The Nation Newspaper

Category: Sunday magazine

  • Knights of St. Mulumba elect officers

    Johnny Ngonadi has been re-elected Grand Knight of the Lekki Sub council of the Knights of the Order of St Mulumba.

    A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Anthony Idigbe, emerged Deputy Grand Knight while Dominic Nkwopara was elected‘ as secretary.

    Other elected officials are: Brother Peter Unuode, advocate; Eddy Okolie, chancellor; Brother Obinna Anyanwu, treasurer; Brother Peter Iwegbu, financial secretary; Brother Laz Iloka, auditor; Brother Nicholas Ananyi, warden while Brother Emmanuel Odey was appointed physician.

    Ngonadi commended all the elected officials and charged them to strive towards positioning the council as light to the world.

    He also charged the newly elected officials to be spiritually awake when the nation is passing through troubling times.

    The prayer for Nigeria as instructed by the Catholic Bishops of Nigeria in 1993, according to him, is still relevant.

    “The prayer written in 1993 touches all the troubling issues in Nigeria today.

    “This period call for sober reflections and spiritual awakening. It is a crucial period for us as Knights of the church to rise and shine as lights in a decadent world,” Ngonadi charged.

  • Washing machines: All you need to know

    Washing machines: All you need to know

    Since the first story we published on this page on Washing machine titled ‘Washing machine, a must-have for every home’, we have surprisingly received many telephone text messages, emails, and phone calls from our readers asking different questions regarding washing machines.

    We were really a bit taken aback by the many reactions that the story generated. It shows that many Nigerian homes are more disposed towards washing machines. They have come to the realisation that washing machine is no longer the exclusive reserve of the rich as many had erroneously believed.

    More so, unlike in the past, when house helps were the norm of the day, procuring them is not easy and the attendant stories to some of them is far from encouraging.

    For those our readers, who have kept waiting for answers, accept our unreserved apology. Though issues requiring immediate attention kept creeping up, we, however, wanted to make sure we do not lead you astray with the wrong response, so we took more time researching and interviewing professionals in the industry for the right answers.

    The most commonly asked question is, ‘What brand of washing machine should I buy?’ In this write up, we are not going to advertise any brand but sincerely tell you what we have found out from the concerned professionals and market research.

    At the time of going to press, we found out that there are over ten brands of washing machines in the market; for example, Hot Point, Beko, Samsung, Whirlpool, Ignis, Qlink, LG, Tashio, Thermocool, A-Z, etcetera. While Hot Point, Whirlpool, Ignis are known and tried names they have no service centres here and they are not assembled here. They are quite popular in the UK, US. Buy a product that you can easily source the parts if need be; a product that if you have a challenge using it, you will be able to easily walk into their office and demand for your rights.

    There are brands in Nigeria that have service centres, go for such brands. Instead of using road side repairers, you have the opportunity of being attended to by the company’s engineers.

    In seeking for brands, again, consider the brands that offer special features. Each washing machine manufacturer has its own special features designed to improve wash quality and save money. For example, Samsung’s Ecobubble technology dissolves detergent using water and air to create bubbles that penetrate and clean clothes more efficiently.

    Go for brands that have the ‘Indicators and Ease of use’ clearly displayed on the machine. As washing machines get more complicated, it’s important to have a model that is easy to understand. It can also be handy to have a washing machine with a clear display that shows its current setting and how long is left on the current wash cycle.

    Mr. Foluso Adebayo from Ibadan, Mr. Femi Olusola, Osun State and Mrs. Irene Okafor from Enugu State, you called asking for the type of washing machine to buy.

    The type to buy depends on many factors which include money available to you, size of the family, availability of water, size of the space for the installation, among others.

    Washing machine comes in different prices. Some cost as high as one million naira and some as low as N15,000. The amount of money you want to spend on it depends on you. Now there are different sizes of the machines also and different types. An average family will need a machine with about 5-7kg drum size.

