The Nation Newspaper

Category: Saturday Magazine

  • I knew even when OzzyBosco was a baby that he would be a star—Kid musician’s mother Nonye Mojekwu

    I knew even when OzzyBosco was a baby that he would be a star—Kid musician’s mother Nonye Mojekwu

    HOW much love can a mother give to a child? That is a question that Chief Mrs. Nonye Mojekwu answers very easily. A popular business woman who deals in real estate and well known in society, she has given up a major part of her erstwhile lifestyle, to live the dream of her children, one of them being OzzyBosco, a kid star.

    Chief Nonye Mojekwu says she knew even as a baby that the boy would be a star. At four, the boy had already started telling her he would be a singer. Initially, she didn’t take it seriously until at same four years old, he won ‘Kids Got Talent Competition.’ It was a new dawn for her. And gradually, she began without even knowing it to give up every other thing to realise the big dream for the boy. As she says, ‘Every day of my life is now channelled to developping him.’

    From the ‘mini studio’ in her home at Opebi area of Ikeja, Lagos, OzzyBosco at seven, now operates from a corporate office in the same area. In this interview, Chief Mrs. Nonye Mojekwu says, ‘the dream has just begun.’

    In recent past, did you ever have anything to do with the entertainment industry before OzzyBosco’s birth?

    You said before OzzyBosco? No, I did not. I am and have always been in real estate business. I was never in the corridors of entertainment until I found myself there two years ago when OzzyBosco came to limelight. I found myself in it and have to do what every responsible loving mother would do for her beloved child, nurture the child’s God-given natural talents.

    As the mother of OzzyBosco, at what point do you think the music talent in him sprouted out?

    OzzyBosco started before he became three months. I can still recall one recording I did of him with my camcorder when he was barely three months old. I did the recording two days before he became three months. I recall that the nanny place him on my lap after his morning bath and we sang his popular song, Jacko Jacko, meaning Michael Jackson and the baby danced his heart out using his hands and head since he could not make use of his legs.

    He was just beginning to learn to sit, notwithstanding he would dance to anything that made sound such as television, radio, even sound from an airplane on air. Oziomachukwu exhibited his natural talents quite early in life.

    Was he able to sing or say anything then?

    No he couldn’t. We were doing the singing and he was always entertaining everybody with his dancing. So way back then, we knew he was going to become an entertainer, what we failed to realise was the magnitude of his versatilities.

    At what point did you decide that he should take a shot at it?

    It is pertinent to state that we had and still have the habit of singing and dancing in my bedroom before we retire to bed; hence, we nicknamed my bedroom “Mini Studio.” I recall that our favourite song was P’Square’s music, Chop my money. Till date, OzzyB and the rest of the children love P’Square’s music, which helped him to climb the ladder. You may wish to know that OzzyB has two older siblings, brother and sister as well as two others who are two years older and members of his dance team. The kid star happens to be the baby of the house and the whole family are united in nurturing his awesome qualities.

    Back to your question, when he was four years old, we saw on television a promo from “Kids Got Talents Competition” inviting kids to register. We were reluctant to register him because the competition was for ages four to 14 years. When we eventually did, I taught him a song in my bedroom which we called Obey your God. I also taught him intro and outro on stage which he delivered marvellously on the D-day. At Muson Centre, OzzyB, who was the youngest competitor, took the place by storm and got a standing ovation from everybody; the judges, spectators and even fellow contestant and carted home “Best Entertainer Trophy”.

    You should have seen the small four-year-old OzzyB standing in between two 14- year-old girls when they all gathered to collect their winning prizes. Clearly, his swags, charisma and stage craft became obvious as the media besieged us at the venue. From then on, there was no stopping for this kid dynamite who continues to dazzle the high and mighty whenever he mounts the stage to do what he does best. Special thanks to the media who till date supported and followed him everywhere he went.

    As the mother, where do you think OzzyBosco got this talent from?

    It is coming from God Almighty who deposited so much talent in this child. Although in the family, we love to sing and dance, nevertheless, I will not ascribe nor claim that it came from the family, his is simply amazing.

    Nobody in your family has been into music before?

    I cannot recall any member of the family doing music. In fact, my bigger children are professionals and have excelled in their various fields.

    He went on to get more fame, wining more and more recognition. But amidst all that, how does he cope with his education and entertainment?

    I wish to state clearly that we don’t pressure him with the music career. His classroom education takes precedence over every other thing happening around him which includes entertainment. The classroom education continues at home where a special study-room is built for the children with a home tutor who not only has been tutoring them for six years but goes everywhere with them. As you could see this evening, his home teacher was busy with them when you walked in and that happens Monday to Friday.

    Nevertheless, we have also created time for piano, music, dance and voice training lessons. Importantly, for the total development of the child, time for rest and relaxation are given serious attention. OzzyBosco is a fast learner; tell him one thing and when he delivers it, he gives you double. For a kid his age, he possesses an unbelievable retentive memory. Last year, for instance, he was the class captain of a very competitive school. He is also exceptional in graphic arts, hence, he is made the art master this year, a position he still holds.

    So how does that affect him in school? What is the feeling like among his peers, his classmates?

    They see him as their idol and motivator, because he is very kind and loving; he is very much loved by his peer. Initially, we worried about this but not anymore because he blends very well with other children in and outside the school. He enjoys being at school, hence he would ask me at weekends, mummy is tomorrow school? And if I query him why the question? He would reply: ‘I want to go to school.’ We are so glad he loves school.

    I am sure his friends call him; some may even want to perform with him. How do you handle that?

    We don’t give him all the calls. Occasionally, we allow him to speak because the calls just keep coming. At other times, we take their calls. Although they are always so anxious to speak with him directly, but we came explaining to them that he is still a kid. Though we talk to them nicely because after all they are his fans who love what he does.

    When he has an event booking, what preparations does he get into before going on stage?

    He has a dance instructor. I believe you must have seen him a while ago here because of the big event we are having over this weekend. Actually most of the time, we are usually more particular about getting the chorographers ready, not OzzyBosco because he gives them a 110 percentage. Whenever he is given dance instructions, he goes on stage, does what is expected of him adding his own colouration. On stage, whatever he does comes out so beautifully well. We don’t really bother much about him; we rather concern ourselves with his choreographed dancers being a tighter team to reckon with as it regards stage craft.

    How did you come up with the creativity that meets up with what he has?

    His dance instructor is a professional who knows his onions. Mine is to look at it and say this will work or this looks like it will not work, or this one is good. I just put myself in the position of a spectator. Ours really is to advice.

    How long are you going to keep the group as one?

    The choreographed dancers are already part of the team. Whenever we travel, they travel with us. We just came back from Calabar carnival. They are permanent members of the team. Many more are itching to join the group, one of them just called in your presence, but for now we want to keep this group together. However, we hope to start a dance crew for the group leaving the window open for prospective dancers to join because they all have been craving for a place to express their dancing talents.

    How many events has he participated in so far?

    Wow, OzzyBosco has done 121 stage performances, I mean serious stage performances and that is because we don’t accept every invitation. His brand positioning directs the events he honours. Mark you, he doesn’t perform for kids only, he also performs for adults. Not too long age, he performed at the Imo State governor’s daughter’s wedding. He was the only artiste there. You need to have seen him blow their minds.

    He also performed at ‘Ovation Red carol;’ he actually won an award there. He also performed at the just concluded ‘Lagos Countdown’ and he was the only kid star that was on stage. He was also at Nigeria Music Video Awards, where he carted away the newly created video category created for kids, beating all other five contestants to win the best video by a minor. We are already applying for the Guinness book of records; he has been invited to audition for Desperate Housewives in Ebony Life TV.

    Are you a manager?

    No, we have a team managing OzzyBosco, people that have agreed to come together. I am not an entertainment guru, so I can’t help myself in a line that I do not know much about. I am somebody that hates failure; that’s why you see me the way I am working with him. There are beautiful people around me, they all have their businesses and some of them are in broadcasting also. We all agreed that we need to mentor this boy.

    Who creates the songs?

    I create the songs, everybody creates the songs. Nobody in particular writes the songs and sometimes, he OzzyBosco gives the chorus. He comes to my room and says, ‘Mummy I dreamt of this song last night, let me sing it for you.’ I put my recorder or phone on and record. I give God the glory.

    Every child grows up, wakes up one day, tells the parents ‘I want to be this, I want to be that,’ what did OzzyBosco tell you?

    He said, ‘I want to be a singer, a dancer.’ And I said cool, fantastic, work hard because if you work hard, you would be who you desire to be. That is our slogan here, ‘you must work hard.’

    What is the size of your team like when you travel for shows?

    Usually 16, yeah, that’s because OzzyBosco and his dance team are 7, with me it makes 8, his bouncer 9, his media man 10, his nanny 11, the teacher goes with us everywhere because at every given opportunity they’ve got to open their books. That makes 12, the driver 13 and extra hands.

    Who creates the costume? And the design, where does it come from?

    I create and the design comes from my head.

    Lets look at a technical industry problem. OzzyBosco is already going places and he is growing bigger than this, you are already doing this job with your crew and you are doing a fantastic job so far, what if he is hijacked by industry people?

    We intend to leave him in such care, but not immediately. We need to groom him a little more. It is just that we want to take so much stress off the person because look from where we started from, there is no manager that could have coped with that. But I could cope with the stress because he is mine.

    This is another industry issue which you are going to face at a point in time. For instance, use of hyper-active drugs and all that, how are you going to handle that?

