The Nation Newspaper

Category: Saturday Magazine

  • Economics of the N5000 debate

    Economics of the N5000 debate

    The statement by the central bank of Nigeria that N5, 000 will be introduced and N5, N10, and N20 notes will be coined in 2013 has generated a lot of debate. Many of the contributions have however strayed off the key point. Namely, the reason currency notes and coins are necessary.

    • Retail Payment Requirements

    Notes and coins are held primarily for retail payments. To be relevant, their face values, nature, sizes and weights must be suited to the retail transactions they are needed for.

    There are two types of retail payments: highly repetitive small value transactions such as urban transportation, sweets, cigarettes, cola nuts, fruits, vegetables, snacks, cooked food, sachet water, soft drinks, juices, beer; newspapers, haircuts; phone cards, and, less frequent, relatively high value transactions such as clothing, footwear, watches, raw foodstuff, poultry, livestock, fuel, spares parts, and local airfares.

     

    Optimising Naira coins

     

    Naira coins must be designed by the central bank with the first category of retail transactions in focus because their repetitive nature and the conditions under which they must happen, such as in crowded markets, stadia, streets, bus stations, airports, congested traffic, and varying weather conditions including rainy, sunny, and humid conditions, mean that notes are ill-suited for them.

    Metal coins will fare better under these conditions, which is why countries regularly upgrade their coinage to keep pace with the prices of this category of retail items.

    Nigeria’s coins were adequate for these transactions when we spent pennies and shillings modeled after the British pound sterling before independence, and a little over a decade after independence.

    Nigerians valued the coins and spent them with relish, because one or two pieces in the pocket sorted the daily payment needs of the average person, child or adult. Naira coins that replaced those in 1973 remained very adequate for all the small value transactions until the late eighties when they began to lose correspondence with retail prices, and Naira notes increasingly took their place.

    Attempts to reform the coinage to date have never spoken directly to the need for the face values of Naira coins to relate such retail items as bus fares, and the prices of newspapers, refreshments and fast food.

    The Soludo coin reform that raised the maximum face value of coins arbitrarily to N2, without asking how much a school child needed for soft drink and snacks at break time, failed for this reason. The Lamido proposal to coin N5, N10, and N20 is in the right direction, but is equally arbitrary, as it lacks correspondence with current values of retail items, and is also bound to fail. How many pieces of the Lamido coins will a school child need to hold just for school run and refreshment at break time? It will require too many pieces to make sense for school children, much less adults.

    A robust coinage must be adequate for retail payment needs of all children and adults. Naira coins that would make sense today will fall in the range of N1, N2, N5, N10, N20, N50, N100, N200, N500, and N1000. Just before anyone screams, remember that the two pound coin is more that N500 in face value, and the coining of the five pound note is imminent in the UK.

    They thought us how to use coins. They have done a good job of maintaining their coinage, it’s about time we put some dignity back into Naira coins. Japanese six denominations of coins range from Y1 to Y500, and one Yen exchanges for two Naira.

    Nobody holds the naira coins today because N2 maximum face value makes absolutely no sense. It is a waste of the country’s resources and time to mint such. N1 and N2 should be the minimum, and small enough, like the farthing of old, and they would make sense. N20 Naira maximum coin still will not make sense because it still does not buy a soft drink or an apple, and no one will hold them.

    If you stamp N500 or N1000 as the maximum value on the same coins today, everyone will hold them, as in other countries where the coinage relate to retail prices.

     

    Optimising Naira Notes

     

    Naira notes must be designed by the central bank with the second category of transactions in mind. If naira notes are to make sense, I should be able to fill my tank with just a piece of Naira note. People should be able to pay for live chicken, goat, or turkey with a piece or two of Naira notes. A bag of rice, a tin of vegetable oil, should not require more than one or two pieces of Naira notes.

    There should be notes with face values suited for the purchase of ram, shirts, suits, shoes, watches, car tyres, and other spares parts if Naira notes are to be worth printing and spending. The proposed introduction of N5000 is in the right direction, but is equally arbitrary, as it is not proposed in reference to retail price realities, and is hardly the optimal highest face value for the Naira notes at the moment.

    It is the end that justifies the means. It is the items that people need to pay for with notes that should determine how much we print on the currency notes. That is the economics of Naira notes denominations. To be sensible today, Naira notes should take face values of N500, N1000, N2000, N5,000, N10,000, and N20,000 (current value of the lowest airfare); where N500 and N1000 could circulate as both notes and coins until further notice.

    I have arrived at these suggestions by trying to connect the face values of Naira notes with realities of retail prices. But the examples of other some other countries also point to the same direction. Japanese notes are only four denominations: Y1000, N2000, N5000, and Y10,000; and one Yen exchanges for two Naira.

    Suggestions by Professor Soludo a few others that the Naira be re-decimalized by knocking of a few zeroes are uncalled for, being more suited to currencies with seven digits or more in face values, as in post hyper-inflation Ghana, Zimbabwe, and a series of Latin American and Eastern European countries. The Japanese example of re-denomination necessitated by realities of retail prices is more appropriate to the current Nigerian challenge.

    Apart from speaking directly to the realities of retail prices, the suggested re-denomination will have the added advantage of reducing the pieces of notes the central bank have to print, store, distribute, and maintain. There were as many as six billion pieces of naira notes in circulation in 2011, compare to one billion pieces in 1985, and four billion pieces in 2005.

    We should introduce larger denomination notes to push that number back to less than two billion pieces. Banks will no longer require as many bullion vans, bulk counting rooms, note counters, counting machines, and those little bags they must now give you when you withdraw some cash. Buyers and sellers will waste less time counting and recounting notes as if under a spell.

    Handing of naira notes by the public will become inconspicuous. Relatively higher face values will ensure they are used less often, treasured and kept neat. People are unlikely to spray reasonably valued notes at parties and other social events.

     

    Electronic Payments

     

    The two categories of retail transactions to which coins and notes have been related above are not what e-payment instruments are about. E-payment instruments are more suited to transfer of funds from one person to the other, especially when bulk sums are involved. E-payments relate to wholesale transactions, as opposed to cash which relate to largely spontaneous, mostly anonymous, small value repetitive transactions.

     

    Misconceptions

     

    In the presence of generally acceptable small-denomination coins, large-denominations will not be inflationary. It is actually the current situation in which lower denomination coins are not in circulation that precipitates inflation as the general public put pressure on retailers to round up to the nearest banknote.

    The currency, note or coin is best viewed as a measuring rod or ruler. There is no reason to expect that the public will wear oversized dresses if the tape-rule is too long. We can press the analogy with the ruler a little further: school children, dressmakers, architects, land surveyors, and civil engineers all use one type or the other of what is basically the same thing, the ruler: multiples of millimetres. The only difference is size.

    Currency is just like that. It must be made available by the issuing authority in wide enough variety or denominations to suit the needs of different users.

    Many economies in which large-denomination notes and coins circulate actually have some of the lowest inflation rates often combined with impressive records of growth. US, Japan, UK and the Euro area are some of the examples. The Euro provides a good illustration: there are 8 denominations of coins, and 7 denominations of notes.

    This will provide enough flexibility and adaptability to both very small and very large transactions. Since there should be small-denominations that are appropriate for any transaction, there is no reason why the presence of large denomination should affect inflation in any way.

