The Nation Newspaper

Category: Saturday Magazine

  • The most important things teens should know about sex

    For teens, the mere thought of sex can be overwhelming. There is so much to think about, so much to worry about, and so much that can go wrong. Whether you are sexually active or not, knowing the facts about what sex is, and what it is not, is very important.

    Sex is…

    •Both physical and emotional in nature

    •Risky; you can get pregnant, catch a sexually transmitted infection, have your heart broken or your ego bruised, or feel let down and disappointed when it is over

    •A milestone; you only get one chance to lose your virginity

    •Sensitive; be sure that the timing is right for you and your partner

    • not to be taken lightly or treated as recreation

    • best when it is a personal expression of caring between two people

    • messy and full of strange, sometimes embarrassing noise

    Sex is not…

    • a way to make somebody love you or make a commitment to you

    • a test of your love for your partner

    • a measure of how mature or grown up you are

    • a good way to get back at your parents or assert your independence

    •a leisure activity

    •always fun or enjoyable, sometimes you will wonder if it was really worth it

    Remember, when you have sex for the wrong reasons you hurt yourself!

    Being sexually active

    If you are sexually active there are some important things you should know about the sex act itself. There is so much more to think about than whether or not you are doing it right but this is the thing people tend to worry about the most. Rest assured that there really is no right or wrong way to have sex.

    When it comes to se one thing that people should think about but rarely do is the law. There are age of consent laws surrounding how old you have to be in order to have sex and what constitutes consensual sex. There are even laws about the kind of sex acts you can engage in.

  • Olumo: Keeping history, culture alive

    Olumo: Keeping history, culture alive

    Olumo Rock is a kind of metaphor for the Egba. It encapsulates the history, strength and resilence of the Egba as a people. With the advent of modernity and western culture, the importance of the Olumo might not be as pervasive as it used to be in the past, but even with the development of ancient Abeokuta town into a modern town, the rock still encapsulates the soul of the of town.

    The last couple of years saw to its development into a modern tourist complex with all facilities needed for relaxation in a modern tourist complex .

    Of course, the clincher, many believe, is the lift added to the complex that has helped in making trips to the top of the rock and down.

    The Olumo Rock tourism complex has also attracted many top tourism events. The latest is the Olumo Festival by the O’odua People’s Congress (OPC) led by Otunba Gani Adams. It has become an annual event that has continued to grow.

    If the happenings at the last Olumo Festival held at the ancient town of Abeokuta were used to measure the success of the efforts of lovers of Yoruba culture, it can then be said that the efforts of groups like the Olokun Festival Foundation headed by the National Coordinator of the OPC is gradually yielding positive results.

    Over the years, many groups and individuals have continued to stress the need to sustain the rich cultural heritage and history of the different ethnic groups that make up Nigeria.

    The foundation, in collaboration with the Gateway Tourism and Development Corporation celebrated the Olumo Festival 2013 at the Olumo Grove with funfare.

    The week-long event, named after the famous Olumo Rock, located in the heart of Abeokuta, was part of the Lisabi Week celebrated by the Egba of Ogun State. The event was attended by thousands of culture afficionados from different walks of life, and it featured cultural dances, traditional displays, games, symposium and visits to traditional heads, among others.

    Speaking at the festival, Otunba Adams noted that it was not a sin to honours one’s deity, promote the heritage or speak one’s language.

    He lamented that these are part of the national treasures that have been taken from us and that they must be got back.

    “Suppose Olumo is movable, it would have been taken away by the white people who now possess some of our artifacts. But not our Olumo”, Adams said.

    Otunba Adams, the chief promoter of the foundation called on Yoruba in particular and Nigerians in general to stand up and protect their heritage, even as he stated that political differences should not be allowed to prevent them from elevating the festival.

    He said: “Olumo is a symbol of protection. In fact, it is the eponym from which Abeokuta derived its name. We should not see Olumo as ritually irrelevant, as derogatorily mentioned and as scornfully treated. In contrast, we must resound that it is our heritage.

    “We must be proud of our relationship with Olumo. All Yoruba towns and cities were not brought from heaven. Some people founded them, and there are historical facts about them.”

    The OPC leader also lamented the challenges facing the present-day youths who are gradually drifting away from their culture.

    “Sometimes, I do not blame the youths for emulating foreign ideas. They are facing a lot of pressure from the world around them. You can see how the Internet broke down the walls, demarcating cultural boundaries of the world”.

    Speaking with The Nation, the General Manager of the Olumo Rock Tourist Complex, Mr. Kola Anidugbe, explained that the Olumo Rock is the ancestral home of the Egba and where their story started from.

    “Olumo Rock provided shelter for the forebears of the Egba people. It was under the rock that they sought refuge, hence the town is known as Abeokuta,”Anidugbe said.

    Anidugbe regretted that the traffic of tourists at the Olumo Rock grove was very low and not encouraging because there were not many attractions, adding that many complained that all they had to do while there was to climb the rock and descend.

    The Olokun Festival Foundation currently has interest in and indeed supports more than ten traditional festivals Yoruba land. They include the Osun Oshogbo Festival, Oodua Festival in Ile-Ife, Olokun Festival in Badagry, Lagos State, Okota Festival in Arigidi Akoko, Ondo State and Okebadan Festival in Ibadan, Oyo State, among others.

  • ‘Drugs, not religion, is Nigeria’s problem’

    ‘Drugs, not religion, is Nigeria’s problem’

    Professor Ishaq Oloyede is the Coordinator and Executive Secretary of Nigerian Inter-Religious Council (NIREC). In this interview with Kazeem Ibrhaym, the former Vice Chancellor of  the University of Ilorin insists that Nigeria’s problem is not Christianity or Islam. For him, what is necessary for the adherent of the religions is to tolerate each other and fight drug addiction, violence, bombings and killings.

    What is NIREC set up to achieve?

    The Nigerian Inter-Religious Council (NREC) is a non-governmental organisation (NGO) established by the Nigerian Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) with the support of the federal government. We have as co-chairmen the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar and the President, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor.