    I would do whatever I can as a human being and a duty mother to protect these little kids and leave the rest for God because even if OzzyBosco is not into music or entertainment or even my child, true many children are derailed, I can only play my part and protect my baby and leave the rest for God. I didn’t start it in the first place; he started it all, so he knows how he wants to go about it.

    What the challenges you are facing right now?

    The challenge is lack of time. I don’t have enough time for myself right now. I don’t attend to a lot of invitations because they keep clashing with his. And of course my first choice is his programme. Many things that I am supposed to be doing, but I cannot be in two places at the same time.

    How about late night outings?

    We don’t actually encourage him to take late night events unless it becomes very important like the Lagos Countdown. Countdown means till January 1st. That is once in a while, but ordinarily we don’t allow it.

  • How I manage to keep away from scandal – London-based juju act Jide Chord

    How I manage to keep away from scandal – London-based juju act Jide Chord

    For London-based juju musician, Babajide Akinwunmi, popularly known as Jide Chord, music is both life and art. Long before he could properly decipher his left from his right, young Jide knew he was going to play music one day. In this interview with SEGUN AJIBOYE, Jide Chord, who has spent the larger part of his life in UK, talks about his life, style and music among several other things. Excerpts:

    We’ve not heard from you for a while now. What’s happening?

    I can confidently say that I have been in Nigeria in the last two years, performing and playing at exclusive private parties. But now I have two new releases as a result of the clamour from my fans who have been on my neck to come out with a new one. One is called Pacero Mi Remix and Juju Swagger. I am also working on a film.

    Any particular reason why you dedicated the last two years to shows and parties?

    When you are busy, you are busy. Moreover, I don’t just do anything for the sake of doing it. I am not in competition with anybody. As a matter of fact, music is my life. I am never desperate to release.

    So you don’t do any other thing except music?

    Once in a while I go back to the UK to give lectures, though not officially. But I have to go to give talks in colleges about African culture.

    Are you a lecturer?

    No, I’m not a lecturer. I only give talks based on what I do and my knowledge of African culture. I have also written a book on entrepreneurship. You see, the UK sees me as theirs. I have represented the UK in Japan and I have had to write books on black music and entrepreneurship.

    You know there’s been talk that hip-pop has taken over from juju music. What is your take on this?

    It is not true. A few years back, the talk was that fuji music has taken over. No music takes over. Every music has its weaknesses and strengths. Juju music as at now is represented by gospel music. Juju music still retains its position as an elitist stuff. And when people with class want to celebrate and celebrate well, their music of choice is juju. There are lots of juju musicians that you don’t know about. They are busy doing their stuff every weekend.

    Are you saying these people don’t have the time to record?

    Not necessarily having the time to record. Right now, juju music is not strong in the recording business. But the truth is that the gospel music that we listen to is juju and highlife.

    Your own form of juju music is somehow unique to you…

    Is that so? Maybe because I don’t stay here. However, I strongly believe that if anybody could do what KSA does, then they can do whatever I do.

    But in this case, is the voice that is different or the style?

    I think it is the style. Everybody’s voice is unique. But even at that, some people copy voices.

    But the truth is that one does not get to hear many musicians playing like you.

    Well, that is a compliment. But to be sincere, I really don’t respect musicians who try to be someone else. I love you to be whatever God has given to you as talent. But much more than this, it is how well you put your music together, how you arrange it. And I think I have been able to do that well enough.

    Your name connotes two things- London and juju music…

    This is a very big battle. I have been around for two years running now. I only go home and come back, pardon me for calling London home. But that is what it is to me. Despite this, people still say Jide Chord of London. But I believe that with time, people will begin to know that I am around, maybe when I start getting involved in other things around here.

    You just called London home. And earlier on you said you represented the UK. Where do you really belong?

    I am a dual national. I am a citizen of Nigeria. I am also a citizen of the UK. Maybe because of the way I operate, I cannot be anywhere and be ignored. I have worked for straight 20 years as a musician in the UK, and I have done all I did reasonably well, they also know that I have other skills than playing music. The UK has used me to represent their black community. I am part of the decision makers in a big organisation called the Arts Council of England. I just count myself lucky about all these. So, sometimes I count England as home, just the same way I call Nigeria home.

    It seems you’ve given Nigeria a good representation.

    I feel fulfilled in that respect. Some senior Nigerian musicians see me and say so. In the same vein, some politicians see me and say so. So I feel fulfilled.

    You described music as your life. Aside music, what other things have you done?

    I have acted in films. I trained as a journalist. I also trained as a banker and worked in the bank. I worked for The Punch newspapers. I worked for the defunct National Bank for six and half years. I was also the public relations officer to late Professor Peller (the magician) before I left for England.

    At what point did music become too irresistible for you?

    Even while I was in the bank, I was playing music. I even released a gospel album in 1984.

    You had three promising professions on your palm. How easy was it for you to settle down on music?

    It was very easy for me to decide. From the time I was 16, I knew I wanted to play music. And everything I did, even going to the university, was to be Jide Chord. I wanted to be a good musician, and there was no battle among the other professions. You’ll agree with me that journalism and public relations are two good things for a musician.

    Of all your albums, the most popular is Pacero Mi. How did you come about that word?

    Let me attribute this to the person that deserves it. I first heard about that word from Admiral Dele Abiodun. He mentioned it in one of his albums, and I just fell in love with it. I cannot really remember the day I wrote that song.

    You know one thing, guys like you get a lot of attention from the opposite sex. How do you cope with this pressure?

    On a serious note, it is a power that you have when God gives you a talent and good looks come with it. But you must be responsible with that gift. Any power that you have, be it political or anything, if you fail to use it responsibly, God will ask you to account for it.

    But how easy is it for you to control this power you just spoke about?

    I just have to control it. I am left with no other choice than controlling it.

    But what I’m saying is having to control yourself continually because it happens almost every day because you are hardly at home.

    I don’t resist hundred percent. I am not a saint, and I am polygamous by nature. I am not a one- woman man. But I say that with a lot of respect to my wife. I love her very much because she is the first lady. So I don’t see it as negative because girls surround you. There would be a few that you may be friendly with. But I am not frivolous and I am not one that would take advantage of anything that comes my way. You may have to cut off some of these girls, and that is what I do most times.

    You seem to have successfully kept out of scandal. How have you been able to do this?

    God’s grace and discipline. I became exposed to the world very early. I became a junior reporter with The Punch at 16. At that time, I already had an half page called Photo View by Jide Akinwunmi. I was reporting the courts. By the time I was 20, I already knew how to handle women. So now that I am 50, I don’t think handling women should pose any problem for me.

    You said you are a polygamous by nature. What is your background like?

    I come from a very successful polygamous background.

    Did that in any way teach you anything on how to handle women?

    I don’t really know. But I try to put my private life and public life as apart as I can. My dad having more than one wife is not a direct reflection of my own life. I just know that I am polygamous by nature. And I believe in polygamy.

    Let’s talk about your style. What is your fashion sense like?

    I won’t say I have a particular fashion. I wear whatever suits me. I don’t think I have any particular fashion regime.

    But I’m sure that you don’t just dress anyhow.

    Oh sure, I don’t dress anyhow. What I wear is what suits my bill. I know how to put colours together and make a beautiful blend. I also know how not to be vulgar in my use of jewelry. You have to make statements in subtle ways.

    Do you wear perfumes?

    Yes, I wear perfumes.

    Any particular brand?

    No, I just go with the trend. People around me know that I love perfumes. Most of the gifts I get from close family are perfumes. Let me say I have homes in different parts of the world, and the number of perfumes that I have are more than one hundred. Some may be in New York, while others maybe in other places. I think that is one thing that I am heads over heels with. I know a lot about perfumes, especially which one fits which any particular event.

    And your jewelry?

    I wear what suits me. I don’t go with the crowd. I don’t need to wear what other people are wearing simply because they are celebrities. As a matter of fact, I think I should be creating brands rather than joining the crowd. To me, it is frivolous.

    You have this look that makes you look romantic. How often do you express this?

    I have slightly comedic skill. So even when I am shy to express romance in words, I turn them into comedy. For my wife, I express a lot of love at all times.

    Do you do this in the African way?

    There is no distinct difference in the way you show love.

    What is your background like?

    I am from Abeokuta, Ogun State. I made my first public performance at age five. My school was the Corona School, and I had always known that I wanted to be a musician.

    Seems you had a privileged upbringing.

    Maybe, my dad was a hotelier. He studied public relations, but ended up a hotelier. My mum was a teacher. Half of my family was born abroad, but I wasn’t born abroad. So in some respect, you could say I had a privileged upbringing. And that is why some people are shocked that I chose juju music instead of highlife.

    Were your parents happy with you for choosing music?

    It was tough. They wanted something different for me. When I was in journalism, they thought I was going to stick with it. It was the same when I entered into the banking industry. Though I was spending the bulk of my money on seeing what KSA and other top musicians were doing, my parents thought it was childhood passion, and that I would out-grow it. But let me advise the younger generation that whatever you do, make sure you get an education.

    You talked about new works. What about them?

    I have two albums in the market now. They were released about two weeks ago. After this, I am working on a film. You see, in England, I worked a lot on documentaries for the BBC, because they know me and what I can do. So whenever there is a documentary to be done on Africa, they call me to take part in it.

    With your experience in the UK, how would you describe the attitudes of some Nigerians over there?

