The Nation Newspaper

Category: Sunday Interview

  • JANET JACKSON How mum influenced my pregnancy

    JANET JACKSON How mum influenced my pregnancy

    JANET Jackson’s mother reportedly encouraged her to get pregnant before it was too late.

    The 49-year-old singer – who will turn 50 on May 16 – is believed to be expecting her first child with husband Wissam Al Mana, and she was advised to take steps to start her family by 86-year-old matriarch Katherine Jackson, who raised the subject with her famous daughter last autumn.

    A source told the New York Post newspaper’s Page Six column: ‘[Katherine Jackson] said to Janet, ‘You cannot afford to wait too much longer. I was already a grandma at your age.

    And Katherine is said to be ‘thrilled’ the Together Again hitmaker took her advice and will be making her a grandmother for the 28th time.

    The source added: ‘It would mean that all of her children have given her grandchildren. She hopes that she can be in the room when Janet gives birth.’

    Janet almost outdid her rumoured big news by releasing the music video for her latest single Daamn Baby on Thursday.

    The black-and-white video is proof that the pop icon has still got the moves as she performs a series of complex routines alongside a number of backup dancers.

    Her music video style is as theatrical as ever with a latex jacket, loose-fitting trousers and combat boots with cuff detailing.

    At the beginning of the clip, Janet sashays toward the camera, her sassy attitude still fully intact.

    The pop sensation then dances up a storm alongside her similarly clad back-up performers, all of whom vary in age, before enjoying a solo moment when the music becomes more downbeat.

    The track is lifted from Janet’s eleventh album Unbreakable, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart in 2015.

    The video is released the same day as Entertainment Tonight claimed that the Rhythm Nation hit-maker is pregnant with her first child.

    While Janet is yet to confirm the news, the star did postpone her Unbreakable tour last month to start a family with her business magnate beau.

    ‘We’re in the second leg of the tour and there actually has been a sudden change,’ she told her fans via a video posted to Twitter on April 6.

    ‘I thought it was important that you be the first to know. My husband and I are planning our family, so I’m going to have to delay the tour. Please, if you could try and understand that it’s important that I do this now.’

    ‘I have to rest up, doctor’s orders. But I have not forgotten about you. I will continue the tour as soon as I possibly can.’

    A source told E! News that the singer is in the second trimester of pregnancy, adding the couple had been working with a fertility specialist in a bid to have a child.

    Fertility specialist Zita West, founder of the Zita West Fertility Clinic which is known for its holistic approach to natural fertility and IVF, explained to the MailOnline that ‘at the age of 49, the chances of getting pregnant naturally are really slim.’

    ‘At over 45, many women I see will choose the route of egg donation through which they have far greater success not only of getting pregnant but actually having a baby. The biggest barrier for fertility and conception is age, and the odds are stacked heavily against any woman trying to conceive who is over the age of 45.’

    ‘The problem is a woman is either perimenopause, or her egg quality or number just is no longer good enough for conception to occur as the large majority of eggs will be chromosomally abnormal.’

    ‘Ultimately egg quality is a deciding factor in such instances because even the latest in IVF technologies can’t result in a pregnancy  using her own eggs  for a woman whose egg quality is extremely low because of her age. Generally at our clinic, when a woman is older, egg quality declines, we look to egg donation, in which donor eggs from a younger woman are used, in order to achieve a pregnancy.’’

    She later called off a European tour and had been due to resume performances on May 14 in Las Vegas.

    Jackson secretly married retailing tycoon Al Mana, 41, in 2012, but didn’t confirm they’d wed until early 2013.

    Speaking out that year after rumours they were planning an ‘extravagant wedding,’ Jackson said: ‘Last year we were married in a quiet, private, and beautiful ceremony. Our wedding gifts to one another were contributions to our respective favourite children’s charities.’

    In an interview with Harper’s Bazaar magazine in 2009, the then-single singer said: ‘I think that if I’m really supposed to have kids, it will happen, if that’s God’s plan for me.’

    She added: ‘I would hope my legacy would be bringing smiles to faces. Happiness with my music. Also, to make babies. I’ve had so many people come up to me and say, ‘My child was conceived by listening to your music.”

    Back in 2013, it was reported the couple had been looking into adopting a child from a developing country.

    A source close to the singer told UsWeekly: ‘She now pretty much knows pregnancy is not in the cards, so she’s been looking into adopting. She’s been very moved by the events in Jordan and Syria now that she’s been living overseas.’

    The singer has been married three times, to James DeBarge as a teenager and to choreographer René Elizond, which ended in divorce in 2000.

    Jackson last year released Unbreakable, her first album since the 2009 death of her brother, Michael Jackson aged 50.

    The King of Pop had highly publicised dramas he tried to start a family, eventually having two children with Debbie Rowe – who worked at his dermatologist’s office – and a third child with an undisclosed surrogate.

  • CHARLES EDOBOR Day I set Kirikiri on fire

    CHARLES EDOBOR Day I set Kirikiri on fire

    Edobor Charles is multi-talented. The comedian, who hails from Edo State, is also a singer, music producer, film maker, multi instrumentalist and motivational speaker.
    In this interview with Yetunde Oladeinde, he reveals how he started working with Paul Play Dairo and brought joy to inmates of Nigerian prisons.