    The meeting of the Council from 1999 when it was established up to 2004 were normally held in Abuja. However, in the last three years, the present leadership took the decision of moving the meeting from one geopolitical zone to the other to impact positively on the adherents of our two principal religions and to further sustain religious understanding, peaceful co-existence and promotion of ethical values and good governance. Meetings have been held in Enugu in February 2008, Maiduguri (May 2008), Kano (November 2008). The first and second quarters were hosted by Plateau State (May 2009), the third one was hosted Rivers State (August 2009) while the last quarter was hosted by the FCT (December 2009). We have also been to Bauchi, Sokoto, Oyo and last year in Kwara State.

    The meeting is aimed at addressing among other things the security situation in the country. But I must also let you know that NIREC has as its objectives to honestly and sincerely create fellowship between Moslems and Christians, create a sustainable channel of communication and interaction across religious lines, to promote moral, ethical and social values of our respective religious traditions, provide a forum for mutual cooperation and promotion of the welfare of citizens, to serve as an avenue for articulating cordial relationship among the various religious groups and between the religious communities and the political leadership.

    Why Christians, Moslems must tolerate one another

    We have found ourselves in the same boat; even if you don’t like the other religion what can you do? You start to fight that you don’t want that religion, either Islam or Christianity; then you become the poorer.

    This is exactly what some people are doing that we say is not good., So if you find yourself in the house, the least you can do; if one is responsible and sensible is to tolerate each other. Tolerance is not good but it is better than intolerance. I believe none of you is tolerating money because you like money and when a person says I am tolerating my spouse that marriage is at the verge of collapse. I think what we want is not even tolerance which is the least, it is understanding, you understand why this is this and therefore, you can say I am a Moslem. You should know why I am a Moslem. You are a Christian, I should know why you are a Christian; and when you take an action, I will know that because my friend is a Christian, he must go to church on Sunday. Oh my friend, who is a Christian must pay one tenth of his salary to his church and therefore I don’t need to ask him to account for one hundred percent of his salary. So for a Moslem he must account for 99 percent of his money. You know in Islam, adherents pay 1/40 of net income as Zakat. So understanding requires we know Christians pay 10 percent as tithe while Moslems pay 1/40 as Zakat. We must realise that 90 percent of us are what we are because of the training and where we are born. If you are from Akwa Ibom and you go there to deliver a baby and one woman from Jigawa also goes there to put to bed and the nurse makes a mistake to swap the babies; what would happen? The Jigawa woman will go home with an Akwa Ibom child while the Akwa Ibom woman would go home with the Jigawa child, then as the children grow up they will be thinking they are from where they are told they come from. So, the Akwa Ibom child taken to Jigawa will become a Moslem and the Jigawa child in Akwa Ibom will become a Christian. And when people here begin to fight Hausa, he will be also say we don’t want Hausa; not knowing Hausa blood flows in him. So, the point we are making is that some of these things we now capitalise on are mere accidents and you can become anything by anything .

    If just a nurse makes the mistakes, then you from Akwa Ibom becomes an Alhaji, when you could have become a Bishop. You become a Hausa when you could have become an Igbo or Akwa Ibom person. But we lay undue emphasis on things that are primordial. Now if this country is in trouble today, the pastor and the imam will meet at a point that they will be sitting together, not only in the same house but in the same room.

    In any case, if God had wanted all of us to be Christians we would have been. If He had wanted all of to be Moslems, we would have been.

    On how NIREC has nipped many crises in the bud

    Somebody asked whether NIREC has any value at all with the spate of insecurity in the country, but I think the question we should ask ourselves is if there had been no NIREC, where would we have been? There are so many crises that NIREC has solved that you do not know about. It is the few crises you know about that you believe are too many and that is why you are asking what NIREC is doing. It is like asking us what the security agencies are doing; what are the courts doing when there are still crimes. When people are still committing crime should we abrogate the police, courts judiciary and the prisons service? But if you abrogate those departments, it is then you will know that they have been providing us with succour. I believe it is a challenge to NIREC to do more.

    What is NIREC doing to curb insecurity in the country?

    I think because you have not taken pains to look at the other side; to say if there had been no NIREC, if Christians are left on their own in this country, Moslems are left on their own and there is no way of their coming together to discuss, even if to disagree, then things would have been worse than it is. In any case, when you talk of insecurity, Boko Haram and all other crises you have related to religion as destructive as they are; even without them we still have insecurity. Insecurity is a global issue and it rears its head under any excuse. It might be religion; it might be economic. To me, if you ask me, we are only treating the symptom. We are not treating the real issue. I believe the real problem with us in this country, whatever might have been the reason, is drugs. Most of our youths across the country are acting under the influence of drugs and it is a problem we have to face but we are shying away from calling a spade a spade. When somebody is addicted to drug, that is when he can become an armed robber, or any evil doer. When you see armed robbers being arrested, and you ask them how much were you given, they say N20,000 or N30,000. They talk about money that will make you ask why should somebody decide to kill himself in the process of carrying out such dastardly act. More often than not, he or she is not in his right sense and this is the product of drug.

    In some southern American countries, you know what’s happening; how drug cartels have formed themselves and they are waging war against their society. I believe NDLEA/NAFDAC and other agencies would have a lot to do to solve this issue. My own position is that we must find our youth doing drugs and try to re-orientate and rehabilitate them. Today if you tell somebody you are going to a particular part of this country, they would say you would be kidnapped or armed robbers will attack you; while in another part they will say some religious fanatics can attack you. We are just having different shades of a problem and unfortunately for us, rather than collectively facing the problem we are pursuing shadows, and that is why we now say this one is from this zone, this one is from that zone, and politicians bring this up. As far as insecurity is concerned, NIREC is doing what is can and will continue to do more.

    On the polio crisis in the North

    It is very sad that people who are engaged in rescuing our future, like those nurses were killed in Kano. It is very unfortunate but if you ask us what we are doing on polio, I will tell you that NIREC members are on the National Committee Against Polio. The Emir of Bama in Borno State and one other person are on the committee. And last month they held a meeting in Abuja where they decided on the next phase; just as the governors were meeting to do this. We are doing our best but we are not Ministry of Health; so we are just an NGO. But for your information, before you start asking questions on what NIREC should do that is has not done, NIREC is not a government agency, NIREC is an NGO. We do not control the police, to say go and arrest Mr. ‘A’ or leave Mr. ‘B’. We are just like an NGO making our contributions to peaceful co-existence. So it is unfortunate that what happened in Kano happened but anybody who knows the history of polio vaccination in the North would know that it is a struggle that has been on. A lot of information is going out, re-orientation is taking place. It is, in fact, getting better but it is not good enough and that is why we are having this unfortunate incidents.

