The Nation Newspaper

Category: Saturday Magazine

  • Capital Hotel marks Yuletide with orphans

    Capital Hotels, owners of Sheraton Abuja Hotel and the management staff of Abuja Sheraton Hotel visited the less-privileged children within the F.C.T suburbs to mark the period of festivities with them.

    The team was led by the General Manager of Capital Hotels, Mr. Robert Itawa.

    Commenting on the reason for the visit to orphanages, Mr. Itawa said: “ Our community social responsibility team pays particular attention to the more unpopular and neglected children homes where we can play an essential role in adding quality and value to their lives.

    At the Hope for Survival Orphanage, Gishiri, Maitama Extension, the caretaker,Madam Naomi Maman, and kids eagerly received the teams.

    The visit to Kubwa Divine Orphanage Home was very heart-stirring as the team doted on many babies from four days old to three months. The care- taker, Mrs. Gloria Enearu, explained that she prepares these children for adoption by worthy parents.

    Prayers were said and goodwill was shared as the children were treated to sumptuous packed meals alongside other items.

    The spokesperson for the team, Ms. Margaret Amade, introduced the members of the CSR team.

    She added that lifting up the weak and downtrodden of the society should be a key virtue embraced by worthwhile organizations.

    The climax of the day unveiled with the good- will handover of electronics , household items, provisions, foodstuff, toiletries, stationery and clothes for the children’s use.

    Meanwhile, Starwood Hotels and Resorts, owners of the Sheraton brand, are currently leading the way in seafood sustainability. The global hotel group is collectively committed to being a change leader ensuring that customers make the right choice in order to preserve our ocean’s ability to continue feeding billions of people today and for generations to come.

    Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide maintains that “many species are either endangered, being fished to extinction or virtually extinct already. At this pace there will be no viable commercial fisheries remaining by 2050 unless we act”.

  • My mother is against the relationship because he has a child out of wedlock

    Good day ma, I’m a reader of your column. Please advise me. I’m in love with a man I really love but my mum told me to quit the relationship. She gave two reasons – He already a child of out of wedlock and we are not from the same state. All these do not bother me but she insisted.

    I wonder what your mum would say if you were the one who had a child out of wedlock and a man wanted to marry you. Sure she would bless the man and jump at the idea of him marrying you without delay. If she had a son who had a child out of wedlock, she would cajole a good girl to marry him and take him as he is.

    Well, I don’t know how much power your mum wields in your family, so I wouldn’t know how you can make her see reason and go for the one you love. So far it doesn’t bother you, I see no reason why it should bother her.

    In these times and days when people inter-marry everyday, I see nothing wrong in you marrying a man from another state. I’m a true Nigerian and I see us all as one.

  • COSON , hoteliers agree on royalty as NTDC settles rift

    History was made in Abuja recently as hoteliers in the country under the aegis of the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN) and Hotel Employers and Personal Services Association of Nigeria (HOPSEA) and the Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) signed an agreement seeking to ensure the payment of royalties to music artistes across the country.

    The agreement, which was brokered by the Director-General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation NTDC), Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, was signed at the Bolingo Hotel and Towers and had the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) and the Hotel Owners’ Forum Association (HOFA) as witnesses.

    The agreement for payment of royalties by hotels and similar establishments took two days of intense negotiations between all affected parties with Otunba Runsewe having to intermittently calm frayed nerves.

    In his remarks just after the signing ceremony, the NTDC chief expressed his joy at the landmark achievement saying his passion for the growth of the hospitality and music industry necessitated his resolve to find a lasting solution to the impasse, while thanking all concerned for their cooperation, especially the NCC whom he described as a major witness to the event.

    Fielding questions from journalists, Runsewe said, “Today is very historical because, for a very long time, there had been some disagreement between the copyright and different stakeholders and our corporation has taken the lead by resolving the entire issue. We have signed the agreement and all hotels across the country will now be able to pay the royalty fee for using intellectual materials”.

    Speaking further, he revealed that all court cases had been withdrawn, stressing that what obtains now is a level-playing field for all parties. In his words, “Most importantly, all court cases have been withdrawn. No more court cases and so it’s now a level-playing field for everyone”

    Displaying the documents to journalists, Otunba Runsewe noted that all parties involved signed the agreement, saying, “I would like to show it to you. All parties have signed, from the Copyright, HOPSEA and HOFA whose presidents are here, my good self and the NCC have all signed this agreement.”