    Too many denominations will not be confusing either. The public will choose the denominations they want and others will become unpopular. The range of measurement units from the millimetres to the kilometre is quite broad yet it confuses no one. Rather it helps everyone. The Euro’s eight denominations of coins and seven denominations of notes means there are fifteen different units of currency circulating in the Euro area. Nigeria can take a cue from that.

    The policy clue is that the issuing authority should make a fixed quantity of all the relevant denominations for a start, and subsequently increase each denomination only at the rate at which their inventory is depleted.

    Large-denomination coins are unlikely to be melted by metal-smiths for jewellery if the central bank ensures that coins have very low and  insignificant intrinsic value. What counts is the face value of each coin. It matters very little how much zinc or copper, or silver it contains. Kill the incentive to melt the coins away. That is the message. It is instructive that American public simply throw the 1-cent away or abandon it at home. There is no incentive to melt it down.

    Large-denomination currency notes will not encourage counterfeiting. We should be careful not to throw out the baby with the bath water. Fear of possible counterfeiting should not stop us from doing the needful. We need to do what is necessary first, and take measures to protect it afterwards. The hundred-dollar bill is probably the most widely counterfeited currency bill in the world. Rather than withdraw it from circulation, the US government has simply invested a little more in security proofing.

     

    •Dr. Teriba, who wrote in from Lagos, can be reached at ayo.teriba@econassociates.c

  • Our gains, our pains —Models

    Our gains, our pains —Models

    The world of models is a world of beauty. To be a model, your beauty must be widely recognised and acknowledged. That means with models, beauty is not just in the eyes of the beholder. Her general outlook must convince all about her exceptional beauty.
     Welcome to the world of models; a world of beautiful faces, tender skins, straight legs, fabulous outfits, guided meals, exquisite accommodation, endless catwalks on the most fabulous stages around the world, the klieg lights and the paparazzi.
    But beneath the facade of the extremely good life is the burden that comes with being a model; a burden that does not discriminate between male and female models. While the issues may vary from one individual model to another, there is but a thin line between the burdens carried by models of different class and clime.
    That much is demonstrated by the words credited to world acclaimed model, Naomi Campbell, who recently lamented that the colour of her skin undermines her earnings. “As a black woman,” she said, “I am still an exception in this (modelling) business. I always have to work harder to be treated equally.
    “I may be considered one of the top models in the world, but in no way do I make the same amount of money as any of them… There is prejudice. It is a problem and I can’t go along anymore with brushing it under the carpet.
    “This business is about selling, and blonde and blue-eyed girls are what sell.”
     But while the journey up the ladder of modelling may be tasking, pretty young ladies still choose this path. One of such models is Jennifer Chukwurah. According to her, “As a model, I have big dreams. I wish to become an international super model one day.”
    It is an ambition shared by her counterpart, Dianabasi Edo, who said “it is the dream of every model to go international. That is my dream too. That is, to get higher every second. I want to hit every top television station screen and local and international magazine cover.”
    Tall as this ambition may seem, young models like these don’t look back, especially if they have achieved some elements of success like Gladys John, who said “for me, the journey to modelling has been fruitful though also exhausting due to the need to participate in events and interact with people from all walks of life.
    “I have worked with different kinds of professionals like fashion designers like Kiki Kamanu, Modella Couture, Feron Designs, Zhalima and so on, and appeared in several top magazines and newspapers”.
    Models do not only believe in the fame they gain from their works, they also believe it is a good job which brings in the money as quickly as it can come. But first, models believe in themselves. They believe and accept their beauty and actually get ready to use it confidently.
    Seun Ajayi said it all when she thumped her chest and declared: “I think my beauty is a gift from God and I am thankful to Him. Yes, I know I am beautiful, though I don’t believe that anyone is ugly because we are all created in the image and likeness of God. But I also know that being beautiful gives me some kind of power over men, women and my environment. Yes, in a way, it does.”
    Still, Seun admits that modelling is a tasking job. She said: “Yes, people accept me when I tell them that I am a model, although a lot of people too find it hard to accept me as a professional model.”
    Gladys John gave a better insight when she revealed another perspective of the profession.
    She said: “I would say that modelling gives an advantage to my self-esteem. It is also a bonus to me wherever I go. I blend and adapt easily. However, it has never been a profession to me. It is simply an avenue to build my dreams on.
    “The profession has its good and bad sides, and as a model, the challenges I face include persistent advances from the opposite sex. I also have to regularly put my diet in check. Then every now and then, I suffer pitiful glances from people, perhaps because of the belief that we models starve or are culture rebels.
    “However, like I said, it has been passion-driven for me, and I realise that it is a job that everyone involved in it should approach with wisdom and care. Otherwise, he or she won’t be living an exemplary life.”
    Speaking about the pains and gains of being a model in Nigeria, designer Segun Adetunji of House of Style says: “Modelling is a frustrating business in Nigeria. It is a business in which prophets are not honoured in their own town. Models are not appreciated here, even successful ones like Agbani Darego, who had to go abroad to be noticed. It was only designer Frank Oshodi that noticed and appreciated her here. She didn’t even have to pay him.
    “Here, a model has to struggle to survive and they are paid peanuts. The story can only change if a model gets a lucky break. I don’t blame anybody who struggles to become a model despite the pains, because we are not all the same. There are people who believe in fame. So, they go all out to get it. Even I am guilty of this because I was once a model.
    “Modelling is a mirage. It is colourful. It offers you the moon, but you must remember that you can never hold the moon in your hands.”
    Analysing the lifestyle of models, style writer, Signor Cerruti Osagie, said: “I have the most part of the life of models. I have reported models from Nigeria to South Africa and then Europe. I knew Agbani Darego before she hit fame. There is also Oluchi Onweagba and the likes of Oji who later got married to a millionaire’s son and left the country. I related closely to the organisers of Mnet Face of Africa.”
    Osagie added: “I must confess, it is a tough work being a model. But when you get recognised, you make money faster because of your popularity and the new friends you acquire.
    “But just as you make the money, you spend it too. Models spend money on the vanities of life: clothes, accessories, perfumes, shoes and the good life. I know a model who was paid N1.5m and she spent it within four days. The first night, we were at a night club. We drank heavily. She changed her wardrobe and the money was gone.
    “But then, the following week, she cried to one of her admirers who had given her an SUV months earlier, and he gave her another half a million naira, which also kept her going for a few more days.”
    “Modeling is a mirage. The glamour life is always ahead of you and as a model, you keep going after it. The higher you go, the more of the glamour you want. It is showbiz, and showbiz is about make-believe. You keep chasing, if you find luck, then you are lucky. And if you don’t, then too bad!”
