The Nation Newspaper

Category: Saturday Magazine

  • Our near-death encounters with robbers, hoodlums, by e-taxi drivers

    Our near-death encounters with robbers, hoodlums, by e-taxi drivers

    While many have resorted to e-driving as a means to gainful employment, the challenges inherent are causing some to have a different view of the job. Some of the drivers who have had near-death experiences spoke with GBENGA ADERANTI

    Smart Adegbola, a fair, tall and handsome young man, would ordinarily not give a thought to driving a taxi, but he needed money to set up an aluminum fabrication business. Hence he joined the league of e-drivers popularly called Uber drivers.

    While his involvement in the vocation held a lot of promise at the beginning, Adegbola has had a second thought about it since an ugly encounter he had with a group of young men who nearly snuffed life out of him. Since the unseemly experience, his tongue is always in his mouth each time he gets a call from a customer.

    Narrating his experience to The Nation, he said he was at the African Shrine, Ikeja, Lagos, when a young man requested to be taken to Abule-Egba, another part of Lagos, at about 5 am. Adegbola said: “Immediately I got to the spot where he said I should pick him up, he made to enter the back seat, but I said no, that he should sit in the front.

    “We had barely ridden together for five minutes when the passenger said that something had dropped from his pocket. I joined him in searching the car but nothing was found, so he said we should continue the journey.”

    Unknown to the 30-year-old Uber driver, his client had a hidden motive.

    He said: “When we got to his estate, I stopped and waited for him to pay me the N1,000 fare. But he said he had no cash and would prefer to do a transfer. My seat belt was still fastened while he had removed his. He had also opened the car door and one of his legs was already out.

    “I gave him my account details and he dialed the USDD. It was still dark but I was watching him. Suddenly, I just saw a flash of shadow approaching my head. Before I could do anything, he had hit me with a stone in the head. That was when I knew that I was in for a hard time.

    “We started struggling as he tried to push me off the steering and take possession of the car. The car engine was revving while he had grabbed my neck.

    “I thought of pressing the horn to attract attention, but I was afraid that if I left his hand, it could be fatal. I accelerated the car but he succeeded in putting off the ignition.”

    The Uber passenger alighted from the car and Adegbola heaved a sigh of relief, not knowing that he (passenger) had removed the key.

    “Suddenly, the passenger made a U-turn and I had to alight from the car as he approached me. I landed in the drainage as I made get out of the car quickly.

    “He threw a stone at me while I was inside the drainage but, fortunately, the stone did not meet me.”

    The passenger had taken control of the car and was trying to run out of the gate while Adegbola was crying for help without any forthcoming.

    “Rather than run after the passenger as he made away with my cab, I started shouting ‘thief, thief’ in the hope that the security men in the estate would help me.

    “The security guard at the gate was probably afraid too, so he could not come out. I kicked the entrance of the security house.

    “Finally, the ingenuity of one of the guards at the estate saved the day as he radioed the personnel at the other gates around the estate not to allow the car to get out.

    “When he (passenger) discovered that all the gates had been locked, he forced his way out by using the car to break the locked gates.

    “Fortunately for me, the car fell into a ditch outside one of the gates. He quickly alighted from the car but was caught by passers bye as he tried to run away.

    “His parents came and met us there and begged that the matter should be settled.”

    Adegbola said the matter was eventually settled at the police station with the parents of the passenger agreeing to get the car repaired.

    He said, however, that there had been other dangerous of frustrating experiences apart from his close shave with death at the hands of a deadly passenger. According to him, it is annoying that some would be customers would call only for you to get to the location and they are somewhere else.

    Over time, he said, he had learnt to be wary when would be customers request for a ride and later tell him to change direction.

    He said: “There was a time, someone asked me to come and pick him up at Fagba (a Lagos suburb). But by the time I got to where I was supposed to pick the rider, I discovered that there were six of them and I zoomed off immediately.

    “They said there was no problem but I told them point blank that I was not interested and that they could cancel the appointment. Something told me that they had an evil plan.”

     

    Not twice lucky

    While Adegbola’s was lucky to escape death and his losses were mitigated in the attack he suffered from a passenger in Abule Egba, he was not as lucky when he was attacked by a group of young men in their 20s.

    According to him, what started as a friendly business turned sour after he took the young men to their destination but was robbed of his iPhone, android phone and savings. The sad experience, he said, began with a request by some riders at Hostel Bus Stop in Ikotun, another Lagos suburb, to take them to Lekki. He said: “I was not comfortable going on the trip because they said they wanted an offline ride. Rather than allow me to come to where they were, they told me to go to a filling station so that they would come and meet me there.

    “As they approached me, I noticed that they cancelled the request. That was when I became suspicious about the trip.

    “They told me that they were going for a transaction and that I should name my price for a whole day trip, for which I charged N20,000 and they agreed.

    “They were three in number, and with the way they entered the car, I was uncomfortable. They too knew I was a bit jittery. They suggested that since I was afraid and they too were afraid, we should pick a police escort on our way, because they did not want any harassment from the police. They said that if we got to a police station, we would get a police escort.”

    Adegbola took his riders to Eko Hotel, thinking that he was going to be paid. But rather than paying him, they took his iPhone and searched for the exchange rate of dollars.

    “They later returned my phone and went to the Mallam that changing dollars, but they disagreed over the exchange rate,” he said.

    Adegbola said from Eko Hotel, he was again directed by the three riders to take them to Constain in Ebute Meta area. Again, the agreement was that they were going to meet someone at Constain Bus Stop. But when they got there, the story changed again as he was told to drive to another place.

    By this time, he knew he was in a big mess and only a miracle would save him.

    He said: “It was here I got angry and started asking questions. From here, they started contacting another person, telling him that they were in front of his house and that he should come out.

    “The person at the other end of the telephone asked them if they brought someone else along, and they said they didn’t.

    “For more than 10 minutes, the person they were calling refused to come out.”

    Adegbola said at this point, he was already trembling with fear. Again, they requested for his phone and at this point, he had no option but to accede to their requests. That turned out to be the last time he would be holding his phone. They were not happy with him because he had wiped the search history.

    “I asked them to return my phone to me, but rather than do that, they started threatening me and switched to the slangs of the cult group called Eiye Confraternity.

    “The first thought that came to my mind was that I was in a big mess. They heard what I said and responded, ‘Bross, you don fuck up. We no fit harm you because na bible dey your front.’”

    “They took the bible and swore by it that they would not harm me and God should punish them if they did. They said the phone was too small to be taken away from me.

    “Unfortunately for me, on that day, I had three phones- my iphone, android and one other phone. They eventually took everything from me at gunpoint.

    “They checked my phones and deleted all my contacts. They took the password of my iphone, collected my ATM card and collected my pin.

    “They searched the car and asked me how much I had. I had N10,000 or N12,000 in the car on that day, which was a Sunday. They took everything away. They told me to walk away.

    When he went to the bank the second day, he discovered that they had withdrawn all the money in his account.

     

    More ugly experiences

    Before he ventured into e-driving, Adesola Ogun was a manager in a farm. According to him, the salary he was being paid was not enough to take care of his family, hence the need to seek an alternative. But he said it is by the sheer grace that he is still alive after the numerous close shaves he has had with death as a driver.

    Ogun says he prefers to work at night in order to avoid problems associated with the excesses of traffic wardens, LASTMA officials and policemen, but he has since realized that working in the night hour is very dangerous. He reckons, for instance, that so many people have died working at night, particularly on Lagos bridges.

    Ogun told The Nation that while ‘rider robbers’ are a big threat, the harassment most drivers suffer at the hands of hoodlums is better imagined than experienced. Describing e-hailing as a dangerous vocation, he said that most of the drivers have learnt to be street wise to escape the harassments meted out to them by hoodlums.

    He said: “The hoodlums in Lagos are so brazen that they may even decide to collect your car. They collected my friend’s car and injured him.

    “The hoodlums at Alapere, Agege and Ketu are the most notorious as they disturb drivers a lot. They will ask you for money and if you don’t give them or they feel it is not enough, they will damage your vehicle.”

    In these places, if your car develops a fault, they would come and attack you and dispossess you of your money, phones and other belongings.”

    Ogun reckoned that some of the drivers have learnt to speak the language of the hoodlums, saying: “About two weeks ago, I was ‘caught’ at Alapere and I spoke to them in the language they understand. I said, guy, as I am now, I have N200 in my car and you cannot do me anything because I know who is who. You can have this N200.

    “They asked me to bring it. I know the language they understand. If you don’t know the language they understand, they can do and undo.”

    Williams Steve works in one of the government agencies in Lagos State. But rather than go home after work, he prefers to stay behind to ‘hustle’. And business was good until he saw the other side of it sometime last year.

    He had just closed from work and got a request from a client to take him to a place around Airport Road. He was happy that it would be the last job for the day, not realizing the danger that lurked around the corner.

    Very close to the DHL office, he saw that the road was barricaded. As he slowed down, three young men appeared from nowhere. One of them held a gun, another an axe and the third a rod.