    WHAT was life like at the beginning of your career? I came to Lagos so that I could go to school. Now, I do gospel comedy shows. When I was in Benin, I could not afford to go to secondary school and a friend of mine said he would help to put me in school but I couldn’t. First, I started working as a gardener at Grail land, Iju. As a gardener, life was okay because there is dignity in labour. I had bigger hopes, bigger plans and dreams. I have always been a church boy. At the age of nine, I was the church keyboardist and by 13 years, I was already playing a big role in the church.

    So, I told God that if I could go to school, every year I would do a show for you, win souls and be a blessing. Miraculously, less than a month after, I got admission into secondary school. Then, I remembered that I did not tell God the number of years that I would do the shows. In year 2002, I was working with Paul Play Dairo as a keyboardist and then I remembered the vow I made and I said let me do something. For years, the show was free and then we took the show to the prison (Kirikiri).

    Let’s talk about life working with Paul Play Dairo

    I went to a studio somewhere on Itire Road, Surulere, in year 2000. I went to meet a guy there and while I was there Paul Play just walked in, saying, ‘I need a keyboardist’. The guy told him that I was a keyboardist but I said that I didn’t want to play secular music. Paul Play then said that if I love my wife, won’t I play music for her?

    That was the day that I started working with him. He is the best boss I ever worked with. The day he knew that I was a comedian, he started encouraging me. We would go for shows as his keyboardist but he would introduce me before he performed as a comedian. If we go for church programmes, he would tell them he has a young man in his band that was very funny.

    While I was working for him, I did my third show and it was a free show like the others. Someone came to me, saying I did well and wanted me to be part of a concert. They paid me N5000 and it was good money. These were days when I earned N1, 500 per show. There, I met a lady who liked what I did and she said her husband was having his retirement party and she wanted me to come. When I got there, I took the microphone and explained how I got there. It was so funny and at the end of the day, the woman gave me an envelope with N150, 000 in it and I was really surprised at what I earned in less than 30 minutes. She told me to manage it because they usually pay the big boys much more.

    The event took place at Bourdillon, and I trekked from Bourdillon to CMS. I just did not want to lose the money. When I boarded a bus, I sat close to the window. I couldn’t touch the money and I called the woman the next day asking about the money she gave me the previous day. She said the money was mine.

    In my life, the highest money I made in a day before this was N20, 000. That was a great inspiration and it encouraged me to put in my best. I told myself that I don’t want to leave God out of it and so we have done a lot with the prisons.

    Are you still in touch with Paul Play?

    Yes, we are in touch. At a point, he was in Abuja. He is somebody that I can never forget. I have this young girl in the prison ministry called Portable. She was part of the first set of training s that I did and later my students also became the trainers. Portable is now a comedienne but she has moved to Ghana. Some went into comedy while others went into movies. At a point, I also had other comedians come to teach them.

    Comedy is like a science; you have stage management, you have punch lines, body language, what to say and how to read the environment. If I come to a place, I need to crack a joke that is relevant to the environment and you must understand what I am saying.  The first week was slow, there was some movement by the second week and by the third week, things became better. We did the graduation for them, empowerment followed and then I shared Jesus Christ with them.

    This was awesome and, for me, it was one of the best days of my life. I have done shows for people in church, I saw them laugh with friends but they have a choice. Here, I was faced with people who did not have a choice. I saw people on death row laughing and I said to myself, what is the problem that I am worried about? I made people on death row happy and they were laughing. That was when I said to myself, now you are working.

     A lot of churches have gone to the prison but when it is comedy class, the whole prison shuts down. Then, we had a show and the whole Kirikiri was on fire. It was laughter all the way and I felt like I was Bill Gates.

    How do you get inspiration for what you are doing?

    Last year, I did a communal comedy chain and we gave out items like blenders, generators and things for the elderly. I believe that there is somebody out there who needs to be happy. I don’t want to be known as a comedian who drives the most expensive cars around. I have some widows that I touch and support every month. My mum is 63 and I don’t pay hospital bills. She is not a widow, my father is still alive.

    Whenever I look at my mum and compare with some of my friends, who pay so much for hospital bills, I thank God. God told me that if you take care of widows, I would do certain things for you. I don’t fall sick because I know that God is taking care of me. My inspiration sometimes comes from poverty. I always remember the days of poverty. My story! Some people would even say those were days we drank gari. We didn’t see gari to eat, we ate in the dream.

    What were you eating in your dream?

    It depends on what you imagined. If I imagined fried rice, then I ate fried rice.

    Is it lucrative doing things for church?

    Yes, it is. Unfortunately, a lot of people say that church does not pay. But, I think it depends on who you are working for, as an artist or a comedian. A lot of people say things are tough, life is getting unbearable, but funny enough, and this has been my best year, so far. I used to pay my mum’s upkeep every two months, now it’s like every three weeks. The Bible says where there is a casting down, there is a lifting up. So, when I am working for God, I am working for Him, not the church or the pastor. Sometime ago, my niece asked her mum for gala and she said no. The girl then said, “If my daddy comes, he would give me.” When her father came, she asked for it and he bought it for her. So, if you believe that church would give you money, how much can they give you that would fill your bank account? But God can give you beyond anybody’s account.

    I have been in the business for about 14 years. It is not as if I have not made the money to drive big cars, but that is not my priority. I saw poverty in every dimension. But for God, I would have been a scavenger. God had mercy on me and I want to be a channel of blessing to others. Rivers flow but some people are just lakes. If you are a celebrity and all you know how to do is just drive big cars and show off, then you are a lake. Last year, an old woman almost stripped naked, she was praying for me and crying. I want to be a comedian that touches lives. The comedy business in Nigeria is growing because there is so much stress around. It is one of the best, right now. As an artist cum comedian, you can survive. You have a lot of events like parties and weddings every week.

