The Nation Newspaper

Category: Sunday Interview

  • ‘Our first fire accident was the turning point for me’

    ‘Our first fire accident was the turning point for me’

    Ezekiel Adamu is an entrepreneur, CEO of Balmoral Event Centers, and son of Amos Adamu, foremost Nigerian sports’ administrator. In this interview with Yetunde Oladeinde, he talks about his entrepreneurial journey, commitment to innovation, and spearheading groundbreaking initiatives.

    What inspired the idea of running an event center?

    I started my journey with an Event company in France called GL Events. GL has a Network of venues.  Apart from having a Network of venues, they also create their own events from Conferences to different things.  They are actually the biggest in the world and they are listed on the stock exchange.  They have over 300 events every year on their own. They don’t have to wait for people to come and use their venue. So, working with them was inspiring. Then, I started with my first venue which was Balmoral on Kudirat Abiola Way. From there, we moved on to a different Network of venues.

     Tell us about the first venue and how it all started.

    We started that venue in 2006. Then it was mainly people going to parks or schools for their events. It took us one year to get our first customer.  You can imagine the experience of running the place for a year without customers. People thought it was too expensive and back then it was 420,000 naira. They felt why I should pay that much when I can just go to a school, rent canopies, and all that. People even parked on the streets and did their parents on the streets then. Fashola was the governor then and he stopped parties on the streets. That was how people started going to event venues and some people advised me to drop my price. But, I was consistent and didn’t drop my price. When you have something good, you must value it. If you don’t value it, other people won’t value it for you.

    What has been your experience in business?

    My experience has been a worthwhile journey. I understand something with events and generally, I discovered that problems are there for you to look for solutions.  And when you find those solutions, then you become a champion.  So, I am constantly looking for where problems are, so that I can come up with solutions and monetize that.

    There is a book on your table titled Mindset, what message did you get from it?

    There are different mindsets.  There is the mindset of a winner and the Mindset of those who aren’t. Someone can say I don’t want to go into this because there is traffic or problems here. That is when you have a regular mindset.

    But a growth mindset would say that there are problems here but I would go there. I will use the example of salespeople who have a target to buttress my point. So you have a target and on a day you wake up in the morning and everywhere is cloudy and rain wants to fall. The regular person would say rain is falling today, don’t let me go out. But someone with a growth mindset would say let me go out today because every other person would give an excuse.  I also learned from a book about 2 salespeople sent to a town to do research on how to sell shoes. The first person went and said this is a dead end because they don’t even know anything about shoes. The second person went there and said this is a goldmine.  They don’t know anything about shoes which means I would sell a lot of shoes. It just means that your mindset is what takes you to where you want to where you want to get to. 

    How are you thriving in the business with the changing economy?

    These are excuses, everybody has excuses about fuel increase and other things that are changing. But, you also have people that are thriving in Business. To me, I look at things differently, especially how I can give value during this period. So, if you give value it means that you are also preferred.  Every other person would say fuel is going up; this is going up, how we increase our prices. For me, on the other hand, I am thinking about how I reduce prices. So, for me, it is just the mindset and there is always a solution to everything in this world.

    What prepared you for this journey?

    My books. I read for the best. Also, my dad. Sometimes, he would call me and say why don’t do this or that. Most times, I go to the books in the area. So, I read a lot and learn and unlearn. When people also cite examples and say things like Donald Trump is a bad person but I tell them his story. He has gone through different challenges in life and he put it in a book. When you see it, you will understand. Even if he says he wants to be President again, he will still win. He understands what other people don’t get.

     Now, that you mentioned your dad, he was popular in sports, why didn’t you go into that sector?

    Events are sports. There is an event that we do that is called Copper Lagos, a football event. For every world cup event, we work on the viewing center.

     What are the other things that you share in common with your dad?

    Work ethics. He is a hard-working man. I don’t understand how somebody would commit to you to deliver something and you give an excuse not to deliver it, no matter what. For example, if I agree with you that we are going to do this at a certain cost, even if circumstances and everything changes, I will still do what we agreed. Later on, I may tell you that this is what happened. If you deal with people with integrity, they will listen to you. Every other person would say, he gave me this thing, by the time I charged him, it was N20, 000 but now it is N30,000. But, these same people would never come to you. If the charged N20, 000 and that thing becomes N10. So, for me, I think those ethics keep you in business for a while. It’s the currency that you keep, so if you have been in business for the past 15 years, then it means that we have been doing something right. But, if you are cutting corners, you can’t go far. I remember that there are so many people that I started this business with that are not here today.

    Still on your dad, he’s Amos and you are Ezekiel, tell us about the religious factor.We believe in God. We believe that faith is very important. I was saying earlier on that when you have an imagination or idea in your head, it’s just an idea. It’s faith that makes you take the first step.  Faith also makes you take the second step and before you know it, it keeps moving.

    How can we improve the tourism and hospitality industry in Nigeria?

    I don’t even think that we have started yet. For me, I got into the business mainly because I felt like the tourism part of the business is great. I am still at it because I feel that we are not there yet. Lagos should be a place where you can spend dollars on the street to buy things like boli. When you go to the Dominican Republic, they don’t even have the infrastructure but because they have positioned themselves as a tourist place, they have positioned themselves and accept those currencies. So, I feel like we are not there yet.  Definitely, tourism is a major part of entertainment. What is World Cup, it is tourism. That is why they give four years and within those four years, you build capacity. People come in and everybody becomes enriched. The best way to bring tourism in is through event because it is experiential. That is where we come in. We did Wonderland last December and we just keep creating events ourselves.

    Tell us about LIFE.

    Lagos  Independence Festival of Excellence (LIFE). We came together last year, Balmoral and TEMPO group. They have a studio and we have venues. Idris Olorunnibe and I are friends and we came together to come up with the event. On October first, after the speech, everybody is always looking for where to go to. We decided to come up with an event for Lagos the center of excellence. We came up with an idea but on October first, when it was supposed to happen, we discovered that last year was a political season. There was going to be a million man march by Peter Obi and I remember that there was a lot of warning then, warning people to stay at home. We had done a lot of work but then safety was very important and to hold on because LIFE was supposed to be a family event. So, we pushed it to 2023.

    Talking about safety, you once had a fire accident at Balmoral, what are you doing about this?

    Yes, we had a fire accident about 10 years ago. For me, that fire incident was a turning point. It happened and showed everyone that this is a company that has come to stay.  We had only one venue and with that fire incident, you could have gone down completely. But we rebuilt back immediately. That gave investors and people confidence that we are here to stay. From there we got the opportunity to start another event center, the Haven in GRA, then went on to Eko Hotel where we set up a venue inside Eko ocean view, and then we started the venue inside Federal palace hotel. Now, we are building one inside the Sheraton hotel, Ikeja.

    How has your family background influenced your growth?

    I won’t hide the fact that I grew up in a privileged home. But growing up as well my dad was a very hard worker. So, I learned the discipline of working hard. I also know that overnight success takes 20 years. Nowadays, on social media, they behave like you can start a business and be successful right away. We are not even there yet. For me, on a scale of 1 to 10, we are on 5, and still, a long way to go, the business world keeps evolving. What you did two years ago is not what you can do this year. For us as leaders, we need to keep innovating and people tell me that I get bored easily. I don’t get bored easily, I tend to travel a lot and when I travel a lot, I see things that people are doing. I would come in and break it down, even if we just did it last year. That is how we have been able to stay relevant all these years. For me, innovation and keep innovating is the way to go. Now, we are delving into the tech part of things, now we are moving into an experienced tech and you find out that everywhere in the world it is tech that we are using to enable what we are doing. We are championing how to use tech to enhance events.

    What advice do you have for young people who want to Japa?

    Last year, I was a victim. Five of my management staff left at the same time. However, maybe because I have lived abroad, I know that it is not easy on the other side.

  • SUNKY OJULARI: Nightlife, fashion are five and six

    SUNKY OJULARI: Nightlife, fashion are five and six

    Sunkanmi Ojulari known as Sunky O is founder and CEO of a premium entertainment and lifestyle brand aimed at creating, developing, and improving brands. In this interview with Yetunde Oladeinde, the graduate of Accounting talks about his passion, his turning point as a brand ambassador on campus, working with celebrities, his new documentary about Nightlife, and the different opportunities discovered over the years.

    Tell us about your experience working with celebrities.

    Working with Celebrities has always been fun, it is still fun and it is more of a business relationship because, at most Clients’ events or club openings, we will likely want to book them for guest appearance performances. So it is a very seamless relationship and experience.

    What inspired you to go into entertainment and lifestyle?

    I won’t necessarily say that anything inspired me. But I would just say that it came from my love for just putting things together and planning. I really loved to just see me think of an idea and execute it. It always just gives me joy.

    What are some of the lessons learned?

    I learned some of life’s lessons very late. I should be ready for laws; the laws should not weigh me down. I just recently concluded my documentary. I had lows and I just kept going because I knew what I wanted. I knew that this journey without God is nothing. You need to uphold God as a boat, as the pilot, and as the actual foundation of your movement.

    Tell us about some of the memorable moments working for brands as a student.

    One of the most memorable moments in school for me would have to be my Etisalat Ambassador moment, whereby we had to legit compete for the role. It was the first of its kind, where we had to write letters on why they had to compete at the University of Lagos. I took my letters for the first reading. It was a very hard criterion to become this. There were three of us and it was a very beautiful era. Let’s talk about your experience as Executive Producer of Nightlife with the Lasgidi series.

    To God be the glory. This came from the fact that we come from a country where Nightlife is perceived in a negative light. This is outside the people that want to go clubbing or going to have fun. For the average Nigerian, if you ask them about nightlife, they say it’s about drugs, about prostitution. That is the narrative out there. So, the essence of the documentary is to capture the whole essence of Nightlife, the business angle of it that people don’t get to see. Things that people that put all these readymade clubs that people have come to the party. There is a kitchen that is working as well as different departments. This is what the Nightlife of Lasgidi pretty much expatriates and makes it easier for things to happen. It’s an educative piece, for you to go deep, and have more depth about the understanding of nightlife.

