The Nation Newspaper

Category: Saturday Magazine

  • Nigeria at 52: Yet another birthday without a party

    Nigeria at 52: Yet another birthday without a party

    Eminent Nigerians  reminisce on early days

    Since the British national flag, the Union Jack, was lowered on October 1, 1960, heralding the hoisting of Nigeria’s green and white flag, the historic date has remained engraved in the psyche of every Nigerian born before and after the momentous era.

    Famously christened October 1, Independence Day, the date has become a ritual of some sort. Like other countries, Nigerians have never failed to reckon with the date and have devotedly kept faith with the annual ceremony, celebrating it with great zeal and festive passion.

    Between 1960 and early 1980s, the anniversary assumed the scale of a national carnival and was anticipated and observed with unparalleled nationalistic devotion throughout the country. It was then something of a birthday, highlighted loudly by sumptuous parties.

    Until recently, Independence Day celebration was a colourful event marked across the country with great enthusiasm and commitment. The expectations were palpable and infectious. From states capitals to the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, a kaleidoscope of lively parades mounted by the military and paramilitary outfits were on display.

    At the Eagles Square, Abuja and elsewhere, the parades constituted the canvass on which rhetoric and vapid speeches were freely rendered. In this emptiness of speeches emanated some form of false hope to despairing citizenry. It was with such impatience, blighted loyalty and misappropriated patriotism that Nigerians eagerly looked ahead to the annual ritual. It was a national birthday celebrated with festivities.

    But lately, the celebration is beginning to fade into a distant memory with commemoration drums receding progressively into a dead silence and dancing feet of the hitherto enthusiastic Nigerians suddenly going insipidly numb and cold with a craving sense of nostalgia.

    Reasons for celebration

    In his acceptance speech as Prime Minister of the independent nation state called Nigeria, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa had offered reasons for the celebration: “This is a wonderful day, and it is all the more wonderful because we have awaited it with increasing impatience, compelled to watch one country after another overtaking us on the road when we had so nearly reached our goal. But now, we have acquired our rightful status, and I feel sure that history will show that the building of our nation proceeded at the wisest pace: it has been thorough, and Nigeria now stands well-built upon firm foundations.”

    Birthed into nationhood without any bloodletting or destruction, there was absolutely nothing to reconstruct in the post-independent Nigeria. Nigerians began an uninterrupted six years of celebration from 1960 to 1966.

    But soon after, it would appear glaringly to the founding fathers and generations to come that independence implied a great deal more than self-government. The very firm foundation that the Prime Minister had bragged about was already showing signs of wooziness. Tafawa Balewa had this to say: “This great country, which has now emerged without bitterness or bloodshed, finds that she must at once be ready to deal with grave local and international issues.”

    Punctuated celebration

    Gravest local issues occasioned by leadership challenges were lurking in the corner. Before long, a federated nation found itself being tested to its utmost. It was tottering on the brink. A brand new Nigeria, barely six years in its infancy, was waiting to implode. And for nearly four years, there was a hiatus as the annual celebration was temporarily put on hold, no thanks to the military overthrow of the embryonic civilian leadership and the attendant civil war from July 6th, 1967 to January15th, 1970.

    By 1970 when the civil war dust finally settled, Nigerians were again in party mood, and on October 1, 1970, the annual ritual was back in full swing. A lot of water had passed through the bridge. But the storm was soon over and there has been no interruption since then as virtually every Nigerian, students, old and young, upper and middle classes leave nothing to chance to be part of the independence anniversary.

    Question mark on celebration

    For many Nigerians, the import of the Independence Day celebration had laid in the fact that it bound all within and outside the country to a single umbilical cord. That was then. But it remains doubtful whether the same claim is still plausible today.

    While many still reminisce with a high sense of nostalgia and wish to reenact the good old days of independence anniversary celebration because it reminds them of the uniqueness of the occasion, for many a Nigerian, they wish rather that there was no such gesture as independence from the colonialists because Nigeria has become worse than the British left it. Squandered opportunities, blighted vision and leaden footedness of the leadership were some of the indicators that the journey was far from started. There was an admixture of cynicism and veiled hope.

    It was pessimism derived from the dreadful and depressing scenes of Nigeria’s contemporary adversities. Before independence, the question had always been: When would the inequity, tyranny, injustice and inhumanity of colonial overlords end?

    But today, 52 years down the line, Nigeria can best be described as a beleaguered nation, with the questions: When would the trying times and pangs of post-independence Nigeria be over? When are we going to reap the much-talked about dividends of democracy? And can the hands of the time be turned back? Can the middle class be reinvented? These and many more questions confront us as a people.

    With less than 48 hours to another Independence Day anniversary, it is apparent that like last year’s, it is going to be yet another birthday without a party for Nigeria at 52.

    Feelers to this had emerged when the Minister of Interior, Mr. Abba Moro, earlier this month announced that the 52nd Independence anniversary would be low-key. Rolling out the activities lined up for 2012 Independence Day, Moro said the low-key nature of the celebration was a reflection of the mood of the country.

    He said the decision was in tandem with President Goodluck Jonathan’s transformation agenda.

    Moro said: “The transformation agenda is like an athletic race; you do not begin to celebrate until you have touched the tape. The world is troubled and the economy is on the downward trend, especially in Europe. We are not excluded from this, as we have critical challenges in almost every sphere of our daily lives. For a responsive government, it will not be a glamorous anniversary at the expense of the need of its people.

