The Nation Newspaper

Category: Online Special

  • How lack of adequate sleep affects workers

    How lack of adequate sleep affects workers

    Over half of workers in West Africa (59 per cent) report that they have to sacrifice sleep to fit in personal and work commitments, either by waking up too early or by burning the midnight oil.

     

    Although flexible working is highlighted as a way to reduce commuting, creating more hours in the day for sleep or family life and improving productivity and staff retention, only 34 per cent of firms are rewarding management for encouraging the creation of a flexible workforce.

    According to Regus, the world’s largest provider of flexible workplace solutions, workers also highlight that a shorter commute (19 per cent) and greater flexibility of location (24 per cent) would give them more time spend with their families as well as to catch some extra sleep, but businesses can also benefit from introducing greater flexibility which is reported to improve productivity (51 per cent) and help retain staff (90 per cent).

    These are some of the key findings of a global survey by Regus, based on interviews with more than 24,000 business-people from over 90 countries. “Lack of sleep is clearly detrimental to workers health and happiness with long working hours closely linked to heart disease,” says Joanne Bushell, Vice President Africa, Regus.

    Respondents highlight that a shorter commute and more flexibility over work location would help them spend more time with their families, finally spelling an end to sleepless nights filled with catching up on work or personal tasks that couldn’t be squeezed into the day.

    Key Findings and Statistics

    Globally about 29 per cent of workers are sleeping less than they wish to fit all their commitments and in West Africa about 59 per cent of workers are sacrificing sleep to fit in work and personal commitments, while over 27 per cent feel they have to overcompensate for time taken off for personal matters.

    Workers highlight a shorter commute and location flexibility as ways of helping them spend more time with their families. But businesses can benefit too, as flexible work is thought to improve productivity and help staff retention. Yet currently management is being rewarded for encouraging a flexible work environment only in half of firms.

    Bushell continues: “This survey shows that allowing employees to work closer to home in professional and fully efficient environments can have an important impact on family life and provide workers with a few more minute skip each morning.”

    The Regus boss added, “But the benefits are not just for workers, firms can also improve productivity and retention by introducing flexible working. In spite of the win-win benefits that flexible working can bring on both employee and company side, there is evidently still plenty of grounds for improvement as over half of West African firms do not recognise or reward managers for encouraging the creation of a flexible workforce.”

  • Nigerian girl makes FORBES Magazine history

    Nigerian girl makes FORBES Magazine history

    Ten year-old Nigerian girl Zuriel Oduwole has made history as the youngest person ever to be interviewed in Forbes, the global iconic magazine title.

    The interview with the award winning documentary film maker, conference speaker and writer is featured in the August 2013 edition of Forbes Africa.

    Touted by some as the next Larry King, and ARISE News at the next Oprah Winfrey, Oduwole  is  reportedly committed to  Rebrand Africa by showing the positive things in about the continent, and making  the case for education the Girl Child in Africa and Emerging Markets.

    As an invited guest to the recent African Union 50th anniversary celebrations in Ethiopia, she has in her quest of pursuing her goal interviewed leading African business, political, and sports personalities, including eight  current African Presidents, Africa’s richest person, Aliko Dangote and Tennis super stars – Venus  and  Serena Williams.

    Zuriel (which is Hebrew for God is my Rock) believes if she can walk a mile, then there are girls who on seeing her work and progress made, would walk a mile and half.

    That, she believes is one simple way to inspire the African Girl Child, and show the world the need to educate the  continents often forgotten Girl Child, of which Zuriel is one.

  • Who is your friend?

    Who is your friend?

    As the world commemorates the world friendship day, Sonia Nwosu captures views of some people on what defines true friendship.

     

    “True friendship is a life time achievement, and a friend is the path through whom huge sentimental, spiritual and even material blessings gush,” Dr. Bill Denton

     

    It is generally believed that everyone has at one time or the other engaged in friendship or read about it. Some articles have been written extensively on this with explanation on what type of friends to keep, how to behave around these friends, how to have friends and many others write about people and their friends.

    There is this believe that just as people are different so are their friends. While some believe in having so many friends, others believe few friends are better and some believe in having just one friend considered to be the best.

    According to Laurence Peter, Canadian teacher and author of the best-selling book The Peter Principle: Why Things Always Go wrong, “Friends are special and important. Friends are part of us, they make our lives complete in different ways, in short, friends are life. You can always tell a real friend: when you’ve made a fool of yourself, he doesn’t feel you’ve done a permanent job.”

    But who really is a friend? What are the qualities that define true friendship?  “A real friend knows and can predict you. It’s like another you. A true friend is one who lets you have total freedom to be yourself,” Chima Udeze, a graduate of University of Benin told the Nation.

    For Chidindu Okeke of Meadow Hall secondary school, “A friend is someone you can trust very much and rely on.”

    Others like Omorinsola Oladejo, a 300 level student of Covenant University, Ota, believe that for someone to be called a friend, he or she must possess the qualities of love and trust, “I think friendship is about love, trust, commitment and happiness. Friends are the people you feel at home with, you share jokes together,” he added

    Corroborating Oladejos’ views is Iroro Gbenedio, a Mass Communication student of Covenant University who said, “Friends are people who through thick and thin are with you, they’re those who love you for who you are and don’t judge you.”