  • SALLY MBANEFO I want to be Africa’s Mother Teresa

    SALLY MBANEFO I want to be Africa’s Mother Teresa

    Sally Uwaechue Mbanefo  is the Director General, Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC). In this interview with Edozie Udeze, she takes you into her world, early life, memorable moments having her children, style, life as a banker, lawyer, artist and her desire to be Africa’s Mother Teresa.

    Tell us some memorable moments in your life and career.

    I think the most memorable time in my life was when I had my children; when I had my first child.  I was so anxious to be a mother.  And I said, ‘oh, when you go to have your child, these women, these people they look so ugly. They look so funny.’  I woke up by 4 in the morning when my water broke and I woke up my husband and said, ‘oh I must look very beautiful when my baby comes.’

    I want my first encounter with my daughter to be a very nice one, you know. And I went to the shower, washed my hair, shaved my legs, cleaned everywhere and looked good. After that, I told my husband, ‘let’s go.’ Oh, it was so wonderful. And after my daughter came and we made the first eye contact, it was just a beautiful experience.  I said God is recreating me in another human being, you know.  So, that, to me, was the most memorable moment.

    Each child was so special, even my second daughter.  When she came, I was praying my Rosary.  Somehow, that made a great difference between my first daughter and the second one.  Her labour experience was less than one hour.  I was almost getting through when I was walking into the hospital.  Then I screamed.  As I got into the hospital, her head was already popping out, and within 45 minutes she was already out.

    And my son too, my third child, that was where I experienced an incredible miracle.  I thought he had already died inside me because I was working so hard when I was pregnant.  I was a banker at that time and there was hardly time to rest, to look after yourself and be a mother, be a wife and be everything.  Then I just found myself screaming, praying my Rosary over and over again.  This was so because they told me I needed an operation.

    I just couldn’t accept it; they injected me and nothing came out.  And the second week was coming up.  Then I continued to pray my Rosary non-stop.  That very moment, that was by midnight, I felt some kind of anointing all over me.  I fell into an incredible deep sleep.  I woke up in the morning and the nurses said to me, ‘oh, madam, you are happy this morning.’  And I said, ‘yes, I am happy because I am having this child today.’  And they said, madam, no, no, this child is not coming out.  And I said ‘my child is coming out today.’  That very day, within an hour and half, my child came out.  So my three pregnancies were very wonderful; they are the most memorable moments in my life, in my whole life.  And they have continued to be wonderful children, my best friends.  They have not let me down.

    How did you combine this with your career?

    I think the most enjoyable moments were the fifteen years I spent in IMB (International Merchant Bank).  It used to be the First Merchant Bank of Chicago, owned by Americans, later the government bought into it.  Of the fifteen years I spent in one institution, it was a training school for me.  All the friends I have today in the industry were all made during those moments; they are people I encountered in those years.  IMB had an incredible culture; that culture of friendliness and the fact that everybody was your brother and your sister.  You see, that bonding was an incredible bonding.  When I left IMB, God blessed me and He kept putting me in positions of strength, good jobs.  And I always looked out for IMB staff to put them in good jobs too, to work with me as a team.  It was like an umbilical chord, you know.  Like Mr. Bismarck Rewani, he was my first boss.  He is a star and we all are stars in our individual ways.  But it showed that IMB was an incredible training school, for all bankers out there today.

    Even some people with whom I worked in oil and gas, some have been or are governors today.  What I am trying to say is that those years, it was like we were of the same family and the peace and unity of the workplace was so good for all of us.  Everybody looked out for the other person and there was love in everything we did.  Those who did not know the rules were taught by those who knew them.  In IMB, I worked as head of administration, head of corporate finance; I did extra work.  I took the bank to the market, to everywhere.  I supervised and I found my strength.  Indeed, my artistic talent was also displayed because they made me in-charge of corporate affairs.  So, all the artistic things I did began to grow.  You know, I did fine art works, painting, sculpting et al, during my banking days.  And so anywhere I work now, I try to recreate that style.

    What is your idea of style?

    Style, yes, I think style, first and foremost, is elegance.  But style is not just elegance on its own.  Elegance is the way you sit, the way you stand.  The way you even posture yourself to sit.  The way you even speak to people; the way you eat, i.e. your table manners.  You see, I do not joke with my food.  Before I eat, I, set my table carefully, put the side plates in place with the appropriate cutleries.

    So, style is the way you do everything.  The way you live.  It is giving up a meal, to feed the poor.  Indeed, style is giving up expensive jewellery to help pay for school fees for the less-privileged.  Style is teaching your children to courtesy when you great an elder.  It is discipline in our daily life and loving our neighbours.  Style is simplifying our lives in everything we do. Even today, the scriptures talks about sacrificial love; love for others.  In the office, they say ‘oh madam, you cancel your allocation.’  And I say, ‘yes, I have to because others who do not have to be fed more than I do.’  So that is part of the sacrifice I am talking about.  I love this style; loving and respecting God is style; living your life for others is style.  Life with the fear of God is style for me.  The way you dress is style.  Your dress without being obscene is style.  Not exposing yourself by the way you dress is style.  So style is encompassing.

