The Nation Newspaper

Category: Saturday Magazine

  • How I lost my sight

    NATURE and inclement economic conditions, especially in this part of the world, often box the physically challenged, the blind in particular, to depending on others for their survival. It is, therefore, not uncommon to find some of them resorting to begging for alms on major roads to make both ends meet when they lack assistance for their basic needs, especially food.

    This is not, however, the case with Evangelist Upright Wonders, a visually challenged minister and proprietress of Eastern Star Care Foundation. She lost her sight in mysterious circumstance, that have defied medical explanation but uses her creative insight to add value to the society.

    She had the option of depending on others for her living, but she chose not to do that. Her choice has paid off today as many people, both able-boadied and physically challenged, now look up to her to make meaning out of life.

    She is consumed by the passion of liberating other physically challenged in the society from the world of abandonment, despair and poverty; a feat which even the privileged able-bodied people shy away from. She carries on with her activities without any sign of having any problem with her sight.

    As the proprietress of the foundation, she trains the physically challenged apprentices in her care on how to make handcrafts and home use products, thus empowering them to be self-employed instead of resorting to begging to earn a living.

    In an encounter with our correspondent at the 11th anniversary celebration of the foundation held at the Province two office of the Living

    Faith Church Worldwide, Oke Odo

    Bus Stop on Isheri-Igando Road, Lagos penultimate weekend, the soft spoken evangelist gave an account of how she lost her sight and how she got the call to quit her job and embark on the business of empowering the physically challenged.

    She began by explaining why she took the name Upright Wonders.

    She said: “Upright Wonders is not the name that my parents gave me but when I got the vision, I changed my name and it is pointing to where I am going and what I am supposed to be as a Christian. I am a ‘wonder’ and I want to live an ‘upright’ life. My real name is Ememebong Umondak. Ememebong means ‘the peace of God’. I am still using the name and have not discarded it.”

    She went on to narrate how she lost her sight at a time she was preparing to proceed to the university to further her studies.

    “I wasn’t born blind. I went to primary, secondary and high schools, with my sight intact. I was about entering the university when the challenge came up. I was then working with the then Cross Rivers State Television now known as Channel 45 Uyo. I had worked with them for two years and was about going into the university when the problem started.

    “After all the diagnosis, the doctors have not really been able to point at anything as the cause of the challenge. When the challenge came, I had to leave the media industry and enrolled in a school for the blind because I didn’t just want to live my life as a beggar. After my education, I worked with Aluminium Cement Company of Nigeria as a receptionist. Exactly two years after, the Holy Spirit put it in my heart that I am to assist fellow physically challenged and I answered the call by resigning from my job.

    “The name of my foundation came as a revelation I got from Mathew chapter 2 verse 2 that talks about that star that appeared from the east and led those wise men to where Jesus was born. The vision is aimed at leading the physically challenged and the vulnerable ones to their colourful destinies in Christ by forming their lives and empowering them and helping them to make heaven. We started the foundation 11 years ago and have affected the lives of thousands of people. We visit centres, organise crusades and also have fellowship where we address the challenges of the physically challenged. We have graduated many sets of people under us.

    “We train the physically challenged ones in adire making, beads making, and also have the products section where we train them on how to make home care products like liquid wash , izal and perfume. What we want to do is to discourage each and every one of them from begging and get them to be gainfully employed because they are not challenged mentally. The gifts of God are still in their mind; as long as their minds are still functional, they can still do something with their lives,” she said.

    Looking back at the number of lives she has touched, she said: “There are so many of the people that we have trained that are doing quite well today. I have one that is producing Izal and Detol. She has customers in the hospitals and has been supplying them these products. I have so many of them that are doing well and we thank God for that.

    “Some of them have not been doing as much as they are supposed to because of funds and this is where the need for support from individuals and corporate bodies comes in. These trainings are quite expensive because the cost of the materials we use in doing them are going up everyday and we don’t collect money to train them. We do train them free of charge.

    “After the training, we try as much as we can to empower them, rent shops for them and help them in marketing their products because so many people take the products from them to sell without giving them the money. We are trying to make sure that they are not exploited by dubious people. We have set up a team that would be monitoring such sales and we would devout a good part of our time to this and do it professionally.

    “Apart from the challenge of funds, our people also have the problem of marketing their goods as it should be because the products are not registered with NAFDAC. I can’t do it alone. I need the support of kind- hearted Nigerians, especially now that we want to establish a skill acquisition and talent centre with a bible school and music school attached to it. ”

    Speaking on how she acquired the skill she has been imparting into others, she said: “I acquired the skill on how to make these products by going for training. It was after I completed my training that I started making the products to sell. The money I get from the ones that I market for the foundation is what I use for training those under the foundation.

    “The market is not wide yet because we don’t have NAFDAC registration number and as a result cannot push it into the larger market. This is where we need NAFDAC to assist us by reducing the registration fee for us. I have not really got the official registration fee but someone told me that it is between N120, 000 and N150, 000. The day I went to NAFDAC office at Oshodi, the gateman did not allow me to enter. He said I should go to their office at Yaba. When I went to Yaba, they asked me to go back to Oshodi. After a fruitless effort to get the official registration fee, I gave up and went back to my house. They frustrated my efforts.”

    Apart from empowering the physical challenged to earn a living, she added that the foundation is also concerned about going into rural ministration to seek out and attend to the needs of the physically challenged.

    “ We also want to go into rural ministration and we trust God for it because the vision is from Him. This evangelical arm of the foundation is to organise crusades in rural areas. We are focusing on the widows, the physically challenged ones and the vulnerable ones because in our local assembly, when they are going for outreaches and witnessing, they don’t remember the physically challenged ones. They neglect them but God has raised us to go into the rural areas to minister to them because their souls have to be saved and their needs met by empowering them.

    “My message to the physically challenged ones out there is that they should locate a foundation like this where they can learn the truth about God. Many parents and guardians are keeping physically challenged people at home and not allowing them to do anything. They should know that they can still make it in life in spite of their condition. They should find a foundation like ours to make them acquire skills that would keep them away from begging to survive. We have been transparent in all we have been doing. Any money we get for the

  • Golden Tulip opens in Ibadan

    Golden Tulip opens in Ibadan

    Golden Tulip Hotel, located in the Monatan area of Ibadan, Oyo State has been opened for operation. The hotel was declared open by Nigeria’s former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, who was represented by former Osun State Governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola.