    And yet for Martha Gbadebo, a business woman, “A friend is someone who you can rely on and who should be able to die for you like our lord Jesus Christ,” she added, “Unfortunately there are no such people around now.”

    Just like the views expressed above, everyone at some point in life has had a fair share of annoying and amazing friends, best friends, close friends, true friends, and good friends – all of them, revolving around the orbit of their lives, making them smile like never before.

    In his book Friends and Friendship, Dr. Bill Denton wrote, “Friends can cheer us when we’re sorrowful or depressed. Friends can challenge us when we allow ourselves to get beyond our reasonable boundaries. Friends can motivate us when we’re ready to give in, and they can provide for us when life falls apart.”

    Friendship is really not about the happy endings that is, what friendship really is about the story gathered in the course of the friendship.

    It is funny how there are many rules to do almost anything and everything in this world. We grow daily; we develop daily and everything changes both in us and around people. Life is full of entertaining and invigorating relationships because it is full of friends.

    The World Friendship Day was first proposed on 20 July 1958 by Dr. Artemio Bracho as an idea during a dinner with friends in Puerto Pinasco, a town on the River Paraguay about 200 miles north of Asuncion, Paraguay. Out of this humble meeting of friends, the World Friendship Crusade was birthed.

    The World Friendship Crusade is a foundation that promotes friendship and fellowship among all human beings, regardless of race, color or religion. Since then, July 30th has been faithfully celebrated as Friendship Day in Paraguay every year and has also been adopted by several other countries.

    The day has been celebrated in many South American countries for several years. The day is particularly celebrated in Paraguay, where it was first proposed in 1958.

    Friendship Day was originally promoted by Joyce Hall, the founder of Hallmark cards in 1930, intended to be the 2nd August and a day when people celebrated their friendships by sending cards. The second of August was chosen as the center of the largest lull between holiday celebrations.

  • Why women retain maiden names

    Why women retain maiden names

    The rationale behind women retaining their maiden names after marriage has been an age-long debate.

    It has also become a trend among the women folks which cuts across every strata of the economy with each giving reason to justify their positions.

    Via our  twitter handle: @thenationnews, we asked our followers their opinion on the issue.

    As expected, there were diverse opinions – while some argued that it is against the tenets of religion, others say a lady is not an addition to the family and as such should not be denied her identity.

    It was also the opinion of others that if the lady comes from a well- known family, her maiden name will open doors while others simply posited that such ladies don’t believe in God or in His ability to make great husbands.

    However, a few others also felt there is nothing wrong in it but that it should be an agreement between the couples.

    Below are some of the views as expressed by our followers, you can also join by following @thenationnews on twitter.

    * Oseiwe Ibhagui @OIbhagui: said “To save themselves the hassle of another name change when they divorce their husbands ladies should retain their maiden names”

    * Ogba Okezie @ogba_okezie: said, “Her been married does not in any way change who she is by birth.”

    * Nansik @Mariefamwang: said, “A woman’s maiden name would open doors for her especially if her family has great societal influence.”

    * Tunde Bakare BK@Backarray: said “Islamically, it is allowed for a lady to keep her father’s name even after getting married. She may as well drop it if she so wishes.”

    * Christopher Talker @lechseed: simply said, “I don’t think ladies should retain their maiden names after marriage.”

    * The great Mrs me!@faizadanyaro: said “Women should keep their maiden names because a woman should be a separate entity not an addition to her husband’s family.”

    *For MosakuAbiodunWaheed@MosakuAW:  “There’s nothing bad in it if the lady is a celebrity and there’s an agreement between both couples. No wahala then! Nothing special.”

    * In Sebastian@corretboi’s view, “That should be an agreement between the couple.”

    * According to Ayodeji Ajao@deji_ajao: “So that when they are tied of their husbands,
    they won’t need to go through the rigor of change of name.”

    * Obi Chkwuma@marvelouschuks: said “Such women have no faith in God”

  • Shocking don’ts in Mission Universities

    Shocking don’ts in Mission Universities

    Mission universities like other institutions of learning have a set of laws that govern the day to day activities of students. While these rules and regulations vary from one university to the other, authorities in mission universities have also put measures in place to punish defaulters with a view to deter others. The Nation highlights some things students are not allowed to do in three mission universities.

    Bowen University – Iwo, Osun state

    • Students are not allowed to own camera phones and PC tablets such as I-Pad.

    • Hair styles of female students must be neck length and must match with the natural color of hair.

    • Male students must wear ties and stockings to class

    • Students must attend compulsory chapel services on Wednesday, Thursday and twice on Sunday.

    • All students are not allowed to leave the school premises without exeat and they are only allowed to leave once a month.

    Babcock University- Ilishan, Ogun state

    • Students are not allowed to eat meat, fish and turkey.

    • Students are not allowed to wear jeans in the school.

    • Female students are not allowed to wear trousers in school.

    • Students must attend compulsory church service on Saturdays.

    • Students are not allowed to drink Coke or Pepsi.

    • No buying and selling is allowed in school premises.

    • Students must not leave the school premises without school permit.

    • Only Corporate dressing is allowed in school premises.

    • Only cafeteria food is allowed in school premises.

    • No cooking is allowed in hostels or school.

