The Nation Newspaper

Category: Sunday magazine

  • I sold half my equipment to produce undergarments – Sighetu Edeke

    I sold half my equipment to produce undergarments – Sighetu Edeke

    Sighetu Edu’bane Edeke is Creative Director and CEO of the Sighetu Company, a designer now manufacturing undergarments for export. In this interview with Yetunde Oladeinde he takes you into his world, how the inspiration to diversify came during COVID lockdown and challenges.

    When did you move from designing to manufacturing?

    Quite honestly, it was happenstance. We were under lockdown and I was forced to make face masks like everybody. But, I went a step further to package it. I put it in a box. The whole idea, Concept, producing and packaging it pushed me to think of something else that I could do.

    Of course, you could not take the face mask beyond the lockdown.

    How did the face mask go, was it different from others?

    It was nice. It was produced exactly like the surgical one. It was made with fabric but it was reversible. It had two sides with contrasting colours. One could be Ankara and the other plain. So, you could switch it and it was packed individually in cellophanes and then packed 12 in a box.

    What was the response like?

    It was good.  In fact, I got a particular order from a gentleman who is well known in the society and the support he gave was to direct me to a hospital, where they gave me specifications. We went through approval and all that. We produced it in a large quantity and sold them. That is apart from the individual products that I sold to family and friends.  It also sold relatively well on WhatsApp.

    What inspired you to go into manufacturing boxers?

    From that experience, I wanted to do something that was pocket friendly, affordable but could target a large audience. But, before then, the kind of clothing I was doing was a niche thing. African inspired clothing, not everyone was into that. But in this instance,  it’s everybody’s thing. So, I now thought of something that I could do, that was everyday use, for everybody. So, I eventually thought of boxers and I had to start from scratch and learn the skills.

    Where did you do this?

    I am a clothier, so I had to start with the concepts. What type of boxers do you want to make and the quality. We started with export quality and automatically you have to think of the patterns. You are producing them on tens of thousands. So, equipment must come in, how they are produced must come in, costing and all that. It took over a year, from the concepts to the market.  We had to buy new equipment, do test productions for the first set took them to the market, got feedback, came back and restructured it. Then went back to the market with the second set. So, from all those back and forth are we got feedbacks and got better. All that process took a while took my focus for a period.

    Did you consider training with Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC) for export?

    In fairness, there is a CBN scheme financing that I was part of. So, the boxers are just a little part of Program and I wanted to do something much larger. But, while we are waiting for the funding, which is yet to come. I said, let me take a part of the business plan and run with it. Haven done clothes, that is sold all over the world, you don’t know where they would end up and the export quality thing has always been a priority.

    What are the challenges?

    I had to sell about half of my equipment to start this. You needed specific equipment to do this. For example, the machine that runs elastic requires 12 threads and 4 needles. So, there are specifics to doing this and you had to look at what you could let go and that was where basically the funding started from. So, funding challenge was number one. Then you also had things like designing, you are using patterns to produce and the patterns are your templates. Here, you go to the market, buy everything that is available, come back, dismantle to see how it is done, employ people, pattern makers to get the first sample.

    What about the workforce?

    To keep cost down, I have had to use contract workers. I went to art school and have the technical know-how for some of these things.  I make patterns and if I need extra hands, I bring them in, they do the job, and I pay. The boxers are sown by women; I have an all female production crew.

    Let’s talk about the exhibitions and fairs that you have participated in?

    The product is still in the early stage and you have to engage the public and there is the Agege trade Fair coming from July 1st to 7th at the Agege Stadium. The idea is to test the product out there, to a larger audience, at the same time; we are going to offer one or two other fashion products, clothing’s and more. For the boxers, we have two brands, the premium brand, Sighetu and the other which is the regular and more pockets friendly. Then is done in tens and hundreds of thousands, while the number for the premium is lower because the quality is different.

    What is the niche that you have in the market?

    I want to believe that we are the First Made in Nigeria underwear brand that is export quality and at the same time made for Africans, Nigerians in particular, where the sizing is favourable to us. We are therefore occupying a niche where they are specifically made for us in terms of size. In totality it is undergarments for men and women. We have a store called underwear depot that stock this. For women, we have things like tights, bras, nightwear that is still in development stage. So, we would have something for everybody but the products would come out, one at a time.

    Let’s go back to your fashion brand when exactly did the brand start?

    Sighetu as a company was registered in 2005 but before then I was doing foreign things. My friend and I, Abdul Funsho (ABD), we started doing a clothing company. We made waistcoats, chinos trousers and all that. Then sometime in 1979, I pivoted to being African and I now made African inspired clothing which was what Sighetu was known for. We used wooden which is about the best African print , apart from hollandaise, in terms of quality. And the kind of quality you want for export. Then I sold to different people, I had an item that ended up in Japan. Interestingly, it was the wardrobe for the person, she took it out and never came back with one item. I sold things, most of them in the US, Canada  and UK where Nigerians are. It’s a global village and a few things go out from time to time.

    How would you describe your experience as a designer?

    Fashion has been good to me but it could have been better. The industry is unstructured and the way to go is production. We need to scale and produce and if we don’t, all of us would probably be employed by one or two Chinese companies that would just swop in and sell ready made agbada or IRO and buba. We have to think in mass because if you stop second hand clothing, clothes would not go round. The bulk of what we wear are clothes that are not made here. That is the honest truth.

    What did you study?