    I respect my people a lot. I have been around the world, and I see the way people carry themselves. But the way our people carry themselves, always in a rush to get things done frustrates me.

    Talking about your musical career, how long is it now?

    My first album as Jide Chord was released in 1991. But before then, in 1984, I released an album while I was still working in the bank. I deliberately went to England to start my career. I was lucky to have the connection that made things easy for me in England, so I simply went there to form the band. I knew it would be tough to succeed, but I was equally ready to brave the odds. I worked as a cleaner, a taxi driver and what have you. Today, juju music is a thriving industry in England, with about 40 bands.

    One thing that comes to mind about Nigerian musicians who perform abroad is their claim that they perform before large crowds, whereas the actual show took place in a parlour. What is your take on this?

    Every person has a unique way of presenting a business. God’s grace is not even, so if anybody plays in a small parlour to move on, so be it. Some wealthy people make us play in parlours. I am aware that a senior musician performed for a popular kabiyesi in a parlour. But I am sure the show was worth it. If I am paid what I would earn to perform in a parlour for the service of performing at a large stadium, I would take it.

    In your long career, has there been any moment you feel like quitting?

    Of course. I almost lost my family because I was using all my earnings on equipment. Instead of taking care of the home, all my money went on the band, going on tours and stuff like that. There were other moments, especially in England, when getting the job was not the problem, but getting the band members to play. For example, the guitarist is a lawyer, the sekere player works somewhere else. So to gather them together most times was a problem. But things improved when professionals started arriving from Nigeria with the intent to join our band. So much so that Don Jazzy was in my band for some years. He played the bass. I was the first major band that he played with as a young man.

    You must have had your high moments too. Can you share some with us?

    I thank God every day. But there are times that I would climb a stage and I would find 20, 000 or 30, 000 people waiting for me, at such moments I ask myself, how did I get to that point? Sometimes, I get first class treatment at public places like the airport simply because I am Jide Chord. Those are the times I look back and say wow. But these are apart from my family, children and home.

  • Hustling in the valley of death

    • Chilling plight of Nigerians languishing in Chinese  prisons
    •  Distressed relations narrate ordeal

    On January 30, 2014, two Chinese men were reported to have stabbed and beaten one of their Nigerian employees to coma in Sagamu area of Ogun State.  This and many cases of how the Chinese allegedly dehumanise Nigerians in their own fatherland abound. If this is the condition of Nigerians in their country, what would the situation look like abroad, especially in China? INNOCENT DURU reports.

    Odinukaeze Ugochukwu Samson, a businessman, travelled to China in 2009 with the aim of expanding his clothing business. Within a short time he arrived in China, he bought and sent goods to his wife, Juliana, back in the country. She was selling the goods and transferring the money to her husband in China for more goods.This continued without any interruptions for three months; afterwards, she stopped hearing from her husband.

    Initially, it appeared like a usual break in communication, but it was not, at the end of the day. In fact, she has not heard from him till today. Her efforts to know what has happened to him have yielded no positive result. As it is today, Juliana does not know if she is still married or has become a widow. Neither do the two children know if they still have a father or have become fatherless.

    The husband’s sojourn to China that earlier brought them joy has become a source of sorrow to the family.

    Juliana narrates her ordeal: “We got married in 2002. We had two children before he travelled. We were communicating regularly for good three months after he travelled to China. Thereafter, I stopped hearing from him.  I have made series of efforts to search for him but all were unsuccessful. I have reached out to the authorities in China but they claimed they have no record of him in the country.

    “I have been receiving contradicting stories about his sudden disappearance but all of them are centred around the fact that he was thrown down from a 25-storey building.  Some of his friends that I tried to reach told me that he had issues with some people there in China and was thrown down from a 25-storey building. That was all I heard from them.  When one the of the friends came to the country, I tried all my best to see him but he avoided me all through his stay in the country. They didn’t say anything about the whereabouts of his remains.”

    Bemoaning her condition, she said: “Life has been very difficult for me and my children since his mysterious disappearance.’’ The aged mother has also been crestfallen since then. she added: ‘’The business has folded up. I and the children have since relocated to my village in the east because we could not afford the high cost of living in the city. I am eager to know the whereabouts of my husband. If he is dead, his remains should be released to the family. I want the Federal Government to assist me to prevail on the Chinese government to find my husband for me.”

    Charity Okoro is another woman whose husband’s sojourn to China in search of greener pastures has brought sorrow and untold hardship to the family. She has four children that include a set of twins that she was delivered shortly after her husband travelled. Unfortunately, none of the children know who their father is today. According to the mother, they have kept disturbing her to know who their father is.  The husband is one of the numerous Nigerians languishing in various prisons in China. Though she speaks with the husband on the phone once in a month, she expressed fears about his safe return to the family after his terms because of the brutal treatment being meted out to black prisoners in the Asian country.

    She told her story: “My husband travelled to china in 2009 to buy goods as he used to do. He used to call after arriving China but on this particular occasion, I didn’t get his call. I became seriously worried. After about five days, I got a call from somebody that my husband was arrested. I started asking series of questions but got no tangible response. It took me and family members a whole year before we could hear from him. He called to tell me that he has been imprisoned in China. He is in Beijing 2 Prison. He said they arrested five of them at the airport after they saw some substances in the other people’s luggage. He said he didn’t know about it but they still arrested him.

    “He told me that their condition in the prison is horrible. He said they used to squeeze water melon into liquid form and give them as food in the morning, afternoon and night every day. He complained that majority of them have developed diabetes and high blood pressure because of what they eat and the condition they live in.

    ‘’He told me that they even go for some days without food because what they are being served is alien to their body system. He also told me how they are being brutalised. He said one of them fell from a staircase in the course of brutalising him and they have neither seen nor heard from the man since then. He said the place is simply like hell.”

    The development, according to her, has taken a serious toll on the family. She said: “I was delivered of a set of twins two months after he travelled. He has not seen them since I gave birth to them. They are six years old now. They keep asking me for the whereabouts of their father. They would say: ‘everybody has a father, where is our own father?’ This is how they keep disturbing me every day but I have kept assuring them that their father would soon come. I have four of them but they don’t know their father. Even my first child that is eight years old doesn’t know the father.

    “It has not been easy for me and the children since he left. I never knew that I would even be alive today. I have withdrawn my children from private school and enrolled them in public school. The worst of it all is that I have been given a notice to quit our apartment because I don’t have the means of paying the rent any longer. I have resorted to making and selling pap to make both ends meet. We have sold everything we have, including his car, to take care of the family. I have four children. My mother in-law has been sick since she heard about his imprisonment.”

    Mrs. Jumoke, 63, has been sick since she learnt that her son is serving jail sentence in China. Her condition has been aggravated by what she has been told about the plight of Nigerians in China, the prison in particular.

    ‘My son was trading at Computer Village before he travelled to China. I didn’t get to hear from him for a whole year. You can imagine the psychological effect that such must have had on a person of my age. I have been moving from one sickness to another because I don’t know what he is going through over there. China is not anywhere close for me to go and see him. He is my first son and he has been the one taking care of the family. The father is dead. Life has been very difficult for the family since he was imprisoned.

    “I heard from him after one year. He has been calling me once every month since then. He told me that he was arrested in a club with several others when I asked him what he was doing in prison. He is obviously worried more about my condition than whatever he is going through over there. He keeps appealing to me not to give in to anxiety and too much thinking because it could affect my health. I have always assured him that I would not but is it possible? Is it possible for one’s son to be in prison in a foreign country since 2009 and one would not think?

    Amaka, a relation to another detainee, also expressed concern about her brother. “My brother was into cosmetics business in Onitsha. He travelled to China to buy goods. He called to inform me the day he travelled. After some time, I waited for his call as usual but never heard anything. After some days, I called the wife to know how far. She said she was yet to hear from him. That was how we remained in the dark about his whereabouts for more than a year. It was in November 2010 that we got a call from China that we should call a particular number on a given time and date to speak with my brother.

    ‘’When we called him, he gave a sordid account of the horror they are passing through in the prison. He said that they packed so many of them in a room such that it was impossible for them to even turn their bodies. He said they gave them series of punishment from time to time in the prison. It has not been easy for my dad and my mum in particular. She has been suffering one sickness and another because of his son,” she stated.

     

    Returnees narrate experience in China

    “This is a communist state (pronounced as kushanta in Chinese), if you misbehave we would waste you and nobody will know let alone question us about you.” This, according to some Nigerian returnees, from China was how the police used to threaten the blacks at the slightest provocation.

    One of the returnees, who gave his name as Funsho, told our correspondent that the blacks are under constant harassment and threat up there.

    “Racism is at its peak all over China. I can’t advise my worst enemy to go there because anything can happen to you anytime. If you are innocently walking along the street as a black man, it is very easy for you to walk into a problem you don’t know anything about,” he said.

    Another returnee, who simply identified himself as 50Cent (not the musician), said: “the Chinese often refer to the blacks as black devil (pronounced as heyqui in Chinese). They always wash their hands after touching a black person. They see us as rags.”

    Asked about what led  him to jail, 50Cent said: “ What took me to prison was not an issue that I was directly involved in. it was an issue that involved another person who mentioned me as his friend. The position of the authorities was that I should have exposed his activities to them since I was aware of what he was doing. I was subsequently arrested and taken to the court. All my efforts to make them understand that I was not dealing in drugs did not yield any fruits. The court gave me eight years jail sentence.

    Lack of fair hearing in courts

     

    Some Nigerians who served various jail terms  in the Asian country lamented that the black, Nigerians in particular, have no access to fair hearing whenever they had issues in the court.