    He observed he was particularly happy and proud as a Nigerian that we can resolve issues among ourselves instead of dragging issues, thereby overheating the polity.He said the historic event represented a boost for tourism development and victory for the generality of Nigerian artistes.

    Runsewe used the platform to appeal to other sectors to take a cue from the momentous occasion by resolving issues expeditiously and amicably, advising that such moves would help the country by creating more jobs and making the environment better for Nigerians.

    Reacting to the development, the Chairman, Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), Chief Tony Okoroji, was visibly excited, averring that, “The basic issues are that music used in Nigerian hotels and similar establishments from now on would be paid for so that the musicians will no longer be working in vain”, adding, “This has taking many decades of fights, but finally we have put pen on paper and we have all agreed that this is worth doing because it is what is done everywhere in the world.”

    He was upbeat that the move will create employment for Nigerians, while young people will now be excited expressing their talents because, according to the COSON chair, “A lot of our young people who will want to get employment in the area will be excited because they know that they will be reward for the work that they do, and creativity will thrive in Nigeria”

    At the end of the signing ceremony, all parties involved including HOFA President, Abuja Chapter, Engineer Onofiok Ekong; HOPSEA boss, Chief Samuel Alabi, who also doubles as president of the Federation of Tourism Association of Nigeria (FTAN); representative of NCC, J. S. Fagbemi and DG, NTDC shook hands in a show of friendship and unity which they agreed was necessary in taking the industry to the next level.

  • Being a beauty queen doesn’t conflict with my serving in the church —Miss Nigeria-Florida 2012

    Being a beauty queen doesn’t conflict with my serving in the church —Miss Nigeria-Florida 2012

    It was a moment of glory for the pretty, young Nigerian lady. The venue was the city of Miami in the United States. The occasion was the friendly match between the Nigerian Super Eagles and Venezuela. Miss Ayoyemi Ajimatanrareje was accorded the honour of walking on the field with the Nigerian football stars. This was in recognition of her status as the current Miss Nigeria – Florida for the year 2012. Shortly before that, Ayoyemi had featured in the Soi Women’s Empowerment Gala as one of the many roles she is called upon to play as Florida- Nigeria’s reigning beauty queen. But any opportunity to identify with Nigeria means so much to Ayoyemi who moved to Florida at the age of 11 on May 17, 2003 and mingling with the Super Eagles players still excites her.

    Stressing her patriotic fervour, Ayoyemi says: “I am extremely proud to be a Nigerian. I can’t stress it enough. I love my country, my Yoruba culture, my language, my Iyan (pounded yam) and efo (vegetables), my iro and buba, my braids, whether in suku, patewo, all back or just plaits. I’m proud to be a Nigerian because it distinguishes me from all others around me. I think Nigeria is a very fruitful country that can do better with a better government with sacrificial leaders that are ready to serve selflessly.”

    But why did she decide to participate in the Miss Nigeria Florida 2012 contest and what was the experience like? “I decided to contest because a school mate and friend of mine persuaded me to. I also felt well, why not? What do I have to lose and I love my culture so sure. The contest was quite keen, considering I was running against six other pretty and talented Nigerian/American young ladies. It was also important because this specific pageant was the most publicised in Florida. About 1000 people showed up for it. To qualify, you had to be 18 years but not older than 30 years of age, not currently married and never been married and no children as well. You also had to be a permanent resident or citizen of the United States residing in Florida. You had to be in a clear standing with the United States concerning immigration as well as having no criminal record. My predecessor was a 23-year old Nigerian lady named Adekemi Akinwole. She is currently a college student at the University of Miami.”

    Ayoyemi has a passion for caring for those who hurt and helping those in need of physical or emotional healing. This is why she is very serious and passionate in her current pursuit of nursing as a career. “I actually just got accepted into a nursing college university called Azure College of Nursing here in Miami, Florida, which I started attending on the 15th of October”, she says. “I am currently working on receiving my second degree, Associates in Sciences and Nursing as a Registered Nurse. I will be graduating next year November. I plan on moving to California to start working as a registered nurse, as well as furthering my studies in nursing like getting a Bachelor’s degree”.

    But then, Ayoyemi has bigger dreams beyond nursing. Her hobbies include singing, performing, acting, dancing and cooking. Thus, she says “My purpose in life is to be great and touch lives with my greatness. To perform and sing music that will change people’s lives, touch their souls and move their feet. I also believe that I was made to serve God and let everyone know of his greatness. I intend on pursuing my music and acting career especially with Nollywood.”