    “In tune with the national mood on reflection of our national life to correct the anomalies, rather than committing huge resources to the celebration, we want to commit that to Nigerians deserving of peace, security and stable means to livelihood,” he said.

    For the second year running, the Federal Government is declaring a low-key Independence Day anniversary. As if the challenges identified by the Minister were not in existence in 2010, the Federal Government, in sharp contradiction, had set aside a humongous N10 billion for Nigeria’s golden jubilee. But for public outcry and the National Assembly’s stance on the issue, the memory of that event would have lingered long as the most expensive anywhere in the world.

    Fortuitously, the 2010 event was tragically marred by multiple bomb blasts close to the anniversary venue. Ten people were reportedly blasted to their early graves. The country has since been literally at war with itself with multiple challenges of the Boko Haram menace, dare-devil armed robbery activities and flooding in most parts of the North.

    This development has prompted conclusions that for the first time, the government has for once decided to put its money where its mouth is.

    But while the Federal Government’s austere position appears laudable, there are concerns that the FG’s new position may have been informed by the intractable security quagmire which it has found increasingly insurmountable.

    The FG’s informed position is a worthwhile and non-negotiable price to pay, if anything, to manage the nation’s security which has thoroughly frayed at the seams. But there is no denying the fact that the thrills and frills of the anniversary will be missed as Nigerians continue to ponder over the fast fading glory of the October 1, Independence Day celebration.

    Reminiscences on yesteryears

    We were excited and hopeful

    –Balarabe Musa, CNPP Chairman

    Independence Day anniversary, during my time, was very exciting. I was already mature, having been born in 1936. That means I was 36 years old at the time of Nigerian independence. I was also politically conscious as a member of the Northern Element Progressive Union (NEPU), even though I was a civil servant.

    I was aware of the meaning of Nigeria’s Independence. We were excited and hopeful. We believed then in the leaders, even though they were conservative. The leaders were credible and that gave us hope. Despite that there were diverse political groupings, there was still cohesion among the politicians and we knew that there would be progress for Nigeria. There was no doubt that our expectations of a better Nigeria were met by at least 50 per cent.

    The early period of Nigeria’s independence placed more emphasis on achievement than political party activities. We had political leaders we could identify with. Political leaders like the late Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Aminu Kano, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo, Osadebe. The credibility of these great leaders could not be challenged.

    The mood and spirit of October 1 Independence celebration was very high. Everybody including school children and civil servants was always upbeat ahead of the festivity. We all participated in the anniversary.

    The reason for the high was that Nigerians had confidence in the government and leadership. I might not have participated directly, but I was always at the venue to watch proceedings. It was like a carnival and very colourful. It was exciting to behold. Participation then used to be selective.

    What is missing today is the lack of participation by Nigerians because they have lost confidence in both the system and the leadership. What we have now is limited to the civil servants who, even when they participate, do so half-heartedly. The usual mass participation is gone with the bygone days of the First Republic and Second Republic.

    We were treated to good lunch

    –Chief Ebenezer Babatope, PDP Chieftain

    During my time as a student, we used to take it very seriously and we attended all activities marking the celebration of the event. I was a student at Ifaki Grammar School, Ekiti, now Ekiti State. We used to go for a march-past at Ido-Ekiti, which was the headquarters of the local government where my secondary school was situated. We were smartly and impeccably dressed. The mood was celebratory and at the end of the march-past, we were treated to sumptuous lunch. We felt happy that we were finally free from the vice grips of the colonial rule.

    But when I got into the university, I felt very dejected that we were not able to translate the meaning of the independence into tangible development. And this is very sad that we are still struggling as a nation.

    What we are missing today is the company of the founders of this great country called Nigeria. Great men like the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, among others. They did not siphon the resources of the country for their own gains. They believed more in the common good of the country than the leadership that succeeded them. Patriotism was very high in their time. They did not think first of themselves, but of the greater Nigerian state.

    It was like another Christmas

    –Chief Chekwas Okorie, ex-Chairman of APGA

    Very soon, I will be 60 and that means that I am older than independent Nigeria. Frankly speaking, during my time, it was like another Christmas. The mood was comparable to Christmas. Children had their parents buy things for them as if it was Christmas. That was when Independent anniversary was at its best.

    Since we were students, we all looked forward to it and our parents ensured that our uniforms were new. Otherwise, we would not attend because you would not be considered to participate in the parade. It was one of the conditions of being selected for the parade. It was a thing of joy.

    It is interesting to note that the government of the time acted within its means. Nigerians took pride in the colours of the Nigerian flag and Nigerians felt protected by their government. Today, the government cannot even protect itself from the terrorists called Boko Haram, much less protecting the people. That is why it is hiding under the canopy of low-key celebration. The government has accepted the fact that it has failed to provide security for the people and itself. And they would rather cocoon themselves in the barricaded walls of Aso Rock.

    The government is also afraid of the people seizing the opportunity of the celebration to tell them their feelings about the non-delivery of the dividends of democracy. I do not think that the low-key is aimed at doing a reflection of the fractious economy. Our government is carrying on as if ours is the most buoyant of economies. There is no need to hide under the pretext of being frugal with expenditure.

     

    New uniforms were sown

    –Chief Victor Umeh, APGA Chairman

    When I was younger, we looked forward to the celebration with great interest. Despite our level of development, Nigerians had faith then in the country called Nigeria. Sadly, it has today turned into a non-event because of poverty and mismanagement. That is why Nigerians no longer look forward to the event with renewed interest and vigour. There is so much despondency and abjection in the land. This feeling is derived from the poor leadership which has plagued Nigeria in the last 25 years. There are many Nigerians including myself who feel that there is nothing worth celebrating anymore.