    On the issue of love, relationship and marriage, some models hinted on the mindset of models with regard to these issues. To Jennifer Chukwurah, “marriage is a blessed union between a man and a woman. It is a good thing. But I just hope that I get married when I find my soul mate.”
    Asked if she feels scared that modelling may not allow men to desire her for marriage, her reply was simply “I do not think so.”
    Miss Edo on her part had this to say: “Marriage is cool. I will model till I leave this earth. I so much love what I do and no man can stop me in the name of marriage. When the time is right, I will say ‘I do.’
    “Scared about a man not marrying me because of my profession? Hell no. I am not! If you can’t marry me because of my career, that’s good for you. Marriage is not a do-or-die affair.”
    Faith, an upcoming model, however believes that modelling has made some girls rich but “it’s just that most people feel that models are wayward. That doesn’t bother me because I know I am not wayward.”
    Designer Segun Adetunji did not mince words in his blunt reaction. According to him, “models live a one night stand. Most of the men they come across are rich but already married. They have their wives and probably their homes at the water fronts, and only need fanciful young ladies to share lustful passion with. And this they find easily with models.”
    With pockets of bias here and there about the profession, we asked Ubong Ekanem who runs a modelling agency if the Nigerian climate is really ripe for the profession, considering our culture, tradition and prejudice, and he said: “Models are real people. They have body, soul and spirit. They are creative people who do creative things that add value to the society; from product endorsements, TV adverts, print adverts, exhibitions and brand representation to a lot of other marketing communication solutions.
    “Models ensure that economics is in the works. The world is now a global village and everyone must represent his or her self under that paradigm. The more we begin to see models as creative people, the better for our immediate society.
    “My happiest moment working with models has been, when a total ‘Plain Jane’ graduates into a Cinderella. There is nothing like that moment when a girl you just found on the street is walking the ramp and making photography more picturesque. From being a green horn in the fashion plain, she gets groomed and becomes a supermodel. You see them do their thing and you say to yourself, ‘I made that happen.’ “
    Although harsh the path of models may be to the top, Osagie has a piece of advice: “The most successful models in Nigeria are those that were smart, made money and used it to face their education. Modelling is for a while. You may not be able to keep the beauty forever. So, you get the money, get education, do business. That way, your reputation stays on the rise and you can be made a brand ambassador.
    “Nike Oshinowo, for instance, is a brand ambassador. She was able to succeed in making a name and she invested in her image and education and then business. So, it is either you go to school or you enter into hard core business or you drift into prostitution.
    “Modelling business is that of razzmatazz. There is only one hope, and that is to go to school. Some of them work while going to school, but after they’ve laboured to become recognised models, they suddenly finish school and let the ambition die maybe because of the pursuit of other factors, such as emotional needs.
    “Only a few models who are real professionals get married. The profession caters little for models who are married, though it is not like married ones don’t or can’t survive. It depends on the model. She has to put in more effort and work every day on her beauty and physique. Models don’t get married because most of the time, it is all about business. There is little space for true love, which is ever demanding.
    “Models get to meet so many millionaires who are already married but need them to be mistresses with all the promises and benefits that money can command. Most often, in such situations, real love is on the back burner. It’s about need, desire and survival. Though I know of top models abroad who are married to movie stars or footballers and still keep a successful marriage.
    “Most models, however, have to choose between two options, that is the ‘FF option,’ which is to choose between fame or family. And in the showbiz world which modelling belongs, fame is usually more interestingly opted for than marriage.
    “In showbiz, it is either you show up yourself or you show off. One usually has to choose between the two.”
    Gift Osarobo, another model, admits that there is an ugly side to the profession of modelling. “For instance, I am told to come and do a photo shoot for a magazine and I get there only to realise that it’s a sex movie that they want to shoot. If I don’t want to do it, I tell them so. And if I want to do it, I just do it. It’s a matter of choice. They won’t force you to do what you don’t want to do. So, models should be able to ask questions a lot about the job before getting involved.
    “Then again, a lot of people in the industry are not truthful to the contracts they sign. They don’t keep to the rules. They tell a model, we’ll give you this, and they end up not doing so. Most of the time, the job has already been done. Personally, the job could be stressful when moving in traffic around the city. If I’m having a late night job, I get a place there to sleep or the management provides a way to take me home.
    “I know most models have a different idea of what modelling should be or do for them. The people I work with are lovely people. But is every management like that? No! And that could be because they face pressure. Working with different people means that you expect different kinds of things from them. A model has to take her stance on matters!”
    Ejiro on her part believes that “modelling could be frustrating because you get a call from a designer for a job and you get there and the designer says, ‘oh sorry, we actually needed somebody who is a little fair complexioned.’ That could be terrible because you wasted time, money and convenience. Sometimes, you are paid peanuts as far as I’m concerned. But then, this is the business.”
    Many models are also into night life and prostitution. But Gift Osarobo believes that “when it comes to prostitution, it is a matter of choice. But modelling is a job. They are two different things. If a model mixes up the two, it becomes a matter of choice. And it is always best for a model to be registered with a good agency. No agency will allow its model to go off with a man late at night after work. They stress professionalism.”
    Cases of models going out for modelling jobs only to be declared missing are also heard in the industry.
    “I’m so sorry about such a thing,” commented Gift. “But it still boils down to getting registered. Many go into modelling jobs without being registered.
    “Basically, undue publicity is a pain to models. Another thing is having to avoid foods and trying to shed fat and weight. It is also time consuming shooting and going to locations. Also, being asked to wear what ordinarily you would not want to wear, being asked to go nude or topless for a job, as well as other such job hazards.
    “The standard in Africa is, however, that you don’t go nude. As for me, I’ll want to be married someday, so I won’t want to do that. There’s also sexual harassment, though it is a general thing.”
    Just like Osagie, model and fashion designer Modella has a last word for models in Nigeria: “Models should have more than pretty faces. It is a business, so they must treat it so. The lifestyle of models I don’t like is that they get carried away with the glamour and glitz of show business, too many parties, too many good looking men and pretty faces, and much money! There are too many trips and no time for other things! It is a life of vanity.
    “So, models must plan a life outside the job. Good enough, the job opens doors”.
  • Furore over death of 44-year-old gambling business man allegedly killed by okada riders