    Covenant University- Ota, Ogun state

    • Students are not allowed to own phones.

    • Students are not allowed to wear jeans in the school.

    • Students must attend compulsory chapel services on Tuesdays for senior levels and Thursdays for junior levels as well as Sundays.

    • Male students are meant to wear ties to classes and all students must be dressed corporately.

    • Halls are locked by 10pm and lights in the hostels are to be switched off at 12 midnight.

    • Students must not leave the school premises without school permit.

    • Female students are not allowed to use any hair color different from the color of their hair.

    • All students are expected to sign the roll-call before 12 midnight every day.

     

  • ‘Why public universities produce few first class graduates’

    ‘Why public universities produce few first class graduates’

    Micheal Osayi emerged the 2013 best graduating student of Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, with a total CGPA of 4.926. In this interview with Samuel Akpan and Sonia Nwosu, the Civil Engineering graduate who hails from Edo State, speaks on his academic accomplishments, dream of becoming a first class graduate and how he emerged best graduating student.

    Who is Michael Osayi? 

    I am the second child of Engr Gabriel Eromhonsele and Mrs. Charity Eromhonsele. I am 21 years old. I am from Igueben Local Government Area of Edo State. I am a lover of God, a lover of people, and a lover of soccer. I am a critical thinker and solution provider.

    Give a brief background of your academic accomplishments?

     During my primary education, I was usually among the top three in my class. In junior secondary school, I was a little above average. It was during my senior secondary education that I began to take academics seriously. After the first year of my senior secondary education, I finished as the best in my class (SS1B) and won an award in mathematics. At the end of my second year, I was the 2nd best in SS2 class and won the Science Teachers Association of Nigeria (STAN) award. I finished my secondary education as the best graduating student and as a finalist in the Maltina National Reading competition.

    Did you aspire to be a first class graduate?

    When I gained admission into Covenant University in 2008 my goal was to leave with a first class degree and I thank God that I was able to achieve it.

    What motivates and inspires you?

     My major source of inspiration is God’s word- the Bible. According to Dr. David Oyedepo, every other book informs but the Bible transforms.

    Is Michael all about academics or are there more sides to him?

     During my stay in Covenant University, I was privileged to engage in some social and leadership activities. I was a course representative from 100-500 level and engineering class representative from 100-300 level. I was a floor representative, floor chaplain, and wing chaplain in 200 level. I was an executive in my department in 300 level and an executive in communion unit of CU’s chaplaincy. I was also privileged to be the financial secretary of TechWeek 2011.

    What lessons did you learn from Covenant University?

     The first and foremost lesson is the fact that without being a friend of the Holy Spirit you cannot achieve and maintain good success. The second is the fact that the people you have around determine the events in your life. During the first semester of 200 level, I offered 14 courses and held five leadership positions but by the help of the Holy Spirit I finished with a 4.95 GPA that semester. That was when I learnt the first and foremost lesson.

     What’s next for Michael?

     My future ambition is to become one of the leading structural engineering consultants in the world.

    What roles did the school play in molding you?

     The events that occurred during my stay in Covenant University have made me spiritual, diligent, and responsible, built my capacity, given me a possibility mentality, and have taught me sacrifice. Covenant University has played a major role in molding me.

    What is your  formula  for academic excellence?

     First of all, you have to know that you are a success not because of your talents or abilities but because of Christ in you. Secondly, you have to prepare wisely by making sure you attend all lectures, do all assignments, and start studying early. Finally, try to study with your friends and make sure you teach others.

    What is your reaction to the growing concern about increase in first class graduates produced by private institutions?

    It is not a concern to me but a blessing to Nigeria. Most of the lecturers in public universities believe that a first class result should be for a few people, so they try their best to frustrate their students to ensure that they “suffer” in order to obtain a first class. Also the environment and infrastructure is not conducive for learning in most public universities. This also hinders the students from expressing their full potential. But in private universities like Covenant University, the infrastructure is good, the environment is good, and lecturers give students the scores they “deserve”. In summary, in most public universities the mentality of “suffering” is built into their students but in Covenant University, students are built with a mentality of “sacrifice”.

    What is your advice to other students?

    My advice to students is for them to live their lives for a purpose and not for pleasures. A life lived for a purpose brings fulfillment and pleasures but a life lived for pleasures brings poverty and corruption. There is a time for everything under the sun. Do the right thing at the right time. 

  • SURE – P is an aberration – PENGASSAN

    SURE – P is an aberration – PENGASSAN

    Seyi Gambo is the Public Relations Officer of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).

    He spoke with our correspondents on several issues in the oil and gas sector. Excerpts….

     

    Recently PENGASSAN gave a two- week ultimatum to the government over rising cases of oil theft, what had been the government’s response and why did you give that ultimatum?

    For years now we have been having problem with the oil theft. In 2009 the United Nations said that Nigeria was losing about 150,000 barrels per day to illegal bunkering. And it was last year that the Finance minister said it’s about 400,000 bpd that we were losing so that is the problem. This is a country where 95 per cent of our exports come from the oil sector and 80 per cent of our revenue is from this same source. So you understand that this is a very big problem and as it is now, we are losing about 30,000 of our members. This is because Shell, Agip, Total had started divestment from Nigeria .