    I studied Geography and Town planning at the University of Lagos. I never practiced, never applied for a job in my life. At that time, I was in school but always art inclined. I almost dropped out but I was persuaded otherwise. Then, I always found myself at Yabatech with the arts student in textile and fashion designing. I went to audition courses there, hanged in there with my Friend called Frank. After NYSC I went to Art school, an institute of textile designs. But, I didn’t finish the course; I was too busy trying to make money. I partnered with one of my lecturers, my pattern teacher and his wife was the one making our waist coats, trousers and other. We made waist coats for sale and my friend was in Advertising, Rosabel. It was called The Dude Clothing Company, we ran that for a few years, did one or two contract sewing. Then I went into making white packet shirts but the competition was stiff. I made shirts, packed them and sold them to boutiques. Then the things from Dubai came in and I couldn’t compete, then I just closed shop for about four months. I now pivoted to the African thing , it was trendy then and I wore a cap. It has always been fashion.

  • YESIDE LAGUDA: COVID was good to me as a creative

    YESIDE LAGUDA: COVID was good to me as a creative

    Yeside Laguda is a fashion designer, textile/adire producer who recently presented her latest collection titled Dawn to the public. Laguda, daughter of Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, make use of timeless adire fabrics to churn out contemporary styles depicting the African heritage. In this interview with Yetunde Oladeinde, she opens up on her passion, mentoring, inspiration, memorable moments and coping with challenges.

    How do you feel presenting your latest collection to the public today?

    Excited. I’m relieved.  It usually takes me about four months to do a collection. It started with the fabric and we started printing our own fabrics for this collection. So, most of the fabrics are our own. We did the Eyo print and it is beautiful. My husband is a Lagosian and we are paying homage to our own. So, if we go abroad people can ask what Eyo is all about. I conceptualized the fabric last year October and it didn’t arrive until January this year. Obviously, we had a lot of work at the store and we were doing other things.

    So, I have been working on and off on it.

    What inspired the name Dawn for the collection?

    I turned 40 this year and I just felt a rebirth.  I also felt that in life, there are ups and downs.  The most important thing is to pick yourself up, when you fall and that is exactly how I felt. I have had moments when I felt I wasn’t living my fullest potential.  Even as a business person,  I  have always  had opportunities to bring myself up. So, this is usually what Dawn was, picking myself up and doing this. Just owning my space and understanding that I can do what I want to do.

    Are they all adire fabrics?

    Three years ago, I started doing mainly adire fabrics. Everytime, I tried to do a collection outside adire, it didn’t do as well as adire. But then, we have had a huge  problem with  production of  adire because it is hand dyed, the production is always late. I found that my tailor would literally be waiting for Dyer’s.  So, we would have backlog of orders and I was very proud to produce adire, produce something that is novel.What I found was that I would always have to wait. The production capacity was not good enough in Nigeria. So, last year we had to resort to Printing adire. It is very unfortunate, but there is no infrastructure support and there is work to do but nobody to do the work. We are still dying locally but if I need 500 yards of adire, it will take me like a month with 6 different vendors and then 200 yards will come out bad. So, they could not meet the  demand and  supply was not matching up.

    Also, the typical adire marketplace is the hard adire but people want the soft one. What the soft one does is that you can mould any shape or form, while the hard one just does more of boubous. But with the soft one, you are able to do more. It’s a better canvas as a designer.

    Why did you go into adire production?

    Every time I wanted to do something, fabric was always important for me. I always wanted to control the layout of my fabric and you are not able to do that when you buy fabric. So, with adire, I can say that I want a mood on the dress and I get it. That is the difference with adire and regular fabrics. In another, you have ankara that people really like but it finishes in the market.

    Let’s compare when you started and now, what has changed?

    I think there is a deeper appreciation for adire. I don’t think much has changed. But then, it is in vogue, unlike in the past when many would say I don’t wear adire.

    Maybe it’s getting more expensive?

    It has always been expensive, that is the truth. If adire is done on this high quality fabric,  then it’s expensive. What has happened is that the demands for the fabrics have grown.  So, they got more expensive.

    Are your ready to wear for export?

    Yes. We are stocking in Ghana at the moment. We are going into Senegal as well. Also, we occasionally have orders from London and America.

    Let’s talk about your personal style?

    I am quite conservative because I am a Muslim. It affects my style to a large extent. My comfort and faith come first. I also like feminine cuts.

    A lot of our designers are making waves in the International market.  How would you rate them?

    Amazing. I think that is going to be our next greatest export after music.

    How would you rate the performance of your models this evening?

    Perfect. This girls have worked for me in the past.

    How would you describe the collection?

    I don’t think I am the best person to describe it. As a designer, your work is never done.

    What can government do to make the sector better?

    Basically, it is infrastructure. At the beginning of the year alone, we spent about 60,000 naira on diesel, now of diesel bill is about N180,000 in 6 months. Tell us about your experience during the COVID-19 lockdown?

    I think COVID was good to me. We discovered that people were buying a lot during COVID and we put a lot of items for sales. Another thing that happened for us was that we were able to regroup. You will always need that pause in life. You always need to stop at a point. I think the stop was good for me, as a creative. What happened was that you were constantly going on and it was a good time for reflection for me.

    Your mum is also very stylish, how did she influence your sense of style?

    Yes! She is more stylish than I am. My mum’s shakara is not from here. Mum is super stylish.

    What are some of the things you share in common with her?

    I think we are both very passionate and respectful people.

    Tell us how Mentoring has helped you and how you are reaching out to others?

    I see a lot of myself in young people and there are so many women who have supported me along the way. People who have taken me under their wings. Women who have coached me consciously or unconsciously. They have done so much to make me a better person and a better designer It is very easy giving back.

    Where do you see your brand in the next few years?