    Furore over death of 44-year-old gambling business man allegedly killed by okada riders

    The dust raised by the death of a 44-year-old man in gambling business is   yet to settle five weeks after he was allegedly killed by some okada (commercial motorcycle) operators. Kunle Adewole a.k.a Computer, was allegedly beaten to death by okada riders in Ijaiye-Ojokoro, Lagos State.
    His wife and associates insist his killers were loyalists of a chieftain of the Motorcycle Operators Association of Lagos State (MOALS), one Comrade. But comrade has in turn accused one of his colleagues, one Muraina, of being responsible for Adewole’s death.
    As the story goes, Adewole, who had been conducting his business at the park of the motorcycle operators for some time, was said to have been approached on August 2 by a 16-year-old boy who ended up gambling with N8, 000. It was said that when the scale fell off the teenager’s eyes, he demanded for a refund of his money while the deceased reluctantly returned the sum of N2,000 to him.
    Not satisfied with the sum returned to him, the boy approached some okada riders in the park to intervene in the matter. The deceased was allegedly summoned by Comrade and was ordered to refund the N8,000 he had collected from the boy. When he would not comply, he was allegedly beaten by some of the okada riders on the orders of Comrade and locked up in one of the MOALS’ offices where he started vomiting uncontrollably.
    He was also said to have collapsed several times before he was taken to a nearby private hospital, which referred him to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) where he died on August 3.
    Adewole’s business partner, Gbenga Bankole, who witnessed the incident, explained that the deceased had complied with the okada riders’ directive and had returned the money he collected from the teenager before he was beaten to death.
    He said: “We were together at a corner of the park doing our business when a 16-year-old boy came to gamble with some money. Unfortunately for the boy, he staked the sum of N8,000 and lost. Then he started begging for a refund of his money and, out of compassion, the deceased, who was my senior partner, gave him N2,000, but he was not satisfied.
    “We later learnt that the boy had approached the top officials of the MOALS branch at the park. A few minutes later, Computer (Adewole) was summoned by Comrade and he went to see him. After a few hours, he returned with his clothe torn and looked rough. I asked him what happened and he told me that he was asked to refund the boy’s money and that he was beaten mercilessly.
    “He had barely finished speaking when he collapsed. After we had revived him, he said he wanted to visit the toilet. He had only taken a few steps when he fell down again. We rushed him to a nearby hospital where he was again revived.
    “From there, he was referred to LASUTH where doctors said he would need to undergo surgery because he had suffered internal bleeding as a result of the beating he received in the hands of his attackers. We were asked to raise the sum of N100, 000, but we were still running around to raise the money when he died.
    “The matter was reported at the Ojokoro Police Station and some of those who perpetrated the act were arrested but later released. The question is: why should Comrade order his men to beat the deceased when they are not law enforcement operatives? They took the law into their own hands and their action culminated in the death of my partner.”
    A source, who asked not to be named, described the incident as shocking, adding that he encouraged the deceased to honour the invitation by the leadership of the okada riders, not knowing that it was “a death warrant.”
    He said: “On that day, a teenager went to a stand where the deceased was carrying out his gambling business and he was said to have staked some money and lost. He allegedly asked for a refund of his money and the deceased told me he actually refunded the sum of N2,000 to him but he was not satisfied.
    “While the deceased was chatting with me, some members of the okada riders association at the park told him Comrade wanted to see him. He was initially afraid to honour the invitation and even sought my advice. I encouraged him to honour the invitation, and I left to attend to some other things.
    “A few minutes later, I learnt that the deceased had been brutally beaten and that he had vomited several times before he was rushed to a private hospital. He was later transferred to Ikeja General Hospital (LASUTH) where h died the following day.
    “One of the deceased’s partners called Shadrack reported the incident at the Ojokoro Police Station while he was being beaten at the park but police intervention proved insignificant.”
    Speaking with our correspondent, Adewole’s widow, Abosede, said: “My husband was an employee of the Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC). He was one of those temporarily relieved of their appointments recently, after which he took to private business.
    “On August 2, 2012, he left home for work and when he did not return on time, I decided to call some of his partners only to be confronted with the news that he was involved in an accident. I quickly rushed to the scene when he was about to be moved to Ikeja General Hospital.
    “There were a lot of people around, and I was told that he was beaten by some boys at the park. Doctors told us that he sustained internal injuries and that the sum of N100, 000 was needed to carry out a surgical operation on him. He, however, died before we could raise the money for his treatment.
    “But I became suspicious when the man alleged to have ordered his beating gave us some money while my husband was on hospital bed. His family said they would not press charges against his suspected killers because they do not have the money to file a law suit. He has just been recalled from work and he was due to resume duty before he was killed. He was nicknamed Computer because he was such an intelligent person.”
    Responding on the telephone, Comrade  denied any complicity in the matter.
    He said: “I don’t know who must have told you that I was responsible for the incident. If you must know, I was not around when the incident occurred, and I don’t have a hand in his death. I was told that some boys from an okada park under the control of one Muraina were the ones who allegedly chased the deceased to our park and ran back when some of my members rescued him.
    “The same Muraina has been spreading false information about my complicity in the death of Adewole and even wrote a petition to the Zone 2 Police Command, Lagos. I know that his motive is to implicate me so that he can seize the opportunity of my absence to take over my park.
    “I have just been released from detention after about five days in police cell. For your information, the matter was reported as a case of assault at the Ojokoro Police Station.”
    Asked why he gave the family of the deceased money during some visits he made to him in the hospital, he declined comments. “Why would you ask me such a question? I will not answer your question and I’ll suggest you ask those who gave you the information that I had a hand in Adewole’s death. Besides, I don’t talk to journalists on the phone. I’ll rather see you in person than engage you in phone conversation,” he said.
    In an interview with our correspondent, Muraina absolved himself of complicity in Adewole’s death, saying: “I don’t have anything to do with the incident at all. The story is being peddled by Comrade to implicate me because my presence and large followership unsettles him. I have stated my own side of the matter in my explanation to men of the Zone 2 Police Command.
    “The deceased couldn’t have been chased to the okada park under Comrade’s control. This is because the deceased had been operating from the park for some time and he was said to have carried out some transactions on the day he was allegedly killed by Comrade’s boys. And what actually compelled me to react was that Comrade, in a bid to exonerate himself, told family members of the deceased and other people in the community that my boys were the ones responsible for Adewole’s death.
    “My park is in Ajala area of Ojokoro Local Council Development Area while comrade’s park is the one at Ijaiye where the incident occurred.”
    The spokesperson of the Lagos State Police Command, Ms. Ngosi Braide, was yet to respond to enquiries by our correspondent at the time of filing this report.
  • Panic in Anambra community as landslide, erosion ruin 50 buildings

