country, sauna and hot whirlpool, a beautiful spa for body and beauty treatments including Chinese massagers, a kitchen where we cook wholesome dishes and drinks with natural ingredients with no addictives. There’s also a dental clinic among other facilities.

    How affordable are your charges?

    It’s going to be a mixed thing- we have such classy facilities which might attract the upper income class but we won’t segregate because we want everybody to have an equal opportunity for wellness. Part of our motivation is affordability and availability- we want to make sure the service is available to everybody. In spite of the ambience we’ve provided, we’ve had to make our charges as competitive as possible so we are able to compete charge wise with even the regular facilities that are not offering even half of what we are offering.

    When you see our resort, you think because it’s so classy, it’s so expensive; that’s not the idea. I believe that way, more people cut across the populace, will take care of their health. Wellness is not a prerogative of the rich; everybody has a right to live a good life and to be well. And with our resort, Nigerians don’t have to travel abroad to visit spas and health resorts anymore. Go Wellness is 100% Nigerian owned and poised to cater to the wellness needs of the populace.

    How do you feel seeing your passion come to life with the launch of the resort?

    I feel so excited because it’s like a dream come true. It’s like giving birth to a baby. I can’t get enough of seeing the reality- the funny thing though is that the more I see the reality, the more I want to birth more dreams so I’m not resting on my oars. We are just starting.

    Tell us a bit of your background

    I’m from Delta State though grew up in Port-Harcourt. I got married about 25 years ago and I’ve four lovely children. I did my primary and secondary school education in Port-Harcourt. I attended Federal Government Girls’ College; Abuloma then proceeded to the Delta State University, Abraka for my first degree. I got married almost immediately after my youth service. I was a housewife for a long time but I always had the vision and the dream and in the process, I got various certifications to boost myself. Besides that, ten years ago, we started a women’s ministry because the passion to help the women was there- to be better individuals, serve God better, mind their children and husbands and be productive and fulfilled. I started it with my mother in Nov. 2008- it’s called Women With Anointing Ministry (WWAM) and it involves teaching, training, counseling and giving them a shoulder to cry and empowering them in all kinds of skills acquisition like hair care, cooking, hat making, shoe making etc. We also have classes for children during vacation. The classes are heavily subsidized and we provide all the materials for them to use- all these so they don’t have any excuse not to be equipped. We believe that whatever they learn will be useful somehow including using it in a commercial venture.

     Advice to Nigerians on the need to imbibe a wellness culture

    Nigerians must make wellness a lifestyle. Too many people are dropping dead daily due to undiagnosed ailments that are totally treatable. We believe in preventive care and are poised to help you eat healthy and enjoy life, eat and exercise right and keep your body young and strong. We are redefining our food mentality and reorienting our   exercise experience. Our approach to wellness and fitness is completely different.

    So many things we eat in Nigeria and the world generally now have so many artificial flavourings, preservatives and all that which are not beneficial to the health. So, Nigerians must go back to nature and eat more wholesome foods with natural ingredients that are more beneficial to the body instead of all these chemical infused fast foods and drinks that cause all kinds of diseases.

    From your experience, what are some of the challenges Nigerian women face with regards to owning their own businesses?

    Women face a lot of challenges-first of all, many Nigerian women are not even exposed to proper education even till today. So, that contributes to the high poverty rate amongst them. Even when they are educated, they are not given the proper opportunities to utilize their potentials. A lot of the men are uncomfortable with their wives doing anything productive so many just want to keep their wives at home. So, you see a lot of intelligent women unable to do anything with their abilities. Even if they want to do something, the capital can be a challenge; there are hardly any organizations that help women and give them capital and nurture them in business.

    Somebody said that women are the raw materials that are unutilized in Nigeria and if we can get them to be productive, you will be so surprised at what they can do. What should be done is to have a more supportive environment that will make women more productive.

     

  • State of regulatory, policies for Africa’s online media

    As the internet penetration in Africa deepens, it is expected that more people will go online opening up the continent to a more liberal and interactive media space. This has created a need for suitable regulatory frameworks and governments across the continent are working to bridge the existing policy gaps in a bid to increase inclusion across the emerging digital economies. Nevertheless, experts say, policy makers in the region need to catch up with the demands of the dynamic online media space.