    “My intention was to reverse the car but they were too close. “The one with a gun was the closest to me. He came to my side with the gun and I had already dipped my hand inside the door compartment where I normally keep a fork. My intention was to bury the fork inside his neck and escape, because he was not aware of what I wanted to do.

    “Unfortunately, my passenger had opened the door and was lying flat on the floor, begging them. That destabilised me. I could still have done what I wanted to do and run away, but I would be risking the guy’s life.

    “I just withdrew my hand and they robbed us silly, taking everything we had on us, including my phones and wedding ring.

    “I eventually went back to Bolt, but they told me that my driver shield had expired the day before.

    “To make matters worse, when the robbers went away with my phone, my app was still active. One of the Bolt guys told me that they were the ones that ended the ride. They were aware that something happened.

    “The guys that took the phone did not know that it was the Bolt app.”

    Another Uber driver, who identified himself simply as Segun, said he was working with one of the big banks in Lagos before he was laid off. Rather than look for another paid job, he decided to use his car for Bolt services since 2018.

    He noted, however, that the business is fraught with challenges. Aside security challenges, he disclosed that the commission charged by the operators are outrageous.

    He said: “They charge us 25 per cent on each ride and the government too gets its commission. This is not encouraging. Many people who are unemployed are in this business.”

    He also disclosed that aside from cars being expensive, the cost of maintaining them coupled with bad roads and traffic jams could make the job frustrating.

    “We fuel the cars and maintain them while two per cent of our earnings go to the state government,” he said.

    He also said he has had his own share of bitter experiences with ‘rider robbers’.

    He said: “I took two riders from Ikosi-Ketu to the African Shrine around 9 pm. When we got to the Lagos State Secretariat, one of them held me by the neck from behind while the other started beating me.

    “Thank God my car was not taken away, because I installed security in it and they could not move it beyond the spot where they stopped me. I had to run for my life first.”

    Unfortunately, the joy of finding his car was short-lived as the Bolt office did not give him the assistance he thought he was going to get. “They told me that I had to go back to the police station to make an official report as they could not take up the case on their own.

    “What baffles me was that Bolt had the app the person used in requesting my services and the necessary information. They claimed that it was an old platform the person used hence they had no information on him.

    He said in another instance somewhere in Maryland, he was on robbed on Odo-Iya Alaro Bridge. “They took everything I had. That day, eight cars were robbed on that bridge. They took my phone and even my rider phone. They even had enough time to take my ring and they went Scot free. “Like my experience in Alausa, I didn’t end the ride until the following morning. Bolt called me that they knew I had been on same spot for so long and that I didn’t end the ride. I now told them that I was robbed.”

    Another driver, Akin, who had trained as a tiler, said he came to Lagos from Ekiti State in search of greener pastures. But after searching for a job and it was not forthcoming, he decided to join the group of unemployed people that found solace in e-driving; a business he has been doing for the past four years.

    He said like many of his colleagues, he had been to hell on occasion. Recalling his first ugly experience in the business, he said: “On that day, I was about to close and I said let me just do this last trip before going home. The guy said he was going to FESTAC town and I was caught in traffic along the Mile 2 Road and my passenger just terminated his journey because of the traffic.

    “The journey was not supposed to be more than five to eight minutes, but I got there at 8pm and did not leave the vicinity till 12 midnight.

    “Suddenly, I saw a group of boys who told me to wind down and give them money. I quickly did and gave them N1,000 but they told me that it was too small. I added N2,000, which they rejected. I decided to increase it to N3,000 but before I knew it, one of them had broken my glass. They ransacked my car, took the N15,000 I had in it and stole my phone.

    “Fortunately, I had N2,000 in my inner pocket. At that point, my fuel was down. It was the N2,000  I used in buying fuel that eventually took me home.

    Three days later, I went to withdraw money from my account and discovered that it was empty. I was shocked that they were able to break into my account. I did not give them my bank details. They took N90,000 from my account.

    Narrating his recent experience, Emma, another driver, said “at about 12 midnight, he was going to the Lagos Island when he was accosted by some boys around Ojota.

    “Thank God we had bottles inside the car. We pulled out bottles and they ran and crossed to the other side of the church. Funny enough, there were policemen very close by, but they didn’t do anything

    “The other time I was in Ojota. They asked me to wind down my glass. I knew they wanted to rob. The next thing I did was to put my hand inside my seat as if I wanted to bring out a weapon and they ran.

     

    Flip side of e-taxis driving

    Akin warned that e-driving job is not the kind one can do for too long because it is only convenient when the driver is still young. When they grow old, he said, the money they make may not be able to sustain them and their families.

    He urged the government to work on the roads and reduce fuel price.

    He said: “The amount the drivers pay on the cars is huge and it is difficult for many of them to meet up. He disclosed that most of the drivers are not the owners of the cabs, while the majority get them on hire purchase.

    He said: “If you do a job for three years and you are unable to save N500,000, that job is no job. I know what I’m saying. I’ve been doing this job for more than five years. You can’t build a house with this job or else you are being deceived. It is not a job that you would say you want to dedicate your entire life to.

    “The only way you can make little money is to do it offline. Here, you negotiate with your customers and they pay you your money.”

    He disclosed that working offline is better because it is always done through connections. And if there is a surge in business, he said, a driver can make up to N120,000 in a week, “if you are not lazy. The surge comes on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays,” he said.

    All the e-taxis drivers who spoke with The Nation agreed that security challenges are the greatest impediment to the business.

  • Baba Ijesha’s scandalous journey to the jailhouse

    Baba Ijesha’s scandalous journey to the jailhouse

    These are certainly not the best of times for embattled Nollywood actor, Olanrewaju James, popularly known as Baba Ijesha. He has been in the eye of the storm in the past months since he was arrested by the Lagos Police Command for allegedly assaulting his colleague, Princess’ 14-year-old foster daughter. The actor has since contended with public condemnation and a legal battle for his freedom. In June, Baba Ijesha was granted bail in the sum of N2,000,000 even as his ordeal took a different dimension. During the legal battle, Comedian Princess had tendered CCTV footage of the incident before the court.

    His case also birthed a series of controversies in the Yoruba movie industry, sparking rows among actors. Two notable stars — Iyabo Ojo and Yomi Fabiyi — earned everyone’s attention due to the extreme length they had gone to vent on the issue.

    Also, social media users had thronged various platforms to condemn Baba Ijesha’s act, urging the system to ensure that justice was served in favour of the victim.

    During the week, an Ikeja Special Offenses Court convicted Baba Ijesha, of sexually assaulting the 14- year-old minor involved in the case. His rape trial lasted over 12 months since his arrest and arraignment in June 2021.

    The judge, Oluwatoyin Taiwo, in a two-hour judgment convicted Baba Ijesha of indecent treatment of the child, sexual assault, and attempted sexual assault.

    Recall that the 48-year-old embattled actor was arraigned on a six-count charge which included sexual assault by penetration, indecent treatment of a child, and sexual assault.

    Others are the indecent treatment of a child, sexual assault, and attempted sexual assault by penetration. These charges were proffered against him by the Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP).

    During the trial, six prosecution witnesses testified against Baba Ijesha. They were Princess, the 14-year-old minor, Olabisi Ajayi-Kayode, a child expert; Aniekan Makanjuola, a medical doctor; Wahab Kareem, the investigating police officer; and Abigail Omane, a policewoman.

    Baba Ijesha was found guilty of four of the six offenses; two charges attracted five years while the remaining two attracted three years. The judge sentenced him to 16 years in prison concurrently.

    His 16-year jail term will run concurrently. This means that the movie actor will spend five years behind bars.

    The judgment elicited mixed reactions. In some quarters, the court was praised for giving its final verdict on the issue in favour of the minor.

    Some others, especially Baba Ijesha’s supporters empathized with the embattled actor and asked him to appeal.

    Reacting to the judgment, Comedian Princess dressed in a white flowing religious gown was filmed dancing on a street with a worship background song. She captioned the post on her Instagram as “God is not man.”

    Also, actress, Iyabo Ojo, who supported Princess, demanding justice wrote, “We give God all the glory. This victory is for all the girl child and boy child being abused….. Never be AFRAID to Speak up & Speak out.”(sic).

    Fabiyi, a supporter of the embattled actor, noted that Baba Ijesha is entitled to an appeal.

    In all of these, one must understand that the law is frail. Sometimes, it grants justice to the deserving. Other times, it is the opposite. As individuals, we can only strive to be better people with or without the law. The law can only play its part, especially in a society where values and ethics are fast losing their pristine essence.

  • 80 garlands for theatre icon Olu Jacobs

    80 garlands for theatre icon Olu Jacobs

    Veteran Nollywood actor, Oludotun Baiyewu Jacobs popularly known as Olu Jacobs who clocked 80 recently has many things to be thankful for despite his ordeals.

    With over 40 years in the movie industry, the actor is one of the few veterans whose footprints have both inspired and defined the path for many aspiring and established actors.

