The Nation Newspaper

Category: Sunday Interview

  • Terem Moffi: Nigerian youngster taking Belgian League by storm

    By Oluwamayomikun Orekoya

    Red-hot Terem Moffi has had a brilliant start to life in Belgium. The 20 year-old has scored 2 goals in four games for Belgian side KV Kortrijk since he moved from Lithuanian side FK Riteriai on a three and a half year deal in January.

    The former Golden Eaglets striker was recently voted the Player of the Month by Kortrijk fans and has won two Man-of-the-Match awards since joining the Northern Belgium side. He scored 21 goals in 30 games in the Lithuanian top league last season.

    Before going to Eastern Europe, the 20 year-old took up a football scholarship at Buckswood School located at the village of Guestling between the towns of Ashford and Hastings in East Sussex in England, having been encouraged by his father, who was a footballer himself before turning to law.

    His father Leo Moffi was a goalkeeper in his playing days during which time he kept goal for Enugu Rangers, Calabar Rovers, El Kanemi, Vasco da Gama and Black Cats Ogoja.

    “My dad played a very big part in my choosing football as a career. He is a Lawyer and was a professional footballer.”

    “He is very knowledgeable in the game. Sometimes I wonder why he didn’t go into football coaching or administration.”

    “He is a very practical person and he told me clearly while still in junior secondary school that it will be a real waste if I didn’t play football as a career.

    “He made me understand that a football career has a lifespan and after football I can pursue my education to any level I want.

    “He and my mom put in a lot of their resources to send me to football academies and my flight tickets to the UK to take up a football scholarship at Buckswood School.”

    “My dad equally influenced the way I now play. He told me I needed to add plenty of aggression, power and pace to my game to be a successful modern day striker.”

    Future ambitions

    Moffi’s main goal as a footballer is to win trophies for the national team and maybe score in the World Cup. He also would like to play in the best leagues in the world and sees his time in Belgium as a stepping stone to bigger things to come.

    “My ultimate ambition is to play in the Super Eagles team, score goals for the team and win trophies for Nigeria at continental and World Cup level.

    “At a personal level I naturally want to develop my game and play for some of the best teams in the best leagues in the world.

    “My immediate target is to keep working harder and develop myself to be able to make a mark in the Belgium league like I did in the Lithuanian league. This will make a move to one of the big leagues easier.”

    Moffi added that he would like to improve on the records he achieved in Lithuania, where he scored 21 goals in 30 games in one season.

    “I am hoping I will improve on my performance in the Lithuanian league where I scored 21 goals (20 in the league and one in the FA Cup) in 30 matches in the past season.

    “That is apart from the seven other goals I scored in 10 friendly matches. I therefore intend to work harder. I realize that if I do well a move to a bigger league will be my reward”

    Adapting from Lithuania to Belgium

    “In the present circumstance it is easy for me to adapt.

    “I moved from Buckswood School in the UK to Lithuania and I adapted well. Lithuania to Belgium is a lot easier to adapt.

    “My team mates here have been fantastic. So have the fans and club officials. They’ve made me feel very much at home.”

    “My fellow Nigerians in Kortrijk; Imoh Ezekiel and Abduljeleel Ajagun have been fantastic since I moved here.

    “They have shown me the true Nigerian spirit. They have shown me that they can be their brother’s keeper. They’ve offered me a lot of good advice and generally helped me to settle down.”

    Best Players

    Moffi names Everton’s Alex Iwobi and Victor Osimhen as his favourite Nigeria players. Moffi recalls that Iwobi took him under his wing during his schooling days in England, adding that their fathers are friends for more than forty years.

    “Alex Iwobi and Victor Osimhem,” Moffi said when asked who his best players are.

    “Apart from their footballing abilities they are both great guys.”

    “As for Alex, he and his family took care of me during my time at Buckswood School in 2017. I used to spend my holidays with them.”

    “Alex really played the big brother role to me, took my out to a number of places and to play five-a-side games. His dad and my dad have been friends for nearly forty years after they met in their University days.”

    Moffi named Osimhen as his other favourite because of how the Lille forward encouraged his after he was dropped from the Under 17 side for the World Cup in 2015.

    “For Osimhen I cannot forget the gesture he extended to me after I was dropped from the Under 17 team on the eve of the team’s departure to Chile in 2015.

    “He consoled me and gave me a new pair of football boots telling me I will certainly have other opportunities in the future.”

    Golden Eaglets

    Moffi was among the final 35-man team of Golden Eaglets class of 2015 and he says the experience was a bitter sweet one in his career as a footballer. His teammates were Victor Osimhen, Samuel Chukwueze and Kelechi Nwakali but he could not dislodge the mercurial Osimhen in the final list for the World Cup in Chile and was dropped at the eve of the tournament by then Under 17 coach and former Tanzania national team coach Emmanuel Amuneke.

    “The Golden Eaglets experience was both sweet and bitter for me. We were taught a lot in camp. The training was very rigorous and we had a collection of very talented players.

    “The coaching we received prepared us for the competition and it wasn’t a surprise that we emerged champions.

    “However it was bitter for me because I was dropped on the eve of the team’s departure to Chile. I was devastated and my young mind went blank when the list of 21 players was being read out to us. By the time the eighteenth name was read I blanked out.”

    “I couldn’t sleep the whole night. It was like a nightmare to me. I only began to recover myself after I called my dad the next day to inform him I had been dropped.

    Moffi added that his father encouraged him telling him that disappointments are part of life and reminded him that top players in Nigeria like Jay Jay Okocha, Sunday Oliseh and others never represented the country at the Under 17 World Cup.

    “What he said took me unawares and gave me reassurance. He told me he was very proud of me to have made the provisional list of 35 players that was initially sent to FIFA and that going to the Under 17 World Cup was only one of the platforms for exposing one’s talent to the football world.

    “He said even our Under 17 coach Amuneke who became African Footballer of the year did not play at the U17 level.“

    “That disappointment has toughened me and since then I take whatever comes my way as God’s perfect plan for me.”

    Greatest moments

    Moffi cites his time in Lithuania as one of the greatest moments in his career. He finished the top scorer for his club and won the most valuable player of year in his only year in the East European country.

    “That has to be the end of season award ceremony of my former club in Lithuania, FK Riteriai. I won the Highest Goal Scorer Award, Most Valuable Player of the Year Award.

    “In the league itself I was in the League Team of the Week nine times, Best player of the Month twice and was in the League Team of the Season.”

    Family

    Moffi comes from a family of six who all supported his decision to take up football as a career. His father was an ex-footballer that played for Enugu Rangers amongst other local clubs in the 80s and is now a lawyer based in Calabar. Moffi’s mother is an administrator in the civil service and he has three brothers.

    “My father is a lawyer and my mother an administrator.

    “I have two elder brothers and a younger one. My eldest brother has a Master’s degree in Human Resource Management from Manchester and my immediate elder brother is Medical doctor.”

    “He studied in Russia while my younger one is a Law student. I am the odd one out.

    “My brothers jokingly call me a school dropout. We all were born and raised in Calabar but we are from Ogoja. Every member of the family is in full support of my taking to football as a career.”

  • Omeruo: Family helped me bear pains of loan trials

    Nigeria international Kenneth Omeruo shares with TAIWO ALIMI, his tough moments while on loan for seven years to clubs in The Netherlands, England, Turkey, and Spain and how he has found fulfilment at CD Leganes.

    Super Eagles and CD Leganes of Spain defender Kenneth Omeruo is a patient bird. Signed on by English Premier League top club, Chelsea in 2012, the Abia-state indigene had to go undergo a lengthy seven year loan experience. That could task the mind of any footballer but Omeruo said he was able to remain on top in spite of the unsavoury personal trial with support coming from his immediate and extended families.

    He said:  “I have an amazing family. My wife is amazing and it’s been good because my family does not stress me. It’s been good to come from a family that understands me and supports me in prayers.

    “They are my backbone and what keeps me going when I’m not playing and frustrated. They would just tell to just me to relax. My mum says that a lot. ‘Just relax’ and things will fall into the right places for you. I appreciate that a lot.”

    For seven years while not been able to play in the Chelsea senior team, Omeruo was loaned out six times from ADO Den Haag in the Dutch League to Middlesbrough on to Turkey where he played for Kasimpasa, Alanyaspor, and back to Kasimpasa before moving on to Spain where he presently plays for Leganes in the La-liga.

    “Though a lot was passing through my mind I remained focus and in all the clubs I went on loan and played active part in their achievement.”

    Omeruo, in his loan year with Leganes played 31 matches with 30 starts and since getting a five-year permanent deal with the La-liga team, he has played nine times, scoring one goal.

    He continued: “I would have loved to stay back in Turkey because I got regular play there too but I think the main difference is that Turkish league is not being shown on TV and this time I knew the Nations Cup was coming, and I knew there was a lot of competition in the national team as well.

