Category: Saturday Magazine

By Sola SHITTU, Gombe

IT was a busy day for Reverend Father Stephen Zera Job, the priest of the Catholic Diocese of Bauchi and the Judicial Vicar of the Diocese of Bauchi who is also in charge of the marriage tribunal. Two knotty marital issues bordering on extra marital affairs were on his table.

A police officer, Mr. John (surname withheld), had reported his wife to the marriage tribunal headed by Father Job. But it was not the first time he would do so, except that this time, Father Job decided to investigate the matter and invited John’s wife to his office.

“The police officer had reported that his wife was not giving him rest of mind at home, saying that she was always nagging. It was when I called the wife that she told me that her husband was having affairs with other women and even had children from some of them,” the reverend father said.

As Father Job was preparing to close for the day, another man walked into his office seeking the dissolution of his marriage. After an investigation, however, it was discovered that he had been dating his ex-girlfriend who was not married.

The above cases are highlights of a current trend—single women opting to date with men who are married to other women instead of finding their own husbands.

In African tradition before now, it was almost a taboo for single ladies to date married men. The demographic report of the United Nations for the first quarter in 2019 showed that out of the 7.8 billion people in the world, 2.2 billion are men while 5.6 billion are women. One billion of them are married, 130 million are in prisons while 70 million are mentally ill.

The report advised women to be careful about their attitudes towards men, because out of the population of 2.2 billion men, only 1 billion of them are available for marriage. And 50% of the 1 billion are jobless, 3% are gay, 5% are Catholic priests, 10% are your relatives and 32% are above 66 years.

“So, ladies both the married and single, should handle men with respect,” the report added.

Today, extramarital affairs are a major threat to the marriage institution as a day hardly passes without a piece of news in this regard.

The demography report of the United Nations on the status of married men would leave many wondering why single women prefer dates with married men when there are so many single men out there.

A recent study in the United States said that nearly 90% of single women preferred men who are already in a serious relationship, while 59% of them are interested in dates with single men. The term used by psychologists is mate poaching when single women get interested in married men without thinking of the consequences. They tend to mark married men as safer, more attractive, experienced and, of course, successful.

In Nigeria, poverty is identified as one of the major reasons why single ladies go out with married men.

“Yes we have heard of it; how single ladies are dating married men,” said Father Hilary Long, a priest at Saint Theresa, a medium size parish of Catholic Church in Tunfre, Gombe.

Sitting in his living room with legs crossed as he spoke with the reporter, Father Long said: “You know I am not married, but I have actually had a confession from a lady parishioner who dated a married man. But that is now in the past.”

Father Long’s experience is nothing new or strange to priests in Gombe, many of whom have had to battle with the issue of married male parishioners dating single ladies. To him, the root cause is poverty.

He said: “Many ladies are struggling to meet their needs, which range from material needs to care. As a matter of fact, many of those found in the act confessed that married men care more for them and they treat them well.

“The lady I spoke about said that most married men have something to do to care for their needs unlike most single young men who are jobless and in some cases unserious. They said that married men often demonstrate seriousness and commitment.”

Asked why married men engage in extramarital affairs, Long said: “You know that men are adventurous by nature. Some many of them do it out of adventure while others do it to overcome monotony. Maybe they are tired of seeing their wives every now and then and want to try something new. But that is against the Bible.

But like I said, the nature is there and some may not be able to control it.”

Reverend Bilison Agwala of Higher Ground Gospel Church, Gombe, whose ministry centres on reconciliation and counseling unmarried people, said the standard set by many ladies at marriageable age drives away many eligible bachelors, leaving them with the option of dating married men.

“Senior ladies in our society today are actually disturbed. I have met many of them discussing how devastating their conditions are. Most times before they know it, they just see married men coming their way.

“I strongly believe that no senior lady would deliberately set out to date married men. They don’t come up with that as a decision, but they find themselves in it. Because they are not married, men who want to go round with ladies see them as cheap products.

“Any senior lady in this respect is very vulnerable. That is why they become victims in this circumstance.”

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Agwala admitted that some senior ladies date married men because they need help. “Because they need a man who will do one thing or the other and since there is no relationship, they can easily fall for anyone who seems to be of help to them”.

He explained further that many senior ladies miss the opportunity to get married because at their marriageable age, young men who should marry them are not forthcoming and those who are coming are not looking for marriage.

“I met a lady who came to me crying and said, ‘Sir, I want to get married but those that are coming to me are already married. I don’t know what to do.’

“I said my sister, have you ever wanted to marry? She said yes. I asked, ‘What relationship do you have?’ She said I have no relationship that is promising because all those that are coming to me are married men.”

Hassana, a 22-year-old 200 level student of Tafawa Balewa University Bauchi, said there is nothing wrong in dating a married man because most young men are not capable of taking care of their girlfriends.

She said: “What do you want me to do with my fellow students? To be his cook? With the present economic situation in the country it is better for me to date a married man.”

Godiya, a 35-year-old lady, said: “I don’t like dating a married man, but I am left with no option. I mean taking the age factor into consideration, one is not getting younger. Now I will prefer a man between age 40 and early 50.”