    At the 80th birthday celebration held for him at Lagos’ illustrious Glover Hall, colleagues, and dignitaries from many spheres of life attended the event to honour the cinema legend.

    Among those present was the Governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi, former Governor of Ogun State, Chief Segun Oshoba, Media Mogul, Mo Abudu, Victor Osuagwu, Ngozi Nwosu, and Kunle Afolayan.

    Others include Sola Sobowale and Hilda Dokubo. Mercy Johnson, Richard Mofe Damijo, AFRIFF founder, Chioma Ude, Ini Edo, and a host of others were in attendance.

    Olu Jacobs is a successful professional who has paid his dues in the movie industry and is thus highly respected by all, especially as a film executive, with inspiring roles in several British television series and international films.

    Having starred in over 150 Nollywood and international movies, he has carved his niche as a brilliant actor and stage performer to the delight of his teeming fans within and outside Nigeria.

    Jacobs was rumored to have died in 2021 but his 60-year-old wife and fellow thespian, Joke Silva, debunked the rumour and later disclosed the situation of his health as ‘dementia with Lewy bodies.’

    Jacobs obtained his First School Leaving Certificate from Holy Trinity School in Kano State where he was said to be highly active in the Debating and Drama Society.

    After his secondary education, he travelled out of the country to study Theatre Arts at the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in England, United Kingdom in 1964. Subsequently, he worked with various repertoire theatres in Britain and starred in some international movies.

    He got his first acting role while in London. After a successful audition, he bagged a role in his first movie “The Vigilante” which was produced by AA Production.

    Subsequently, many other roles were to follow as he established himself as an actor of note in various British television series and shows in the 70s.

    He starred in the political tragedy and comedy play “Murderous Angels” performed in the 1971 edition of Dublin Theatre Festival. In 1978, he played the role of President Mageeba in Michael Codron’s presentation of British screenwriter Sir Tom Stoppard’s play “Night and Day”.

  • Kemi Badenoch: British-Nigerian PM candidate on verge of history

    Kemi Badenoch: British-Nigerian PM candidate on verge of history

    The race to replace Boris Johnson as Britain’s prime minister is heating up and interestingly, a British politician of Nigerian descent, Olukemi Olufunto Badenoch (nee Adegoke), is one of the many contenders in the forthcoming September 5 election.

    Others in the race are Suella Braverman, Jeremy Hunt, Penny Mordaunt, Rishi Sunak, Tom Tugendhat, Liz Truss, and Nadhim Zahawi.

    Kemi’s family, educational background, and political experience so far, give her an edge. Kemi who has since launched her Tory leadership campaign claimed to be the “fresh face” that the Conservative Party (CP) needs.

    As the contest gets keener, Kemi stands out among many other contestants. She is a strong force to be reckoned with no doubt. Beyond the pride of having a compatriot contesting the prestigious seat, she has elicited pride among Nigerians, Africans, and women worldwide.

    Kemi had announced her intention to run in an Op-Ed published in the Times of London on Saturday, July 9, 2022.

    Confirming her candidacy in an article in the Times, Kemi said she wanted a “limited government focused on the essentials.”

    The 42-year-old, who was among ministers that resigned, said she would lower taxes, but also have a “tight spending discipline.”

    Kemi has committed to ensuring that as “a very top priority,” she wants “to tell the truth.”

    “Without change, the Conservative Party, Britain, and the western world will continue to drift. Aggressive and assertive rivals will outpace us economically and outmaneuver us internationally,” she wrote.

    “It won’t be enough just to offer better management of relative decline. We need the discipline to transform government into an effective and streamlined machine for delivery, not a piggy bank for pressure groups.”

    “It’s the truth that will set us free,” she added.

    Down the memory lane, Kemi was born on January 2nd, 1980. She was born in Wimbledon, London, to parents of Nigerian origin — Femi and Feyi Adegoke. Her childhood was spent in Lagos, Nigeria, and the United States (US). She studied Computer Systems Engineering at the University of Sussex and worked as a Software Engineer at Logica. She also worked at the Royal Bank of Scotland Group as a Systems Analyst.

    In 2012, Badenoch contested but lost a seat at the London Assembly. Three years later, she was selected as a London Assembly Member. She was also appointed Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury and was Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department of Education between July 2019 and February 2020. She was elected as the MP of Saffron Welden, Essex in 2017 and joined the frontbench two years later.

    In February 2020, she was appointed Minister of State for Equalities. She held the position until July 6, 2022, when she resigned.

    Kemi is married to Hamish Badenoch; they have two daughters and a son. Hamish works for Deutsche Bank and was a Conservative councilor from 2014 to 2018 on Merton London Borough Council, representing Wimbledon Village.

    Meanwhile, Kemi was a board member of the Charlton Triangle Homes housing association until 2016 and was also a school governor at St Thomas the Apostle College in Southwark, and the Jubilee Primary School. She recently berated Nigerian politicians for being selfish and failing to serve others.

    During her time as equalities minister, Kemi was criticised by members of the government’s LGBT+ advisory panel over delays in banning conversion therapy.

    The 42-year-old is a strong defender of conservatism and received a boost with the endorsement of Tory heavyweight, Michael Gove. Gove spoke of her in glowing terms calling her a “brave, principled, brilliant and kind.”

    Kemi has also been publicly endorsed by some other members of parliament including Neil O’Brien, MP for Harborough; and Gareth Bacon, MP for Orpington.

    Speaking on why she is contesting, she said: “I’m ambitious for our party and our country. I chose to become a conservative MP to serve and I chose this country because here, I can be free and I can be everything that I wanted to be.

    “I grew up in Nigeria and I saw firsthand when politicians are in it for themselves.

    “When they use private money as their piggybanks, when they promise the earth and they pollute not just the earth, but the whole political atmosphere with their failure to serve others.

    “I came to Britain, determined to make my way in a country where hard work and honesty can take you anywhere.”

    “I am delighted that a growing number of my colleagues have faith in my vision for a return to honest politics and conservative principles. Thank you for your support.

    “Now is the time for a change, and I am looking forward to continuing to make that case in the TV debates.”

  • How Oyetola has fostered good governance in Osun

    How Oyetola has fostered good governance in Osun

    Correspondent TOBA ADEDEJI writes on how Osun State Governor Gboyega Oyetola resolved the issues that served as hindrance to victory in 2018 and fostered good governance in the State of Living Springs.

    An American College football player and coach, Paul Bryant, said: “When you make a mistake, there are only three things you should ever do about it: admit it, learn from it, and don’t repeat it.”

    By some of the actions of the incumbent Governor Adegboyega Oyetola and candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, the APC appears to have admitted it made some mistakes ahead of the 2018 governorship poll and in the way it approached the election. And it almost paid dearly for it. But thankfully, the party under Oyetola has learnt its lesson and has turned the failings to testimonies.

    Every political observer and citizen of the state alike has testified to the fact that all the issues that almost made it impossible for the party to coast to victory convincingly at the first ballot in that election appears to have been addressed by the governor and candidate of the party. Political pundits also believe that the governor’s handling of the issues to the admiration of the generality of the people would further enhance his chances of winning the poll this Saturday.

    Investigations revealed that some of the major issues at the time were: half salary, non remittance of contributory pension, single uniform regime, reclassification of schools, workers’ unrest, students’ restiveness and the inability to rebuild the Atakumosa market, among others.

    Since assuming office to date, salaries and pensions are paid as and when due and contributory remittances are done regularly. In fact, only recently, Osun was listed by the National Pension Commission as one of the five states that are up to date in the remittance of the pension. Oyetola is also reducing the backlog that was inherited.

    Interestingly, the single uniform policy that has been abolished by the governor revived the local economy as school uniform sellers and tailors are back in business.

    Three and half years down the lane, Oyetola has kept faith with the vision of the founding fathers of the State to sustainably build Ipinle Omoluabi – State of the Virtuous. With what is on the ground, Oyetola has demonstrated that he is one leader that can be trusted by the people at home and in the Diaspora.

    For instance, unlike what others do by giving excuses, he has since fulfilled most of the promises he made to the citizens of the state during the electioneering, despite the initial litigation distraction that lasted about eight months, the Covid-19 pandemic that hobbled governance for one year and the Endsars challenge.

    Conscious of the reality that provision of services is a function of availability of funds and creativity, Governor Oyetola convoked the Osun Economic Summit in 2019 to launch a season of economic revolution in the State.

    Despite the hiccup of the Covid-19 pandemic, this initiative attracted investments to the State, including the Polythene Pipe and Tractor Assemblage Factory located at Free Trade Zone; Topsell Nigeria Limited, makers of perm kernel oil, located at Aisu, Ede; the International Trade Centre/Industrial Hub and Inland Port at Dagbolu, where some factories are already springing up. Other investment efforts are at various stages of MoU completion.