    So we do a lot of backdoor negotiations and informal meetings. But we noticed we have to change gear now because everything we thought will happen in the future is meeting us now and then if you take 20,000 oil workers and throw them into the labour market, you know there would be problems.

    This is because as I’m seating here I’m responsible for the upkeep and welfare of about 25 of my immediate family members not to talk of friends. So these are the issues and we need to let Nigerians know and we can’t do it alone we need the people, the masses, behind us so that we can all together ask government to do what they are meant to do, which is to create an enabling environment for business to grow in the country.

    People felt that there was a sort of acrimony between NUPENG AND PENGASSAN. What do you know about that?

     There has never been any acrimony between us that I know of.

    Our space of working is different, they are junior staffs and we are senior staffs. Therefore our ways of engagement are different. At some points they might think we should go out and we might think diplomacy would be better. Two people can’t see things the same way. It’s not really a deep seated acrimony, but it’s just that we are coming from different backgrounds of engagement.

    Recently the Federal Government just awarded contract to ex-militants to safeguard the Niger Delta waterways. Measuring it with the current happenings now, do you think they been able to live up to expectations?

    They have not been able to meet up to expectations and that’s why we are where we are now. I don’t know the philosophy behind government giving them award for security of the waterways when we have the navy there, when you would expect that the navy would be enhanced to perform that role. Brazil that we started together, they have submarines there’s nothing you cannot train anybody to use now, it’s an inverted logic. If they had been doing what they are meant to do, we won’t have this problem now. Shell could do about three million barrels per day, yet we are managing to do about 1.2million barrels per day. Now they are moving between 200,000 and 300,000 bpd and it has to with their bottom-line. But our guys here don’t have anything to do but to repair pipelines and well heads.

    What do you think the government should do to safeguard this pipeline vandalization?

    If the government is sincere they won’t have this problem. I have always told people it won’t take them a month to address this problem if those in authority are willing to do it. But the problem would still persist because there are markets for these stolen products. How do you address it? You make sure you block the market and give it the kind of treatment Sierra-Leone gave the blood diamond.

    Because our oil has a signature, our oil is not a common oil, it’s not a common crude, it’s something that can be trailed it leaves trails, it’s not something you can go somewhere and refine it. So if those in government are serious and they are willing to do it they can do it. It’s something that is affecting the whole world they should be able to talk to the necessary international organs and have MOU with governments, this is because about 80 per cent of the stolen crude oil are taken abroad.

    What are your views on the controversial issue of casualization in the oil and gas sector of the Nigerian economy?

    One thing is that there are several problems in the oil and gas sector. The fact of the matter is that there’s massive unemployment in the land and it’s something we should have done years ago. But because of the environment this had become an herculean task. For instance if you meet the managing director of a firm you say okay I’m ready to regularize but I can only take 20 per cent and 80 per cent has gone, what do you do? That’s the question. Nobody is happy about it, but things are so bad that now anything is better than nothing.

    Another thing is that do you ensure that in the process of laying off the 80%, do you ensure that their severance packages are well taken care of because we have heard of several protests where people appeared on television and to said they have been sacked without entitlements. How do you people come in to ensure that doesn’t happen?

    Basically one of the problems we faced is that most of the casual workers came into the jobs with their lowest academic qualifications just for them to work. As you all know there is a limit to which a school certificate holder would work. So when they get there, they would now bring out their university certificate and those people would now say no. So there are so many issues that you know, you cannot really fight for… But if you bring anything to the union as a body, we’d fight it to the last because this is our country and there are laid out rules and we cannot because they are our members we now change the rules. But if what they bring before we know that they are being short changed in any way, you can bet that…that… that’s what we are there for.

    How have you been able to harmonize the relationship between the major marketers, the independent marketers, the tank farm owners and the jetty operators?

    You know harmonizing and regulating is not our brief. It’s actually out of our league. You see that role is for the ministry and the government to see, to get them all to work as a unit for the benefit of the country. That is really out of our own league. Our major concern is the corporate entity call Nigeria. That is to say this oil we should be able to use it for the good of masses. That even if you are not working in the industry, you will feel the positive impact of these resources in your life. I mean, if we have good rail system, we won’t be having this situation where we have trucks on the roads. It would reduce the number of accidents on the roads. You know these accidents are things that could have been avoided, if the refineries are working. All the refineries are in a very comatose state, they are always telling us that they’ve done turn around by maintenance.

    Why do you think they are not working?

    They are not working because people don’t want them to work. I mean it’s just like NITEL andjust like the Nigerian Railway. When I was checking my records I noticed these things started during Abacha’s time. So when there is a vacuum, people now come in. some people are now making money, I mean, it’s now an industry for some people to make money. They are making billions of money by the refineries not working. When you are importing, you know the kind of transactions that go on there, so it’s very hard. That’s why the minister somewhere sometime when she travelled abroad said that there’s a cabal in the industry; but it also shows that we are having people that are either clueless or they are careless. How can a minister in an industry say that there is a cabal and you cannot arrest it? You know it’s something that is very shameful. if it’s in another clan, that person would have resigned that day. When you say that there is a cabal and you cannot do anything about it. But if it is to start chasing small small thieves on the road you’d see our security agents, they would be up and doing.

    Can you to measure the performance of the  SURE-P initiative. What’s the position of your association considering what they have done until now, has it lived up to expectations?