Godiya, a graduate of the University of Jos currently running her post graduate degree programme in the same university, added: “We are six in our family with only one boy who happens to be the last born and the favourite of my parents. Regrettably, none of us is married. Even with all our educational qualifications, we are still jobless and living with our parents.

“Sometimes I just don’t know what to do. I have lost count of the number of disappointments and heartbreaks I have suffered from single men. So here comes this man within the age bracket I told you, and he is gentle and kind.

“At first, I was reluctant about dating him, but he is not the type that is after sex. You know that most single men, once they lie down with you, they just close their eyes, and before you say Jack, they are already with another lady.”

Esther, a nurse in the clinic of a tertiary institution in Gombe, who is in love with a married man and medical doctor who used to visit her clinic, said: “He is a Yoruba man and I must confess I am in love with him. But he is married, even though I don’t mind being his second wife because I am already above the age of 30.

“However, the problem is my mother who would never agree to it. She keeps saying God will do it and here I am still waiting for God to do it at 34. In the meantime, I have to play along with this doctor friend of mine because I cannot kill myself.”

Olayiwola Afolabi, a philanthropist and legal luminary based in Benin, Edo State, is a solicitor and notary public and principal partner at Rehoboth Chambers. Although he is an indigene of Aramoko-Ekiti in Ekiti State, he is popularly referred to as the Otunba of Esanland in Edo Central Senatorial District. In this interview with South-south Bureau Chief, BISI OLANIYI, he reveals how his strict parental upbringing shaped his life and why he would never seek a political office or accept a political appointment. He also tells the story of how he came to Benin City with Ghana-Must-Go (jute) bag for the mandatory one year National Youth Service but now a man abundantly blessed. Excerpts:

You are a native of Aramoko-Ekiti in Ekiti State. How was life while you were growing up after your birth on April 6, 1962?

Ekiti is the best state in Nigeria (laughs). I was born at Ebute-Metta in Lagos. My father was a tailor. I attended St. Jude Primary School in Lagos, very close to Ebute-Metta on the Lagos Mainland. We then had Evans playground for playing football. When I rounded off my primary school education, I moved to my Aramoko-Ekiti hometown in Ekiti State, where I attended secondary school, specifically Aramoko District Commercial Grammar School, popularly known as ADICO. Our then principal, Mr. Daramola, is still alive.

From ADICO, I moved to Sokoto for my Higher School Certificate (HSC); a two-year programme. From there, I was offered admission by Lagos State University (LASU), during the Alhaji Lateef Jakande era, to study Law. We were the first set at LASU, but I spent an extra year in the school. I later went to the Nigerian Law School on Victoria Island, Lagos. Then, it was the only Law School in Nigeria, unlike now that there are many campuses across the country. I was called to the Bar in 1991. For the mandatory national youth service for the youths that are under 30, I was posted to Edo State in 1992 and I served in Benin City.

You said you had extra year at LASU. What went wrong?

I was not serious with my studies. I was also involved in campus politics, and I was an active member of a socio-cultural group, the Kegites’ Club.

Are your parents still alive?

My mother is still alive, by God’s grace. She is 82. My father died the same year I entered LASU. I gained admission into the university the same year with my younger brother, who is now a medical doctor. A Yoruba man from Ijebu-Ode in Ogun State, whose name I cannot remember and who did not know my family, asked my younger brother to be staying with him, and he gave him the opportunity of studying Medicine at the then Ogun State University, now Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU) in Ago-Iwoye, while the same man later took my younger brother to London while he himself is now in Australia.

That encouraged me to start giving scholarships to many students. Till date, I have also given over 500 free, expensive wigs and gowns to young lawyers and members of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Ilorin, Benin City, Asaba in Delta State and many other branches of NBA in Nigeria. I pioneered in Edo State the giving of free, expensive wigs and gowns to young lawyers posted from the Nigerian Law School for their internship, which I did many times and I am still doing.

My mother was a nurse then working at the popular Mount Sinai Private Hospital at Lawanson in Lagos. But she is now retired and still stays in Lagos. My father was a tailor in Lagos and he learnt tailoring in Lagos from the popular Lai the Tailor. When my father died and I was already admitted in LASU to study Law, people helped me, particularly the owner of Adebowale Electrical and his younger brother who we also called Adebowale, but then living at Palmgrove in Lagos. They are Muslims from Epe in Lagos State. The younger Adebowale paid my school fees at LASU in the first year.

Who linked you up with the Adebowales?

I was staying with somebody in Palmgrove while the younger Adebowale was living in the next compound. The sad news of my father’s death got to him and he paid my school fees at LASU for one year. My late father, a polygamist with two wives, had two houses at Ikate in Lagos, while we were also collecting the rent to survive the hard times. I am the first born of six siblings. After the death of my father, his property was shared between the two wives/gates, without any quarrel or crisis. But the second wife is now late.

Since you loved your father so much, would you also embrace polygamy and would your dear wife, Funmilayo, an indigene of Epe in Lagos State, show understanding?