    On alleged denial of Certificate of Occupancies to Churches in the North

    We have heard of such cases and we have intervened. Unfortunately, for us in Nigeria, we have this persecution syndrome. If you take a Yoruba man to tell the history of Nigeria, he will just start the story from when Awolowo was imprisoned, that Hausa and some people connived together and Awolowo was jailed. If you asked a Hausa to tell you the problem of Nigeria, he will start with the assassination of Tafawa Balewa and Co. He will say that one day they just woke up to discover the Igbo eliminated them.

    If you ask an Igbo man to tell you the story, he is going to tell you about the killing of Aguiyi Ironsi and how they wanted to send the Igbo away from the North. Everybody picks what is suitable for him to anchor on; not giving the whole picture. He just gives what is convenient for him.

    I do not know of any major town in the North where you do not have up to 500 churches. I do not know of any town in the North where you can travel for one kilometre before you get to a church. It is unfortunate that in Nigeria we emphasise only the negative. For everyone man in the North that is denied C of O there will be 50 that have been granted. It is not good to deny but what we are saying is that it is not as if you cannot build churches in the North or you cannot build mosque in the South. Please when there are cases of aberration, let’s treat them as aberrations and collectively fight them.

    We have more than 250 ethnic groups in this country and they have been fighting one another before Islam and Christianity came and they are still fighting, but religion has reduced it to two or three. It is human to have differences and when you have differences you solve them.

    On how drug encourages crime

    Government knows who the Boko Haram people are; they can’t tell us that they don’t know them. They are in their custody; they should make them available to us to interact with them. We want to interact with them so that we can make sense out of their nonsense. So I want to say that as terrible as the Boko Haram episode is, I don’t see it as the major issue. I see the major issue that we are not attacking as drugs. What leads somebody to Boko Haram or kidnapping is drugs.

    Some people say poverty is the problem, yes, that may be part of the problems but I think the issue is madness induced by drugs. Majority of our youth across the country are now involved in drugs. Let me give you an example, in the North where you say they are Almajiri, go and see the amount of cough syrup that are being sold in the North, they are being used as drugs. The truth is that we are in for a serious problem of drugs. Our people are getting addicted by the day, some unconsciously. Go to the North, the people you claim are poor, you see them going to get excreta of certain reptiles in the house wrap it and use as drugs. They use gum, rubber from vulcaniser as drug. They are very cheap to get.

    Rather than facing those problems, we are now facing the externalities of the problem by saying it is Boko Haram, kidnapping and so on. Go and interview those people and you will find that they are not themselves, they are acting under certain influences and certainly that influence is drugs.

    Terrorism is a worldwide phenomenon, people look for any reason to terrorise. If here those who are attacking us across religions are using platform of Islam to say Boko Haram, Moslems have told you clearly that they are not Moslems. Islam does not teach or send anybody to go and kill. We also have cases of people using the name of Christianity to do what is unchristian. So I think we must collectively fight those who are bastardising the names of our religions.

    Major success of NIREC

    I must tell you that since 1999 till date, NIREC has been a major success of providing a platform for communication at the highest level of these religious bodies.

    If any problem is linked to religion today, the Sultan will not start looking for the CAN’s president number to call him. They interact almost on a daily basis. We are meeting here now and part of what we are going to discuss is how to rescue the two religions from the problem of the secularists who are daily attacking religion as if religion is the problem. It is when religion survives that there will be Christianity and Islam. But today what we are having is that people think religion is the problem. And that is why when 419 people were buying aircrafts and jets there was no problem but immediately religious people started buying jets, they started attacking and saying even they are buying jets, as if they are born to suffer. So the point we are making is that religious people as religious people have problem internally and externally but NIREC has provided a platform for us and we have been using that platform effectively. There are a few cases which we were unable to manage properly, then you see the effect, you now say what is NIREC doing. If you know what we settle at the level of NIREC you will be amazed.

    At ABU Zaria, in the last two years there has been the conflict on providing land for a church. They said a new land was given at Kongo but the Christian community wanted another one and Moslems said no, it is close to the mosque. We have been on it and we are trying to settle and when we settle that and it does not become a national problem you won’t know. But if it goes out of hand it is that one you will know. Please know that there are so many problems we are solving. One of our success stories is unity, you may not know; because you think we are disunited.

    How NIREC is fighting corruption

    You asked why we are talking only to poor people to stop corruption and wondered why we are not talking to rich people. The truth is that we talk to the big people as we talk to the so-called ordinary citizens. The truth of the matter is that NIREC, almost every year makes position paper available to the big people. Recently one of the co-chairmen said we have told the president what to do about X or Y. We keep on talking and we continue to talk. Just as most of the parents talk to their children, yet some of them go astray, we continue to talk, preach and appeal to them but their non-compliance is not a proof of our inactivity.

    The challenge of NIREC

    I think the greatest challenge we face is how to bring down prejudice. People have fixed positions. Many people believe that in some parts of this country you are not safe because they slaughter human beings and eat them. It is something that has been passed from one generation to the other. Some people say that some groups in this country are homosexuals. Some people believe so many funny things. The primacy of the individual is what is important. Until you live with the person, don’t make up your mind against the person. My own take is that Lagos created some of these prejudices we carry along because it is in Lagos you have all kinds of people. They are just beer parlour jokes that people have now developed into monsters and unless we work very hard, we will continue to have the problem. But let me say here that whether you are a Christian or Moslem and if there is a fine girl you are running after, you won’t ask her religion. When you go to Corporate Affairs Commission and you want to register your business, go and see that Alhaji and Bishops co-own companies at that time they don’t care whether you are a Christian or Moslem. But when it comes to issue of welfare, people start segregating among themselves. In Ilorin where I live, there are sections where they say they are the real indigenes; you have some that are second class indigenes. In Lagos, not all Yoruba can beat their chest and say they are from Lagos; they will stone them.

    If you go to the East, they have free -born and slaves. So the point I am making is that we have so many reasons to be different but let us work together for the sake of the country.