    Well I would say personally that if we have a working government. I mean a government that lives up to his responsibility we’ll not have things like SURE-P. In other words SURE-P is an aberration.

    Is there a way forward in all these?

    There’s a way forward, that’s what we are saying, that look, the future of Nigeria lies in our hands. We have to stand up and let our voices be heard. And when there’s a need for action, we must be counted; we must come out and be counted. And now we’re… we are having symbiotic relationship with other organizations outside the union, the NGO and the civil society groups because we’re all Nigerians.

    There’s nothing that happens in one sector that does not affect all of us. Look at the problem in the health sector, you see Nigerians, the ones that can afford it, they are going to India. For schooling our people are now heading to Ghana and Togo. These are things that you can never imagine would happen in Nigeria. We are a major oil producing nation and not only oil we have other natural endowments. We also have very brilliant people here, and, but look at the mess we have found ourselves in.

    And your strike, is it likely to happen?

    As it is now, one of the problems we’ve been having, as I said earlier on is the modus operandi of each union, each body is different. We believe in a lot of engagements, so that by the time we cry out people would see that these people really have a case. And when your government tells you that they are going to do something and as a citizen, an average citizen, you should trust them. But now that trust… that credit is almost done with and that’s why we are out coming now.

    We have myriads of problems. There are some that can be done immediately, there are some that be done in months, you know, but even the ones that can be done in months or in years. But you’d know that they’ve started. But what we are saying is if they are not taking concrete efforts to address these issues, I mean, anything can happen… anything can happen.

    Talking about the way forward, PIB is one of them, so what’s you take on the subject?

    Yes, we have made our presentations on the PIB. And this week we are making another presentation to the Senate. And our take on the issue is that we are nationalistic, we are neither the IOC’s nor the marketers.

    Which one is IOC?

    What we are looking for is what would make Nigeria get the maximum benefits for these resources that God has blessed us with. Looking at the points that we raised about the power that they are giving to the minister of petroleum; we asked them to look at the best model in the world, anywhere in the world and give it to us. Let’s even imagine that this minister means well, you’ll have one minister that would be mischievous and misuse these thing, so it’s not… it’s not done. You know, we’ve have told them our decision, that government should hands off many of these things ,like the refinery if you need major repairs you have to go to Abuja. I mean there should be money for the man there to be able to do it.

    What do you think the federal government should do concerning revenue generated from exportation of oil since major buyer America has found an alternative?

    Well as we have said before know there is a disconnect between the revenue generated and what they do with the money. We expect that from the revenue generated from the oil and gas, we should see more things on the ground but there is nothing on ground to show for our oil exporting activities. There is power, there is road, there is education, there are so many things that you can do with this revenue and go to Saudi Arabia and you now wonder you know..That’s why I always laugh when people say that we are more religious than the pope. Go to Saudi Arabia look at how they take care of their citizens, look at Libya before the fall of Gaddafi, all the people were enjoying, we have no business being poor. Anytime I am on the streets and I see these hawking adults, children of school age and young teenagers, I feel bad, it’s painful because you know they have no business being on the streets. If we have responsible leaders. You know, even a blind man can tell what they should do with this money. You know but they are keeping it in foreign accounts, they are not even accounting for it and there is no accountability for the revenues. Do you know as it is now the NNPC don’t even know how much fuel the IOC pump in a day.

    Let me just talk about your purposed strike, there is this talk that each time you call for a strike, your executive, your top people they go behind to connive with government and short-change Nigerians how true is that?

    I know that you are referring to the last subsidy strike and let me tell you this about PENGASSAN. From all the people I know in PENGASSAN – from my president to all the executives, they are patriots and they will not take blood money. Anybody that takes that kind of money collects blood money and I can tell you that my president will not do that. All the people that took the money or those that were alleged to have collected it have not come out to say that they did not take it. Go and do your research you will see what I mean.

     

     

     

  • 14 -year old creates social network site

    14 -year old creates social network site

    Abiodun Alade presents  the inspiring story of Terkura Ephraim Unongo,14 year –old student of Hillcrest School Jos, who recently created a social networking website called Imongo for social discovery, entertainment and information.

    My Inspiration

    I was inspired to create the Imongo website because of my will to make a positive change in the world. I want Imongo to be a place where people from all walks of life can come together in one online community to connect, share, be entertained and stay informed.

    The Imongo social network’s targets people are aged between 13-55 in Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Algeria, Egypt and other parts of the Middle East, Russia, China, the United States, and the United Kingdom. We target such age grange and a variety of countries in order to serve our major purpose, which is connecting people from various walks of life, in order to really fulfill our goal of creating a social discovery network, where our members come together to mingle and meet new people while staying entertained and informed.

    The websiteis mostly content for the youth. We have to keep the site updated with content that interests the majority of members, yet wemake sure, the site is kept clean with content that is appropriate for all of our targeted audience aged.

    Why Imongo?

    The name, Imongo is derived from the Tiv tribe where I come from- it simply means, ‘Gathering’ in English. I chose this name because I felt it matched my theme of creating an international gathering of people from various walks of life, in order to form asocial discovery network.Imongo and other social media like facebook twitter etc.The Imongo’s major difference from Facebook and other Social Media is the idea of a social discovery network, a social entertainment network, and a social informative network.