    However, a larger drum can make a lot of sense as not only can you wash more clothes in one go, but you can wash larger items such as duvets. A larger drum will be more efficient per kg of washing, requiring less water and power to wash the same amount of clothes as a machine with smaller drum.

    Washing machine uses much water, so if you are not connected to a water borehole, well, or steady source of water, do not buy the machine that the plumber will have to fix the drainage and water inlet hose directly to the water pipe. You are better off buying the manual machine where you have to be pouring in water manually.

    Any time, any day, it is better to buy a washing machine that washes, rinses and spins. After the spinning, if the weather is warm enough it takes less than an hour for the washing to dry on the line dryer. Those in Africa and other countries with warm climate do not necessarily need a washing machine with dryer as nature has provided us with enough sun and wind for drying.

    Space in the house also determines the type of washing machine to purchase. As it is not really an industrial machine you are going for, you can always create space to accommodate the machine. But still consider where you intend to install the machine before you make a choice.

    Barrister Chuks Nwangwu, Ikeja, Mr. Humphry Owpele, Bayelsa State and Mrs. Emi Ekelemu, Port Harcourt; you want to know whether to go for a top loader or front loading washing machine.

    Front loading washing machine has greater advantages than the top loading ones. Generally, the front loaders are more expensive but the higher initial cost can be recovered in just a few years through water, drying time and soap usage savings.

    When you are using a front loading machine, you save a lot of wear and tear on your laundry because the machine agitates less. The top loader agitates more, which is bad for your clothes.

    But the good news is that you can use virtually any type of laundry detergent in the top loader. Besides, top loader is the ideal machine for people with knee problem. You will need to kneel or bend to put your laundry in the front loader and kneel again to bring the wet clothes out.

    Other questions generally asked are: What quantity of laundry should I put in my washing machine? How can I get rid of residual soap suds at the end of a cycle and why do some clothing dealers suggest washing clothes inside out?.

    For the top loader, a general rule is to lay clothes loosely inside the washer until they reach the top of the agitator. For a front loader, fill it until it is full, with minimal compression of the clothes.

    When you notice soap sud residual at the end of your wash, it indicates you are using too much detergent for the clothes you are washing. Try reducing the amount of detergent.

    For the third question, you should understand that in the washer, the clothes often turn inside out during the agitation cycle. Turning clothes inside out limits abrasion on the good side of the fabric, reducing pilling and extending the life of some fabrics such as corduroy. Also, embroidery, decals, etcetera are preserved.

    The benefits of a washing machine cannot be over emphasised. Any money invested in buying one, is money invested wisely. When you buy a new one, you can use it for years without ever repairing it. It does not call for regular servicing except maybe once in a year or even once in two years.

  • Ila Orangun: Palm wine tapper’s haven

    Ila Orangun: Palm wine tapper’s haven

    Ila Orangun in Osun State is popular for two things: it is said to have been founded by the direct son of the progenitor of the Yoruba race, Oduduwa and it is the largest palm wine brewing ‘industry’ in South West. Taiwo Abiodun was there 

    AT the entrance to the town are a mass of palm wine trees of various sizes and shapes lining the road left and right. Some of these trees are at different stages and sizes while some are still fresh while a few had dried off. As the breeze pushes them sideways the palm-fronds slap one another. One could see some of these tall palm trees with gourds attached at the top. While one could also see the palm wine tappers afar off climbing the trees with special traditional ropes going up to ‘offload’ the contents of the gourds. “You have not seen anything yet, go into the forest and you will marvel seeing how we are blessed with these palm wine trees , we are the biggest suppliers of this product in the South West. Our wine is different from the chemicals you people take  in Lagos. Our drink is fresh, undiluted and medicinal. It cures malaria fever, and we mix it with other herbs and roots and use it for one thing or the other,”  Popoola  Daoti,  an  Arabic teacher who lived in the town stated.