    In those days, school children looked forward to the date and uniforms were specially sown for the occasion. Virtually every student was anxious about the date and their participation in the march-past. The expectation was infectious and palpable. It was a great moment to showcase their spirit of being proud Nigerians.

    This same atmosphere has since taken leave of us. Nigerians have lost faith in their leaders and in their own country. The youths do not see any future in the country call Nigeria any longer. There is no valve in anticipating the October 1, to roll by. It is a matter of regret that most of our young people do not have confidence in the leadership they have been bequeathed with. In the last twenty-something years, there is no hope that it will get better soon. Today, Nigerians are in sober mood, wondering where their future lies!

    What Nigerians are missing today is a modest country which once brought happiness to those before them with very little income. There was dignity in labour. As a teacher, you could live comfortably and still see your children through school. These values have been eroded or distorted. Corruption and greed have taken hold of the Nigerian state.

    There is also the disappearance of the middle class. What obtain today are the extreme rich group and the extreme poor group. This kind of classification cannot encourage the Nigerian spirit of patriotism. There is a sense of abandonment by the Nigerian state. So, even if the government had not declared a low-key celebration, there is nothing to engender a followership spirit in Nigerians anymore.

    It was a happy day for young men and women

    —Chief Reuben Fasoranti, Afenifere leader

    Independence Day was always something beautiful to look forward to. It was a happy day for young men and women of my time. As a matter of fact, we would look forward to it and prepare as if it was a special festival. School children would be gaily-dressed, while the national flag would be made available to us. The truth is that those days were truly beautiful.

    But that is no longer the case today. There is nothing to rejoice about. Unfortunately, the day may even come and go without you noticing it. That was not the case in those days. There is corruption and nobody seems to care about government property. In those days, everybody regarded government property as his or her own, and will take care of the property like they would do to their own. But unfortunately, that is no longer the case.

    It is a pity there is no hope for a better future. I really sympathise with the younger generation.

    As pupils, we got gifts of bread and sardines

    —Onyeka Onwenu (MFR)

    In my days as a school girl in the 60s, in Port Harcourt, everybody got a food gift such as bread and sardines. We enjoyed that very much. Before 1960, it was called Empire Day and there were parades and sporting competition for schools.

    For my generation, Independence was an exciting prospect. The future was promising. I guess we were naïve. We were happy to rid ourselves of our colonial masters. Proud Nigerians we were. We didn’t know our leaders were not quite prepared to run the country.

    I think these days, the excitement is gone. With our schools not teaching Nigerian history, the feeling of nationhood is rather weak. Do school children really understand what they are celebrating on October 1? I have my doubt.

     

  • Flood of fury

    Flood of fury

    Kogi residents groan under the burden of   flood

    These are not the best of times for many Nigerian communities ravaged by floods. This is particularly true of communities on the banks of Rivers Niger and Benue, particularly Lokoja. In the last couple of days, the Kogi State capital has had to pay a huge price for its status as the nation’s confluence town—the meeting point of two of Africa’s largest rivers.

    In Kogi State, no fewer than 20 communities have been sacked as River Niger on which they had depended for fishing activities bares its fangs after overflowing its bank. Properties that run into billions of naira are believed to have been destroyed while hundreds of families in the state are believed to have been rendered homeless.

    In Lokoja alone, more than 10,000 people were reckoned to have been displaced by the flood. The areas mostly affected include Adankolo, Gadumo, Kabawa, Ganaja and Sarkin Noma. Other villages at the bank of River Niger bank were totally submerged.

    At Okumi and Banda, two villages located on the Lokoja-Abuja highway, it is difficult now to believe that people once lived in the area. In Koton Karfe Local Government Area, more than seven thousand people were rendered homeless. The most affected communities in the local government include Kpareke, Irenedu, Okofi, Gbangede, Osuku Ugwo, udumose and edegaki. The residents have all moved to neighbouring Adangere where the state government has created 18 camps to accommodate the victims.

    Ibaji Local Government Area in the eastern part of the state was not left out. The entire residents of the local government were sent parking by the flood. The people have since moved to the neighbouring Idah Local Government Area. Other local government areas like Bassa, Omala and Ajaokuta hardly fared better.

    All together, the state government has created more than 60 camps to resettle the affected people.

    The plights of residents were shared by travellers on the ever busy Lokoja-Abuja Road. Many of them had to abandon their vehicles and cross the deluge of water on the road with the aid of canoes to Banda village where a new motor park has suddenly sprung up to continue their journey.

    On Monday, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) announced the closure of the Abuja/Lokoja highway and directed motorists to other routes through which they can get to Abuja. A traveler, Musa Hassan, told our correspondent that he had spent a whole day in Lokoja because the trailer in which he travelled form Enugu could not cross the flooded road. He had heard about the flood and had deliberately travelled in a trailer, thinking that it would be able to weather the flood.

    “I never knew the situation was that bad. I thought the highly suspended trailer I entered would easily pass through the flood, not knowing that the flood is capable of swallowing even a caterpillar,” he said.

    Hassan added that he had to pay the canoe men who was making brisk business from the situation as much money as he had paid the trailer for Enugu to Kaduna, including the payment for his luggage, just to cross the deluge of water.