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    How would you assess the work done on your Back to School Initiative?

    I always love to give; I learned that from my parents. Where I served in a government school in Ibadan, I saw why and how things needed to be done. Then I was just a youth Corper and I could not do anything. But right now, I have taken it upon myself to reach out to several schools as much as possible. So, it is a very huge project that I hold dear to my heart.

     Would you say Mentoring helped to move things forward in your career?

    Yes, everybody needs to have a mentor.

    You need to see somebody you look up to doing what you are doing. Someone that inspires you, someone that you can run to for ideas because we don’t know it all. So, mentorship is a huge thing when it comes to career paths. 

     How can young people upscale their businesses?

    It depends on the business that we are thinking about here. But, I would say that it is important to start small. Start with family, start with friends, and ensure that you are ready with your product or service. Don’t just jump into it, you can overly get the first impression or the first set of customers to come. What will keep them coming back is your service or how detailed your product is. If that is unchecked, you will find out that your family and friends will be your voice out there. They will become part of the promotion, he makes nice food or nice clothes.

    What are some of the challenges encountered?

    Challenges will always be there from the societal angle, to not getting help. But with God, the sky is just your limit. 

    What are the other things that occupy your time now?

    Right now, I started this project, trying to work on my beach line. I like to go to the beach a lot. I am a beach worm, so I am trying to go into that market. The market is open and I am trying to introduce beach wear, and ready-to-wear outfits for guys. You just walk into the store or just call us and have it delivered to your doorsteps. As well as the other things that are in the pipeline for now.

    What are some of the changes you would like to see in Nigeria today?

    To be very honest, it has to be in the nightlife and hospitality business. I want the government to see it as that avenue that is a lucrative industry that is turning figures for the country. I want them to be able to say okay and see how they dropped funds for Nollywood and other forms of occupation. We need to set aside funds for the nightlife sector and pay attention to it.

    Tell us about the people you admire in the sector.

    In no particular order, I would say, Bobby Taylor, Bukky George Taylor, Dapo Aderele, they call him the Ghost and Keji of WBar.

    Who or what do you consider as the greatest influence in your life?

    I would have to say God because it’s a thing to have it in your head and it’s a thing to stick to someone that is helping you navigate it. HE is a very Great influence and He is making my work seamless.

    As a fashion enthusiast, how would you assess the performance in the sector?

    Nightlife and fashion are five and six. Your most expensive brands, your most luxury designers, I would tell you that most of the clientele are in nightlife. Nightlife is where the boys and girls are dripping hard. So, it’s eleven over-ten sectors when it comes to fashion.

    What message do you have for Nigerians?

    I would say Nightlife is now an industry. It has always been an industry.

  • WOFAI SAMUEL: Kamala Harris, Remi Tinubu inspire me

    WOFAI SAMUEL: Kamala Harris, Remi Tinubu inspire me

    Charming, smart, and intelligent. That is your first impression when you come in contact with Wofai Samuel, Director of Communications, Nigerian -American Chamber of Commerce. She’s got this and more. In this interview with Yetunde Oladeinde, she explains her interest in international communications, bilateral dialogues, AFCFTA, and love for nature.

    OU have shown interest in International communications and bilateral dialogues; what are some of your professional experiences?

    This includes being profiled on Forbes Africa as ”Shaping the Future of the Continent”, having visited the United States, and by extension, the White House and U.S. Capitol to strengthen U.S. – Nigeria bilateral economic relations, in addition to working with multinational public and private sector organizations in Europe, Asia, Africa and the United States of America. I am pleased to affirm that I am an Internationally diversified Communications professional with demonstrated; people and project skills gained in multiple senior positions in Private Sector and International Relations Services.

    I am the Director of Communications, Government Relations/Advocacy, and Programs at the Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce, the oldest bilateral Chamber of Commerce in West Africa, established in 1960 to advance U.S. – Nigeria’s economic relationship.

    Previously I served as the Director of Communications & External Affairs to the UK-Liberia Chamber of Commerce – a British Chamber of Commerce affiliate headquartered in the United Kingdom. I also served as the Editor of Africa Energy & Infrastructure Magazine – a subsidiary of African Leadership Magazine in the United Kingdom, and Head of Oil & Gas to Foreign Investment Network, a consulting firm headquartered in the U.K. I have also moderated dialogues for multinational Organizations and public sector institutions, which have provided policy directions for some decisions in Africa.

     What are some of the changes you would like to see in the sector?

    More funding should be allocated to projects around the sector, whether in Organizational, Interpersonal, Mass Communication, or other tiers of communication; understanding the sector and principles of operation is imperative for success.

    I want Organizations’ to invest in training for persons in the sector because human capital development is important.

     You are currently the Director of Communications, Government Relations/Advocacy, and Programs for the Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce; tell us about this role.

    I joined the Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce as Director of Communications, Government Relations/Advocacy, and Programs on August 1st, 2022.

    My experience with this Organization is one for the future books. Professionally and personally, this role has been an enabler for success. Quite challenging, my duties entail:

     Coordinating media coverage for NACC’s engagement (PR campaigns, press events, publications, news articles, media interviews, and public engagements), Facilitating and preparing internal/external communications pieces (key messages, speeches, talking points, articles, announcements, and minutes).

    This includes using knowledge of the market and competitors to identify/develop NACC’s unique selling propositions and differentiators.

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    They interact with local, state, and federal executive/legislative bodies, private organizations, and government agencies in the United States and Nigeria to represent and protect NACC’s business plans and interests.

    Monitoring legislation and policy activities, updating and advising leadership, staff, and members about relevant policy proposals and actions, and working on analyzing the potential impacts on NACC’s members.

    Organizing and coordinating all NACC forums, conferences, and events.

    Advance ideas and work in partnership with Banks, SMEs, MSMEs, and related networks in U.S. and Nigeria for overall participation in NACC’s Events.

    Pitching NACC’s services to new clients, acquiring new business opportunities, identifying new sales leads, and maintaining relationships with existing clients. Ensuring the overall financial growth/surplus for NACC with each program.

     So far, I have enhanced existing programs for the Chamber and coordinated the implementation of new programs for our members to drive value.

    We have embarked on two outbound Trade missions to the U.S. since I assumed office, one to Miami, Florida, in 2022 and the second to Washington DC, in 2023.

    I have strengthened the Chamber’s relationship with leading organizations like the U.S. Exim Bank, Nigerian Export-Import Bank, African Export-Import Bank, ECO Bank, Nigerian-Investment Promotions Commission, Nigerian Export Promotions Council, Center for Economic Enterprise, an affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Fidelity Bank, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Chevron, Prosper Africa USA, Small Business Administration USA, U.S. Consulate General, American Business Council, Chambers of Commerce in the United States, Exporters across Nigeria and the United States to name a few.

    More multinational organizations are interested in becoming part of the Organization in Nigeria and the United States.

    How can the Government assist businesses in Nigeria?

    The government should encourage Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) through financial incentives, well-established infrastructure, desirable administrative processes, a regulatory environment, educational investment, and economic stability. Positive outcomes of investment are not automatic for countries, and they depend on policies in place and other factors. Specific industrial and macroeconomic policies must be used to attract and upgrade FDI and enhance linkages and spill-overs to domestic firms.

    The nation’s industrial policy should offer permanent or temporary tax concessions to multinational companies, impose performance requirements, and encourage interaction between multinationals, domestic firms, and research institutions. The government should also encourage the interaction between multinationals, research institutes, and domestic firms through linkage programmes, among others. As a trade policy instrument, the establishment of free-trade zones or export processing zones in countries with a stable economic environment and commitment to trade liberalisation will also attract export-intensive. 

    You studied Zoology and Environmental Biology; what inspired this choice?

     In addition to my BSC in Zoology and Environmental Biology from the University of Calabar, I also like to state that I hold an Advanced Diploma in Human Resource Management and Organizational Development from the University of Lagos.

    I have always loved nature, animals, trees, geography, and topography of any location, water, wind, the clouds, to name a few.

    Growing up as a child, I was curious about the Environment, and Zoology/Environmental Biology was my closest pathway to nature.

    I was the only student admitted through direct entry as my first choice to study Zoology and Environmental Biology at the University of Calabar in 2006. We had other students who enrolled for the course but were admitted based on the option of second choice or through remedial studies.

    Through the study of Zoology, we gain an understanding of the natural world and how we can help with conservation which is a huge part of our daily lives.

     My subject of study for BSC has offered me the opportunity to consider ways to face global challenges such as climate change and food security, trying to find solutions to help animals and humans.

    What would you describe as the turning point in your career?

    My social-cultural affiliation with the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos, Nigeria, and my current job with the Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce has been turning points in my professional life.

    These platforms have exposed me to a world of limitless possibilities and opportunities in Nigeria, Africa, and, most importantly, the United States of America.

    Let’s talk about your concerns with the inflation rate in the country.

    Nigeria’s inflation rate rose to 22.04% in March 2023, the highest since 2009, according to a recent Consumer Price Index report released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). The continuous rise in the inflation rate poses challenges for the central bank’s monetary policy strategy. It indicates key structural challenges in the Nigerian economy, particularly in food, housing, and petrol areas.

    We keep purchasing fewer goods with the same amount of money as we previously did, which implies that fixed-income earner suffers during this period, not allowing for savings. Money lenders cannot get the actual value of money since the value of money falls during inflation.

     What are some of the changes that you would like to see in the next few years?

    Diversification of the economy from Oil. More focus on Commercial Agriculture and manufacturing, improved power supply.

     What is the position of the Chamber on AfCFTA?

    The Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce was excited about AfCFTA when it was founded in 2018, and we have worked closely with institutions aligned with AfCFTA, including the African-Export Import Bank.

    By this, I am referring to one of the many moves we initiated with AFREXIM, like the collaborative Breakfast meeting we held, charging Trade experts and the Nigerian government to deploy mechanisms aimed at maximizing the opportunities of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), one-year post-implementation. The meeting had the theme: “One Year of AfCFTA: Opportunities, Challenges, and the Nigerian-American Partnership”.