I will never try polygamy, by God’s grace.

Is it because you are a member of Deeper Life Bible Church?

As a devout Christian, you cannot be a polygamist. It is not worth it and it is not ideal, because the Bible condemns it and God does not approve of it. Some people do claim that Abraham, David and Solomon, among others, were polygamists, but it is not right.

How would you describe your aged mother?

My mother in Lagos is a giver. Each time my mother gave me drugs and food items while she was still working as a nurse in Lagos, I always shared the items to the people around me, which really helped me, because I came to Benin City with a Ghana-must-go (jute) bag in 1992 for the mandatory national youth service, but today, God has blessed me. I have eight lawyers working with me in Rehoboth Chambers at the Signature Law Firm on Yoruba Street in Benin City.

One thing stands out my chambers out: there is no way you can work with me and be poor. If you work with me for three or four years, you must get your own plot of land in order to build your own house. My lawyers can confirm it. Since many people helped me in the past, I am also helping people. I have been to every nook and cranny of Edo State’s 18 local government areas, across the three senatorial districts, giving scholarships to students in primary and secondary schools.

What fond memories of childhood do you have?

I was very playful, but I thank God for the discipline that my mother gave me. In those days, we used to steal dollars. But my mother would say if you did not steal for one week, she would give you something, and she would always fulfill her promises. With that, I stopped stealing. Discipline matters most in the upbringing of children.

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I had an encounter with a lady from my state; I cannot forget her and the experience. Something happened, but I will not go into the details. From the lady, I learnt about John 6:63 – It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life (KJV). Once a child has the spirit of God, let him or her go to any other part of the world, he or she will not be wayward. The Ekiti State lady told me of the discipline and the experience she got from her parents. When a man does not have the spirit of God, anything can happen and you cannot even trust the person. He may be a pastor and you leave him with your little daughter, he will defile her and later blame the devil.

When you informed your parents that you wanted to study Law at LASU, how did they react?

My father was very happy about my decision to study Law at LASU, because he had very stubborn tenants, who would not pay their rents. My father then stated that the money he used to pay lawyers, he would be paying me to manage his property and to adequately tackle the stubborn tenants, thereby making the payment of their rents much easier. Quite unfortunately, my wonderful father died before I could complete the Law programme at LASU. So painful. May his soul rest in peace. My mother was also very happy when I insisted that I would study Law with LASU as my first choice.

LASU used to be notorious for cultism. Did you have any encounter with cultists as an undergraduate and how was the experience?

I was an active member of a socio-cultural group, the Kegites’ Club. So, I had no encounter with cultists. Then, LASU was off campus and it was a very sweet place and a fantastic university with committed, disciplined and dedicated lecturers, who later mostly held important and sensitive positions of trust in Nigeria and beyond.

Then at LASU, Prof. Jadesola Akande, a no-nonsense and very strict woman, was our Vice-Chancellor. I was shocked when I later heard of cultism in LASU, because in those days, there was nothing like cultism and the campus was so peaceful, while the students and lecturers were hardworking and God fearing.

What of sorting with money, gifts and sex to have unmerited grades?

I never had sorting experience, because LASU was a standard university with emphasis placed on moral and academic excellence.

What happened while you were serving in Benin City in 1992?

The management of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Edo State, after the orientation programme, posted me to a private law-reporting firm in Benin City, called the Law Reports of Courts of Nigeria (LRCN), where we were editing and publishing law reports, just like the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi, which gave me a good background LRCN is owned by Anthony Efe Ogbeide-Ihama Esq., an independent Law practice professional, with his office then on Akpakpava Road, Benin City.

While serving at LRCN, I was able to know the late Justice Mustapha Akanbi, then the President of the Court of Appeal, who later became the pioneer Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). I cannot forget the experience I had with him. Justice Akanbi, from Ilorin in Kwara State, was not corrupt. We were many that made bids to buy law reports for the Courts of Appeal throughout Nigeria. Justice Akanbi did not know me, but he picked me, then a young lawyer, to supply law reports to the Courts of Appeal in all the states of the country. And he did not ask me for a dime. I later met at the Supreme Court in Abuja one of the children of the late Justice Akanbi, who is also a lawyer, and I was so glad to tell the sweet story of my pleasant experience with the father. Till date, Court of Appeal is still buying copies of LRCN.

You served (NYSC) in Benin City and you stayed back, not rushing to Lagos or Ekiti State. Today, you have eight lawyers working with you in your state-of-the-art chambers in the same capital of Edo State. What lessons do you think the younger generation can learn from your experience?

There is an experience I can never forget. My former Edo State Overseer of Deeper Life Bible Church in Benin City, Pastor Esho, I can never forget him each time I tell my story. I was to go back to Lagos after the national youth service in Benin City, because things were very hard for me and I used to borrow money from a member of my Deeper Life Bible Church in Benin City, Bro. Anyanwu, which I would pay back. I cannot forget him. When God blessed me, I called him and I gave him a free plot of land. Anytime I am passing through his office along Akpakpava Road, Benin City, where he sells sewing machines, I would always give him good money, which I would describe as his pension, because he is a good man. I like to appreciate people.