    They alleged that the state always provides lawyers who simply do the bidding of their country.

    Funsho, who served his jail term in Beijing 2 prison, said: “They would give you a lawyer that you cannot communicate with. They always have an interpreter but the lawyer would never tell them what you asked him to say. So getting a lawyer there to handle your case is just a formality.”

    On his part, 50Cent said: “I didn’t have access to a lawyer when I had issues with the state. They provided one for me. They dictate how it would work for you. The presence of the lawyer during your hearing does not make any difference. They only do it to pretend that they have respect for fundamental human rights. Even though the lawyer would not do anything to defend you, they would still be demanding money from you. In my case, the lawyer said practically nothing. I was the one who took the courage to defend myself. At the end of the day, I paid about $3, 000 to the lawyer and was still given eight-year jail term.”

    “The prison condition was appalling,” 50Cent hinted. He added: “They were  using us, the inmates, as  tools for booming their economy by making us to work in their factories. If you dare resist them, they would kick life out of you. They would tell you that none of your relations is there to help you and whatever happens to you is at your own risk. They would tell you clearly that nobody would question them about anything that happens to you. It is very difficult for information from the prison to get to the public.

    “If they ask you to do something and you complain that you are sick, they would kick you. If you attempt to resist them, they would give you mass beating. Some inmates suffered internal bleeding in the process and died. I can’t count on my finger tips the number of Nigerians that died when I was there. They always die mysteriously. You can see somebody looking very healthy today and by tomorrow, you will hear that the person is dead.

    ‘’When you go to the factory around 6:30am, you would work till around noon and return to your cell to rest. After resting for a while, they will march you back to the factory where you will engage in hard labour till about 6pm. Our fingers were not like those of a human being anymore because of the kind of job we were doing in the factories.

    “When I was leaving the prison, they removed all my clothes and searched even my anus to see if I was hiding any secret documents in it. They always would not want you to leave with information about any of your kinsmen.

    “They detested any move to give out information about other people in the prison to their family members. If on your way out, any of the inmates gives you a number to call his people and tell them how he is faring, they would collect it from you because they never wanted anything like that. It is not all of them that are bad. While in the prison, I asked one of them what Nigerians can do to have some level of freedom in the country and he replied that it is left to our government to bring a proposal to their government. He told me that some of them were not happy about how we were being mal –treated.”

    Narrating his ordeal in the prison, Funsho said:  “They subjected us to hard labour in the prison but that was not in the judgment. The situation was so tense that all we could do was to turn to God for help. We started having fellowship and praying for divine intervention. They never allowed pastors to visit us.  At a point, the authorities would come and stop us because they didn’t want to see us gather in large number.

    “After returning from the factories, the inmates would be asked to sit on a spot all day and night in the prison. The practice began after they took one of the inmates to a solitary confinement. He is a Nigerian named Tunde. He was complaining about the condition of Nigerians in the prisons and fighting for it to be ameliorated but the whole thing has bounced back on him. He has been taken to a solitary confinement as I am talking to you now.

    “There is another Nigerian that was sentenced to 15 years jail term. After the judgment, he was asked to sign some documents as proof that he accepts it. He declined and pressed to appeal the judgment. He has not been given the opportunity to appeal the judgment for the past five years. He is there languishing in the prison. They were serving us rice without anything every day.

    “We want to use this opportunity to let the Federal Government and the international community to know what is happening in China.  The government should intervene and save Nigerians from the horrors that they are passing through in China,” 50Cent stated.

    Osita osemene, the Chief Executive Officer of  Patriotic Citizen Initiatives, has been holding meetings with some of the embattled relations . He said: ” Nigerian women should watch their husbands and children carefully when they become desperate to travel abroad. It is desperation that leads most of these people into problem. Most of these men don’t tell their wives where they are going to and what they are going to do, but it is important that women should be alive to their responsibilities because they always end up suffering the consequences of such actions.

    “My organisation has been meeting with the mothers and wives of these Nigerians wasting away in different prisons in China. Some of these women are not saying that their husbands are innocent, but some others are insisting that theirs are innocent. Our mission is to see how they can be assisted to have some level of treatment that would be commensurate to that of human beings. We are also trying to work with the government, especially in the area of prison exchange.

    “Considering the number of Nigerians that are in various jails in China, it is imperative for our government to rise up and do something. The responses that these women have got from some government quarters are not encouraging at all. Some of them have said that they were not the ones that sent them to go and carry drugs in China and if they need to die there, they should die. But the truth is that it is not everybody who was jailed that actually committed any criminal offence. Some of them, from our findings, were ropped into the crime they were convicted for. Nobody harasses the Chinese here in Nigeria but up there, they keep giving inhuman treatment to our people. We are calling for an assessment visit to China to check the situation and bring a report to the president.

    ‘’We implore President Goodluck Jonathan to listen to the voice of these people. Some of them are crying for justice, while some of them are crying for their people to serve the jail-term here. We have been on that since 2011 but are yet to get any response from the government. We had an unofficial encounter with an official at the Chinese Embassy who said that Nigerians are terribly languishing in their prisons over there. He asked about what our government is doing to save the situation. He asked the question because he knows that it is a diplomatic issue.”

    Commenting on the development, Chairman, House Committee on Diaspora Affairs, Hon. Abike Dabiri Erewa, in a telephone interview with our correspondent, noted: “There is serious human rights abuse in China. Nigeria is not doing enough about this. About 33 Nigerian prisoners were cremated in China three years ago after they died in the prisons. The authorities said they could not identify them.

    ”Apart from some Nigerians that were jailed for drug trafficking,  many others are in serious trouble in China because of immigration offences. If you are caught for immigration offences in China, they would ask you to pay $5,000 as penalty. If you can’t pay it, you will run into trouble with the authorities. We have asked them to separate those that have immigration offences and repatriate them to Nigeria but that has not happened. We are planning to go to China very soon to look into this problem.”

  • Atlantic Aviation commences flights operation for Shell Nigeria

    New helicopter-services operator, Atlantic Aviation, supported by one of the world’s leading providers of high-quality transportation to offshore oil and gas producers, has begun commercial flights of Augusta Westland 139 (AW139) helicopters from Lagos.

    Atlantic Aviation, a Nigerian company owned by Jagal Group, with technical service support from CHC Helicopter, started crew-rotation flights for Shell from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport to the Deepwater Discovery drill ship. On its maiden commercial flight, Atlantic Aviation transported nine Transocean employees to the waters around the Shell Bonga concession.

    The Deepwater Discovery is a fast drilling ship that is boring some 80 holes in a relatively short amount of time in the Gulf of Guinea.

    Shaf Syed, Regional Director, Atlantic Aviation, said the first flights were significant: “These flights are only the first of what we expect would be many years of helping oil and gas operators to go further, do more and come home safely in Nigeria, one of the world’s fastest growing regions for this industry.

    “Today represents a culmination of several months of planning and hard work from many people to establish and demonstrate Atlantic Aviation. In line with the governments’ strategic agenda on investment, job creation and Nigerian content development, Atlantic Aviation is investing in delivering to Nigeria world-class standards through quality and excellence.

    Shaf said that with technical service support from CHC for training, flight and engineering standards, Atlantic Aviation will become “the leading helicopter operator in the market.

    “Customers will feel reassured by the depth of experience and expertise that we bring to this sector in Nigeria,” he said.

    The twin-engine, medium-sized AW139 helicopter is well-suited to current and future requirements of Nigerian offshore drilling, having the range and capability to operate into the deep water and frontier drilling ultra-deep water fields.

    Thelicopter that meets all the latest offshore safety requirements whilst bringing enhanced customer comfort to the offshore traveller.

  • Are you financially faithful?(3)

    There are challenges to your financial progress in the home. That is why in today’s teaching, we shall examine via God’s Word, some of these challenges and how you can overcome them. God gives us knowledge to help fix potential areas of conflicts and to protect us from every difficult situation of life. When knowledge is rejected, crises become the order of the day in the family.

    One major challenge of your financial future is covetousness. COVETOUSNESS is simply the love for things. You are never satisfied with what you can afford. The Bible encourages: But godliness with contentment is great gain:… And having food and raiment let us be therewith content (1 Timothy 6:6,8). The cure for covetousness is contentment. Be satisfied with the step by step lifting of God in your life. Just as a child does not walk in a day when it is born, you shouldn’t expect to become a millionaire overnight. Covetousness is a challenge of your financial progress. So you need to walk in the wisdom of God to sustain your wealth. King Solomon received wisdom before his wealth increased, not the other way around (1 Kings 3:7-9)

    I recall a time we could not afford two meals a day. Then chicken was a luxury. We didn’t complain, we only gave thanks to God, trusting the Lord that such a condition wouldn’t be permanent, because we served Him and also complied with His instructions. Today, our lives have been multiplied. We thank Him for supernatural supplies on all sides. We can afford five meals a day now, if necessary. You, too, will excel financially, but like my husband says: “Life is in phases and men are in sizes.” Live your size, eat your size and wear your size per time. Running after clothes, possessions, money, cars etc, more than necessary at the expenses of your fellowship with God, your financial obligations to family members, and good accounting sense, will only end you in deep financial troubles.