    I see us around the world, on every catwalk.

    Are there International designers that you admire?

    A lot. I admire too many designers, no favourites. I think designs are a lot of personality and a lot of intentionality. I also think that your body if work, the amount of marketing and PR that you do is almost more important than your body of work now.

  • Support female ministers, cleric tells church leaders

    Support female ministers, cleric tells church leaders

    The President of Women Ministers Online Platform, (WMOP), under the auspices of Kingdom Women in Ministry Gospel International, Evangelist Gideon Daniel Atso has called on church leaders to support women in ministry so that they can function excellently.

    Daniel said this in an interview with The Nation last week at the Women Minister Online Platform Conference held at PRAISE ARENA, VGC Lekki, Lagos.

    The programme tagged: ‘The Power of United Women’ featured song rendition, testimonies, corporate prayer and inauguration of the WMOP Lagos State Caretaker.

    According to him, many know that women nurture children from their wombs till birth and afterwards. The passionate love with which they brought them up, if applied to the spread of the gospel will save many more souls and send the devil away.

    He said that we live in a world where the devil is using a lot of people and they must endeavour to encourage those who are being used by God to stand firm.

    Daniel said: “women are the end-time soldiers, they are the real soldiers. The devil is using a lot of women for his own advancement, but the mandate of this Platform is for the church to breed more female soldiers for Christ”.

    “These soldiers for God shall take their stand in many dimensions with the sole purpose of breaking the kingdom of Satan to win many souls from captivity and damnation.”

    He noted that there are lots of women preaching the gospel in unreached communities not minding the odds, while some are doing charity works in under-served areas, which requires our support.

    He, however, warned women in ministry not to abandon their homes as they go about their ministerial assignment, adding that their family is their primary place of assignment and they have to nurture their children and act as helpmeet to their husbands.

    “Women need to place their priority well; do not give 100% attention to the ministry at the expense of your home, because without peace in your family, you cannot do ministry effectively,” he posited.

    “Focus is everything because when the enemies want to attack the church, they are determined and they never go with any form of negativity but positivity. Every woman needs to stand strong and be positive,” he said.

    In her response as the new chairperson of WMOP, Lagos State, Pastor Mrs Funmilayo Adetoyese-Olagunju called for greater synergy among women ministers, stressing that the time has come for us to be kingdom focused and kingdom minded. The Gospel should take over the four corners of the World.

    She said this meeting is the foundation of what God has set to do with us in Lagos on WMOP generally, the more we partner with God for Kingdom work, the more we grow and definitely this will also influence the growth of our Churches and Ministries.

    “Make sure you always have oil in your lamp because the world is getting darker and darker. As women ministers, we are ready to work with God for Kingdom advancement”, she said.

    Adetoyese-Olagunju, a marriage counselor and Senior Pastor of PRAISE ARENA noted that although what the people of the world know or see where women gather together is gossip and complaints; “but on this platform, we do it the kingdom way, adding value to peoples life and making the World a better place; so let us support, lift and pray for one another. There is power in synergy”, she added.

  • ‘How marriages can grow’

    ‘How marriages can grow’

    The Rector of the Baptist College of Theology (BCT), Igede Ekiti, Ekiti State, Dr. Adedayo Oladele Odesola, has said that Christians can avoid the temptation of domestic violence, which often leads to the loss of lives if critical attention is accorded the admonition of Apostle Paul.

    The rector expressed worries over the incidences of domestic violence that are gradually becoming the order of the day, and which often lead to divorce.

    While fielding questions on a variety of topics on the relevance of theological institutions to the next generation, the rector asserted that the family today could survive the recent unfortunate circumstance, “if critical attention would be accorded the admonition of Apostle Paul who pointed out that it is an observable end time’s occurrence.

    “The Scripture in 2 Timothy 3:1-5 states; “in the end time, people will be boastful, unforgiving, and rash and all forms of ungodliness”.

    He added that there was a need for caution on the part of the would-be couples to be sure about the salvation of their partners and prepare very well for the subsequent marital life.

    He noted that many people only prepare for the wedding day, and not marriage. He, therefore, emphasized the need for premarital counseling as a means of understanding many knotty issues of marriage and planning for it with the help of the Holy Spirit.

    “I discovered that our society today is quick to proffer solutions without investigating the origin of the problem. God is the author of marriage; the oldest institution in the world. Since God is not the author of confusion, He could not have instituted marriage if it will become a means of death. Yes, you can be sure that GOD will not have instituted it and then go ahead to pronounce a blessing on the relationship,” the rector said.

    Odesola, therefore, encouraged pastors, and other ministers of God to be more alive to their responsibilities of teaching what he called ‘necessary truths’ that build homes through the instrumentalities of couples’ fellowship as well as encouraging people to be more open to counseling when facing intimidations in their marriage.

    He also counseled that the word of God is enough to settle all the issues in marriage, and that man cannot unwrite the word of God for his convenience. Odesola noted that inadequate preparation for marriage “is the bane of all its failures and as such, the BCT Igede Ekiti and by extension, other Baptist Theological Institutions, take a serious interest in teaching their students to take interest in building homes.”

  • Methodist Lagos celebrates 60th anniversary, pledges 60,000 souls

    Methodist Lagos celebrates 60th anniversary, pledges 60,000 souls

    The Archbishop of Lagos, Methodist Church Nigeria, The Most Dr. Isaac Ayo Olawuyi has said that the church is set to plant 60 churches and win 60,000 souls in the next 10 years.