While I was ready to return to Lagos after the national youth service, I went to Deeper Life Bible Church’s Pastor Esho that I needed counselling, but he said I should not go back to Lagos. God also spoke to me to stay in Benin City, which by the grace and mercy of God, I do not regret. I cannot forget that experience. Pastor Esho is now in Abuja and still with the Deeper Life Bible Church.

It is good to always put one’s trust only in the Lord. The youths, who opt for education, must read their books very well, be hardworking and they must be God fearing. To be a good lawyer, you must read continually, buy law reports and read them. I spend millions of naira on law reports. By God’s grace, I have done many matters from the magistrate court to the apex (Supreme) court. A legal practitioner who does not buy law reports is not a lawyer, while he or she should immediately quit the profession, which is not for lazy persons who cannot read, research and study very hard.

Lawyers must not buy law reports just to decorate the shelves of their various offices. Law reports must always be read by legal practitioners in order to become much better lawyers, since someone cannot be brilliant without reading books, the natural intelligence notwithstanding.

KAYODE Moshood Akiolu, businessman, lawyer, is the founding Partner at E&A. But the scion of the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, who took a leave of absence to go into politics few years ago, currently serves as a lawmaker representing the Lagos Island Constituency II. KMA as he is fondly called by friends began his career at Kayode Sofola and Associates, where he became the firm’s Head of Public Sector Advisory practice for both the Federal and State government. He also had stints at Latham & Walkers LLP serving as International Legal Adviser as well as JP Morgan as Financial Adviser on the structuring of the Nigerian Sovereign Wealth Fund. In this interview with IBRAHIM APEKHADE YUSUF, the Lagos Prince who trained in some of the best Ivy League schools abroad speaks on his management style and philosophy. Excerpts:

No control of time

Politicians hardly have control over their time to the extent that they have to be on their toes all the time plotting one political strategy or the other. This description easily fits Kayode Moshood Akiolu, who is a lawmaker, politician, lawyer, and businessman all roll into one.

“It’s very tough for me to tell how my day begins. I wake up as early as 5’oclock in the morning to observe my prayers as a Muslim and I believe that’s how my day begins. And when my day would end, honestly, I don’t know. This is because there are various activities one contends with on a regular basis with no specific timelines for them. I just ensure that when my day starts in the middle of it, I find time to have like two to three hours nap. I do that regularly if not I would breakdown.”

Certainly, he is that CEO who finds time to unwind regardless of the busy schedules. “Trust me my brother it’s necessary to do so if not you’ll get burnout easily.”

Management style

Looking at his career trajectory from working at Kayode Sofola and Associates, where he rose to the rank of Senior Associate and the firm’s Head of Public Sector Advisory practice for both the Federal and State government, as well as stints at Latham & Walkers LLP (International Legal Adviser) and JP Morgan (Financial Adviser) on the structuring of the Nigerian Sovereign Wealth Fund, before setting up shop as a private practice, the younger Akiolu said he learnt a lot in terms of management of men and resources.

As someone who has a private sector background, he favours a model where everything is structured and organised but with politics he has had to allow for more flexibility in the way he relates with people. Interestingly, he has brought all that to bear in his present calling in the public service.

“When I was fully in private practice I had everything structured for me like my time, schedules and how I relate with people and all. But you see, in politics, unlike in private practice, you can choose who you can relate with like a certain clientele and all. But in politics, you relate with anyone that comes your way. Both the high and mighty, people of various attitudes and you learn to be patient. Politics has taught me to be patient, to learn to manage and accommodate people no matter their shortcomings or faults. This I think I have learnt in politics. Because I used to be very angry with my leader, Honourable Kamal Bashua that why are you taking rubbish from these people and all that. And also just like our National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who receives different insults being hauled at him for what he practically knows nothing about and I would just be wondering to myself that what sort of humiliation is this? Because you know it’s painful when somebody accuses you of what you know nothing about. I have seen that with several senior leaders. But when I stepped into politics, then I tried to understand where they’re coming from. Not just understand but it is not an easy task because you’re in a field where a lot of people don’t appreciate what you’re doing but then you got to keep on doing what you’re doing. You just learn to manage because you’re for everybody. I’m still learning to take everything on my strides.”

Staff motivation

As a lawmaker he says he sees his staff as partners. “One way I motivate my staff is that I take in their ideas. I make them know that, look guys, I’m not your boss, and we’re in partnership together. My cleaner, driver, and other staff, politics has made me to learn from them and they learn from me as well. So I think that keeps them going because they feel they’re a stakeholder with me despite being a lawmaker they know they can also have their way with me. This is because before I take any action, I seek their opinion first and they also seek mine too. So, it’s a round work. I operate a joint approach to working with my staff.”

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On how he reprimands his staff and whether or not he has had to fire anyone of them, he said politics has made him large-hearted of sort. “I only express my displeasure towards them. There is this saying in Yoruba that in politics you don’t say, Gbara e kuro, mabo nibi bayi ni.”