    Declaring the hotel open, Chief Obasanjo praised the proprietor of the hotel, Chief Fatai Akinbade, for investing in the hospitality industry. Chief Obasanjo, who said he had earlier visited the hotel, commended the quality facilities put in place by the hotel.

    Speaking on the new hotel, Alhaji Akinbade said the opening of the hotel was a dream come true. He described the project as very challenging and gave glory to God for the success.

    He said: “This has been a journey of 14 years and honestly, it has been very rough. I never had any savings before I started this.

    “All I used was to divert whatever I had to it. Thank God we are ready to commission it today. Thank God I started and today it has been completed for commission. Why I decided to go into the hospitality industry? My background as a civil engineer and builder informed the basic interest because it was not even the hotel itself that really attracted me, but the kind of designs and finishing that hotels used to carry. I travelled a lot. Each time I travelled, I used to look at the finishing, design and construction.

    “So, that started giving me the interest that spurred me into it. Each time I discovered that being in this industry will make you to create employment. Some people prefer saving their money, others prefer investing in some faceless things that don’t really give then any stress. But this industry involves so many things and it also involves human beings, so it creates a lot jobs for people. For instance, the hotel started with over 150 people. That means 150 Nigerians have been taken off the unemployment market. These are the things that really led me into it.”

    Akinbade said the need to maintain high standard made him to opt for an international hospitality management group. He said: “We were with Protea before. I discovered that in Nigeria today, especially in this part of the country, we didn’t have an international hotel and Nigerians could not give that standard, hence we had to look for an international management. When we discovered that Protea could not make it, we looked for an even better international hospitality management group which is Golden Tulip. It is worldwide. We believe that being with them will give us those things we expect from the industry.”

    On the issue of long gestation to recoup one’s investment in the hospitality industry, Akinbade said was prepared to wait. He said: “ If I had been able to wait 14 years before we could get to this level, I think I should be able to wait. In any business, you can’t recoup your investment in one day. This type of project will last a generation. Premier Hotel was commissioned in 1964, and up till today, it is still there. That is one of the problems that Nigeria has: people want immediate return on investment. That is why you see many petrol stations today because they know the moment you have petrol stations, you start selling and that is why we don’t have any solid investment. People want quick returns on investments. You see them jumping form one business to the other.”

  • ‘State of emergency timely, but not sweeping enough’

    ‘State of emergency timely, but not sweeping enough’

    Professor Jubril Aminu was Minister of Education and Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources respectively, from 1989 to 1999. A professor of Cardiology and one-time Vice-Chancellor of the University of Maiduguri, Aminu was elected, senator of the Federal Republic, representing Adamawa Central between 2003 and 2011. He was also Nigerian Ambassador to the USA from 1999 to 2003.  In this bare – knuckle interview with LINUS OBOGO, Assistant Editor, Aminu speaks on the political crisis in his home state, Adamawa, his regrets, the state of emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States, and sundry issues.   

    President Goodluck Jonathan has declared a state of emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States. How far reaching is the measure in putting down the violent activities of Boko Haram sect in those states and particularly in the North?

    It was an expected action, and therefore, one was not surprised. As a matter of fact, I think someone in the Aso Rock Villa appeared to have spilled the beans. And in the broadcast by the President, he appeared to have been very angry and disturbed and he wanted to make sure that the step taken, if it would be effective, would largely contain the security that appeared to have gone haywire.

    It also appeared that it was widely accepted, because usually, the problem presidents are likely to have in declaring a state of emergency is to have a two thirds majority of the National Assembly to endorse it and for it to be effective in law. It also looked to me like an extensive consultation was done.

    Now, the question will be what will be the reaction of the political parties and the people from those localities where emergency law has been declared? I think that apart from the political jiggery-pokery associated with measures such as this, the measure will be accepted, pending what effect it will have. There is no doubt that the affected states and people will give the state of emergency the benefit of the doubt.

    I could understand why the President has not gone far enough. It is very simple to appreciate and it is simply politics. Ordinarily, it would have been expected that the two tiers of government would be suspended and military administrators be put in place. This was not done and so, I fear that the current measure will affect the effectiveness of the state of emergency in the affected state. As I said, it is all politics. This is 2013 and very soon, it will be 2014, with the general elections coming on the heels in 2015. You know, we are in a country where political parties suspect each other very much. The opposition will suspect that the President will want to take advantage of any declaration of a state of emergency to remove the governors. Do not forget that two of the affected states do not belong to the PDP. The PDP would have been happier if things were done more thoroughly. Like Adamawa, for instance, where the sitting governor lost the local government election very woefully and obviously, does not enjoy the confidence of the people, removing such a governor from office would appear to go down well with those who have lost confidence in him. If a leader no longer enjoys the confidence of his people, how can they cooperate with him in making the law effective? They will rather want to depend on the federally controlled authority.

    We may just have to wait and see. But I would have preferred the emergency declaration to be more thorough so that the effect will be on the insurgents and maybe on the politicians. Like now, it looks to me that it is only the security agencies that have been gingered up and their heavy might will ultimately fall on the ordinary people. Of course, they will want to do their job by controlling the people and controlling the movement of the people in the affected states.

    I wish that we will not see some of the things we used to see in the past. However, I still think that unless care is taken, once more, the people who will feel the effect most, apart from the insurgents that they are looking for, will be the ordinarily law-abiding citizens.

    In summary, I think the emergency law will be accepted by the people, but then, let us wait and see.

    By allowing the political status quo to remain, what implications will this have on the effectiveness of the emergency law in the affected states?

    The measure is not sweeping enough with the governors, legislators, and local government chairmen in place, the measure cannot be said to be sweeping. But again, politics is involved. The President did not want to create room for suspicion that the opposition states were the target, just as he also wants to enjoy the goodwill of the PDP state.

    How timely or belated was the President’s declaration of the state of emergency?

    This is the kind of question you should be asking those in opposition and not a member of the PDP like me. I am sure you want me to make an editorial on the President’s action. In my opinion, there is no problem in the timing. Rather, there is a problem with the extent or scope of the emergency.

    Your state, Adamawa has been enmeshed in political crisis for some time now, with the governor pitched against the PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur. And now, more salt has been added to the injury with the imposition of state of emergency.  What collateral damage has this on the politics of the state?

    You are asking me to comment on what you already know what my position is. It cannot be any worse than it is already. The latest development can only make things better for the people. As for the political implications of the crisis between the governor and the PDP National Chairman on the state, the people of Mayo Balwa Local Government Area, where the governor hails from, have demonstrated their unhappiness with the state of affairs in their area by voting massively against the governor’s candidate in the last local government election.