    Commercial boat operators and okada (commercial motorcycle) riders abandoned their routes on the River Niger and the township roads to the flooded area to do brisk business. An okada rider, Akoji Samuel, told The Nation that he had made much more money from the flooded road than he had ever done before, charging between N200 and N500 for rides that might not last for more than two minutes.

    A canoe paddler, who would not disclose his name, said he charged between N500 and N1000 per passenger. His canoe was capable of taking about nine passengers at once.

    Meanwhile, flood victims are enjoying some succour from a rehabilitation centre the stte government has set up at Adankolo area of Lokoja. The refugees also appealed to the Federal Government to assist the state government in cushioning the pains of their losses.

    The refugees, mostly youths, said although the state government was doing it best, there was more that needed to be done. One of them, Ismaila Isah, said he had to go to a nearby bush to answer the call of nature because there were no toilet facilities at the camp.

    But the state’s Commissioner for Environment, Abdulrahaman Wuya, dismissed the claim as false, saying a primary school was being used for the camp and the government had rehabilitated all the toilets.

    “You would agree with me that all primary schools have toilets for its pupils, and all the toilets have been rehabilitated,” Wuya added.

    Several Federal Government delegations and agencies have visited the state to assess the extent of the damage done by the floods. Senate President, David Mark, who visited the state governor, Idris Wada, promised to discuss with the relevant Federal agencies to quickly intervene in the matter.

    Mark said while a notice had been served by weather experts on the flooding, the huge devastation wasnot expected. He promised to discuss the matter with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and other relevant agencies to come to the aid of the flood victims.

    He also charged Governor Wada to act fast in order to prevent an epidemic of water borne diseases the state.

    Other top government officials who had visited the state at press time include Senator Smart Adeyemi and Hon. Umar Buba Jibrin. A presidential delegation led by the Minister of Environment, Hajiya Hadiza Mai Lafiya, also visited.

    Lives lost, vehicles and houses submerged at Ojukwu’s birth place, other Niger communities

    For communities located along the plain of Rivers Niger and Kaduna in Niger State, especially those at the downstream part of the nation’s three hydro-electric power stations at Jebba, Kanji and Shiroro, flooding is an annual occurrence. This informed the age long agitation by the Niger State Government as well as Kebbi, Kogi and Kwara states for the establishment of a Hydro-Electric Power producing Area Development Commission (HYPPADEC).

    This year, however, the floods are not ravaging only the communities along these predisposed areas, they have also overwhelmed more than half of the state. It has spread to other parts of the state which hitherto were free from floods, wrecking havocs on individuals and communities as well as animals, farmlands and property. At the last count, no fewer than 47 lives had been lost to the floods, with over 1,000 families rendered homeless.

    Public facilities and hectares of farmlands in 500 communities in the state have been submerged by flood or washed away by both the excess water released from the three hydro-electricity generating dams and from the heavy downpour in the last two weeks. The Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NISEMA) put the total cost of properties lost to the floods, which include farmlands and houses, at over N1 billion. Farm produce lost to the floods are also estimated at almost N2 billion.

    Many communities are now cut off from the rest of the world, while others can only be accessed with canoe as most access roads are washed off, especially in the rural areas. Many communities in Bosso, Munya, Chanchaga, Shiroro, Borgu, Mokwa, Wushishi, Bida, Edati, Lapai and Lavun local government areas have been sacked by flood. Worst hit communities include Aza, Egagi, Zdagu, Kpashafu, Ketso, Gbogifu Lenfakuso, Egbagi and Muregi, all in Mokwa Local Government Area. The people of Wuya, Kanti, Dokokpan, Tama and Emimam are yet to come to term with the reality of the devastating effects of the floods as their houses, schools, places of worship and farmlands now remain inaccessible.

    In Borgu and Shiroro local government areas, flood victims are counting their losses. Their houses and business centres are either submerged or washed away. The state capital, Minna, was not spared of the disaster. A family lost two children to the flash floods in Minna. Ten-year-old Mustapha and his 12-year-old elder brother, Bashir, both children of a man named Mohammed Kudu, met their untimely and death after slipping into a flowing drainage during one of the heavy downpours.

    Penultimate Saturday was a sad day for the Gwaibaita family of Gungel village in Bosso Local Government Area of the state. The family was thrown into mourning as two of its members were washed away by the flood that ravaged the village. The bodies of Abubakar and Abdullahi were found several kilometres away from their village the following day.

    Alhaji Usman Adamu lost his car wash centre, his family’s only source of livelihood, located on the Eastern Bye-pass of Minna. The centre was submerged and four cars brought to the centre to be washed were buried in the flood. The flood, which came suddenly, gave Adamu no chance to rescue anything from his car wash centre.

    Lamenting his plight, Adamu said: “I lost everything in the centre to the flood. I will need a lot of money to repair and fix the four cars. The flood that greeted the rain that fell last Friday caught us hands down. My boys had to run for their lives. The stream at our back overran its bank and within five minutes, my car wash centre was totally submerged and the four cars in my care were buried in the flood.

    “I am now left with the burden of fixing the engines and brain boxes of the four cars and repairing the interior of the cars in my care. I have not been able to quantify the cost of these engines, brain boxes and the repairs of the interiors of the flooded cars. These are aside from my two car wash pumps – one electrically operated and the other gasoline propelled, that were washed away.”