You don’t chase people. No. But I do reprimand them. Or I would rather reduce the responsibility being given to you and any responsible person once they reduce your responsibility; it means you’re not performing up to the task.”

Of course, he likes the idea of delegating responsibility, because he feels very strongly that everyone has something to bring to the table.

“Yes, of course, I can’t do everything myself. I’m coming from a private sector background where you meet your targets. That’s what I have introduced into my work schedule too as a lawmaker. And so far, so good it’s working for me.  I’m a team player too.”

Other passions

Call him a bookworm you won’t be wrong and he says rather excitedly that years of legal practice is responsible for that.

“I do read a lot and that I can say I imbibed that from my legal background. Another of my hobby is playing football. But since I joined politics, I have never had time for that again. And I used to be an Arsenal supporter but of recent I won’t say I lost trust in them but I have been laidback.”

While pressing him on the book he has read lately, he gladly says one book he is reading now has been a good read. “Presently, I’m reading the book ‘Power Politics And Death’ written by Olusegun Adeniyi. It’s a very interesting book indeed. I’m still reading it. I read a lot of political and historical books because when you dig into history you find out that there are several mistakes made by past leaders and you don’t want to fall into that trap.”

Greatest influence

Naturally, he says his greatest influence has been his dad. “Well, first of all, I’ll always give my love to my father. I grew up in a disciplined environment. My father was a man that ensured that you must dot your ‘i’s’ and cross your t’s, show courtesy, respect and be upright in whatever you do and you must be able to defend any action you want to take if not don’t go into it.”

That disciplinarian side is fully ingrained in him now and thankfully, he says has since passed it down to his own immediate family.

Life lessons

Politics has taught him some home truths. “So far so good, from my little experience as a young man of 40 years, life has taught me that in politics, don’t expect somebody that you have done all the best for to pay you back in a positive way because he might decide to pay you in a negative way. Just take it like that. It’s a painful experience but it’s one truth of life in politics so far. That is one thing I have learnt. Getting into politics made me accept that sad reality.”

He also adds for effects that as a politician, his mantra remains service delivery for the greater good of the people. Little wonder he has left no stone unturned in his quest to fulfill his mandate and provide succor for his constituents.

In just about three years, he has been able to achieve some modest success but he considers many of his exploits as mere tokenism.

His imprimatur of support is visible in most areas including in the area of infrastructure boost, wealth creation, women and youths empowerment to mention just a few.

Plug for relaxation mood

He gets into the relaxation mood when he sits with his pals. “What makes me happy if I want to unwind is been around people that genuinely love me and we sit together and tell each other the truth over a bottle of drink and all.”

Choice holiday destination

He says matter-of-factly that his choice holiday destination within the country is the northern part. “I’ll prefer to go to the north because my father spent a major part of his police career in the north. The whole of the north used to be an extremely peaceful place and which is why my prayer is for peace to return to the entire nation. Then, you learn to enjoy the other parts of Nigeria than where you’re from. But if I was to go abroad I will prefer somewhere in the Caribbean like Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and all. I haven’t been in any of these places before but I have been to Morocco, which looks similar to the sunny environment you have in the Caribbean.”

Sense of style

For him, simplicity does it and he is shorn of any form of vanity. “Anything that looks good on me is what I wear. My style is simplicity. I’m a man of very simple taste. I don’t do designers stuff just the simple things that looks good on me.”

Best meal

As a boy weaned on sea foods, he is proud of his heritage. “I’m from the coastal; region, so sea food is my number favourite anytime, any day! I just love sea food because I believe that’s what God gave me first by putting me down in a coastal area. Also, I love eating Thai food; it’s very nice like a Succhi, and the rest of it. That’s for foreign but as for local, give me anything, I’m okay with it.”

Exercise regime

Knowing that his political calling takes quite a chunk of his time more than anything else, the Lagos Prince has learnt not to be cut off guard, as such he has the presence of mind to make his health and wellbeing a top priority.

“When I wake up in the morning after my prayers, I do jug for at least 20 minutes. Before I joined active politics, I was a gym freak. I was always in the gym but now politics has reduced my gym time. So all I do is that I make sure I jog every other day and it has been working well for me,” he said with some gusto.

AKAOMA Onyemelukwe, Principal Consultant/ CEO at Affinity Consulting and the Director /Founder of Right Proposal Innovative Limited, is an international development expert and coach with 20 years experience providing technical assistance, leadership and policy advice to governments of low and middle income countries, private sector organisations, nonprofits, with extensive experience in larger and complex programming for health, humanitarian, education, governance and media sectors. In this interview with IBRAHIM APEKHADE YUSUF, the alumnus of Harvard University School of Public Health Boston, USA; University of Liverpool; University of Lagos, and Nnamdi Azikiwe University Nigeria, respectively, speaks on her management style and passion.

Typical day

Akaoma Onyemelukwe starts off her day as early as 5am daily with prayers and meditation. “I do some basic workout and early morning water therapy,” she began.

Management style

The multi-disciplinarian and amiable lady who has had the opportunity of working extensively across Nigeria, Malawi, and Ethiopia all in Africa and beyond has been able to draw a lot of learning from these countries and she is better for it. Little wonder her management style shows a bit of her experiences working across different verticals of businesses.