    As part of efforts to further stimulate the Osun economy, the government, in collaboration with the Bank of Industries, BOI, assisted five moribund industries to return to operations, including Argo Multi-Ventures – bottlers of Global products, Moye Oil Petro-chemical Company and Honesty CICS Aluminium Company, located at Aisu, Ede.

    Dwelling on his creative financing experience in the private sector, Oyetola introduced the Alternative Project Funding Approach to finance road infrastructure and other projects. This is in addition to plugging wastes and cutting down excesses to mop up funds for governance.

    Additionally, the government disbursed well over Five Billion Naira through the Osun Micro-Credit Agency to support entrepreneurs, farmers, petty traders and businessmen and women.

    It is on record that his decision to construct, renovate and revitalised 332 Primary Health Care Centres (PHCs) at a go is unprecedented in the history of governance in the country. Oyetola in just three days inaugurated 25 PHCs that had been completed, a project other leaders would probably spend four years to complete.

    Read Also; Osun poll: Oyetola holds the ace

    This fact was confirmed by no less a personality than the immediate past Health Minister, Professor Isaac Adewole. Speaking at one of the inauguration ceremonies in Ilesa, the former minister, said “With what I have read and seen myself, I can say it without equivocation that no governor has done what Osun has done, particularly in the health sector.”

    Prof. Adewole further appealed to Ijesa people to ensure that they speak loudly with their votes in 2022 in support of the governor and the APC.

    He added: “Osun has become the leading light in the health sector as reflected in the huge commitment that the State had made to repositioning the sector for the optimum use and benefit of the citizenry.

    “I am repeating it that no government in Nigeria has embarked on the construction and renovation of 332 PHCs at a time as being done by the present administration in the state.

    “This is a rare feat. This is also a welcome development targeted at supporting the health needs of the people across the nooks and crannies of the state”.

    Since coming on board, the governor has demonstrated that he not only understands and appreciates the peculiar needs of an average Osun person, he has also proved that he is passionately interested in growing the State from where his predecessor left off.

    From fixing the Igbajo road which was last touched 33 years ago, to renovating the Atakumosa Market, which got burnt in 2015, Oyetola has proved to be a people-oriented and needs-inclined leader.

    Hear what the Asiwaju of Igbajo, a legal czar, Chief Solomon Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), who led a delegation of Igbajo Development Association (IDA) on a “Thank You” visit to Mr. Governor said: “For many years, this (Ada-Igbajo) road has been crying for rehabilitation. Even before I became the Commissioner for Justice in the State (1991-92), this road had been in a terrible state.

    “But today, we thank God for using your government to come to our aid. This will go a long way to redefine many things in the benefiting communities.

    “You have given us a great relief. Osun is very lucky to have you as Governor at this time. You have come to power with deep experience in both the private and the public sectors as reflected in the way and manner you have been prudently and sensibly running the resources and affairs of the State.”

    Oyetola is steadily delivering social services and innovative strategies, including but not limited to revitalisation of General Hospitals in the three senatorial districts; effective management of Covid-19 pandemic; provision of infrastructure;  reconstruction/rehabilitation of hundreds of rural and urban roads across the State for socioeconomic development; construction of the iconic Olaiya Flyover; renovation of schools across the State; provision of educational materials for students and training and re-training of teachers to enhance their capacity; recruitment of teachers; provision of affordable, adequate and functional education to students; provision of loans and credit facilities for women and youths; and cultivation of youths as the face of government’s sustainable development efforts.

    Oyetola’s strategies, wrapped with a large dose of political will, have given birth to a new Osun and transformed Osun’s economy in the last three and half years. He has been able to create an Osun of possibilities and opportunities. He has replaced the State’s wooden legs with steely props, which are steadily releasing the State’s neck from the debt noose, ensuring workers’ salaries and pensions are paid as and when due and tapping the State’s untapped resources.

    This perhaps may be responsible for the widespread and unprecedented endorsements he received from the traditional institution, the labour, artisans, students and other categories of groups and associations in the State.

    Endorsements, experts say, act as a ‘mental shortcut’ that “help voters make sense of a candidate’s policies and positions.” Undoubtedly, the various endorsements enjoyed by Oyetola would go a long way in helping the Osun electorates decide in favour Oyetola, this Saturday.

    Ahead of Saturday’s Osun governorship election, the APC held its mega rally on Tuesday this week, where all its 21 governors stormed Osogbo, describing Oyetola, as an excellent performer who has brought purpose to governance.

    They said those who have a fair mind devoid of prejudices and biases will testify to the developmental strides Oyetola has registered since becoming governor of the State in 2018.

    The progressive governors, therefore, reaffirmed their unalloyed support for Governor Oyetola just as they declared their readiness to do all that is necessary within the law to ensure his re-election.

    While addressing a mammoth crowd at the Mega Rally held at the Osogbo Township Stadium, national leaders of the APC expressed confidence that the party will coast home to victory in overwhelming fashion come Saturday.

    The Senate President, Senator Ahmad Lawan, lauded Oyetola’s prudence and efficiency in managing the State’s meagre resources, calling on citizens to look beyond political sentiments in their choice of who to elect, and to vote massively for Oyetola.

    Lawan said: “We have a governor who is prudent and efficient in the face of very meagre resources. Today, Osun has witnessed so much infrastructural development, political stability and peace. We believe that we have everything we need for development with this our Governor”.

    On his part, the presidential flag-bearer of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, urged the people of Osun to replicate the victory recorded last month in Ekiti.

    Tinubu said: “We have come to ask that you vote massively on Saturday for APC, not as a mark of entitlement but because of the future of your children.

    “Before you make your decision, think of the future. We are a party that guarantees your future because we are known for fulfilling our promises. Let us entrust the affairs of our state into the hands of those who mean business, not mushroom parties”.

    In his remarks, the National Chairman of the Party, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, said the mega rally was an indication that the APC was not taking any chance with the affairs of Osun, saying the State deserves a leader like Oyetola in its quest for development.

    Adamu said: “This is a mega rally to promote our candidate. We are taking no chances with the affairs of Osun because the State deserves a leader like Oyetola in its quest for development. This is why we have come in full strength to support him in a bid to ensure his re-election. Those who have a fair mind will testify that he has done so much since he became governor in 2018.

    “We are here not only to testify to what he has done but to appeal to you to turn out in large number to vote massively for him. We are anticipating a better outcome than what we had in Ekiti and by the Grace of God, we are sure of victory. I want you to be the APC ambassadors, telling those who are not here what you have seen. Continue to spread the good works of this government in the nooks and crannies of the State.”

    Speaking on behalf of his colleagues, the Chairman of the Nigeria Progressives Governors’ Forum, Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State, assured that Oyetola has the backing of all APC governors in the coming election, saying he had earned it with his outstanding performance.

    Earlier, the Chairman of the National Campaign Council for Osun governorship election and Lagos State Governor, Babajide SanwoOlu, described Oyetola as deserving of another term based on his personal encounters with the people of the State.

    In his words, “We thank the originator of IleriOluwa political slogan, our dear Governor Oyetola, the one because of whom we are here. Indeed, it is a huge honour that we stand here today because this is a worthy assignment and we have a sellable candidate. It is a job that is gratifying and doable because Governor Oyetola has indeed performed excellently well.

    “I have been on campaign trail with him and I have witnessed the overwhelming support and how the people have said he is deserving of another term.

    “People of Osun, do not be deceived by those who are trying to say otherwise. Let us vote massively for Oyetola to continue doing his great works for every sector of the population. This is a man that that is an embodiment of good governance.”

    While welcoming members of the National Campaign Council to the State, the Director-General of Oyetola’s re-election Campaign Council, Senator Ajibola Basiru, described the grand rally as a celebration of excellence.

    He said: “Today, you are being welcome to the celebration of excellence in governance because in the last three and a half years, Governor Oyetola has brought dexterity, commitment and integrity to the affairs of this State across sectors.

    “Now, we are on the path of consolidating the progress and development of the State by re-electing that man that is certain to deliver development over and over. With him, Osun is on the path of sustainable development”.

    In his short remarks, Governor Oyetola, said Osun is on the path of consolidating on the gains of the last three and a half years.

    He urged the people of Osun, especially workers, to shun political traducers who are peddling falsehood that his administration will renege on its commitment to their welfare if re-elected, saying he remains strongly committed to their welfare.

    Oyetola also declared his readiness to do beyond what he has done in his first term, saying the welfare of workers and citizens and the overall development of Osun remain his priority.

    Oyetola has proved in the last three and half years that provision of projects and delivery of good governance are possible in a depressed economy. He has taken the State off the path of dearth of growth and progress and emplaced it on the lane of sustainable development. In the throes of Covid-19 and other encumbrances, he put governance on autopilot. All these are foundational initiatives for an Osun that is poised to be a model in transformational governance in a period of economic downturn.

    The next four years is for building bricks on this foundation to deliver the Osun of the citizens’ collective dream. The builder of this envisioned economic edifice can only be the initiator. The uninitiated can only look on or learn.

  • Girls…girls…ladies….stop violating your destiny!!!

    Girls…girls…ladies….stop violating your destiny!!!