    “So I had to be in a league where I will be watched. A league where they won’t just say ‘you did well but it’s the Turkish Super Lig. And that was one of the reasons I made the decision to join Leganes and I have been happy since I came in. I didn’t miss many games.”

    Though, elated about his new status at Leganes, he did not eschew bitterness towards the club that kept him away for seven years; Chelsea.

    He said “If you see what I posted on my social handle you will know that I appreciated all I gained from Chelsea.”

    The post read thus: ‘I have nothing but Love for this club. Chelsea made my dreams as a child to become a reality. Thank you for an amazing seven years. Thanks to all Chelsea fans for the love. I will never forget this club. But it’s time to move on and realise my full potential. Thank you, Chelsea.’

    However, he said the 2013 Nations Cup winner with Super Eagles said he was full of hope on joining Chelsea at only 18.

    “I had high hope at a young player when Chelsea signed me, but a shoulder injury that kept coming back did not make me play regularly. I was out for four months and because it was difficult getting a shirt at Chelsea I requested to be loaned out because I wanted to play more games to be eligible for World Cup invitation in 2014. That is how I moved to Middlesbrough where I played 33 games.”

    Omeruo speaks more on his humble background and the coaches that influenced his career. Excerpts:

    Humble background

    My past makes me feel humble and appreciative because I know a lot of people that we started together but some of them have given up, some did not make it this far. I’m appreciative in the aspect of the coaches who I have been opportune to play under. From coach John Ogbu at the U17; He did not know me but he took me in and he helped me become a confident and better player on the pitch. It is important for coaches to make their decision based on this.

    Stephen Keshi

    Of course late Stephen Keshi is someone that I would forever be grateful to because when I went to the Nations Cup in 2013, I did not know I would even make the final selection but he gave me an opportunity even when I did not think I was ready. It turned out to be a great tournament for me. Lots of people other people also helped me tremendously and I give thanks to God for my achievements.

    When I was invited, I actually thought I was going to fill in space and won’t make the final list. Going to camp, I was just playing and giving everything. The few games I played, I did good, I went into the Nations Cup not knowing whether I will play at all but I started the second game. I started as a centre back so it was different from the right back I had been playing in training and the coach just put me there. I went on to play every minute of Nigeria’s victorious AFCON 2013 campaign. The match against South Africa was good and I played confidence that is beyond my age. Keshi would call at the end of every match telling that I reminded him of his younger days. He said he wanted to make me play like him as Eagles libero.

    Giving back to his roots

    I have a football tournament that i do in Kado Village, in the outskirt of Abuja, where I grew up. I do it towards the end of the year and it is something that gladdens my heart. It is a place where I started playing football when i was a teen. We played the third edition last year and there are others things that I do which I would like to keep to myself. I love what we have been able to achieve though it and hope to do more, as much as I can to give back.

    Family support 

    I have an amazing family. My wife is amazing and it’s been good because my family does not stress me. It’s been good to come from a family that understands me and supports me in prayers. They are my backbone and what keeps me going when I’m not playing and frustrated. They would just tell to just relax. My mum says that a lot. ‘Just relax’ and things will fall into the right places for you. I appreciate that a lot.

  • Kaffy: My mind is my greatest asset, it has no limits

    Kafayat Oluwatoyin Shafau, popularly known by her stage name Kaffy, is a dancer, choreographer, dance instructor and fitness coach. In this interview with YETUNDE OLADEINDE, she speaks about her world, the things that make her tick, life married to an entertainer, her inspiration, clocking forty this year and more.

    Would you say marrying an entertainer is a blessing?

    Marrying an entertainer is work, it’s a problem; it’s not a blessing.  Imagine me getting married to a PSquare that every woman wants to sleep with. If you are a wife to that kind of a person you are in trouble; that means you have to grow thick skin, have emotional maturity and spiritual maturity. So, it’s not an easy thing to be married to an entertainer. The only thing is that an entertainer understands what you are doing.

    Tell us about the leading personalities that have impacted your life and career

    As an entertainer, the leading personalities that have impacted my life mostly, I always say God first because there was a major part of my life when I had no one to turn to but God. I was really raised by God and I mean that literally. Secondly, books. I used to be an avid reader, but I’m not as avid as I used to be again. However, a lot of my knowledge, fluency and expression come from reading books written by John Grisham, Geoffrey Archer and others.

    Are you not into African authors?

    I think I was not exposed to African literature as I wanted, but I have been inspired by Wole Soyinka and his drive. Chinua Achebe as well. Their impact is what touched me most. Not directly by their literature but the idea of their existence.

    Which other figures inspire and motivate you?

    People like Bill Gates drive me with the idea that I can have a global impact on people. So I think I can choose mentorship from where I want to go. So, if I want to express myself and understand people and have emotional intelligence, that’s why I read the likes of John Grisham. When I want to feel like I need to understand how to globally dominate, that’s why I study people like Bill Gates and Oprah. I just study to understand how they are. When it comes to dance, Michael Jackson is one of my greatest influences. Not just from the idea of him being Michael, it’s about the essence of him being Michael and that essence is connected to God’s grace. As a person, I always marvel at that grace, that grace influenced me, that freedom of how he just became himself.

    Beyonce pushes me mentally. Also from the drive of a woman that one can dominate her space as a woman and carry that on, and actually decide and dictate what you want creatively in life. I see Beyonce as someone who puts in what she is getting; it’s not something she just met. It wasn’t handed over to her. As I said, I don’t have one mentor. Dangote, for instance, is resilient in business entrepreneurship and economy. Being an entrepreneur can drive anyone crazy, you need to be mentally mad first. He proves that one can actually do business in Nigeria, multiple businesses. I can imagine how he spends his day. The first time I had opportunity to sit beside him, the calmness in his tongue was really inspiring. I only imagined what was in his brain.

    You always talk about your past like there is something. Did you have a dark experience?

    When I talk about my past, not from a dark perspective but from an idea that not everybody can get away with the little things in their lives that had the most impact on their future. Little things like parents not having money to pay your school fees. It looks like a little thing but the impact of not finishing school has made some girls to say that was the reason they became prostitutes and it has caused some guys to say that’s why they became armed robbers. For me, I looked at the situation and say I need to find a solution. My own solution came to me easily but it may not come easy to another child. My own solution was that I have rich friends and I can’t go to school, but my friends have books for school. I went to them and I started copying their notes. So, for a big part of my secondary school, I was self-taught. The government provided the curriculum; I made a photocopy of it and started following the term. So when my mom finally had money to take me back to school, I was not behind. In one instance, a teacher asked the school I went to, I was embarrassed to say I wasn’t going to school. So the teacher saw my expression and said that whoever was teaching me did a good job as my note was more complete than his own. Then, they used to give forty marks for note writing and I don’t want to lose that mark because I entered school during the third term. The day I brought my note to class, the teacher picked it and used it to write note for the class. When I say I’ve had it rough, it means that ninety percent of what people are going through today, I’ve experienced it. I’ve experienced sexual abuse by a family member but thank God he did not get through with it. I was in a situation where someone was touching me but I had the wisdom to scream before I could run away. I was five years old. How many five years old had that opportunity?

    Do you teach your children sex education?

    Yes, I do. When they come across certain words or utterances, I can’t just tell them not to say that. I need to let them understand that the word is not meant for them, and it is not their time to use such form of expression. It is better to teach them from the point of knowledge than to withhold it. There are some terminologies they will hear, even if you say it to them, they will tell you that you can’t say such expression to them because they are kids.

    What would you consider your greatest asset as an entertainer?

    My mind. It has no limits. There are no limits to what I can do. I don’t have any physical assets.

    What is the most damming criticism you have ever received?

    It pisses me off. What pisses me is the mind of the person criticising. It is an insult sometimes to my own intelligence. Some people think that because I’m a celebrity, I shouldn’t be vocal about my views. I don’t respond from the position of pain. I respond to let some people know that they are a fool. Some of the people on social media are babies, they use adult photos. 90 per cent of them have come to my DMs to apologise. I do not need to start showing screenshots. Some people feel like I should not respond to negative comments on social media but sometimes we need to. It draws one into the kind of mindset they have and helps one correct their mind set. For instance, they said that I criticised Naira Marley because I do not want his progress because I am an enemy of his progress. I contributed to the popularity of his song, ‘Issa Goal’ with over one million views because I danced to the song. I even have the dance routine in my Ijoda work out series. I cannot be an advocate for anybody’s downfall. I cannot promote anything against my philosophy, which is dance. Do you know what? If I do not speak up, that means I am not protecting the kids that come under me to learn. Some parents came to withdraw their kids because of dances like soapy while others left their kids because someone spoke up. He has daughters and he protects his family against vices but it is not possible. It is not me he insulted; he insulted a whole generation of people that will date his daughters tomorrow. One of those Marlians will marry his child tomorrow. That is why we all have to be careful and remember all our actions have consequences.

    Do you think we do enough African dance in the various avenues dance is employed?