    Facebook and other like social networks seem to revolve around the theme of offering services that keep you connected with your friends and family,Imongo on the other hand works to provide an avenue for meeting new people, thus the tag, ‘Social Discovery’.

    By providing features like, the Group Chat, members can communicate with other members online on the website without having to be connected to that specific member as
    a friend; this provides security and allows members to share only what they want to share, how they want to share it, and who they want to share it to.

    Aside this, Imongo offers features, such as Music, Videos Clips, Movies, and Pictures to keep members entertained with the latest multimedia. Imongo also offers a Wiki knowledge base where informative pages are created daily on subjects keeping the members informed with
    different topics.

    Imongo also keeps members and visitors up to date with latest Tech, Political, Entertainment, and other news locally and internationally.

    Response to the website

    The response to the Imongo website has been very encouraging. My family, friends and others just admire the website and I am very pleased with this. I mean, I have been supported financially and motivationally especially by my father, mother, and eldest brother. They have encouraged me, given me tips andprovided the necessary funds to keep Imongo up and running.
    I receive messages daily from random people saying, they are proud to be Nigerians, telling me good job, and sort of giving me a pat on the back.

    Becoming a member

    To be a member of theImongo, you have to be at least 13 years of age; you sign up using an email address, password, and a desired username.After sign up, your profile is created and you can choose to complete our profile by answering questions, and filling up other information.

    Challenges so far
    Creating the Imongo was an experience of a life time, my major challenge was frequent sleepless nights of writing thousands of linesof codes, other than this, everything went very smoothly for me. I stayed online on an average of 10-16 hours a day updating the website with music, news, videos, pictures, etc.
    I’ve had to deal with hackers every now and then trying to corrupt pages, crash servers and attempt to take over the website, but thankfully, none of the attacks have been successful.
    I am surrounded by people who help towards this development motivationally, financially, and other people I can rely on to get things done at the needed time.

     

    Support
    The Imongo being a social discovery network that wishes to expand tomany countries across the globe will need devoted people, time, andnecessary funds to keep it running online, and to help with expansion.
    The Imongo will embark on online and offline advertising and promotional campaigns reaching our targeted audience, going by onecountry at a time.Imongo’s Team will expand to Marketing Experts, Computer Programmers,and many more Content Managers who will work to keep the site up and running with new features, up to date content and to keep members
    experience at nothing less than fantastic.

    The future

    The Imongo Social Network, www.theimongo.com, hopes to expand and become a household name by 2014.Other plans include building more features such as, interactive video chat rooms, a marketplace,  gaming platform, a virtual world and much more.

    Imongo is also working to translate the website into Tiv, Hausa, Ibo, Yoruba, and other Nigerian languages. Imongo shall also be translated into other international languages such as Russian, Chinese, French, Spansih, Italian, German, etc.By the year 2021, Imongo would have expanded to most if not all countries, in Africa, the Middle East, North America, South America, Europe, and Asia.

  • Nigeria’s global gold-winning Choir

    Nigeria’s global gold-winning Choir

    Lagos City Chorale, a Nigeria Choir group  has won two Gold and two Silver Diplomas at the first European Choir Games held in Graz, Austria  July 13 – 22.

    The awards won by the Choir directed by the maestro, Sir Emeka Nwokedi , makes Nigeria the only participating nation with the highest number of awards in the Austrian Open Competition for choirs worldwide.

    According to a statement, the  group contested in four categories (Folklore, Music of the Religions, Music Contemporanea and Mixed Choir)

    As part of this global choral festival, the Lagos City Chorale also participated in two friendship concerts in Murau, a typical Austrian village with great antiquity and Schloss Eggernberg in Graz.

    The group performed in Songs of Spirit Festival in Minoritensaal, Graz (met the Mayor of Graz) and in Heiligenkreuz a. Waasen. The Song of Spirit Festival is designed to bring together people of different religions and to foster peace and unity amongst them using the medium and potency of harmonious choral music.

    Lagos City Chorale was also invited to lead the service in a Catholic Church at Heilingenkreuz a. Wassen on Sunday July 22.

    The 10-day event brought together over 50 choirs from different countries to contest in the Austrian Open Competition.

    Each choir displayed the best of her country’s culture through indigenous choral music, costume and choreography. Nigeria’s Lagos City Chorale being the only choir from Africa in attendance was the cynosure of all eyes.

    The sparkling and varied costumes in National colours did not go unnoticed as they were cheered with loud ovations in public places and after each performance. Their performances which attracted large audiences were adjudged to be of high standard by the international jury, hence the top awards. They were specially selected with other choirs to perform at the closing concert at Congress Graz.

    The festival was brought to a climactic close with colourful parade of participating nations which commenced at Stubenberggasse, Graz through some major streets to Congress Graz.

    The Mayor of the City of Graz, Siegfried Nagl accompanied by representatives of the City of Graz expressed great pleasure over the success of the 10-day global event. The President of Interkultur, Günter Titsch in his speech conferred on Graz the World’s Music Capital in appreciation of regular hosting of International Music Festivals.

    Lagos City Chorale has in the past few years been showcasing Nigeria’s positive abilities in the world’s center stages through participating and winning laurels for Nigeria in global chorale music festivals and competitions.

