The Nation Newspaper

Category: Saturday Magazine

  • For the rich to enjoy their wealth in peace (2)

    While crimes of any sort including kidnappings should be condemned by any right-thinking person, the rich in the country have their own share of the blame for the sorry state of affairs.

    One reason for this is the manner they flaunt their wealth. In a country like Nigeria with so much poverty, disease and other developmental challenges staring us in the face daily, it smacks of the highest level of insensitivity for those with money to ‘show off’ their riches so flagrantly.

    It’s even worse when all this ‘flaunting’ is done by our elected leaders. It’s an open secret that those in elective positions in the country, like governors, senators, House of Rep members and other representatives live above the people-many live lifestyles of immense luxury and extravagance while most of the citizens whose interests they are supposed to represent live in grinding penury. They live in multi-billion Naira mansions, fly around in private jets and helicopters and drive exotic cars that even the Queen of England (one of the richest women in the world), doesn’t drive. To them, the word ‘modest lifestyle’ doesn’t exist.

    And the sad thing about this is that most of the money used in funding their flamboyant lifestyles which they flaunt in our faces, are public funds, money that is desperately needed to develop our country. Looking at their lifestyles, one would think that Nigeria is a country with the resources of the U.S and China combined instead of a resource-rich but poor country still battling with the challenges of a developing country.

    Land of show-offs, tax evaders

    Nigeria must be the only country in the world where a man will announce to the world that he is a rich man. In other climes, especially in the Western world, the opposite is the norm-the rich live mostly modest lifestyles and hardly flaunt their wealth. The reason for this is obvious: to avoid drawing unnecessary attention to themselves and because of the taxman. For over there, the rich are heavily taxed and flaunting your wealth is an open invitation to the taxman to come and take his ‘cut’ of your wealth.

    Here, though, most of our wealthy class don’t pay taxes, at least not as much as expected, considering what they make. It’s the ordinary workers whose taxes are deducted at source from their meager salaries who are the real tax payers in this country.

    Besides tax evasion, the rich in our midst have no idea what wealth is meant for. To them, it’s just for living a life of affluence and grandeur: for acquiring the good things of life such as big houses, expensive cars, designer clothes, foreign holidays to exotic places, an Ivy league education for the kids and so on…

    Nothing wrong in living the good life if you can afford it, have worked hard and genuinely earned it (and not by looting public funds or through other unscrupulous means).

    But there’s more to wealth possession than the above. One man who understood clearly the real purpose of wealth was Andrew Carnegie, an American billionaire industrialist, philanthropist and at one time the richest man in the world. Carnegie believed wholeheartedly that the rich should use their wealth to enrich society, stating publicly that ‘the rich have a moral obligation to give away their fortunes’- that those with great wealth must be socially responsible and use their assets to help others. This belief was stated in his book, “The Gospel of Wealth.”

    He did not mean charity but philanthropy- his idea being to use his wealth to give people the opportunity to help themselves. He did this by providing funds to build libraries, schools and other training institutions. In total he funded more than 2,500 libraries throughout the UK, the US and Canada and at his death in 1919, he had given away $350 million out of his wealth.

    Though small in stature at only 5ft 1in tall, he was a man with a very big heart indeed!

    In Nigeria today, we have a lot of Carnegies, but what do they do with their riches? Apart from a few who are humane, the majority do nothing but live ostentatious, flamboyant lifestyles, endlessly seeking after the pleasures that their money can buy, acquiring frivolous items like private jets that add no value to society. And all this smack in the middle of millions of deprived, hungry and needy countrymen who have lost hope in the system.

    Are you then surprised that kidnapping and other crimes are on the rise? The chickens have surely come home to roost!

    Now the rich live in fear. They can’t even drive their expensive cars on the roads anymore for fear of armed robbers or kidnappers. Has it thus, not become glaringly obvious that for the rich in the society (especially the ruling class) to have a peaceful environment to enjoy their wealth, they must care about the poor, the teeming masses in their midst? The days of ignoring them, pretending that they don’t exist must end.

    From history, we know what happened in societies that ill-treated the poor masses among them, while the aristocrats wallowed in their profligate lifestyles. The French Revolution that took place in 18th century France, which led to the demise of the Royal Family and other members of the ruling class, is a good example. Let’s learn from history and avoid the looming catastrophe hanging over us.

    •Concluded

  • When CARNIRIV 2012 set Rivers aglow

    The week-long bouquet of exciting and highly engaging activities at this year’s Rivers State carnival, CARNIRIV, reaches the climax on Saturday, December 15, with Governor Rotimi Amaechi, leading scores of very important personalities and hundreds of participants in two epic closing events – Garden City Freestyle Parade and World Peace Concert.

    The parade was an artistic blend of contemporary cultural procession during which the governor, who is the chief celebrant as well as dignitaries, residents and tourists adorned different kinds of colourful costumes and matched through designated streets within Port Harcourt metropolis.

    The Director-General, Rivers State Tourism Development Agency (RSTDA), Dr. Sam Dede, said the morning cultural procession is one of the peak moments of CARNIRIV while the peace concert, a rhythm-filled musical session accompanied by spectacular fireworks, brings the carnival to a grand close in the evening.