    If you are a covetous wife or husband, stop troubling your spouse to buy you this or buy you that; when you know he or she does not have the money. It is wise to stick to your budget and plan for the month. “This is a need that must be met”, is not a true statement. There are things you are better off without. Contentment means to live according to your income. To steal, defraud or extort money has negative consequences, if not now, it could be in the future. It also means not getting upset because you don’t have what your neighbours have in their house. Always thank God for what you have (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

    There was a time in our home, when my husband asked me how much I spent to make breakfast (bread, egg and tea). Then I told him the cost, but he said, “No one eats egg anymore in this house; we can’t afford it for now.” We were taking pap (corn portage) instead. With all submission, I consented because I knew what he was earning then. Today, if we want to eat eggs everyday we can afford it now. We learnt in the early stages of our family life, to cut our coat according to our cloth and this has helped our financial situation to grow and blossom. Husband, let your wife know what you earn, so she won’t ask you for more than what you can afford. Wife, learn to be good home manager today, your tomorrow is bright; don’t kill it by being covetous.

    Another challenge of your financial future closely related to covetousness is IMPULSIVE BUYING: This is exceeding your budget, buying something because you have money in your pocket. Don’t just buy something because you have money; buy because it is necessary for your household. That’s why it is good to have a budget. My husband would say, “This is feeding money for the month; make sure it covers for the month.” With the wisdom of God, I would make sure I didn’t buy what I had not written on the list. If there was extra money, I would keep it for emergency, rather than just buy anything because I had some money left.

    Lack Of Accountability is another challenge of your financial future. The Word says: He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much… (Luke 16:10). To be faithful with money does not happen all of a sudden. It happens by constant practice and discipline. If you can’t develop discipline, accountability, faithfulness, planning and budgeting skill now that you are earning N1000.00, God can’t be sure you will be able to do it, when you start earning N500,000.00 Many a time, God blesses those who keep effective accounts. God promotes the faithful. Luke 16:12 says: And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man’s, who shall give you that which is your own?

    God, Himself keeps records (Revelation 20:12). So, as His child, why shouldn’t you follow the example He has set? A bedside, accountability build trust is a key ingredient in the success of your family life. Husband, do you trust your wife with money? Wife, do you trust your husband with money? Parents, do you trust your children with money? If not, be sincere about it and carefully, using God’s wisdom, discuss the benefits of good accountability with your family members. List out your income and expenditure, even if you can’t remember everything the first time you try, keep doing it, until it becomes a habit. Nobody was born with accounting skill; we all learnt what we know and what we do. You, too, can become accountable by practising to write your expenditure.

    Also, as children of God, the payment of TITHE is a must. What is tithe? It is 10% of your income, profit, or gifts received. According to God’s Word: all the tithe of the land whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord’s” it is holy unto the Lord (Leviticus 27:30). Don’t rob God in your attempt to save money or make up for some unforeseen expenses. Tithe is acknowledging and recognizing that all the money comes from God in the first place. To refuse to pay tithes (full tithes not 1% or 5%) opens you and your home to devourers. The Lord says, if you pay your tithes… I (the Lord) will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground…(Malachi 3:11) (Emphasis mine).

    Some homes are suffering from the destroyer and waster, because the family members refuse to pay tithes. Devourers like (sickness, accident, business failure, etc.) are all devices of Satan to rob you and your home of financial progress. Your tithe payment is an insurance against such. Your tithes are to be paid or handed over to the Lord in the church not to man, not to the poor or an organization. Tithes are for the Lord; He alone gives instructions on how they would be utilized.

    Calamities And Emergencies are other challenges to financial progress. How do you overcome them? The Bible says all things work together for the good of those who love the Lord and are called according to His plan for their lives (Romans 8:28). Do you love God? Are you born-again? Have you embraced God’s plan for your life? If you have really done all these, then I can declare to you boldly that calamities or crisis can’t harm you, but are stepping-stones to a bright future. Calamities, to a born-again child of God, are stepping-stones to success. Why? You have “a sound mind,” a mind that is quick to think, quick to act, and quick to find solutions to problems. There is no problem without a solution (I Corinthians 10:13).

    Whatever the devil has programmed to rob you of financial blessings, as a child of God as you walk in obedience to the Lord, He (the Lord) will turn your situation around for good. The Bible says, concerning Job that the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before (Job 42:10). Your financial captivity will be turned in the precious name of Jesus; For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion (Ecclesiastes 9:4).

    Are you born again? If you are not, you don’t have the hope and genuine access to operate the mind of Christ (I Corinthians 2:16). If you would want to, say this prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, I come to You today, just as I am. I am a sinner. I believe You died for me and on the third day You rose again for my justification. Forgive me of my sins; cleanse me with Your Blood. I accept You now as my Lord and Saviour. Thank You Lord, for saving me. Now I know I am forgiven, I am justified, I am born again and I am a child of God!

    Congratulations, you are now born again! I believe that you will begin to experience the reality of the price that Jesus paid for your sins at Calvary. All-round rest and peace are guaranteed you, in Jesus’ Name!

    Call or write, and share your testimonies with me through: E-mail: faithdavid@yahoo.com. Tel. No: 08141320204; 07026385437; 07094254102

    For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Making Marriage Work, Marriage Covenant, Building A Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-Authored).

  • ‘My life as a care giver for the aged

    ‘My life as a care giver for the aged

    FEHITOLA TOYIN OBILOMO, the chair of Caring Hands International, was in ecstatic mood. She moved her body in time with the music that played slowly in the background. Of course, she had every reason to be happy. She had another opportunity to do what she likes doing most: feting elderly people.

    About 700 elderly people had converged in a hall, chatting, eating and making merry. They could barely hide their excitement. From the way they conducted themselves, even the blind would know that they were enjoying a kind of treatment they did not get often.

    It was a scenario Obilomo had grown familiar with. “My dad was an auditor in the old Western Region. He died when he was just around 50. We grew up living with many people in our house. There were many people my parents were supporting. My parents had five biological children, but there was never a time the children in the house were fewer than 13. I grew up in an environment like that. We grew up to love,” she recalled.

    Prior to the incorporation of Caring Hands International, she had engaged in helping the needy and the elderly. “At that time, we were not really sure of which category of people we should care for,” she said.

    But all that changed with a dramatic encounter she had with an old man. “We were looking for a building and we went to Ayetoro (a part of Osogbo, Osun State capital) and saw some old buildings, one after the other. We looked at one and saw that there was space. We were told that the man who owned the building was living in the next compound.

    “We met with him. His environment was tidy and comfortable. The house was well furnished and from the look of the place, we knew that the man was not a poor man. Later on, we got to know that the man was highly educated, judging from his spoken English.”

    Luckily for Obilomo, the old man was receptive to her, as he was apparently looking for someone to talk with.

    “After about 20 minutes, we did not see anybody around him. We then asked: ‘Baba, where is Mama (his wife)?’ But he said Mama had gone to meet with the Lord.’ It was something we had sensed might be, because Baba was around 90, if not a bit more.”

    The task of taking care of the 90-year-old man had been placed in the hands of a woman. The old man’s children had employed the woman who took care of his breakfast, cleaned the house and made sure that the old man had his bath. From the way the environment looked that morning, the woman that took care of the old man had already visited.

    For his dinner, the old man depended on those who hawked bread or eko (pap). Unfortunately, the old man found it difficult to get down from his one-storey building.

    Though lonely, the 90-year-old man, according to Obilomo, found a way round his problem. Rather than remain at the mercy of anyone, the 90-year-old man got an empty paint bucket to which he tied a rope and lowered down from the balcony of his upper floor apartment. He would lower the paint bucket down with money in it and a hawker would put whatever food he desired in the bucket. And if there was a balance he wanted to collect, he would do so through the same process.

    After listening to the story of the 90-year-old man, Obilomo became really touched. The children of the old man must be living with the belief that they were taking good care of the old man while nobody was monitoring the woman that was taking care of him.

    Obilomo said: “We thought that if something like that could happen to an individual who was rich and comfortable, then something worse would happen to those who have nobody to care for them.

    “We discovered that elderly people suffer from loneliness, and that is the major thing that kills them fast. It is sad that their children don’t have time for them. The loneliness is much more pronounced among the elderly people who have no offspring.

    “That was when we decided to have a structure where we can take care of the elderly,”

    The plight of the elderly became the genesis of Caring Hearts International. Fortunately, life itself had prepared Obilomo for this task. She had worked as a senior nurse and social worker. She takes care of the elderly by gathering them together every month to give them the necessary medical attention and offer legal and spiritual advice to them.

    “We also have a counselling unit,” she said. “We call them (elderly people) and ask what is bothering them. Most of the time, we find that one of their children is having a problem or something. This is rampant among the women.”

    She said it is not uncommon to see some of them embarking on long fasting, which affects their health. “They would tell you that their children had been married for so many years but had no issues. And they would keep on fasting and fasting. We always advise such a person.”

    Many would not find the ways of aged people funny, but Obilomo says she has found a way of tolerating them, especially when they are suffering from dementia.

    “Dementia is a situation where an individual starts losing memory. You see somebody who has just eaten, may be about 20 minutes ago shouting: ‘Won’t you give me food? I’ve not eaten for two days!’ It is a psychiatric problem. We bring in doctors, even psychiatric doctors, to come and talk on the issue. Even if it is nutrition problem, we bring in an expert in nutrition,” she said.

    Besides assisting the elderly in the areas of health and nutrition, Obilomo also assists them in solving their legal challenges. “We have some old people who are rich and have assets. We invite legal experts to talk to them about Will,” she said.

    But she said that all the programmes are being financed from her private pocket. She does not receive funding from any quarter.