    The hot afternoon sun had died down. It was in the evening time and everywhere had become cool. Sighted in many corners and drinking joints were motorcycles and different cars from the exotic to the rickety. Then the sight of gourds and plastic kegs with palm wine foaming from the mouths were conspicuously displayed. Again one could see the old and the young ones serving themselves with plastic cups and traditional calabash (aha). Here, the literate and educated ones mingled  and exchanged banters  with  local men and women irrespective  of their  status and religions as they gathered together discussing local  politics while drinking  their favourite  palm wine. Griots too were not left out as they  were telling tales of their adventures  but when highly  charged they  started gesticulating,  punching  the air with their fists  expressing their views to  drive  home their points. In another scene  some young men  were  seen dancing to Orlando Owoh’s music  blaring from the  four giant hifi speakers  placed in strategic positions. Palm wine is what unites them.

     

    Festival in the air

    As they drank, one could hear some of them screaming and laughing hysterically. Some students who are  ‘Kegites’ had  a field day as they beat their leather drums and sang in praise of the ‘spiritual water’ (palm wine) as they were in ecstatic  state  and filled with  what they call the ‘holy’ water. While some had  dozed off after having a bout of it. Don’t blame them, it is all fun as they  had before them  their local brewed  palm wine which  the Yoruba  tagged  ‘Akiwarapa  abito fun fun lenu’ epileptic ‘victim’ foaming from  the mouth).Welcome to Ila Orangun the home of palmwine.

    The ancient town of Ila Orangun is popular not because of the political gladiators they have or because of the politics they play. It is popular and well known as the only  town in the South  West that has the highest number of palm trees and  also trade in the product.

    There is no household in Ila Orangun that does partake in the palm wine business and it is said that the best palm wine is from Ila Orangun. In Yoruba people say Ila lo lemu, meaning the Ila people are the owners of palm wine.

     

    From generation to generations

    According to one of respectable sons of the town, Prince Olusegun Idowu Oladosun, “Our town is known as the only town generating 80per cent of her earnings from the proceeds of palm wine. There is hardly any household that do not trade in palm wine-  from natives to  non natives. In my family my forefathers were palm wine tappers. From my great grandmother down to my mother were all palm wine sellers. We brew palm wine, it is our own industry and source of income. It has become part and parcel of our tradition to offer visitors during ceremonies.”

    Halimat Olawole (70) a palm wine trader said, “I am a native of Ila Orangun . I inherited  the business  of from  my parents. Since I came into this world this is the only business my family has been doing. This is a palm wine town. I don’t sell Oguro. I sell real palm wine and ours is the best, no mixture. My forefathers were palm wine tappers. When my late father  travelled and settled down in other places like Ile -Ife  he was  doing the same business until his death,” she continued “his name was Gbadamosi,  my father had no other job than  tapping palm wine. And his wives had no other job than selling the products to sustain the large family,” she said, beating her chest.

    Prince  Oladosun  said the town has no other medicine than palm wine as palm wine is their medicine  (Ila ko looogun, emu logun Ila), he said ” the only job we have here is palm wine tapping from time immemorial and  also  farming.”

    For Suleiman Oluwarotimi -(from Aseda family), he said “Apart from being our business here, it is also highly medicinal. Palm wine cures all ailments, if any sick baby is given this palm wine  she must be healed  but if  the baby did  not  recover then  we believe the baby  is a bastard.”

    For  a retired civil servant  and non native Aremu Joseph  (from Ekiti) , he said he  worked and retired  as a civil servant in  Ila Orangun, he too  added his voice  “This is how we drink it here, I am from Ekiti State. I am happy to have been caught here  drinking it, palm wine is good  for your health  but one should not abuse it and drink  it to stupor,” he cautioned .

    Another non-indigene, Bamidele Adeagbo said “I am from Idanre in Ondo State. My father was a palm wine tapper, my father once told me a story that the keg Ila people used to store their palm wine is called their hernia and this used to annoy them. I once fought some people over it but we later knew it was just a joke, but an expensive one.”

    Silifatu Azeez who was seen assisting her mother serving palm wine said, “I am assisting my mother to sell palm wine and I  am understudying it  in order to continue the business when she is old and gone. The business runs in the family.” While the mother interjected in support of her daughter and said “Any job you are doing and didn’t pass it on to your children is questionable.”