    The procession through Aba, Ikwerre and Stadium roads, was lit up by eight live bands in a bid to add to the exhilaration which the parade already promised.

    The cultural fiesta, which held from December 9 to December 15 in Port Harcourt, features a variety of indigenous and international displays. The Black African Music Festival (BAMFest), which held on Wednesday, December 12, featured Grammy Award-winning reggae star and rapper, Shaggy, and fellow reggae singer, Patra, celebrated Nigerian music acts, Tuface Idibia, and Duncan Mighty. The artistes thrilled the crowd with a memorable performance.

    Another main attraction was the Ekere: Rhythm of the Tribes, a display of the rich cultural heritage and glamour of the Rivers people in the 23 local government areas. Each local government area put of a show of glamorous costumes and captivating dance steps.

    Speaking about his assessment of this year’s edition of CARNIRIV, Dede expressed satisfaction with the organisation, attendance and active participation of the residents and other stakeholders at every aspect of the fiesta, while assuring them that subsequent editions would be better and bigger than what they have witnessed so far.

    He said: “It has really come with challenges, but they are not challenges that were insurmountable. The first important thing that we want to do with the carnival is to impact on the economy of the host community, that is, Rivers State.

    “We set out to employ data services company and they have been giving us reports and it has been positive. People are beginning to warm up to the carnival. We invited people to come out and own the carnival and they have really overwhelmed us with their participation. So, it is good thing.

    “We are going to make the data available. We had visitors from Trinidad and Tobago, and we had a hectic time getting places for them. The hotels were booked. We really had a hectic plan getting things in place not because we did not plan for all these, but really did not envisage the huge turnout. It has been really enormous. It was overwhelming, but we are coping with it. People out there on the field are looking for accommodation for people. Our website is bursting and the transport system has been really overwhelmed by the number of people. I think that is what the aim of the carnival is about. People must begin to feel the impact of the carnival just they way that we also expect them to come out as spectators or as volunteers. If you look around, you see over 500 volunteers and some of them have volunteered their services for free; some of them we are going to pay. We are really happy about that.”

    On this year’s theme, Dede said: “The theme for this year’s carnival is reminiscing our past, consolidating our future. It is not unconnected with the Port Harcourt’s 100 years celebration. I think that after 100 years, you should be able to sit down and look at your past and then seriously assure yourself that the future is going to be bright. So, that is what we’ve sat back to look at. If you recall, we had Professor Wole Soyinka giving us a key- note address at the CARNIRIV colloquium and then we have looked at our culture in the last 100 years. We have looked at our economy. We have looked at the struggle of people in the last 100 years, and I think for sure we are assuring ourselves that the future can only get better.”

    Dede said the Amaechi government has a five-year rolling plan for the carnival within which it will be turned into a world class spectacle: “We have a five- year development plan for CARNIRIV and this year’s is the first year of the development plan.That is why we call it a road map for the carnival. The idea is that in the next five years we would have a brand that is recognizable in every part of the world.

    “From five bands last year, we have 10 because the existing bands that we have are bursting with application. So, what we have is five new bands, two were created by individuals and we have created another two and one other official band. The membership of these bands is enormous, but for purposes of control and administration, we are trying to restrict each to about 450. In some bands, they have registered over 1000. So, we threw out an invitation to our people and they responded in a way that we are even overwhelmed.”

    While the enthusiasm of the people for the carnival is unmistakable, the logistics for the carnival needs to be worked out better in terms of route crowd control and vehicular movement.

    One major minus for this year’s carnival was the poor timing. The float left Silverbird Galleria starting very late when the sun was at its brightest. It will be difficult to get the best out of the participants. It is very important for organisers to allow the float to move early.

    The freestyle bands would need to improve on the costuming and float decoration.

    Overall, it was a showpiece that had the people of River State rocking for one week. This is a testament of peace in the state, a sine qua non for tourism to thrive.

  • My experience waiting for the hangman for 17 years —33-yr-old

    My experience waiting for the hangman for 17 years —33-yr-old

    Time was 2 pm on Friday December 18, 2012 at the Kirikiri Maximum Prisons, Lagos. In an emotional scene, 33-year-old Williams Owodo walked free from the prison after spending 17years and 10 months on death row.

    Expectedly, like a rat that had just escaped from the claws of a ravenous cat by a whisker, Owodo raised both arms skyward and then collapsed into the reporter’s embrace outside the prison yard. His sobs became the only sound in an otherwise silent environment.

    Owodo maintained his innocence, saying: “I made a statement of innocence when I was first arrested and questioned by the police at State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) Panti, in February 1995. I made that statement of innocence several times and it became a refrain on my lips to date.”

    The statement that the then 16-year-old Owodo gave shortly after his arrest was allegedly coerced as a result of torture and threats by detectives, the Court of Appeal judges found.

    Spotting a group of local boys playing football at a junction near the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway while on his way home, he wished he could have become one of Nigeria’s greatest footballers. He remembered a time when he was a popular SS3 student for his dexterity in football.