    Panic in Anambra community as landslide, erosion ruin 50 buildings

    •Residents flee in droves, send SOS to govt
    The inhabitants of Oko,  Local Government Area, Anambra State, are living in fear following a continuous landslide which has been ravaging a part of the community since February 18 this year. Already, many indigenes of the town whose houses have been ‘swallowed’ in the landslide have abandoned their ancestral homes to seek refuge elsewhere.
    When our reporter visited the area on Wednesday, many of the residents were busy moving out of the area for fear of being consumed in another landslide that may occur at any time. Some of them told our reporter that they needed to leave the community because it had experienced the ugly development about five times since it first occurred in February, adding that no fewer than 50 houses had been consumed already.
    The villagers, some of who embarked on a peaceful demonstration with placards bearing various inscriptions, appealed to the state and federal governments to come to their aid.  One of the victims, Ezeokeke Josiah, said he lost money and property worth more than N7.5 million to landslide, calling on the authorities to come to the community’s aid.
    The Chairman, Erosion Ecological Committee in the town, Mr. Barnabas Nwafor, described the situation as hopeless, saying there appeared to be no help in sight. He recalled that the first landslide which took place on February 18, 2012 had jolted everyone. He recalled that as at that time, residents of the area believed it was a one-off incident that would not occur again. But in six months, more than 800 metres of land had been consumed by landslide.
    He attributed the phenomenon to the washing away by erosion of a big water channel constructed by the Shehu Shagari administration, which resulted in heavy flooding of the gully in the area. Nwafor also blamed sand excavation around the local government for the gully erosion that has ravaged the community for a long time.
    He said: “We have written the government to send a task force to stop further excavation of sand, especially from the base around Amaokpala and Awgbu communities, but nothing has been done as sand excavators still operate between 11 pm and 4 am.”
    He noted that the most ravaged part of the community was his Ezioko village, which has tried to no avail to contain the menace by forming several groups whose mission was to stop further encroachment of erosion before the last landslide occurred.
    He said: “Every last Saturday of the month, the group plants trees along the erosion areas. Every family has been mandated to dig catchment pits around their compounds to trap rain water (flood). When we noticed that the water channel was being cut off by erosion, we bought about 200 bags of cement to salvage it. But our efforts yielded little or no result as the water channel was eventually cut off. Since then, the landslide has been occurring.”
    He lamented that apart from the now cut off water channel constructed by the Shagari/Ekwueme regime, no other government has tried to contain the erosion menace, adding that even when the first landslide occurred, there was no government presence apart from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) which brought in some relief materials like blankets, bags of rice and beans, among others.
    He, therefore, appealed to the governments to come to the community’s aid. “What we want the government to do now is just a palliative measure to stop the flood from entering the gully by channelling it elsewhere. After the first landslide, the state government came and made promises of awarding the contract. But up till now, nothing has been seen,” he said.
    Nwafor recalled also that the member representing the area in the House of Representatives, Hon. Ben Nwankwo, who visited after the first landslide, expressed sympathy and promised to take it up on the floors of the House, but nothing had been heard from him.
    “We have no option but to turn to the media to, at least, make our plights known to the world, especially the Federal Government and the World Bank. We feel the menace is beyond the state government, though the state can still do something to prevent further encroachment,” he stated.
    Another leader in the village, Hon. Martin Ezeofor, said his prayer was for the government to come to their aid. Ezeofor added: “As things stand, our houses have been swallowed by landslide. We are sending a save-our-soul signal to the government. We have been turned into refugees in our land. Some of my kids have stopped schooling.”
    He commended NEMA for the relief materials it gave to landslide victims in February. But he said that such materials were not really needed, adding that what the community needed most was the control of the flood that has caused them pains.
    In his own contribution, the secretary of the village and member of the community’s Erosion Vanguard Committee, Paulinus Ezenwizube, said: “I want to appeal to the Federal Government via the state government to come to our rescue. The inhabitants of this area have become refugees in their ancestral homes. Erosion has overtaken their residence. About 50 buildings have been consumed by both erosion and landslide and many more are endangered.
    “Many people have come here in the past promising that the situation would be controlled in no distant time, but nothing has been done. We are appealing through this medium for government’s intervention. We need positive action from the government.
    “The village has tried on its own. Even our brothers overseas have sent in some money for more catchment pits around the area. The Federal Government should intervene. The menace is beyond the ability of the community and the state government.”
    It will be recalled that the traditional ruler of Oko, Prof. Laz Ekwueme, while calling for assistance from the Federal Government and the World Bank after the first landslide in February, warned that if nothing was done before the rainy season, the problem would get worse.
    He had also disclosed that the contract for the control of the erosion that probably triggered the landslide had been awarded for a long time but was abandoned for no known reasons. He decried a situation where government played politics with such an important project that affects the lives of the people directly.
    He had warned that if the menace was not checked before the rainy season, many buildings would be eroded, including his ancestral home, because the abandoned drainage project that had been checking the erosion had been cut off by the landslide. The monarch’s palace sits only a few metres away from the site of the landslide.
     In a related development, the Federal Polytechnic Oko, Anambra State, called for the intervention of the Federal Government to tackle the menace of erosion, which it said was threatening to wash away its extension site. The Rector, Prof. Godwin Onu, who made the appeal when Hon. Ben Nwankwo, who represents the area in the House of Representatives undertook a tour of the area, said the polytechnic did not have the wherewithal to tackle the menace.
    He said the menace of erosion, which was rocking the host community, was gradually ravaging the extension site of the polytechnic. He called for government’s assistance in tackling it. Nwankwo said he would raise the issue at the House of Representatives. He commended the Rector for the judicious use of resources and his ingenuity in turning the polytechnic around.

  • The millionaire’s daughter (2)