    Our call became pertinent following observations that the country was not harnessing the benefits of the AfCFTA due to structural and trade-related issues such as inadequate payment system integration, logistics, and trust.

    Nigeria and Nigerians alike need to utilize the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System, a product of AFREXIM BANK (PAPSS), which is an efficient payment system to facilitate Intra-African trade.

    This is a key supporting pillar of AfCFTA, a platform that facilitates instant cross-border payments in local African currencies. We highlighted that the platform would save African traders about 5 billion dollars annually in currency convertibility if utilized.

    Therefore, we will continue to broker healthy interactive discussions with relevant facilitative government and private agencies that can provide useful information that may help our members who are already into exports to maximize the opportunities inherent in AfCFTA.

    Under AfCFTA, West Africa would see the biggest decline in the number of people living in extreme poverty—a decline of 12 million, more than a third of Africa’s total.

  • India considering currency swap agreement with Nigeria

    India considering currency swap agreement with Nigeria

    India High Commissioner to Nigeria, Shri G. Balasubramanian speaks on India-Nigeria relations and the efforts towards improving economic and bilateral trade, including plans for currency swap amongst other issues. Except by VINCENT IKUOMOLA

    INDIA-NIGERIA relationship is said to be historic, but where would you say we are at the moment as partners?

    The bilateral relationship between India and Nigeria is very strong. It is historical, as you would perhaps know that we started our relationship two years before your independence in 1958 by opening a diplomatic office in Lagos. Subsequently, it was through political visits; the first prime minister had visited in 1962. When you were also having a prime minister, Alhaji Tafawa Balewa, he was also here.

    So from that point onwards, capacity building training, sending of teachers to the schools and universities, setting up of the Naval War College in Port Harcourt and the National Defence Secretariat in Kaduna, were capacity building exercises which were carried out by both India and Nigeria together. Up till the mid 80s or late 80s, Indian teachers were also available in most of the schools and in universities. I have come across various senior functionaries of the government, both in politics and in the bureaucracy who have said that they have had Indian teachers who have taught them. So, we have had quite a close relationship. Subsequently, India has also on the economic front, set up various industries over here through Indian companies. More than 135 Indian companies that have made Nigeria their home for the past three, four decades have invested more than $19 billion in the manufacturing sector alone. And the manufacturing sector varies from oil industry to plastics, to pharmaceuticals, to textiles to almost everything in the service industry. Yet, there is another example currently in the service industry, Hospitality Management. There are also hospitals like Primus Hospital already set up here, and so on and so forth. So there are many Indians who have made Nigeria their home, thanks to the hospitality of Nigeria; and have contributed to the economy of Nigeria as well as the development of business relationship between India and Nigeria. On the political front, as I told you, we have had regular visits, and of course, the last visit of the President was in 2015, when he went to India to attend the India Africa Forum Summit.

    We are expecting the current president to also visit India. I will come to the background in a while. When we took over the presidency of G20 in December 2022, we invited Nigeria as a guest country for the first time. That in itself reflects the strength of the relationship, political relationship and the close cooperation that we have been having. Based on that, we are expecting His Excellency Mr. Bola Tinubu, the president of Nigeria to visit India for the forthcoming G20 Summit in India on 9th and 10th of September this year. This is something we are working closely on with the Nigerian authorities.

    We have had more than 140 meetings from December till now and we are very satisfied with the participation of Nigeria in the G20 meetings – at the ministerial level, working group level, engagement group level, and so on and so forth.

    I would therefore like to say that the relationship is on a very strong footing. The future is wide open for us to cooperate closely for mutual benefits; and the basis on which we are doing so is quite strong.

    The trade relations between India and Nigeria has been constant for a while now, can’t this be improved on?

    Certainly. There have been reports in this first quarter of some drops in the trade relationship between India and Nigeria; and that is basically because of the forces that are beyond the bilateral relationship, which include oil and natural gas and things like petroleum products of that sort. But otherwise, the relationship has been quite strong. We have grown. During COVID, we were doing it well; and post COVID, there has been a substantial improvement. In 2021/2022, we had a bilateral trade of about $14.95 billion, majority of which was petroleum; but there has been some change in the recent past. However, with the strong manufacturing capacity that India has put in place within Nigeria and also the push that the government of India is giving in terms of making India an export to the world, there has been a large impetus on the part of the government also and on the part of the businesses. To further expand this thing, we, in August 2022, inaugurated a Nigeria-India Business Council. While there are 135 Indian companies here with $19 billion dollars as I mentioned earlier, they are all in traditional areas of manufacturing. So the NIBC is looking forward towards opening up of new vistas in trade and economic cooperation between our two countries – whether it is FinTech, whether it has artificial intelligence, whether it is new areas, technological solutions for modern problems; these are something that we are working on, including Nollywood/Bollywood. So we are very hopeful that these things will happen. There are certain foundational agreements which are being negotiated like the double taxation avoidance agreement, bilateral investment treaty and so on and so forth. This will certainly also add impetus to the growing relationship in the trade sector between our two countries.

    Is there any bilateral air agreement between both countries?

    Yes. We have Bilateral Air Services Agreement. Under that agreement, Air Peace has already started flying directly from Lagos to Mumbai on twice a week basis. And I’m sure that with more than 60,000 Indians residing in Nigeria and an equal number, if not more, of Nigerians residing in India, this certainly would be a very profitable route. In the future, we are also looking forward to having Indian Airlines come to Nigeria – because this is a very important factor for businesses and people to people contact.

    What are the reports you get about Nigerians in your country?

    See, good, bad and ugly are out there in the whole world. But nobody can certainly say that country A is bad, Country B is bad. There are people who have different work ethics and ways in which they work. So I wouldn’t certainly turn Nigeria in that category at all. We have excellent cooperation. More than 5000 students were studying last year alone. We had given 4,836 scholarships for only education to Nigerian students. Many medical visas are being given for treatment in India. Last year alone, we gave more than 10,000 visas for Nigerians to visit, and the business is growing.

    So I would certainly characterise this as a growing relationship; and the movement of people, certainly, is being encouraged.

    In the area of insecurity, both countries seem to have had their share; how do you think Nigeria can benefit from your experience?

    Certainly security is an internal issue for any country, and India as a friend and a partner of Nigeria would certainly be happy to extend whatever possible assistance in terms of training and capacity building that Nigeria wishes to have. Up till last December, we had a group of Indian Army specialists who trained many people. They stayed in Nigeria for about six months; the trainees were inducted in December 2022 in Jaji training school. They trained people on counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency. India has a long experience in these matters, especially internal security matters and we will be happy to share.

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    Very recently, I think in January, we sent 30 law enforcement officers from various departments of Nigerian government structure, law enforcement officers for specialised training in India under the National Defence University in Gujarat, which was very well appreciated by all those who participated; with regard to the curriculum and the manner in which it was taught. So capacity building is certainly something we are looking forward to further extending. We are giving more than 150 scholarships under the military site for training -short term courses and even one year courses for military officers in India. These are the ways in which we can certainly cooperate.

    India well known as one country that has greatly harnessed its Diaspora citizens, what lesson could Nigeria possibly learn from this?

    You should be very happy to note that there has been a budding relationship between Nigerians in Diaspora Commission and the Indian Overseas Affairs Division, which is now called the Diaspora Engagement Division. So actually, there is a budding relationship that has gone on; a team from NIDCOM recently visited India in January.  Again, we do once in two years the NRA Diaspora Day in India, where we get people from all around the world; as you rightly pointed out, we have nearly 35 million Indians who are staying abroad; you are not far behind; you are about 17 to 19 million and very strong in most of the western countries too. So there, we have more than 27 different schemes, which we have adapted for the Diaspora. And in my meeting with NiDCOM, I came to know that, except for four or five, almost every other skill is being implemented by Nigeria. So there’s a lot to learn from each other- how to manage our Diaspora; what are the schemes that we can think of in terms of extending to the Diaspora…. And this visit by NiDCOM to India, which the high commission organised in January 2023, is certainly a new beginning and will only further consolidate as we go along.

    What is your analysis of Nigeria, given the report you had before coming down?

    This is my first time in Africa. I have served in other parts of the world but this is the first time I will be serving in Africa. It is a lovely  experience. The People are really friendly and very hospitable. My wife recently said we have never settled this fast in any other place that we have been.

    You are a very friendly group of people who actually have made our life very easy. Before coming over here, and in fact, anytime you’re going to a new place, there would always be apprehensions. But there is no such apprehension out there. Certainly I can say so. And my experience in the past 11 months has been wonderful. That, also, is because of the strength of the relationship between India and Nigeria.

    And what is your assessment of Nigeria since arriving, given the report you were hearing before coming?

    Certainly we did hear something about security problems, but I have found Abuja to be quite safe. There has been no problem. I have travelled around the country as well. I have been to Lagos thirteen times.  In eleven months, I have been to Lagos; I’ve been to Port Harcourt… Wherever you are, in any part of the world, security can be an issue. One has to be a little more careful; in how one handles himself and where one goes and how one goes and so on and so forth. So with basic precautions, I haven’t faced any issue.

    Which city in India can you compare to Lagos?

    Bombay, Bombay, Bombay. The hustle and bustle in Lagos is exactly like Bombay, and it is the financial capital of India. So is Lagos, the financial capital of Nigeria.  So without doubt, the first city that comes to my mind is Bombay only.

    So you were never out of place in Lagos?

    Oh no! Nigeria and India, we have so much in common. Both of us are multi linguistic and multicultural. Both are multi-religious countries with large populations. And the traffic problems in Lagos reminded me of traffic problems in Mumbai also. The life in Lagos is exactly the same kind of vibrancy that you can sense in Bombay. So it is something very similar. Both are coastal towns as well.

    At the end of your service in Nigeria, what do you want to be remembered for?