    “It is only the money contributed or sourced for by the board of trustees, and very few friends who believe in the vision,” she said.

    So, where does she get energy to do the job? “I just believe it is a vision given to us. One thing is that even before we started the NGO, we had seen in our family that it is not difficult to help others.

    “We believe in sharing; my husband is a reverend. An engineer by profession, he retired from PHCN as an executive officer. He is a reverend in ECWA Church. From the beginning when we got married, we saw that it was very easy for us to give out and assist people. So, it has not been a problem to us.

    “If we have, we give, and that has sustained us. It has not been a case of I’m spending too much and I’ve not been receiving anything. We are not waiting to receive anything really. What makes us to continue the programme is that we look at the elderly ones and the way they appreciate what we are doing.”

    Good as it may seem, Obilomo says that some of the elderly people do not appreciate what Caring Heart International is doing. But she said that has not stopped her from continuing the work.

    “There are a few of them who feel it is their right. And the way they talk, it is as if they are paying for the services. But most of them pray for us and their prayers have been a source of encouragement for us. We’ve seen some programmes put on ground and nobody appreciates them. But because they appreciate them, that makes us to want to continue to do them.”

    She also said that the funding of the programme chokes her organisation, but she is not discouraged by it. “We believe that God who has sustained the programme will continue to do so, although we wouldn’t mind others joining forces with us to sustain the programme. These people need a lot of assistance but we’ve only been able to do little as individuals.”

    She admits that the attitude of some of the aged people could sometimes be discouraging, but she said that nothing would dissuade her from doing what she is doing.

    “I don’t feel like quitting the care of the elderly because I believe that whatever we can do in our capacity we will do. But when there is nothing, there is nothing you can do about that. But those things we can do, we will do them as long as we have the source of funding.

    “There is nothing anybody can say to me that will make me say I don’t want to do it again. I might be a bit discouraged by the way some of them talk, because there are some things some of them would say and I tell myself that these people were in their homes and I said I had a programme, I was the one who asked them to come. So, whatever happens, I must be able to overlook it.”

    Happily, the task of taking care of the elderly has in no way affected the home front. She says she has found a way of balancing the two. She says she is lucky her children are grown up. In fact, one of them, who has a Master’s degree in Public Health from Sheffield in UK, is the programme co-coordinator.

    She said: “It has never affected the home front. It is like the whole family is involved in it. It is a vision God gave the whole family; even all our children believe in the vision.”

    The job is stressful, no doubt, considering her tight programme. But at 53, she looks healthy and radiant. Unknown to many, she hardly uses drugs. Asked about the secret of her good looks, she responded: “There is no secret. It is God’s grace. I’m one of the nurses. I don’t even believe in taking drugs. But when you see me take drugs, that means I’m really sick and I need to be out of here.

    “When I was nursing kids, I wasn’t using drugs for my children. In fact, God has been faithful. It is not a matter of taking drugs. But I know that maybe if I have been using food supplement, I could have looked younger.”

    She is retired and helping the elderly occupies a prime position on her mind. But out of her tight schedule, she takes time off to rest with a ‘sabbatical’ outside the country at least once a year.

    She said: ”I have retired. I have all the time in this world to myself. If I don’t go out, I attend church activities. And when I’m at home, I watch the TV or lie down. I listen to music.

    “We make sure we go out of the country at least once a year. It could be more than once in a year. We go to the US, the United Kingdom or Dubai (the United Arab Emirates), just me and my husband. It might just be for two weeks because we’ve seen that if we don’t go out of the country, we don’t rest.”

    Obilomo would love to do more than she is doing for the elderly, but she says that getting enough funds has been a problem. She plans to run an old people’s home in the nearest future. “It will be a very conducive place,” she said.

    She recalled that she once watched a programme on the TV about old peoples’ home, which really broke her heart. “An old peoples’ home is supposed to be run like a home. The person there will feel like, ‘I’m not in my house but I’m in a house.’ It is a place where they will have amenities at their beck and call,” she said.

    She says the kind of home she is planning will have visiting doctors, physiotherapists and cooks, attending to the needs of elderly people.

  • A father’s dilemma

    I never planned getting a mistress or having children outside but my situation at home contributed significantly to it. You see, my wife has not been able to give birth to a child since our marriage about twelve years ago. We have tried everything including tests, drugs, massages and other methods. But no issue, pregnancy not even a miscarriage.

    For years, I was worried about my childless state. Most of my mates who were married like me all had kids. I felt incomplete as a man, that there was something wrong with me. That was until something happened about four years ago that changed my situation. My wife’s young cousin, Diane came to stay with us while searching for a job after her youth service programme.

    She had been with us for six months when I got a job for her in the company where I worked.

    With hindsight, maybe, I should not have done that because working in the same environment invariably brought us close. Much closer than we should have been as in-laws. The truth is I had admired Diane for sometime, even before she came to live with us. She had the kind of looks I liked- tall, slim with a fantastic figure and she carried herself so well.

    But I controlled my attraction because of my wife whom I loved dearly. Unknown to me, Diane also liked me. I found out one day after we had closed from work and were heading home together. The traffic that day was especially heavy on the third main land bridge so we decided to hang out at an eatery on the Island till the traffic had reduced.

    Perhaps, emboldened by the alcohol she had taken, Diane opened up, confessing how she had liked me for long.

    “I’ve been into you for so long, Mike. Before you even married Bara,” she confessed. She took my hand across the table filled with drinks and held it for a while.

    After that day, we began a relationship that has lasted nearly four years now. A year after we started dating, she gave birth to a set of twin boys for me. You can imagine my joy when the twins were born- this was a man who had been looking for a child for years being blessed with twins! It was a happy time for me. The only snag was my wife, Bara. Initially, I did not tell her about the boys until they were about a year old. As expected, she was very angry with me over my relationship with her sister.

    “Any other person would have been tolerable because of the children. But how could you betray me with Diane, my own sister?” she stated furiously. In all our years of marriage, I had never seen my wife so angry. She called me all kinds of names including ‘a womaniser who can’t control his libido, sleeping around like a dog in heat!’ That day, she threatened to leave me if I did not cut off all contacts with Diane. That was an impossible thing to ask as she was the mother of my babies. How could I leave her? What would happen to my children that God had blessed me with after so many years of waiting for the fruit of the womb? Who would look after them

    Defying Bara

    I paid no heed to my wife’s words and continued to see Diane and my children. I rented an apartment for her at another side of town and I shuttled between my two homes. I knew my wife was not happy that I was still seeing Diane despite her threats, but there was nothing I could do about that. All my family members especially my mother were happy with the birth of my boys. In fact, for the first six months after their birth, she relocated to the city from our village in Delta State just to be with her grandsons. She stayed with Diane and the babies and was very helpful with caring for them. Diane’s mother was dead so she had no one to rely on except my mother. They both got along very well and I was happy to see two of the important women in my life so close.

    Back home with my wife, things were not going too well for us. Bara was cold to me most of the time, especially when she suspected I had just returned from visiting Diane and the children. I tried to be the loving husband I had always been to her. I ensured I provided for her and never deprived her of my love so she would not feel that I was neglecting her because of my other woman.

    Things continued that way for a while. My boys were growing fast and it gave me so much joy to see them turn from little, helpless babies into active toddlers running around the house and causing so much noise and havoc. My best times were spent with them, and most days I was always reluctant to leave them and return home to my wife. At a point, I nursed the idea of bringing Diane and the children home so we could all live together as one family. Afterall, my father had married two wives and he had managed his home well till his death, I had reasoned. But when I thought of my wife’s reaction to such a move, I jettisoned the idea.

    Then five months ago, Diane announced she was pregnant again. I was happy at the news and looked forward to this new addition to the family. The only problem is this: Diane is insisting that I marry her and move in with her as a live in husband before her delivery.

    “I’m tired of seeing you a few days a week. I miss you all the time. The children also miss you. I need you now especially in my condition,” she stated, patting her swollen tummy.

    I promised to visit her more and spend more time with her and the children but she was not buying that.

    “I want a full time husband not a visiting husband!” she insisted.

    I did not mind the idea of being with Diane and my kids full time as I loved them so much. But what about my wife? Moving in with Diane would mean abandoning Bara. I still loved my wife and I couldn’t imagine my life without her. She is important to me having been with me through thick and thin. On the other hand, Diane, my sons and the unborn child were equally important. Diane is already threatening to cut me off from the children if I did not do as she wants. Knowing the kind of woman she is, I know it’s no empty threat. What if she runs away with my children and I never get to see them again?

    That is my dilemma. I want to be with my children and their mother but doing so would be at the expense of my marriage. I don’t want to divorce my wife. At the same time, I don’t want to lose my children who mean the whole world to me and make me feel so proud.

    So, what shall I do now? I’m really confused. I need your advice, please.

    Should Mike divorce his wife so he can be with his children and baby mama or let the children go and stick with his wife? Readers’ feedback welcome!

    •Names have been changed to protect the identity of the narrator and other individuals in the story.

    •Send comments/suggestions to 08023201831(sms only), psaduwa@yahoo.com or psaduwa007@gmail.com

  • The odd that forced me to marry a younger wife – Eddie Iroh

    The odd that forced me to marry a younger wife – Eddie Iroh

    Eddie Iroh, no doubt, has left a mark everywhere he has worked. Some of the places where his name still re-echoes are: The Guardian Newspapers; the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), where he was the Director-General, among others. A chummy happy personality, he returned to the country a few days ago from the United Kingdom where he has his ‘young family,’ and decided to share with us his present lifestyle, in this interview with PAUL UKPABIO. As usual, the writer-novelist is downright frank, and a reporter’s delight. 