    I am an active lover of our culture, that is why infuse bata dance into my choreography pieces because I find them very intriguing and fascinating. If you look at the Swange dance, the movement and footwork is out of this world. We don’t celebrate our own thing that much. I do infuse culture into my dance expressions; that is why some say they don’t understand some of my moves. It’s for this same reason we invited the Ooni of Ile-Ife to be part of The Dance Workshop and Conference last year. I recall telling him that there was too much damage done to our culture during the slave trade era by colonialists and missionaries. They deceived us by selling the idea that our cultures are evil and diabolic. They failed to distinguish the art and richness of our culture but condemned everything because they termed shrine worship as evil. I told Ooni that we should start having culture hubs with great artistic aesthetics that will be accessible to all artistes, irrespective of religion or creed. This will be located nationwide and attract true practitioners, fostering exchange of experiences, ideas and collaborations. This is how both the creative and cultural elements of dance will interact and grow among young people.

    What’s your plan to mark your milestone 40th birthday?

    This year, I’m going to be 40. I’m still strong.  Also, I will be marking 20 years of being on stage in this industry, sacrificing, pushing, crying, pulling and being victorious about one thing: dance. So this year, we are scaling it higher; that has led to us extending The Dance Workshop and Conference to four days instead of three.

    Dance can change lives, that is why I created the idea of a conference and called it The Dance Workshop and Conference (TDWC) Africa. We needed an atmosphere whereby we can have conversations with multiple sectors of the economy, and bridge the gap between the informed and the uninformed. To say ‘this is all the information on how you can use your talent to create wealth for you.’

    The three days will include activities such as workshops, conference, trade fair, while the fourth day is the concert. The concert is what we call the Rise of the Phoenix. The phoenix is a bird that rose from ashes and is on flames, and it burns through everything. Ever since I was a kid, I’ve always seen myself and everything as a fire. So right now, it’s not just a fire that burns through me, I’m now the fire. I’m ready to burn through anything and to build anything. As long as this nation is concerned, Nigeria is one of the greatest nations in the world.

    What’s your assessment of dance in Nigeria?

    My assessment is that it has grown geometrically in popularity but it has plateaued in technical delivery. Due to the influx of trending dances, the voice of rigorous and discipline art of dance is being silenced. Sometimes when I do some proper choreograph, while some will like, some others will dislike because it does not feature popular trending dances like ‘Gbese’. Even if we want trending dances to become sustainable, we need to approach it like a science. For instance, wherever I have taught shakushaku dance, 90% of the time, my students grabbed it at once.

    Dance has taken you around the world and you have achieved a lot with it, what’s the best thing dance has done for you?

    I would say it is empowering people. It is the best thing. It’s so fulfilling to see that girl that wanted to be a prostitute yesterday changed her mind and dance with me. The feeling is overwhelming. I have kids with different disabilities enrol for dance, such as autism, hearing impairment etc. I have watched their lives transformed.

    Can you tell us about motherhood and how you navigate work-life balance?

    First of all, being married and a dancer was a very gruesome journey for me because nobody prepares you for what happens in marriage but because of the love and fear of God, we are able to move on. I won’t tell you that my marriage was rosy; no, that’s a lie. It was devastating. It was so gruesome that I went into depression and came out of it. I can tell you these because we can’t continue to tell people a lie. We need to let people know that we can go through stuff and get out of it. God set up us to be able to encourage people overcome the things we went through. Motherhood is the best thing that ever happened to my life. God used motherhood to compensate me for all the pain. God blessed me with two amazing gifts; my children are a reassurance. They are also gauge to what I can or cannot do because, now, I’m conscious that I have to lead by example. I am their greatest inspiration; they absorb me like milk and honey. I am afraid to misbehave because these kids are going to take it from mommy. I had two Caesarian sections and I worked from conception to delivery. I remember I had to work five days into my CS when I was carrying my first child. I have an amazing healing body that doctors marvel at.

  • Bolatito Ladoja-Idakula: why I’m lending voice on postpartum depression

    She is a victim of Postpartum Depression (PPD), but she was able to overcome it and is helping other women to create awareness about it. In this interview with Omolara Akintoye, Nigerian singer Bez’s wife, Bolatito Ladoja-Idakula, a graduate of International Relations from Warwick University, UK with Masters in Management from Imperial College, London, speaks on how she has joined women lending their voices on PPD and helping to educate other women, among other diverse issues.

    With degrees in International relations and management, how did broadcasting find you?

    I have always been a very curious person and I enjoy having conversations and learning about people. I won’t say my career is in broadcasting but more in sharing about God’s love through various media avenues. So I believe it is because of my genuine interest in people and also sharing honest conversations I started to find interest in media. After working shortly at WFM, I was able to hone down my focus to sharing God’s love which is why I produced my talk show. The goal is to create more positive and enlightening content as an alternative to a lot of negativity that we currently have in the world.

    You started out as a banker, why the change of career?

    My job as a banker came as a result of me wanting to have a well-paid after university. I wasn’t specifically interested in banking but I wanted a stable income that could support me. My change of career occurred when I discovered that God was calling me to something else and then after the loss of my daughter after delivery, it became clear that my pain had a purpose which was to encourage others struggling with various difficulties and media is a powerful tool to achieve that.

    How do you juggle your role as a mother, wife and a career woman?

    I have learnt to prioritise and I moved based on what is most important to me. In as much as my career is important, I believe my role as a mother and a wife comes first and for me to thrive in my career, I make sure everything is working at the home front. I am also blessed with an amazing husband who understands that we are in a partnership and so also does his part as a husband and partner. I have also understood that life happens in seasons, so not everything is going to happen at once and there are times when my home life comes first and other times when career comes first. I also have an amazing support network which makes it all happen. And once again, I realise that the more I prioritise my relationship with Christ, the more I have wisdom and grace to handle everything with relative ease.

    At what point did you decide to establish the foundation?

    We started to  support other families and women who had similar experiences with baby loss, miscarriage, etc from the moment I shared my story in 2015 but formed ‘The Healing Cradle Foundation’ and registered in 2019 in order to create more structure and more awareness. I realised many people were suffering in silence and needed support to overcome their pain, so I created the support group to address that. Our foundation deals with more than postpartum depression, although this can be one of the issues women who lose their babies or experience miscarriages also deal with. However, this can happen to any woman who even has a healthy baby. If you find that you are constantly having negative thoughts about yourself and your baby, then speak to a doctor. You might find yourself always crying to you feeling like crying or you are just really unhappy. If you don’t feel right after a few weeks, then speak to a professional.

    What is postpartum depression all about?

    Postpartum depression, which is a type of mood disorder associated with childbirth, is quickly becoming rampant among mothers. Postpartum depression is a type of mood disorder associated with childbirth. Symptoms may include extreme sadness, low energy, anxiety, crying episodes, irritability, and changes in sleeping or eating patterns. Sadly, a lot of women don’t know this exists and often times when they have these symptoms, they hate themselves thinking they aren’t mother enough.

    Are there cases that the NGO has handled?

    As I mentioned, we focus on supporting people who have experienced the loss of a child or had a still birth or miscarriage and need emotional support and have dealt with over 30 women, providing counselling for them and providing practical solutions to help them heal. We have also had over 50 women attend our support group meetings where we share and encourage each other in a safe, judgment-free environment.

    We recently were part of the global wave of light event as part of baby loss awareness week. We created an event to bring families together to speak about baby loss and pregnancy loss in a bid to educate the public that this happens and there is no reason to be shamed. Depression involves a lot of healing process.

    How do you source for fund?

    We often appeal to the public. Also beneficiaries of our work always donate in cash or in kind.

    Share with us your talk show, what’s it about?

    The show is called ‘My Jesus Experience’ and the aim is to show that Christ is very present in our daily lives beyond the church, pastors and pulpit.  In it, I discuss with people who still have faith despite experiencing really difficult times. We discuss topics that range from depression, to the having a blind child as well as waiting to have children.

  • Anambra 2021: How APC will win governorship election

    Chief George Moghalu is a former National Auditor of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and present Managing Director of National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA). In this interview with some journalists, Moghalu, who has participated severally in the past Anambra State governorship elections, speaks on burning issues in the country, his preparedness for the next gubernatorial election in Anambra State, among other issues. Associate Editor, SAM EGBURONU, reports.

    How would you rate your party’s achievements in the past five years?

    It is always very important when you want to make an assessment to begin by first of all, looking at where you were; your millage point and then look at the millage you have covered, then you will be able to know what it will take you to get to where you have programmed yourself to be. I appreciate the challenges and difficulties facing us as a party and as a nation but I will be bold and honest enough to say APC has done well in the last five years. We have done reasonably well but that is not to say much is still not left to be done. There are still quite a lot to be done. So for me, I always describe our nation and party as work in progress. You will agree with me that as a government, as a party, we have done well.