    That’s a question which I’m also looking for an answer to. But I would certainly like to strengthen the relationship particularly in new areas like FinTech. We are shortly going to propose, formally, a currency swap agreement between our two countries. Hopefully, we are in the process of working into a currency swap agreement. We are also trying to see the Nigerian Interbank Settlements System and its equivalent in India which is the NPCI; we are trying to see whether the universal payment interface which has been developed in India, which has taken off in a very big way in India, can also be on boarded over here and whether we can share those software the whole stack to Nigeria. So talks are on between NISS and NPCI. So, if these are some of the things which come out of the foundational agreements I talked about; the double taxation avoidance agreement, the bilateral investment treaty; and on the humanitarian side, the extradition treaty, the transfer of sentence to prisoners, mutual legal assistance treaty… If we are able to get any of these things cleared through negotiations during my tenure, and the other agreements which I spoke about on the FinTech areas, I would consider it to be a very, very satisfactory assignment.

    On the issue of prison swap, how many Nigerians are in prisons in India?

    I don’t have an exact number, but we do have the Vienna Convention and Geneva Convention; we have been intimating based on that. We also allow offenders to have consular access.

    India is a large country and we have people everywhere. In Nigeria, we have about 50,000 to 60,000 Indians mainly concentrated in Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt and areas like that, but they are everywhere. So similarly, even in India, Nigerian friends are everywhere. They are studying in different universities, different colleges, people are working in different places. So, I wouldn’t have an exact number, but the much I can certainly assure is that whenever any order takes place, the government of India through the Ministry of External Affairs intimidates the Nigerian High Commission to have consular access immediately.

  • VIVIAN AKAENYI: Satisfaction is everything for me

    VIVIAN AKAENYI: Satisfaction is everything for me

    Vivian Akaenyi is an entrepreneur, Realtor, CEO SkinSalva Med Spa and founder of the Katalog Foundation. In the interview with Yetunde Oladeinde she opens of on early life, discovering her skills and talents as TV presenter, touching lives and more.

    Tell us about family and early life ?

    I am the last child in a family of four. I schooled in Awka (Anambra state) for my primary education, secondary in Enugu State and later studied English and Literature at Ebonyi State University.

    What did you do after school?

    I moved to Lagos and worked briefly to establish myself. I started with interior décor and furniture production. We have been opportune to supply furniture to at least 13 states in Nigeria.

    Tell us about life producing and supplying furniture.

    I went in for the passion, I don’t have a factory where I make furniture. When I got jobs I take them to a factory owned by various friends of mine in the sector. Then they would produce based on my design. I did a major contract that made me supply furniture to 13 states in Nigeria, all at the same time. And that was the biggest job I handled as a contractor, It was a Federal government job.

    Was the experience easy?

    There were challenges. I got a job to supply and no funds weren’t made available. So, I had to source the funding myself which wasn’t so difficult due to the few friends that are now like family to me. I needed a lot of money to make supplies and they were not even from the same ethnicity but they rallied around and made sure I pulled it through.

    Would you say that was the turning point for you?

    Yes, it was the turning point for me. That was the biggest of my supplies at the time. That now berthed my business, the SkinSalva Med and Aesthetics in 2018. In 2017, I went for my Youth Service which was the same year I made the furniture supply.

    Are you still combining the contract jobs with running the Spa?

    Yes, for some time I haven’t gone for big jobs like I did before. I still do productions and supplies but right now, I have gone into the interior and I am diversifying into real estate as well. I have a Real Estate company called Naija Global Realtor. I am planning to take it to the next level, so I would say that the furniture business berthed the SkinSalva Med Spa.

    What inspired you to go into the skincare sector?

    The truth of the matter is that I love the hospitality business. Hotel Management is the first business I did moving to Lagos in 2014. I love the business of care, rendering care, and being of assistance in whatever way to people. Being in the hospitality industry, I was looking for something to do apart from owning a hotel, which would be a bit cumbersome to manage.

    Facials, spa services, pampering people… I just pretty much like to be of help. I will make sure that you are okay and give you my best support ever. On the other hand, I make herbs to heal and to treat. For that, I needed an office because I got exhausted with people coming to my home and I needed my space. Again, that is another reason to encapsulate the SkinSalva Med Spa which is skin salvation for your body and the rest is history.

    What was the experience like at the beginning?

    Skin Salva started in 2018 and we would be five years this July. I must say that the experience has not been easy but it is really worth it to me. Rendering services is not the easiest thing to do. Customers can be difficult. Some can be really unassuming; some cannot be satisfied no matter what you do. I got to learn that on the job. I handled it the best way I could.

    Are you looking at diversifying to other areas in the future?

    Yes. Currently, I’m a Doctor in Medical Aesthetics, I got trained in Turkey, Istanbul in 2021. I’m now a Non-Surgical Beauty Aesthetician which focuses on giving you results that can make you look 15 Years Younger by getting rid of wrinkles and fine lines, nose, chin and lips fillers and so on. It is all about making sure that you can get what you need for your body without going under the knife.

    What are the new areas that you would like to branch out to?

    There are new areas that I intend to focus on again. For example, this is a medical aesthetic clinic, we need to have different branches in the building. For example, we don’t have the teeth whitening section I have already made provision for that section alongside the machines as well. This year, I would say that when politics came on board, it slowed down businesses in general, thanks to God that’s already behind us.

    Let’s talk about some memorable moments with your clients.

    Satisfaction for me is everything. That is always my expectation when you walk in here. Less than a week ago, on a Friday to be precise, a lady came in for a massage. I sent my staff to go and take care of her which she was initially doubtful of my therapist since she had a few concerns that needed care. I assured her with a money back guarantee if she wasn’t satisfied.

    She came out and was overwhelmingly excited, which, she informed was the best massage she ever got. Oh my gosh! I wished I got that on camera that very minute. So, to be honest, it is more of the satisfaction and not just the money. I pretty much like it when I get positive feedback from my clients. It’s everything, it’s priceless.

    Tell us about early life.  What are your memories of growing up?

    I grew up in the east and I was my father’s favorite. As a girl child or as Daddy’s best (laughs) I got all the attention I needed. Then reaching out to people happened naturally.  I remember then that my mum would say, ‘everytime they give you food, you don’t eat but share’. For her, it was a problem because I remained skinny and she didn’t like the idea till tomorrow. Giving is pretty much something that has been a part of me since my childhood. So, talking about the passion to help, I think it was just inborn. I have been of help in every way possible, including touching the lives of my mates in the university. I remember a lady in particular because she did something spectacular. She was selling things in trays and was pregnant . I gave her very little funds to boost her business and she went round telling everyone about it, even though it was something I did quietly.

    I have been an entrepreneur as far back as 2009, I registered my first business as a student, then I worked with the Ebonyi State Government House, I was the first event planner to work successfully with the government house, it was indeed a privilege as we hosted the Former First Lady, Stella Obasanjo.

    I participated in the Star Game Show, I was the co- host/ TV presenter along side other presenters in 2010, that is about 13 years ago.

    Moving into Lagos I got depressed 90 per cent of the time. When I walk home or in a taxi from work, you would see street beggars.  You wouldn’t see a lot of that in the East. So, I tried to save money monthly from my tips and when I have upto 50,000 naira, I would cook and take to the streets from 2014 till date. I just had to add shelter and fund their businesses to it as it grew financially.

    Now, you want to go into Charity formally. What would you be doing differently?

    To be honest, I have over the years refused to give it a title. I decided to stay behind and away from the scene 100 per cent. I felt it was better for my Father in heaven to reward me. However, I  realized that by insisting to do this on my own, I am limiting those I can reach out to. I have been able to reach out to atleast 300 widows. That is me, limiting the wish and desires of God upon my life.

    Another big thing that happened to me is that I lost my father. I thought of how best to preserve his memory and what he has lived for. So, I registered the Katalog Charity Foundation in January 2022. Just before that, I was able to  reach out to so many widows, giving them money and other items.I am targeting youths, girls but 90 per cent women. Women in dire need, their husbands must not be dead before we reach out to them. There are a lot of women out there who labour a lot. Many of them are heartbroken at what their children turned out to be. When you grow up on the streets, you don’t have a vision for tomorrow. You don’t have any guidance, any assurance whatsoever. Many has lost their children to drugs, bandits, kidnapping.  It is heartbreaking, these things happening around the world not just in Nigeria.

    How do you identify your targets?

    First, I am a bit spiritual.  I go out on the street without the camera and sometimes they record me. I talk to a cross section of women and find out what their problems are. If you lack the word and God, there are a lot of things that you cannot do. I wish I could get everyone off the street with the snap of the finger. But it is not possible.

    If you had to advise young people, what would you tell them?

    Be true to yourself, focus on your dreams and always remember God. Take your God along with you, let God go before you. Whatever it is that you believe in, keep believing and one day it would come to pass.

    The few people we have reached out to, we don’t just rent a house, furnish it or set up a businesses for them, No. When we reach out, we give you psychological evaluation, build up your faith and get you ready to face the world. What you have in your head can be reformed. You are looking at yourself and saying your life is finished. No. It is just yet to begin.

    Where do you see the Foundation in the next few years?

    God willing in the next few years, two years down the line I wish to have a lot of millionaires restored. Hope restored for a lot of people that were stripped off whatever they had.

  • ‘I was inspired growing up in slums of Warri

    ‘I was inspired growing up in slums of Warri

    Elvis Obas Akpobi is a graduate of Geophysics from the Federal University of Technology Owerri. A youth advocate, social developer, founder, and Executive Director of the Nottooyoungtolead initiative. He leads a powerful youth group domiciled in 4 African countries. In this interview with Yetunde Oladeinde, he takes you into his world, how the registered youth advocacy and community development group has in the last 7 years inspired young Africans to get involved in the electoral process.

    How would you describe your experience?

     “I am the privileged  Special Assistant on Youths to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, Executive Governor of Delta state. The Nigeria Ambassador to the Young political leadership school Africa and I am a work in progress”.

     How long have you been a Youth leader and in what capacity?