    “Men, I could have become an outstanding Nigerian footballer because I was known for my football artistry as a defensive midfielder in school and my neighbourhood. I was the in my final year at Creek High School, Ajegunle, but instead of making my way through school, I was living on borrowed times on death row for a crime I insist I was innocent of.

    “I had wanted to become a professional footballer when I am through with school but that dream was cut short when I was wrongly sentenced to death. Some of my football mates are now professional players in Europe and regrettably too ,many of them were no match for me as a budding footballer.”

    He was soon to acknowledge the transformation of Lagos when he sighted a number of BRT buses at the Ojuelegba axis of the state. “What kind of buses are these in red and blue colours?” he asked.

    When told that the buses were provided by the Lagos State government to ease transportation and that they have been around for about five years, he said:” Ah, Lagos has changed o.It was not like this when I was arrested during the military administration of Col. Olagunsoye Oyinlola. Then, it used to be Danfo buses that conveyed commuters to their different destinations. Lagos has indeed changed for good.”

    Moments later, Owodo took a bottle of table water, his first in 17 years saying: ”Before my travails began in 1995, there was nothing like this on the streets of Lagos. What we had then was water sold in nylon and the quality was far from being good. This is the first time I am going to take something like this and I can tell you that it would be my only ‘food’ for today because I am too happy to eat any food.”

    He made a brief stop-over at LEDAP’s office in Anthony Village before leaving for his residence at No 6, Ojo Lane, Ajegunle.The neighbourhood was agog as soon as he arrived at about 7.30 pm.It was turned into a crusade ground as neighbours chorused popular hymns to thank God for Owodo’s freedom from death’s jaw.Not a few of the neighbours who spoke on condition of anonymity said his case was shocking considering the fact that he was innocent of the crime he was convicted for.

    Reliving the unfortunate incident, in an interview with our reporter, Owodo said:” I was wrongly sentenced to death. I never believed I could be held for a crime I did not commit let alone earn a death sentence. At that time, I was a final year student of Creek High School, Ajegunle. On February 1, I995, I decided to play football with some of my friends in the neigbourhood, precisely at a place called Amaechi Lane. At about 6pm while I was on my way home after the football session was over, a police patrol van pulled up by my side and I was pushed into the vehicle and taken to Ajeromi Police Station.

    “I was accused of being responsible for the murder of one Daniel Obi. I told them that I was just returning from a football match and that I had been wrongly held for a crime I did not commit. But my explanations to the policemen fell on deaf ears as I was refused access to my parents and relations. I was asked to write a statement not knowing that detectives handling the case were not comfortable with the fact that I insisted on being innocent.”

    He was subsequently taken to SCID, Panti, Lagos for further interrogation and that was where it dawned on him that he might not return home so soon.

    “On February 13, 1995, I was transferred to SCID, Panti where I was interrogated but I kept saying that I was innocent of the allegation and that I was being unjustifiably held. Then, a particular officer took me to a dingy room and asked if I was ready to say the truth or not. I reiterated that I was innocent and he became furious. He then ordered me to get under a table inside the room and hit me with iron rod and gun butt and I started bleeding.

    “Not minding the fact that I was bleeding, the unfeeling officer tore my statement and brought out a prepared statement asking me to sign or get killed. At this point, I had no other option than to sign the contrived statement. The statement was what the police prosecutors presented during my trial at the Lagos High Court. Unfortunately, the court relied on the statement to convict me of murder and wrongly sentenced me to death.”

    He also recalled his years on death row inside the prison:” I was put in Cell 36, popularly called ‘German Cell’. That cell is specially reserved for condemned criminals and it was so small that it could barely accommodate three people but that was where nine of us (inmates) stayed. I never stopped praying to God to exonerate and save me from being used as a sacrificial lamb for a crime I did not commit and I thank Him for saving my life.”

    There are, however, about 66 ordinances for inmates to obey, a violation of which, according to Owodo, earns the culprit punishments.

    “The prison is a peculiar environment. It is referred to as ‘Inside World’ by inmates and there are 66 laws that must be strictly obeyed. My experience in prison has taught me to be more law- abiding because inmates who violate any of the laws risk minimum punishments and I had my own fair of the punishment when I violated some of the laws.

    “Section one of the ‘constitution’ says that the provost’s order or decision is final; section two says the ‘Chief Judge’s’ order is final; section three says that there should be no mutiny in the cell; section four says that there should be no sodomy in the cell; section five says that act of indiscipline shall not be tolerated; section six says that there shall be no expensive joke; section seven says that there shall be no noise after midnight; section eight says that there shall be no killing of lice or bed bug; section nine forbids the abuse of lavatory; section ten forbids pouring of water on the floor among others. Violation of any of these laws could earn culprits punishment ranging from frog jump, beating, washing of lavatory and discharge of faeces of inmates which is the most severe of the punishments because the faeces usually leaked from the bucket while the culprits carried it on their heads.”

    For Owodo, the freedom comes with pains and this much was reflected when he called the reporter on the telephone at about 1.30 am to complain of sleeplessness. He said: “Bros, sorry for disturbing you at this odd hour; it is just that I cannot sleep at all and I guess it has something to do with my days inside the prison. What can you advise?”