    In Zungeru, the birth place of the late warlord, Dim Odumegu Ojukwu, two Fulani herdsmen fell victim to the flood and paid the ultimate price as they were washed away along their grazing route. Many Rice farmlands in the area were also submerged.

    Disturbed by the height of devastation, the flood issue occupied a prime place in the order of the day on Tuesday when the State House of Assembly resumed from its four-week recess. Hon. Bashiru Lokogoma, representing Wushishi Constituency, drew the attention of his colleagues to the destruction wrought by the flood as well as the hardship faced by victims. He regretted that peasant farmers and fishermen in many villages were now living in camps as refuges in their own land. “The victims required urgent attention,” he said.

    The Director-General of Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NISEMA), Alhaji Mohammed Sabba, said 14 of the 25 local government areas in the state were affected by the floods, forcing the state to establish six relief camps for displaced persons across the state.

    At Nambe relief camp, most of the displaced persons, especially vulnerable women and children, are under intense threat of epidemic as the unending number of displaced persons has overwhelmed the basic facilities provided by the state government.

    Relief however came the way of the victims on Tuesday when Hon. Mohammed Sani Kutigi, a member of the House of Representatives Committee on Emergency Management facilitated the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to bring a million naira worth of relief materials to alleviate the sufferings of the victims.

    Fury of flooding in Cross River

    If children in Cross River State tweaked the popular nursery rhyme a bit to sing, “Row, row, row your boat gently down the street/Merrily, merrily, merrily life is not a treat” it would definitely not be out of place, especially in most parts of the state where streams, rivers and dry land have all but become one massive body of water, following constant incidents of flooding.

    Moving from house to house in most parts of affected communities now necessitates the use of canoes. The consequent hardship on the affected people is enormous.

    Though the Nigerian Meteorological Agency had predicted heavy rains and flooding in most part of of the country, Cross River included, the fury with which the disaster is ravaging communities has been unprecedented. Information gotten from the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) indicates that over 42, 000 people across the state have been displaced by the flood this year.

    Eleven deaths have been recorded this year alone according to the agency. In Adim in Biase a nine month old baby, Godswill Echu Okon, was been killed by the rubbles of a collapsed residential building caused by flooding. In Agwagwune, in the same Biase two twelve year olds were swept away. So far about 49 have been hospitalized from injuries caused by the flood across the state.

    Over 4000 farmers have also been affected with about 106, 000 hectares of farmland washed away destroying produces as yams, cassava, cocoyam, melon, rice, vegetables among others.

    Information also made available to The Nation shows that about 1059 houses have been destroyed, especially in the rural areas where they are built with mud bricks.

    Local government areas worst hit by flooding caused by heavy rains include Obubra, Ogoja, Yala, Ikom, Abi, Biase, Odukpani, Boki, Obudu and Obanliku.

    An entire village in Yala Local Government Area, Okpandin, was sacked. Mr Cyprian Idim an inhabitant of the area said, “We have no access to that village again and the people in that village had to be evacuated to other villages. There is no access to that village again. Water has surrounded the village.

    He expressed regret that their farmland had been washed away. “We have no other occupation than farming,” he lamented.

    The recent release of water from the Lagdo dam in Cameroon has compounded the situation by swelling rivers in some communities. Local government areas affected by this include Yala, Ogoja, Ikom, Obubra, Abi, Biase and Odukpani.

    A community Relations Officer in Biase, Uno Ilem, lamented loss of accommodation, food, access to road and other necessities of life.

    Director General of SEMA, Mr. Vincent Aquah expressed fears that the magnitude and severity of damage to lives and property would increase as the level of flood rises.

    According to him, apart from extreme famine that would visit the agrarian communities as a result of the destruction of their farms by the flood housing would be a problem as many are already relocating to make shift shelters.

    “These conditions are far below human standard particularly living in a slum such as this thatch house. Children and women are suffering and there is an urgent need to address the situation before it gets out of hand,” he said.

    He appealed to the Federal Government and international organizations to come to the aid of the state government as it apparently has no financial capacity to effectively manage the situation alone.

    Mr. Aquah said sensitization campaigns have already begun in all the communities along the coastline being affected by the flood said that relocation to higher grounds was the only options for the vulnerable villages.

     

  • Distinguished institutions and professionals in the nation’s human capital development

    Distinguished institutions and professionals in the nation’s human capital development

    The quest of Nigeria to get the best human capital to sustain it development before and after independence has made many administrations come out with different policies to meet yawning demands of semi skilled and skilled manpower needs of the nation. From primary, secondary and higher educational institutions, no stone has been left unrounded, today, we have the public and private educational institutions competing to outplay each other in the race of producing quality and sustained human capital for the nation’s socio-economy and political growth. How far have we gone, what have we achieved, what are the prospects. Again what are the challenges facing the professionals and institution saddled with this great national task?

    It is clear to all that government educational institutions at the all levels are in better stead in providing the human capital needs of the country, even though not much can be said of some of its products with the vast resource at their disposal. The private sector, has no doubt been partners in this quest, and at primary and secondary levels has being providing quality education though at a cost to Nigerians. Their counter-part in the government institution enjoys scholarship, subsidies and free tuition.

    Despite all this, the evolution of primary, secondary and now universities by private players in the education sector in Nigeria’s post independence era has opened a chapter of hope to improve on its skilled manpower that would evelop and sustain a virile economy.