    What that means is that thank God, the PDP in Adamawa is no longer in the governor’s hands. You may not agree with me, but the governor went and hired a candidate from an obscure party called Kowa Party, which in Hausa, means ‘Everybody’, but which I will prefer to call ‘Bakowa’ Party, meaning ‘Nobody’s’ party. He was squarely routed or defeated in the election despite all that went on before and during the election.

    That, in itself, was a massive plus for the people of Adamawa. I feel that if this type of restorative measure is continued, there will be light at the end of the tunnel.

    As one of the key political gladiators and stakeholders in the Adamawa State, what have done in your capacity to bring about amity in the simmering political crisis?

    Why do you refer to me as a gladiator? I thought we were already two thousand years since the Roman Empire. There is really no gladiator in all of the crises in Adamawa State. The governor just took his sword and has been shoving it in the face of everyone. All we have been trying to do is to ensure that Adamawa is okay while the governor has been doing what he likes.

    You asked me what I have been doing. Call us whatever you like, elders or stakeholders, the important thing is that we are working together for our national chairman, Bamanga Tukur. We have been working hard and with the cooperation of the National Working Committee of the PDP, we have elected a new executive for the state and also carried out new registration for members.

    Unfortunately, one of the state House of Assembly members died. But this provided a sad opportunity for us to show who enjoys the support of the people. And we had an election in the governor’s local government, which was an opportunity to show his standing in the state, unfortunately he lost scandalously, despite going out to rent a candidate from another party. It was obvious he had no viable candidate to foist on the people and he had to go and rent one who was roundly defeated in the election. The election was monitored by INEC and observers from other states.

    The emergence of Governor Murtala Nyako on the state’s political firmament was through your instrumentality. Any regrets for propping him up?

    I am full of regrets for my action and I have since apologised many times to the people of Adamawa State. I came to realise that I did not know Nyako very well. He is a brother. That is fine. But as a politician and a leader on whom the trust of the people has been placed, I did not know him very well. A lot of people were surprised that he could do the kind of things he has been doing. He was a military governor once and one-time Chief of Naval of Staff and now governor again, but he has not justified the trust and confidence of the people of Adamawa State.

    How exactly do you mean by people were surprised that he did the kind of things he did?

    It’s been all over in the papers. I do not think I can capture all of them now for you. I cannot say it eloquently like the Adamawa people will. You represent a great paper like The Nation, so, I expect that you should go there and take a look at the situation for your paper. There is nothing I will tell you here that will make much sense to you without being accused of bias. You just go to Adamawa and see things for yourself. Ask anybody in the state and they will paint a picture of the deplorable situations in the state for you. Suffice it to say that Adamawa is today the worst administered state in Nigeria. They have not received anything by way value for the money, votes and trust invested by the government and the people.

    If you say you did know him, was the first four years not enough to have done a checklist on him to ensure that he was not returned to leadership position in the state?

    After his first term, he contested and won, following which the court annulled his election. So, as faithful party members, we were all with him when a fresh election was ordered by the court. We supported him and ensured that he won his rerun election. But things soon began to change and the man started showing his colour, much to the surprise of everyone. He was no longer doing what we elected him to do. And we parted ways because I could not go on deceiving myself that all was well with the way the state was being run.

    Do you feel betrayed by Governor Murtala Nyako?

    I felt I had made a serious mistake by pushing him into the heart of the people of Adamawa State and I have severally apologised.

    Do you imagine former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar having the last and best laugh?

    Do you think we have finished laughing? We have not finished laughing yet. And as for Atiku, I have no reason to apologise to him, because he was the one who transgressed against me. I was just sitting down in Abuja doing my job as a senator when he decided to use his vice presidential powers to remove me. Fortunately, the Constitution of Nigeria was there to make recourse to and I escaped being removed by whatever means Atiku wanted. That was long ago. There are really no differences between us to settle. He is my younger brother and he will always be my younger brother.  We are back and working together. What is going on in Adamawa is not a matter of who is going to have the last and best laugh. I never, in my wildest imagination, thought that Nyako would do the sort of things he is doing in the state.

    There are insinuations that the festering crisis between Nyako and Tukur in Adamawa State is as a result of the struggle to install or impose their sons on the state as governor, come 2015. Is this truly the undercurrent?

    I do not exactly think so. But it might as well be so. But I doubt strongly if that is Bamanga’s problem. Do you know what Bamanga’s problem is? He is a national chairman who was elected in a very hostile atmosphere. Everything under the sun was done to stop him being made chairman. I do not know what they had against him.

    But with regards to his son wanting to be governor of the state, the young man has been a politician for a very long time now. He was a member of the House of Representatives in 1999. He was acting minister for a brief period at a time. He was Chief of Staff before Nyako’s election was annulled. So, he has been a politician in active politics all the while. He does not come across as one who is being prepared to be governor by somebody.

    But in contrast to Governor Nyako’s son who was in the Navy and who, up till now, we cannot say whether or not he has left the service or not. But he relocated from Lagos to the Government House in Yola. We saw that as very odd. He was always seen in uniform. I do not know if he has retired. But today, they say he is the chief and leader of all youths in Adamawa State, appointed by a certain chief. He goes around as if he has already been elected governor with siren and security escorts. Up till now, no one can say what kind of job he has in government. Absolutely, there is no comparison between Tukur’s son and that of Governor Nyako’s. But the trust is no one knows who will win the governorship election in the state when the two come head to head against each other in 2015.

    Is there any prospect of the crisis in the state chapter of the PDP ending anytime soon?

    As far as I can say, we have virtually resolved the crisis in the party in the state. The party is supreme and it has won the election to constitute the state executive. And what is more, it has won the local government election in a key council area. So, we are on the way to resolving the crisis. By 2015, when the PDP wins the governorship in the state, the party would have finally resolved its differences.

    And it would not matter whether it is Tukur’s or Nyako’s son who wins the election and…

    (Cuts in) You are trying to be mischievous now. If you have any more questions ask me, or else, we call it a day.

    Another seething issue in the polity today is 2015, with the North menacingly poised for a showdown with President Goodluck Jonathan. What is your understanding of the unfolding power game?