  • Keep it simple and Glamorous

    Keep it simple and Glamorous

    Chiffon is a beautiful breathable fabric that is easy to wear and always looks elegant. It can be very cheap and sturdy despite its light weight. Some chiffon fabrics are made of silk while others are cotton, nylon, rayon, or polyester. There are many styles and colours that can be created from chiffon fabric for gorgeous styles. Chiffon dresses are great formal wear, appropriate for parties, formal events or as casual, even every day wear as well. They look amazing with all kinds of accessories, costumes, or real jewelry. They flatter all body types and you can look just stunning. Chiffon is a feel good easy trend. We will all realise that one way or the other we own at least one or more pieces of chiffon outfit, perhaps a blouse or dress. Chiffon outfits just never go out of trend. It gives a sultry look and you can always keep it simple or glam it up. If you are looking for the glam look, watch out for pieces with detailing such as draping. Keep it simple and sophisticated.

    These dresses are often sheer and summery. The fabric is usually layered to avoid allowing transparency. However, care should be taken by ensuring that the undergarments are not visible under the dress. If your skin tone contrasts with the colour of the dress, be extra careful that your skin is not too visible. A pale slip made out of a thin silky material can be worn to help avoid wardrobe malfunction.

    A chiffon dress can be short or long. Chiffon dresses that are cut just above the knee are more elegant and often fitting to a woman’s physique.

    The lightweight texture of a chiffon dress should be coupled with flattering makeup and modest accessories. Some black chiffon dresses look best with gold or silver jewelry. A white chiffon dress looks best with gold if it does not have any sorts of prints on it. Other accessories can be chosen to match the print.

    Casual dresses with flowers look stunning with playful costume jewelry and a solid coloured clutch or purse. Strapped sandals complete the look. A few of the more elegant chiffon dresses might be complemented with a pair of heels. When you’re shopping for chiffon outfits, be sure to take into account any stretching of the fabric.

  • Embellish your style with Ankara Accesories

    Embellish your style with Ankara Accesories

    ANKARA fabric has taken a new shade of style in the fashion world. It is no longer the tailored top, skirt or gown only, but also creating a new style from the print. Ankara fabric is one of the fabrics that cannot be outdated because of its new inventions the manufacturers put into the design.

    However, it is not just the fabric, but also, the accessories that have been created from this print. Transforming the ankara fabric into another form has added value and beauty to part of the accessories. You can try putting on these accessories with any outfit of your choice. Being ankara doesn’t mean it should strictly be used only on native attires. Rather, you can blend your outfit with ankara accessories to give a look of traditional beauty.

    It is not necessary you wear a complete attire of ankara fabric before you appear traditional. Instead, just a touch of the ankara accessories can spice up the traditional appearance you want to create.

    There are some types of ankara accessories in stores currently. You can walk up to any of the modernised local accessories stores and pick yours up.

     

    The  Ankara Accesories 

    THE ankara earrings are of different patterns. You can try putting on the drop earrings or anyone of your choice.

    The ankara neckpiece which is of various designs such as the round bib necklace, the buttoned necklace and so on.

    The ankara bangles which can also be a round big bangle of set of small bangles, depending on your choice.

    The ankara belt/suspender which also gives a different look on your outfit when you wear it on another outfit aside ankara.

    The ankara hair clips or ruffles also make your hair style glam when you fix it on one side of your hair.

    The ankara ring is another accessory you can also wear. This kind of ring will give you another outlook of fashion.

    The ankara brooch is also an added touch of the ankara accessory. It is worn by both men and women. The men can use it as their side pocket as a design on their shirts or tops.

    The ankara neck band also beautifies your outfit. When you wear this, you may not need to wear any serious necklace.

    The ankara purse makes your outlook appear stylishly simple and elegant. This can be worn with any outfit of your choice.

  • Jonathan’s government’s failure has provided an ideology for APC –Senator Kanti Bello

    Jonathan’s government’s failure has provided an ideology for APC –Senator Kanti Bello

    Senator Mahmud Kanti Bello represented Katsina North Senatorial Zone from 2003 to 2011. Known for his bluntness, he had caused a stir in the senate during the ministerial screening when he accused former Information Minister Dora Akunyili of cooking for ex-First Lady Hajia Turai Yar’Adua. Recently, he had sensationally debunked the claims of the Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu of a purported pact President Goodluck Jonathan signed with the governors of the PDP over 2015 presidency.

    In this interview with Assistant Editor, LINUS OBOGO, Kanti Bello spoke on what he described as Jonathan’s leadership ineptitude, why Nigerians should rally round the emerging All Progressive Congress to get the country out of the woods.

    Excerpts:

    You left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC). What informed your movement at this time, especially when your political acumen would have been most needed by the party?

    I came to realise the situation in which Nigeria has found herself and which is that there is no focus in the management of the affairs of the country. As a politician, I play my politics based on principles. From the perspective of the part of the country where I come from, I had gotten tired of having to look at the papers everyday and all I find is that this much has been stolen and that much has been looted from the national treasury and no action is being taken to put a stop to it by the leadership provided by the PDP.

    I have also discovered that corruption at the national level is on the highest scale under the PDP. As a patriotic Nigerian, I feel I must not allow myself or the name of my family to be associated with this kind of mess. That was my first consideration. Secondly, I earnestly want to contribute my quota to the development of my country and it is a disaster that under the PDP government, all the industries in the North are no more. All the textile industries that were based in Kano, Kaduna, Kaukuri are all gone today and our people have become poorer with the coming of the PDP government in 1999.

    Much more disturbing also, is the security challenge in the country. No country can prosper without security. The security situation in the North is so terrible that nobody feels safe any longer. Not even during the civil war did we witness what we are today experiencing. It is sad that we cannot boast of security of lives and property, not only in the North, but all across the country. It is against this backdrop that I felt that to make a positive contribution to change Nigeria I needed to leave the PDP. That is one of the reasons I had to leave the PDP to join the CPC with the hope of helping General Muhammadu Buhari so that we can, at least do something to salvage the situation in the interest of the future of our children and grandchildren.

    Any right thinking Nigerian should think of the future of this country and leave PDP to join the CPC and the emerging APC to rescue it, otherwise, it will sink irretrievably.