    Chief Yusuf Olaboye described the Ila Orangun as a rich cultural place where songs are rendered for the palm wine with his melodious voice he sang in praise of the palm wine:

    Ope wewe lemu re ndun, Mo ba’la roko. Ila a muludun, mo ba Ila roko oo    (The wine from the little palm tree tastes fine, I will go to the farm with Ila people. Ila makes the town to be lively, I will go to the farm with the Ila people )

    Ila ko nise meji emu nise won (Ila has no other business but palm wine tapping)

    The crown of the monarch is respected as it is believed it is original and not controversial, since he ( Ila Orangun) is a direct son and crowned Oduduwa son, no wonder they sing

    Ila lade wa, nwon o w’ade ka (literally meaning it is Ila where the crown is, they don’t need to search for the crown elsewhere)

    Yusuf Olaboye added ” Iyan lounje  Ila ati emu ‘ (Pounded yam and palm wine is Ila’s favourite)

    However, there is a taboo on palm wine tapping according to Alfa Daoti , “it is a taboo for a palm wine tapper  to take a pint of the wine before climbing the palm wine tree, whoever does this could go blind!, ” but this was punctured by an elderly man who said ” it is not good for a palm wine  tapper to get drunk before climbing the palm tree. You  see we have seen a lot of people in the past who got drunk and when they got up there jumped down from the top not knowing again the high level they were, while some were wounded some too died, since then we  made it a taboo for anyone to drink before climbing the palm tree.”

    An indigene regrets that “before now many were into palm wine business but it is not as high as it was before and that does not mean we are lacking behind in this palm wine business.”

  • Church prays for release of Chibok girls

    Members of Pray Through Church of God, Sango-Ota, Ogun State last Sunday interceded for the safe return of over 200 Chibok girls still in abduction.

    The prayer session was the climax of activities marking the fourth anniversary of the church.

    The theme of the anniversary was God of speedy promotion.

    Members raised their voices in agony, invoking angels to orchestrate the release of the girls in abduction for over three months.

    The general overseer of the church, Pastor Taiwo Ayeni, led the prayer session.

    He said: “I know that His angels are already at work in Sambisa forest or wherever the children are being held.”

    Delivering a sermon at the anniversary, Pastor Victor Odigie from Christ Living Spring Apostolic Ministry (CLAM), canvassed for prayers to overcome the challenges of life.

  • Church visits orphanage at one

    Church visits orphanage at one

    The Realm of Glory International Church Abuja recently visited Saint Theresa Orphanage home in Gwarinpa as part of activities marking its first anniversary.

    The pastor of the church, Mr. Emeka Igwe, challenged Christians to offer hands of fellowship to the less privileged in the society.

    He said the last one year has been fruitful and challenging.

    Igwe stated that the church should not be measured by its numerical increase but by how far it has gone to transform lives.

    On the other programmes lined up for the anniversary, he said there will be a TV talk and a road show on Thursday, July 24.

    A musical show holds on Friday while the thanksgiving service is slated for the church auditorium at SOAR Plaza off 1st Avenue opposite Agete hotel, Gwarinpa.

  • Vegetables protect you from lung cancer

    Vegetables protect you from lung cancer

    The odds are 50-50 you were born with a gene that prevents lung cancer. But even if you were not you can protect yourself just by eating certain vegetables.

    That is the good news from a top medical researcher, who says the special gene stimulates production of an anticancer enzyme called glutathione transferase.

    “About half the population has the gene. To produce this chemical and half do not,” revealed Dr. Gary Williamson.

    “This may be why some people can smoke all their lives, never develop lung cancer and die in their sleep at the age of 90.”

    Those who are not blessed with the gene can still get the benefits of glutathione simply by increasing their intake of broccoli, cabbage and sprouts, revealed Dr. Williamson, a biochemistry department head at the Institute of Food Research in Norwich, England.

    These members of the Brassica vegetable family also contain other chemical compounds to boost the body’s defences against several types of cancer, he added.