    Most Nigerians will disagree with you, especially in the area of insecurity. At the moment, many lives are being lost. Recently, a seminarian was abducted and later killed; also, the CAN chairman in Adamawa State was abducted and later beheaded. The president flew straight from Ethiopia to Maiduguri on sympathy visit as a result of the killings of scores of people in Maiduguri. Aggregating all these killings and deaths, would you boldly say that the president has actually done well in that area and do you support the continuous stay of the service chiefs?

    If you could remember, I said we have not gotten to where we want to be. We have not arrived at our destination; it is still work in progress but efforts will continue to be made. I feel very sad and pained about the death of the CAN chairman, the death of the seminarian and the death of every other person because every life is same. When there was insecurity walk led by the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, there was a placard they had that read “all lives are precious to God”. That touched me. What that goes to say is that the life of that poor man you think is inconsequential is as important to God as the life of the president of this country.

    I feel pained we lost them and let me use this opportunity to condole their families, CAN, the church, myself and everybody and pray may their souls rest in perfect peace, amen. There are still more work to be done.

    Would you want the service chiefs to continue in office?

    Why I am a little bit careful about that is that I may not have access to information with regards to how the security operates. I don’t also know how long a service chief is supposed to stay, whether they have tenured appointments or they are appointed by seniority; I don’t have any of such information.

    The important thing is that our environment has to be secured; Nigeria has to be secured for us to even expect foreign investment and as citizens, we also have a role to play.

    Can you share your thoughts on the establishment of Amotekun, Shege Ka Fasa and the community policing mechanism which the Southeast governors have adopted?

    It is fine with me. I have always advocated for community policing because it gives room for the involvement of the people themselves. There is actually nothing wrong in efforts being made to provide security, to help government, it is part of what I just said now that we, as citizens, have a role to play.

    This is your fourth month as MD of NIWA, how has it been?

    It has been challenging, interesting, educative. For those of us who have not been in the marine sector before, we have learnt quite a lot, we also have seen the challenges and we have seen the great potentials that are in this sector and we are working to see to what extent we can bring to the knowledge of Nigerians these potentials.

    What are these potentials?

    The moment we develop and improve on our water transportation system; we have one, reduced the pressure on our roads majorly because a good number of the cargoes that go by the road can be moved by water.

    If we get to the point where we can move cargo that arrives at Lagos port by water to some of our inland ports in Onitsha, Baro, Lokoja and co, by the time we do that, I can assure you that the Apapa gridlock will be a thing of the past.

    There is concern that the waters are not dredged, especially in the Southeast and South-south?

    Before I came into office, there was a major dredging that was done on the Niger. So, now what we are doing is more or less maintenance dredging; though we have one or two dredgers, we are acquiring more so that this maintenance dredging becomes a continuous thing we do regularly because sand movement is a continuous thing. It is not static.

    The moment we lay emphasis on it, which is what we are trying to do, the potentials will keep manifesting because by the time the river ports and jetty are active, communities around the river banks will also develop along the line.

    But let me also add that one of the biggest challenges I found when I came into office is the fact that Nigerians don’t know about Nigerian Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA). NIWA was underreported.

    So are there some sensitisation programmes for the people to know more about NIWA?

    Yes we are doing that. We are relating with people, we are creating forums.

    Talking about dousing tension in Nigerian polity, there is this feeling of marginalisation, especially in the Southeast. Are there efforts to assuage this feeling?

    When people say marginalisation, I say present the facts because I have facts to prove that we are not marginalised. Let’s look at the massive infrastructural development in the Southeast. In the past 16 years of the PDP administration, the second Niger Bridge was a mirage, was just mere promises until this administration came into being; what we are talking about is date of completion and the contractors have mentioned when they are going to complete it. In the next one and half years, it will be completed, go there and see what is going on. Does that show a government that is marginalising the people?

    Go and look at Enugu-Onitsha expressway, the level of work that is going on, look at Onitsha-Port Harcourt express road and find out the level of work that is going on; look at new roads that are being opened and developed; look at Aba-Ikot Ekpene and what have you; these were all major federal roads that were abandoned. Look at investment in agriculture, does that show a government that has marginalised the people? I am from the Southeast and I am sitting here.

    In terms of appointment, would you also say the president has been fair?

    Yes, the president has been fair. But like every other person, I would want all appointments in Nigeria to be given to me. It is our wish but we must also in wishing this thing to be like this, we must not lose sight of the fact that Nigeria is a big nation.

    Some people said the Southeast only got statutory appointments…

    Is my own statutory? It is not statutory because the last MD of this place was from Southwest and if it was statutory, they would have brought a Southwest man. I can mention to you heads of agencies that are from Southeast.

    Do you agree that 2023 is the time for the Southeast to produce the Nigerian president?

    It is not about whether it is our time but about organising ourselves to look for presidency, to get it. It is not by appointment; power is not given, power is taken. We are looking for a Nigerian president of Igbo extraction which means the Northwest man, the Northeast man, the North-central man, the Southwest man and the South-south man are all key stakeholders in determining who will be president. If I want to be president now, for example, I will start building bridges because there is no independent candidate in our constitution. So, it must be a party platform and you and I know that from all indices, from empirical evidence, there are only two platforms that you can use today to actualise the presidency of Nigeria. It is either APC or PDP. So, we as a people should make efforts to get the party structure, to get involved in the party. The truth of the matter is that if you don’t have people around the table when discussions are being taken about you, there is no way you can be considered. So, we must as a people get into APC.

    Are you saying that Southeast people are not really in APC?

    Northeast people are in APC but we should work harder. We should play politics, we should increase our involvement because we have to win party primaries first before you go for the general election and you cannot take a party that has no office in Karanamoda and expect to win the presidency. It is not feasible and that is why I said the two platforms today are clear.

    So what we need to do as a people is to organise ourselves, move into these two platforms and be able to fight for the ticket because it is not about appointment.

    How prepared is your party to take Anambra State?

    We are highly prepared.

    But APGA and PDP are known to be in firm control of Anambra State. So, how is APC prepared because APC seems not to be on the ground in the state now?

    That was the same thing you people said in Bayelsa State; that APC was nowhere and when the people were given opportunity to vote, they voted for who they wanted. One thing I can assure you without letting you know our strategy is that as a party, we are organised, we are building more bridges; we are expanding our frontiers; as a party we are consulting amongst ourselves the critical stakeholders; as a party, we are going to present a very good candidate; as a party, we are going to go to this campaign with our report card, what we have done.

    There is a zoning arrangement in Anambra State and there are also candidates who have been indicating interest that the zoning may not favour, don’t you think this may lead to an implosion?

    I don’t expect any implosion. One thing you must understand about political parties is that it is about interest, people’s interest must clash and what separates party A from B is how you manage this interest. I can assure you boldly that we are going to go to that election united and we are going to fight, campaign aggressively, present our report card even if it means going from house to house to win that election.

    Before the coming of the APC, you made an effort by contesting on another platform and even when APC came I think you also made an effort to contest on it. Would 2021 still produce somebody like you to contest?

    My fate is in God’s hands and the wishes of Anambra people.

    What are your chances?

    Go and consult; you go down to the state and ask questions.

    Recently some communities and traditional rulers bestowed upon you a title, is this indication of acceptability? What have you done in particular to warrant the title?

    In my little way without making so much noise I have done quite a lot to play my role as a citizen. So if the little things I am doing are attracting the attention or may have been the reason for them considering me for the title, I give God all the glory but all the things I have done is devoid of political consideration and that is why I don’t make unnecessary noise about it. But I think my main concern for now is doing my best as the MD of NIWA.

    You were one of the top officials of APC. How closely have you monitored the face-off between the current APC National Chairman and his home state governor in Edo State?

    The issue of Edo State will be resolved, I can assure you that.

    Do you think President Buhari should resign as the Senate Minority Leader said?

    For what; that is a brainwave; a man who has such a mandate and support of Nigerians.

  • ‘It is not correct to say pastoring is lucrative’

    When you hear Ituah Ighodalo, what immediately comes to your mind is pastoring, and his church, Trinity House; but the ebullient pastor in a recent interview with Gboyega Alaka, proved he is much more. A chartered accountant and partner at SIAO, a leading professional services firm in Lagos, Ighodalo proved he is at home in politics, economy and human and national development.

    SIAO seems to be a beehive of activities. Not all pastors are so preoccupied with non-gospel vocations. Tell us about it.

    I started life as a young man in Lagos. I became a chartered accountant. I’ve been doing accounting since 1982 on a professional basis. It wasn’t my plan to be a pastor, and when I got into the ministry, it didn’t require me to drop my profession. However, just when I was considering retirement was when I had to change my ministerial assignment; therefore I had to continue a little bit more with my profession. It sort of stuck with me, so I manage both. God has given me grace to manage both.

    Is SIAO an accounting firm?