    The reporter however asked him to pick up a book or newspaper to read in order for him to fall into sleep.

    The case against Owodo was that he was part of a group of boys who fought and stabbed one Daniel Obi to death in February 1995 in Ajegunle, Lagos State. The prosecutors contended that he was among the eight other boys who were playing cards in the neighbourhood but spread dried cassava flour on the nearby street as bait to rob people. They were alleged to have had common intention that anyone who stepped on the cassava would be challenged, providing them the opportunity to rob such a person of his or her property which included the deceased person.

    But the defence of Owodo was that he had only gone out to play football with his friends and that he was on his way home when a police patrol van pulled up and he was pushed into the van and taken to Ajeromi Police Station.

    Owodo had explained that many other persons were also raided and arrested that evening and brought to the police station. Some of those arrested, he said, paid money to bail themselves out while he had no money to pay for his bail and could not reach his parents.

    He was arraigned for murder and subsequently sentenced to death on December 5, 2003 by a Lagos High Court.

    However, the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, on November 30, 2012 delivered judgment (in suit CA/L/148C/2005) in favour of Owodo, a juvenile at the time of the alleged offence, discharging and acquitting him of the charges against him after 17 years on death row, following the appeal filed by Legal Defence and Assistance Project (LEDAP), an organisation that works to free prisoners it believes could be innocent of the crimes they were convicted of.

    In the well-considered judgment that resolved all the issues in favour of Owodo, Justices A.A Augie, Ibrahim Saulawa and Adamu Jauro held, amongst others, that “Undoubtedly, the findings of the learned trial judge are prejudiciously outrageous and rather antithetical to the well-cherished fundamental doctrine of fair hearing. There was no eye witness that testified and linked the death of the deceased person to Owodo. The judges said that the High Court which sentenced him to death failed to conduct a trial within trial when the accused person gave evidence that he was beaten with rod and forced to sign the written statement that the lower court relied on to convict and sentence him to death.

    “More so, at the time of the incident, the accused person was under aged and ought to have been taken to Juvenile Court for trial. Consequently, the conviction and sentence perversely passed upon the appellant by the lower court, in charge No.ID/28C/96, are hereby quashed. Accordingly, the Appellant is discharged and acquitted.”

    In his remarks, Owodo’s lawyer, Barr Chino Obiagwu, said:” Again, like I said earlier, this year following the outcome of the appeal of one Olatunji Olaide(who was also freed in similar circumstances by the Appeal Court), this is a case that calls for an in-depth re-evaluation and urgent overhauling of our criminal justice system, especially as it relates to the use of capital punishment. We cannot continue to be sentencing innocent persons to death, only for the appeal court to upturn the judgment after a decade or more when the appellant must have served unlawful sentence and deprivation of his personal liberty in the prison.

    “This case is very pathetic in the sense that a juvenile like Owodo should not have been charged with a capital offence in the first instance”, he added.

    Although, he may have lost the chance of playing professional football, however, Owodo, a native of Isoko, Delta State, did not allow despondency while on death row. He wrote and passed General Certificate Examination (GCE) in flying colours and subsequently enrolled for a degree in Cooperative Management at the Kirikiri Maximum Prisons satellite campus of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).

    He said: “I don’t just want to continue to cry and I wanted to do something better with my life since my death warrant had not been signed yet. I knew that I could make up for my academic deficiency since my arrest and trial had truncated my studies in high school, hence, I wrote GCE and passed with good grades. My performance in the examination was what encouraged me to enroll for a degree course in Cooperative Management at NOUN satellite campus in Kirikiri; after all, If I miss playing professional soccer, I shouldn’t miss the opportunity of becoming a graduate in life.”

  • The metamorphosis of Indian Ayuba, The Nation girl

    The metamorphosis of Indian Ayuba, The Nation girl

    When the first of the series on the 13-year-old Indian Ayuba was published on Saturday, August 22, 2009, it began like any other story. Three years on, the story of Indian has not stopped inspiring Nigerians. Now preparing for the Junior Secondary School examination, Indian is bent on living her dream. But will that dream become a reality? EVELYN OSAGIE asks.

    Like any other 13-year-old, fair-skinned Indian Ayuba had a unique pastime. Locked in a remote and serene village of Chessu, Nasarawa State, she would often sit on a chair in front of her maternal grandfather’s red mud-bungalow and dream on, perhaps, of a beautiful future.

    This was her preferred pastime, especially if she is not caring for her mother, Esther, or helping out in the farm. So huge were her dreams that she was somewhat afraid to share them. The most gargantuan of those dreams was her becoming a medical doctor which was merely a wishful thinking at the time. And another huge ambition was to have a future in which she would be able to give her mentally-challenged mother a better life. “With God’s help, I would like to be a doctor because I want to make people okay. And I would one day take care of and heal my mother,” she had said when asked what she would like to be in future.

    And so began the unique enduring love story between a 13-year-old and her mother. Published in The Nation on Saturday, August 22, 2009, it literarily stole the hearts of thousands of Nigerians within and outside the country. Three years on, the story has run in over 10 series and has shown what can be accomplished when people set to achieve great feats.