    Who are Ayoyemi’s motivators and role models? “I admire my stepfather, Otunba Funsho Ajayi, a former Major in the Nigerian Army. He’s a very hard working man. I also admire my mum, Olori Yinka Ajayi, she’s the life of the party. She has proved that you’re never too old to enjoy life and have fun. Genevieve Nnaji I will also say I admire. She worked her way up to where she is now doing what she loves, acting, despite all odds.”

    Ayoyemi’s attitude to America is mixed: “I dislike the racism aspect of America, sometimes the darker coloured people like us Africans might be treated differently due to our skin colour. I like the fact that everyone has equal opportunity though and if you set out to be great in the US, the country makes it a little easier for you to accomplishing that greatness”. And what about the Nigerians in Florida? “Nigerians are actually welcomed and accepted well by the non-Nigerian Floridians here. Unfortunately, the Nigerians that live in Florida are not too supportive of each other; it almost seems like a competition sometimes. Some stick to themselves, some don’t come out much while others are simply kind.”

    The beauty queen attends Jesus the Christ Church where her father, Reverend Dr. Yemi Ajimatanrareje, is the pastor. She is indeed the Praise team leader and music director of the church. But how does Ayoyemi reconcile her spiritual values with the rather glamorous and worldly lifestyle associated with being a beauty queen? She calmly but forcefully affirms her values: “Being a beauty queen doesn’t at all conflict with my serving in the church. This is because I know who I am as a child of God and that is what I use to gauge my activities and attires as a beauty queen. If it doesn’t please God, I’m neither wearing it nor doing it. That’s just my motto. I mean as a young adult, there will be temptations and things that glitter and catch my attention but I also know the daughter of whom I am so certain things don’t deserve second thoughts. I want to be seen in a specific light and that doesn’t include drinking, partying or being in relationships with different men. I’m not trying to say I’m perfect but yes, I’m trying very hard to live a life that fulfils me and neither brings shame to God nor my parents”.

     

  • Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas

    I used to have a colleague and friend named Benny. I have been searching for her since about six years now and I pray I find her in peace. I remember Benny today because it’s a few days to Christmas and seven days after that, it would be New Year. Benny used to feel downcast back then around this time of the year because that was when she took stock of her life. She used to ponder more on the things that were not working for her, and she was always in trepidation of the coming year, wondering if it would usher in her dreams. To make it worse, the dryness of the Harmattan breeze, the hot sun and the general mood of the season used to annoy her, making her feel lost.

    I remember Benny today because like her, I’m taking stock. This year alone, I lost a sister, a dear cousin-in-law, a very dear friend and an acquaintance.  But this same year, I have only visited the hospital for routine checks – nothing serious. I have food to eat and maybe something extra to share. This year alone, I have experienced the death of loved ones the same way I have celebrated the arrival of new dreams and new lives. And at this time of the year, I can type with

    joy knowing that somebody somewhere is going to be happy just reading this.

    I have many reasons to be merry and thankful to the One who knows my tomorrow. Even if you do not have enough to buy a new cloth for the season and maybe not enough to buy the chicken you would have loved to share, we can look around at all those faces that stare back at us with love. We can then put our hopes in God and happily wish each other a very Merry Christmas.

    Below is a Christmas joke for you to enjoy.

    The Savior must have been a docile Gentleman by Emily Dickinson

    The Savior must have been

    A docile Gentleman—

    To come so far so cold a Day

    For little Fellowmen—

    The Road to Bethlehem

    Since He and I were Boys

    Was leveled, but for that ’twould be

    A rugged Billion Miles—

  • Trader found in latrine 10 days after she was declared missing

    Trader found in latrine 10 days after she was declared missing

    Ten days after she was declared missing, the body of a trader, Iyabo Ogunoye, was found in a pit latrine.

    According to eyewitnesses, the 48-year-old woman, who until her death was a trader at Iloro, Oke-Aro area of Akure, had just performed her ablution when an unidentified man visited her and they went out together. The disappearance of Ogunoye had caused panic in the area with fears that she might have fallen victim to kidnappers.

    Following her disappearance on November 16, 2012, her relations launched a search for her and also reported the matter at the B Police Division, Oke-Aro, Akure.

    A source who asked not to be named said: “It was shocking that the woman’s body had swollen almost beyond recognition by the time she was found in a toilet in the market.