    You said you left the PDP as a result of the inability of the party to tackle what you described as security challenge and sundry conundrums confronting the country. Are these challenges caused by the party or the political leadership?

    It is about the party which is in control of the government at the centre. And as a party in government, it is a complete failure. The crisis in the country, occasioned by the PDP government is not one in which you can fight as member by staying put in the party. The party is corrupt, inept and completely directionless.

    Those ruling on the platform of the party do not even know what they are doing. For instance, the governor of my state, Katsina, has turned himself into a little emperor. How do you explain a situation in which the governor of a state would take public funds and build a house for a woman in Niger Republic? It is inexplicable that this happened in a state rated as the second poorest in the country. It is even sadder that the governor does not listen to anybody in the state.

    Senator, can you substantiate your claim that he actually used public funds to build a house for a woman in Niger Republic?

    It is on record. The story was carried in The Leadership as an advertorial. I am not speculating about Governor Shema of Katsina State building a house for a woman in Niger Republic. I am too old, too gentle and so well known to speculate and tell lies about somebody. Why should I? Whatever I say to the media, I must have read or heard it from an authentic source. I am not daft and I am not the kind of politician that just wants to create sensation.

    So, with this kind of leadership at the federal and state level, my dear friend, we just have to change the system. It is that bad that Nigerians are being held by the jugular and what is required is for all right thinking Nigerians to rescue the country from their clutches. That is the situation we are at the moment.

    You were part of the system between 2003 and 2011 as a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria where even the legislative arm was also alleged to be neck deep in endemic corruption. What did you do and how come you did not leave the PDP at the time?

    I want to first of all make it clear that I was not in the PDP as a senator in 2003. Rather, I was in the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP). Let me say this with all sense of modesty that it was while I was in the ANPP that I went out of my way to beg General Buhari to come into politics because Nigeria needs a radical leader like him to undergo a radical transformation. So, some of us felt that the only person that could bring about that change was Buhari. The endemic corruption has got to stop. This requires someone who is untainted to achieve that and Buhari remains that person.

    But incidentally, my friend, brother and political associate, the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua had approached me and told me to come and join him in the PDP because he was running for the Presidency. He said he needed a senator with experience to assist him move this country forward. I saw that he had good intentions for the country, so I obliged him. He was a good man and he had good intentions, but unfortunately, his health challenge took a better of him. However, he was great leader. He was one of the best presidents this country has ever produced.

    So, it was the late president that actually brought me into the PDP, and as a nationalist and realist, I heeded his invitation. That was how I joined the PDP. But as a man who believes in the rule of law, I felt that something had gone wrong when the PDP constitution prescribed zoning in the party, and it had to be abandoned. I came out and told Goodluck Jonathan that he could not contest because the ticket was still zoned to the North, not minding that the bearer of the ticket was dead.

    As far as I was concerned, the PDP constitution was very clear on zoning. So it was the turn of the North. Even though I was the Chief Whip of the Senate and a member of the national caucus at the time, I was not deceived that it was still the turn of the North and that was why I yielded myself as the national deputy campaign coordinator for General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd). I believe fervently in the principle of rotation.

    Unfortunately, those who were not patriotic like the governors turned round and rooted for Jonathan, even though they knew he was not supposed to stand for the presidency on the platform of the PDP. Going by the party’s constitution, they knew that it was constitutionally wrong to have allowed him to contest. Rather than tell him ‘Mr. President, you could run in 2015 after the North must have completed its turn at the presidency’.

    If they had taken this stance, their action would have made the party credible. But they chose, rather, to play the ostrich. I tried as much as I could to convince the governors during one of the meetings that it was not right to allow Jonathan to run, but instead, they all queued up behind him.

    Now that it is affecting them, they are trying to tell Nigerians that President Jonathan signed a pact with them not to contest in 2015. But as far as I can remember, there was no such pact. The question I am asking them is why didn’t they challenge him when he was contesting in 2011?

    It was on the basis of this inconsistency that I decide to leave PDP for the CPC. I felt it was time I left the party, something I had done six months ago.

    Considering the sheer size of the PDP in our party politics today, would you say you made the best and an informed decision leaving the party?

    I am an old man and at my age, there is no decision I make today that I will ever live to regret tomorrow. I graduated from the university 41 years ago as an engineer and so, I am enlightened enough to know the implications of every decision I make in life. At my age also, if I take a decision, it should not necessarily be in my best interest, but in the best interest of my nation. I have been in the public service for the past 41 years. I believe in every decision and action I may have taken to be in the best interest of this country.

    How would you assess governance under President Jonathan from when he became President of Nigeria after Yar’Adua’s death till date?

    I cannot point to anything he has achieved as President. There is absolutely nothing to place a finger on. The only achievement that can be credited to him is that we have progressed from bad to worse. Look at the insecurity in the country, each time the President says he is on top of the situation, we will witness attacks of fatal proportion. The North was not known to be a region of kidnappers, but now we are deep in it. If a whole Emir could come close to being butchered on the street, what does that say about the state of security in the country? We are in a terrible mess.

    On the issue of corruption, how on earth can we justify the level it has assumed? Take the case of the pension fund, for instance, when the Senate cried itself hoarse that Abdulrasheed Maina should be produced, the IG of police played games with the issue until the man escaped outside the country right under the nose of the IG. There was a time the Presidency was quoted to have said that it had no power to dismiss him. They said it was only the Head of Service that could dismiss him. This game continued for about six months until they paved the way for him to escape. Is that a good leadership scorecard? No.

    If the Senate can be courageous enough, it should insist on the President producing the Chairman of the Pension Fund, Maina, failing which an impeachment process be commenced against him. From the drama that played out, leading to his eventual disappearance from the country, amounts to an impeachable offence. The amount involved is too colossal to be waved aside. Besides, it is billions of naira of people’s life’s savings that was mismanaged by just a few people in government. It is a national shame and embarrassment. In any case, I do not expect much from the scandal. After all, that is what the PDP is all about.

    Virtually everyone seems to be heaping the problems of Nigeria on President Jonathan, so much so that today, if a man cannot get his wife pregnant, it is blamed on Jonathan. Did the problems he is being pilloried predate him as President? Or did the problems emanate during his time in office?