    Today, what was merely wishful thinking three years ago is gradually becoming a reality as Nigerians moved to sponsor her education. An account was opened for this purpose and a welfare board made up of notable Nigerians like the former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi and the Otun Olubadan of Ibadan, Chief Omowale Kuye, among others, was established. The management of The Nation thanks Nigerians for their continuous show of concern towards Indian and her mother. Keen observers hope that the government in all strata of governance will take social security of the Nigerian child very seriously.

    On her part, from day one, Indian had shown great commitment to her dream of a better future. When many thought she would not be able to make the school’s entrance examination and the interview that followed, owing to her educational background, she scaled through both. To brush her up, she was put on extramural classes. But the lapse in educational foundation still showed up as she had to repeat in her first year. Undaunted, she kept alive her dream, going home every holiday to be with her mother and family.

    Three years on, Indian has now become a different personality. She has changed from being a naïve and timid village girl to a sharp and outspoken one. Before entering school, she could not make a complete sentence in English. Today, not only does she speak the language fluently, she now reads novels and motivational books to help her. Her favourite’s is the story of the great motivator, America’s famous neurosurgeon Ben Carson to whom she seems to share a lot with.

    It was a bubbling Indian that this reporter met in school before the Yuletide break. She had glint in her eyes as she talked about her mentor. Hear her: “I am inspired by Ben Carson’s story; from the dullest he became the best. When he was small, people did not believe he would make it because he failed several times when he was in primary school. When his mother saw that he was failing, she made him and his brother read books and believe in their ability. Today, he is a doctor. I read his story in his book, Think Big, which I bought for N500, after our Principal had told us about it. And from it, I learnt that it does not matter what one is today, but through hard work, one can become great tomorrow. And that means that I can make it too, if I read my books. Carson became a medical doctor because he became focused on his studies with his mother’s help. I also learnt that I should ‘think big’ and be smart. I will buy his other book, Gifted Hands, because his story is interesting.”

    She said she was gearing up for the first term examination, saying: “Aunty, we are all reading for our exams because we don’t want to fail.” She also seized the moment to show off some inspiring quotes she has learnt, adding: “I always remember the ‘P-5’ as I work.”

    “And what is this ‘P-5’,” she was asked. “P-5 is Proper planning prevents poor performance,” she laughed feeling nice with herself for having something to teach others.

    Her form teacher, Mrs Anna Agushaka, impressed with Indian’s determination, spoke passionately about it. “Indian is trying. She is willing to learn. All she needs is encouragement and she picks up challenges. If you challenge her, she listens and puts more effort. The last term in my test, she came 21st position, but this term, she came 14th position. And I have told her she has to sit up. And I believe she can do better,” she said.

    Bursting with excitement, Indian took the reporter to her hostel with permission from the authority and showed off her corner and her friends. Her mates watched with kin interest as she escorted the reporter to her hostel, perhaps their interest was aroused because it was the first time the reporter would ever enter the hostel with Indian. Bubbly Indian seemed to savour the moment. She went on about school, her work and filling the reporter in on all she has missed, especially during the school’s open day.

    “Aunty, do you know some people used to cry during our open day if their parents don’t come to visit them? I don’t cry o,” she said.

    “And why don’t you cry?” she was asked. “Because I know that where you stay is far and you are very busy. And even if I cry, it won’t bring you just like that and I know you would always come to see me later. So, I focus on my studies instead of crying. But I miss you sometimes o,” she replied.

    “I miss you too,” the reporter replied.

    “I am happy you understand that I cannot come often to see you because of the distance and work. And I cannot because I may not always have the money to come as much I would want to,” the reporter added while Indian nodded her head to indicate understanding.

    As they passed by a big tree in the middle of the hostel, she said: “We are afraid of that tree because of the shape.” On getting to her corner, it became obvious why she was willing to show off. It was neatly dressed with everything arranged in its place. Impressed by her show of neatness, the school’s matron, Mrs Bridget John, said of the trait: “She is not only respectful but also very neat. She does not like any stain on her. She would come to me if there is any stain she cannot deal with and I would tell her what to do.”

    As the visit came to an end, Indian promised she would not only put in her best in her forthcoming examination but read hard for the Junior Secondary School (JSS) examination while courting the reporter to get her a beautiful dress as Christmas gift for the reward of hard work.

    As the year comes to a close, it is not yet Uhuru for this 16-year-old dreamer; a lot still needs to be done to give her the future of her dreams. The money in her account may not be enough to see her through the education of her dream.

    The bank account is still open for donations. The account, First Bank Plc, Ilupeju, Lagos branch has the account name: Indian Ayuba Trust with account number: 2013716583.

    However, it is not yet bed time for the story. Follow the story soon as this reporter goes in search of her father again and presents an update on her mother.

     

  • Exotic beach wear

    Exotic beach wear

    IF you are looking for the hottest clothing for the beach, something special and simple that fits, then the bikinis, print shirts, sarong skirts, big hats, flat sandals are the things to go for. Complement your beachwear with a casual hat, a comfortable thong sandal, a sarong skirt or an African print. For those who don’t like exposing their body, there’s no longer a need to be worried about baring your body on the beach when you have the swimsuit. And if you are not flowing with the rhyme, check out the pictures

    Fanciful, fashionable and hippy shorts can do more than keeping you cool. They can also give you a comfortable chic look.