    “On the day of the incident, the woman had barely finished performing ablution when a stranger visited her. Minutes later, she left with the unidentified man to an unknown destination. We had thought she would soon return but she did not until her body was discovered a few days later.”

    A trader in the market, Adenrele Aderomoye, who described the deceased as enterprising recalled the remarks of her relations, which brought a twist into her strange death.

    He said: “The deceased was an enterprising woman and was very prayerful. She would come to the market as early as possible to sell her wares, and she had a thriving business. That is why I do not share the theory that she might have committed suicide or fallen victim to kidnappers.

    “Whatever is responsible for her death should be left for law enforcement agents to unravel. She was very unassuming and pleasant to relate with.

    “However, I want to believe that there is more to her death than meets the eye. For example, one of her relations called Aderobagun claimed that the strange visitor had addressed her by her native name, Rolake, and that the name was only known to close family members.

    “In fact it was further revealed that she had stopped using the name a few years ago when she became a woman leader in her community.

    “When it was time for the removal of her decomposing body from the latrine, the foul smell prevented rescuer and policemen from picking it up. A Hausa trader in the market had to pay some Hausa men some money to remove the body.”

    The remains of the deceased woman have since been taken to the Akure General Hospital for autopsy.

    Another source who pleaded anonymity queried the attitude of traders at the market, saying: “It is rather astonishing that traders at the market were unconscious of their environment. How come the traders did not search the toilet where Ogunoye’s body was found? How come the traders at the market did not perceive the nauseating odour emanating from her decomposing body? All these should form the basis of investigation into the incident to douse the tension trailing the woman’s death.”

    Speaking with our correspondent on the telephone, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Ondo State Police Command, Mr. Aremu Adeniran, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said:”The incident is true and the case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID). Investigation is ongoing.”

  • How to make a man feel like a king

    Men, like women, have certain emotional and physical needs. Women tend to believe the primary thing on a man’s mind is sex. Sex is very important to men, but it is not the most important thing. Men crave worship and want to be seen as the center of their mate’s life. Follow these tips to make your man feel like a king every day of the year.

    Support him. Always back your man in front of family and friends and never allow anyone to say anything negative about him. Also, don’t challenge him in front of other people.

    Guard personal information. Keep your secrets to yourself and don’t run to your friends or family every time something happens. Men feel very insecure when woman share intimate details about their relationship.

    Encourage him. Men need to feel that they are successful in life. Support him when he has a new idea and lift him up when he feels like a failure. Tell him how proud you are of him on a regular basis.

    Tell him how sexy he is. Just like women, men like to hear that they are attractive. Let him know that he is a good lover and that he is the only man for you. Tell him how much you love his eyes, biceps, legs… whatever you find irresistible about him.

    Keep your appearance up. It’s a known fact that men are attracted by sight. Wear sexy clothes for him on your date night. Surprise him with a new hairstyle that you know he would like. Be spontaneous and don’t be afraid to try new looks.

    Make love regularly. Men crave sex and intimacy for several reasons, namely physical pleasure and affirmation. The act of sex makes a man feel like the king of his castle. Try to have some sort of physical contact with your man at least once each day.

    I’m female and my female friend wants us to do sexual things together Good morning ma. My name is Sophia, I’m SS2. I have a friend we have been friends for three months now she’s okay but when we are talking she treats me like her girlfriend and we are both girls and she tries to have sex with me but she talks about education she’s always calling

    me to read. Is she a good friend?

    My dear, your friend is either a lesbian or a bi-sexual. You don’t need sexual relationships at this stage in your life and certainly not with a person of same sex. You have to put your feet down and let your friend know that if she wants you to continue to study together; she has to stop all these talks about sex and lesbianism. It is ungodly and you don’t need it.

  • Oritsejafor calls on Israel to facilitate easy clearance of pilgrims

    The leader of the federal government delegation for the 2012 Christian pilgrimage, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, has called on the Israeli authorities to help in facilitating the easy and smooth clearance of Nigerian pilgrims at the Ben Gurion International Airport, Tel Aviv, Israel. He made this known in Jerusalem while meeting with the Israeli foreign affairs officials recently.

    The meeting, which was attended by other members of the federal government delegation, members of the house committee on foreign affairs and the executive secretary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission ( NCPC), Mr John Kennedy Opara, was important in order to strengthen the entire pilgrimage exercise.