    In July 2012, the group participated in the 7th World Choir Games in Cincinnati Ohio, USA and won three Silver medals in three different categories of the competition.

  • ‘I contributed the most to the wordings of national anthem’

    ‘I contributed the most to the wordings of national anthem’

    Following the publication of our recent interview with one of the five composers of the national anthem, Dr Sota Omoigui, now a consultant anesthesiologist and pain specialist in the United States of America, Elder Philips Olusegun Aderibigbe, the author of four lines of the anthem, called at our office last week. Aderibigbe, a former employee of the National Assembly, explained his part in the composition of the anthem, lamenting the failure of the Federal Government to fulfill its pledge to compensate him and his co-authors. He spoke with LEKAN OTUFODUNRIN and JUSTICE ILEVBARE.

    How did you become involved in the composition of the national anthem?

    In 1976, Nigeria was just recovering from a gruesome civil war. The Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo-led military administration called for the composition of a new national anthem. The national policy committee on the draft constitution on return to civilian rule then announced a national anthem competition. At that time, I was a 100 level undergraduate student of the University of Ibadan.

    The national policy committee received about 1,499 entries from Nigerians. The entries were sent to the department of English in five Nigerian universities. It was from these entries that the best five were picked and the lines of the national anthem were selected from them.

    I wrote the first line of the anthem: “Arise o compatriots”. The original draft, as was typed in 1976-77, is available for anybody to see. Other writers were John A. Ikechukwu, Eme Etim Akpan, B. A. Ogunnaike, Dr. Omoigui and I, Philips Olusegun Aderibigbe. The military administration said they were going to pay some honorarium to the writers, but up till now, nothing has been done. Even the music of the anthem, as composed by the late Pa Odiase, was sung without us being invited. And it is regrettable that up till today, there has been no acknowledgement.

    Since five of you composed the wordings of the national anthem, why was the Late Pa Odiase described as the composer until he died recently. Was he the person that merged the various contributions?

    There seems to be lack of information in this country, and we do not even know our background very well. For your information, Pa Odiase was just the band master of the police band. The anthem was given to the police band, which Pa Odiase just happened to be the leader at that time. The wordings of the anthem were written by five Nigerians, out of which the best were selected, like I mentioned earlier.

    You said that no honorarium has been paid and no acknowledgement has been given? Why did it take you so long to speak on the issue? What have the five of you done to claim the ownership of the anthem? Has there been any time you met?

    There was no way for us to meet, because we were from different locations. There was no time they invited us together. I am here because I saw the interview with Dr. Omoigui. At that time, the office of this committee was at the Independent building in Race Course, Lagos. After some time, they packed out of the office, and when we went there to see the officers in charge, we were told that they had relocated. So, it was difficult to see anybody concerning it.

    What other effort did you make?

    I wrote a personal letter to the Federal Ministry of Education then, complaining that we were the writers of the anthem. We are not talking about music but the wordings of the anthem. The composition is an intellectual property. Up till today, they have not acknowledged the ownership of that intellectual property.

    At the point of asking for entries, was there any particular promise in form of a prize?

    There was none. But after the composition, they said the Federal Government of Nigeria was going to pay a marginal honorarium to the composers. But that has not been done till today.

    You composed the lines, ‘Arise o compatriots, Nigeria call obey… The labour of our heroes past, Shall never be in vain.’ What did you have in mind when you wrote these lines?

    It was simply patriotism. Nigeria had gone through so many negative experiences. Right from 1953, there was the Kano riot, during which so many lives were lost. There was the 1962/63 political crisis in the West. There was the census crisis in 1965 and so many lives were lost. There was mismanagement; in fact the military said the reason why they came into power in 1966 was mismanagement, corruption and ineptitude.

    Things were upside down. And so, when we had that challenge, I rose. I said okay, Nigeria has to come back and readdress itself to some new situations. So, I wrote that lineArise. Arise from decay, from misgovernment, from corruption, O ye compatriots. That was the message in the anthem. Patriotism is the principle of the anthem. In fact, if anybody asks me to mention the problem in Nigeria today, I would say it is lack of patriotism.

    Do you think we have been true to the national anthem?

    The problem is that there was no orientation at all when the national anthem was introduced. They brought the composition to Nigerians, but the federation did not buy the idea. There was no education. In fact, one would expect that based on the message drawn from an anthem, there will be an orientation to follow; there will be training; there will be dedication; there will be organisation to follow. But nothing like that was done. They just took the work, gave it to somebody to turn into music, and there was no orientation. So, up till today, patriotism is lacking in this country. And what is the root cause of corruption? It is lack of patriotism.

    As far as I am concerned, if anybody is stealing government money, it is because he is not patriotic. If there is misgovernment, it is because there is no patriotism. If there is mismanagement, it is because there is no patriotism. Look at the countries that are well run in the world today, they are all patriotic countries. America is on the lead today because the citizens are patriotic, the government is patriotic and an American life is very dear to the government of America. They can do anything to save the life of an American because they know the government cares for them.

    So let’s go back to patriotism. And I am suggesting that there should be a lot of awareness concerning patriotism. Even what is happening in the north now is as a result of lack of patriotism.

    What kind of feeling do you have when you hear the national anthem?