“In deploying management, I use varieties of the existing management style based on the context and situation. Predominantly I use the coaching management because my team is young and we are at a nascent stage in our organisational development,” she said matter-of-factly.

Pressed further, she said almost plausibly that her own idea of management philosophy is that whoever is called to lead must be up to it in the real sense of the word.

“Management should be able to provide leadership, guidance and direction and provide example for your subordinate. My management philosophy is to provide an enabling environment to drive growth and productivity within organisations, amongst the employees. I create opportunities for my team to develop in their knowledge.”

As someone who is team-spirited, she believes in empowering her team by ensuring effective delegation. “I delegate, provide guidance and follow up. Yes I am a team player. I love to work with people and building trust and cooperation. Even when I lead, I ensure that there is clear support and everyone participates. I have strength in creating team spirit and team cooperation. One of the things I do with my staff team is to always evaluate what role we play in the team using a team analytical matrix.”

Other areas of interest

Besides business, her other passion lies mainly in the promotion of health and wellness. “I support anything health. At a personal level, I encourage the eating of mainly vegetables, fruits and herbs. So you could call me a vegetarian of some sorts.”

Leisure

An upwardly mobile and busy executive, she unwinds by reading a book, listening to music/message or watching any nice movie.

Asked to further elucidate on her reading preferences, she says she completely is sold on motivational stories of great men. “I usually read a chapter of a book daily either in the morning or at night. I love to read John Maxwell Books or pick up other authors in my library.”

Choice holiday destination

Obviously for a lady who loves life, travelling within and outside the shores of the country is one of her greatest pastimes.

“For holidays within the country, I usually like to visit Obudu Resort in Cross River or the Akodo Resort in Lagos and outside the country, the United States,” she said with a tinge of excitement

Motivation

For her, motivation is essentially about understanding her purpose and vision. “I have created a big picture and I keep that big picture in my mind daily. It keeps me motivated even in face of challenges.”

On what makes her tick, she said, “In terms of strength, in career or business, my first strength is the passion for change and understanding of the development needs and questions globally. I depend on God. I have extensive blend of rich experiences including skills in communication, networking, collaboration, resilience and grit, excellent leadership, innovation as well as high ethical standards. All these give me the kick and confidence to face any challenges head on”

Sense of style

Her sense of style is keeping it real and simple. “I understand the basics of keeping it simple, nice and fashionable. That is why I think that maintaining looks is important. I ensure I have a healthy lifestyle.

Motivating staff

To her, staff motivation for here comes in many forms all depending on the context. “I motivate my staff using various approaches like commendations. I say thank you a lot when a task is done. I also practice respectful correction. Most times, I talk them up and build their individual self-esteem, I demystify. More importantly, we also share lots of keep-in-touch sessions and I’m genuinely interested in their lives,” she admitted.

Stick and carrot approach

Stick and carrot approach is one of many approaches she deploys. “I occasionally use it to ensure its effectiveness and it does produce results most times.”

Best decision taken thus far

Her best decision she said most confidently was when she decided to take the plunge and set up her private practice and she hasn’t regretted that move ever since.

“My best decision was launching out along the area of my passion on providing cutting edge international development and management consulting and advisory services through Affinity Consulting. As an expert in the non-profit sector, I began to support non-government organisations, foundations and donors to increase social impact by strengthening capacity and to access opportunities for grant funding. Helping build careers and develop leadership skills. I’m super excited that today I’m meeting needs and helping people transform.”

Worst decision in working career

Her worst decision is waiting too long before she decided to be on her own. “I waited before taking the initiative to run my consulting firm and push my passion.”

Greatest influence

Her background, she says, has had such a great influence on her. “My background and growing up influenced me a lot. I grew up in a home full of love with highly educated parents. It influenced me in the following ways: my depth in the value of education, life skills, knowledge and its right application; foundation of knowing God and understanding the translation of God’s ability in our lives; my attitude in responding to change and the understanding that there is nothing impossible and my personality of appreciating others and genuinely supporting growth.”

Call her a foodie you won’t be wrong.  “Yes I cook and love to cook. I enjoy cooking and having people come and eat. Of course, I do dishes. I love to do dishes.”

Speaking about her favorite Nigerian dishes, the life coach said she is always mesmerised by the sight of good food.

“Nigeria has lots of good food. I like bitter leaf soup with garri or beans cooked in many ways or white rice and stew.”

On what lesson life has taught her, she waxed philosophical. “Life has taught me that there is no success without God and that everything I need is available and possible. Life has taught me to go for what I want.”

Career trajectory

The soft-spoken lady though petite, her credentials literally stands her shoulder high above a lot of her peers out there just as she can compete favourably with the best anywhere in the world.

“I have worked and consulted for international organisations such as FHI360, GAVI, HSCL, Plan International, Oxford Policy Management, World Health Organization; PACT West Africa, UNICEF, Save the children International, International Rescue Committee, DAI- PERL, TA Connect, Tony Elumelu Foundation; ActionAid International Nigeria including gaining extensive experiences working with donors such as USAID, DFID, GAC, EU, Global Fund, ECHO, UN, and BMGF.”