    The problem with politicians and ditto, Nigerians, is that they do nothing other than to speculate and take position on the next general elections. Now we are talking about 2015, it will amaze you to know that there are already people who’re jostling for 2019. That is what Nigeria has become. People take a job but they are not ready to do the work. They use the current job to look for the next one without bothering about what they were first and foremost elected to do.  Nigeria is gradually turning to a country where electioneering is a permanent preoccupation. That is not good for democracy. Democracy is not all about electing people to show that you have a democracy, but to ensure that they work for the electorate. But this is not happening.

    Are you in sync with those who insist that President Jonathan cannot vie for second term?

    The Constitution is very clear on the qualifications for the office of the President of Nigeria. It is not the prerogative of anyone to ascribe. Of course, I know that President Jonathan is going to stand for 2015. I have always said this, but that is not the understanding of many other people from the North who alleged that they had a talk with him with regards to 2015. But I know that nothing is going to stop him. Asking the President not to run in 2015 has no legal provision in the Constitution. Even if you decide to pursue the matter up to the Supreme Court, there is no provision for him not to run in 2015. The only thing is that there will be a lot of bad blood. Everybody should be free to stand for elections, so long as you are constitutionally qualified. The outcome of the election is what matters at the end of the day. It is not everybody who stands for an election that gets elected in the end. The outcome of the election will resolve whatever issues that may exist. And I want to seriously warn that we must bear in mind that most of the crises we have had in this country were occasioned by election outcomes. That is why we must be guided by what we say in the run up to elections.

    Pressure is also being cranked up in the polity by the body of governors, under the aegis of Nigerian Governors’ Forum. They have carried on literally, like pressure group and constituting a formidable force against the Presidency.  How politically healthy is the development?

    I have maintained that the governors cannot constitute themselves into a parallel government to the one at the centre. There is no constitutional basis for that. They have been behaving like an opposition government or a tier of government. But of recent, they have tried to behave themselves. However, the ongoing rift between the Rivers State governor and the Presidency is not good. It leaves a sour taste in the mouth. The two are sister-states. I cannot see how our governor can mobilise opinions and press against the Presidency just to create a situation of tyranny or to paint the Presidency as a tyrant. That is not good enough. You cannot find this elsewhere, not even in our neighbouring countries. Outside Nigeria, nobody knows anyone as leader of the governors’ forum. In effect, he is challenging the President all in the name of the leadership of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum. What is governors’ forum and which section of the constitution is it found? Why would they take a mere consultative body and make it look like a statutory body? After all, we have the National Assembly, which is a body to check the President and not the governors’ forum.

    As a former Minister of Education, you enunciated the Nomadic Education policy. Years after your stewardship, how alive is the scheme and how would you rate its success or otherwise?

    It was successful and is still very much alive. There are children of the cattle Fulani herdsmen who are students of the scheme. What has pleased me with the programme is that the children of the herdsmen are the ones who are defending it today. If you start anything new, make sure that the beneficiaries are the ones who would want it to continue. I am not saying that there were no problems with the nomadic education policy. There were bound to be and there are still bound to be. I am not happy with some of the things going on with the policy. But nomadic education was established under the law and you cannot wake up one morning and want to abolish it. The policy is still on but not like a wild fire that I would have liked. There are always appropriations for it in the budget and approved by the Senate Committee on Education.

    Do you know any of the graduates of the policy or school that you can point at and say yes, these are the graduates?

    Of course, yes. There is one who comes to my house and there are many others who are graduates of the policy.

    You mean cattle Fulani beneficiary graduates come to your house and you happen to know them as beneficiaries of…?

    (Cuts in amid laughter) Do you want them to come to my house with herds of cattle for me to recognise them as beneficiaries?

    Critics of the policy insisted then that it was introduced apparently to benefit your fellow Fulani kinsmen. Would you say that was a fair criticism?

    It was an unfair criticism because I could not have introduced nomadic education to favour the Igbo. There were no nomads and there are still no nomads among the Igbo.

    What about the Ijaw fishermen, were they beneficiaries as well?

    Of course, they were also targeted. They have their secretariat somewhere in Aba. Did you expect me to have gone to your state (Cross River) to introduce nomadic education when you do not have nomads among you?

    There was a revelation in the Senate recently that the North controls 83 per cent of Nigeria’s oil blocs. How many of these did you award to your Northern brothers and sisters during your spell as Minister of Petroleum?

    How many did I award to myself? How many did I award to myself? You should have asked me how many I awarded to myself. Go and find out how many I awarded to myself before you ask me that rubbish question.

    You described my question as rubbish?

    Yes, it is absolute rubbish.

    But you awarded oil blocs during you time as minister, didn’t you?

    I awarded to everywhere, not only the North.

    But with the majority to the North?

    It is not true. If that was the case, I would be feeling very bad about it. But it wasn’t the case. Definitely, not during my time as minister. Maybe it was after my time and under what circumstances, I wouldn’t know. So the revelation from the Senate may be true, but I doubt it.

  • KSB’s top 10

    Gospel artiste, Kenny Saint-Best, reveals her favourite things to Kehinde Oluleye

     

    Favourite shoe designer

    Russell & Bromley

     

    Favourite bag designer

    Hermes

     

    Favourite perfume

    Cartier for women and Aramis for men

     

    Favourite wrist watch designer

    Cartier

     

    Favourite fashion designer

    Lisa Folawiyo of Jewel by Lisa

     

    Favourite sunglasses designer

    Ray Ban Aviator

     

    Favourite food

    Ikokore (local) and Sandwich

     

    Favourite fabric

    Adire

     

    Favourite car

    Jaguar

     

    Favourite jeans

    Straight jeans

  • Top skin rules

    •First golden rule: Drink plenty of water; water will detoxify the blood stream and aid the free flow of blood. Drinking at least seven to eight glasses of water every day helps purify the body from within and helps flush all the harmful bacteria out. Avoid too much intake of soda and other alcoholic drinks since these can lessen our youthful look.

    •Second golden rule: Try as much as possible not to touch, pinch or scratch your skin, especially the face.

    •Eat lots of fresh fruits. Fresh fruits and vegetable plus a good, healthy diet can make skin healthy and at the same time help you achieve a balanced weight.

    •Wash your face with plain water; avoid using soap because too much soap can dry up your skin and steal its natural oils.

    •Moisturising body cream is good for the season.

    •For your skin to retain its glow throughout this cold period, you need to look for a body cream that contains some vital vitamins.

    •Also, body creams that contain avocado oil and sunflower oil will make the skin glow and warm.

    •After you wash your hands, use hand cream to seal in moisture.