    For the past six years, I was a Nigeria representative for the 2016 ECOWAS Youth for Peace. In 2021 I led a team of young Deltans to the Young political leadership school Africa, Liberia. I  am currently a state representative at the Nigeria Young Professional Forum chaired by Mr Moses Siasia with the likes of Hamzat Lawal, CEO of Connected Development as stakeholders.

    I was also a Nigeria delegate for the just concluded Afrihertage award that was held in Rwanda, with the likes of former President Goodluck Jonathan,  former President of Botswana, and Vice President of Liberia as awardees.

     Who has influenced you most in leadership? 

    My immediate boss is a rare Leader. I call him an extraordinary being. Mr. Hilary Obi Ibegbulem, Principal Secretary to the Governor of Delta State.  discovered, harnessed, and grew the potential you see me exhibit today amidst so much resistance and challenge. He has always shown up for me. Like salt he spiced and add taste to my life, molding me to be a better me each day that passes. That is one good thing about His Excellency Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa. He raised leaders that are also raising and molding emerging leaders.

     What has been your experience working with him? 

    Working with him has made me discover that we are better off when other people are better off and we share in one humanity. 

     What are the 4 core leadership values from him that you think will help move Delta Youths forward?

    Humility, accessibility, responsiveness, and decorum.

     Did you ever dream that you’ll be successful in what you do today while growing up?

    Yes, I did, growing up in the slum of Igbi Street, Warri, I have always dreamt of playing a role in my little space towards nation-building. Today, I am the privileged Executive Director of a youth advocacy group that is domiciled in 4 African countries. My success story is a tale that there is so much possibility for young Africans irrespective of their habitat, background, and ethnicity.

    Can we have 4 key areas of Youth Empowerment involvement you think he will be remembered for?

    Governor Ifeanyi Okowa will be remembered for the exponential development of Asaba, the fastest-growing state capital in Nigeria, and his urban renewal initiative across Delta.

    He will be remembered for creating platforms for young people, with his youth inclusion policy, his sustainable Empowerment program (STEP, GEST, RYSA, ICT, and others) has helped a number of young Deltans to become self-reliant.

    Read Also: I get to say yes again to man of my dreams- Warri Pikin

    Deltans will also remember him for the development of the Health sector of the state, with well-equipped hospitals built across the state.

    Habitats in the riverine areas of Deltan won’t forget so easily how he gave them a feel of Governance.

    What lessons has life taught you as a youth leader?

    Life has taught me as a youth leader, that dialogue and meaningful engagement is always the best way to handle and solve social problems.

    What changes will you like to see in the new dispensation of Governance in Delta?

    I am glad the Governor-elect Rt Hon Sherrif Oborevwori is a leader who is experienced and is in sync with the different strata of young people who make up 70 percent of the population today. I am looking for a youth-centric government.

     He is endowed with local content, so I am confident and also looking forward to seeing more young Deltans with character, capacity, and competence being on the table where their future will be decided.

    What advice do you have for young people who want to come into political leadership?

    Look for your niche and carve it, we all have the one thing God bestowed on us. It’s just to discover it and use it to add value to society.  Don’t just be part of the statistics but be part of the solution. Create value, and you will conquer the world.

      In what practical areas do you think government can help youth development?

    Government at all levels must work towards building trust because without trust we can’t make progress and most importantly, grant young people irrespective of social strata access to tools they need to live their dreams.

    Government should initiate more policies that can help support SMEs.Young Nigerians are innovative and breaking boundaries and all we need is an enabling environment where these innovations can grow exponentially.

  • GABRIEL AFOLAYAN: I was inspired first by Baba Sala before my dad

    GABRIEL AFOLAYAN: I was inspired first by Baba Sala before my dad

    Ebullient and hugely talented actor, Gabriel Afolayan, speaks of his early inspirations into acting, the Baba Sala connection, his music; and how growing up with his famed dad, Adeyemi Afolayan popularly known as Ade Love, meant he was always going to be grounded in the make-believe profession. He spoke with Gboyega Alaka.

    This is a family of actors and movies stars. A movies dynasty, if you like. From ‘world’ famous dad, Adeyemi Afolayan, known popularly as Ade Love; to mothers, aunties and renowned siblings, they all make the front row when it comes to the thespian profession. A few of the notable names that have distinguished themselves from that family include: Kunle Afolayan, Aremu Afolayan, Moji Afolayan; Toyin Afolayan, their aunt, known popularly as Lola Idije; and of course, Gabriel Afolayan.

    Though the youngest of the known lot, Gabriel has managed to create and identity for himself, standing out in his acting, whether in the Nigerian English genre or the Yoruba genre, where his late father held sway and co-led Nigeria’s foray into film making as far back as the 1970s, through the 1980s and early 1990s.

    For a young man whose siblings had long broken into limelight, one would expect him to struggle for relevance or live in their shadows, but not so for this young man, who has also displayed tremendous talent and ability in music. Known as G-Fresh in the Nigerian music circle, avid followers would remember the love song, Amoke, where aside from the strong love message, Gabriel displayed his acting prowess in the video, depicting a debonair love-struck dude appealing to his sweetheart to follow him home.

    Who’s that guy?

    For many, including this reporter, the Super Story series: Because you loved me, in which the young actor played the recalcitrant grand-son of late Remi Abiola, was the work that announced his arrival as a star – probably because it ran for weeks and a larger audience saw it. So outstanding was his delivery that many couldn’t help asking the question: Who’s that guy? The passion of execution, rendition of lines, his English and the attending role emotions displayed, which was on point, won many over, such that no one who saw that series every forgot or needed to ask that question again.

    Above all, the discovery that he was the son of the late Ade Love and brother of Kunle Afolayan and Moji Afolayan, more than calmed the curious nerves. An apple does not fall far from the tree, they concluded. Where else could such a talent have emerged from?

    Settling down to an interview recently with the young man now 38 was, therefore, an opportunity to ask several mind-boggling questions, top of which were: how much influence his father had on him? How old was he when he passed? Was he always with the legendary actor, filmmaker, producer and director, to have so assimilated the thespian act as to have arrived almost fully made? How much effort did he, as an individual, put into becoming the star he became? Surely, being Ade Love’s son wasn’t just enough?

    “My dad passed in 1996, when I was a mere eleven years old,” Gabriel began in his cool confident voice. “Of course I was aware of what he was doing, which was majorly acting and making films, and the fact that he was a big star. As my father, I had the opportunity of watching him at work, especially around 1986 when he was directing late comedy doyen, Moses Olaiya’s (Baba Sala) Mosebolatan film. I was around him when he was doing most of the works he did in the late ’80s and early 90s. This of course does not mean that we went to locations with him all the time, but we did step out with him once in a while.”

    Despite that affinity, he did not get his first break in acting from his dad.

     “My first time in front of the camera was as far back as 1990, as a child actor. It was a commissioned short film from London. It was done by Baba Sala and I was privileged to be around at the time.”

    Would that mean he had started showing interest in acting at such an early age?

    “Obviously. Don’t forget we were around him (my dad) when he was doing rehearsals and doing all sorts of prepping up for stage tours or film tours. So we’d been seeing things like people coming around to the house to perform, to dance; we’d been seeing him coordinating stuff as well. However my older ones have more knowledge about those times than me.”

    You’re talking about Kunle and Aremu?

    “Kunle, yes, but Aremu is my own younger brother. However, he is Kunle’s direct younger brother from their own mother. I am from another mother. Moji Afolayan is my own elder sister from my own mother. She is also renowned in Nollywood movies,” he filled in.

    Asked if inculcating acting culture in them was a deliberate effort of their dad or that they simply inculcated it, having been born and nurtured in the environment, Gabriel said it is the latter.

    “The latter is the case, but it was from inspiration arising from what we’d all been seeing, what we had lived and grown up with. However, his policy was for us all to be totally educated, even if we had interest in what he was doing. He was never against any of us taking up acting, which was why he was either using some of my elders as child actors or having them around to witness things; but he never compromised on education. Get educated first and then you can explore your interest in acting, was his mantra.”

    On when he really began to pick interest in acting, Gabriel said, “I’d say around the time I featured in that Baba Sala’s film. Subsequently and over the years, I was more of an Ibadan person, so I had closer relationship with the Moses Olaiya family, which impacted greatly on me. Some other flicks that he had done, like Diamond (1994), I was part of as well. Around 2002 and 2003, I got an audition notice from Tade Ogidan for the series he was trying to do at the time, called ‘Behind the siege.’ It featured me and Tope Oshin as brother and sister. That was like a comeback for me, after school. Right after that, Tade was doing another Yoruba flick, Madam Dearest, and he again brought me in. That was a job breakout for me, before the Super Story era. I was the son that had three identities in that one.

    Asked how he was able to post such huge performance in the Super Story series, Gabriel gave all credit to God, and to his dedication to the craft.

    “One thing is to have a legacy of that magnitude; another thing is being able to carry on from where that stopped. And you can’t lay all credit to yourself. So I’m going to be grateful for a talent given by God.  I’d therefore say it is dedication to the craft and God’s grace. Like I said, what is most important is the fact that I wanted to do it. Even though I was inspired by the legacy, I had a passion for it as well. But I also had to go through the normal drilling, which was why I went in for Theatre Arts at the University of Ibadan. Mine wasn’t a case of just wanting to act; I wanted to know about the craft. Right after I left UI, I was in London for about a year at the Identity Drama School; that’s the school that was responsible for John Boyega, for further studies.”

    Point of decision

    “The desire to pursue acting as a career actually took roots in me I think around 1997, 1998. The revelation was stationed and it was very very direct around that time. It’s either I was replicating things being done or feeling like it could be done better. Half of the time, watching things critically gets you more inspired. I was watching great movies materials from the Asian continent; Chinese films, American films; because it was a house in which we were well raised with all sorts of materials. So the knowledge about filmmaking was always right there in front of me. It was now a case of finding the magic behind it. Even though I had it as a practical orientation, I needed to seek the theoretical side.