    Yes. What you call a professional services firm. We do accounting, we do tax, we do consulting, we do human resourcing. We’re like a hospital for corporate organisations. They come to us to help them solve their corporate problems. And of course that includes government and non-governmental organisations.

    The popular opinion out there is that pastoring is a vocation for the not too adventurous, but here you are, a partner in a big firm. Why didn’t you just sit back and enjoy the lucrative fruits of pastoring?

    Let me say that it is not quite correct that pastoring is lucrative. A lot of the time, what people see is the result of the years of pain. You see a man who seems, after 25 or 30 years in the ministry, to be living a decent or even flamboyant lifestyle, you forget that there was a time when he couldn’t eat, when he couldn’t drive a car or was sleeping in a one-room apartment all by himself. Every glory has a story. So if eventually overtime, somehow, the labour of his hands begins to yield, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it is lucrative. Besides, those who truly want to be pastors are people who really want to serve and make life better for other people. If along the line, there are some benefits here and there, I think that is okay as well.

    What do you say to those who describe it as ‘vocation for the not too adventurous’?

    (Laughs) It is true that, unfortunately, a few pastors have given the connotation that they want to live off pasturing and don’t really want to work. But really, pasturing, if you are really committed to it, is very intense, involving and hard job. First, you have study the bible; it’s a lot of work. Second, you read other books and other forms of inspiration. Three, you pray diligently. I’ve had a vigil all night, I got into bed at 5 and I got up at 7; and I’ve been up on my feet since them. Four, you also have to prepare messages and preach on Sundays, and even Wednesday. That takes a lot of effort. Five, you’re on call. People call you 24 hours. From 5am, my phone has been ringing. And then there is administrative work to do. You have to run an organisation. Six, there is the ministering to people. Somebody is sick, you’re there; somebody is dying, you’re there; naming ceremony, you’re there…. So, pastoral work is tough for someone who really wants to pastor. So imagine when you now have to combine it with circular work and other volunteer activities. In a way, I’m grateful to God, especially now that I’m beginning to create time for myself and my family. As a pastor, if you don’t take your time, your family may suffer.’

    You just painted a picture of a superman, how do you manage?

    The energy comes from God, but I manage myself well. I take it one thing at a time; and I delegate as best as I can. I have a few good people who work with me; and if you find good people to work with you, then it makes the whole thing a joy. And on my part, this is my life. It is not a job or a chore. So for me, it’s not a stress.

    Still on pastoring; there is a raging controversy on tithe and tithing. Some say pastors practically establish churches to collect tithes for personal enrichment.

    Well, tithing is biblical and it is spiritual. The origin of tithe dates back to a gentleman called Abram, who after he had won a serious battle, gave a tenth of what he got in the battle to a gentleman called Melchizedeck, who was a representative of God. It was an offering of gratitude and thanks for deliverance from life issues. It was a spiritual action. Secondly, when Jacob was escaping from Canaan and going back to his uncle’s place in Haran, he also made a covenant with God, that ‘if you protect me and bring me back to my father’s house, of everything that you give me, I will give you a tenth. But it was instituted in the wilderness, when God said ‘I need a section of you to spend their time and energy, to listen to me, serve me; the rest of you, pay a tithe to me, so that I can use that tithe to help everybody fulfil their spiritual aspiration.’ So it has become a compulsion. And then of course, with the things of God, there are blessings, joys; so I fully believe in the payment of tithe. I fully believe in giving to God to help God do his job and I fully believe in the support of people who are committed to God’s work so that they can focus on God’s work and the rest of us can carry on with our activities.

    It’s the beginning of the year and many pastors are prophesying or making predictions. Do you have any to share with our readers?

    Let me separate between predictions and prophesies and being actually able to hear from God concerning a situation. A prediction comes from an evaluation and analysis of certain situations and extrapolations into the future. For instance, if the clouds are dark and the atmosphere is humid, I can safely predict that it is going to rain either in the evening or tomorrow. So if I analyse what is going on in Nigeria, I can make a prediction. A prophesy is a wish into the future. You prophesy that by God’s grace it will be well. Sometimes, God would hear that prophesy and back it and make it happen – because things are done by the power of the mouth. However, visions of the future are things that you see clearly. That somehow or the other, God through whatever means has spoken to you. Like Joseph dreaming that his brothers would serve him. Sometimes it is the bible itself that speaks to you, sometimes, it is a man of God and sometimes, it is a voice speaking to you.

    To your question about vision for Nigeria or whether I have heard from God, I’ve not heard a clear word of God as to whether this or that would happen in Nigeria, but I’ve heard concerning my life and concerning the life of my parishioners.

    Nigeria is regarded by many as being very religious on account of her numerous worship centres, especially churches; yet it appears immorality and criminality has continued to rise. As a result people have said that pastors have failed. What would you say to this?

    Yes. No and half no. And I’d give you my reasons. It’s not everybody who says he’s a pastor that is actually doing the things of Christ. So, even pastors themselves need a bit of redemption. Secondly, the rot in Nigeria is so deep that it’s going to take a lot more efforts to change it. Thirdly, while pastors are influential in certain areas, there are some people who are more influential than pastors, who drive people’s thinking. A lot of people in government drive the thinking of people even more than pastors are doing because not only do they control the media, they also control the wallet. And sometimes, you hear the people saying, ‘Pastor, na your own you dey talk o. …Or pastor, e joko sibe, na that one I go chop.’ So there are influences in the society competing with the pastors. Maybe we pastors should deal more with the leadership. And I think that is where pastors have failed. Maybe we have not spoken truth to leadership sufficiently for different reasons, ranging from gratification to being in their good books or because they threatened us. So one thing I and my church is trying to do is to is to be honest and to speak truth to the nation.

    You certainly struck a chord with former president Olusegun Obasanjo, from the way he related with you at the recent ‘Why I am Alive’ campaign organised by Caroline Moore in Lagos. Many have different opinions about the former president. What do you think of him?

    One, General Obasanjo is a nice man. Two, he’s a very warm and open man and he makes friends very easily, even at his age. Three, he’s very hardworking. Four, he has passion for Nigeria. But where he has failed is that in the one, two or three instances that he had an opportunity to make significant difference in our nation, he bowed to the spirit and pressure of Nigeria. He bowed to that thinking that has made Nigeria what it is, such that he changes his mind concerning certain things and makes u-turn, when he should be steadfast. For that reason, a few people find him – if you like – ambivalent. And that is why some people sort of draw back from him. But he’s been one of the most passionate, one of the most hardworking and most vigorous concerning the Nigerian project.

    He was very particular about Nigeria’s debt situation. As an accountant, do you share his worries?

    Yes I do. You cannot live off what you have not generated. The Bible says the borrower is servant to the lender. The reason why Nigeria is where we are today is because some leaders put us into debt many years ago. Then World Bank came, IMF came, London Club came, Paris Club came and started giving us orders. Devalue your currency, restructure your economy; you can’t sell petrol at this price… It’s because they lent us money and you are not able to pay. When Nigeria was a net lender, even to England, our currency was stronger than the British pounds. In my lifetime! And the fundamentals haven’t changed. What changed was the thinking and approach of our leaders. And they were influenced from outside. The problem many do not know is that Nigeria is still very significantly influenced from outside; especially by the British and the Americans. The British left a roadmap, a DNA for an unworkable Nigeria. Tell them I said so. And I don’t blame them; your vassal state tells you they want independence, are you going to make it easy for them or make it difficult for you not to be able to control them? These people left in pain. So they left behind a script, a Nigeria that would work to their benefit – and not to the benefit of Nigerians. They divided us into three groups, and for each group, they left a last will and testament, which has caused a lot of disunity and distrust, such that tribes are played up against one another, and they don’t trust one another. Some people think their right is power. It was the British that gave them that idea. Some people are ambivalent; they’re neither here nor there. It was the British that gave them that formula; and some people are pushed to one side; it was the British that left that template. Before they stage a coup in Nigeria, Britain and America know. Sometimes, they even sponsor and motivate them. They do it all over Africa, not just in Nigeria. Even in Iran now, they’re doing it. What borders me, however, is why we, after 60 years of independence, cannot speak to one another and collectively come together and face a common enemy. The Nigerian resource, the Nigerian people are much stronger, if we can realise our potential than the whole of Europe. What resources do they have in Europe that we don’t have in manifold? Most of our resources, they take from here and go and use to benefit their economy. How can you harvest yam in your backyard, harvest it and then send it to London to eign oil companies who don’t make proper account, are complicit in this. So by just accounting properly for oil and defending it, we’ll get double what we’re getting right now. Secondly, Nigeria must feed itself. If Nigeria feeds herself and we don’t import any food, we’ll save 3 or 4billion dollars. And feeding ourselves is not a big deal. Very simple, (put the word out) we are not importing food, we’re not importing fruits, we can grow them all here. Thirdly, bring the educational institutions here. Let our children stop going out to be trained. We have land. What’s the big deal about building a school? And if we don’t have enough teachers, let us bring the teachers here to come and teach our children, rather than carry our children to go and meet the teachers. Do you know how much it costs to educate a child in England for one year? It cost at least fifty thousand pounds. School fee alone is thirty thousand pounds. And the child must come back and forth by aircraft; the mother goes once or twice a year; then the father, if he has three children there, will eventually buy an apartment there… So you end up spending almost a million pounds going out of Nigeria. Imagine how many of our children we have in all these places; even in Ghana. So if we can arrest all these spending, then we will have more than enough to grow our economy.