    DEAR Aunty Temilolu, I’ve just read your post on virginity and I want to say thank you. Though it looks like we lack pleasures, not current, not trending, stupid etc, I am certain, just as you are that the latter shall be glorious! Thank you for your invaluable preachings on sexual purity!

    Pat

     

    Dear Aunty Temilolu,

    I just want you to know I agree with your priceless teachings and I am a witness to the rewards of living a chaste life! I waited till 34 to get married and my fiancé and i never compromised. I clearly understood where I was coming from, I wanted to change some patterns and I never wanted to walk anyone’s path. I have tasted suffering, rejection, loneliness in life because of my refusal to engage in sex before marriage! I have been offered to be laid on several occasions just to get a job even with a 1st Class and a Master’s degree but I would always say to myself, “it’s too late to compromise…” The long and short of it is that I never regretted my decision and God rewarded me! Please keep up the good work. May God continue to increase in you in Jesus mighty name!

    Anita Ogbonna

     

    Dear Aunty Temilolu,

    I am a 25-year-old graduate.I graduated from the University 2 years ago. I met a guy after my service year around April last year. As I write this right now I  still feel so ashamed of my self. I can’t stop regretting everything that happened between this guy and I. After five months of our relationship, he asked for sex. I didn’t want to accept at first. Then he began disturbing me and giving me the cold shoulder! I was so blind I never knew that was a red flag. After so much persuasion, I finally accepted we should have sex. After the sexual intercourse, he stopped picking my calls, he blocked my number on this phone and blocked me on all his social media handles. Truly, guys change drastically after sex. I feel so ashamed right now especially when I learnt from someone that he is makes jest of me when having a conversation with his friends. I learnt my lesson in a very hard way. One of my friends counseled that a man that truly loves you will wait till your  wedding night,not asking for sex in a relationship. A few months ago, I started following your articles. Though i am not a virgin, i feel so ashamed of myself. Because I allowed myself to be deceived by an ordinary man, a mere mortal! Truly, chastity is the best and the word of God is the truth! Now i understand why the scripture says we should flee from all forms of fleshly lust. I cry a lot especially at night because the pain is still deep in my heart. In fact, I’m crying as i write and I pray God forgives me and sends the right man destined for me. Right now

    I will wait patiently till my wedding night. Please let other girls see this and learn from my experience. Also, please remember me in your prayers. Thanks ma.

    Girls…girls…girls,

    Hmmm…I’ve responded appropriately to the above lady and I’m sure she would be fine!!! But what do you expect from a guy who has no serious lifetime commitment/contract with you (like marriage) to do when he’s surrounded by too many girls/ladies who are in fact chasing him to get laid by him? I’m so sorry about what happened to the lady above but quite frankly what do you expect when you choose the devil over God? Of course, you get nothing but shame, reproach and agony!!! I keep saying because your pastors don’t emphasize on ungodly sex doesn’t mean it’s okay for you to engage in it! Some of you are unfortunately so bland and blind in spirit such that you place your entire existence on guys and go about like life wouldn’t be worth living if you don’t have one boyfriend you’re sleeping with! What in the world has come over you??? Some of you feel if a guy promises to marry you like most of them do- you might as well let him have carnal knowledge of of you! May you not sleep with 50 men before age 22 and end up with none of them in marriage! YES!!! I know what I’m talking about! Can you please have some shame? It’s absolutely wrong for a guy who’s not your husband to see your nakedness! Some ladies have even forgotten the number of guys they’ve slept with all in the name of having a relationship! May your destiny not be scattered to pieces!!!

    • To Be Continued

     

    I invite you to follow me on Facebook –TEMILOLU OKEOWO Instagram @ Okeowotemilolu

    FINAL WORD

    Chastity does not belong to the past. It saves you a lot of trouble, preserves your beautiful destiny and stands you out from the crowd. You are better off not engaging in pre-marital and extra-marital sex. Stay chaste!

    Evangelist Temilolu O. Okeowo is the founder and Head girl of The Girls Apostolic Ministry of All Nations, an apostolic ministry for girls in their teens and twenties, and Girls Club of Nigeria, an NGO for Nigerian girls aimed at influencing a positive change. She published her debut-book for girls – THE BEAUTY OF LIFE – as an undergraduate and has other books and publications. She was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2003 and is a Certified Forensics Examiner.

  • QUEENSLY OMOGBAI: My turning point was covering a story and getting injured

    QUEENSLY OMOGBAI: My turning point was covering a story and getting injured

    Queensly Omogbai is a qualified UX/UI Designer who is currently working at one of Nigeria’s leading FinTech Companies, Jostpay Limited. She started off as a journalist before delving into the digital world.
    In this interview with Olaitan Ganiu, Queensly talks about why she left the newsroom for web technologies, her turning point as well as her strong passion for the girl-child.

    WHAT inspires the things you do?

    The inspiration started from secondary school when I was the Vice President of the Press Club. Then, when l was in the university, I was a production assistant for a program called, Campus life. This was a turning point in my career. It was a groundbreaking experience. I did my National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in the Public Relations Unit of Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA). At the same time, l was a presenter in Eko FM. After the completion of my service year, I was employed as a Communication Officer at a Law Firm, Astrea Partners.  I am currently working at a fintech company, JostPay as a Senior User Experience (UX) designer.

    You studied Mass Communication, what inspired you to go into UX design?

    Communication is a universal language which facilitates services to every establishment. The idea of information sharing will enable me to explain my work clearly and convincingly. One of the things that inspired me was the fact that UX design is concerned and deals with users, which allows me to make use of my experience and qualifications in communication. Also, I understand how crucial, communication of ideas and thought processes is key for any organization or with the end-users.

    How has Mass Communication helped you as a UX designer?

    To make a product successful, its requires effective communication with end-users. Each product through its interface design needs to tell users what it can do for them, how they can use it and why they should really care about using that product.  UX design is basically creating user-friendly intangible products. This can only be done effectively by gathering adequate and effective information about the user which is a similar rule in journalism ‘knowing your audience’. This and so much more of my skill acquired in the field of mass communication has proven effective in UX design

    How would you compare both sectors?

    In comparison, I do believe that they are two different sectors. However, digital technology has a

    solid background in communications. So many founding rules adopted by the tech industry are embedded in communications. While mass communication will not be effective without digital technology. I will say they are different but strongly interwoven.

    What was the turning point in your career?

    The turning point for me was when I had to a cover story that got me injured during my internship in a media house. Then I started having doubts about the risk for journalists in Nigeria. I started doing research on a modern career that could be rewarding. There is no better time to become a UX designer, here you find global demand, countless job opportunities and low barriers to entry.

    How were you able to secure a job as a qualified UX designer?

    Wow! Far easier than I expected, there is no need for a degree, in any field in tech, as long as you can prove that you are good at what you do. Nobody is disturbing or asking for long years of experience. This  makes it a sector that you can grow in. The demand for UX designers is steadily increasing. LinkedIn even ranked UX design as one of the Top 5 in-demand skills as of 2020.

    What dreams did you have while growing up?

    I have always wanted to be a restaurateur and a media practitioner as far as secondary school. I actually wanted to be like Amanpour after seeing her covering one of the ‘Jos Crisis’ then . I also love experimenting with food and trying new recipes. I am the only female in my family. So, I always want to feed everyone in the family.

    So far, tell us about some of your achievements?

    This include consulting with clients to understand their goals, explaining user research results to internal and external stakeholders, developing personas and usage scenarios, conducting usability testing, creating product prototypes. We have also been teaching young adults about personal development and counselling them on challenging life issues as well as educating young pupil of prospective careers in tech.

    What are some of the challenges encountered?

    Some of the challenges is that most people do not have a good understanding of the Technology Industry, which in turn discourages people from venturing into it. Another challenge is poor electricity supply and internet accessibility, which is a constant struggle compared to our counterparts abroad. You will be able to solve most of the challenges, but some will really stress you.

    So, what has been your greatest motivation throughout your journey?

    The need to always want to create some apps that make people’s life much better. The smile that comes when you have given people satisfaction from your little innovation has been a great motivation. As UX designers’ problem-solving skills become even more valuable when they need to find a way to not only help the average user but also identify and solve the usability difficulties that come with other demographics.

    With the recently Female Bills rejected by the government, do you think Nigerian women are given enough opportunities to grow?

    Today, gender bias continues to create huge barriers for many women in Nigeria. Ongoing struggles include ensuring equal economic opportunities, educational equity, and an end to gender-based violence in Nigeria. I do believe the chances for women are better than what it was before, but we still have a long way to go.

    What advice do you have for the girl-child who wants to go into the sector?

    My advice is that if a girl-child wants to go into the Tech sector, it is important to sensitize parents and wards. Sometimes after mentoring, I have teenage girls come to me, to counsel them on how to speak to their parents on choosing a career in tech. Most female children are not encouraged or given the necessary support in such decisions. Also they can join clubs or groups (physically or online) that can foster their ambition.

    What lessons has life taught you?