    C.D. Glin, President and CEO of US African Development Foundation; Prof. William Gumede, Executive Chair of Democracy Works Foundation, and Ms. Jacqueline Musiitwa, Executive director of Financial Sector Deepening (FSD) recently shared their thoughts about the state of Africa’s regulatory structures in regards to internet-based media technologies at the Africa Business Media Innovators Forum in Zambia.

    How important is the role of media in a country’s economic well-being?

    C.D. Glin: The media has become a function of development; there is a nexus point between the role of media and the role of development and how this impacts on foreign direct investment.

    Why have African governments been slow to establish rules and regulations governing online media?

    Jacqueline Musiitwa: Lawmakers are not paying enough attention to policy and they have insufficient knowledge on how to regulate it. They (legislators) are often working in a singular way, dealing with competition law for example, without taking into account the information act or laws on cybersecurity.

    What can players in the industry do to ensure better governance and regulatory frameworks are in place ?

    Jacqueline Musiitwa: The industry needs to form associations that can approach governments to ensure their concerns are heard and that policy safeguards against abuse.

    What do you think about the recent restrictions like Uganda’s new social media tax? ?

    Prof. William Gumede:

    New restrictions resemble a modern-day reworking of old style censorship – the likes of shutting down newspapers, interdicting journalists or threatening them with imprisonment for not revealing sources. But we have an increasingly youthful population in Africa and we know that technology is changing how youth access information. They see what their peers around the world have. They will keep demanding that they too should have a better life. Governments that are uncertain of what action to take against this kind of social media dissent choose to respond by setting up more barriers.

    Jacqueline Musiitwa: Patchy lawmaking has led to tensions and knee-jerk reactions including, in some countries, the implementation of taxes for users accessing social media and increased use of tools that restrict Internet access.  Data is also a commodity but governments are only just waking up to recognizing this and recognizing the need to take ownership of it. There are multiple challenges but overcoming them requires an approach that is locally applicable, but adaptive to match the boundaryless nature of the digital space. It comes down to more flexible, integrated frameworks, more stakeholders voices to be heard and definitely not the panic reaction of total shutdowns

     

    How can governments ensure they have a hold on online media regulation without resorting to oppressive measures?

    C.D. Glin: Some governments are uncertain of what action to take against social media dissent, for instance, and they choose to respond by setting up more barriers.

    It’s the kind of hardline clamping down that makes investors nervous. However, even this may hold the opportunity to use technology and community-driven development

    solutions to turn around problems. Successful intervention could help young people change their circumstances, stop the dissent and reverse the negative narrative that dominates on the continent. In turn, it helps attract investors who like the positive sentiment, stability and policy, and framework certainty.

  • ‘Africa’s economic growth driven by large infrastructure developments’

    Africa’s economic outlook has remained positive since 2016 after the commodity price plunge the previous year, which slowed down the continent’s growth. The recovery of commodity prices and the acceleration of cross-border cooperation have since played a part in the recovery of the region’s economy.

    As Bloomberg Editor-in-Chief Emeritus Matthew Winkler says, Africa’s economic growth is currently driven by large infrastructure developments happening in multiple countries.

    Winkler spoke during the recent 2018 Africa Business Media Innovators Forum in Livingstone, Zambia.

     

    What is the state of Africa’s economy?

    Winkler: We’re at an inflection point. There are 36 economists whom we talk to at Bloomberg and their estimate is that Africa’s economy will grow at 3.1% in 2018, which is still behind the world average of 3.8%. It is afterwards, though, when the growth will take off exponentially. Looking ahead to 2020, the size of the African economy will expand significantly growing at 3.8%, beating the estimated world growth of 3.2%. This will be the first time Africa has outperformed the world in growth since 2014.

     

    What is driving this growth?

    Winkler: Ethiopia is the largest contributor to this growth, with 10.9% GDP growth for 2017 beating every member of the emerging markets – and will exceed that over the next three years. Ethiopia’s  growth is being driven by the large volume of Chinese investment coming into the country.  Last year alone, Ethiopia absorbed almost half of the US$7billion in foreign investment for East Africa. Its role in the region is becoming very similar to the one Japan played in the 1960s in Asia. This is proof that business-friendly policies can trigger progress. Ethiopia’s total trade with China was more than $5-billion in 2017 – a 74% increase from five years ago. While its trade with Saudi Arabia, its second-biggest trading partner, was $2.1billion – a 14% increase from half a decade ago.