    Again, the Yoruba have the highest style in Nigeria, because they live by the culture of respect.  Somebody is on the phone, they will prostrate in greeting.  My daughter will bow down to prostrate for me on the phone.  But I am on the phone; I am not in front of her.  That is the height of style and the Yoruba exhibit that well.  So, I also teach my children and I say to them ‘I know you are not Yoruba, but your whole life should incorporate all the cultures of Nigeria.’  Style is therefore respect, fear of God.  Style is even eating healthy; don’t eat like a pig.  Eat in moderation because that is also style.

    What wouldn’t you do in the name of fashion?

    I wouldn’t walk around naked (laughs).  I wouldn’t be in an emperor’s new clothes.  I wouldn’t walk around naked.  No, never.  I wouldn’t do that to impress other people.  I wouldn’t dress to embarrass myself.  I don’t know, but we have children.  So I wouldn’t dress to embarrass my children.  At a time I went to South Africa with my children.  We went into a music store along with my husband.  And they put on the music of Prince, this man who has just died.  And I am in love with his music.  And Prince was playing in the record store.  I was dancing and my children came to me and said ‘mama, mama, you are embarrassing us.’  You know, I was a banker and I never had time enough to unwind or relax.  And after your work, you go home and you do not want to go to a party because you have a family to go back home to.  So, it was just work and home.  Your spare time is just your home.

    What items do you treat with most respect in your wardrobe?

    My under wears and shoes.  I love them most.  My under wears, I fold them and put them in order.  In fact, I am always buying new under wears.

    Who is the greatest influence in your life?

    Oh, Mother Theresa!  I love her, I love her sense of humanity.  I want to live like her.  I want to be the Mother Theresa of Africa.

    Why do you love her?

    I think every time she touched people’s lives, she sent out that signal that we all can love.  Let us not stop learning from her about giving.  You can never get tired of giving.  I am a giver by nature.  I do not know how to receive, but I think that is my New Year resolution since I turned fifty last year.  I want to learn how to receive.  Giving yourself  I like to give  I like to sacrifice for others to be happy.  I have an aunt who is a Reverend Sister.  Often, when I suffer in my marriage and I call her and she would say, ‘oh Sally, you must carry your cross like Jesus Christ carried his cross; offer that your discomfort to Jesus, that it is your contribution of the pain He went through for us.’  That is really my philosophy about life, that we all should be ready to sacrifice for one another.  We should be able to sacrifice for another person’s comfort.  The priest was amazing .  He said sometimes a man would tell a woman I will swim River Niger for you.  I will climb the Kilimanjaro Mountain for you; in fact I will do anything for you.  I just want to love you, I just want you to be happy.  If a young man can say that, it means he loves passionately.  We all loved passionately when we were young and we still do because love just doesn’t end.  Loving and giving and serving are what we all should live for.

    How do you avoid stress?

    I pray and pray and meditate over a matter or an issue and that does it for me.  I go to the front of the Blessed Sacrament; I sit down there for a long time, telling God all that bothers me.  I will be there for hours early in the morning.  And then physically I massage.  I love massage.  I love peace and quiet.

    How would you assess the performance of women in leadership positions in Nigeria?

    Oh, I think Nigerian women have been wonderful.  Our women are just awesome.  I admire Nigerian women a lot and I am one of them.  There are women who became big before now and I admire them.  They give me inspiration.  Ronke Fatade, my first boss in Abacus Bank before I joined IMB, inspired me a lot.  Women have always inspired me and I think they are doing well.  We are doing well and the sky is the limit.  My advice is that every woman who is in power, you must empower more women when you are in power.  Don’t sit on that seat and build it alone.  No, do something good to help women.  You must open doors for other women.

    When I was in Lafarge, I was the only woman in the whole Africa to be on the executive position. That was in Lafarge WAMCO Cement.  Even in WAMCO itself in its 45 years of existence, at that time, I was the first woman to be in the executive. And when I got in there, I made sure that the door was opened for more women. I opened the door so much for women that I got a query for so doing.  They petitioned Paris, France, saying ‘look, this woman is only bringing in women into the company.’ But it is our duty, for God has given you the opportunity to help others.  I don’t mean women who are useless, but competent women who can deliver.

    Even our men are dynamic intellectually as well. They are so dynamic that you do not have a shortage of them. Our men should be celebrated, for you cannot compare them with South African men. You can’t compare Nigerian men to Black American men. No, you cannot. Our men are on the top of the line men.  So, we have to compete with them. There are not many of us who can scale through, but we are making it. In the banking sector which is a major industry women have been able to make their mark there.  Those who are in the political arena are also doing well.  Yes, historically, Queen Amina and others are my warriors.  I am a warrior myself, for I live for the poor.  Just like Moremi of Ife and Amina of Zaria.  These are women that inspired me and so I feel I am the Queen Amina and Moremi of this century. And I want women’s presence to be felt, the way they did in history in their time.

    So, who is Sally UwaechueMbanefo?

    Oh, I am a happy person.  First and foremost, I love God so much; I love children.  And I love my work.  I am a lawyer, an artist, a banker and now a tourism administrator.  I had my education at the University of Lagos where I read Law and at a point I travelled to England too for my education.  I used to ride a motorbike all over campus when I was at the University of Lagos.  I am a proud Nigerian and I am black and proud.  And it is time to remind Nigerians to be proud of who they are.  Nigerians in Diaspora can also come.  This country is ailing and it is time to reform it.   Our president is focused and we need more people like him to fix the country.  It is time to be ready to make Nigeria work.