    Similar benefits can be obtained by eating onions and garlic.

    Studies at the institute found that most people think they eat more vegetables than they really do.

    “To some people, a slice of tomato would qualify as a portion,” said Dr. Williamson.

  • ‘Only northern leaders can stop Boko Haram’

    The National Coordinator, Voice of Christian Martyrs Nigeria, Rev Isaac Newton-Wusu, has called on Muslim leaders, clerics and the governors in the north to go beyond condemning the deadly and calculated attacks on innocent Nigerians in the region.

    He challenged them to quench the “fire” of insurgency that is fast spreading by talking to the insurgents themselves.”

    He also described the activities of the Islamic sect as a threat to the nation.

    Newton-Wusu expressed dismay at the nonchalant attitude of political leaders on the abducted girls.

    He said the release of the girls in the captivity of Boko Haram should be the focus and not the 2015 elections, which he regretted has become the preoccupation of political leaders.

    He spoke in Lagos at a briefing on the state of the nation and the graduation ceremony of the children of the martyrs who have lost either of their parents to the insurgency in the north on the 23rd of July.

    On the activities of the organisation, which has been working relentlessly to ameliorate the hardship of children orphaned by persecution over the decades, he said: “The first batch of children brought from Kaduna State to Abeokuta was eight in number. Without funding and support, we increased the number to 14 and then to 20, later to 50.

    “We later brought children from Kano, Bauchi, Jos and Maiduguri. Now, there are 424 of such children here. Each of them lost one of the parents or both in the religious uprising in most part of the north.”

    He added: “Today, we have had 118 of them graduated from the college. Over twenty of them are in various universities being supported by the generosity of concerned Nigerians.”

  • RCCG dedicates Edo headquarters

    The general overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has dedicated the provincial headquarters of the church in Edo State.

    The Pastor in Charge of Region 13 (PICR), Pastor James Dagunduro, performed the ceremony on behalf of Adeboye.

    The event attracted leaders and workers in the church as well as the Esama of Benin Kingdom, Sir Gabriel Igbinedion, who donated the land on while the building christened divine pavilion was built.

    Dagunduro applauded the contributions of all members in ensuring the successful completion of the building through the help of God.

    He said: “As we dedicate this church today our message is that all the members will get their lives dedicated to God because if their lives are not dedicated to God we will discover that all their services will go in vain.”

    The Pastor- in- charge of the province, Pastor Adedapo Oluwaniyi, described the feat as wonderful.

    He said: “It has taken long to dedicate the church because you know that to get funds was somehow difficult but thank God that He intervened and things began to fall in line.

  • Manna Prayer Mountain graduates 220 entrepreneurs

    A month-long skill acquisition and empowerment programme has been concluded for hundreds of Christians at Manna Prayer Mountain Ministry, Ogudu Lagos.

    Tagged Manna Care Centre (MCC), the scheme had a rich curriculum on entrepreneurial courses, trades and vocations.

    Beneficiaries were trained in photography, video editing, confectionaries, printing, interior decoration, event management, bead making and fashion designing, among others.

    The general overseer of the ministry, Bishop (Dr) Chris Kwakpovwe, stated the training was intended to raise entrepreneurs.

    “It’s a programme designed to open their eyes to the secrets of God’s gifts in their lives. My message to them is that it’s just the beginning of good things that will happen to them,” the publisher of Our Daily Manna stressed.

    He added: “This is just a pilot programme. Very soon, we shall extend it to other countries which citizens always come to Lagos here for programmes. Among them are Canada, Zambia, Liberia, Malawi etc.”

    The programme coordinator, Deacon Emeka Ndubueze, said the ministry’s gesture was a replica of The Acts of the Apostles’ communal life style of sharing together with the love of Christ.

  • ‘I encourage team spirit’

    ‘I encourage team spirit’

    Mr. Segun Oladipo is the Managing Director/Chief Executive, Learn Africa Plc, one of the frontline publishing companies operating in the country. In this interview with Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf and Taofeek Salako, he speaks on the prospects and challenges of publishing, his management philosophy, among other related issues. Excerpts: 

    IF you judge by the fundamentals, would you say Learn Africa is actually on a path of growth?