    Olawuyi said this yesterday, in Lagos, during a press conference ahead of the activities to mark the 60th anniversary of the Diocese of Lagos at Wesley Chapel, Lekki, Lagos.

    The anniversary tagged: ‘Preparing for the second coming of the Lord(Rev 12:22)’ will feature a book launch in commemoration of the diocese’s 60th anniversary.

    Choral festival, youth funfairs, the award for foundational members of the church, and dinner for distinguished members, are some of the activities that have been lined up as parts of  the programmes for the 60th anniversary.

    ‘Through aggressive and effective evangelism, we are reaching out to fertile areas where we still have to go and preach the gospel and plant churches and do evangelism. We have a lay president who believes in soul winning and is mobilising everything within his power toward this task of soul-winning.”

    Olawuyi pointed out that although the measurement of church growth is not about the numbers but the quality of teaching through bible study, it will improve the people’s spiritual life. “Spiritual life is our right relationship with God that we affect our lives and pattern of living.”

    He challenged Christians to rise to the contest for all elective positions in the country’s political system.

    He said: “Nigeria needs Christians with a well-articulated, biblically informed philosophy of leadership and social involvement who will seek leadership positions through legitimate means and who will, thereafter, with the enabling of God’s spirit, dedicate themselves to implementing the philosophy.”

    He said politics was not dirty, the people involved could be dirty at times in achieving their goals. “The time we are in, as a nation, is very volatile. So, shun do or die politics, don’t be dirty because of position, no position worth anybody’s blood.”

    He noted that the leaders Nigerians need at this time are persons who will promote excellence in leadership and bring significant improvement or contributions providing the greatest good or the greatest number of people.

    Olawuyi posited that Nigerians should look at the personality and track records of personality presenting themselves for electoral office and not by political parties.

  • Why churches, organisations should adopt chaplaincy, by Adegunwa

    Why churches, organisations should adopt chaplaincy, by Adegunwa

    The General Marshal, Perazim International Chaplains Organization, Mrs. Olufunke Adegunwa has urged churches and organizations to adopt the use of Chaplains.

    Adegunwa made this call during the official launch of the Perazim School of Chaplaincy and the commissioning of Perazim International Chaplains Organization USA (West African Region), at the Banquet Hall International Guest House, RCCG Camp.

    According to Adegunwa, it is important to have chaplains in churches, organizations, and communities as a whole because they are responsible for building bridges and making suggestions that lead to needed solutions.

    “Our message is that they should please allow us to introduce chaplaincy to them. We want to work with the churches, we will grow chaplains organizations, CEOs, and other spaces,” said Adegunwa.

  • How books can grow Christianity, by clerics

    How books can grow Christianity, by clerics

    The Chairman, International Friendship League (IFL), Deeper Life Bible Church, Joshua Alabi, has stressed the need for biographies and autobiographies.

    Alabi noted this at the special event to promote the book, entitled: ‘Kumuyi: Defender of the Faith,’ held in Victoria Island, Lagos last Sunday.

    The event brought together clerics and Christians from across Nigeria.

    According to the IFL chair, men like John Wesley, Charles Wesley, Charles G. Finney, Charles Spurgeon and others who served God faithfully would not have been known if not for books written by or about them.

    Alabi said: “At various times in history, books written about godly characters have inspired many readers and have drawn them to Christ through God’s saving grace.”

    ‘Kumuyi: Defender of the faith’ captures the over 50 years of William Folorunso Kumuyi, the General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry, as a preacher.

    It also presents the cleric as the ‘Holiness’ preacher, and his apolitical stand on national issues.

    According to Alabi, the book is not a replacement for the Bible, but rather a pointer to it. “Pastor Kumuyi, a faithful and dedicated servant of God, has patterned his life after our Lord Jesus Christ, and so his life is worth emulating and his message worth paying heed to,” he said.

    Alabi stated further that this generation and those coming after would have been denied one of the most benefits of history if the book had not been published. “For those seeking to know God, reading through Pastor Kumuyi’s conversion experience will provide ample guidance. For those who want to succeed in their callings, his experiences in the ministry have a lot of inspiration to offer,” he added.

    Kumuyi has patterned his life after Jesus Christ; hence his life is worth emulating and his message worth heeding.

    He, therefore, urged guests to read the life-transforming and enriching biography.

    “For the believers, I admonish you to get on board the train of the promoters of this book. Through it, you can reach many of your friends, colleagues, clients, relations, and acquaintances and can profoundly influence their lives. I encourage you to get as many copies as possible and ensure that you place them in the hands of many people, encourage them to read and be blessed,” Alabi said.

    Chairman, IFL Special Book launch, Olubusola Olubanwo, said at a time the country is facing some of its most severe challenges, Christians must learn to follow the Kumuyi example and that believers must portray the life of Christ, and be supportive of the government.

    “His life shows that at a time like this, a time of social instability and intense political activities, believers, especially servants of God, must not plunge head-on into partisan politics, become doomsday prophets, nor should they take sides with any political coloration. Instead, they should maintain respectable neutrality and be seen always as dignified messengers of hope and verity,” Olubanwo said.

    Olubanwo stated further that the Deeper Life’s founder is apolitical, though he is not indifferent to politics and that Kumuyi believes and teaches that all of man’s exploits, including his immense politics, are guided by God.

    He disclosed that Kumuyi prefers to focus on what would be of benefit to the society, rather than taking sides on any political issue or overheating the polity, he added.

    “His mantra is: ‘Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.’ He would speak clearly and authoritatively, but dispassionately, to the Nigerian situation, always striking a high moral tone,” Olubanwo emphasized.

    Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, extolling the virtues of Kumuyi for his apolitical stand over the years, said Nigeria needs more men of God to follow in his footsteps.

    Adesina said in the church and outside it, there is always a remnant that does not follow the crowd and does not follow the fashion of the time. “We are proud that Pastor Kumuyi is in that group,” he said. Kumuyi, he said, has been apolitical even when other clerics identify with politics and give predictions and prophecies that are politically motivated for publicity and material gains. “Therefore, when he speaks, we can listen. Knowing that it is not tainted by prejudice. It is not tainted by politics. It is not tainted by any other consideration. Whatever he says you can be sure is what the Word of God says. Wherever he stands, is where the word of God stands,” he added.

  • ‘Concern for mental health inspired my talk show’

    ‘Concern for mental health inspired my talk show’

    Sammie Ajoku studied Chemical Engineering to satisfy his parents but his heart was in sports and football. Midway he discontinued that route and followed his passion to study for a degree Sports Management. In this interview with Yetunde Oladeinde, he informed that the decision was the best thing that ever happened to him. In addition, he has won so many awards, inspires others as talk show host, became a mental health advocate post COVID-19 and more.

    DID your childhood inspire you in any way for what you do now?

    In many ways, my childhood inspired what I am today. My mum was just building her business at the time and demonstrated lots of resilience and accountability. My dad’s approach to dealing with personal challenges was also something I learnt. I grew up in a large family and I am the 5th child of my dad and my mum’s first child. As a child, I looked up to my half siblings who were a lot older than me. One thing to mention is that right from the beginning, I knew I just wanted to play and make a living from sports.

    You studied chemical engineering as your first course, any reason why you chose that course?

    My choice of chemical engineering was driven by my parents’ affinity towards the African and Asian perspective of a professional career (science, engineering, medicine and law). Left to me, I would have chosen a course in sports which was my passion, but it would have meant travelling out of Nigerian and my parents were insistent on my staying back in Nigeria. Also, they were excited for me to study engineering. I decided to choose chemical engineering as I performed best in chemistry out of all my science subjects in secondary school. Of course, chemistry and chemical engineering are not the same as I soon realised.

    Was the choice to study sports management borne out of any life experience? Or just passion?

    I always wanted to do something in sports, but when I couldn’t, I went into chemical engineering. However, as soon as I got the chance, I took up sport Management. My choice to study sport management was borne out of my passion for sports, meeting the right academic vehicle at the right time and place in my life. As the sport and wellbeing officer at Coventry University, I had the responsibility of maintaining an oversight of all the sport clubs and sport activities on campus, representing the students at board level conversation and planning overall operational structures for clubs among other things.

    I led the University sport clubs through the COVID-19 pandemic, represented student’s views at union board level, influenced change in the University Sport club committee roles and encouraged the spread of mental health awareness among males on campus.

    What is the inspiration behind your “Talk like a man” Podcast?

    The inspiration behind my “Talk it like a man” podcast came from my love for mental health after experiencing myself grow and develop by prioritising my mental health. In the year before I started my podcast, I had watched loads of mental health podcasts and understood that many men are suffering today because they are not prioritising their mental health i.e., experiencing life and what life is.

    As a Mental Health advocate, would you say the society is well informed on the importance of mental wellness, especially as it relates to men?

    As a mental health advocate, I would say that mental awareness is on an upward trend and slowly, more men are becoming more aware, and it only get better as more men like me help spread the importance of prioritising one’s mental health.

    You play semi-professional football with the Leamington Hibernians football team, tell us more about it?

    I play semi-professional football with Leamington Hibernians. The club has been in existence for over 50 years. Football in the UK gives one the opportunity to play at amateur, semiprofessional and professional level because of the vast number of registered football teams and at different levels. It is majorly dependent on one’s abilities and commitment to progressing and playing at a higher level. When I moved to the UK, I took part in a few trials before I made it to the University team as well as Leamington Hibernians.

    You received Coventry University Student Union Community Impact Award of excellence, how did that recognition make you feel?

    I received the Coventry University Student Union Community Impact Award of excellence for my incredible contribution to improving student life on campus through mental health and sport.

    Through the men’s mental health podcast, I reached hundreds of students and had much feedback from students who were positively impacted by the experiences and nuggets shared on the podcast. I also had some students who reached out to me to come on the podcast to share some of their experiences and learn to expand their perspectives when viewing their experiences.

    Let’s talk about the three people who inspire you and why?

    Dr Ben Anyasodo because we share a few life experiences and he is an expert in the field of mental health, Total wellness and the everything about the mind.

    He taught me how to go inwards to go upwards).

    I have also witnessed lots of lives transformed through his work as a behavioural therapist/ life coach. The second person is Steven Bartlett because he embodies everything I desire to be in terms of entrepreneurship and he is young and financially successful.

    The third is my mother, Lady Nkiru Ajoku because she shows me what it means to care for a loved one and she embodies love as a parent.

    If you could talk to a young person who wants to play professional football, what would you say to him?

    If I could speak to a young boy or girl who wants to play professional football, I would advise them to always remember why you want to play football. Sometimes, things may not go as planned but find it within you to connect with that passion and keep going. People may have different things to say about your passion, remember they have a right to their opinion and they generally mean well – so, don’t fight them but stay through to your passion regardless. It’s very easy to doubt yourself sometimes but remember, you have only one life to live and if not now, when? Remember, everyone doubts themselves once in a while, so nothing is wrong with you for feeling that way which means, you can always choose to stay connected with your passion and to enjoy the moment. Lastly, be your own cheerleader because sometimes, you may find that no one is cheering you, but if you can cheer yourself, you will keep the passion alive.