    Pastor Oritsejafor, who is also the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), further canvassed for a permanent permit for Nigerian pilgrim desk officers in Israel. He equally appealed to the Israeli foreign affairs officials to reduce the visa approval period for Nigerian pilgrims from five days to three days.

    He also charged them to help in facilitating and fast- tracking the signing of the Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) between Nigeria and Israel as this would reduce the stress the pilgrims go through.

    Earlier, the Israeli head of African division in the ministry, Mr Ari Granot, described the visit of the Nigerian delegation to Israel as a home visit as the country has become a second home to Nigerians who yearly come to Israel to fulfil their spiritual desires.

  • When CARNIRV 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.

  • For the rich to enjoy their wealth in peace (1)

    Surplus wealth is a sacred trust which its possessor is bound to administer in his lifetime for the good of the community.

    Andrew Carnegie: 1835-1919, American Industrialist, Billionaire and Philanthropist

    I travelled out of town recently to Port-Harcourt and Delta State on a private visit to see family members and some others I had not seen for quite some time. In Warri, I ran into an old school mate of mine. We attended the same primary school in Warri back in the day and we had kept in touch intermittently over the years.

    The guy, whom I will call Rukevwe (for security reasons, he doesn’t want his name mentioned in this write-up), is now a big player in the oil and gas industry. And it shows in his lifestyle. He has a very nice collection of some of the most exotic cars in town, lives in a big mansion and wears only designer outfits. But when I saw him last week, there was a noticeable change about him. Instead of driving the latest ‘machine’ as car freaks love to say, he was going around town in an old-looking car that had seen better days. Also gone were the designer clothes, Rolex watches and crocodile skin Italian shoes.

    I stood gaping, open-mouthed at the old car, the old T- shirt with a few holes in it that looked as if a rat had had part of it for its dinner and the faded jeans he was wearing. Thinking that a great disaster had befallen him and he had lost all his wealth, I asked with some trepidation in pidgin:

    “Rukevwe, wetin do you?”

    “Nothing o, my sister. Na condition make me be like this!”

    He explained that it was the fear of kidnappers that had made him and some other well-to-do people in the oil city to tone down their lifestyle.

    “It’s suicidal to flaunt your wealth these days,” he noted. “Doing so will invite the evil eye of the kidnappers. You can’t even trust anybody now. It could be your staff, friend or even relative that can give info about you to those people. So, to stay safe, we live an average lifestyle, pretending that we don’t have any money. It’s a sad situation we’ve found ourselves in.”

    His words echo those of an interesting personality I interviewed recently. He spoke of how some rich friends of his now live in fear and are afraid to drive their expensive, multi-million naira cars on the streets for fear, ‘they can be killed by armed robbers or even by their own drivers!”

    In other words, the fear of kidnappers is the beginning of wisdom for the rich and powerful in the country. No one is safe anymore as the recent kidnap of the octogenarian mother of the Finance Minister, Mrs Ngozi Okonjo- Iweala, shows. Also, earlier in the week, Nollywood actress and Special Assistant to Governor Rochas Okorocha, Nkiru Sylvanus was kidnapped in Owerri, the Imo State capital. No one knows who is next.

    And this begs the question: what’s the point of accumulating great wealth that one can’t enjoy in peace? Has being rich become a curse and a disadvantage in Nigeria?

    Events in recent times prove so. The spate of kidnappings is on the increase especially in the Southern part of the country. The rich are their main targets as they have the wherewithal to pay the high ransom often demanded.

    That things like this are happening in our society today, is not surprising to many. In the past decade or so, the gap between the super-rich and the poor has been steadily increasing. Today, it’s so wide that though, we live in one country, it’s like we are in separate worlds, far apart from each other. The few rich live in one world, cocooned from the harsh realities of life in a Third World country; while the teeming poor, numbering in their millions, live by the special grace of God, struggling for a meager existence, unsure of where the next meal will come from.

    Such a situation of social inequalities is a breeding ground for envy, resentment of the poor against the rich and crimes of all types and magnitude. Like kidnapping for instance. Its perpetuators, (many of whom are unemployed), in their warped way of thinking, see it as the only means of getting their hands on some of the riches the wealthy have accumulated, so they too can live ‘big’ and belong to the upper class in the society.

    It’s a way of thinking that is fueled by our materialistic society of today, which worships money more than the Almighty God, and many employ ‘any means possible’ to acquire wealth…

    •To be continued