    Without any fear of contradiction and in the light of the challenges in the economic climate both locally and globally, I can safely say that we are on the right path to a sustainable growth. I usually like to use the key performance indicators which are quantifiable indices to measure or review our business activities in terms of achieving strategic and operational goals. As you might be aware, these vary between companies and industries, depending on their priorities or performance criteria. We are glad to inform you that we have successfully introduced new titles into the Nigerian market as replacements for some of the Pearson Education titles that were withdrawn from our list. Specifically, we have replaced New General Mathematics with New Concept Mathematics. Junior English Project and Senior English Project were also replaced with New Concept English. Furthermore, Concise Grammar was introduced as a better substitute for Brighter Grammar while The Echo Series (creative writing) replaced The Drum Beat. It is also interesting to note that we have carried out a thorough revision of some of our publications to align them with the new curriculum requirements and sustain their market acceptance.

    Concerning sales and marketing, this company has been able to execute significant bulk book supply contracts from Ogun, Gombe and Katsina States, just to mention a few. We consider this impressive patronage by individual and corporate customers as a clear indication of the confidence that they have in the continuous growth and prosperity of this company. Besides, we were able to achieve an exponential growth in open market sales from N800m in 2011 to N1.4b in 2013. Our team of experienced and committed sales professionals also succeeded in entrenching recent titles like the New Concept English and New Concept Mathematics in the recommended booklists of several states, the Federal Capital Territory, the  Directorate of Army Education, Federal Government Colleges and numerous key schools across Nigeria. As a matter of fact, we were able to deliver book supply contracts received from Universal Basic Education Commission through the indenting of the New Concept series worth over N2b in the last two years alone, thus making the series the fastest moving new titles in the Nigerian book market today. Following our decision to broaden our coverage area, we expanded the sales team from 61 before Pearson’s divestment to 137 highly motivated sales persons within one year. We are also delighted to inform you that we have concluded the restructuring of the entire sales and marketing department for optimum utilisation and efficiency to enable it to meet the current challenges of contemporary book business.

    With respect to manpower, the number of employees actually increased from 204 in 2012 to 213 in 2013 in order to ensure that we broaden our market coverage. It may interest you to know that this company recognises that management, professionals, and technical experts are its major assets, and investments in their future and development are given top priority. Our expanding skill base has been extended by a range of trainings provided to employees whose opportunities for career development within the company have thus been enhanced.

    Managing a big company of this nature certainly requires some level of expertise. Can you let us into your management style?

    Generally speaking, management style greatly affects employee’s motivation and capacity to excel. I vary my style depending on the employee’s knowledge and skills, the nature of the task, time constraints and other factors with a view to inspiring them to do their best at all times. As a matter of fact, there is no one style which suits all people and all situations. The trick is to be flexible and not to expect the same approach to work with all people in all situations.

    I consider myself to be blessed with a formidable management team which has been giving full support to the implementation of company’s policies. We review situations and issues objectively, brainstorm on crucial matters, communicate with our subordinates and encourage collective drive towards the achievement of our corporate goals. On a personal note, I have risen through the ranks in the company and acquired reasonable understanding of the operations and this has made the task of managing the business less stressful.

    Do you micromanage?

    I like to give general instructions on smaller tasks and devote time to supervising larger concerns. As I said earlier, we have an excellent management team in this company and that has made it easy to delegate tasks to each operative on the basis of their individual competencies. This approach encourages resourcefulness, initiative and the development of managerial expertise even among the lower cadre of employees. Besides, it enables me to focus on overall goals, objectives, quality, results and promote the flow of information between employees.

    How do you motivate your staff?