    Life lesson which I always preach is to have principles, no matter the situation or circumstance you find yourself you will be able to overcome it.  ‘It’s never too late to be what you might’ve been.’ – George Eliot.

    What are some of the things that you would like to do in future?

    I will like to establish a brand that mentors and give opportunities for a career in tech, a facility that helps shape young minds, especially in Africa. Also have innovative product designs that will help make human life much better.

  • KEMI OGUNKOYA: Let’s play value card, enough of gender card

    KEMI OGUNKOYA: Let’s play value card, enough of gender card

    All over the world, there is a major problem of leadership, there are several misconceptions and many in the corridors of power are overwhelmed with challenges.
    Kemi Ogunkoya is the founder and CEO of LeaderX. A leadership strategist who has been in sector for about three decades; she worked with many phenomenal leaders as a trainer, advisor and consultant. In this interview with Yetunde Oladeinde she opens up on her experiences, challenges, need to fill the gaps and how the idea to create an app called LeaderX started.

    WHAT is unique about the Leadership you unveiled?

    With LeaderX people don’t have to break the bank anymore to access Leadership. Short term development interventions may cost between 10,000 to 15,000 dollars or even more. If you spend 10 minutes every day in a year, you would have spent over 60 hours developing your Leadership skills. As against, planning to go for a four hour programme that never happened. Access is easy because it is in the pocket, very close to you on your mobile device. It is also good for Organisations; they have a pathway on the app. We call it the enterprise plan and Organisations are able to enroll their people on the App, such that they can develop their leadership skills. I believe that there is a pathway for Leadership development. For people to become better leaders at work, to develop personal leadership because it begins with self. Until, they begin to develop personal Leadership, they would struggle to develop business leadership. They cannot go to work and become magicians and can’t give what they do not have. So, it definitely it begins with self. LeaderX is that solution, that intervention that makes Leadership development more sustainable.  It is the first of its kind in Nigeria and Africa. I would also say that this was proudly done by Nigerians, the entire app is 100 per cent Nigerian and I am so proud of what we have been able to accomplish.

    What were the challenges encountered in the process of putting this together?

    Top on the challenge was finding people within. We definitely are experiencing a huge talent drain. So, finding people who had the right skills, the right competence, right mind set was a challenge.  But, we were able to overcome this. A number of people has asked, is it Indians that developed it, but it is proudly Nigerian.

    What motivated the idea?

    As a Leadership development strategist, I get to move around a lot. Sometimes, I am in Lagos, Kano, Abuja and then the demands keep piling and I realised that there is a need and this need is bigger than just me. There is no way that I can be in a thousand and one places at the same time. But, if you are able to reach more people, be able to deal with the Leadership gap and remove the barrier to accessing Leadership development and create more opportunities.

    Would this replace Mentoring?

    I don’t think anything would replace the place of mentorship. But, we score this as a personal trainer that helps you get focus, achieve your dreams and also help you get better.

    How do you feel unveiling this?

    Oh my goodness! I am so honored and delighted doing this. It’s been a long journey getting into the tech space. It has been an Honour and I am grateful that we are doing this.  I am grateful that we are going beyond barriers’, going beyond stereotypes and we are able to do this. I am also proud that enough of importing everything from outside Nigeria and Africa. Now, we also get to export a resource from Nigeria to the rest of the world.

    The night has been very long, the day also has been very long but it has been a very worthwhile course. Right from the very first moment that the idea was dropped in my spirit and through all the various transitions, the twists and turns as well as the victories and road blocks.

    For over a decade, I have worked with phenomenal leaders in various walks of life, industry, countries and continent as a trainer, advisor and consultant. I have different proffered solution to their leadership development need. I have seen firsthand some of their pains, joys, victories, transformations, frustrations, desires and it pretty much cut across different areas of life. Whether they are trying to live a more fulfilling life, becoming better versions of themselves, leading and growing their organizations or looking for ways to accelerate their competence. Taking their leadership to the next level or maybe they are young leaders trying to find their path.

    There are definitely numerous stories to tell, stories that can never be fully exhausted. These stories live with me; they inspire me to keep pushing on the agenda of demystifying and democratizing leadership.

    As we look around us, there is obviously a leadership gap and one thing is obviously, leadership development can no longer be treated as a one night stand.

    It’s coming shortly after COVID, when everyone went to the Digital space. Can we say that COVID inspired the idea?

    Well, when we look at the changes that happened in the course of COVID, they were changes that would still come. But COVID was like a seed that made it ripen, thinking of how we have been able to adapt to the Digital world. It has influenced, but beyond that is a need to demystify and democratise Leadership.

    What advice do you have for Women who like to avoid the tech space?

    There is nothing that you put your mind to that you cannot surmount. Value for me comes first. So, we have to look at it based on the value we have and that should be the focus.

    Where do you see LeaderX in the next few months?

    I see LeaderX as the resource that is being absorbed all over the world as the go to Leadership resource. I know for sure that when people become better at who they are, they also become better at what they do. Research also states that globally about 90 per cent of people believe that developing their leadership skills would help them live more fulfilling and successful lives personally and professionally.

    On the business scene, about 83 per cent of businesses say that it is important to develop leaders at every level. More than 77 per cent of organizations report that leadership is lacking and less than five per cent of companies need leadership development at all levels. We definitely see the gaps, we see the effect of the shortfalls, the cracks are beginning to show and they are widening. We cannot afford to continue to see the effect of this lacuna.

    Today’s world demand a world for leadership to be a 24/7 activity. Therefore the traditional approaches alone do not seem to provide the adequate level of intervention needed. We started by understanding why this gaps exist, and its widening despite the awareness of leadership development. We went digging, conducted lots of interviews, did questionnaires, collated, analysed and reviewed. In the end, we identified 3 major constraints as time, finance and access.

    How would you assess women’s leadership and the small representatives on boards?

    I think sometimes, the reason why we have been able to see some form of representation has been because of the numbers and percentages dedicated to women. But I think the conversation has to go beyond that. For me, I say enough of the gender card. We need to play the value card. We should ask whoever has value to bring it to the table. I remember when we started; a particular client looked at me and asked, do women think leadership. And, I genuinely saw his thoughts and it was until value was being displayed that he said wow. So, I think we have to step away from that gender card; we have played that for way too long. Even as women, we have internalized it for way too long and even when the opportunities come, we feel that do, we deserve it. We need to develop that level of self awareness and come from that place where we genuinely see and receive people in the place of value irrespective of diversity, be it gender, nationality or age.

    Tell us about the feedback from the research done?

    We carried out a survey last year and we asked over 2000 professionals how much time they spend currently developing their leadership skills. Over 67 per cent fell between 0- 3 hours weekly. Yet, they desire to invest more of their human capital in developing their leadership skills. Then we have access. Finding more class leadership interventions can be nerve racking and finding interventions that provide sustainable access is almost no-existent. Let’s not forget the changes in the demography of the work space today. We saw these huge challenges; we understood the peculiarities and the implications of letting the statuesque remain. We had to do something and that quest to find solutions and consistently help leaders develop speed, agile effective and sustainable leadership to fulfill their dreams and achieve their goals berth LeaderX. It is an innovative 360 degrees, end to end on the go leadership development intervention

  • Our night of horror – Kuje Prisons neighbours recall ugly experience during insurgents’ attack on facility

    Our night of horror – Kuje Prisons neighbours recall ugly experience during insurgents’ attack on facility

    By Blessing Olaifa and Gbenga Omokhunu, Abuja

    Days after the deadly attack on Kuje Medium Custodial Centre in the Federal Capital Territory on Tuesday, many residents of the prison’s neighbourhood are yet to put the nightmarish experience behind them.

    For more than two hours, according to some of the residents, the neighbourhood was subjected to fear and trepidation as gunshots and explosions boomed with reckless abandon. Some of the residents who spoke with our correspondent recalled how the community’s peace was disrupted and the once serene atmosphere became a theatre of war.

    Mr. Joseph Akeredolu, one of the residents who witnessed the warlike occasion said they initially thought it was members of the vigilante group in the area that had embarked on a show of force when they heard the first few gunshots.

    Akeredolu, who lives directly behind the prison facility, said: “I thought it was the vigilante group that was trying to let the people know that they were around, because the whole thing started with a few gunshots.

    “But when the gunshots became sporadic and was followed by explosions like it were a movie scene, I then knew that something terrible was about to happen.

    “I gathered my family in one room and looked through one of the windows to get a clearer picture.

    “It was a terrible experience. The explosions became intense and they were followed by earth shaking bombardments that caused the ground and the gates of our house to start shaking.

    “The gunshots and bombings, which began around 10.25 pm, continued for about two hours as sounds of stray bullets were heard on the roofs of buildings. Then we started hearing “Allahu akbar ” Allahu akbar “, meaning “Allah is great, Allah is great.

    “At this point, what immediately came to my mind was ‘God, this is not a robbery attack; it is a religious war.’ So I asked my family members to lie down to avoid being hit by stray bullets.