    If you could change one thing in the sport and mental health sector, what would it be?

    If I could change one thing in the sport and mental health sector, I would ensure that talented young sport people are given the opportunity to cultivate their talent regardless of their socioeconomic background. In the mental health sector, I would ensure more men become more aware of mental health and the impact and break down the stigma surrounding mental health awareness among men.

  • I saw my dad bring dead man back to life – Christiana Olapade-Ojo, female traditional healer

    I saw my dad bring dead man back to life – Christiana Olapade-Ojo, female traditional healer

    What a man can do, a woman certainly can do better goes the popular saying. While women have broken the glass ceiling and biases in certain areas, there are some vocations that you still don’t find many women and which are usually seen as the exclusive preserve of men. Interestingly, women are gradually taking over as traditional and clinical healers. One of such women is Christiana Olapade-Ojo, a clinical herbalist who learnt the ropes from her late father and has continued to make a mark in the sector. In this interview with Yetunde Oladeinde, she opens up on how it all started memorable moments, areas of interest, advice to Nigerian youths, money rituals and more.

    How did you get into Herbal Medicine?

    My father, Ebenezer Olapade, of blessed memory, was probably the very first practitioner of modern clinical herbal medicine in Nigeria and maybe in West Africa. He registered the NARL Specialist Clinic; Alternative Medicine Practice with the Oyo State Ministry of Health in 1991. So, I grew up, not just watching, but also willingly participating in the preparation of mixtures from a very tender age of about 7 or 8 years. I also witnessed people ‘appreciate’ him with gifts, especially at Christmas, because they saw good results. All of these experiences summed up my subconscious resolve to become a healer just like my late dad.

    What are some of the memorable moments in the sector?

    There are quite a lot, especially the ‘eureka’ moments. On one occasion, a certain man, in his late 60s, whose liver was inflamed due to cirrhosis, expressed his faith in the potency of my dad’s mixtures. My dad and I were quite sceptical due to his swollen abdomen, but we had no choice but to give him the mixtures, since he insisted that he had faith. I remember he was wheeled in the first time he came in, but by the time he came back after about 16 days, he was using a walking stick.

    Another instance was a woman whose baby was breeched and she was due

    but no contractions yet. We gave her an anti-breech mixture and the baby turned head down! Recently, a 63-year-old male presented left hemiplegia, he was placed

    on admission and could walk with the help of a walking stick by day 6, by day 30, he was discharged.

    In the mid ’90s, shortly before we moved into our permanent office building along Ojoo-Iwo Road, a boy of about 9 or 10 years, was rushed into our clinic, then by Premier Hotel on Mokola Hill, Ibadan. He had choked on fish bone and already had some blood stains in the saliva drooling from his mouth. My dad placed his hand on the boys forehead, muttered words and asked him to cough out the bone. I think I had my mouth open for what felt like one full minute, as I stared at the Titus fish bone he spat out. It was two joined vertebra with the spines.

    I also remember Aunty Sola, who had passed out (those who brought her said she had died) but she still had some pulse, albeit very weak, as she was rushed into our reception. Dad put a powder in her nose, blew it in and asked the nurse to give her chest compressions, she sneezed and opened her eyes on the 4th compression.

    Geezzzz! These were some of the moments that strengthened my resolve to become a healer. My dad didn’t teach me the fish bone removing words until I turned 18 years, when he was sure I meant business and I was starting to comprehend the ethics and basics of traditional healing. And now, we call Aunty Sola’s powder ‘Resuscitation powder;’ we ensure we ALWAYS have it handy in the clinic, and anytime I use it on an unconscious patient, I walk away feeling like a gee, knowing the subject will simply sneeze back to life within minutes after applying it.

    People have walked into my office and recalled how my dad gave their parent ‘something’ that stopped a seemingly hopeless illness. For instance, a clergyman, whose dad suffered hiccups for many years, said my dad gave them something mixed in honey and within a week, his now late dad got cured from the hiccup problem. He came back because his dad-in-law also got the hiccups many years after his first encounter with my late dad and thanks to God, I still make the hiccup mix.

    There are the bad memories too, especially when one looses a seemingly promising patient that one was sure would be fine because God has used ones hands to resolve more complicated illnesses. I guess it’s Gods’ way of reminding me that I am a mere mortal, remain humble and should not make promises!

    Do you have an area of specialisation or do you do General practice?

    I do general practice; however, I have areas of strength, largely due to frequency of these presentations, personal interests, as well as percentage efficacy when data is compared.

    For instance, I would not bat an eyelid taking on high blood pressure, stroke, ovarian cyst, malaria infection, hormonal imbalance, migraine, breast lumps, anemia, lupus, viral infections – lowered immunity, goiter, dysmenorrheal, low sperm count, annovulation, spontaneous abortions, breeched foetus, placenta previa, dysentery, palpitation, angina, hypo & hyperglycemia. Whereas I might hesitate before I take on late stage cancers, fibroids, epilepsy, vertigo, lower back pain or chronic sinusitis, especially when subjects seeks my services without an extensive or conclusive diagnosis.

    Would you say that more females are showing interest in traditional healing unlike before?

    To be candid, traditional healing has always been considered a feminine practice, the agbebis (traditional birth attendants), the are’mos (those who helped with convulsion and fever) and some olo’ola (those who performed circumcision), were majorly elderly women. The ones who knew formulations and portions, were however, mostly the male hunters, because they spent a lot of time in the wild while hunting, during which they observed wild monkeys, chimps and gorillas interacting with plants.