    We should build and harness all our resources. We have gold, we have bitumen – surface bitumen, we have diamond, we have marble, bauxite; and nobody is touching them.

    You are such an erudite pastor. You talk business, you talk economy, you talk politics; yet people are against pastors going into politics.

    How can you stay away from leadership? It’s not possible. It’s even a wrong notion to say pastors should stay away from politics. Maybe what you’re trying to say is that pastors should not be partisan – because your congregation has different kinds of people. But a pastor must be involved and interested in those who are going to lead the country. A pastor must have access to them, he must be able to speak to them, what he has heard from God; and if he hasn’t heard from God, he must tell them what his conscience, his morality and understanding of the word of God are saying. He might just not necessarily contest an election; but if he chooses to leave his pulpit and run for office, he’s a citizen of Nigeria; he’s entitled to it. I am leading a vanguard to look for right leadership in Nigeria, from wherever – whether APC or PDP. But we must define a profile of the kind of person that can lead us. You must be of a certain look and feel; you must have a certain level of exposure; you must have a passion for Nigeria. You must be fair; you must be detribalised and be ready for even development. You must be well-spoken, well travelled, understand economy and have a track record – because you can’t give what you don’t have. In China, they prepare their leaders. In Singapore, you must have run a fortune 500 company…. A man would take you only in the direction he understands and knows.

    As chairman, you played a prominent role in the ‘Why I am alive Campaign’. Most likely, you played a major role in bringing Obasanjo to speak at the programme. Why did you key into the programme?

    It’s not just Caroline or ‘Why I am Alive Campaign’ that I work with; I work with many people. I think one of the gifts God has given me is the ability to help others fulfil their dreams. I want everybody to succeed. I can’t remember how I met Caroline; all I know is that one day, she came into my office and she had different kinds of ideas and I’d listen to her patiently and try to point her in certain directions and give her as much support as I could. All I know is that I want her to succeed, because if she succeeds, she’d help others succeed. So when she came up with this ‘Why I Am Alive’ project, which is about laying a new trajectory for Nigeria and leaders mentoring young people, why would I not support a thing like that? And when she said, ‘Please, I’d like Chief Obasanjo to speak at the gathering; I said no problem; because I had a good relationship with him. We gave him option of date, he picked a date and we began to plan. And I’m glad that all went well.

  • Tyo-Mu: Blood, tears as Tiv groups turn on each other

    It started like a neighbourly argument, but soon snowballed into a full-blown communal crisis. At the last count, 39 houses have been razed, while residents of Tyo-Mu in Makurdi, especially the Kparev, who are on the receiving end, have continued to flee for dear life. Uja Emmanuel reports.

    On Wednesday, 29/1/2020 bloody civil strife erupted among the Tiv ethnic group living in Tyo-Mu settlement, a suburb of Makurdi, Benue State.

    Tyo-Mu settlement is located on Kilometer 12 along Makurdi-Gboko federal highway.

    The inhabitants are 100 percent Tiv-speaking people and predominantly farmers. Because they live on the bank of River Benue, they are noted for massive rice farming, cassava, potatoes, sonata beans, groundnut and yams.

    The people thus live on a large farmland that spreads to about 15 Kilometres with a large Fadama that spread to River Benue.

    It is however not uncommon to have a certain group of the people within the same community refer to another group as settlers. The settlers are called Kparev, while the indigenes are known as Ihyarev.

    Investigations revealed that the contention that let to this crisis was over who is an indigene, who has more right of ownership and who is a settler.

    The settlement in contention are Akile Angbbaaye, Abinsi and Bar, along Tyo-Mu.

    The Ihyarev are a group of Tiv people found in Makurdi, Gwer-west and Guma local government areas, while Kparev (settlers) are alleged to have migrated from Vande- Ikya, Kwande, Konshisha and Ushongo local government areas etc).

    What started like a little misunderstanding among brothers who have lived together for 100 years, snowballed into a bloody civil strife, lasting hours.

    An eyewitness Emmanuel Tachia, who is also a victim of the crisis and is currently taking refuge with another relative in Wurukum, Makurdi, told The Nation that trouble started at about 4 pm on Wednesday, 29/1/2020 when some Kparev (settlers) people who were moulding local burn bricks at the Bank of River Benue were accosted by Ihyarev (indigenes) youths who were armed with knives and axes and demanded that the Kparev should stop moulding blocks and vacate the area.

    Tachia said even before the Kparev could pack their buckets and cloths and leave, the Ihyarev youths pounced on them and destroyed the moulded blocks and buckets.

    “Using dangerous weapons, they inflicted wounds on the Kparev people, who had no choice but to run for their dear lives. In what looked like a planned attack, the Ihyarev youths moved into the settlements and set ablaze virtually every known Kparev house or property in sight,” Tachia said.

    On what could be the real cause of the prolonged crisis, Tachia said the Ihyarev youths first demanded that the Kparev paid them money for moulding burnt bricks at the bank of River Benue because the land originally belonged to them.

    He revealed that after paying them, the Ihyarev changed their mind and said the Kparev should still vacate the entire area because they are settlers.

    Tachia, who said he has lived in Tyo-Mu for 50 years said 30 houses with property worth millions of naira were set ablaze, as the rampaging youths moved from one house to another from about 5pm on Wednesday  till Thursday morning unchallenged.

    Another victim of the crisis, Mrs. Hembadoon Unande, who was seen with a baby at her back and a 10-year-old son trekking on Tyo-Mu Makurdi road to safety, told The Nation that her house was set ablaze while her husband was at work.

    Mrs. Unande said she took nothing from the house apart from the cloths found on her body and her children.

    She also said there was no food for her and the children and pleaded with the government to come to their aid and provide them with food and shelter.

    However, when The Nation, visited the troubled community, it was more of a ghost town, as many have deserted it, while others were seen evacuating their belongings like mattresses, chairs, pots and other belongs and loading them onto hired vehicles.

    Investigations revealed that the crisis was being fuelled by some prominent Iharev people (Indigenes) for political and economic reasons.

    A community leader, Chief Dogo Ugo told The Nation that a politician (name withheld) had hinted the so-called indigenes that President Muhammadu Buhari has awarded the contract for the dredging of River Benue and the River Port in Makurdi and that those who lived on the bank of the river are likely to be compensated.

    Another reason, Chief Ugo added, is that those being attacked did not vote for a particular candidate, favouring a certain candidate against the indigenes’ wish.

    He expressed deep shock that Tiv people could wake up and start attacking fellow Tiv, the same fate their people in Taraba and Nassarawa are experiencing, which they have been condemning.

    The community leader blamed the Benue State government for the crisis, stating that it has failed to make a categorical statement on the matter.

    “The constitution of Nigeria does not permit another person to send anyone packing but the political leaders are shying away from telling the truth to those who tag themselves indigenes and are sending fellow citizens away. They should tell them that what they are doing is wrong,” Chief Dogo said.

    According to the community leader, security men also share in the blame, as the indigenes/settlers (Kparev/Ihyarev) crisis started in Agboughul community, moved to Logo 1 and 2, Makurdi and has now extended to Tyo-Mu, where people killed and set houses ablaze – yet no single person has been brought before a court of law.

    He said this is what is giving those sponsoring the crisis audacity to continue unleashing mayhem on innocent people.

    As it is, a huge humanitarian crisis is brewing, as the displaced have started taking refuge in primary school buildings, uncompleted buildings and shanties, which are prone to outbreaks of diseases.

    However, as at press time, soldiers have been deployed with armoured cars, yet shooting has persisted, especially at the River Benue bank.

    Policemen were also seen patrolling the area, but it seems this has not added much to the people’s confidence, as residents continued to move out their property.

    Police spokesperson, Kate Anene said six suspects have been arrested and would soon be charged to court.

  • Ogoke-Ejiogu: Like black diamond, I shine under pressure

    By Adeyinka Adedipe

    Growing up in America, the land of opportunities, Sarah Ogoke-Ejiogu always knew, even as a kid, that she needed to work hard to achieve her dream of becoming a scholar and a great athlete. As a youngster, she was surrounded by family members who supported her and were willing to be part of her success story. She was also aware of the fact that she had to put in a decent shift to attain success. She studied hard while doing several sports before she settled for basketball, albeit incidentally. She was a notable track and field athlete and a footballer but the allure of the basketball court was too great for her to ignore.

    After settling for basketball, she grabbed the chance of representing Nigerian with both hands in 2011.