    “We also heard the insurgents shouting and running, saying “You want to try us? Come out!”

    Also recalling her experience on the dreadful night, Mrs Yusuf Khadijat, a teacher who said she had lived in the neighbourhood for 10 years, said she was at home with her mother and a year old daughter when the incident occurred.

    Khadijat said: “We thank God that the situation has returned to normal. Soldiers and prison officials are now patrolling everywhere. But what happened was unexpected and unimaginable.

    “I was shocked to the narrow. My husband was not around; it was only my mother. Although my daughter had slept before the attack and woke up only in the morning, it was a nightmare for us. I prayed and prayed and prayed.

    “It was apparent that the attackers did not come for us, because they didn’t knock at anyone’s door. No report has been heard that anybody in this neighbourhood was killed, and there was no attack on any building.

    “You can see how close our fence and house are to the prison’s perimeter fence.”

    Read Also: Kuje jailbreak: Six top Boko Haram financiers among escapees

    Malam Abdullahi Ibrahim, a trader who owns a house in the neighbourhood, said he had no intention of moving out of the house or relocating to another place. He said the security situation in the country requires prayers from all and sundry.

    Ibrahim said: “We need prayers in this country because everything is getting out of control. You cannot sleep and be sure that tomorrow is certain.

    “People are being kidnapped on the road while on journey, and when you are in your house at night…look at what happened. So we need prayers.

    “On that day, I came home early and I was already asleep only to be woken up by heavy gunshots and explosions. I was confused and just didn’t know what to do. But I started reciting some verses in the Koran.

    “My wife was showing some signs I was afraid of because she is diabetic. So she was sweating. I asked my daughter and my younger son to stay with her inside the room.

    “So I looked out through the back window and there were sounds of gunshots and explosions.

    “Nobody thought it was Boko Haram because it had never happened. We thought it was a serious fight inside the prison and maybe some of them wanted to escape. Then after about two hours, everything died down. But we heard some people shouting “Allah is great, Allah is great”.

    Ibrahim and Akeredolu also said there was no evidence of attacks on the residents by the insurgents that attacked the prison. Akeredolu noted that because they came in large numbers and operated unchallenged, if their mission was to kidnap residents, they would have packed so many people.

    He said because they came with sophisticated weapons and in large numbers, the security personnel were overpowered and some of them ran away. He said he noticed that some people had moved out of the neighbourhood while some others were planning to do so.

    He however said since normalcy had returned to the area, he would remain there.

    Mrs. Remi Adeshola, who lives very close to the prison area, told our correspondent that she, the husband and their children could not sleep on the night of the attack, saying it looked like a movie scene as they saw bullets flying everywhere.

    Her words: “It was terrible. When I heard the first shot, I told my husband that it sounded like a gunshot. That was around after 10 in the night. But my husband said it was the transformer that blew, because after that, the sound continued.

    “It was when we started listening and hearing series of gunshots that we knew that it was not the transformer that blew. It was then that we started putting off the lights and looking for our children to lay them on the floor.

    “That dreadful sound continued until about 3 o’ clock the following morning when they stopped shooting. At some point the sound was coming from almost every angle within the area.

    “Surely, those that attacked had planned the attack. It was massive. The shooting would stop at some point and after some seconds, it would start again.

    “For me, I was shocked but not so much because of where we lived in Kaduna before. But these also were not just gunshots; they were combined with bombs and other massive weapons.

    “At some point, my husband and I saw the terrorists because we were piping through the window. Since it was dark, we could see the bullets. And we also saw the terrorists while they were running and we knew they were not the usual ones we use to see.

    “Initially, I thought it was a case of kidnapping. It was just confusing for me and my husband. They operated for more than four hours and we are still in shock in this area.

    “The gun battle lasted for four hours and there was no response from anybody. It was two hours after the gun shots had stopped that the first helicopter hovered round the area. We did not sleep so I can tell you how it all happened.

    “Right now, my children are with my parents in town because the shock affected them, especially my little baby.

    “Till now, I still stand beside the window to see if I would see someone running by the bush path. My husband is always asking me what I am doing there. It is not something I will come over in a while. But by the grace of God, I will come over it.”

    Another resident, Alilu Adams, who lives inside the prison barracks and also operates a Point -Of-Sale (POS) machine, said it was only God that saved him from being killed by the invaders.

    Adams said: “I operate a POS around here and I live inside the prison barracks.

    “Normally, I do fetch water in the night because of my business. I resume at 6 am and close around 7 pm. On that fateful day, I wanted to go to the mosque because I came back late, but something was telling me don’t go.

    “A few minutes later, I had a gunshot and I immediately told my sister that it was a gunshot. Later, after series of the sound I was hearing, I knew that they have started using machine gun and other weapons.

    “One of my solider friends called to confirm the attack and I told him it was true; that we needed help. He called their headquarters so that they could send more men over.

    “One of my neighbours was coming from the junction where he had gone to buy bread. He ran into them and they shot him in the leg. He is still in the hospital. Even the NSCDC officer they killed, I know him very well.

    “My sister was even suggesting that we should run when the situation was tense but I discouraged her from doing so in order to avoid more trouble. We started praying.

    “What really scared me the most was when I saw them and I was hearing there Muslim songs. I knew immediately that it was Boko Haram attack. We kept praying until the tension was reduced.

    “It was then that we could calm down and later my sister’s husband arrived. It was not funny.”

    Security has since been beefed up at the prison facility.

    A source revealed that the terrorists have written a letter to indicate their plan to attack the headquarters of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS) on Airport Road, Abuja after they successfully carried out their mission in Kuje.

    The source also claimed that external security operatives had been deployed to take over from the regular security operatives at the gate to avoid another attack.

    A woman, who was not sure of the whereabouts of her husband, was seen rolling on the floor and at the entrance of the prison, demanding to see her husband dead or alive.

    The woman who was not forthcoming with her name said the authorities did not allow her to see her husband.

    On the way out of the security challenges in the country, Akeredolu suggested that government should put the right persons and personnel in positions where they will do their jobs, saying there should be no sacred cows.

    He advised the government to collaborate with traditional rulers and religious leaders on the sharing of experiences and information. He said with collaboration, it was possible during the night of the attacks on the prison for people to call other communities to come to their assistance as they were under siege.

    A retired policeman who gave his name as Isaac said government should track the telephone conversations of senior security operatives on the attacks, saying that what happened was very suspicious.

    He said: “There is also the need to monitor the telecommunication system because even some government officials could be saboteurs, especially with the free way and manner the insurgents operated and disappeared.”

    Findings made by our correspondent revealed that normalcy has returned to Kuje Prison and its environs. Soldiers and other security operatives are also patrolling while the access road to the back of the prison through which the insurgents gained entry has been blocked.

    Our correspondent on a visit to the Kuje community also noticed that people had started going about their normal business with a bit of traffic congestion in the town, which is about 45 kilometres away from the city of Abuja.

  • My encounter with bandits who attacked Buhari’s convoy — Katsina resident

    My encounter with bandits who attacked Buhari’s convoy — Katsina resident

    Bandits’ attack on President Muhammadu Buhari’s convoy in Katisna State on Tuesday came as a rude shock to many Nigerians who are thankful that there was no life lost in the incident. But an indigene of the community where the attack took place said it was not only the people on the President’s convoy that were lucky to escape death from the attack as he and a few other residents had encountered the gunmen moments before they launched the deadly attack. AUGUSTINE OKEZIE writes on the twin attacks carried out by terrorists in that particular area the same day, culminating in the death of two policemen, including an Assistant Commissioner of Police.

    THE nation was jolted on Tuesday by the news of an attack by bandits around Dutsin-ma community on the advance team of President Muhammadu Buhari’s convoy including security guards as well as protocol and media officers ahead of the President’s Sallah trip to Daura, Katsina State.

    A statement from the President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, said the hoodlums ambushed and opened fire on the approaching convoy at Kun Kana, a village in Safana Local Government Area, but were repelled by the military and DSS men escorting the convoy.

    The statement said the President was not in the convoy and that two people were injured during the attack.

    A resident of Kun Kana community, Jamilu Aliyu Charanci, who witnessed the incident, told our correspondent that he and a few other people were going to Dutsin-ma from nearby Kankara village when they saw the bandits crossing the road on motorcycles in droves and causing everyone to scamper into safety.

    Charanci said that while some of them ran to nearby Turare village, others hid in the bush. Shortly after, he said, the advanced convoy of the President passed and ran into the bandits, who immediately opened fire.

    Charanci said: “We were all terrified as we had the sound of gunshots. I was practically freezing where I hid myself because we feared that a lot of lives must have been lost.

    “It turned out, however, that no life was lost in that particular incident. I was also able to make my journey to Dutsin-ma because a military convoy cleared the way.”

    But it was not all uhuru as on the same day, Aminu Umar, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) and Area Commander of the Nigeria Police Force, was killed together with one other police officer by bandits in Zakka Forest, also close to Dutsin-ma.