    While growing up, what influenced you most?

    I don’t really know. But I come from the Uwaechue family of Ogwashi-Ukwu in Delta State and married into the Mbanefo family in Onitsha, Anambra State.  My father was Ambassador Ralph Uwaechue and growing up was wonderful.  My family was a lovely one, where we shared things like one whole, lovely family. For me, family life was good. Ambassador Arthur Mbanefo is also an amazing in-law.  He is the best in-law you can have.

  • Why I abandoned BANKING -SUSAN LOKPOBIRI

    Why I abandoned BANKING -SUSAN LOKPOBIRI

    Susan Waibode Lokpobiri is an entrepreneur, banker, politician and mentor women to fulfil their dreams of empowering the less-privileged through her Reach Out Foundation. In this interview with YETUNDE OLADEINDE, she talks about early life, touching lives and the things that motivate her.

    WHAT are some of the things that occupy your time? I am an entrepreneur from Bayelsa State and I am also passionate about issues affecting women, children and the less-privileged around me. To reach out to them, I have a nongovernmental organisation, which reaches out to adult and a foundation for the children. As a businesswoman, I am into cosmetics and I also have a school that I run in Bayelsa State.

    In addition, I have a passion for farming and that is the latest idea that occupies my time. The reason behind running the Ngo programme is because I like to give back to the society, to give the vulnerable ones hope; that they should not give up and also to encourage the young to go to school. We also work on providing materials to ensure good state of learning for them.

    The passion for farming started right from my secondary school days and I was very good at Agricultural Science while in school. I should have ventured into farming right immediately after school but a little discouragement held my farming ambition. But then I would say that I found what was inside me and gave a little time for it. The aspects of farming that I am interested in are cassava making, fishery and poultry. Of course, I remember that immediately after schooling, I ventured into fishery and believe me it was a huge profit for me.  I couldn’t meet up my demand.

    As I said, I made it when I started, and working is not about white-collar job alone. Even when you are working in your respective office you can as well do something that you are passionate about.

    At Reach Foundation, we believe that education should be a right and not a privilege. The most eloquent testimony of our underdevelopment as a people is the state of our young children. Educating a child expands the scope of influence and responsibility for the child. The child is now more aware of their socio-political needs and can therefore defend his or her human rights with dignity. We also have the Elder-Support Programme that caters for old people in the poor riverine communities. Our Care Initiative for the aged brings a message of hope in the face of crisis, help in the midst of deprivation and support for the possibility of a happier life before the grave. For this group of people, we provide basic medicare and nutrition. Then we also have the WE WOMEN (wholeness and empowerment for women). Under the WE WOMEN project, Reach Foundation assists women financially from rural areas. These are women who are not able to pay their children’s school fees and their house rent. To do so, we also empower women financially to enable them improve their production capacity.

     The NGO has been running for about 9-10years ago in my town Kirimo and Abbidebri. Over the years, we awarded school materials because the students around this geographical location do not have prospect to see computers and we have touched about 5000 lives.

    Sometimes, they don’t even have notebooks to use for writing. So, I just said let me just do something to encourage this children so that they do not give up. Then sometimes during festive periods like Christmas, we would organise parties for them with Father Christmas and they are so happy. They see Santa and call it all kinds of names. At the end of the day, we have a wonderful outing and it’s nice. We give them food, drinks, bags and encourage them to go to school.

    Are you into farming to empower people or is it a passion?

    It is in two parts. One is in Abuja, the fish and poultry business, while you have the cassava and plantain part of the business which is growing in Bayelsa State.

    Well, I would say that I am doing it as a passion and also to empower people. Women should sit down, organise themselves and package themselves. Your husband, children are part of the total package but that should not stop you from being yourself or prevent you from doing what you want to do. The most important thing as a mother is to organise yourself. If you want to get a nanny, then get a nanny. By getting a nanny, you are still empowering someone. You are feeding her, you are clothing her and you are helping her. When the children have gone to school, she can go and learn something, which is a way of empowering that child.

    You are taking that child from the mother’s home and putting the child in your home. At the end of the day, what you are giving that child is returning to the parents. If you do not learn and do not have a focus, you cannot get it right.

    Tell us about your growing up years

    My growing up was a little rough. Nothing rosy. I was born into a home of nine and I am a twin. I am the Taiye. I was born in Lagos, grew up in Lagos but I am from Bayelsa State. I schooled in Lagos and then went to Rivers State in 1985 with my siblings. We finished our secondary school in Lagos and then went to the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where I studied Banking and Finance. I never worked; I really wanted to work as a banker because I loved banking. All the while, I was staying with my uncle in Lagos, he was a banker and it was that drive that pushed me to study banking.

    After this, I got married to a handsome man. His name is Heineken Lokpobiri, and my husband said ‘no work, take care of the home.’ I said ‘no, it can’t be’ and I couldn’t believe that I would not work. All the same, I ended up doing business. That was when my business skills came in and I am now into empowering others.

    What do you think about women as housewives, even though they have gone to school?

    Somehow, some men do not want their wife to work. He is your husband and the head of the family. If you really feel like working, then you can pray about it and it is only God that can touch his heart. If you want to do something and your man says no, you give him some time and then talk to him about it.

    How do you spend your leisure?

    I go to church. I pray a lot because prayer is the key. It is only prayer that can keep your home, keep your marriage, keep you focused, as well as give you wisdom. You will have the wisdom of God; the wisdom of God is more profitable. I also like listening to music, reading Christian books and then I swim.