    Look, if the problems of Nigeria started with former President Olusegun Obasanjo, in 1999 because of lack of progress under his watch, Jonathan has done nothing to improve the situation. Rather, he has escalated them. If Nigerians were not the kind of peace loving people that they are, what Jonathan has been doing would have long created a religious violence in the country.

    How do you reconcile yourself with a President whose every policy statement is usually announced in the church? Is that how to run a country in a pluralistic society? It is even being alleged that he is concentrating his energy on helping only people from his Bayelsa State. Is that how governance is run? I have read this in the papers.

    Nobody should mistake my position as hatred for President Jonathan. I do not have anything personal against him. But the fact remains that I love Nigeria. I just do not like the way he running the country and I think I am old enough not to say it.

     What do you think is the way out? Should he vacate the presidency so that Nigeria can make progress?

    Change the PDP and change the government. That is all. The PDP has become a system of government today in Nigeria. The party has become something of a cult. Governors are being muscled and they can no longer talk. Some of the governors have become sycophants in government.

    The PDP has become Nigerians’ headache and the only cure is to attack it with APC. That is what is known to cure headache. I want to urge Nigerians to be discernible enough to swallow APC in order to get relief. We must come together to kick out the PDP which has lost it identity as a party and become a system of government. It is a system of government of the crooks, run by the crooks and benefited only by the crooks. We have to kick them out. That is why we are calling on all patriotic Nigerians including you the journalists to come on board to kick the PDP out.

    It is being alleged that President Jonathan signed a pact with the PDP governors in 2011 that he will not run in 2015 and you were quoted to have punctured their claim. You were not a governor, so how could you claim to be privy to whether or not such a deal was ever struck by a group of governors? Besides, should Jonathan not run in 2015?

    I really do not care whether Jonathan runs in 2015 or not run. But all I know is that from the meeting I attended when the governors met with him, there was nothing like that. And if there was anything like that, then they should prove it to Nigerians that Jonathan signed a pact with them. But as far as I know, there is no fact in their claim.

    The issue now is not whether Jonathan runs or not but that whoever runs on the platform of the PDP and wins, he should not be allowed to form a government. That is all. Does it not make sense to you that we just must stop PDP at all costs? The truth of the matter is that we must kick out whoever that will rule this country on the PDP platform. Is that understood?

    But how do you intend to kick out a party believed to be the largest on the continent and more national in outlook?

    My friend, they are the largest crooks today, yes I agree. Nigeria being ruled by the largest party is the largest most corrupt country in the world today. But is this what Nigerians want? Nigerians are tired and no longer care about size. What we care now is the morality, how to make the country great so that Nigerians can live in peace.

    Is it because it is the largest party that I should not have security? Is it because they constitute the so called largest party that I should be afraid to travel from my village to Abuja? I am not even sure that sleeping in my own house now is safe. Is that what being the largest party is all about? Is that why US$2.6 billion of oil subsidy money should be missing? My friend, let Nigerians get serious for once and come together to fix this country and the only way to achieve this is to chase the largest party of crooks out of Aso Rock.

    The menace of the Boko Haram sect has continued to threaten the existence of the country and much worse, crippled the economy of the North. What is it that the leadership has not done right to tackle the menace?

    The crisis of Boko Haram is simple only if we had a serious government. If a group of people is bombing and butchering their fellow human beings on the street, they must have an agenda for doing that. What is it that they want? I do not think that any sensible human being will just wake up and for no reason, go on a killing spree. There must be a motive. It is the responsibility of a responsible government in power to try and find out what is it they want. At the beginning of the crisis of the Boko Haram, I remember advising that the government should try and find out what was it they wanted and what were their grudges?

    Having found out what they want, the government should know what is in the best interest of our nation and do what is right for the country. If a whole Commander-in-Chief of Nigeria cannot travel to Maiduguri or anywhere in the North, because he is afraid, what type of commander-in-chief is that? He has refused to visit any part of the North because he is afraid. With that type man as our Commander-in-Chief, who will save Nigeria? As Commander-in-Chief, he has the entire security apparatus at his disposal.

    On the ongoing merger talks with your party, the CPC and others, some Nigerians have expressed cynicism that since merger has never worked in the past, this one might not be different. What is your reaction to this?

    Nigerians are a very funny people. They are talking about the people in the merger talks having different or no ideology. What ideology are they talking about anyway? We already have an ideology given to us by President Jonathan. One of the ideologies is that we have to stop people from stealing public fund. There is also the ideology that corruption must be stopped. We have to provide security to Nigerians. Is this also not an ideology? We must ensure that our industries are resuscitated and our energy boosted to generate electricity. So, what ideology are they talking about? The failure of President Jonathan and his PDP government has provided us an ideology to chart a course for good governance for the country.

    When a country of about 160 million people cannot even clothe its citizens until we import cloths from India and China, then something is fundamentally wrong somewhere. This is an ideology. There is need to overhaul our educational system and make sure that our children get the best of education in Nigeria. Is that not an ideology? The ineptitude of President Jonathan has offered us an ideology. Nigerians are craving for a change. They are not asking for communism, socialism or capitalism. Rather, they are asking for quality life, quality education, healthcare, shelter, electricity, good roads and security. I believe that this has nothing to do with the system of government being operated.

    Those talking about APC having no ideology do not know what they are talking about. What they do not seem to know is that Jonathan has already given us an ideology. Nigerians want economic prosperity and that is an ideology.

    How optimistic are you about the merger?

    The optimism is not something you promise or offer people. But if you are living in Nigeria, you will be able to see the optimism in virtually everyone who has gotten weary of the listlessness of the Jonathan-led PDP government. The optimism is very much palpable in every right thinking Nigerian living in Nigeria. Maybe because you live in Lagos, you may not know what is happening in this country. Who is that Nigerian that does not desire a change? Is it a good thing to hear that PhD holders are queuing up to drive Dangote trucks? My friend, Nigerians are suffering. Is that what our graduates have been reduced to? As a fine journalist that you are, I want to personally appeal to you that you also have a role to play by joining forces to help change this country.

    While you were in the senate, you accused former Information Minister, during the ministerial screening of cooking for the wife of late President Yar’Adua, Hajia Turai. Did you merely say that to humiliate her or you said what you knew her to be doing then?