According to Akaoma, by increasing impact, she has been able to strengthen the capacity of over 1000 NGOs and CBOs and trained many NGO leaders. She currently supports series of donor organisations in scaling up the impact of their funding.

“Coaching and strengthening a large pool of nonprofit organisations to be effective in managing and organising the non-profit businesses, engagement of communities’ programming and access to funding opportunities, are something I enjoy doing,” she said, adding that the passion to boost the capacity of nonprofits and businesses to attract access and manage funding for social impact as well as create alternative innovative funding sources is one thing she takes pleasure in doing all the time as a nonprofit coach.

For someone passionate about leadership and influence, Akaoma organises career leadership coaching and mentorship sessions that help accelerate growth, skills development for getting ahead in business and development spaces.

• Victims lament living conditions in European country
• Migrants suffer mental health, skin, respiratory problems -Italian NGO
• Govt, labour unions working to address challenges- NIDO’s spokesperson

Many citizens of Nigerian and other African countries have walked their ways back into slavery decades after the trans-Atlantic slave trade through which their forebears were dehumanised ended. In Italy, many of them are living like slaves in agricultural farms where they are exploited at will and left to live like destitute, INNOCENT DURU reports.

A good number of undocumented migrants from Nigeria and other parts of Africa who survive the herculean task of passing through the Sahara Desert and crossing the Mediterranean Sea end up in Italy from where some of them migrate to other European countries.

To survive in the European country, many of them take up menial jobs they would ordinarily not accept in their own countries. They work in agricultural farms where they pick tomatoes, oranges, grapes and other fruits for daily pay.

And as strenuous and demeaning as the job is, the migrants don’t get it on a platter of gold. “Many of them are illegally employed by mafias. It is called caporalato here. It is a form of illegal hiring and exploitation of manpower through an intermediary. It spreads across Italy and it is particularly frequent in the agricultural and farm sector,” said Jerome, a Nigerian migrant

“When it is not harvest time, the migrant workers get between two to four Euros per hour, compared to Italy’s standard of more than seven Euros per hour stipulated in agricultural minimum wage. And they pay the mafia middleman five to 10 Euros before they can secure working fields,” he added

Ibe, another Nigerian based in Italy, said some cruel mafia sometimes drug the migrants while Aboubarcar Soumahoro, an Ivorian who formerly worked in the farms but  is now an activist, decried the migrants’ inability to achieve their dreams.

Soumahoro said on his Facebook page: “We want a decent job and a roof over our heads where we can raise our children.  These pictures (displayed on his page) tell us this desire is not allowed to labourers engaged in harvesting agricultural products that end on our tables. As long as our communities accept this kind of injustice, our humanity will be defeated.”

He also alleged in a documentary that the migrant workers are paid low wage because of the colour of their skin. “If you refuse what they offer, you won’t get a contract. So the workers are squeezed to accept the conditions. There are no rights and there is no dignity. They are just workers exploited and enslaved,” he said.

Recently, a 27-year-old from Mali reportedly collapsed and died in the southeastern Apulia region after working a day in the fields in temperatures of up to 40 degrees Celsius.

“You may work 28 days, but they’ll mark only four on your pay slip, so at the end of the month you may get 200, 300 euros,” Marco Omizzolo, a rights activist told AFP.

“Formally, it is all by the book,” he added.

An Italy based freelance journalist, Gioacomo Zandonini, told our correspondent that the farms  are places of marginalisation and abuses.

He said: “Fruits and vegetables picked up here are reaching countries all over Europe, where their prices are competitive because of this very complex system of exploitation, that goes from the bit distribution companies, setting prices, to local land owners and workers that are paying such a high toll for trying to survive in Italy.”

Francessco, a freelance photographer also based in Italy, told The Nation that in Italy, the exploitation of migrants is useful and functional to the economy. “So there is no interest in stopping the phenomenon. Moreover, the rampant corruption in southern Italy means that there are no controls in the companies where workers, both Italian and foreign, are exploited.

“Migrants, as always, are useful to politics both for propaganda and for the Italian and European economies which function thanks to the work and sweat of people exploited at work.

“In addition, many Italians no longer want to do the most menial jobs. Thus, agricultural entrepreneurs often use migrants living in reception centres, because they are blackmailable and because they are satisfied with little money.”

Read Also: Onyeka Nwelue’s ‘Strangers of Braamfontein’

He added. “There is also a ‘work tour’, where migrants move around various regions in southern Italy according to the seasonality of the fruit harvest.

“Agriculture and the mafia are often linked either through land ownership or through distribution abroad or in supermarkets. The mafia also has ‘caporali’, who are intermediaries between the workers and the boss. Often, the mafia finds migrants in reception centres and uses them to make them work where the mafia wants.”

Urmila Bhoola, the UN Special Rapporteur on Contemporary Forms of Slavery, reported that the “caporalato” system consists both of labour brokers who supply irregular and regular migrants to farms and a network of criminal syndicates and mafia groups who benefit from the exploitation of the slavery-like conditions of migrant workers.