    I feel very happy because it says arise. Arise means that if you have been sitting down before, rise up. If you have been down before, get up, stand up! To defend is to fight, to struggle and make Nigeria a great nation. As at the time I was writing this composition, Nigeria was at the same level with countries like China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Brazil. Look at the positions of these countries today. Nigeria was at par with them, but those countries have gone ahead of Nigeria because of lack of patriotism.

    Do you agree with those who say some parts of the national anthem should be changed?

    I don’t. The anthem of the nation is the culture of the nation, the set of beliefs, the principles, and so on. Nobody who knows what he is doing would say that the anthem should be changed. What is to be changed there? Is it that we are not arising again? What do you want to change in that? Is it that patriotism is not good? Many people are talking of the anthem in terms of the music. How many Nigerians even know what the anthem is saying? How many have the wordings in their memory? How many of them know the meaning of the anthem? How many of us are obeying the call of the nation today? That is the problem.

    So if they know what the anthem is saying, they would call for more dedication, more orientation and more awareness rather than say the anthem should be changed.

    I’m intrigued by the line “The labour of our heroes past shall never be in vain”. It would seem that the labour of our heroes is already heading towards vanit…

    It has happened and it will continue to happen. Nigerians don’t even know their heroes. We know names of corrupt officers. We know of very important people who have looted the treasury. We know the names of those who have bastardised our economy. We know about those who have looted the national treasury. But we don’t know the heroes that we have, and that is one of the problems of this country.

    A country must know her heroes. Look at Ghana, people are still talking about Kwame Nkrumah till tomorrow. Look at Rawlings, people are still talking about him till tomorrow. Look at Nelson Mandela who is sick nowmay God heal him. Nobody talks ill about him. He is a patriot. Patriots and leaders we can gain from are in this county. We have heroes in this country, but we don’t know our heroes.

    Your co-composer, Omoigui, says he looks forward to the day they would bring together those who composed the messages. Do you see this happening soon?

    Who would bring them together when they don’t know their heroes?

    But is it something you would love if it happens?

    Yes. In fact, I thought that before the anthem was sung for the first time, we should have met. But they did not make it possible. Now it is even more difficult because Omoigui is abroad now, I’m in Nigeria, and I don’t know the other three. I’m only praying that none of them has died. These are our heroes; they are dying without being honoured.

    What is your own definition of patriotism?

    My definition of patriotism is great, undiluted support for the nation; standing to fight for the nation. The Spartans in the Greek states brought up their children with training modelled along support for the nation. They would fight and not allow anything that can bring the nation down to happen. So, they see themselves first for the nation than for themselves, their family, their ethnic background or their place of origin. That is patriotism. In fact, the act of patriotism is even stronger in my heart now than when I wrote it.

    There are Nigerians who say they can’t die for this country. Do you think Nigeria is worth dying for?

    Nigeria is worth dying for if we are all ready. If we are all patriotic, Nigeria would be worth dying for. But if we are not patriotic, well, that is when the issue comes. Look at China; they would not allow anything to mess up their economy. America would not allow its country to be bastardised. Korea would protect its interest. So, Nigeria is worth dying for. Why not? The country of my birth is worth dying for.

    But the country also must die for its people. If we are ready to die for the country, the country also must be ready to die for its people. The American government can spend billions of dollars to rescue the life of a single American. And if an American knows that the country is ready to die for him, he can die for his country too. Patriotism is a whole system on which we should start to educate Nigerians now. As far as I am concerned, even indiscipline is lack of patriotism.

    When you were composing the anthem, you had the unity of Nigeria in mind. What is your take on the call for national conference?

    I have my own personal opinion concerning the national conference, but I’m not in support of the break-up of Nigeria. I have a feeling that Nigeria is meant to bring us together. If you see the resources in Nigeria, the way God has positioned the resources in Nigeria and left them in different places, you will see that God has made us to be together and to substitute for one another.

    But let me go back to my point: it is mismanagement and lack of patriotism that has made things to be like that. I remember a time I had to serve in Sokoto; I was in Sokoto for months without any fear of molestation. Nigerians were together then. You could travel to the North and East without any fear. How did it now generate to this level? So it’s not that Nigeria is not worth dying for, its management and wrong leadership. Nigeria is a very good business. Somebody said Nigeria is a good business in the hands of bad managers.

    Do you think Nigeria will ever get to the promise land?

    Why not, if we return to the basics? Let patriotism be taught in schools. Let people know the meaning of patriotism. Let it be a topic in schools. It must start from the top. Recently, some people were talking about jumbo pay for public officers. About 43 per cent of the nation’s total income is spent on the payment of legislators and government. 80 per cent is spent on running the government. If the amount of money taken from the Nigerian economy is taken from the British economy, it will collapse.

    Have you ever been acknowledged as one of the composers of the national anthem?

    Yes. But by only those who are close to me. When those in my hall, Nnamdi Azikwe Hall of the University of Ibadan, heard that I was the writer of the line ‘Arise o compatriots’, there was wild jubilation at the JCR Hall in 1978. Some newspapers also wrote that I and four others were the writers of the anthem.

    The government must acknowledge the writers of the anthem. We are not asking for money but for respect and honour. I composed four lines of the anthem, so I’m the major writer of the anthem.