    Spokesperson of the Katsina State Police Command, Gambo Isah, who confirmed the killing in a statement issued late Tuesday night, said the terrorists numbering about 300 ambushed ACP Umar and his team.

    He said: “At about 11.30hrs, a distress call was received that terrorists numbering over 300, on motorcycles, shooting sporadically with AK 47 rifles and General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG), ambushed ACP Aminu Umar, Area Commander, Dutsin-ma, and his team, while on clearance operation of recalcitrant bandits/terrorists, in Zakka forest, Safana LGA of Katsina State.

    “Consequently, the Area Commander and one other gallantly lost their lives during an exchange of gunfire.”

    He added that the Commissioner of Police, CP Idrisu Dabban Dauda, on behalf of the officers and men of the Command, expressed deep sympathy for the families of the deceased and prayed God for the repose of their souls.

    He reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to the ongoing onslaught against terrorism in the state until it is completely routed out.

     

    Residents endorse cancellation of Durba

    Katsina residents have endorsed the cancellation of the annual Sallah festival, Durba, over rising security challenges in the state which peaked with Tuesday’s attack on Buhari’s convoy.

    Announcing the suspension of the Durba festival in a statement issued by its Assistant Secretary, Alhaji Sule Mamman-Dee, the Katsina Emirate’s Council’s said the decision was taken in view of the current security situation in the state.

    According to Mamman-Dee, the Emir, Alhaji Abdulmumini Kabir-Usman, expressed deep concern over the security situation in parts of the emirate, saying that he would only attend the Eid prayers on Saturday.

    He explained that the Emir advised Muslims to continue to pray for the return of peace to the state and country in general.

    The spokesperson of Daura Emirate Council in the state, Alhaji Usman Ibrahim, told newsmen in Daura that the council had also suspended the durbar across the emirate.

    According to Ibrahim, the Emir, Alhaji Faruk Umar-Faruk, directed all the district heads under the emirate to perform their Eid-El Kabir prayers in their domains.

    Ibrahim said that the Emir had also called on prospective pilgrims to pray for the peace and well-being of the state and the country.

    The Nation investigation revealed that the durbar festival dates back to hundreds of years and involves the display of horse riding skills by districts and nobility households, who pay homage to the Emir on Eid day, known in Katsina as `Hawan Daushe’.

    During the Durba, the emir usually leads a contingent of members of the Emirate Council, district and village heads in a procession of horses known as `Hawan Bariki’ to pay homage to the state governor a day after the Eid.

    Mamman Dee told The Nation that the Durbar festival is an annual religious and equestrian celebration in several cities of Nigeria including Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, Zazzau and Bida. The festival, he said, marks the end of Ramadan and also coincides with the Muslim festivities of Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitri.

    He said: “It begins with prayers, followed by a colourful parade of the Emir and his entourage on horses, accompanied by musicians, and ending at the Emir’s palace.

    ”Durbar festivals are organised in almost all cities of northern Nigeria and has become a major tourist attraction.

     

    Concerns over possible loss of revenue

    The suspension of the Durba celebration in Katsina State due to insecurity though welcomed by many indigenes of the state because of what they have been passing through, there is a sizeable concern also about the possible loss of revenue and several other economic benefits derivable from foreign visitors who throng the palace every year to grace the occasion

    Spokesperson of Daura Emirate Council in the state, Alhaji Usman Ibrahim, while admitting the loss of revenue from tourism and sale of artifacts, insisted that security concerns supercede every other worry because, according to him, it is only in a stable and safe environment that Durba can thrive.

    He said: “Peace and harmony is greater than any other thing. Our state has been engrossed in security challenges and banditry attacks.

    “Just imagine the recent attacks on Buhari’s convoy and the killing of the Police Area commander. Who is it that would not feel the pains?”

    The Nation recalls that over 15,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs), who were victims of banditry attacks, are camped in Jibia Local Government Area of Katsina State and have been appealing to the state government to come to their aid by deploying adequate security personnel to their respective communities so they could return to their ancestral homes to resume farming activities.

    These displaced persons who are mostly farmers from over seven villages of Kwari, Zango, Shimfida, Tsauni, Far Faru, Tsambe and Gurbin Magariya, had their communities invaded by gunmen otherwise known as bandits.

    Scores of them, mostly children, took refuge in Government Girls Secondary School, Jibia Local Government, with over 22 persons reportedly dying from hypertension, starvation and non-availability of medical services in the camps.

    The Chairman of the Camp, Sa’ad Salisu, expressed worries over the absence of security personnel around the camps, stating that they have been taking refuge at the primary school since early this year following a surge of attacks on their communities by gunmen suspected to be herdsmen.

    He added that over 3,000 children who are currently in the camp could not have access to learning facilities following the inability of the state government to provide a makeshift school in the camp.

     

    Kunkuna residents task government on security

    Welcoming the suspension of the Durba, residents of Kunkuna community in Safana Local Government Area said their security is more important than the festival.

    They, however, called on the Federal Government to take the war against terrorism to the terrorists’ enclaves located on the fringes of the forests around the communities The residents, who spoke to The Nation correspondent during his visit to the area, also condemned the recent attack by gunmen on the advance convoy of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    The residents said the attack launched by the terrorists were designed to test the capacity of the Nigerian security architecture, adding that the Federal Government had failed to tackle them squarely hence the escalation of the attacks

    amilu Aliyu Charanchi and Ambassador Umar Ahmad Jibril, both residents of the area, described the attack on the President’s advance convoy as the latest in the series of criminal activities by the outlaws who have continued to terrorise communities in the Northwest and parts of the Northentral region of the country.

     

    Civil society organisations in Katsina react to attacks

    The twin attacks in the state on the same day has sparked reactions from different quarters, especially with the blames pouring in on lapses by the state and federal governments as well as lack of synergy amongst the various security agencies that are operating in the state

    The Coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Katsina State on Wednesday called on the Federal Government to justify the money spent on security by ensuring safety of lives and property in Nigeria.

    The Coalition made the demand while reacting to Tuesday’s death of ACP Umar in a gun duel with terrorists and the attack on Buhari’s advanced convoy.

    The coalition in a statement by its state chairman, Abdulrahman Abdullahi, lamented the death of the Police Area Commander, insisting that the incident spoke volume of the inadequacies in the nation’s security system.

    The statement reads: “It is disturbing that government’s inability to provide our security men with working tools and chase bandits to their enclaves is continually resulting in loss of gallant officers like ACP Aminu Umar and other innocent Nigerians.

    “The bandits are becoming stronger and bolder by the day. The fight should be taken to their enclaves, using land and air forces. But unfortunately, the Air Force and army are not striking with the needed force.

    “You would see fighter jets flying the sky, but when you ask for casualties, you can’t see any. Bandits are attacking innocent people few miles away from military bases but no intervention.

    “Money is spent on a daily basis for security but the situation is worsening every day. It is high time the President and the National Assembly began to query why there are no commensurate results to security investment. These senseless killings must stop.

    “The attack on President Muhammadu Buhari’s advance team by audacious bandits in Katsina State confirms our rotten security architecture and testifies that no one else is safe in this country.

    “Although the temerity of the attacks seems to be astonishing, we all saw it coming.”

    The coalition further called on government to review the present security architecture with a view to containing the incessant terrorist attacks and killing of innocent Nigerians.

    They further insisted that the huge amount of money spent by government on the security sector has also made no positive impact.

    The coalition opined that the bandits are no longer confronting only hapless villagers and farmers, having crippled their dwindling economy and taxed the rural communities, the people are getting kidnapped silently without gunshots.

    Another civil society activist, Dr Bashir Ruwagodia, told The Nation that the Federal Government is never serious about dealing with the security challenges facing Katsina State

    He said: “The President is from Katsina State, yet no concerted effort is being made to tackle the state’s security challenges. Wit jus less than a year to leave office and as a retired army general, it is his last chance to salvage the state from the present security mess.

    “The President should call the service chiefs to order or even rejig the security architecture in the state and country. We in Katsina State are increasingly becoming hopeless about improved security situation as provided by governments.”

    The activist also flayed the lack of synergy among the various security agencies in the state and called for simultaneous security operations against bandits in the Northwest using a combined operation by the various agencies

    Special Adviser to Governor Aminu Bello Masari, Ibrahim Ahmad Katsina, at a two-day security awareness workshop for local government administrators held at Local Government Commission Headquarters Katsina, said the state government is committed to securing the lives and property of the people and their standard of living.

    He said: “In this fight against insecurity, no retreat, no surrender”

    Katsina further described the security awareness workshop for local government administrators as part of the Katsina State Government’s efforts to contain the myriad of security challenges facing not only Katsina but in the nation generally.

    He maintained that the security challenges arising from banditry, terrorism and other associated organised crimes are not peculiar to Katsina State but has become a national phenomenon requiring multi-dimensional approach to contain them.

    “Capacity building is a knowledge-driven approach towards problem solving, especially when problems and challenges seem complicated and overwhelming,” he said.