    We try to ensure that the remuneration package is reasonably above the average in the book publishing industry in Nigeria. Besides, we have in place an attractive scheme for rewarding outstanding performance by employees and this has been encouraging healthy rivalry among them. Moreover, we organise regular meetings called ‘village meetings’ to meet with and listen to employees in an environment that is devoid of any form of intimidation or coercion. It is a forum where we exchange ideas on how we can ensure the overall wellbeing of the company and its employees. In addition, we strive to create a work environment that is open, trusting, and fun. We also use the opportunity to provide information about upcoming products and strategies, how the company makes and loses money, and how each employee fits into the overall plan. Furthermore, we involve employees in decision making, especially those decisions that directly affect them.

    This company encourages employees to have a sense of ownership in their work and their work environment. We partner with each employee, giving them a chance to grow and learn new skills. We show employees how we can help them meet their goals within the context of meeting the organisation’s goals. As a matter of fact, we use performance as the basis for recognising, rewarding, and promoting people. On the other hand, we encourage low and marginal performers so that they improve their performance.

    Do you apply the stick and carrot approach?

    As I said earlier, we have a very good programme for appreciating employees that make outstanding contributions to the achievement of our corporate objectives. For instance, we give plaques and monetary gifts to extraordinary employees on an annual basis. We also give long service awards to employees that have been on the payroll for a minimum period of five years. It may interest you to note that we organise regular training programmes for employees, promote those that are qualified and ensure that all of them get their salaries and other allowances as and when due.

    This management frowns at indolence and unethical behaviour by any employee because such people not only retard the progress of the company but they also tarnish its image. We have a standing committee on staff discipline that considers such cases and makes appropriate recommendations to the management.

    How do you punish erring employees?

    We try as much as possible to counsel our employees whose performances and character are below expectations. Managers are advised to monitor and ensure that their subordinates abide by company’s policies and guidelines. However, employees that consistently refuse to obey corrections are made to appear before the disciplinary committee which may recommend suspension, dismissal or any other measure that it deems fit.

    What has been your toughest decision as the CEO?

    One of the toughest decisions that I have made was to approve the disengagement of some employees whose productivity and character were at variance with our current aspirations. It is sad to see young people with bright career prospects lose their jobs because of very serious concerns about their integrity and loyalty.

    What inspires you as the CEO?

    I am inspired by the support that I enjoy from the board, employees and shareholders of this company who have firm belief in the capacity of the current management team to take the company to greater heights despite the challenges. It is also inspiring to know that we are making significant contributions to the human capital development of our country through our resources that facilitate excellent learning across the nation.

    What lessons have you learnt as manager of human and material resources?

    I have learnt to be determined and unwavering in the pursuit of set targets irrespective of the obstacles, challenges or hurdles on the way. It is also obvious to me that managers must dwell on the issues with the greatest impact on the survival and prosperity of their organisations. This has to do with focus and setting a priority list to enable you pay attention to those matters that really count.

    It is also important to be prudent in the management of resources in order to avoid waste. As managers, we have to examine our organisations periodically so as to identify sources of leakages or misuse of resources and build an enduring and profitable business. Of course, it is imperative that we initiate measures that can encourage employees to give their maximum productivity and loyalty to the company.

    What legacies do you intend to leave behind?

    I will be very happy to consolidate on the achievements made by my predecessors and to raise the bar in the Nigerian book publishing industry. I look forward to a time when our products will be in the school bag of every Nigerian school boy/girl, on the prescription list of every state, on the shelves of every school library and in every reputable bookstore.  It is also my aim to leave behind a company that delivers excellent returns on investment and gives every employee a strong sense of belonging.

    What are your future growth projections in the next few years?

    We are determined to achieve a quantum leap in turnover and profitability through broader coverage of the market and efficient operations. We are also committed to the establishment our titles on the key subjects as leaders in the pre-primary, basic and senior secondary segments of our market.

    What are those things that you think should be done to boost the printing and publishing industry in Nigeria?

    We would like government to intensify anti-piracy campaigns in order to reduce its negative impact on the fortunes of the industry. It is also expected that government will remove import duties on printing machines, books, paper, ink and other materials that we use in the industry. We shall also be pleased to see more Nigerians imbibe the reading culture so as to broaden our knowledge and make informed choices in our personal and professional lives.