    •Ori [African shear butter] is good for this cold period.

    •Drink or rub aloe vera juice on your skin; though it is very bitter, it helps to keep a smooth and clean face. It’s worth the stress.

    •If you have the capacity, exercise; sweating does wonders for the complexion!

    •Always use a facial wash that prevents blemishes and, more importantly, moisturises. You may not appreciate the effect today but it will certainly go a long way.

    •Take off every bit of makeup at night before bedtime.

    •Lastly, before going to bed, mix some olive oil and vinegar and rub on your face and wash off in the morning.

    •Use glycerin-based soaps or face washes; apart from the fact that you will get a great cleaning without the dry feel to your skin, these brands of soaps also stabilise the skin and create a hostile environment for bacteria.

    •Exfoliate once a week so that dead skin cells would not clog your pores.

  • Crime of passion (3)

    ‘A moment of patience in a moment of anger can help us avoid a thousand moments of sorrow.’ (Anonymous)

    I looked up from the letter and stared at my boss, too shocked to speak.

    Finally I blurted out nervously:

    “Sir, is this a joke or what?”

    “Joke, ke! Do I look like Ali Baba?” he stated with a wry smile.

    But he became sober when he saw the serious, anxious look on my face.

    “Look, Ray. I know this must come to you as a surprise. But the management believes you are the best person for the job. It will be good for your career growth so I will advise you to see it as an opportunity and accept the offer,” he said.

    I was barely listening to him. I kept thinking of the implication of what was in the letter. It stated that I had been transferred out of the country, to oversee our branches in Ghana as well as Cote d’Ivoire as the Regional cum Sales Manager. More than anything, it was the suddenness of it all that so shocked me. There had been no hint whatsoever that this was coming, no sign at all. ‘How can I just be sent out of the country just like that on cross-border posting without warning’, I thought with some resentment.

    The first thought that came to me was to decline the offer. I had never been to those countries, didn’t know anyone there, so how was I going to cope? Besides, there was my wife, Grace and my son. And Jake too and my parents and siblings. How could I leave my family and friends behind and go to a strange place with strange people?

    “People are only strangers until you get to know them,” Grace said latter that evening. I had broken the news to her as soon as I got home.

    We had been discussing or rather arguing over the issue for the past hour or so. She was in favor of my accepting the posting.

    “It shows the company values your services. It’s a serious position and it’s not anyone they can give it to. They chose you. That means something,” she pointed out.

    I could see her point but I was not ready to give in yet.

    “But I don’t know anyone there. How will I cope with total strangers, in a strange land?” I stated grumpily. And the argument had gone on and on…

    “Truth is that I can’t bear the thought of being parted from you and Robert. I will miss you too much,”I finally said. We were in our bedroom then, preparing for bed. Grace had just taken a shower and was sitting at her dressing table, applying cream on her body.

    I laid back on the bed, a scowl on my face.

    “We will both miss you too, honey. But this is a golden chance for us. For our family. You shouldn’t miss it,” she said. She got up then, and slipped her nightie over her head. I felt a warm stirring in my body at the sight of her. Even after all these years of being together, I still found my wife irresistible.

    Slipping into bed with me, she said quietly:

    “So, you will take the offer, won’t you?” she asked.

    By then, I had other things on my mind that had nothing to do with my transfer.

    “Yes, darling. I will. If that’s what you want,” I stated quickly as I drew her to me and buried my face in her full bosom…

    ******

    A few weeks later, all was set for my journey to my new base. It was agreed that Grace, who taught at a school in town would be visiting with our son during the holidays.

    “Call as soon as you arrive Accra,” Grace said as Jake prepared to take me to the airport. She had refused to accompany me with the excuse that, “I don’t want to create a scene at the airport by crying too much!”

    I arrived safely and immediately resumed work. Within a few months, I had settled down in the city and was beginning to enjoy the place. It was well-organised and less stressful than where I was coming from. I missed home though especially Grace. Infact, the highlight of my day was when I spoke with her after closing from work.

    I called her so often the phone bill for the first few months of my arrival was quite high.

    “At this rate, we will go bankrupt because of the high phone bill,” she said teasingly one day.

    “I don’t care. Listening to your voice makes our separation more bearable,” I noted.

    “It’s only for a short while. We will be coming over in two weeks, remember,” she said. Her school was closing for the long vacation soon and she was coming with Robert to join me in Accra.

    I asked after some family members and later Jake.

    “Ah, Jake has been wonderful! He checks on us regularly and he even took Robert to the park last week. He’s such a caring person,” she enthused.

    I felt immense relief at her words. The thought that my best friend was keeping an eye on my family made me feel less anxious about leaving them all alone while I was in a foreign country, working.

    My work, which I enjoyed took most of my time. The company’s products were in high demand so I did not have too much trouble pushing them. With the approval of head office in Lagos, I made some changes in our operations. I rented a large warehouse near the popular Makola market in the Tudu area of the city. The reason being that a lot of our customers were based in the market and its environs so it was more convenient for them if the products were close by and readily available.

    With time, I opened a new branch in Takoradi with plans to expand to Kumasi and other places later in the year. Once a month, I would travel to Abidjan to check on our branch in the city. At first, the language barrier was a problem as I did not speak French or any of their local dialects. Later, I employed a man who spoke English and that took care of the problem. And with each visit, I began to pick up some French. The country was just then recovering from a civil war, with economic activities gradually picking up. Though sales were slow at first, I knew that with time, things would pick up.

    At the end of my first year abroad, I was enjoying myself so much in my new post, that I wondered why I had been so reluctant to take up the posting initially.

    “I’m not sure I want to return to Nigeria soon,” I said to Jake one day. He had called to tell me that he would be coming to spend his leave with me in Accra in a few weeks.

    “I can’t believe it! Were you not the same person who was so reluctant to go there in the first place! What happened?” he queried.

    “Nothing much,” I replied. “It’s just that I like the place and I’m enjoying my work here,” I added.

    “Is that all? Are you sure you’ve not fallen for another woman over there?” he stated.

    “Fall for who? You think I’m like you who falls in and out of love every two months. You know there’s only one woman for me-Grace. Others don’t exist for me,”I said firmly.

    “Ah, come on Ray! You are my friend. I won’t tell a soul, least of all Grace. So, what’s her name and what does she look like? Is she pretty? What does she do…?” he asked persistently.

    “Are you deaf or what? It’s nothing like that. I just…” I started to say when he butted in.

    “You think you can fool me? I will find out soon enough when I come,” he promised.