    She said: “I’ll never forget the day I received a call from Mfon Udoka in 2011. It was warm breezy day and I was in Corpus Christi, Texas on the beach when my phone rang.

    “I was 21 years old and  in my third year in the university, Mfon told me who she was and asked me if I was fit. I said ‘yes’ and next thing you know, I was flown out to Orlando, Florida for training camp and the rest was history.

    “I was the only college player to make the team and we won a medal in my first Afrobasket competition in Maputo, Mozambique. Since then, I have won six medals (three gold, one silver, and two bronze), have gone to the World Cup, and look forward to winning a gold medal at the Olympics.”

    Despite achieving all these with the national team, the D’Tigress point/shooting guard is not relenting as she hopes to be at the Olympic Games with Nigeria later this year.

    She has also played in FIBA Africa Women Club Championship on few occasions, notably for First Bank Basketball Club of Nigeria before winning gold medal in 2019 when she led Ferroviario of Maputo to the title in Egypt by beating powerhouse Inter Club of Angola in a game she scored a massive 22 point.

    The efficient shooter is not one to shy away from her responsibility on her off the court. She scores from three point line with ease and was at her best for D’Tigress against Senegal in the 2017 Afrobasket final where she made a three point throw from almost the centre of court after which she gave a salute which has become her signature (after hitting the basket) and one of the highlights of the Afrobasket.

    In this interview with ADEYINKA ADEDIPE, the fun-loving point guard, who is currently in medical school in the US, denies rumours of her retirement from basketball; and noted that she will always be ready to represent Nigeria at any tournament and willing to play for clubs ready for her services all over the world. Excerpts…

    The growing up years

    Growing up in the USA was okay but not without its challenges. The best part of the United States, for me, is being able to get an education without too much hassle. The opportunity for extracurricular activities like band, orchestra, and theatre, studying foreign languages, basketball and track and field was also very encouraging. Those activities kept me engaged and busy as a young lady. My family atmosphere was always good. My family always provided love and I didn’t always have what I wanted but I never lacked what I needed. I have a big family and I am thankful for the support and love that everyone has given me all my life.

    Being an all-round athlete

    As a student, I engaged in several sporting activities before settling for basketball and this gave me the chance of becoming a good basketball player. I was a four year varsity track star as well as basketball all throughout high school, but many people don’t know my first sport was soccer which I started playing from the age of 5. I loved soccer too and I would skip every other sport to play soccer but as time went on, it was clear I will eventually settle for basketball when I picked up the sport in high school. I was 12 years old when my friends asked me if I was going to play basketball for the school team. It was sort of an after-thought but I said okay and ended up becoming really good.

    Winning the Afrobasket in 2017

    There is no better feeling than winning. Winning the lottery is not as exhilarating as winning a championship. Being a star is indescribable. It’s a happy feeling. I think that is when people started noticing that Nigeria was good. I mean really good. It’s good to make your country proud. Before now, the Senegalese were ruling African Basketball having won many titles but the D’Tigress were bent on doing themselves proud and winning the title for Nigeria in Bamako, Mali.

    No one thought we could win despite the good work we put in leading to the championship game but we knew what we came for and we put in our best. Senegal had a huge reputation which made them the favourite but we were in the game for the big prize, which we won convincingly. We were all happy to achieve the feat and show the world we have arrived.

    Defending the title in Dakar

    The team in Senegal was relatively new. We added a lot of height and talent to the roster in Ify Ibekwe and Victoria Macauley. Both are very nice young ladies and I was happy to welcome them to the team. The coaches and the entire staff were hospitable as usual. The head coach, Coach Otis Hughley pushes us to be better even if we won by 50 points. He is one of the hardest workers I’ve ever met in my life. I also enjoyed having Mactabene Amachree around because she is a great role model and inspiration to the team. My mother came to Senegal last year and enjoyed the championship experience with us so I was very thankful to have her around. The team was very nice to her and she had a good time and held the trophy after we won. It was perfect.

    Surviving Senegal’s scare

    The Senegalese actually stormed back in the final quarter of that epic game but we were worried at any point. This team is tough and we are very hard to beat, if not impossible. Though we were under pressure playing against 15,000 vociferous fans, but for me ‘Pressure makes diamonds’ which is the motto I live by. I don’t cower in the face of challenges I instead thank God for the opportunity to shine on a stage this big and then I seize the moment. I’m a black diamond.

    Encouragement from family members

    My mother has been my biggest supporter since the beginning. She funded my trips when I was in the early stages of my career when I was about 15 years old. I still remember the graduation party she threw for me before I left for the University of Pittsburgh. ‘GO Sarah, GO Pittsburgh, GO PRO’ was what the large banner at the house party wrote. I found the banner comical at the time and I even thought she was a bit naive because I never imagined that I would be a professional athlete so I guess you can say she spoke it into existence.

    Her motivation

    I must say that inspiration comes from different quarters but my first inspiration would be my father who is an anaesthesiologist in New York. Growing up with a doctor as a dad set the tone for every achievement that I have ever accomplished in my life. I felt that if my dad was a physician then there was nothing I could not be or do in the world. The second is my boyfriend, Keith Russel Graves who is a FIBA certified international basketball coach in Asia. He loves me a lot and has a lot of confidence in me and pushes me to be better.

    Winning the Africa Club championship with Ferroviario

    Coach Nasir Sale is my friend who is also a very nice guy. He is also smart and a tactical basketball coach. He was initially offered the position to coach the Mozambican club in the Africa Champions Cup for Women (ACCW) so he contacted me and Congolese/ French veteran Pauline Akonga to play for him and help Ferroviario defend the title they won the previous year. However, he was unable to fulfil the obligation to coach the team due to another FIBA event but wrote me and told me that if I still was available that he would link me up with the management of the club. I told him I would be available and that was how I got into the team. Winning the FIBA ACCW was amazing. It was a great experience because I was in head to head competition with some of the best guards in the world in Italee Lucas of Interclub and Kelsey Mitchell of the Indiana Fever who played for host Al Ahly of Egypt.

    Knocks off retirement rumour

    I never said I was retiring from the game. What happened was that I got into medical school and furthering my education didn’t mean that I have retired from basketball. Show me where I wrote that I was retiring from professional basketball. I don’t know where this rumour came from. Please it’s not true. I am still active and my talent has not disappeared. I’m still the same high scoring athletic 5’11 point guard/shooting guard that knows how to win. I’ve had countless 20+ point games in FIBA competitions to help Nigeria win big games and late last year I won my first FIBA African Champions Cup gold medal.

    This is something hundreds of fully active players have not even accomplished.

    Playing in Europe

    Playing in Spain with Celta Vigo was a good experience. I learnt a lot about spacing and defensive rotations and adjustments. I also have friends there that are like family and treated me so well during my time there.

    The Flipside

    I unwind by listening to music, watching Netflix, hanging out with my boyfriend, and taking walks around the New York City streets.

  • Josh Okogie: Going to Tokyo 2020 will be awesome

    Taiwo Alimi captures the exploit of Nigeria/America NBA 2018 draft, Joseph Okogie and how representing Nigeria at the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup changed his life.

    With the recent engagement of NBA experienced coach, Mike Brown to tinker the Nigeria men’s basketball team, D’Tigers, to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Nigeria-American NBA player, Josh Okogie has set his sight on attending his first games in style.

    The Minnesota Timberwolves shooting guard, who has integrated fully into the Wolves family following his draft in 2018, is happy to be invited to the Nigerian team to the 2019 FIBA basketball World Cup and hopes to use his experienced at the NBA to lift the team higher.

    Nigeria is attending its third consecutive Olympics games this summer.

    “My selection to the Nigeria team really helped; It really helped me a lot, for sure,” he volunteered in a lively conversation with The Nation.“  I took responsibility with the D’Tigers, and I worked really well all summer with the guys and the staff of the national team.

    “I was given some freedom with the national team, and I think the experience of this summer was very good, and I know I came back to Minny with more confidence and knowledge about the game.

    “I am very happy to play with Nigeria, and I know that my role will be more and more important.  I’m looking forward to next summer to go to Tokyo and compete in the Olympics.”

    Okogie migrated with his family to the United States when he was three years old and the family settled in Snellville, Georgia, where he found basketball at Shiloh High School. By the time he moved to college; Georgia Tech, Okogie had matured to averaging 16.1 points 5.4 rebounds per game and led his school’s scoring points even as a freshman.  In 2018, he signed with Wolves after he got the NBA draft and became a regular player by 2019.

    The Wolves’ back confirmed that he was a precious shadow worker (11 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists) last year when he was glued to Kyrie Irving in the match between the Nets and the Wolves.

    He also made an impression on watchers as he did his best to hinder Irving.

    He said of the match: “I knew I was going to be tagged by Kyrie Irving, so I was even more focused than ever.  He’s a hell of a customer, and I didn’t have to wait until I was in the NBA to figure it out (smile). I tried to follow his movements, but to be honest with you; it’s more the instinct that guides the movements in this kind of moment.