    What does it take for a woman to learn and become a practitioner?

    Nothing beyond the ordinary, some of the things that worked and still work for me are:

    Traditional education – The fact that I was born into the practice and started learning through observation and participation from a very early age. Every practitioner needs a mentor and accountability partner.

    Determination – Personal interest also played an important role. I was not coerced or forced into the practice. I took personal decisions, such as getting educated in relevant fields that set me on the path which has enhanced my delivery greatly.

    Drive – I don’t help or heal people for the love of money. Yes, the practice brings income, but I am much more fulfilled by the smiles and feedback.

    Discipline – I do not brag about what God uses my hands to do. I do not go about mentioning my clients’ names. I respect and protect the trust people have in me – confidentiality.

    Branding and dosage overtime has been a challenge for traditional medicine. Has this been addressed?

    Yes, branding in traditional medicine is a branch that is now evolving, and like every other business practice, experience and feedback, forms a major part of such evolution. However, contrary to popular mainstream perception, dosage has always been a part of traditional healing practice. Traditional healers would ‘prescribe’ their preparations or portions, by explaining how the recipients should use the medicines. Sometimes, they will use cupped palms of child or parent; sometimes they would use different types and sizes of snail shells and animal horns to measure out the quantity to be used.

    What are the other things that occupy your time?

    I am an avid volunteer. I mentor young people and women, I counsel, I love to help women be the best they can be. I am state coordinator of the Chamber of Commerce Business Women Group in Oyo State. I am also the Secretary of the Oyo State Chamber of Commerce Youth Entrepreneurs. I have at different times, held offices of chairman and director of Welfare and Publicity of Ibadan Elite Junior Chamber International; I am also an alumnus of the University of Ibadan Junior Chambers

    International. In addition, I am the Oyo State Deputy Chairman of the National

    Association of Nigerian Traditional Medicine Practitioners (NANTMP); I am branch chairman of Amalgamation of Nigerian Medical Herbalists (NARL Branch) and holds the traditional title of Balogun Isegun of the association. I am an alumnus of the Women Leadership Institute, Lagos.

    A lot of young people, especially teenagers are involved in ritual killing for money this days, what is responsible for this trend?

    Ignorance about the guiding principles of traditional practices is one reason. Others include loss of family and social values, lack of fear of God, lack of respect for human life and the entire universal elements.

    Is it true that this is the easiest way to make money?

    No, rituals do not even bring money, only real economic activities, wherein you exchange goods or services for money can guarantee any form of financial freedom.

    What advice do you have for our youths?

    They must first of all get an education and at least two skills, including an AI skill. Young people must identify an activity that they enjoy, which should also add positive value to them and their immediate environment. They must learn the art and act of volunteering and networking and participate actively in nation building and voting. They should identify and find a way to make contact with a mentor in their area/ field of interest. Young people MUST also understand that failure is not a bad thing. Albert Einstein once said, “Failure is success in progress”, so anytime you fail at something, it is an opportunity to get it better at your next attempt.

  • Abuja-Kaduna train attack: We’re feeling suicidal, says man whose mum, 85, sister remain captive

    Abuja-Kaduna train attack: We’re feeling suicidal, says man whose mum, 85, sister remain captive

    Although eleven of the 62 abducted passengers in the Abuja-Kaduna train bombing were released last week, families of those still in captivity have been appealing for mercy on behalf of their loved ones. One of them is Dr Abdulaziz Atta, a lecturer at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. He spoke with Gboyega Alaka days before the release of the eleven.

    Can you please send me your picture so I can use it with this interview?

    If I send you my photo, I look terrible.

    Okay, send me your regular picture.

    If I send you my regular picture, people are likely to ask that ‘this man, are you sure it’s you mother and sister that were kidnapped?’

    The above is a transcription of the concluding part of an interview with Dr. Abdulaziz Atta, a lecturer at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, whose 85-year-old mother, Hajia Halima Atta and sister, Adama Lawal Aliyu, are among the 50 abductees still in the camp of terrorists, following the bombing of the Abuja-Kaduna train and subsequent kidnap of 63 passengers on March 28, 2022.

    Indeed, it is also a reflection of the kind of dilemma he, his family and extended family and as well as all other families and friends of those still in the kidnappers den have found themselves.

    According to him, the effect of the 83 days (today) trauma is so debilitating, so disrupting of their lives, yet they have to stay strong and show a strong face for the younger ones in the family.

    “My sister has children who have been asking, when is mum coming back? So we have been saddled with the responsibility of giving them hope, despite our own internal trauma. We are struggling to manage them because we have to be strong for them. Whenever we are moved to tears, we lock ourselves in the room and cry. Sometimes, we lock ourselves in the bathroom and cry.”

    Recounting how he has coped with having an ageing mother and sister in the terrorists den for a whole of ten weeks and counting, Atta, who described himself as a poor university teacher, said, “It has been extremely, extremely difficult. What I tell people is that if you have somebody that died, you will mourn and there will be closure. But in this scenario, it is different. You don’t know the situation they are in. You don’t know exactly where they are, their conditions; you only know that they are in the bush. They are condemned to eating whatever is provided for them, which of course can never be okay. It is raining heavily as we speak; imagine the condition they would find themselves in the bush. My mum for instance, even to perform ablution for the Muslim prayer, she has had to use warm water for as long as I can remember. I’m not even talking about bathing now. So imagine how she is coping with the harsh condition of living in the bush for so long, having to bath and perform ablution with cold water. My only joy is that before she was taken into captivity, she was relatively strong for her age. But despite that, an 85-year-old person needs her medication, which are not there with her. I remember her complaining of pain in her legs before she boarded the train. Her situation becomes more critical when I remember that she only lost her son, my younger brother, in October last year. So all we have been doing since then was to calm her and make her get over it. So this may have compounded her situation.”