    You’ve been outside the country for quite a while now, how do you feel being back at this time?

    The first thing I feel is the weather. I’m coming from a low degree climate. But Nigeria is home. Home is not always the way we individuals want it to be. But then no place is. What is important is that we have opportunities that we can make it the kind of home we will like to see. When you have been abroad, when you have seen the 21st century as I have, all you wish for your country is the best. All you wish for your country is that it ought to be offering no more excuses after 53 years of freedom. We ought not to be blaming the British for anything, absolutely nothing, should we blame the British for.

    After amalgamation they ruled Nigeria for between 46 years. So we have had 53 years of our own situation. I feel happy to be home, to look at things that can be done and hope that they will be done. Many of them are do-able. In the 21st century, if you can’t fabricate it, you can borrow it. If you can’t manufacture it, you can buy it: If you can’t do any of those, then Google it. There are no new miracles. The modems, the modules and the models are there. So that is how I feel when I come back. I hope that we are aware that there are opportunities for advancing our nation.

    Would you like to share with us what you have been doing in the UK?

    In the true sense of the word, I should be retired. My family is there. That is where I came from to serve in government in 1999. That is where I have a roof over my head. I don’t have a home in Nigeria: Sad and surprising as it may be, to some people. But more importantly, my family is there. My children go to school there, the state gives them care, compassion and commitment. Britain is a welfare state. The children get education free, at least until the university, and unless they are in private school. We all get free and comprehensive medical services, and that includes us their parents.

    These are the important things, especially for someone like me who have a young family. And when you do, you want to nurture them in the best way possible. UK is where they were born. That is home for them. It is possible to have two homes just like it is possible to have dual citizenship. We have two homes, especially for them. I am forever reminding them that they are people of African descent, that they are British citizens by birth. Nobody can tamper with that. They are natural born British citizens; you can’t deny them their rights.

    There will be racism; there will be discrimination in every society and in every facet of life, but there are laws that make it a criminal offence for those children to be denied in anyway because of colour. You can’t legislate against prejudice because it is in the heart of people, but discrimination openly displayed is against the law and no one is allowed to do that. My children are aware of this, and I constantly remind them that they live in a society where you have every right to be, but your blood flows all the way from Africa!

    How African are your children?

    Oh, they are Africans because we’ve raised them as Africans. I tell them that the proudest thing they can show to an outsider is that ‘we do not do that in my home. We do not do that where we come from.’ They do not use swear words. They respect their elders in the manner that most British white children would not. It is the way we raise them as Africans that they will take to the wider world. The school cannot raise them as Africans, because the school is not African. UK is a multicultural society, but what my responsibility is as a father, and my wife’s responsibility as a mother, is to raise them as Africans because we are both from Africa.

    But make no mistake that they are at the same time truly British. This duality of culture is good for them to face the challenges of the future. And mind you, not all values and cultures from Africa are right or good. My wife is always insisting on that. But those that are positive, we encourage and nurture.

    But how do you keep yourself busy?

    When I get consultancy work, I do it. But I am working on a book that I call my magnum opus: my great work. I think there is a need to capture Nigeria in its entirety, from Independence to modern times. The story of Nigeria has not been told. We tell them in chapters, in pockets and in segments, in interviews. Alas we do not have a culture of writing memoirs. Those who have ruled Nigeria still owe us a full account of their stewardship. The civil war, military rule, formation of political parties, these are important segments. But I am interested in a whole and a holistic book, possibly to capture both the troubles with Nigeria and the opportunities of and for Nigeria; the aspirations and possibilities for Nigeria.

    Is it going to be a narrative?

    Yes, it has to be. It is not going to be fiction. You see, nobody has captured the Nigerian psyche. What is it that makes a people who are so blessed, so endowed but so unable to forge ahead and maximise the opportunities that God has blessed and spoiled them with?

    When you are out abroad, what do you miss about Nigeria?

    I don’t miss the cooking because we cook Nigerian foods there too (laughs). I miss the vibrancy of the Nigerian society. Britain, like many older democracies, is settled in their ways. They are stable in their democratic practices. They do not have problems like election rigging. If there are some cases of election malpractices, they are immediately isolated and thrashed. So there is no drama, like someone saying ‘Oh I was rigged out.’ That is what I miss. You know, people saying you rig me, so I out-rig you, rice for rice, stick fish for stick fish you know, that kind of uniquely Nigerian debate.

    Of course, it is not healthy. But I am just being facetious. But seriously I miss the vibrancy of the Nigerian political scene. I miss the contest of ideas, I miss the way we are constantly talking, constantly seeking, and constantly challenging ourselves. What I do not like about challenging ourselves is that, if I am in government today, anything you say is wrong in Nigeria, I take it personally that you are attacking me. Nigeria is more than any single person. Nigeria is 53 years of many governments, many achievements and many failures. We are part of what is wrong with Nigeria. We are part of the failings and successes of Nigeria. I dislike the fact that every criticism is personalised.

    In the UK, criticism is seen in its objective context. It is seen as somebody who wishes their nation well. But I do miss the intellectual ferment of ideas among the journalistic elite. We have so many problems to face and so on, so we are constantly talking. I enjoy that a lot because I believe that modern problems are solved not by constantly seeking answers but constantly elaborating the question. And the Nigerian questions are plenty and complex.

    Can you compare the lifestyle here and that of Britain?

    I find that the British are spoilt. The Americans are a little bit more suspicious of anybody who takes too much care of them. From their foundation as a nation, they do not trust single authority or one powerful central government. The limitations of the federal authority in America are very set and clear in their constitution. But the British have been spoilt over the years since 1945 when the welfare system came into practice.

    The welfare system takes care of you from cradle to grave. In every aspect, pregnancy, birth, nurturing the baby, mother is given maternity leave; father is given paternity leave all fully paid, depending on which of them is working. The midwife will come and look after the baby from birth and keep monitoring the baby. At a certain stage, you are given various children’s allowances for the baby; and if you are taking that baby to work and putting him in a crèche, the state pays. These are people who are so spoilt that every little thing un-settles them.

    I say to them come and live in Africa and see life in its dynamic, challenging nature. They are very spoilt. Look at them, everybody is crying about flood, Americans are crying about snow, if it happens here, we’ll just have to deal with it. We do not have the facility they have for emergency repairs and emergency fire-fighting. Yet they are moaning, complaining and I say to them come and see where I come from, this thing will be seen as a blessing! It’s good to look at them complaining about things that we take in our stride. So that is the contrast of the two societies.

    Have you developed new hobbies?

    My hobby is reading. I like to walk. In Facebook, for instance, I wrote that my hobbies are walking and talking. I like to think that I am reading enough, but I know I am not. I have a second family, and they are young, it is exciting. Therefore, I have to make sacrifices that it entails. But I enjoy being a father, ‘a young father.’

    Let’s share some of your experiences as a multi-faceted journalist?

    Now, you are talking about a life, generations that traverse military rule, civilian, democracy and different shades of governance. When we founded The Guardian Newspapers in 1993, we all had columns that we wrote. After about three years, I got tired of being Managing Editor. I wanted to return to the mainstream journalism to do what I enjoy to do, that is, reporting, editing, and so on. I got sent to UK as the Regional Editor for Europe and North America. That enabled me to return to core journalism and I enjoyed that. I got to UK in August 1985. I went there, took over a column called London letter. It was being written by Ken Mckenzie. The first piece I wrote in the first one week attracted the anger of the late General Tunde Idiagbon, who called the publisher Alex Ibru and he said tell ‘Eddie Iroh that because he is in London doesn’t mean he can attack us.’

    And what was the attack? I had simply said that Kamuzu Banda, who was then the President of Malawi was the longest serving president in Africa at the time, and his age was a state secret. And that if you said something like that in Nigeria under the then decree 4, you would be in trouble. The decree was totally unabashedly against the press to curb press freedom. I was in the dock at the trial as representative of Guardian Press Limited which was the non- person and the third accused at the trial of Tunde Thompson and Nduka Irabor.

    If Guardian Press was a human being, I would have gone to jail with Tunde and Nduka. They were found guilty at the tribunal. That represented the most horrendous abuse of press freedom in the whole history of Nigeria because the issue that provoked decree 4 was totally harmless. But we have put all that behind us now. And one of the things that I commend Nigeria for is that, I do not see in the history of this country any need, compulsion or excuse for us to return to that era ever again. It is more important that Nigerian leaders and rulers should bear in mind that in any action they take, that they should not give anyone any opportunity to interfere with our democracy, which is still very young and fragile. If our leaders remember that, it will help.

    Nothing ever is new, we have split the atom, and we are not going to re-split it. Just consider that George Washington, the first president of United States, was not a scholar, he was an ordinary farmer. He was not a political scientist, but he nurtured a new democracy. And most of the things he did at the time have guided American democratic growth today. How was he able to do it? He didn’t have two heads, just one like the rest of us. That is the way I measure my person. If you put me here to sweep the streets of Abuja and you put another person to sweep too, both of us with equal equipment, if he sweeps better than me, then I have clearly conceded that he is superior to me. Without saying it, he will know that he is superior to me. That is the way that we people of black colour, Africans who are looked down all over the world, should think of our challenges.