    “I’ve never worked anything special to be solid in defence; I just do it on my gut and give it my all.  Defence is instinct above all. I don’t know yet how Kyrie got the ball back after putting one knee on the ground, but I did my job because he didn’t score.”

    Hailed by Wolves coach Ryan Saunders after the match, the 6’4 inches player said he has a bigger plan for himself, his team and the NBA: “I’m just trying to show match after match that I can become an important player on this team to help the Wolves win.  I know I can bring a lot, and I also know that the coach wants my impact to be on the defence side first.

    “I know that the coach will put me most often on the best opposing attacker, and I am always ready to fulfil this mission.  I am good in this group, I feel that I am progressing and I am happy with what I am doing.

    “I’m not yet expected to have an impact on both sides of the field, but I want to prove over and over again that I can become a very solid player in the NBA.”

    He believed that been put against tough players as Nets’ Karl-Anthony Towns, who completed long distance game with his 3-point 7 of 11, has helped him tremendously.

    “I know what Karl-Anthony is capable of, so I was not taken aback so much. He really has become an ultra-complete player and I think he’s going to make a lot more progress.  Tonight, indoors, like long distance, he did what he wanted.

    “Karl-Anthony is a machine; he is one of the best interiors in the league.  Putting 7 of 11 3-point is just huge for a guy his size! We learn a lot from him and I think this is just the start.  It will help us go far and have a great season.”

    So what is he expected from the Wolves for this season?

    “We would like to go to the playoffs, while showing great play. We form a group of guys who want to work hard and who seek to progress day after day.

    “We are going to give everything to get there, because we want to see the fervour of the city and of our fans this season extend beyond the second week of April.  We can do it, and we will do it,” Okogie added.

  • Lanre Da Silva Ajayi: Making my debut with Dolce and Gabbana was priceless

    Lanre Da Silva Ajayi is a designer who has made a mark in the sector. In this interview with Yetunde Oladeinde, she talks about the journey to the top, her inspiration, turning point and more.

    You are one of the top designers in the country. How would you describe your journey and what does it mean to you?

    I give God the glory for all my success and achievement thus far. I must say that it has been a very interesting journey. It’s been 14 years in the fashion industry, and it certainly has not been a walk in the park, or bed of roses for me either. Through the years, I have mastered my craft, and become more experienced, which is incomparable to when I started. I remember vividly when I started that my passion for the fashion industry was my key driving force. It stirred me up to be creative, innovative, different, and unique with my designs. Back in 2005, when I started, I was into the Victorian era and style of dressing which was not popular at the time in Lagos. My love for the vintage era started whilst I was studying in the UK. I would often visit shopping spots like Portobello Market, London Vintage Fashion, Textile and Accessories Fair at Hammersmith Town Hall. So, also coming back to Lagos, and incorporating my sense of style was different, strange, and new at first to the industry. But gradually the consumers did not mind being different, and they embraced the boldness of my designs.

    I have learnt from my journey thus far to be patient, dedicated, consistent, passionate and have self belief, amongst other things, to achieve one’s desired goal. The LDA brand till date continues to stay relevant and be a force to reckon with in the fashion industry year in year out; by being innovative, dynamic, unique, timeless, and classy.

    What was it like at the beginning?

    There were definitely a number of challenges as a beginner in the fashion industry in Nigeria. For instance today, there are haberdashery stores all around importing good zips and trimmings. At the time I started, I went through the use of local zips and would panic and pray nothing happened to the client’s zip. Zips are so important to a finished garment, I am very happy to see changes today.

    Another challenge for me would be the training the tailors, which is crucial to me as a designer. Looking around today, you find that pattern makers are hard to come by; a lot of the tailors around were machinists that needed so much training and supervision and a trailer load of patience. All these experience made me wise up quickly and learn faster as I knew I had a lot of work ahead of me.

    When was the turning point for you?

    In 2010, I took time out and started creating proper seasonal collections and launched the Labour of love at the Arise Magazine Fashion Week Lagos (March 2011). The collection got a standing ovation and was very well received by fashion lovers, my clients, and prospective clienteles. This was indeed a turning point in my career.

    Tell us about the things that inspire your designs

    Inspiration comes to me naturally when I am in my creative zone. I get inspired by virtually everything around me – from watching fashion shows, movies, looking through magazines, journals – everyday life gives me the urge to create something new and different.

    I am greatly inspired by real women, women who want to look good and stand out. So, I try to get into their heads and figure out their needs.

    What are the other things that occupy your time?

    When I am on a break from work, I tend to relax by listening to music, catching up on my favourite TV shows, visiting the spa, spending quality time with my family, and getting adequate rest by sleeping.

    It would be interesting to talk about some memorable moments in your life and career

    I am thankful to God for beautiful fond memories that have brought joy and happiness to me. The birth of my children is priceless. Also, when I showcased my Autumn/Winter Collection 2012 at Pitti Imagine in Italy. Dolce & Gabbana’s representative was present, and liked my collection. This was certainly a dream come true for me.  They ordered pieces from my collection and I made my debut in the Dolce and Gabbana Spiga 2 concept store in Milan for four consecutive seasons.  I was absolutely delighted.

    What are some of the challenges encountered?

    Some of the main challenges of the fashion industry in Nigeria are lack of power, capital to stay afloat and continue in business, as well as lack of infrastructure.  This makes working conditions unbearable sometimes, with overhead costs on the high.

    Tell us about your experience as a mentor

    From my wealth of experience in the fashion industry, it makes the process of mentoring a designer starting off easy. I just re-live my own experience for them to learn from, and give them valuable advice to be focused, dedicated, patient, persistent, and hard-working to achieve their desired goal.

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

    My family is my support system and they have a great deal of influence on me.

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

    Fashion in Nigeria has definitely undergone a fundamental change in the last 10 years. Fashion in Nigeria is booming. We are a society that embraces fashion, as we love to look good and dress up for every occasion.  In Nigeria today, there are many new designers now to attest to the growth of the fashion industry which makes the industry lucrative and competitive.

    What are you looking forward to in the next few years?

    The LDA brand is looking forward to expanding soon and some interesting collaborations are in the works.

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

    The Nigerian fashion industry is growing rapidly; hence, investments from the government will help heighten the growth and development of the fashion industry significantly. We also need more fashion schools where aspiring designers can learn and grow their craft.

    What are some of the lessons that you have learnt?

    Over the years, I have designed clothes for various clients, and now have a solid understanding of people’s body shapes and sizes. Experience, as they say, is the best teacher. I exercise a great deal of patience, communication, and endurance in dealing with my clients and staff and this makes my job easier and worthwhile.

    Possibly the biggest lesson that I have learnt is that I can accomplish anything I set my mind to with determination, persistence, zeal, and hard-work.

    What is your definition of style?

    Style to me is personal, distinctive and a lifestyle.  I like to be comfortable, chic, and classy with my style.

    How would you assess female designers in Nigeria today?

    The women in the Nigerian fashion industry are a force to reckon with, hence making the industry competitive and lucrative. It feels good to be one of the women shaping the fashion industry for the future. The fashion industry in Nigeria is booming.

    What are some of the things that you treasure most in life?

    Our life is a gift. I am thankful to God each day for the gift of life, my family, friends, and relationships through the years.

    How do you relax?

    I unwind and chill out by going to the Spa, catching up with my favourite TV shows, reading books, and spending quality time with my family.

    What are the things that you won’t do in the name of fashion?

    I am not keen on over accessorising. I like to keep accessorises to a bare minimum.

    Let’s talk about the people you admire and role models.

    Whilst growing up, my mom had a huge influence on me. She was extremely hard working, and instilled good morals in me, which I uphold today. I also have great admiration and respect for Oprah. I grew up watching her talk shows and it impacted on me positively.

    Did you ever feel like quitting at any point?

    I have come to realise that nothing good in life ever comes easy. One has to keep being persistent, putting in the work, be patient, and steadfast, and things will eventually work out.  That said, there were times in the past I was truly fed-up, when things were not going as smoothly as I envisaged it to, and the thought to pack it all in came. When this happened to me, I endured a little more, and behold, there was light at the end of the tunnel that gave me some sort of hope, to pick myself up and carry on.

    If you could change something in the industry with a magic wand, what would it be?

    A magic wand can come in handy for me, when we have deadlines to be met with little or no time to spare, casting a magic spell for the finished garment to appear at once won’t be a bad idea. In reality, however, you have to put in work to achieve result. There is no shortcut to success; only way is hard work.

    What has been your experience working with Nigerian models?

    It’s being smooth sailing working with Nigerian models. They are dedicated, hard working, and committed to their craft.

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

    I normally advise upcoming designers to exercise a  great deal of patience, be very persistent, extremely hardworking, never give up on their passion or dream as success is not achieved in a day but overtime.