According to the report, most of the workers are from Sub-Saharan Africa. In the province of Latina, though, about 30,000 Sikh workers from India are subjected to extreme forms of coercion, including being forced to take performance-enhancing drugs, which are prohibited by their religion.

Workers are often victims of physical assault and sexual violence, withholding of wages and documents, and threats to their families if they refuse to work.

A recent police investigation offered fresh evidence of widespread abuse among the Indian community. That operation led to the arrest of a doctor in the beach town of Sabaudia. He was accused of illegally prescribing more than 1,500 boxes of Depalgos, a powerful painkiller containing Oxycodone and given to cancer patients, to 222 Indian farm workers.

“The drug presumably allowed them to work longer in the fields by relieving pain and fatigue,” Latina chief prosecutor Giuseppe De Falco told AFP. Migrants lament living conditions

A documentary of the living conditions of the migrants obtained by our correspondent spoke volumes of how meaningless the lives of migrants are to their hosts.  After working for 13 years in Italy’s fields, all that a Nigerian female farm worker could show for it was a room apartment tucked in a shanty. The building has no electricity supply, running water or other basic amenities.

Before she could drink the water, she would have to boil it with herbs. “If we don’t boil the water with herbs before drinking it, we would fall sick every day. In my country, I have never lived in this kind of environment,” she said.

Ismail, a Ghanaian who went to Italy hoping for a better life, was seen in the documentary lamenting the condition he was living in.

“I always feel ashamed when anybody back home calls to do video chat with me. I feel uncomfortable to do that because the place I am living in is very shameful,” he said.

Sadio, a Senegalese based in Italy, said: “Life here is inhuman. Look around, many people living here are living in terrible conditions.”

The ghettos where the migrants live in, according to Francessco, are usually full of rubbish.

He said: “They are pieces of uncultivated land which arise in the suburbs or under motorways where there are many tents and huts where migrants live. In these ghettos there are no services such as water or toilets. So there are no human hygienic conditions and no services of any kind. In this way, migrants are increasingly isolated and live in very poor conditions.”

Why migrants suffer mental health, respiratory problems among others – Italian NGO

An Italian non-governmental organisation, Medici per i Diritti Umani – MEDU (Doctors for Human Rights – Italy) shared with The Nation their experience helping the migrants over the years as follows: “The migrants from Nigeria that the mobile clinic team meets within the informal settlements in Rome (railway stations, squats) are people who live in Italy permanently and have been here for some years. It’s not uncommon that they live under uncertain legal conditions because their request of asylum have been declined or/and they are in the process of appealing.

“Their life situation is extremely precarious from various points of view. Very often, they do not have a job or they can only get seasonal work. For this reason, in certain periods of the year, they move to the regions of Southern Italy to work in the citrus harvest.

“When they don’t have work to do, they return to big cities like Rome and live on the street or in precarious settlements, shacks, etc.”

On the types of health challenges the migrants face, MEDU said: “In most situations, the health problems they have are linked to the precarious conditions in which they are forced to live, which very often also have consequences on their mental health.

“In winter time, the diseases they suffer from are linked to the respiratory system, due to the environmental conditions or diseases of the osteo-muscular system, due to the condition of sleeping on the street; skin diseases due to poor hygienic conditions and diseases of the digestive system linked to incorrect nutrition but also to the somatization of stress.”

The organisation lamented that the Italian system does not treat the migrants well. “As for the people we meet as MEDU, unfortunately we have to say that the system does not treat them with dignity. Very often, these are people forced to live on the margins of society and are not given any opportunity to integrate.”

A number of the migrants, according to the organization, are serving various jail terms. “For the few known cases, we can say that the crime for which some of them are incarcerated is above all for the trafficking and sale of drugs.”

A former Edo State Commissioner for Arts, Culture, Tourism and Diaspora Affairs, Osaze Osemwingie-Ero, in a recent  interview with The Nation, said over 300 Nigerian youths are ‘illegally’ detained in Italian prisons for contrived charges on mafia-related offences.

Osaze who spent 18 months in an Italian prison for an offence he claimed not to have committed, says his case was as a result of racial discrimination and manipulation of the Italian justice system, and not the offence that was alleged against him.

“I was alleged to be a Mafia kingpin and on that course was detained. Upon demand for evidence, a manual called the ‘Green Bible’ was presented, which was obviously forged,” he said, adding that some Nigerians have been sentenced to 140 years imprisonment for the same Nigerian mafia accusation citing article 416b of Italian Mafia law.

Govt, labour unions working to address challenges – NIDO’s spokesperson

A former Vice Chairman of Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation, NIDO Europe, (Italy chapter) and current Public Relations Officer/Assistaant  General Secretary, NIDO, Europe Continental,  Fidel Wilson, told The Nation that the plight of migrant workers were being addressed by the government and the labour unions.

“The main reason most of them are exploited is desperation. No papers and quest for survival. But the government and labour unions are working on how their conditions can be improved,” he said.