    (Cuts in amidst prolong laughter) well, I really would have wished not to go into that again. It is all in the past now. But having said that, I wish to also state that I did not say it to humiliate her. What I said was about three or four years ago. Those who know me know that whenever I talk, I talk based on fact and not on hear say. What I tried to do with Professor Dora Akunyili then was to let her know that what she was doing was bad. She was pact of the system and as such, it was not right for her to have come out to label some people as cabal or kitchen cabinet who held the late president hostage.

    She was always with the first family and as such, she was among those that could be regarded as first among equal. She was part of the kitchen cabinet where things were being cooked by virtue of her closeness to the first family.

    I wanted to let Nigerians know that people like Akunyili are not to be trusted. She did not tell Nigerians what was going on when Yar’Adua was alive and when things were not going right. So, she should have remained reticent when Yar’Adua was away. It was not right to discuss the team when she was part of the team.

    What role are we expecting to see Senator Bello to play in the next dispensation?

    I will play the role the Katsina people want me to play. And I will continue to play the role of rebuilding my country, Nigeria. I will do my best to ensure that this country is united so that we can kick out the PDP.

  • Society and its obsession with paper qualification (2)

    For a well educated citizenry is of great advantage to any nation particularly a developing one like ours. Besides the skills acquired, formal education broadens the mind, opening it to a world full of new possibilities and vistas. It also emboldens, as it gives one the confidence to face life boldly and the ability to cope with the challenges of a modern world. Perhaps it’s for all these reasons that there’s the saying, ‘An educated mind is difficult to enslave’.

    But the reality is that not every one can have a university degree. And this has nothing to do with class or elitism but the issue of ability. Academic work is for serious minds with the intellectual and mental capacity to cope with the rigors of academia. Not everyone has that capacity and it’s not because they are not intelligent. Perhaps, their talent lie in other areas, such as in creating things with their hands or inventing stuff that can be of benefit to society. Bill Gates, one of the richest men in the world was a university drop out. He left Harvard to pursue his dream of making computers that would have a profound impact on the world in the field of info tech and communication.

    What his story shows is that a degree is not the only road to success in life. There are other routes to achieving something with one’s allotted time on earth. But in our society, most people have been brainwashed to believe that the only way to a successful life is by getting a degree from a higher institution. It doesn’t matter how you acquire the degree; just get it and your way through life will be paved with gold.

    That is why many do all sorts including cheating, buying exam questions, paying invigilators to look the other way and all kinds of exam malpractices and scams to get admission into the university. Sadly, some misguided parents even aid their children in this cheating game. The JAMB exams is a case in point. Yearly, we hear of candidates who scored very high marks in the exam but fail woefully in the post-UME that some universities organise to as a lecturer friend put it, ‘separate the wheat from the chaff.’ Despite that, some academically deficient candidates still manage to smuggle their way in and the result of this is that our campuses all over the country are filled with all sorts of students, many of whom have no business being there in the first place. Unable to cope with tough academic work, they pay their way through school by settling some crooked lecturers in ‘cash or kind’.

    And by the time they graduate and enter the real world, it’s the society that now bears the brunt of this mess. Most are largely unemployable and barely literate like the ‘graduate’ of Electrical Engineering posted to a bakery for his primary assignment for the NYSC programme. And there are many like him out there. What this means is that the piece of paper that the degree is written on is worthless if it cannot be defended by whoever owns it. It’s what is in the brain that matters, not some paper.

    Many observers have thrown up their hands in frustration, stating that the situation, like many things that have gone wrong in our society, is beyond redemption. I still believe that something can be done. First, this fixation or obsession with degree acquisition needs to change. Those without university qualifications shouldn’t be made to feel inferior or lesser human beings, that there’s something wrong with them or they are not good enough. Every child came into this world with a skill or talent which can be nurtured in different ways and not by the four walls of a Uni alone. That is why there used be technical or vocational and skills training centres in the past. But many of these are no longer functioning because everyone now wants to be a university graduate even if they have to ‘buy’ the degree and cannot defend it if called upon to do so.

    Our educational policy needs an overhaul with less emphasis placed on paper qualification and more on skills acquisition.

    And in the long run, is it not better to acquire a skill that will be useful to one throughout his life time rather than ‘getting’ a degree through dubious means that one can’t even use to get a job? There are so many unemployed and unemployable graduates these days some of whom have spent as long as ten years or more seeking non-existent jobs. Some, out of frustration and to meet up with their peers take to criminal activities like armed robbery, kidnapping, drug trafficking and others.

    Perhaps, it might be late for those who have already graduated with their dubious degrees but for the young ones still at the foundation school level and the future generations, something can still be done so we don’t keep producing too many deficient ‘graduates’ with degrees that are useless to them and the society at large.

    •Concluded

     

  • Naija 7wonders commends Wole Soyinka for Benin Moat visit

    The Seven wonders of Nigeria project Director, Mr. Ikechi Uko has commended Prof Wole Soyinka for visiting one of the least known of the 7 wonders of Nigeria site, the Benin Moat.

    The Moat is one of the seven wonders of Nigeria and last week, the Nobel Laureate paid a visit to the Moat on behalf of UNESCO.

    According to Mr. UKo of all the seven wonders sites in Nigeri, the Benin Moat has received the least attention from government and the people of Edo State as a tourist attraction. Uko believes that the visit to the moat by someone as important and prominent as Prof. Soyinka draws attention to the Moat.

    He said the Naija 7 wonders team has had problems organizing an expedition to Benin to study and draw global attention to one of the greatest works of man in Nigeria and is thrilled that the Prof has helped the cause with his visit.

    The expedition to the moat is expected to happen this year if all the necessary logistics are in place.

    In another development, Uko is proposing to build an Aviation Musuem for Nigeria using the abandoned aircraft as exhibits.

    In a proposal he developed for the aviation managers, he suggested that Naija 7wonders be allowed to develop an Aviation Musuem in Nigeria that will warehouse some of the disused aircraft.

    Nigeria needs an Aviation Musuem with a hall of fame that will inform, preserve and promote Aviation history of Nigeria, the players and the incidents that have shaped the industry over the years. This Musuem will fit properly with the transformation agenda of the government of leaving lasting legacies. It is part of the ideals set out by the seven wonders of Nigeria project which is to present Nigeria in a new light to grow national pride and generate tourism income.