  • Fashion and party dress guide for Christmas!

    Fashion and party dress guide for Christmas!

    FASHION and party dress guide for Christmas! Most Christmas holiday are reserved for parties, family outing, dinner, get-together with friends and associates, dates, clubbing, cocktails, birthday and so on.

    Below are some ideas on what to wear to Christmas parties, from sequin Christmas party dresses, high heels to new fashion trend accessories. We have chosen some style inspiration on what to wear to parties this Christmas and even in the new years.

     

    Style Inspiration

     

    What to wear to Christmas dinner

    My ideal outfit would be chic, comfortable, polished and warm. Go for for golden glamour in a shimmer dress. Keep your look sparkly and fun with studded heels, along with a faux fur trimmed bolero jacket.

    What do I wear to an office Christmas party?

    You cannot go wrong with a black little dress or knee-length dress! You can throw on a nicely cut blazer in red or green (embrace the season’s spirit). Finish off with trendy well-balanced pumps, if you feel up to it and a cute clutch purse.

    Casual chic

    This look is about dressing and feeling comfortable and sophisticated at the same time.

  • Steps to perfect toes

    IT is not only your face, body, neck or hair that needs to be treated with care and respect this festive season. Your toes and finger nails need to be pampered too. Washing your feet, toes and finger nails everyday is highly important. Experts say that one should always scrub one’s feet with a scrubbing stone during bath, to smoothen the feet. They also advise that one should endeavour to do a general cleaning of one’s feet at least once in a week.

    Bose Akintoye of Lady BII Salon and Beauty World says giving your feet and finger nails a well-deserved pampering, like deep cleaning, will make them look great and sexy this party period. Since we all know this is the season to show off your lovely nails in strap shoes, peep toes, flip flop etc, this advice must be taken to heart. “Scrubbing stones are for the smoothening of feet while pedicure is for deep cleaning. Pedicure eradicates scaly peels and the dirt that hide under the nail and all that,’’ Akintoye said.

    She added that you do not need to spend a fortune to get a good pedicure. ‘’You can actually do it at home,’’ she said.

    Do-it-yourself pedicure

    Expert: Bose Akintoye

    •Boil water and when it is extremely hot,

    dilute it with some quantity of cool water

    •add some shampoo

    •soak feet for thirty minutes to soften the sole

    •use blade to scrape the dead skin layer or outer skin

    layer

    •use scrubbing stone to smoothen

    •then massage well with Vaseline to sooth the skin,

     

    Tips for healthy toes

    •Remember to take off your socks and shoes while at

    home, they also need breathing space and fresh air.

    •Trim your nails and cuticles to avoid blisters, cuts or

    break in the skin.

    •Cones should be trimmed when necessary. cone is the

    hard portion by the side of the smallest toes.

    •once it rains and you are caught up in it or in muddy water,

    wash your feet with antiseptic soap. Afterwards, soak in hot

    salty water solution for at least ten minutes, do not rinse

    •use a nail file to smoothen the edges of your nail

    Remember there is nothing more beautiful than a well

    Pedicure toes, nails and clean feet

  • ‘Consumer protection is our collective responsibility’

    ‘Consumer protection is our collective responsibility’

    Mrs. Ify Umenyi sits atop as Director General, Consumer Protection Commission (CPC), an agency saddled with the responsibility of enforcing consumer rights. In this interview with Bukola Afolabi she speaks on the challenges and prospects her job offers

    One would have expected that the Consumer Rights Protection (CPC) would be at the borders at least to be able to apprehend some of these unscrupulous businessmen who import substandard products into the country but this is not so. Why?

    At Consumer Protection Commission, we have our job caught out for us. The Commission’s mandate is to checkmate the sales and distribution of fake products already in the country and not to stop them from entering the country through the borders. The responsibility of making sure such banned and substandard goods does not find its way into the country lies with the Nigerian Customs Service and Immigration Service, two agencies that are situated at the country’s numerous borders.

    At the border, we have the Customs and Immigration. I am not sure if the Standard Organisation of Nigeria, SON is there. The issue of border is to prevent goods from coming in because those goods that are coming illegally will be checked. We cannot be at the border because our concern as directed by the government is to prevent their sales when they get into the country. We can only catch people within the country on their way to the market to sell these goods once we have a tip off.

    I want to find out what you are doing in the oil and gas sector especially the filling stations because recently, those selling fuel are reported to be demanding for N200 from every buyer before they sell fuel whereas your Commission is expected to protect consumers?

    Sometimes it is due to desperation. People do pay such money in the rush to buy fuel. We all know that even owners of these stations are not even aware of such demands from attendants. It is wrong. Well, it is an issue and it is not an issue. It is not an issue in the sense that it is not all the people that are doing illegal thing. If we (CPC) happen to be there and we catch them, we discipline them appropriately. Our consumers also have a responsibility. They should be on the queue whenever they want to buy fuel. Those that pay that money are those who try to leave the line and get in front of others. In other words, they shunt!