     

    What about the bond market?

    Winkler: Globally, the bond market has been very treacherous of late, losing 1.7%. The benchmark US Treasury market lost 2.9% against growth in the EMEA bonds of 2.7%.

    Mozambican government bonds gained 28%, second behind Iraq in total

    returns, while Angola (third) grew 28% as well. Ghana generated 23% returns, Ethiopia 19% and the Democratic Republic of Congo 17%. The positive returns are due to extraordinarily high growth in the emerging and frontier markets, as countries in the developed world drop interest rates in the aftermath of the global financial crisis. Now global investors are chasing for yield and the winners are these countries because that is where the returns are.

     

    How does Africa rank in terms of return on investment and what are the continent’s most rewarding sectors?

    Winkler:  In 2017, the 600 major companies domiciled in Africa produced 170% total return in their stocks. The emerging market gained 16%; the frontier market which is a bit riskier than the emerging market gained 7%; while world equities, the combination of everything, grew 19%.

    The three best-performing industries were communications services (821% total returns), industrial (327%) and financial (230%).

    Zimbabwe’s Econet Wireless is one of the leaders, producing total returns of 649% to shareholders over the last two years against the group average of 8%. Its revenue increased by 34%. Its growth is 17 times its global peers and it is currently the second fastest growing telco in the world. While Kenya’s Safaricom was the second-best African performer with a 29% gain. Its growth is five times that of its peers. Safaricom’s recently released half-year earnings reported a 70% spike in revenue and a profit increase of 148%.

     

    The telecommunications industry appears to dominate the rest, why is this so?

    Winkler: There’s a story here – analysts say Econet’s sales will increase 24% in the coming year, eight times their world competitors. Safaricom will grow 9% or the three times their world competitors.

    All these companies are linking what people do in their homes and in their businesses with what they do on their mobile platforms and that’s why the telecommunications industry remains attractive.

  • How legacy media can survive technological revolution

    From Facebook and Twitter to blogs and YouTube, technology has made us all publishers. However, while the public have been quick to adopt tech innovations, the same can’t be said for many media organisations.

    During the 2018 Bloomberg Africa Business Media Innovators Forum, four technology entrepreneurs gave their take on how modern media platforms are shaping African media and their perspectives on what trends to look out for.

    The entrepreneurs were: Uche Pedro, Founder of Nigerian online media company BellaNaija; Tim Kotin, Co-Founder and Chief Executive of Superfluid, a Pan-African Data Analytics Company based in Ghana; Mamadou Gouro Sidibe, founder of Malian social media platform Lenali, and Lesley Donna Williams, CEO of Tshimologong Project, Precinct a tech start-up incubator based in Johannesburg.

    Below is the  transcript of the discussion.

    What is the current state of the media industry in Africa?

    Tim Kotin: The role of media is evolving from one of news origination to one of curation and provision of insights. As a result of the internet’s expansion and the explosion of information, the most important value the media can provide now is no longer the origination of stories but the provision of insights and relevance. Individuals are looking for stories that connect with them on a personal level.

    Lesley Donna Williams: Technology is disrupting the media space and we need to grow with it, and create a new kind of industry. Take for example, Blixer, a streaming platform being developed in the DRC for Congolese music. Or in Zimbabwe, where they are digitising the sound of the Mbira (thumb piano) to bring something new to urban music. Such projects are bringing uniquely African options to audiences through far-reaching technologies.

    What can traditional media companies in Africa do to survive the ongoing technological revolution?

    Mamadou Gouro Sidibe: The future of the media in the continent is inclusive. The user experience is the main thing that will generate revenue and investors must look at new approaches. Now is the biggest opportunity to invest in new technologies and new platforms.