    ‘Idiot,’ I thought as the call ended, smiling wryly at the thought of my friend with his one way mind…

    In the rebels enclave

    I had been in Accra for about two years when another war broke out in Cote d’Ivoire. Tension had been brewing in the country for some months after the elections but most people did not think it would lead to renewed hostilities between the warring forces in the past war.

    Unluckily for us, we had just sent a large consignment of our products to the country, awaiting distribution. I needed to be there to oversee things and also arrange for the remitting of money from sales of the past months that had accumulated in our bank accounts.

    I tried calling my supervisor, Francois to give instructions on how to secure the goods but I could not reach him on phone. The goods were worth millions and I could not allow them to be destroyed as well as our other investments in the country. Based on that, I decided to travel to the country.

    “But sir, it might be dangerous for you. We heard on the news that there’s fighting in Abidjan,” my secretary, Ama protested when I told her of my plans.

    I waved her fears aside.

    “It can’t be that bad. At least people are still living there,”I stated, trying to make a joke of the situation.

    All flights to Abidjan had been cancelled so I made arrangements to travel across the border by road. At the border town Elubo, few vehicles were willing to cross over to the other side.

    The crises in the neighboring country had deterred many of the drivers who usually plied the route from working.

    A Nigerian I met at the border, was able to link me with a driver he knew who still ferried passengers across the border, though at more than thrice the normal fare.

    We had crossed the border safely and even passed Noe, the Ivorien border town when the driver turned off the main road. He explained that rebel soldiers had taken over some portions of the road and he was going to pass through side roads that were safer.

    We had been driving on the side road for nearly an hour without incident, when we suddenly heard gun shots. Then, a group of men in camouflage uniform dashed from the surrounding bushes some metres away from our bus. The driver, perhaps in panic applied the breaks, and turning round shouted at us, the passengers to run into the bush. We didn’t need a second warning.

    We all ran out and fled into the thick bush. Behind us, I could hear the soldiers shooting and shouting at us. They were obviously chasing after us and my heart pumped with fear as I ran wildly away. The thought of dying in this strange place propelled me forward. At a point, I turned round to glance behind me and it was then I ran into a tree head on…

    I must have blacked out for I woke up sometime later in strange surroundings. As it turned out, I was in a camp of the rebel soldiers. I had been caught with some of the passengers in the bus and taken to their camp.

    I was to remain in that place for the next eight months. Though, the soldiers treated us fairly well, we were made to do all kinds of jobs for them. We became their cooks, cleaners, washermen and did other odd jobs around the camp. Some of the women prisoners became their bedmates.

    All the time I was in the camp, my thoughts were full of Grace, wondering what she must be going through. Did she and the rest of my friends, family and colleagues think I was dead since I got missing? From the little news we got in the camp, we heard that a lot of people had died in the war. I was determined to stay alive and not become one of the statistics in the war. I prayed that one day, I would be reunited with my beloved wife.

    That thought and the instinct for survival inherent in every human kept me sane in the camp.

    Then, one morning, we woke up to find the camp deserted by the rebels. Later, we heard that they had got advance warning from another unit that government forces were about to raid the camp. We all danced with jubilation at our freedom.

    We were later transported to a refugee camp in Abidjan run by an international charity organization. I tried calling home to tell them about my whereabouts, that I was alive and well. But communication in the country was bad because of the war.

    With the help of the organization, I was able to get some money with which I travelled back to Nigeria. As the cab that drove me home drew nearer my street that night, my heart beat in anticipation at being reunited with my family. I could imagine the look of surprise and joy on my wife’s face when she saw me. I smiled at the thought, my heart brimming with happiness.

    The front door was open when I arrived with the lights on. Thinking she had gone to bed and forgot to lock up, I headed straight for the bedroom.

    As I quietly opened the door, it was the soft moans I first heard, then the sight of my wife in bed with a man…

    •To be continued

    •Who’s the mystery man Ray caught his wife in bed with? Details next Saturday!

    •Names have been changed to protect the narrator’s identity.

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

  • Jonathan’s undoing is his bad advisers and tribesmen –Ex-Presidential candidate Bashir Tofa

    Jonathan’s undoing is his bad advisers and tribesmen –Ex-Presidential candidate Bashir Tofa

    Alhaji Bashir Othman Tofa is a businessman and politician. He was the National Republican Convention presidential candidate in the botched June 12, 1993 presidential election. Ahead of June 12 anniversary next Wednesday, Tofa spoke with Assistant Editor, LINUS OBOGO and reflected on the date, May 29 and October 1, and concluded that he would rather that Nigeria sticks with the Independence Day as Democracy Day. He also faulted President Goodluck Jonathan’s declaration of a state of emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States, arguing that his decision was rather hasty, among other issues. 

    Excerpts:

    Just last week, May 29, the government held the 14th anniversary of what has come to represent Nigeria’s Democracy Day. What is your general assessment of Nigeria’s 14 years of unbroken civil rule?

    First of all, let me say that the worse form a democracy is better than the best form of military dictatorship. Despite my disappointments over the last 14 years of this new democracy, the freedoms we enjoy, even though with some distortions, are preferable. We have benefited a great deal from the criticisms and ideas of Professor Wole Soyinka, Alhaji Balarabe Musa and Mr. Femi Falana. If only our leaders listen, we would have made better progress.

    My main complaint about President Goodluck Jonathan has always been the dearth of good and competent advisers around him. My friend, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, is a very experienced leader. Mrs. Okonjo Iweala, Dr. Shamsuddeen Usman and the Minister of Agriculture are excellent in what they do. But only Pius is a true politician, and people like him are a minority in the government. Many of his other ministers are not an asset to the President, either in the efficient running of their ministries or politically. Many have not done him and will not do him any good politically.

    I strongly recommend that the President reshuffles his cabinet as soon as possible to mark two years of his presidency, and appoint a mixture of very competent technocrats and able, experienced and popular politicians into ministries he is convinced they will make a mark. He must also come away from that myopic policy of placing appointed ministers as leaders of the PDP in states where there are elected governors. This exposes the President’s deficit politically.

    In all, we have not done as well as Nigeria should have done in the last 14 years. Reason: utter corruption, lack of competent advisers, political chauvinism and general impunity. We must all share in the blame. But the President must take the lion’s share, as the leader.

    It is my candid advice that the President should summon a mixture of about five elders and others with unquestionable integrity, from each state to meet for a few days in Abuja and review the situation in the country, and also offer their advice as to the best ways to promote unity and sense of belonging and to repair the damages done in recent times.