    “And I was very close to music as well at the time. I was even following a one-man band, doing backup for people around studios; I was a collector. I was always hanging around DJs, cutting tapes, rehearsing and forming one group or the other. So, the theatre wall has always been very open to me, and I could see where I could fit in. It was more affirmative to say, ‘this feels like purpose now, like a desire to nurture, to morph into it…”

    Much like the case of a kid playing football for fun, who suddenly took a decision to take it more seriously?

    “Yessss…!” Gabriel stressed his agreement.

    “…And then going to an academy and all that to horn the talent. And before you know it, everything turns real. There was always one thing though. I grew up being inspired by my mum and the rest of the older people, and they always told me that whatever comes to you first is the authentic thing. The minute you start saying ‘what if’, then you’re second guessing it. They told me that there is a reason that thought came first. It’s like you want to make a call, and then you say it is late. Why not make that call and let him miss your call.

    “Around 1999, I got a scholarship to go to NFI (the Nigerian Film Institute) in Jos; however, it was strictly film but I wanted Theatre Studies first, of which I felt the university would offer more. So I let that offer go just to be grilled in all the stuff from the very grassroots of Athens, Greece to Rome in Italy. I was very deliberate. “

    How much of dad’s influence?

    Now the conversion shifts to his legendary dad. Just how much of Adeyemi Afolayan or Ade Love’s direct influence propelled him? Did he at any point held him by the hand?

    “It’s a big family, that’s number one. Number two, kids in the house would grow at a different set and time. So there was always time for each set of children to be with him on anything. So we saw him at different times. In short, he was one of the first persons to inspire in me the realism in acting. He was natural, a realistic actor. He wasn’t the type that would try to be what he’s not. Whatever he’s playing, he plays it to his comfort zone – be it when he was playing a double role, and he played that in two movies- Ija Orogun and Iyaniwura; and you could see the dexterity even at that time. How many of his contemporaries were as insightful as to attempt something like that? He was one of the few that experimented with that double twins role in movies, and he did it so well. The level of delivery was something very high to behold. And then he was executive-producing such films, writing them, writing some of the scripts, even directing them; and also playing the risk card of getting loans and inviting international crews to come and film here; because it was either 35mm or 16 mm at the time. What other inspiration could I ask for? He was a big go-getter.

    Read Also: Kunle Afolayan reveals Inspiration behind ‘Anikulapo’

    “So home was habitat for all you could ask for in terms of the craft. We ate, drank and slept film-making. And once they were taking films on tour, we were the kids who went there to sell stick meats, drinks and stuff like that. We were well grounded in the culture of film-making; from pre-production, to production, to post-production and even the business sides. If you talk about box office, we’ve been privileged to stand in box office to sell tickets; our mothers have done same; so also our uncles. So you see all these things and you have a confirmation that this is exactly what you want to do. They make some very good solidification of the mindset.”

    When reminded that practitioners at the time, his dad inclusive, still didn’t seem to make much money and couldn’t boast of financial fulfilment, Gabriel stated outright that: “It was never lucrative at the time.” Why then did he resolve to pursue a career in it?

    “That’s what’s funny,” he replied. “We saw all those processes. But it was passion-oriented for a whole lot of them, (which we caught). Some were not well educated to even think they could step things up by getting funding by way of loans. They were just satisfied with performing within their local geopolitical zones. They had no money to do films. Like I said, it was just a few people like my dad who had the audacity and sagacity to step out to get loans and start making films, and that was why it looked like he was among the top bosses at the time; not that they were better than all the other guys who were taking their acts around on stage.”

    But Baba Sala who stepped out to get a loan got his fingers burnt, this reporter stated,  reminding Gabriel of how the legendary comedian’s big budget film, Orun Mooru’s master tape was stolen and pirated.

    “That is why he and my dad were best friends forever. They started together with stage.  My dad was with him as part of his early cast. If you know the Baba Sala structure, you will know there was a voice of reasoning called Adisa, who always stepped in to correct his illiterate friend or save him from himself. My dad was the first ‘Adisa’. Then he was Amoda Oojere. It was when my dad wanted to pull out to go and stand on his own and explore film-making, that Adisa was recruited.

    “Back then, no other person had the balls except Ola Balogun to go into film making. And that was why dad had to team up with him to produce Ija Ominira. It was that partnership that shot my dad to fame as a top boss in the film industry. The late Pa Hubert Ogunde had to seek him out for his first film. My dad was the one who got him the crew to shoot Aiye. That was why, though he was older, he revered him a lot – probably the only practitioner in the industry that Ogunde really revered. Before then, they were all just doing stage. And of course, film is universal; that’s why most actors want to migrate from stage to film. That’s the only place where your performance can be retained and it’ll be the same and reach the end of the world; unlike the stage play that is only seen by the crowd in the hall, which they may not even be able to recall. Most of those who made films at that time had to consult with my dad, even up to the part where they had to take the films to the film lab in London.”

    The Baba Sala connection

    Were the two movies maestros so close that he, as a kid could go live in Baba Sala’s home in Ibadan? Or was there a blood relationship that the world didn’t know of?

    “They were indeed close, but it went beyond that. One of Baba Sala’s wives was my mum’s elder sister. If you followed Baba Sala’s production very well, you would remember a character called Kariile. That’s her. So it was easy for me to thrive around the two families back and forth. I’d go to Lagos to see dad and what he was doing, and then I’d go to back to school in Ibadan and spend time with the Moses Olaiya (Baba Sala) family. So I was exposed to different talents on display in these homes, sometimes at very crude levels. Some of those who came to rehearse were mechanics, vulcanisers, but they still came together to explore their passion. It was a sort of joy for them; the fact that they were able to make people happy. That they got into a neighbourhood and everybody recognised them. That was the money they were getting at the time, because there were no multinationals to back them up. Imagine if there was the internet and social networking at the time? The standard would have snowballed and we would have since been Holywood (of Africa). The standard of Nollywood would have been great because we would have done great things. Imagine people from Africa shooting films on celluloid then. That’s the same thing they were making films for Indiana Jones at the time. The same format. It was either film or nothing, there was no digital filming.

    “Do you know what would have happened if that tradition had continued? Do you know how many people would have seen Taxi driver and all those other films? Even people like Spike Lee would have seen them. My dad and Ola Balogun were attending some major film festivals and even met the Bollywood legend, Shahid Kapoor; only they were unable to achieve a crossover. They made those moves everybody is trying to make now. They did Mr Johnson here in 1989. TK (Tunde Kelani) was my dad’s personal continuity announcer; Oga Bello (Adebayo Salami) was my dad’s production manager.”

    Life as a celebrity kid actor

    “People throwing their love at you is not something new with the practice. It depends on how you take it. But it’s part of the training; this fame that you’re seeking, how do you handle it? There is training in the theatre that handles that. You have to be polite, because it is opportunity meets grace for you. They also won’t mind being on the screen, so what you should do is make them know that they also could be like you; and that it’s just that everybody is on a different journey. And now you can see the proof; being famous is no longer limited to movies stars and celebrities. Every day, we see how normal people can blow up in what they know how to do overnight. And that’s the reason one has to be polite. That person you feel you cannot talk to may be the next influencer that the world, even you, is craving to share content with. This is especially as it is now a world of do-it-yourself (DIY) and people can be in their toilet and produce things that’ll go viral and turn them into big stars overnight. Over-exposure has also devalued things. Back then, you could hold onto materials for up to two years -whether music or film, but nowadays in a matter of one week, people are looking elsewhere; because of how accessible and common the process of making them has become.”

    His music

    Having registered his presence in the very competitive Nigerian music industry, one couldn’t but ask where that came from. Did he also learn that from his dad and his friend, Baba Sala?

    “Yes,” he again replied. “It’s a tradition in the theatre. Most times, it is coincidental that most actors can also sing. But if you’re really trained in the theatre, you would know that there are some shows that you would have to partake in that would require you to sing. So relatively, most theatre people could sing. It’s very rare to see a properly trained theatre person who cannot sing.”

    Does he plan to also do music full-scale?

    Gabriel or more appropriately for this subject, G-Fresh, says he plans to do music in full as well. As a matter of fact, he revealed that he is planning a mini-concert soon and would also be dropping a body of work titled “Beyond the box soon.

    Most challenging works?

    Gabriel would not pick any of his many works, reason being that he does not like to dwell on works done.

    “I don’t like holding onto the stress that comes with a work; that is so that I can easily let go and prepare for something else.”

    He however singled out the movies, Kanaani, which recently got nominated for Best Film in West Africa for AMVCA 2023, probably for the fact that he had to speak the Ishan language of South-South Nigeria, which he originally didn’t have competence in.

    Relationship with star siblings

    Contrary to the narrative that may be playing out there, Gabriel said, they have the best relationship ever.

    He also waved insinuations that they rarely star together in flicks: “I’m in Kunle’s Hannatu Ijogbon, and soon to be released, Anikulapo series.

  • Ayodeji: You need dedication to perfect your craft

    Ayodeji: You need dedication to perfect your craft

    Olutoye Ayodeji is a designer, entrepreneur, trainer and CEO of AYstitches. He has tasted the different sides of life, the good, the bad, and the ugly. Yet, he was never deterred at any point. Instead, his focus was to take his dream, and ideas to reality and be successful. Two decades after, he is happy with the outcome and instead of relaxing, his desire is to give back to society, especially the young one.
    In this interview with Yetunde Oladeinde, he opens up on how it all started, interventions, opportunities, and humble beginnings.

    AY Stitches is a renowned tailoring and fashion design company with a fast-growing clothing line that serves an elite clientele across all walks of life.“We have been in the fashion industry for more than two decades with his AY Stitches brand catering to the fashion needs of hundreds of both the upper crust and the middle class in society including notable Nollywood stars. In addition, we handle industrial wears including uniforms”.

    It is also a subsidiary of AY Stitches Investment Limited and AY Stitches Ventures which has raised the standards of excellence and professionalism in the Nigerian fashion industry while staying ahead of the trends by deploying cutting-edge technology and a relentless commitment to continuous improvement.“Dues to my vast experience, opened a training school about three years ago to transfer skills to upcoming fashion entrepreneurs to learn both the art and business of fashion”, Ayodeji informed.