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

    I think it is God Almighty. He has all that I need. Even when I get some things, I just take one or two at the end. I believe that I need just God to direct me on what to do at any given point in my life. When he teaches me, I come out right on track.

    Let’s talk about some memorable moments in life

    Personally, I would say everyday is memorable for me. There is a lady that comes to mind, but I have not seen her in a long while. When I was in Lagos, she would always dress up and go to work. I have forgotten her name and I said I wanted to be like this woman. I liked the way she walked, I liked the way she talked and behaved. She was always on point. I couldn’t believe that a woman can be like this, at that point in my life. I really wanted to be like her. I also admire my colleague, Mrs Obehi Audu Ogbeh, she is a great source of inspiration to me. She has been a mother and has been there for me.

    Let’s talk about your beauty regimen. What are some of the things that you do to look good?

    I was bigger than this and when I looked at myself, I said, ‘no, I don’t like this look.’ So, I had to work on myself to look good so that when I put on my dress, I look more beautiful and attractive. I do not like people that complain. I believe that instead of complaining, try and do something good with your time. If you complain all day, nothing positive would come out of it. So, don’t complain, just give thanks to God. When you do this, God would provide for your needs.

  • SIJIBOMI OGUNDELE I don’t keep friends

    SIJIBOMI OGUNDELE I don’t keep friends

    His first major project was Lincoln Avenue, a set of 16 town houses of 4-bedroom apartments (in conjunction with Wonda World/Petronia) in Accra, Ghana. Today, Sijibomi Ogundele, fondly called Sujimoto, has taken his love for delivering upscale buildings to Nigeria. He shares with Adetutu Audu on his passion and style.

    HOW you feel pressured by all the press coverage and spotlight your business is currently under?

    The Nigerian media has increased their value for information and they have increased their demographics to only showcase the best. We have no pressure. For a young company like us trying to make an impact in an industry dominated by older firms, it is expected and can be classified as brave and news worthy. It is not surprising to be watched closely by the public and most importantly, the inspiration we give to young and upcoming entrepreneurs. We channel this kind of attention towards showcasing our skills and being more socially responsible. To be honest, there will always be critics, which is always welcome as far as it is constructive. We pay very few attention to what people have to say, we allow our work speak for us.

    We have heard so much about what you are doing in the real estate sector. Tell us about Sujimoto and your vision for the company?

    Some people say that I am too ambitious but I tell such people that tremendous achievements are backed by great visionaries; people who think big and do big. You cannot change a system by repeating the same mistakes of the past. Someone has to do things differently and I made a choice to be that person. I came into the luxury real estate industry at a time when Nigerians were beginning to demand true quality and value for their money. My vision is simple: to redefine luxury living by bringing the best of the world to the centre of Lagos. Sujimoto is to Architecture what Picasso is to Art.

    You changed the game and raised the standard with the launch of lorenzobysujimoto  the tallest residential building in Lagos. What did you do differently?

    The bottom is too crowded, so the only choice was to move to the top and do something that’s never been done before. As a company, we have learnt that we can’t afford to be complacent; that great things are accomplished by the power of perseverance. The vision of this project is to change the way people live. In coming up with this project, we visited more than 50 buildings within Lagos and Abuja and travelled across three continents in search of two things: quality and inspiration. We visited the choicest properties in Tokyo, New York City and London. We are bringing everything we learnt from these places into the Lorenzo by Sujimoto development.

    No doubt you are also stylish. How would you describe your personal style?

    Dressing to impress is a standard. But ones’ style is an introduction to who you are as a person. It’s not a function of the big names or if you choose to go with western designs or African designs; once well put together it will definitely make one stand out. But any man/woman who can’t impress his crowd should not step out of his home. One thing is true to my style; whatever the occasion, I dress not to be forgotten.

    You are making history right now as a young business CEO, with no silver spoon upbringing and at a young age already a billionaire, what would you want the average youth who is reading this to know about making it in life, especially the business world?

    I had a choice, to either remain where I was or strive to achieve beyond my environment. It was tough but it was worth it. People, teachers, uncles never believed in me, so it took me a double effort to always prove myself. I tell young Nigerians, success is like a game of chess, and to be superior at this game, you must understand the rules and the first rule of success is determination. No one would increase your interest but yourself. Nigeria is becoming more and more competitive. As a youth, you have to deny your environment from having an impact in your life or bringing you down. In a country like Nigeria where the opportunities surround us, we have no excuse to achieve more with less. If we were living in underdeveloped countries with fewer opportunities, I would understand the justification of these failures, but we live in a country where a man can turn 500,000 naira into a multi-billion dollar empire. This tells you that the capacity to become super successful is not beyond our reach. The process of self-development is never ending. Youths must continue to strive to be better today than they were yesterday. They should take hold of their destiny and start looking for opportunities surrounding them. Nigerians have been described as natural entrepreneurs. Distractions and influence from the wrong people are some of the main reasons for failure; I never keep friends who would bring me down.

    My only friends are those who have specific impacts in my life, others are acquaintances.

    You speak passionately about Nigeria’s potential despite its current economic climates? If you had to sell investing in Nigeria to your foreign counterparts, what are some of those things you’d like them to know about Nigeria?