    An Aviation museum, the first of it’s kind in this region will attract tourism traffic and will educate and empower a new generation of aviators. Instead of destroying the aircrafts, they can be put to beneficial use in educating the youths and drawing tourism income. Some of the aircraft are out of production and can be treated as vintage crafts if well packaged.

    Naija7wonders is proposing to work with the authorities to make this project a success in the shortest possible time using time tested methods.

    As a travel promoter I do know that with the cooperation of stakeholders the Musuem will be up and running within a calendar year.

    Naija 7 wonders is the search for the unique wonders of Nigeria, a project started with over 50 judges including journalists, tour operators and other professionals. After 24 months, seven unique sites were chosen as the seven wonders of Nigeria. These sites are , Obudu mountain resort, Sukur landscape in Adamawa, Oke Idanre in Ondo State, Benin moat, Kano walls, Osun groove and National war Musuem Umuahia.

    The second phase of the project is the differentiation and promotion of the sites and an Aviation Musuem sits properly on that list, considering the impact Aviation has had on Nigerias history.

  • India commends tourism in Nigeria

    The Indian Vice-Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General SK Singh, has expressed his excitement at the level of tourism development in Nigeria.

    General Singh, while leading a 5-man delegation on a courtesy call to the tourism village, expressed his gratitude at the reception, stating that it was a privilege to visit the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation, pointing out his surprise at the humility of the Director General, Otunba Olusegun Runsewe.

    He said that the visit was a follow-up to the former Indian President’s visit in 2007, stressing that Nigeria and India have always had very strong ties using the meeting of Common Wealth Heads of Government (CHOGM) in 2004 as an instance where Otunba Runsewe performed excellently as the organiser of the event, thereby enabling Nigeria, India and Brazil to consolidate on their cordial relationship.

    The Indian VCOAS also expressed the desire of the Indian government to take the relationship to the next level. He said the purpose of the visit was to strengthen the cultural relationship of both countries.

    The NTDC helmsman on his part, said he was very honoured to have the delegation lay emphasis on the strong relationship between Nigeria and India, while noting that the visit was like a dream come true.

    He noted that for the first time in NTDC, foreign delegates came on a courtesy call with their wives, demonstrating that the Indians are one of the most hospitable and loving people in the world. He also noted that the Asian country has a highly medicinal weather condition and gifted doctors all complementing its potential for medical tourism.

    Later, Otunba Runsewe stated that NTDC was willing and ready to visit India to showcase Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage and enjoy that of the latter as soon as they provided the major cultural festivals India has to offer within the year. The visitors expressed their excitement at the initiative, promising to inform the corporation on their yearly cultural programmes.

    After being presented with NTDC-branded promotional items and a muffler designed with Nigeria’s national colours, the delegates took a tour around the tourism village to relish some of the artefacts on display while taking photographs.

     

  • God’s master plan for the family(4)

    Dear Reader,

    Last week, I taught on fruitfulness as God’s plan for man. This week, we shall be examining The Secrets Of A Winning Family. Let us look at some of them:

    LOVE – Between family members.

    The issue of love is so vital that without it, the whole world would have perished in their sins. Why? Because God so love the world that He gave His only Son (John 3:16)

    Love is important for the survival of your home. Let not the wood of love go out. Love knows no bound. It does not fail. Don’t try to love your spouse once and then stop, because of her attitude or something else. Keep loving over and over again. God is love and He abides forever. Your love to your spouse and family members must abide. It must be an absolute, not only when convenient. Remember, love is a commandment. As you obey this commandment, you continually eat the good in marriage

    SUBMISSION – Spouses must be subject to one another.

    Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord (Ephesians 5:21-22).

    The husband is the head of the wife and that of the family, but here, the Bible still points out that we all must submit to each other. Husbands, don’t because you are the head you now become the lion of the tribe of your house. Respect the feelings and individuality of your family members too, and administer authority with respect. However, wives are commanded especially, to submit to their own husbands in everything. Are you a wife that submits your body, but cannot submit your money?

    Do you submit in some aspects, but in the other areas, you have vowed never to obey your husband? This is not total submission, and it is not the will of God. As long as what he is asking you to do is not against the Word of God, you must submit in everything, if you want to please God. Partial submission has no reward, but total obedience shall attract a full reward from God and your husband.

    WISDOM – A man’s wisdom maketh his face to shine, the Preacher says: (Ecclesiastes 8:1)

    Wisdom is what makes your family life to constantly shine and burn brighter. Without this wood, the home does not radiate beauty. You need wisdom to keep the fire of love burning in your family (Proverbs 4:7).

    God’s Word says: He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind: and the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart (Proverbs11:29).

    Don’t trouble your own house with foolishness. Correctly apply the Word of God. The rod of the prophet does not work in the hands of the foolish. The Word must be correctly applied, for it to produce. Whenever you are faced with any circumstance in the family, ask God for wisdom. Use the wisdom of God to quench every fiery dart of the enemy in your home.

    Constantly Give God Glory

    Constantly acknowledge God as the only reason behind the success in your home. Give Him back all the glory (Hebrews 3:4). Never attribute the success of your home to yourself, rather, give Him the glory due to Him. God’s Word says: Without me ye can do nothing( John 15:5). Anything you praise God for continually appreciates. Let high praises flow out of your heart and mouth at all times. Let your home be a habitation of God Almighty. Keep your family in the spirit of praise and the earth shall continually yield her increase to you.

    Is your marriage and family experiencing a breakdown or turbulence? Do not be troubled. All that you need is a personal encounter with God. You need to make a decision to belong to God. You need to be born again. This is done by confessing your sins and accepting Jesus as your Saviour and Lord. If you are ready for this new birth experience, please say this prayer: Dear Lord, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins.  Cleanse me with Your precious Blood. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour.  Now I know I am born again!

    Congratulations! Till I come your way again next week, please call or write, and share your testimonies with me through: E-mail: faithdavid@yahoo.com Tel. No: 234-1-7747546-8; 07026385437, 07094254102

    For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all the Living Faith Churches, and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work and Building a Successful Family.