    As she leaned towards me, I moved a little and the intended kiss landed on my cheek. She looked at me in surprise.
    “What’s the matter? Don’t you find me attractive?” she said uncertainly.
    “It’s not that. I think you are a very pretty lady. But I believe we are moving too fast.”
    “Too fast?” she repeated. “It’s just a kiss! I’m not asking you to sleep with me!”
     “I know. But let’s take things slower a little, get to know each other better…” I explained.
     “What’s there to know? You already know a lot about me. And as for you, at least I’m aware of where you work. And as your landlady, I know where you live.”
    Then she took my hand, kissed it before saying:
    “Look, Dave, I like you. Very much. And I feel a connection with you that I haven’t felt with any man for a long time. You might think someone in my position can get any guy I want. But the thing is, it’s even more difficult for me to get a decent guy, one I can trust than the average lady who doesn’t come from my kind of background.
    “Besides, I had made it clear to my family that I will choose my own husband and not be in an arranged marriage like some of my friends. Many of such unions end up crashing. I don’t want that. So many men want to go out with me but I know most of them are just after what they can get from me. Like my last boyfriend. I trusted him and he ended up duping me, making away with millions of my money.”
    “I’m sorry to hear that,” I told her.
    “It’s ok. It’s all in the past now. I’m sure you are not like that sneaky bastard. I feel I can trust you because I was the one who came after you and not the other way round. It shows you are not interested in my money.”
    We sat in the car, chatting for a while. Later, we fixed another date.
    “Can’t wait to see you again,” she said softly, taking my face in her hands and kissing me passionately…
    I saw a lot of Meera in the intervening months. She became a frequent visitor to my home and she and Nick got along well. There was only one problem. My girlfriend Elfreda. She lived at the other end of town and she often visited me especially at weekends. There was even a day she came and met Meera and I had to introduce her as my landlady.
    After Meera had gone, she began to ask me all kinds of questions.
    “Are you sure there’s nothing going on between you two? She was acting too familiar with you!”
    “And what’s that supposed to mean?” I asked her, turning away from the TV to glare at her.
    “Don’t blame me. I’ve been hearing all kinds of rumours concerning both of you. That she comes here a lot and you go out with her and you come back late and …”
    “Can you just hear yourself? So, you don’t have any work to do anymore but go about listening to petty gossip from people who don’t have anything better to do with their time! She’s just my landlady and nothing more. I have nothing to do with her!” I stated vehemently.
    Maybe she believed me for she did not pursue the matter any longer. I might have convinced Elfreda but I couldn’t fool myself that I had nothing serious with Meera. For by this time, we had started dating fully. She had even taken me to her family home and introduced me to her mother and elder brother, Tony. They had welcomed me warmly enough but I could feel their assessing eyes on me, perhaps wondering what I was doing with their Meera. She had another sister who lived in the UK.
     Later, Meera had told me that her brother liked me and was keen on meeting up with me again.
      “What about your Mum?” I asked her.
     She sighed then stated:
      “I can’t really say what her feelings are. You see, she has become very suspicious of any guy she sees me with after what my last boyfriend did. Anyway, it’s my brother’s opinion that really matters as he is the head of the family now. Once he gives the go-ahead, we can start planning our future together!”
    That was the stage I had reached with Meera so I was not being truthful when I told Elfreda that I had nothing to do with her. But how could I tell my girlfriend that I was dating my landlady and she was already thinking of marriage? She would be devastated and I wanted to spare her that agony. You see, I loved Elfreda very much. We had been together for some years and until Meera came into my life, she was the woman I was intending to settle down with. But meeting Meera had changed all that.
    It was not as if I was in love with her. No. My heart was with Elfreda. But being an ambitious young man who wanted to get ahead in the world, I knew Meera was a golden opportunity that I would be foolish to let slip through my fingers. Getting hooked to her would change my life for the better and who didn’t want a better life in this hard world? It wasn’t as if I came from a poor background, though.
    My father was, until his retirement, a civil servant who had risen to a reasonable level in the service. My mother worked as a hospital administrator for many years. So, though we weren’t rich, my parents ensured we didn’t lack and gave all their five children good education.
    “I don’t have much property for you, my children to inherit. All I can give you is a sound education. With that, you can face the world with courage and you will know your rights,” my father used to tell my siblings and I.
    But with Meera in my life, I knew there was no limit to what I could achieve. When I had discussed the matter with Nick, my cousin, he had advised caution.
    “You know, money isn’t everything. It’s Elfreda you say you love and makes you happy. Why don’t you stick with her? You might marry into money, have all the luxuries of this world at your beck and call and still be miserable. Think deeply before you choose as your future happiness is at stake here.”
     I knew that. I also realised I had reached a crossroads of sorts and soon I would be forced to make a choice. To choose between Meera and Elfreda…
    The chosen one
     Things came to a head sooner than I had expected. I had been seeing Meera for about a year when she announced one day that she might be pregnant.
    “I’m usually very regular. Once my period is late like this, it often means one thing,” she had said.
    I looked at her, confused.
    “I thought you were using protection. How could this have happened?” I queried.
     She shrugged.
     “I don’t know. I could be wrong, anyway. I will go to the hospital tomorrow to do a test, just to be sure…”
    She did the test and sure enough, it came out positive. She seemed unflustered by it all while I became even more confused.
    What were we going to do especially since she had stated that she was going to keep the baby?
    “Maybe, this is a sign that it’s time to take our relationship to another level. You know, get married…”
     I knew she was right but I was still unprepared for a final decision about our future. Because that would mean breaking up with Elfreda and I couldn’t imagine my life without her. She had been a part of me for so long that the thought of severing all connection with her, was painful to contemplate.
     I stood up and went outside to the balcony of Meera’s apartment. She lived in a beautiful high-rise building, a luxury block of flats in a very exclusive part of town. She was on the fifth floor and I stood gazing down at the swimming pool for the residents in the courtyard below. Everything looked beautiful and serene. And it smelt of wealth.
    “I had to move out of our family home as I couldn’t stand that bitch that calls herself my brother’s wife. At least here, I have my personal space. And peace,” Meera had explained the first time she had taken me there.
     Spread out as far as the eye could see were other high rises and mansions- in between lush greenery- belonging to the extremely rich in the society.
    ‘This is the life of opulence you will be living if you marry Meera,’ a voice seemed to say to me.
    I stood gazing into the horizon for a while then I went inside to join Meera. I spent the night in Meera’s place and the following day, a Sunday, I formally proposed to her. She became very excited and immediately began plans for the wedding.
    She called some of her friends to break the news and later in the day, a couple of them showed up at the apartment.
    Tracy was the first to come.
    “I hope you’ve not given the chief bridesmaid’s position out because that’s mine!” she declared as she hugged and congratulated us.
    “I was thinking of giving that role to Claire. She will…”
    “What!” Tracy cut in. “No way! She’s way too fat. You will spend too much on fabric just to get an outfit that will fit her. If you make her your chief bridesmaid, I will never speak to you again,” she said in a petulant voice.
    Meera laughed.
    “You are so silly! I was just pulling your legs. Of course, you will be my CB…” she stated, laughing gaily at her friend. Later, Meera went downstairs to get something from the car and I made my way to the kitchen to get some drinks from the fridge.
    “I don’t understand you. Why do you want to tie yourself to one lady when there are so many out there to sample?” I turned round to see Tracy standing by the door, her hands on her hips. She walked towards me saying: “Like me for instance. Am I not beautiful enough? I’m even prettier than Meera. Just take a good look at all this,” she said and she swivelled round and struck a seductive pose like a model on the runway.
    “You know I like you. You and I could have a lot of fun together. And I know how to please a man. I will make you happy, much happier than Meera,” she said, coming to embrace me.
    But I evaded her grasping arms and said sternly: “Tracy, this is wrong. I’m engaged to your friend and you shouldn’t be saying such things to me. So, control yourself, ok?” And
    picking up the bottles of wine, I made for the door. I could hear her say behind me:
    “You are playing hard to get, isn’t it? I like that. It makes you even more attractive. But you can’t escape me no matter how hard you try. Tracy always gets what she wants…”
    ‘Not this time,’ I thought to myself as l walked to the living room.
    Having made Meera my choice, I had the unpleasant task of dumping Elfreda. I couldn’t face her so I wrote a letter explaining everything and asking for her forgiveness. My friend, Dick who delivered the letter, latter told me that she almost fainted after reading it.
    “It wasn’t funny at all. I felt really bad for her. Dave, I know it’s your life but was it wise dumping her? That girl loves you so much. I doubt if she can ever get over you or what happened,” he had stated.
    “What could I have done?” I countered hotly. “Meera is already pregnant for me. You don’t expect me to abandon her now she needs me most?”
    “I’m not saying that. I will advise you to see Elfreda. She needs all the consoling she can get now,” he stated.
    I promised him I would visit her but I didn’t. I felt too ashamed to face her. I decided to put the matter behind me and face the future which was Meera. She was very busy with the wedding preparations, as she wanted us to get married before her pregnancy became obvious.
    “I don’t want to be like those brides who go from the reception to the maternity ward,” she joked one day while poring over a magazine for brides. Shortly after, she travelled abroad to get fitted for her gown and shop for other items for the wedding.
    My parents came down from our hometown where my father had retired to for the wedding which was a big, society one. Meera literally glowed; she looked so lovely in her gown and veil that for a while I forgot that it should have been Elfreda I was exchanging vows with and not her.
    It was a nice start to our lives together and I was grateful to God for everything. We travelled out of the country for our honeymoon which lasted for about three weeks.
    When we got back, the plan was for me to resume work at Meera’s family business. But I wasn’t too keen as I had other plans. I had the idea of setting up my own company that will be into computer software development solutions.
    Nick had advised me about that before the wedding.
    “You need to be independent, have your own business, be your own man. That’s the only way you can get any respect from your in-laws,” he had advised.
    But Meera was not initially in support when I told her my plans.
    “What do you need your own business for? Our company is large enough to accommodate you. You can even be in charge of one of the subsidiaries if that’s what you want. I’m sure Tony won’t mind,” she noted.
    “I appreciate the offer but I want to do my own thing. It’s always been my dream. And as my wife, it’s your duty to support me,” I pointed out.
    She looked at me sharply and said:
    “What’s that supposed to mean? Have I…”
         To be continued
    Join us next Saturday for the concluding part of Dave’s story! (Names have been changed to protect the narrator’s identity.)
    Send comments/suggestions to 08023201831 or email psaduwa@yahoo.com

  • Understanding your uniqueness (2)