    Today, just like the private sector did in primary and secondary school education, the private universities have come and grown to an enviable position in the Nigeria human capital development sector; their humble beginning which can be traced in two historic phases: the first during the Second Republic under President Shehu Shagari administration, between 1979 and 1983. The second phase was during the Fourth Republic under President Olusegun Obasanjo, 1999 to 2007.

    During this phase, necessary machineries were put in place to visit and scrutinize applications from individuals, religious and corporate organizations that are applying for private universities operating licence. Since then, the history of private universities in the country has not remained the same as there is much to show in terms of provision of qualitative education to the youth who, hitherto, found it difficult to gain admission into the universities before now due to limited number of space in the public universities.

    The private universities have become a fast segment of our education system, though they still constitute a small fraction of the students’ university but are completing favourably with highflyers federal and state universities in their young age in the educational sector.

    One major challenge facing private and public education providers is funding. Adequate funding will determine the quality of workforce; academic and non-academic and state-of-the art facilities such as well equipped libraries, lecture rooms, laboratories among other sundry needs to produce quality of graduates. While the private depends solely on school fees from parents, the public schools enjoy free subventions from government, it is a known fact that if not for the support from their private sector promoters, many of the private institutions would have folded up. The need for government to support the private sector through the educational intervention funds such as the tertiary education trust fund (TETFUND) has been stressed. The country to a large extent, benefit from the quality training from such institutions. The fund can be given to private institutions as research grant to assist in some crucial areas.

    Apart from the funding resource that is critical to the growth of the educational sector, management of these resources by the right leadership is another factor to the growth of the sector. That is why government at different levels now appoint professionals and tested technocrats to take care of affairs of the institutions, saddled with the responsibility of driving the developmental policies of government. Similarly, the private sector players now pouch for the best leaders to manage their businesses.

    For quite a while now, The Nation, has been going round all the states of the federation to see what the chief executive officers of respective institutions are doing. Our findings show that while some of the CEOs are performing creditably well, others are not.

    Now, who are those vice-chancellors, rectors and provosts in this democratic dispensation, who have distinguished themselves in public and private service by training excellent human capital? We are pleased to present you the following leaders in our higher institutions that are living up to expectation.

  • Redeemer’s University (RUN): set to established a Standard

    Redeemer’s University (RUN): set to established a Standard

    It has always been the desire of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) to make a positive impact on university education in Nigeria, knowing full well that this higher level of education can play a significant role in the social and technological development of a nation.

    We have a vision for a better nation; a Nigeria of frank and candid academicians, dependable and honest artisans, God-fearing and faithful pastors, decent and law-abiding citizens, trustworthy and upright youths, caring and compassionate doctors, honourable and truthful politicians, open and sincere business community, courageous and reliable public servants.We have a vision for a country where judges are just and impartial, soldiers, policemen and women are compassionate and considerate, traditional rulers embody distinction, dignity and decorum, bankers are honest and honourable. We have a vision for a future generation of creative, innovative, inventive entrepreneurs. we want to mould a generation of kind, thoughtful and gentle adolescents, who are motivated to build and sustain a better Nigeria where peace, justice fairness and Godliness reign. We are looking forward with optimism to a Nigeria we can all defend, protect and proud of. We have a desire and an aspiration for a nation whose trust is in the Lord God Almighty. This is our vision at the Redeemer’s University (RUN), where we want to build the future of Nigeria, today. Because you embody this vision, we are honoured and privileged to have you with us as our core partners, as we RUN with the vision for a better nation.

    This is in line with the vision of Pastor E. A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of RCCG for the Redeemer’s University. Pastor Adeboye longs for the return to the glorious days of mission schools, where students acquire high quality education with the fear of God and become useful citizens.

    The Redeemer’s University take-off campus is strategically and conveniently located within the Redemption City, at Km 46/48, Lagos – Ibadan Expressway, in  Loburo,  Ibafo  in  Obafemi-Owode  Local Government Area of Ogun State, Nigeria.

    Professor Zachariah Debo Adeyewa, the current Vice-Chancellor of Redeemer’s University said one of the legacies he hopes to achieve is moving the university to its permanent site in Edo, Osun State. Adeyewa, a professor of meteorology was born on February 22, 1957, and a native of Inisan, Osun State, said funding has been a challenge to many private universities in Nigeria. He thanked Pastor Adeboye for his support for the university. The RUN vice-chancellor said the institution is IT driven in all aspect of its academic and administrative functions and boost of qualified lecturers and administrators. He obtained his first and second degrees in Physics/Meteorology at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria between 1981 and 1989. His PhD programme was sponsored by the International Programme in the Physical Sciences, Uppsala University, Sweden. He said private universities are competing well with the public universities and called for the TETFUND be given to private universities for research purpose. Professor Adeyewa is an Associate member of the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), Trieste, Italy, a Guest Scholar in Sweden (sponsored by the Swedish Institute, Stockholm). He is also a visiting scientist (Center of Excellence Fellowship) at the Nagoya University, Japan. Professor Adeyewa was an auxiliary professor of the Department of Meteorology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, USA between 2004 and 2007. He has been at the Federal University of Technology, Akure since October 1989 where he served in different capacities until his assumption as Vice-Chancellor on October 1, 2011.

  • Shake & move in fringe

    CELEBRITIES have been favouring the fringe pieces for a while now and we are seeing a lot of shimy and shake everywhere. . We just love when styles come full circle. There is something fascinating about clothes and jewellery that move entirely on their own. It portrays the wild and free look, but it is actually hard to get it right. Fringe makes your pieces move in a cool way. When picking a fringed piece to wear, the shape should be graphic and entirely minimal. Endeavour to go for other colours than black. Fringe looks good on dresses, skirts and even camisoles. Fringe makes you look like a stylish showstopper and any of those pieces would fit in just fine on the street today too. Depending on how you twist it, fringe can also add an edgy and consistent look to your final look.