    The facility includes his brand flagship store as well as his mini-factory. Ayodeji, who is also the brand’s creative director is always on the cusp of cutting-edge trends and constantly keeps up with current fashion tastes. The creative entrepreneur’s fashion know-how is not just limited to creating but to every phase of designing to the final finishing.

    Now you want to know the motivation for setting up the academy and he responds this way:” The vision is to help people, especially young people to identify their skills, talents, and opportunities for growth.  In the long run of mission and vision is to add value to society and bring out the best in our beneficiaries “.

    He continued: “Another interesting motivation for me is the fact that we have been in the industry for over two decades. During this period, we put in our best and had so many memorable moments to fall back on. Going further, we would like to give back to society, touch lives, and impact lives. This is therefore one of our ways of giving back to society”.

    Read Also: Two buried alive in Benue over alleged witchcraft

    The fashion industry, he adds a very competitive and lucrative. ” There is so much unemployment, frustration, and uncertainty in society today. I believe that creating opportunities like this would bridge the gaps, curb vices and inspire others”.

    He continued:” We would be starting with orientation for them on 27th May and they will commence the training by 1st of June this year. We are targeting young women, married women, and youths. Here, they would learn and discover some of their innate skills. It is a lucrative business and it is something that you can do for a lifetime. All you need is to get the right training, perfect your craft, and carve a niche for yourself. You need to be dedicated to perfecting your craft.”.

    Ayodeji continued: “ Female outfits are very lucrative because they always like to have new things.  Our ladies are very fashion conscious and they would patronize you once they know that you are great at what you do and would not disappoint them”.

    He added: “ Even though we are affordable, our designs are for top-notch clients. It is not a local set up and we look out for those who appreciate great design options. We have the necessary tools and equipment and this makes life easy on the job.

    We just bought some of the latest equipment that would make the job interesting and engaging. This would make our students passionate about what they are doing, they would not be tired of learning and acquiring new skills. In addition, I would say that the environment is very conducive”.

    Happily, he talked about the challenges in the past, catching up with trends and making things better for the upcoming generation. “ In the past, we know that a lot of our designers go through a lot of stress in terms of the needed facility. This has changed, thanks to modern technology and gadgets that make you work without stress. This is why we are using patterns and they are so unique. It also makes it easier for them to learn the course within six months. We have also brought in a number of innovations and those who register early would get a discount”.

  • AJOKE GBELEYI: Mum’s struggles motivated my songs

    AJOKE GBELEYI: Mum’s struggles motivated my songs

    Ajoke Gbeleyi is passionate about touching lives, especially young girls. She is an author, counselor, Education administrator, songwriter, and founder of the Focused Girls Moral Regeneration Support Initiative. In this interview with Yetunde Oladeinde she goes down memory lane to talk about early life, opportunities, and challenges, honouring the President-Elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu with her new book, inspiration from her parents and sister, Hon. Abike Dabiri Erewa.

    You honored the President-Elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu by dedicating the 3rd edition of your book, Wise and Witty Adolescent recently.  What inspired this?

    I must confess that honouring Asiwaju was by divine inspiration.

    When the inspiration came, it was irresistible. Asiwaju’ s unprecedented legacy in the educational sector registered in my brain and I said to myself that the feat has to be established in all the states of the federation, aside from other legacies unique to him while he was the Governor of Lagos State. The feat is the appointment of principals and directors in the field of education as Tutor General/ Perm Sec in 2005 at the inception of the Districts and that was what I stated in the dedication page, along with his being the first Governor to embrace the Federal Government’s  Family Life & HIV Education. I was convinced that it must be a divine arrangement for me to honor a man of his calibre whose first impression of me was simply well natured,  when we met at an Event in Abuja, in the company of my Sister (Hon. Abike Dabiri Erewa) who was then the State House Correspondent to Mrs. Maryam  Babangida of blessed memory. My Sister just introduced me to Asiwaju and told him that I would be launching my Album titled Mothers of a Nation at the National Theatre, you should have seen the encouraging looks he gave us. (Two young hard working female  Lagosians). He then told us he would not be in town but asked me to come over to his office in Victoria Island to collect a cheque for N5000. I recall his warm welcome and further encouragement when I got to the office. Imagine interacting with a builder of leaders whom I never met again despite having three family members who are close to him, despite being a civil servant who would have lobbied for juicy positions.

     Let’s talk about your experience as a senior management staff who witnessed the giant strides in the education sector in Lagos State.

     Oh yes! I must give God the glory for my achievements in the Civil Service of Lagos State. From the first School,  Estate College, Anthony Village, where I had to teach Biology to final year students and used my personal dissecting kit which they begged me to leave behind, to the second School Odofin Sec School and Amuwo Boys Sec School, in Amuwo Odofin LGA axis. I taught for only six years but the experience remains a core part of my life. Only good teachers can enjoy the fulfillment that comes with it and to think I later met a student, Engineer Akitoye, in 2016, who bought the first edition of my first book & ensured that all his colleagues bought at ten times the unit cost. That is part of a teacher’s reward but the major reward is seeing your students excel, as a result of the input by you and your colleagues.

     I left the Teaching Service ( Classroom) because I was having inspiration on composing music and just couldn’t cope. Then my break culminated in an album that was launched at the National Arts Theatre. I, however, did not hesitate to go back to the Teaching Service Commission after a year, since I wasn’t sure of a regular income and that was when I met Mr Akintola, (he later became a Perm Sec for about three months). He was so pleased with my record album & posted me to the Tescom Zonal Office because of its proximity to our Aiyetoro, Aguda residence then and told me he would like to see more of that from an Omo Eko (Lagos indigene).

     From the first time, I got an award as a senior management staff, ( Best  Head of Unit, in charge of Budget & Statistics ) from the Tescom Headquarters, up till my retirement, I must confess, it was accolades galore with or without rewards. I was just pleased to be one of the people impacting lives. I remain eternally grateful to God and my wonderful children.

     I was posted to Education  District VI at inception to head the   Budget and Statistics Unit & I  was at the District for 10 years, the same place where a colleague from Ogun State ( she later became a Perm Sec)  couldn’t endure for one day and got redeployed, but glad I  stayed back to support the District based on my administrative experience and coupled with the sensitive schedule of duty and additional professional experience having obtained a Master’s in Public Admin from the University of Lagos  (UNILAG) just a few years before the take-off of the District. The five years which improved learning outcomes and injected brilliant initiatives into the Educational System were introduced by Barr Babatunde Fashola’s ( SAN) administration with Madan Ronke Azeez( SA to the Governor & Project Coordinator )  as the brain behind it. I was very proud to be one of the Zonal Project Administrators for five Schools including   Government Technical College before I became the H.O. D / Director of Schools Administration where the project was scheduled.

       Our District was the first to win laurels (Best Junior & Best Senior Sec Schools).  Part of the success recorded was based on the motivation of traveling which some principals, teachers who excelled, and administrators ( ZoPas)  & Heads of Departments also benefitted from. Nobody thought the Districts and Schools could ever enjoy such benefits which invariably resulted in desired outcomes for students aside from entrenched best practices in the system which subsist to date.

     What are some of the memorable moments in the sector?

     The memorable moments from the District included being able to guide the School Principals on how to use the World Bank grant judiciously in order not to give our Education District a bad image. Each District had a vision and moved with it.  We had interactive forums with staff, School Counsellors & students. It is on record that only District VI had an interactive session with School Counselors. We stepped on the toes of a few Principals but they had to move at our pace. It was indeed a great period of transition to greater heights for our  District and the other five.

     The greater moments, however, came from the satisfaction of exceeding my political boss’s expectations on the approval and administration of Private Schools. My political boss who had interacted with me at the Teaching Service Commission redeployed me to initiate reforms and increase the number of approved schools based on the high demand. The approval was hitherto done in trickles due to some bottlenecks. My team and I worked round the clock and we look back with a sense of pride and fulfillment, though without any reward despite transforming a volatile dept. and bringing succor to many private schools, I remain grateful for the privilege to serve in such a capacity but we would always advise the government to reward high performances, particularly in revenue-generating ministries and departments where people risk their lives to serve.

     What or who inspired your passion for girls and women? What are some of the things you have done?

     I must say my first inspiration which led to the production of the Mothers of a Nation album which was launched at the National Theatre in 1992, was borne out of the struggles I observed in my Mum of blessed memory. She passed away at the ripe age of 90 plus.

    Mine was a very stressful marriage and I was encouraged by the songs I composed. The seven-track album was produced by Jide Omidiran and my manager then was Frank  Vaughn, whom my husband got for me. He was able to source for great vocalists like Yinka Davies, Bola Abimbola, McIver & Bimbo. The album titled Mothers of the Nation was dedicated to Maryam Babangida because of her concerted efforts in emancipating rural women. I must say I never met her because of bureaucratic bottlenecks but the songs were well appreciated at an event of wives of African leaders with MB as the convener and still being appreciated by many, after 31 years.

    It may still need to be promoted because of its relevance, especially the popular one Supreme Women which I got back on a CD with some of the songs about two years ago and placed on Youtube. Other works include: ‘ My first book titled Adolescent Sexuality & Leadership Skills: ( 2007) Wise & Witty Adolescent, first edition  ( 2014) Wise & Witty Adolescent second edition ( 2018).

      Then I went on to establish Focused Girls Moral Regeneration Support Initiative ( 2018) and production of a solo  CD (2021) titled Focused Girls, Initiated by me  & produced by Dave Awoseso with a major composition by, Dapo Gbeleyi & Mary Ijeh who also doubled as a vocalist.

     On the other hand, my inspiration for girls was based on my experience as a young girl and my regrets as an adult.

     For me, I would have rather been in the convent or be married to my first and last love. I loathe the way our male folks go about dating games. I was also taken advantage of by my immediate elder brother’s friend and namesake, who ate jollof rice and drank gari from our home in Adeniyi Jones Avenue then. A practice his mum, a matron of blessed memory never encouraged because of her strictness.