    Dear Reader,
    I bring you God’s peace and blessings in Jesus’ name.  Last week, I taught on the creation of male and female genders.  I remember saying an understanding of your uniqueness will help you to be a greater blessing to others.
    This week, I want to teach on Male And Female Differences!
    Male and female were designed to exercise dominion over the earth.  Even though both of them are equal, God created them to manifest in two different bodies and with two different natures.  God made His products to fulfill their purpose.  The male and female both have dominion; each has to execute its purpose in different manner.  God’s Word says: There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory (1 Corinthians 15:41).
    Man and woman are both equal in the sense that they were both created in the image of God and their differences are only functional.  When God made the woman and presented her to Adam, he said, “This is now… bone of my bones”  In other words, Adam was saying, “This person is exactly like me in structure.”  Again, he said, “This is now … flesh of my flesh” (Genesis 2:23).  That is, “She is exactly like me in all her physical qualities and in all of her emotional and psychological ability.”  Adam saw two differences.  “We are the same, we are equal,” he said, adding “but there are differences.”
    Now, the major difference between the man and the woman is that, the woman has a womb and can bear children.  The woman is designed primarily as a receiver, and the man is designed primarily as a giver.  This means that the woman is created to receive love.
    Despite the fact we all know that differences between men and women exist, most people have problems with this fact because they believe that being “different” means being inferior or superior.  You should not equate being different to being less.  I want you to know that a woman is not less than a man because she is a woman, and a man is not less than a woman because he is a man.  Their differences, I believe, are necessary because of their purposes.
    The following are some of male’s mannerisms that make them different from female:
    Respect!
    Without respect, there can be no relationship.  Without respect, I dare not risk sharing my intimate self with you; you are not safe to me and the beliefs and values I hold dear.  Without respect, there can be no true understanding of your uniqueness.  Without respect, there can be no love.  Men hold respect in high esteem and so, for the married, they want to be respected by their wives.  They want to be reverenced and respected to the best of your ability, after all, they are in the position as the head.  This is stated clearly in God’s Word, And the wife see that she reverence her husband (Ephesians 5:33).
    To the wives, your husband may not be refined as you are, but to maintain peace at home, you need to respect him.  Respect allows you to accept your spouse’s point of view wholeheartedly, consider and value his perspectives or suggestions.  Thus, let your partner know that your respect and value for him supersedes the specific issue you are discussing.
    Obedience!
    Men admire obedience, and especially from their wives.  No man gets excited with an argumentative wife.  It is important for you to know as a woman that your arguments can cause more trouble at home than good.  You must learn to obey your husband, because he is the head of the home.  Whatever you want to discuss with your husband, wisdom demands that you communicate and not in arguments.  Arguments must be avoided by all means in your home, in order to enjoy peace; rather than engaging in arguments, make use of spiritual weapons at your disposal.  Never allow any issue to degenerate into arguments, which can build up anger and graduate to physical fight.
    Good Food!
    There is no man who does not like good food, no matter how spiritual he is.  Remember, the way to a man’s heart is his stomach, and a hungry man is an angry man.  Man needs physical food to survive.  As a woman, take out time to study what food your husband really likes, what is good for him, and cook it the way he likes it.  When he is satisfied, his soul blesses you.  If there is any particular meal you don’t know how to cook as a woman, for instance, you should go and learn it and prepare it for him.  God’s Word says: Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things (Psalms 103:5).
    Cleanliness!
    Cleanliness, they say, is next to godliness.  Men adore cleanliness.  No man appreciates a dirty environment.  Therefore, as a woman, you should learn to keep the home and the environment clean and tidy, free of any offensive odour per time.  Your wardrobe and toilet need to be kept clean.  Pay the price of cleanliness and you will enjoy a good atmosphere.
    You need to give your life to Christ to have all it takes to have a sweet home. You can say this prayer: Dear Lord, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins.  Cleanse me with Your precious Blood. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour.  Now I know I am born again!
    Congratulations!  Till I come your way again next week, call or write, and share your testimonies with me through: E-mail: faithdavid@yahoo.com Tel. No: 234-1-7747546-8; 07026385437, 07094254102
    For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all the Living Faith Churches, and other leading Christian bookstores: Single With A Difference, Make Life Count and Marriage Covenant.
  • Adams decries neglect of Yoruba language

    Adams decries neglect of Yoruba language

    The National Co-ordinator of the O’odua People’s Congress (OPC) and Chief Promoter of Olokun Festival Foundation, Otunba Gani Adams, has once again decried the decline in the usage of the Yoruba   language. He made this observation at the grand finale of the Osun Osogbo festival recently held in Osogbo, the Osun State capital.
    The OPC leader spoke at the group’s celebration ground after visiting the Osun Osogbo Grove as part of the group’s annual tradition during the festival.
      He said it was acceptable to say culture holds the streams of all moral values and language is one of  the values that culture holds. According to him, he was worried  that as a language becomes weak and unused, the ideas, philosophy of the culture of that language disappears.
    He said: “A language transmits the ideology of a culture. Osun Osogbo, as an expression,for instance, cannot be given an exact interpretation in any other language  because it is an ideology that intrinsically belongs to the Yoruba culture.”
    The OPC leader also identified the problems facing the Yoruba language as the “the unfortunate influence of other foreign languages acceptable as the media of instruction in schools and of social interaction among elite. It is very hard to see a home in Yorubaland that is not encouraging speaking of foreign languages, especially English, among their children.”
    He said many Yoruba parents  now measure fluency in the English language as a yardstick for measuring intelligence. He said the Yoruba language and other adopted languages like English could be used side by side without damaging one for the other.
     Adams said by allowing the Yoruba language to die, the values and ideologies that the Yoruba people need to nurture their existence as descendants of Oduduwa will die as well.
    He said the Yoruba people should see the language as an important aspect of their lives and every thing should be done to keep it alive.
    The OPC Osun Osogbo festival also witness songs and dances and other creativer cultural expressions. On the band stand was a popular Yoruba musician, St. Janet who played her hearts out to the appreciaition and admiration of the OPC members and their guests.
  • Lekki: The making of tourism zone