    Uche Pedro: Successful media businesses are those that build a sense of community with their clients. Platform fluidity is one of the ways the industry has transformed in the last few years. The days of just having a website are over; media owners who want to build strong connections with their audiences must be where the consumers are – on multiple platforms. I see a rise in citizen participation on the production of media as an opportunity for traditional media owners to partner with local communities to tell their stories. Traditional media producers can take advantage of  the pools of communities on social media to enhance their digital presence and generate revenues. They can also use the emerging and large networks of citizen journalists to provide local content in the most relevant and engaging way.  There is value in aggregating and personalising content. I have seen this done successfully through artificial intelligence and machine learning but there is still a need to create original content.

    media
    Mamadou Gouro Sidibe, founder, Lenali, and Uche Pedro, Founder, BellaNaija

     What aspect of the audience needs should traditional media companies seeking to innovate  know?

    Uche Pedro: Young people are no longer waiting to be included. They are creating their own platforms and their own content. This shift not only comes from a lack of trust in politicians but also a questioning of whether national broadcasters are speaking to the needs of young people. The lack of trust stems from the perception that media businesses on the continent have been incentivised to behave in unethical ways. With the use of technology and the reliance on local journalists, traditional media can win the interests of their younger audiences.

    Lesley Donna Williams: It is important for creators of tech products to go to market with the minimum viable products. They need to make sure that what they have is market ready – is tested and can be scaled. They need to make sure that they haven’t built their product for 1000 people, only for 40,000 or 100,000 take up the platform.

    What can African governments do to encourage innovation in the media sector?

    Tim Kotin: From a policy perspective, there has to be a willingness to allow for exploration and innovation. Governments must provide enabling environments for businesses to foster collaboration between existing and start-up companies.

    Uche Pedro: Provision of infrastructure and basic services should remain a priority. If entrepreneurs are unable to access electricity and connectivity, how can they run successful businesses?

  • Air Travel is expensive in Africa but what can be done to make it affordable?

    The business of air travel in the continent of Africa is booming as commercial airlines are battling to get and cement their market share. This competition is awesome as currently, Africa’s aviation industry supports 6.8 million jobs and USD72.5 billion in economic activity. Unfortunately, this has had little or no impact on the rates of these airlines. This continues despite the presence of ‘budget airlines’ that fly to only a handful of destinations. While budget airlines have secured their foothold in other parts of the world, countries in Africa are still struggling to establish a continent-wide one.

    Hence, it is unarguably true that Air travel is quite expensive and travellers within and outside the continent are left with no choice than to make these payments because they will be the ones to bear the brunt.

    Even the International Air Transport Association (IATA) vice president for Africa Raphael Kuuchi recognises the fact that Air Travel in Africa has to become more affordable.

    Kuuchi said that the cost of air travel in Africa is far more expensive than anywhere else in the world, and the reasons are this includes very high operating costs from the airport ends, high taxes and charges that are imposed by governments and other institutions on passengers and airlines.

    Indeed, there is the need for an urgent solution to reduce the cost of air transport in the continent despite many challenges highlighted by Kuuchi. This is key because an expensive air transport system will stifle the growth of the tourism industry as local and international tourists won’t want to visit destinations that are not affordable.

    What can be done to make air transport in Africa more affordable?

    Understandably, the government has a huge role to play when it comes to making air travel more affordable. The government should perhaps grant tax breaks to airlines, and create an air transport fund dedicated to the industry to reduce their overhead cost. Additionally, more airlines should collaborate so that they can deplore data and technology to cut cost which will have a ripple effect on the price of air travel.

    Amidst the demand to make air travel more affordable, an online travel agency that has taken the bull by the horn to make air travel more affordable is Jumia‘s hotel and flight marketplace. The hotel and flight booking platform recently partnered with Amadeus, a leading travel technology company, to launch the first flight marketplace in Africa.

    According to a statement announcing the partnership: “It is the base for a new flights marketplace on Jumia, that will be a step further towards making travel in Africa simple and affordable. The platform aims at enabling travel agents, airlines, and travel websites to bring all flight content online, to offer customers the best available prices for their flights.”

    In summary, Jumia’s hotel and flight marketplace has created the first of its kind marketplace in Africa where rates are aggregated from different travel agents and airlines and this allows the air traveller to select the airline with the best available rate at that moment. And since the platform debuted in September, Jumia has seen a significant increase in booking as travellers jostle to get the best available rate.

    In the near future, it is hoped that a budget airline that will cover Africa will come on board in order to make African travel less expensive. Till then, the Jumia flight marketplace is your sure bet to get the best flight rates.