    Trains as last hope

    “It is 73 days today (penultimate Thursday) since they have been abducted. To think that we actually took the option of the train because of the insecurity on the Kaduna-Abuja road. In fact, I decided long ago that if it’s not by train, I’m not travelling to Abuja. Despite the fact that I have to come to Zaria and then to Kaduna, I still prefer the train. It’s the number one option for most of us that live in Kaduna because of the insecurity. So, as a Muslims, we have accepted it as an act of destiny.”

    Asked if he envisaged any such thing happening, Atta said, “Definitely. If you follow the train and you see the thick forest that it runs through, and you know that these people have set up camps in the forest, then you can’t but envisage it. Even the experts that I have been interacting with envisaged it. The question is, why were appropriate measures not taken to forestall it?”

    When reminded that the bomb attack could hardly have been forestalled, since it was nearly impossible to keep watch on the nearly 200kilometre rail line, Attah said, “The fact still remains that the location of these bandits is known to them, why don’t you take on those camps. Our security men needed to be ahead of these bandits. These forests are parts of Nigerian territories; why then should they live them ungoverned? They are supposed to continually identify those camps and clear them out. It’s not even the issue of guarding the tracks, because as you rightly said, it is practically impossible to achieve that. Honestly, in these past ten weeks and my interactions with security operatives, I have come to the conclusion that we have some of the best brains. They would tell you the problems, what could be done and so on and so forth. But the bottom-line is that somebody has failed in his responsibility/work at certain point. If you have a system where you don’t punish wrongdoing or reward people for doing things right. It is the consequence of that inaction that we are witnessing now. And that is why we have issues in our national life.”

    When reminded that the security operatives have also been giving excuses of the danger in attacking the bandits’ camps, going by the fact that there are always captives amongst them, Atta’s reply was a reflective one:

    “I agree with you. If you ask me now that I have two of my family members with them that should you go and bomb them? I would naturally tell you no; because I’m directly affected. But like I said, I have learnt a lot from these same security officers, and you would be amazed at the kind of solutions they have. The question is, why have they not been able to implement them?”

     

    Grateful ASUU is on strike

    Atta also revealed that they have only been able to speak with their loved ones once; the first week they were abducted.

    ‘They called us that first week of the abduction and spoke to my immediate elder brother; I think that call was more of prove that they were alive. They actually spoke to relatives of all the abductees. But after that, virtually none of us has had direct contact with our loved ones. What we’ve had are pictures and videos online and in newspapers.

    “And so, it has been extremely difficult. I have had to relocate from Zaria where my immediate family is, to Kaduna where my extended family house is. So I have left my wife and children in Zaria. The hard truth is that my wife and my children are not priority at the moment. It’s a sad thing to say but it’s the reality. My kids would call and ask me, ‘daddy when are you coming back to Zaria?’ and I’d tell them, ‘when your grandmother comes back, so pray for their safe return’. That’s the kind of situation we’ve found ourselves. Sometimes, I even tell people that I am fortunate that ASUU is on strike. Otherwise how would I have coped with lecturing? The strike gives me the space to be out of work. How would I have gone to class to teach? It would have been impossible and I would have simply asked for leave. And if the management refuses, I probably would just have left the job. It’s not as if I craved the ASUU strike, but for this moment and my trouble, I think it worketh well for me.”

    As a researcher who has post graduate students to attend to, Atta also said the situation has impeded him from interacting well with his post graduate students to move their work forward.

    Have the terrorists asked for ransom money?

    In the first week, when they called, they talked about money and that we should prepare… But that was all. Of course we all read in the newspaper when the MD of Bank of Agric paid huge amount of money to them. To the best of my knowledge, no other family has been made to pay any other money. I’m aware that the total number of  people abducted were 62, then they released the lady who was heavily pregnant. So that leaves them with 61 people.”

    “If you follow the matter very closely, the terrorists made it clear what they are demanding. In the first video they released, they said money was not their interest, that the government knows what they want. But in the subsequent video, we clearly heard what they said, which is that they (the government) had their children kept somewhere. They claimed that the  government had taken some of their children into some orphanage during one of their raids on their hideouts. So, basically, they want their children back.”

     

    On government’s role so far…

    “Honestly speaking, recently, I would say the government has upped their game. I’m aware government is doing a lot now. So for us, we are hopeful that  we are coming to the end of this ordeal. However, I really can’t say more than that; because I’m aware that these guys speak good English. If you’ve watched their videos, you would understand what I mean. So I won’t be surprised if they read this interview.

    My appeal

    “I am appealing to them, not just on behalf of my mother and sister, but on behalf of all other abductees. Don’t forget that we also have kids with them. We have a husband, wife and four kids in that camp. So I’m appealing that they should, because of God, talk to government, so that whatever their grievances are, they can be sorted. Clearly, they have said that money is not their interest; they should work with the government to resolve whatever their grievances are for the benefit of the country and for the sake of our loved ones. They’ve been there for over ten weeks. Imagine the women there that need sanitary pads. I have my mother there, wearing the same clothes, the same underwear for ten weeks. Some people even change underwear more than once in a day. I am appealing to them to because of the God we worship together, let them go. Their lives have been disrupted; same for us their loved ones. Some of us are feeling suicidal. We are only holding on because we don’t want to have emotional breakdown; and because we feel that what they are going through in the bush is worse than what we are going through.