    Opinions remain divided between those who still question the May 29 date, some who insist it should rather be October 1, and others who feel it should have been June 12. Where do you stand in all of this?

    Personally, I would prefer October 1, as everybody can identify with that date. We became independent as a country on that date, and we have to constantly remind ourselves that we are still on the road to becoming a nation.

    June 12 is a controversial and a very divisive date.

    Beyond the tokenism of transiting from military to civil rule on May 29, is there anything tangibly worth celebrating in your view?

    People do celebrate dates and occasions for good reasons. Freedoms are vitally important, as without them, humanity is doomed. We can celebrate these freedoms as I said, but with reservation. That is, without the freedom to be secure, and without the joy we need to celebrate our unity, which is now in tatters, the celebration is meaningless. Most Nigerians have become poorer, but not just as a failure of democracy to produce its so-called dividends, but because the democracy we practise is riddled with corruption and nepotism. These are the ills we have to cure our society of.

    I advise that these dates, whether democracy or Independence, should also be days of prayers. But we rather budget billions of naira for bogus ceremonies which in reality which are undeserved. I cannot see what hungry and angry people can celebrate. I looked at the President’s face during his broadcast, and he did not look at all happy. Something was clearly worrying him, and we all know what it was!

    Much as you have tried in some of your public comments to convince Nigerians not to go on crying over spilled milk and rather move on with regards to June 12, 1993 debacle, the issue has continued to stick out like a sore thumb. As a prime participant in the election process which was subsequently annulled, what collateral damage would you say it has had on our politics 20 years after?

    A sore thumb, indeed! And it stinks. Anyway, I had promised not to discuss June 12 again because it does not help anything. It is now a subject for those who lack the intellect to help this country with anything positive that will move us forward. If any lesson had been learnt from it, let those lessons guide us to plot a better political culture for this country. But those who have nothing better to say or do can continue talking about it. I suggest that the elections we rig at every level, in every election, allowing “unelected” people to represent or lead us, is an equally serious matter, if not worse. People should focus more on current issues that will make our electoral process and governance better. What matters to young people who were toddlers in 1993, is education and employment, not June 12.

    Those who have followed your evolution as a politician would attest to the fact that you are of a conservative stock. But today, you are counted among the liberal political elements in the country?

    I am only conservative in keeping and nurturing our collective values. We are a very decent and traditional society, in both our individual make ups and histories. I think, our diversity should have been our greatest asset, if we had bothered to appreciate them and use them for our collective good. I am not a liberal in the sense of Western Liberalism, where every sin goes. I am a good Muslim and do relate very well with good Christians. My liberalism is only in the sense that I believe everyone should be free to pursue his or her innate desire to improve himself or herself and the community generally, so long as these are done in accordance with the laws of the land. That is one reason we named the political association I formed and led: The Liberal Convention, which joined the National Republican Convention NRC, of which I was the presidential candidate in 1993.

    You once spoke against those who called on President Goodluck Jonathan to resign over alleged leadership ineptitude as well as his handling of the security crises in the country. You even went ahead to praise him for not being a dictator. What are your thoughts on the imposition of state of emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States?

    I personally believe that President Jonathan is not a bad person as an individual, and did not start out with evil intentions. His basic misfortune is that he lacks good advisers, and some of his tribesmen have almost reduced him to a tribal leader. Secondly, the unnecessary debate immediately before and after President Umar Yar’Adua’s death as to whether he should be sworn in or not as a full President, plus the result of the 2011 elections, as well as the utterances of some people, somehow indicated to him that a section of our society loathes him. These negatives have stuck in his mind and have seriously confused him. The current debate about where the presidency must come from neither helps matters. My opinion is that such noises are unnecessary in a democracy. People will elect whoever they like, and whoever it is must be allowed to rule.

    Again, in a democracy, where someone is elected, you cannot call upon him to resign. Either organise his recall, or he loses an election that will return him to office, if you have the wherewithal. He was not appointed, so why would you call upon a president of a country to resign? Don’t elect him next time. That’s democracy.

    With regards to the state of emergency imposed on Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States, I was not in total support of it, because at the stage we were in before the declaration, when a Reconciliation Committee was inaugurated by the President, it should have been allowed to run its course. And if it fails, then the imposition of the state of emergency would be justified. Having said that, however, my opinion, which I expressed before, is that we should pray for our country and also for the success of the action taken in the interest of all concerned.

    You appear not to be favourably disposed to the zoning of the presidency as a political arrangement. What will be your position should the APC decide to zone its presidency?

    It will be a serious mistake for the APC to zone the presidency at this early stage of its development. If any section/zone of this country is axed from this aspiration, it will be fatal. A national convention must be held, and all aspiring members of the party must be allowed to present themselves for election.

    I have always advocated that what Nigeria needs is a Nigerian president, not a sectional or zonal or tribal leader as president. While rotation makes some people comfortable, I am sure Nigerians will much prefer a president that cares for all the people, listens to them and acts on their needs with dispatch, equity and fairness; a president who will make Nigeria a country of “know how”, instead of “know who”; a country where all Nigerians will feel equal sense of belonging and security wherever they choose to live in their country.

    What zoning has done most is to ingrain in our psyche the false notion that with our own at the helm, we will be better off. This has been shown not to be the case, except for the few thieves around the seat of power. If that has been the case, then the others will be worse off.

    This situation draws us further apart into our tribal and sectional cocoons. And, when you talk of a zone, you later find that there is so much rivalry within the zone, as most would want the benefits or appointments to go to their states. And, within the state, you degenerate into the local government, and then the clan. We are damaging our unity by refusing to learn to be one; by not doing much to appreciate who is just and honest, but who is our own. This is a major problem in this country, and we have to make a serious u-turn to the direction of reality, if we want to survive as a united country.

    Now, with regards to the APC, this party to be has some other serious issues to be careful about. These are internal and external sabotage. Some bad people are up to something very sinister. If APC is sabotaged, we will have very serious problems managing this democracy. That may be the beginning of the end of it. Whether or not APC will win any election, the fact that the opposition may become stronger, is in itself good for our democracy.

    You were quoted in your response to Asari Dokubo’s threat as saying that the North will be better off as an entity than the South South, should the latter break away from Nigeria. How exactly did you mean?