    Nigeria is like a gold mine that is yet to be discovered. The real estate opportunities in Nigeria have not met five percent of its potential. The real estate industry is catching up with foreign markets and we can see today that the demand for top quality housing is growing by the day. Only the brave few would enjoy this opportunity, and these few are those who take the driver seat today. Over the years, Nigerians have invested millions of dollars buying properties abroad but in recent times, we can see a shift in the market. Consumers are growing more and more confident in the Nigerian real estate sector, particularly the high-end properties.

    Aside investing in property, what are you doing currently?

    As we mark the tenth anniversary of his Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s rulership of Dubai, you all may recall that last year I wrote about my incredible encounter with the great Sheikh. This was undeniably a monumental highlight of my stay in The United Arab Emirates, and would go on to greatly influence my path in Luxury Real Estate. This is a man who was groomed by his grandfather, and later in life by both his father and uncle. During my chance meeting with the innovative ruler of Dubai, he handed me a signed copy of his book, candidly titled “My Vision: Challenges in the Race for Excellence”.  This was followed by motivational words which constantly keep me awake most nights, “My son your dreams are too small, make them bigger’. I just reviewed the book. Although first published in 2006, the book fills one with great knowledge about the rise of Dubai through the eyes of the perfectionist Sheikh. It is also extremely intriguing and motivational. Most importantly, what shines through is his vision; one’s perspective will never be the same again once you have turned the first page. Your dreams will catapult into envisioned reality. Well, that’s if you have the patience to finish it.

    What stirred your interest in Olajumoke the bread seller turned celebrity?

    The Olajumoke story could be any Lagosian’s story. Lagos has a population of about 21 million people. Only 15-20% of these people are the actual indigenes of Lagos. The remaining majority left their comfort zones to come look for opportunities in Lagos. My mother came to Lagos when she was just like Olajumoke, selling bread and Bournvita.

    She realised that there was more profit in Bournvita than in bread. So, she quickly focused on Bournvita and that little business expanded, transforming her into a distributor for Cadbury and one of the top five distributors for Nestle. About 16 million people living in Lagos today can relate to Olajumoke’s story, because they are people who left their cities to look for that great opportunity Lagos has for us. The Olajumoke story is a lifetime project for us at Sujimoto. It is our intention to help her discover her true potential and translate them into success.

    What do you look out for in a woman?

    I was raised by a very strong woman. So, my love for women is on a personal level. But my biggest love language for a woman is confidence. Nothing drives me towards the admiration of a woman better than confidence. A woman that has this, has peace, has independence and has the world at her feet.

  • DJ Caise I thought I would end up a banker

    DJ Caise I thought I would end up a banker

    DERIn Phillips, popularly known as DJ Caise, is the youngest child of former Lagos State Commissioner, Teju Phillips. Interestingly, he is one of the most exciting and innovative young Nigerian entertainers in the business today. The Economics graduate of the University of Reading, who also has a Masters Degree in Finance, is the in-house DJ for BEAT 99.9 FM and is signed on as the DJ for Chocolate City. The multiple award-winning disc jockey has thrilled audiences around the globe including at the MTV Africa Music Awards 2010 and the Big Brother Africa Season 5 and 6. He spoke with Adetutu Audu Is your career as a DJ something you have always envisioned or did it just happen by chance?

    Honestly, I never thought I would become a professional DJ. I always thought I would end up an investment banker or a lawyer. Just when you thought you had it all planned out, God has as way of reminding you that HE is really in control. It has definitely been a very interesting journey so far and I look forward to what lies ahead, as the entertainment industry can be quite a roller coaster journey, to say the least, but it is also very rewarding.

    If you loved music so much as an undergraduate, why then did you go ahead for a Masters Degree in Finance?

    I started Deejaying in my university days, but back then it was a hobby. Despite me being a music head, I always thought I would end up as a banker by day and DJ at night.

    Upon your return to Nigeria, how easy or difficult was it to break into the music industry and get yourself recognised as a DJ?

    I was lucky enough to meet the General Manager of Beat 99.9 FM and he gave me a platform for me to prove myself, and with the platform, I guess I grew from strength to strength. So from Beat FM I travelled the world performing at Big Brother Africa twice, MTV, BET and headlined festivals in Kenya and Cardiff Wales.

    At what point did you realise that you preferred to have a career in music?

     I have always been into music since I was young. I was in the choir and I asked my mum to buy me a band set for my 10th birthday. When I got into the university, I had a friend who was a DJ. I was the kind of person that was the first to enter the club and last person to leave. So, I was always having fun whenever he used to do it. And then one day he mixed two of my favourite songs and then I stopped and was like “How did you do that? You actually just created your song.” So I stepped into the booth to watch what he did and from that moment, I was hooked.

    What do you really set out to achieve when you remix a song?

    I believe music is all about interpretation and perception. The Nigerian market is dominated by songs that are club friendly but there are a lot of great songs out there that might be slow in nature. I try to bridge the gap by converting some of those slow songs, to club friendly songs while respecting the art and true nature of the original song. I should be putting out a project soon with few of those remixes that would showcase this idea.

    What is your definition of good music?

    Any music that has the power to strike some kind of emotion in you utilising its power as a universal language.

    Your use of Eurocentric sounds is quite different amongst most Nigerian DJs. Why do you use it often?

    Being one of the only DJ/producers in Nigeria is probably one of the reasons why my sounds are quite different. Music is a form of expression and I can only tell the story that I know. Living in the UK for a few years, there are some sounds that have become a part of me and assist me in my ability to tell my story better.

    Tell me about your hobbies. What do you do when you’re not playing music?