    No. Even at NNPC stations, people complain that even attendants don’t sell to car owners but they prefer to sell to those with kegs and even demand for gratification from prospective buyers?

    I am using this opportunity to charge the Lagos office because I have not heard of this situation before now. They should carry out investigations and go with law enforcement officials because it is the only way they will know what is going on.

    The president of Nigeria Liquefied Gas said there are fake gas cylinders in circulation. What danger does this pose?

    We are working with SON on that because they have the equipment to check on those gas cylinders. I heard complain about the issue of these cylinders and I know our quality department had some discussions with SON though I cannot tell you precisely what they are doing. When we get such complaints, what we do is to get regulators like SON that has the expertise to carry out investigation.

    What are the differences in your duties with that of other regulating bodies like NAFDAC and SON?

    They have the responsibility to make sure they have standard for every product. SON set the minimum required standard, you can go above it but you cannot go below. NAFDAC is a sector regulating pharmaceutical products, foods and drinks. They set the rules that guide both the production and sale. CPC works with NAFDAC, SON and other regulators. We contribute to the regulations that are being made. We carry out those regulations. Governments have set the machinery to ensure the protection of products. The standard body conducts investigation. The end result is to ensure the protection of consumers. Government has a programme that covers 774 local governments and it is called Information and Response Centres. It is a centre where consumers could run to and get information on whatever products and services are required and at the same time report whatever they experience in the market.

  • Places you can’t resist this season

    Places you can’t resist this season

    WE  are in the holiday season and preparation for Christmas and new year are at top gear. This is the period that parents have time for their wards and it’s also a period that families, friends and lovers besiege beaches and resorts for some fun. We went out of our way to get you the best of beaches you can’t resist. Please go along with your beach wears, beach is a relaxation centre to unwind and be free. Whether you are looking for somewhere to unwind or swim, this list will help you make the right choice. I have selected some of the best waterfront destinations from within Lagos.

    Elegushi & Oniru beach

    These are popular tourist destination on the Island because of the astoundingly beautiful resorts and scenery. In most cases you can stay in a private cottage. If you want to go somewhere to relax without street urchins hassle, these are the place to do it!

    Bar beach

    Evergreen fun spot for the whole family. It has one advantage above the rest, although there is no palm tree. It is situated in the city. Some people do not want to travel far for leisure because of the problem associated with traffic. So the place is always full to the brim during the festive period. Be security conscious, Bar Beach is also the hangout of some undesirable elements.

    Badagry beach

    This is a fantastic place to chill out; it’s very long sea side view and breezy air makes it a lovely place to visit at all times. Everyone knows that Badagry beach is the home of good and fresh coconut water.

    Takwa Bay

    For its peaceful and serene nature- it’s the most popular tourist destination due to its good climate and natural setting. It is a place to be. Even the ferry ride from mile 2 to the bay is loads of fun.

    Whispering palm – the coconut tree filled resort has an inviting appeal and there are lots of fresh coconut water to cool thirst.

  • Baggage that limits women in corporate Nigeria

    Baggage that limits women in corporate Nigeria

    Amina Oyagbola is the Human Relations Executive at MTN Nigeria Communications Limited and founder of Women In Successful Careers, WISCAR. Her professional career has spanned over 27 years in the legal, oil, banking and telecommunications sector.
    She served as the Head, private banking division of United Bank for Africa and the Head of the Human Resource, Strategy, Standards and Business unit. In this interview with Rita Ohai, she raises the veil on her personal life and shares from her wealth of professional experience.

    Can you tell us some of the personal challenges you have had to face in your career?

    My professional corporate career life has spanned well over 27 years. There were many points in my career when I actually thought of throwing in the towel and stepping aside but what kept me going was because I had mentors around me.

    On reflection, I found it interesting that not a single woman mentored me on my professional journey. In my mind there was something wrong with that because I believe that women who have been able to get to the top of their careers have a unique story to tell which they should share with the younger generation.

    This prompted the formation of WISCAR because as women, we have competing priorities. Women are the nurturers, they are the ones who get married and bare the babies and sometimes the pressure from the home front can detract from wanting to pursue a career. Often times, they are forced to make a choice and step aside from corporate work because they cannot cope with all the stress.

    Wiscar is a not-for-profit organisation that is focused on young, entry level to mid-career young female professionals who have made a commitment to pursue a career. We as an organisation are focused on providing strategic, structured mentoring.

    Nigerian employers complain about the low quality of the staff they are forced to hire and a number of factors have been blamed. How can this issue be addressed?

    It is a social economic issue. Our schools are not up to par. I went to Ahmadu Bello University at a time when it was a world-class institution. At that time, getting a Second Class Upper grade in ABU, Zaria meant you could get the same grade in Cambridge University which is exactly what happened to me.

    So we need to go back and invest in our institutions by scaling up your youths and the facilities they need for development so that when they come out, they can plug into the mainstream.

    The situation we have on the ground right now is that you find that many companies, once they hire young graduates, will have to put in place programmes which form part of their induction process into the organisation. For about 3 to 6 months, the organisation will take them through basic rudimentary things that they ought to have picked up in secondary school.