    Lekki: The making of tourism zone

    Lagos State, with more  than 180 kilometers of lush white sandy beachfront, myriads of islands some inhabited  and others lying fallow, probably boasts of the highest tourism credential in West Africa. Hitherto, not much has been done in the area of maximally harnessing these gifts of nature and turning them into real value-for-money tourism assets that could lure tourist traffic from far and near.
    One council development area has, however, decided to take the gauntlet  and use tourism as a tool for socio-economic transformation, and, in the process, put the area on the tourism map of Africa. The place is the Lekki Local Council Development Area (LCDA). Before, to the knowledgeable, the LCDA, with its tourism asset, was just a huge waste of God’s gift.
    Lekki’s foray into tourism goes back more than 100 years.The colonialist saw the potential of the zone as a tourism haven. That was why they decided to build a chalet where they could go and unwind and generally have a qualitative leisure time. That gave birth to the place that was later made more famous  as the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s detention camp in the 60s.
    Aside the centre, there was no major high profile tourism project by the government  until in the 90s when the then military governor of the  state, Colonel Buba Marwa, developed the Eko Tourist Beach Resort, Akodo in Lekki. A private sector initiative was also put in place by Otunba Wanle Akinboboye  when he opened the luxurious La Campagne Beach Resort, Ikegun in the early 90s.
    Currently, it is as if the scale has been removed and everybody can now see that this part of the state is a tourism gold mine. A free trade zone will soon be operational. There is also a 27-hole golf course being built. For the Lekki area, the future is looking bright.
    One would then ask: What in the area of natural tourism asset does the Lekki area have to offer? It is mind-bungling. It has history.  Scattered on the beachfront of the area is the slave baraccon used during the slave trade, the Refugee Island, the Freedom Flag, the Awo Detention Centre, some colonial relics at Orimedu and many others. Of course, there is the close to 30 kilometres of white sandy beach, including the famous Eleko Beach. The council also boasts of about 16 lakes plus the lagoon areas and smaller islands.
    It is in the light of this that the  LCDA chair, Barrister Mukandaisi Ogidan, decided to turn the area into a tourism  zone. He is the first LCDA chair in Nigeria to do so. It is history and this is also to his credit as an administrator.
    Asked why the declaration of the area as a tourism zone, Ogidan said with the declaration, the council will welcome investors in the area of tourism and will be given all the necessarily co-operation to put projects in place and  have returns on their  investments.
    On hand as the special guest of honour at the declaration ceremony was the president of the World Council of Mayors from the United States of America who came with his entourage, Mr. James Walls. Others were  a former commissioner in Lagos State, Dr  Tola Kasali; World Council of  Mayors Tourism Ambassador to Nigeria, Otunba Wanle Akinboboye; traditional rulers from the council and other notable individuals.
    In his speech, Ogidan said he envisaged the ceremony as a catalyst for  the transformation of the area. His words:“We  see this kind of transformation as the only way we can bring  about the economic potential of this local government development area. Just like Awo said in the 60s that this place would be the best in terms of development.
    “Thank God, this is coming true while we are still here and while our former leaders are still present. We have seen our brother, Mayor James Walls. Their coming here today is good. It is also to secure  the assurance that when they come here to invest, you will be prepared. We will give them every co-operation required for the transformation of  the  LCDA.”
    The President of the World Council of Mayors spoke on why he decided to be part of the history.
     His words: “It is truly an honour to be here for the declaration of the Lekki Tourism Zone. Ambassador Wanle Akinboboye called me on the phone and said Mayor, I need you to be in Nigeria next week. And I said to the ambassador, are you crazy? I am in the middle of an election, trying to re-elect our president, Barack Obama, and you want me to stop what I am doing and travel to Nigeria, and the ambassador said yes, and I replied okay.
    “And before you know it, I am here in Nigeria. I came to Nigeria because this is something very  important. Prior to becoming the president of the World Council of Mayors, I served as the vice president for tourism and asAmbassador Akinboboye told you, my first experience of the motherland was right here in Nigeria and right here in Lekki. Since 2008, I have had the opportunity to visit the motherland and here in Nigeria over 30 times.
    “So, when you talk about tourism, it is very important because men and women and brothers and sisters of African descent need to reconnect with the motherland. I believe it  is through projects like this that will give African-Americans, Africans in  Europe and others an opportunity  not only  to come back and reconnect but come back and reinvest in mother Africa. So, today, this tourism zone is an opportunity for Africans to come back and re-establish their ground and reinvest in our community and I will leave you with this: This is our day, truly it is. This is our hour, and, as Africans, we shall make sure we do not miss our time.”
    Dr Kasali went down  the memory lane to talk of the efforts of the leaders of the area to open up the place in the past.
     “When you talk about the economy of an area, you talk about commerce, industry and tourism. We thank God we now have the Lekki Free Trade Zone in this area. At the beginning of this free trade zone, it was like a tug of war because we needed enlightenment and a lot of talking to let our people know that this is the future that we have been talking about.
    “Once we have the free trade zone, we are opening the place  for commerce and industry and then when we have the tourism project, then we are opening up the place for the whole world. I believe and I am so passionate about it, that we haven’t seen anything yet,”Dr Kasali said.
    Otunba Akinboboye, who is also the owner of the La Campagne Beach Resort, said the status of the council is a welcomed development and promised to work with the council to develop the area.
    Lekki is about an hour drive from the city of  Lagos, off the Lagos-Epe Expressway on the right.
  • Bayelsa to turn Glory Castle to hotel

    Bayelsa to turn Glory Castle to hotel

    The Bayelsa State government has decided to  convert the multi-billion  naira edifice,  Glory Castle, to a six-star hotel as it also expressed its wish to bring back the hitherto much criticized African Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) ceremony to the state.
    The idea of the castle, which is currently used as a lodge, was initiated and built by the administration of Governor D.S.P. Alamieyeseigha, but subsequent administrations, including those of Goodluck Jonathan and Chief Timipre Sylva completed the edifice which   is of international standard and could accommodate many top government officials, including governors and presidents at the same time.
    Governor Dickson’s move to convert it to a six-star hotel is aimed at further boosting the tourism potential in the state, it was learnt.
    Considering its magnificent nature, it will be the first of its kind in the country when completed.
    Criticisms had trailed the birth of the multi-billion naira edifice because it has nothing to do with the common man in the state as it was seen as a waste of resources.
    Governor Dickson, who dropped the hint of converting the building to a hotel when he hosted some Nollywood stars who were in the state for a symposium on the prospects of indigenous films in Nigeria to a state dinner, also mentioned of the state government’s desire to build a film village as part of government’s drive to project the state’s vast potential to the outside world.
    Governor Dickson also expressed his administration’s intention to collaborate with the  AMAA to actualize the project to enable the academy hold its activities annually in the state.
    It would be recalled that the award ceremony attracted a plethora of criticisms, following the huge sum of money expended on it without corresponding positive effect on the state.
  • Africa records seven per cent tourism growth

    Africa records seven per cent tourism growth

    International arrivals were up in all regions between January and June 2012. Asia and the Pacific (+8per cent) led growth by region, boosted by the recovery of Japanese inbound and outbound tourism as well as by the continued strong performance of other major source markets throughout the region. Destinations in South Asia and South-East Asia (both +9 per cent) showed some of the best results worldwide.
    “Although Asia was affected by the economic crisis of 2008-2009 due to its strong linkages with other economies, the region has bounced back quickly and is today a leader in the global economy. This is clearly reflected in its tourism figures,” said Mr. Rifai.
    Europe (+4 per cent), the most visited destination in the world, consolidated its record growth of 2011, despite continuing economic volatility in the Eurozone. Results were above the regional average in Central and Eastern Europe (+7 per cent) where many destinations saw double-digit growth, as well as in Western Europe (+5 per cent). By contrast, demand in Southern and Mediterranean Europe (+1 per cent) slowed down, but on top of a very strong 2011 and partly due to the recovery of destinations in North Africa and the Middle East.
    The Americas (+5 per cent) grew in line with the world average, with Central America (+7 per cent) and South America (+6 per cent) recording the strongest results. In fact, South America has been one of the sub-regions with the fastest tourism growth of recent years. Destinations in North America grew at 4 per cent, a relatively high rate for a mature sub-region, while growth in the Caribbean (+5 per cnt) remained buoyant, consolidating 2011 results.
    In Africa (+7 per cent), the return of tourist flows to Tunisia is reflected in the results of North Africa (+11per cent). Likewise, the rebound of Egypt is clearly mirrored in the results of the Middle-East (+0.7 per cent). Destinations in Sub-Saharan Africa (+6 percent) continued to show strong results, following the good growth rates of this sub-region in previous years.