    Tips 

    AIR tough-girl boots/high-tops and a jacket on a short-fringed gown.

    Stay warm or just look cool in trendy fringe-detailed outerwear. Fringe vests over button-up shirts, paired with jeggings, sandals, and a bowler hat is such an awesome look.

    Opt for a great pair of boots with fringe to go with any outfit of your choice.

    As far as fashion trends that are constantly reinvented, fringe has got to be high on the list. You don’t have to dig the modish look to make this trend work for you, one signature fringe piece can add an instant highlight to an outfit you already own.

  • How to wear maxi-skirt

    EVERY girl should own a maxi-skirt, either short or long. As long as you want to be fashionable, you should have one. They are very stylish and will elongate your body, which is what most people want. Another advantage is that it is not for only the slim ladies, big-sized fashionistas can rock it too. A maxi-skirt is a multi-purpose fashion piece that will serve you well, as long as you know how to wear it.

    Pairing a maxi-skirt with only a tank top is kind of too plain to bring out the main effect, a tee shirt will do it more as it should not be worn with plain materials. A comic tee would do the trick anytime, most especially if it is in a contrasting colour.

    Maxi skirts look very cool with jackets, boyfriend jackets/cardigan (feminine look), blazers (romantic), sweat jackets or just sport jackets (edgy). You can roll the sleeves of the jackets back; this gives the edgy, sophisticated look. If you want a clean look, keep the sleeves down.

    Mixing fabrics is a nice way to wear maxi skirts. Most of the skirts are in chiffon material and you should not pair it with another light material, so go for lacra, cotton, silk and other materials.

    Your jewellery depends on your destination; you can go for statement pieces or blings, or just stay with the homely ones.

    The same thing goes for your shoes. Most of the time, ballet flats and sling-backs are more appropriate, but when going for events, rock your pumps and platforms.

    Big bags go well with maxi skirts, most preferably box bags which are in vogue now.

    Colour-blocking with maxi skirt is easy but please don’t go overboard, the rule does not allow more than four colours, we do not want you to look like a carnival disaster. If your skirt is in nude colour, use colours like purple, red, orange or jaded green. If it is a bright-coloured skirt, let your inner wear be a nude colour; your jacket, bright and your bag or shoe can be in a bright colour.

  • Back-to-school fashion tips

    Back-to-school fashion tips

    NEXT up is your jewellery. Though you might have the outfit, you still need the accessories. Bangle bracelets, cuffs and chunky silver; either slim or textured, you need them. Big brooches add shine to your outfit. You can add a smaller one to a black sweater or jacket as long as they are concentrated in one area of your outfit. Woven handbags are also trending now; large roomy bags and brightly coloured clutches are also popular.

     

    SHOW the girlie side. Puffy shoulders and peplums on jackets and shirts are some examples of feminine flair that you can wear. This look goes great with a skirt, pair of skinny jeans or your favourite leggings. Pair a lace dress with tights and boots or a brightly coloured lace top with black pants, and you’ll be set to hang out. Embrace your feminine sides with silhouette and hourglass-shaped dresses and blouses. Rather than covering up your curves, you should flaunt them.

     

    MAKE jeans your best friend. You cannot discuss fashion without talking about denim. Skinny jeans are very popular now and you do not have to be skinny to wear them. Skinny jeans can work with almost any figure type because they flatten and smooth out your bottom half. Besides, skinnies are versatile; you can pair them with long cardigans, blazers, hoodies, standard button-down shirts or just tops. Another item for you is your ‘Jeggings’. They are stylish and comfortable because they are soft and stretchy. Like leggings, they go with almost anything; big sweaters, oversized blouses, jackets and hoodies.

     

    PRINTS are also trending now so you might want to have different Ankara jackets and tops or just trousers too. These would work for either casual or corporate. Plaids, patchwork, stripes and polka dots are also appearing on everything from T-shirts and flannel button downs to ballet flats, so get these too. The great advantage of prints is that you can go all out or simply add a few separates to spice up your wardrobe. An Ankara sleeveless top with your skinny jeans, a plaid jacket with solid-coloured pants, or a striped T with Capris are great ensembles, or just choose a printed handbag or shoe

     

    FINALLY, for your shoes, you can choose sandals, high tops, ballet flats, etc. Pair neon green or yellow high tops with your favourite pair of jeans and a casual cotton or hoodie. Try bright ballet flats, patent leather in a bold red or blue to add excitement to a casual outfit or extra flare to a dressier look, or go jungle fever with an animal print on your primal ballerina flats. It is a stylish but understated way to embrace the prints craze. If you want to bare a little more, colourful sandals will make a splash. Trendy pastels like pale aqua, light yellow and rose are in style. Sandals with metallic, gold and silver sheens would also look cool.

  • Elegantly waisted

    Elegantly waisted

    LAST season’s flamboyant waist belts of all kinds were worn by an elite few, but since the beginning of the year, it has been the reigning fashion accessory for skirt, trousers and gown attires.

    The waist belt is one the season’s big accessories, whether cinching a sleek pencil dress like Adaure Achumba, a long ball gown like Rita Domnic, a free gown like Abike Dabiri-Erewa, a jumpsuit like Ibiere Agwu or just a skirt like Barong Taiwo.