    From a personal experience, I have found that their areas of greatest challenge are the simple things. The young graduates are brilliant but basic skill are lacking such as logic, simple communication and creative thinking. It is a collective responsibility to ensure that the right investments in these young ones are made.

    You are one of the few women who have been able to break through the glass ceiling and establish herself in your industry. Why do you think many African women have not been able to cross that threshold?

    My experience is that every organisation is looking for the person who can add value and if that person happens to be a young female, they are going to forget very quickly that you are a woman and put you in a position where you can make solid contributions.

    Most women, when they go into an organisation are just focused on the task at hand. They tell themselves, ‘I have been given this assignment’ and they sit down, bow their heads and focus on only that task.

    However, in order to profit in an organisation, you need to lift your gaze and map out the entire territory and understand the objectives of the organisation and develop a strategic plan to key into that. Do your job, no doubt, but make sure that whatever you are doing is aligned to your ultimate goal because it is only when it pays that you will be able to progress.

    Young women need to create that consciousness that lets them know that they are not just workers but are individual volunteers who are offering their services and that they have a unique contribution to make. No organisation can progress without excellent people. They need to understand the male perspective in the company over and beyond the female perspective and also understand that nobody is interested in your gender.

    It is about the level to which your level of self-confidence has been built. It is a combination of how you have been nurtured, what kind of influences your parents gave you, regardless of status and wealth. Going past the family environment, there is also the factor of the quality of education received and the social influences.

    You find that by the time many of these women are going into the work place, they are already carrying a lot of baggage and their mental modules have been defined. All of these value systems are what they bring to bear into which ever organisation they decide to work in.

    So the ability to succeed inside an organisation, given the dynamics of the organisation, are dependent on the individuals inter-personal skills, a deep understanding of the goals of the organisation and ability to mentally and strategically align with those goals.

    From your extensive experience as a human resource executive, is the general assumption that women cannot work together true?

    What I always try to do is to ensure that, in everything that I do whether it is a proposition or activity, I sell the benefits that the other person would derive from the process. Whether the person likes me or not, I can assure you that they will align always.

    I think all human beings are generally complicated. Men are very competitive and women are also competitive among themselves. In the workplace, men and women also compete every day. I think it takes two to tango and everybody has to give and receive a little.

    But on the other hand, competition is also healthy. If you observe with all the consumer products that once competition is introduced, there is an awakening. It removes the arrogance and complacency as well as the monopoly mentality. It also pushes people to be more creative.

    I believe also that any forward-looking individual will understand that it is better to collaborate with others because you will move faster instead of trying to do it on your own.

    As one who heads the employee relations arm of your organisation, what is your experience with sexual harassment?

    This sexual harassment issue is a very sensitive one. Does it exist? Yes!

    In my experience of over 27 years, I would not be speaking the truth if I say that I have never been harassed. Not in a terrible way but what I would describe as unsavoury and improper overtures being made towards me in a circumstance that was completely inappropriate. However, I have been blessed such that I have not suffered any discrimination by virtue of the fact that somebody had a design on me which was not responded to.

    Let me also say that people who behave badly, will behave badly whether they are men or women. But we also know that there is something they call temptation. We should also not put ourselves in a compromising situation. I come from a construct that men should not say that they were tempted because a woman wore a particular blouse.

    I believe the men should be able to have self-respect and discipline instead of using that as a lame excuse for bad behaviour but in the same vein, a professional woman need to comport herself in a particular manner which includes the way she carries herself and her dressing because the apparel maketh a man.

    If I walk into an office with a miniskirt and a blouse exposing my cleavage, the likelihood of receiving negative overtures will increase but if I walk into the same office looking decent, unless the guy is just extremely badly behaved, he is likely to withdraw. For that reason in my corporate life, I have not suffered a lot.

    I do know, based on feedback, that the ladies in the marketing arena are more exposed because they have to go to environments they have no control over to negotiate and sell their products. I did a little bit of marketing and when I noticed that this was the case, I made a very quick adjustment. I made sure that whenever we ladies were going for marketing, we would not go alone. We would go accompanied with preferably a male colleague. So there are things we can do to limit the effect of harassment.

    When you are not working as a high-powered executive, who is Amina Oyagbola?

    I am a woman sitting in my chair watching a movie, home-based or foreign. I watch Africa Magic sometimes and have a good laugh, especially when my mum is around so I do not even have a choice but to watch it.

    If I had the time I would go to the cinema but because that is difficult for me I get a DVD or my son downloads some for me. I watch a movie almost every night, it is my own way of relaxing. The other thing I do is take long walks.

    If you were to get home on a good day and you had to cook your family a meal, which would it be, and why?

    Would you believe me if I tell you that I can remember the last time I went into the kitchen? (she laughs)

    I can’t remember the last time I cooked a meal or entered the kitchen! Except, of course, to make sure that certain provisional items are available. I have a very good cook. I have taught them over time how to make food to both my taste and my husband’s. They can do it better that me. Given the fact that I have a very hectic schedule and also the fact that I actually do not enjoy cooking, but I love good food. Also my husband is not that fussy, he does not require that I should make it personally, so that is it.