    The North truly cares for the unity and integrity of this country. There is no section of the country that truly cares for the unity and integrity of this country than the North. But this nationalistic stand is taken by some pools as a weakness, or as lack of an independent and prosperous future for the North. Far from it. I will be the last person to call for the dismemberment of our dear country. But, I will also be the last person to admit that the North cannot stand on its own, if necessary. I love this potentially great country, but I hate some of the rascals, from whatever section they are, that seek to promote disunity and the destruction of our country for clearly myopic and utterly selfish reasons. Many of these people are ignorant of history, or are just mischievous. I hope, Mr. Dokubo and others who made similar utterances will have the good sense to apologise.

    The North will never consider the option to dissolve this country. But if some irresponsible people steer the country in that direction, my only advice is that there must not be any war to keep the country as one. Another civil war will be futile and it will destroy everything. We will all be the losers, as no single viable country will arise from the ashes of the old one. So, it is better for us to manage what we have. President Nixon, when resigning from the US Presidency after the Watergate scandal said something like this: ‘You will never appreciate how glorious it was when you were on top of the mountain, until you find yourself at abyss of a deep hole’. But if we cannot find a way to stay together, even after a national conference, then we must sit and negotiate separation as we have seen done successfully in some parts of Europe. But, we must pray to the Almighty not to bring that moment. May we be forgiven by Him in whose hand lie our destinies. May He cause us to come to our senses and resolve to revive our unity and live in justice and peace.

    Nobody wishes to see any war to force this country to be one. The next war will destroy everything everywhere. So, what’s the point? We better negotiate and separate peacefully. That way, we can still have some dealings with one another. But, may the Almighty God forgive us and forbid this tragedy.

    What is your comment on the crisis rocking the Governors’ Forum?

    The President is already the President. He should not have bothered with the governors electing whoever they so wish. If I were the President, I will never interfere with such elections, like those of the leaderships of the National Assembly, the NGF etc. If I were the President, I will let them elect whoever they wish, and I will get him/her by my side. If I were the President, I must know how to do that easily and without rancor. But when a President or a governor has some sinister agenda, he resorts to this types of interferences. The President should work for the country, and should get the support of everyone concerned.

  • Intercontinental Hotel set to operate

    The hospitality industry in Lagos received a boost recently as all is set for one of the leading hospitality brands in the world, Intercontinental Hotel, to opens its door to guests. The coming into the market of Intercontinental brand would further add to the list of top hospitality brands already within the Ikoyi-Victotia Island axis. Currently, top brands include the Radisson Blu, Four Point By Sheraton, Sofitel, Southern Sun, African Sun, Protea and some indigenous brands like the Eko Hotel and Suites, Oriental Hotel and many others.

    However, the market for the Intercontinental Hotel would be upscale and the hotel is priding itself on being the first truly five-state hotel in Lagos.

    The hotel has lavishly furnished 358 rooms, including a massive 250m2 Presidential Suite and dedicated clubs and dining rooms that could compete favourably with leading hotels in Dubai, US and Europe.

    According to the facility tour guide and Front Office Manager of the hotel, Mr. Mohammed Tanko, “with 23 floors, Intercontinental Lagos is the tallest hotel in West Africa, boasting 358 rooms, 37 suites and a Presidential Suite. All rooms boast of stunning views of either the Lagos Creek or the Atlantic Ocean.”

    While the traffic on Victoria Island due to ongoing road work might be an issue for now, any built-up tension is sure to disappear as soon as guests take a seat at the hotel’s Ekaabo Restaurant or the Milano and Soho dining and entertaining bars which are set in an elegant, contemporary and warm environment that offers guests the tastes of the traditional Italian, Nigerian, Chinese and continental cuisines with a wide array of exotic wines and spirits catering to the most sophisticated palettes.

     Intercontinental Hotel Lagos Resident Manager, Marc Lambert, said the hotel was a global brand that had come to raise the bar in hospitality industry in Nigeria by offering unequalled experience as well as class.

    He said the facilities at Intercontinental Lagos equal any global hotel brands.

  • Making her feel special

    1. Acknowledge special occasions. Be sure you’re ready with a card and a gift when her birthday rolls around, or it’s time to celebrate Christmas or Valentine’s Day. Marking these and other occasions with tokens of love and appreciation are a great way to make a woman feel special. Remember, too, that right or wrong, her family and friends will likely ask her what you got her or how the two of you celebrated.

    Don’t put your woman on the spot by forcing her to lie or to admit that you let the occasion pass without recognition.

    2. Celebrate your anniversary. Anniversaries are like mini-time machines—they allow the two of you to relive an important event (your wedding day, your first date, etc.) They’re a chance to re-experience the special emotion created in and by that moment. Show the woman in your life that you value that event and all that’s happened since, by doing something special on your anniversary. If you can afford it and your wife or girlfriend would enjoy it, go ahead and do something extravagant. But what can be most meaningful is a card or a conversation in which you reminisce about the good times and the growth of your relationship and your happiness.

    3. Give thoughtful gifts. Gifts that come from the heart are among the most appreciated. Put some time and thought into choosing something your woman would love or make something for her yourself.

    When you invest that kind of time and thought into gift giving, she can’t help but be touched.

    4. Give flowers. Not every woman is a sucker for flowers, but the majority really do appreciate a bouquet, especially if it’s being given for no particular reason. Bring flowers on your next date or have them delivered to her home or workplace if that’s appropriate. A card that says simply “Thinking of you” is enough to bring a smile to her face.

    5. Mention her to your friends. If she’s important to you, your friends should know it. That doesn’t mean that you have to go on and on about her (and never discuss what happens in the bedroom with your friends), but making it clear that she’s an important part of your life will make her feel special versus make her feel like someone you want to hide or keep from your friends.

  • Great choice in casual footwear: Men’s sandals

    Great choice in casual footwear: Men’s sandals

    MEN don’t always want to dress in a corporate way at all times. You can still look good wearing slippers or sandals for casual outing, and they will look beautiful and lovely on your feet. Slippers or sandals are of ultimate convenience, comfort and offer a great casual look.

    Men’s sandals can be worn for indoor or outdoor purposes. They work great with native wear and jeans, so you may find it helpful to let the style of your shirt guide you. Polo shirt might work.

    It makes you feel free and look younger than your age. It also has a sexy feel.

    •Try to pick a pair of sandals that contrasts, or that is darker than your pants.

    •If you wear a belt, try to pick the shoes that match it, unless, of course, your belt is multi-coloured.

    •Try to put on casual clothes as much as possible when putting on your sandals.