    Let us not make any pretences about it. If you find the ‘oyinbos’ at home, they joke about us and laugh at us. Some African rulers have remained in power for 30 years. What new things can they bring? Clinton walked away even though he was very popular and is considered a successful president. But he didn’t try to change the constitution. He said when he entered the White House; he began to prepare for the day he would leave the White House. That kind of discipline, when we are not able to show it, we are saying Mr. Clinton, you are superior to me.

    Look at what longevity did to Libya and Egypt, it damaged them. They did not encourage succession. Just like Charles De Gualle used to say in France, ‘After me there’ll be catastrophe. I am the state.’ Nobody can be the state. A state is a state. You serve the state, you move on. But Africa hasn’t recognised that, and it embarrasses us when we are abroad and people like Bongo and Mugabe are wheeled out in a wheel chair. And they are running for election. But then we look at the Late Mandela, the Madiba and we say, thank God we have one person who can do things in a different way.

    Has your style changed, now that you are in the UK? Do you get stuck with suits or do you wear our traditional clothes?

    The traditional wear is appropriate to our weather, not just our culture but our occupation. When I was in office here, Friday and Sundays, I wore traditional. In UK, that will be inappropriate. The day I wore a white kaftan to church on Sunday, everybody came to me and ask, ‘are you a priest?’ I’m not there to promote that; I am an African. As Wole Soyinka said, ‘a tiger does not go around proclaiming that its tigritude.’ They can see that I am an African.

    At your present age, how will you like to describe yourself?

    I am a lot more mature, a lot more sober. I used to be tempestuous as a young man. Even when I was not so young, I used to bang the table in the office. I am easily frustrated by people who cannot think quickly. I am easily frustrated by people who make a heavy weather of simple task. I am more sober and statesman-like now, a word which is not reserved only to politicians. I enjoy mentoring young people.

    What has been your joy being a novelist?

    I enjoy writing and benefiting, commercially from my works. Amazingly, the first deposit I paid for my home in the UK in 1986 was from ‘Without a Silver spoon.’ It sold well abroad, and I got the kind of money that a writer in Nigeria could possibly not get at that time. It was a major achievement in terms of commercial satisfaction. A writer doesn’t write just because he wants to make money out of it. It was a story that I felt I needed to tell. When God has blessed you professionally and personally, it is important not to forget where you are coming from. I don’t believe I’m lucky, I say I am blessed. To come from one little village and reach the pinnacle of my profession, only God could have done it.

    You had other publications

    Yes. When I finished my tenure at Radio Nigeria, what I did was to go back to my computer to write a sequel to ‘Without the Silver spoon.’ It’s called ‘The banana leaves.’ It dealt with a different facet of the life of the character. Some people think there ought to be another book to complete the story of this young village boy. But I haven’t thought about that yet. Before then I had done a trilogy on the Nigerian civil war. Unfortunately, Heinemann, the publishers no longer produced the African Writers Series. But there is my intention at some point, if I can find the resources to revise, reproduce and reprint the trilogy as one book. I pray to God that I do that someday. That is if I could get a grant from perhaps the British Council, The Arts Council in the UK or some other agency. The civil war trilogy is ’48 guns for the general,’ ‘toads of war’ and ‘siren in the night.’ The first one dealt with those who fought the war for money, the second one was the civilian-Nigerian Biafia equivalent of the mercenaries. For them, the war was an opportunity, rather than crisis. Then the third was the consequence of war, no victor no vanquished. Yes, it sounds a good slogan. But in the real sense of it, right up to this minute, Ibos are still suffering for the civil war. Today somebody said that his regret is that Emmanuel Ifeajuna, the first black African to win a gold medal, when he won the high jump in Canada at the Commonwealth Games in 1954, was never given a national honour. That’s because he fought in Biafra. In spite of forgiveness, there are those who felt that these people are too dangerous, so they had to use stealth methods to deal with the matter.

    You’ve been in broadcasting, what do you do think of broadcasting in Nigeria now?

    We have gone passed digital now, we are into digital audio broadcast. Today you cannot say that Radio Nigeria is not allowed to broadcast beyond Nigerian borders. That door that limited them is obsolete. I was able to put in on the internet before I left. You can get Radio Nigeria today anywhere in the world. So it has moved on. Television too has to go digital. In the UK, if I miss a programme, I digitally access it. If I want to record a programme every week, I programme it. If I miss some segment of the news, I can do a rewind. Just press a button and it goes back like in video recording. If we are not aspiring to do things like these, then we are not in business, whether we are a commercial, state or national station. My people say if you do not know how to eat roasted palm nut, leave it alone. We cannot be old fashioned in this age because constantly, technology is being challenged. I commend TVC, the station is an inspiration for us to see that there is a television station coming out of Nigeria to us there in UK to know what is going on. And they are as balanced and professional as they can be. India has about six channels on the Sky platform. China has 6 or 7, while South Africa has about 2 or 3. If we are going to be competing, we had better compete on their terms and TVC comes close to that, very close to that. If you are in this business, better be the best you can.

    Now that you are here, do you miss your family?

    Even to come out here was wahala. They were saying, ‘Daddy you are going away again?’ You know, they are young. And we are a close knit family. I use to tell friends that even if you put us in Buckingham palace, you will always find us all in one room. We are close, we are Africans. From my first marriage, I have three children who are grown up, live and work in Austria where their mother originally came from. They are a part of me; if they have any problem, the first person I imagine they’ll call is ‘dad.’ Yes I miss my family in the UK. Their mother is of Nigerian origin, but her own mother is American. Her father is Edo.

    The trend among the rich seems to be marrying younger wives when they grow much older. How do you cope as a much older husband?

    I didn’t marry two wives; my first marriage broke down because my father-inlaw did not approve of an African marrying his daughter. He made it clear from the beginning. He worked at it and eventually succeeded. I wouldn’t marry two wives. I am a Catholic. I don’t know if I will go to hell if I marry two wives, but the teaching of my church will not allow it. With all due respect to all women, one wife is enough problem (laughs)! A lot of women too will say that one husband is enough problem. We didn’t have any long running problem, the father just kept the pressure. And because she was compliant with her father, the marriage broke down.

    Are you enjoying your much younger wife?

    My answer will be disrespectful of the women of my generation. But the truth is that, there are not many of women in my generation to marry from. At the time I was again forced into the ‘marriage market’ not by choice, but by circumstance, the only way to marry my age group would have been to go and take somebody’s else’s wife (laughs). There are not many women who are in the age bracket that I am expected to relate to. On the other hand, you see younger women who have finished school waiting for challenges. You run into them and because of my nature and life, I do not do ‘oga.’ I was raised by ‘white people’ who treated me as an equal. I regard folks like that. Maybe the way I related to her, she didn’t feel the age difference. Though she said too that she always wanted to marry an older person. I cannot speak for other people.

    Is it easier to live over there with that kind of marriage than here?

    The pressure over there is a domestic one. My wife has been transformed by the British society. In Abuja here, she was only able to drive one or two kilometers, and I used to be worried that she might get into trouble. So I used to tell the driver to follow her. Today she drives 20 kilometers everyday to take the children to and fro school. She has been able to cope with the stressful demand of running a home and looking after children. She has also shown the kind of strength that I didn’t know she had. She was about 25 then. She has also gained by recognising her inner strength. But here she would be putting up her feet and somebody will cook and clean. Over there, she has to do most things by herself. She doesn’t allow anybody to iron her kids’ uniform for her. There are things she doesn’t assign to anybody. I come in sometimes to assist her wherever I can. I cook quite often. I enjoy cooking. I take out the garbage. Somebody has to take it out and the council will take it from there.

    These are things that ordinarily Eddie Iroh would not do. But I do them with pleasure. First it supports my family; secondly, it brings out the human side of me. It makes me more human, humane and humble. When you consider that there are people whose job it is to carry out that garbage every day, and put it in the truck and dispose of it. Bringing it out of your house should be a small matter. I think it is much easier to live there if you do not feel like ‘oga’ (big man). When I cook, I serve; I clear up and wash up. When she cooks, I also help. I am happy and I believe she is, in spite of the pressures of life.

  • Bianca Ojukwu in husband’s shoes

    Bianca Ojukwu in husband’s shoes

    Every day in the life of Bianca Ojukwu portends a fresh adventure and a step up the nation’s socio-political ladder. This time around, the beautiful wife of the late Ikemba Nnewi, Dim Emeka Odimegwu-Ojukwu, has been selected to step into the shoes her husband left behind as the national leader of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

    The faction of APGA recognised by INEC rose from a meeting a few days ago to hand over to her the mantle of leadership of the party her husband founded before his demise. Accepting the honour, Bianca made it clear that she was not stepping into the late Ikemba Nnewi’s shoes but would only try her best to position the party to fulfill the mission and aspiration of Ojukwu.

    Bianca Ojukwu is one woman who has gone through many phases of life and has still maintained her identity. From the innocent winner of the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria and Miss Africa pageants in 1988 to the first African to win Miss International the following year, Bianca etched her steps in the sands of time in beauty pageantry in Africa.

    Then came the revelation in 1989 that she was dating the former Biafran leader and political associate of her father. Their controversial romance was a national talking point in the early 1990s.

  • Yomi Casual

    Yomi Casual

    NIYI MAKUN of Yomi Casual clothing, younger brother to comedian AY, has been the celebrities’ clothier since 2013. He dropped a range of apparel last year that perfectly compliments his laid back clothings, featuring casual essentials in traditional materials and colours, as well as design elements that stay true to the African roots.