    It is the fashion piece of the moment, sometimes dazzling with gems that those who know their onions or fashionistas cannot do without.

  • ‘She flirts around with okada men’

    A housewife,Adenike Nasirudeen has filed a divorce suit at the Grade ‘A’ Customary Court, Lagos State , asking for dissolution of her six -year-old marriage to her husband, Fatai Nasirudeen.

    In the suit, she alleged that her husband had been mistreating her for sometime now and that he was too temperamental.

    The respondent in his explanation said: ”She is a flirt. She has been flirting around with an okada rider( commercial motorcyclist).She always keep late nights and she did not give me peace of mind.

    “Though, l reported the matter to her parents hoping that she would turn a new leaf, but she does not show any sign of remorse”.

    Earlier in her submission, Adenike informed that her husband is highly temperamental, and beats her at any slightest provocation.

    “There was a day he accused me of stealing N75,000 from his wardrobe, he capitalised on the accusation, and stopped giving me feeding allowance”.

    Adenike, however denied having  any no amorous relationship with any okada rider because he is well known to her husband and had once taken her and Nasirudeen to their office.

    “Shortly after l packed out of his house, he came to apologise, hoping that he had had a change of mind, but unknown to me that he was there on a mission to kill the only child that binds us together”.

    She added that her husband had made attempts to strangle their daughter to death, and in the process, to get the child for him he punches her in the stomach.

    She therefore urged the court to dissolve the marriage and grant her custody of the child.

    The court president, Mr. Emmaunel Shokunle has adjourned the case till October 9, 2012 for further hearing.

  • A tour through Africa’s first medical museum

    A tour through Africa’s first medical museum

     TheUniversity College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Oyo State, established on November 20, 1957,  is reputed for recording many firsts. OYEYEMI GBENGA-MUSTAPHA toured the premier hospital’s Medical Museum, first of its kind in Nigeria and relates her experience.

    Museums and galleries are not mere showrooms of antiquated objects. They are living embodiments of cultural and national heritage. The artefacts of history remind one of how a people, society or institution got to where they are now. They capture the evolution of a people. From the simple tools and paintings of prehistory to the dated machinery of the industrial revolution, museums show people the path of human life through the ages by providing actual examples of how we used to live.

    People from all walks of life throng the University College Hospital (UCH) Ibadan on a daily basis for various health reasons. But according to The Nation’s findings, some visits may not be due to health challenges any more. UCH, as it is called by residents of Ibadan and beyond, has become associated with many other activities, including tourism.

    As the nation’s premier teaching hospital, the Medical Museum seeks to tell not just the medical history of Nigeria, it offers tourists, especially the youth, the opportunity to go back in time. From the artefacts on display, one could appreciate the giant strides so far made by the medical profession in Nigeria.

    The Medical Museum is located within the UCH complex, on the fifth floor of the building that houses the office of the Chief Medical Director of the hospital. Visitors, for now, could only visit the museum on working days, as it is not opened on weekends or public holidays.

    To gain access to the museum, a visitor has to first register with the information unit of the hospital. There, a guide will be given to the visitor to take him or her round the museum. The museum is open to individuals and groups.

    As with most museums, the items on display are only a small part of the total collection. The floor that houses the Medical Museum is stacked with show glasses with articles of different shades–the replica of the UCH building that houses the admin block, consulting rooms, offices, stethoscopes, surgical saws and even medicine chests which unlock to reveal rows of neatly labelled bottles containing the original compounds. Other fascinating artefacts include medical records displayed in glass desks.

    The Medical Museum boasts of bed pans, diagnostic equipments, statues of a doctor, nurse, attendant/registrar all attending to an expectant mother.

    A recording of the conversation between the pacts was played. It was enthralling.

    Portraits of past chief medical directors, administrators and so on lined the walls of the museum. There are also the statues of the father of modern medicine, Hippocrates of Cos; Dr John Randle; Dr Oguntola Odunbaku Sapara who went about treating his patients in the wards in his traditional garb (agbada); Dr Obadiah Johnson; Dr Osadipe Obada and Dr James Africanus Beale Horton, all standing imposingly in the museum.

    According to the widely travelled Chief Medical Director (CMD), Prof Temitope Alonge, his administration’s decision to establish the museum was hinged on the fact that “one of the most important ways museums and galleries can stimulate you is through inspiration. They awaken both your natural thirst for knowledge and your creativity. They help unlock your hidden potential through their exhibits.

    “At 55, I simply collate the medical artefacts so as to inspire visitors to actually broaden their world and mind. A simple collation of these artefacts can prove to be a valuable part of personal growth, especially for students, scholars and intellectuals.

    “While historic models are used as the basis of our training, this Medical Museum is geared to those who may have little or no knowledge or interest in history. It is the collection of stories of human achievements, medical and managerial advancements, and inspired leadership that transcend the 55 years of UCH history and remain relevant and powerful till today.

    “For instance, the interactive discussions allow us to bring all and sundry to a high degree of relevance to their daily tasks and duties.

    The artefacts in the Medical Museum were put in place with funds, donations and bequests from friends of the institute. The museum has no budget for buying items, but, according to the Chief Medical Director, who is also a product of the college, the collection is nonetheless extensive. “The museum is unique in Nigeria, especially in statues and diagnostic equipment. We have a lot of medical artefacts,” Alonge said.