    That was possible because my first love had to travel to Canada for further studies and he himself had his way because I didn’t have enough information on sexuality education at my disposal. More painful because I was very intentional about not being too close to the male folks throughout my secondary school days at Maryland Comprehensive Sec School. I was so disciplined and decided not to have a male friend in my school though all we knew then was a platonic relationship. 

    Tell us about the people you admire.

     I admire men and women who are disciplined and straightforward. More importantly virtuous women who are strong, resilient, and exude goodness, get my admiration any day. I find it difficult to respect people without strong character irrespective of their wealthy status.

      I would advise young people to be more determined to succeed because of the not-too-favorable circumstances around them coupled with strong peer pressure. There is no point in getting on the wrong side of the law when it can be avoided. They should endeavor to channel their energy toward constructive activities. The circumstances around many of them may not be favourable but the attitude of being overcomers should propel them to succeed.

    What are the principles that you hold on to life?

     The major one is putting humanity first in all I do, and this to me comes before religion and glad I got to put up a related article which was published about two years ago titled ‘ A Clarion Call to the Elites! Nigeria belongs to all of us. God himself created the world based on principles. I remain a stickler for principles irrespective of the lip service paid to them in this clime.

     I also love to empathize with people irrespective of whether they have the attribute or not. I am ever conscious of my high self-esteem and it helps. I try to be intentional about doing good in order to be able to defend myself if need be.

     What lessons has life taught you?

     Life has taught me not to trust people wholeheartedly and that one should always endeavor to stoop to conquer at all times.  I  was a victim because I loved selflessly like my mum and refused to believe that your closest pal could be your worst enemy irrespective of your goodness to them.

      I was a victim to three frenemies ( My hub, an ex whom I dated as a poor ( his words) corp member turned MD of a bank and deputy gov. of Lagos State ) and a generous female relation).

     The ex turned out to be an albatross in my life, being my youngest paternal uncle’s friend, as well as a friend to some of my siblings.  His obsession despite my rebuffs as a married woman was not only unusual but depicts his covetous nature which invariably manifested in his career as a banker of repute, a successful politician, and an icon in the Corporate World but he was just lucky. I would always let people know that character is vital, irrespective of our lackadaisical attitude to tested principles in Nigeria.

     Another lesson is not to be naive and too open. I must say those three frenemies I mentioned dealt with me, but I must say my maker eventually removed the scales a few years ago but wished it had happened earlier.

      I must however blame myself for not being realistic and kept hoping they would change. Life is made to be enjoyed not endured, though not a bed of roses, as often said. My endurance spanned through thirty-five years and it did not affect my performance at work and neither did it affect my duty as a parent who took on part of my husband’s role because he failed to plan coupled with disobedience to serve his Maker being a covenanted child and his lustful nature.

     A spade is a spade, we must be bold to share our experiences for the younger ones to learn.

    Who or what do you consider as the greatest influence in your life?

     The constant answer for me and all my siblings would always be our parents. I am the fourth of seven children raised in a close-knit family which later turned out to be nine, eighteen years after. We were raised by a disciplinarian but loving dad who shared  John Dewey’s philosophy  that education itself is life.

  • ‘An embarrassing encounter in NYSC year forced me to further my studies’

    ‘An embarrassing encounter in NYSC year forced me to further my studies’

    Professor Sefiu A. Oluwayomi Oladunjoye is the Head, Department of Arts and Social Sciences Education (ASSED) Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ogun State. In this encounter with Daniel Adeleye during the institution’s 107th inaugural lecture in Ago-Iwoye, the Professor of English speaks on growing up, his road into the academia and the falling standard of education in the country.

    YOU delivered 107th OOU inaugural lecture few days ago; what does it mean to you?

    Inaugural lecture is the peak of academics, and having been a professor for a while you looked forward to presenting your lecture. This is a special occasion where you have the rare opportunity to showcase what you have done in your career life and what you have really contributed to the body of knowledge and your projection for and beyond the academic world. It presents you to the world in respect of your field, profession and the areas of your expertise and relevance to national and international development.

    Did you dream of becoming a professor?

    I wasn’t a Joseph but I could say I had dreams. My background was not that robust, I emerged from a polygamous setting and I knew my mother for quite a long time before I actually knew my father. My immediate brother and I grew up at my maternal uncle’s place and we had the opportunity of learning from each other. My brother was running an evening class and it gave me the opportunity to learn and to have a direct interest in education. So, growing up I felt that one could be a teacher. I mimicked teaching and sometimes joined him to run the lesson, not knowing that I would do something similar in the future, for I eventually ran home lesson while in the university.  So, I could say somehow, I was beginning to think I was going to be a teacher but making it to the level of a professor was not in my imagination because I didn’t even know there was anything called professorship. In those days, people only talked about becoming a graduate, which were very rare at the time. I didn’t even attend formal secondary school; I only attended modern school – because there was no money. So, the dream was to be great but how it would be I didn’t know.

    How did you get into teaching?

    Because of my background, I had two options in my generation – to attend a technical college or attend a teachers’ training college. I chose teachers’ training college and I finished well as one of the best students. Now, having my Grade II certificate, automatic job was waiting, so I got a job. Thereafter, I had an option of going to university but because of inexperience and lack of counseling, I went to College of Education where I obtained an NCE certificate, first, which became an added advantage, anyway. I was a member of the last batch of the NCE holders that served in the NYSC scheme; so I served in Benue State and taught in a teachers’ training college. Initially, I thought when I finished my NYSC I would come back, get married and settled down, but an embarrassing experience I had during the scheme gave me the impression that I’d not really got any qualification to boast of. During the NYSC I was given a class to teach and the HOD of English came up one day and said, ‘Mr. Corper, from the South, sorry we have to take this class away from you.’ I asked why? He said a new man had come and that this man had Grade II, NCE and a degree and if they took the two of us to the class and told them our qualifications, the students would certainly prefer the one with a degree. As a young man (I was only 24), I kicked and shouted, and the case was taken to the principal, who instructed that I should continue with the class. But back in my quarter, I began to think: “So I’ve not really gone to school?” And that was how I made up my mind to pursue my degree course in 1984 at the Olabisi Onabanjo University. I read English Education and I did my Masters and PhD at the University of Ibadan. That’s how I found myself in teaching and there is no regret about it.

    What would be your thought on the argument that regular assessment of Nigerian professors given their contributions to industrial and national development would accelerate academic-driven industrial and economic growth?

    To a great extent I won’t say no. It depends on the areas of life one is looking at in our nation. First world countries leverage on mega industries to survive. Actually, governments don’t really run the international world as people perceive; it is industries that run the world and those industries rely heavily on the universities. They do a lot of research, pump money into research, engage their students in internship; and when the students finish, they also employ them. So, it is both ways. Those industries exist in the international world to employ graduates from the universities who have got hands-on experience as interns while in the school and in the process improving the economy of the nation. But in our nation here, yes, I want to agree that there is need to review our curriculum to give room for proven partnership between the universities and industries; and of course, that is being done now. The National Universities Commission (NUC) has unveiled what they call the CCMAS for the review of curriculum that will be community-oriented, though the process to actualise it is still on. The kind of curriculum wherein people graduate and the community is waiting for them, and in the process of this networking between the universities and the communities, the country experiences relief and things are happening. Young people will be able to do their jobs and also reduce the rate of crime around. But if you look at it, there is a need to separate politics from wellbeing. The influence of government on what operates in the universities: university autonomy, pumping of money into the universities to ensure that strike is no longer rife, to ensure free flow in sessions and semesters. You don’t give the impression that education is useless! When the students are away because of industrial action, they will be occupied with activities that take them far away from the vision for a great future.

    Read Also: NYSC DG lied on Mbah’s certificate, says Enugu PDP

    Idleness and shift of paradigm from literacy to get rich-quick syndrome gave birth to yahoo and yahoo plus that we are seeing among young people today. This ugly development should have been avoided if government had not paid lip services to the issue of education in Nigeria.

    The country is also facing dwindling standard of education, alongside an alarming rate of out-of-school children; what, in your opinion, is the way forward?

    When you talk of industries, businesses, vocations or professions; there are stakeholders. The present lopsidedness in education is community issue as well, not a one-man business. Everybody is involved. I will start from the students themselves. You asked me a question if I saw myself becoming a professor and I said not really but I was ambitious. I was looking at my background that who would sponsor my education, yet I was determined to make it in life and was studying. Nobody has ever taught me Economics as a subject for instance.  I read O. A. Lawal’s Economics textbook, page to page at home and I made a Credit pass in ‘O’ level Economics. I also did my A’level exams, at home. So, ambitious life is what the young generation should develop. I mean in the clear, legitimate way and not the hook and crook manner. Most of them are not reading and their attention to their lives’ details is very low. The number one problem to surmount in the falling standard of education in Nigeria, therefore, is the students themselves. What’s their attitude to education, what do they want in life? When I was growing up, I loved reading and our teachers encouraged us. In my generation there were Macmillan’s Pacesetters, Longman’s Drumbeats, Heineman’s African Writers’ series, UPL’s penguin books, (UPL is University Press Limited owned by the University of Ibadan) — all of them; story books for young minds.  In addition to this, we shared foreign bulky novels of James Hardley Chase. The little money given to us then was to read and not to eat. We engaged in healthy competitions asking questions like” How many James Hardley Chase novels have you read?  Have you seen the latest pacesetter? Do you have so and so drumbeat? Our lives were wrapped around reading. Even when we attended social gathering, we went with our novels and did pedantic exhibitionism becoming of teenagers and young adults (laughs). But more seriously, I never knew that I was actually planning for the future; that I would be a story teller; a writer, one day. I have published two prose fictions and three biographies; my next two novels will be released together before the year ends by God’s special grace and mercy. The last three decades have been quite bleak for Nigerian youths, as templates for literacy seemed to have been withdrawn.  Very sad, because it is taking toll on their social, moral and ethical outlooks, and consequently rubbing on the very psyche of the nation.