    I love watching movies, working out and staying fit. Hanging out with my family as well.

    What attracts you to a lady? What is the first thing that will draw your attention?

    Confidence and the manner in which she carries herself.

    You must have role models in your line of work. Who is the DJ you look up to the most?

    Calvin Harris, Black Coffee, David Guetta and DJ Khaled. They have developed international brand that transcend music.

    What makes your performance different from other DJs?

    Every set is an experience of its own. I think a lot of DJs repeat their sets and are quite predictable. I try to be innovative with each set so as to truly put up a performance and entertain the audience.

    DJs were seen as never-do-wells, how were you able to convince your parents considering the huge investments on your education?

    Education is never wasted and has definitely played a huge role where I am in my career. Convincing my parents is still an ongoing battle but slowly they are beginning to understand the vision and they see my passion. Who knows what lies ahead in the future? Everyone has their personal destiny to fulfil.

    Tell us your first pay cheque

    My first paycheque was from my first gig which was at my student union club, when the person that was teaching me how to DJ fell sick and I had to cover for him.

    You are in the industry where fame, money and women attract, how are you managing these?

    Making music is a good enough distraction to keep me focused. Being truly creative is a demanding process.

    At what point in your career did your realise you had become a brand?

    When simple things started getting complicated and when you have to be more responsible and aware of your actions most importantly when everybody started calling me Caise and not Derin.

    You have been around for a while, what’s your winning strategy?

    Consistently being known for maintaining a standard and quality of music and professionalism. People can tell the passion for music is real.

    Have there been any moments when you wished you had chosen another profession?

    This music can be very frustrating, especially as the Nigerian music industry is not as structured as it should be and there are times I honestly thought “What if?” Thankfully, passion has kept me here and probably will for a very long time

    Nigeria has witnessed an influx of young artistes in recent years; most of them dropping out of school to pursue music career. With your educational background, what are you doing to educate and enlighten these folks that education is essential?

    I’m currently working on setting up workshops and initiatives to this exact purpose.

    What does it take to become a successful DJ in Nigeria?

    Hardwork, practice and passion. One thing about Deejaying is you can tell the real from the fake very quickly. Put a DJ in front of the crowd and test his ability to ensure people are truly entertained; if you can do that for a couple of years then he’s one of us

    Tell us what motivates you

    Creatives are vessels through which God blesses people through art. I think that’s quite a responsibility that should not be taken lightly.

    Was there any time your mood affected the way you mixed your music?

    After doing it for so many years, I have mastered the ability to not let my mood affect my performance. Once I get on stage, it’s show time and everything else is not important.

    While spinning, what are the most annoying things that could happen?

    People coming to ask me to for songs I’ve played more than two times. The other thing would be when there is a technical fault that has nothing to do with me but because I am the DJ, everyone just assumes that it’s my fault.

     For someone who has been exposed to loads of songs, do you have a few you really love in particular?

    Sky full of stars Hardwell Remix – Coldplay, Ain’t no Sunshine – Bill Withers, Kanye West – Famous ft. Rihanna

    Growing up, what was your family like?

    There is a year gap between me and my brother, so most people considered us twins because we did everything together. We try and maintain a close relationship.

    Describe your personality and style

    My style is something that has advanced over the years. It started up as quite expressive and loud but now I’m in a state of being quite reserved and fluid with my dressing.

  • VICTOR UWAIFO None of my children is big enough for my shoes

    VICTOR UWAIFO None of my children is big enough for my shoes

    Now 75, Golden Boy of Nigerian music, Sir Victor Efosa Uwaifo, reminisces on his achievements, which cuts across an array of fields; his closeness to God, believe in hardwork and his latest academic adventure. He spoke with Osemwengie Ben Ogbemudia

    75 years on, how do you feel?

    I feel like yesterday. I have not changed. When I wake up in the morning, I look at myself in the mirror and I’m the same. I am actually looking forward to the day I will be different and not look like Victor Uwaifo. Then I will know that things are changing. I have always looked like this and each time I wake up, I comb my hair brush my teeth, I look the same. So age is just a matter of numbers as far as I’m concerned. I am happy and I feel so healthy because

    as I speak with you, I still do 100 press-ups every morning. I have been doing it for the past 60 years.

    Sound mind in a sound body; what is the secret of being so fit after all these years?

     The secret is what I just told you. The press ups…..Not only that, long life has to do with physical, mental and spiritual health. As I stand now, I am doing a second PhD in Biomimetics. It refers to processes systems and devices that imitate nature. It’s like closing (shows pictures of some of his works like his teeth, his hands). In painting, it is fine, but in sculpture, it is not easy. As I speak with you, I also have a private chapel in my house, where I commune with the Almighty. I also observe moderation. I don’t overdo anything. I have never smoked in my life. I have never torched cigarette in my life; not that I smoked

     and I left it. I don’t drink. Now I only tip red wine, when I eat.

    In this age and time, how come you’re studying Biomimetics?

    I’ll tell you the background. I did Sculpture. I have B. A. 1st class honours (1994). I also did my masters degree in Sculpture in 1996; became a Commissioner; served in the classroom teaching for a few years as a full-time lecturer at the University of Benin. So what I am doing now is a new course. In between, I have been performing as a musician. I performed at one of the awards ceremonies of the Nigerian Pilot Newspaper, Nigerian Newsworld magazine in Abuja. Last December, I performed for the Lagos Motor Club. The latest is that I have been written a letter by the Silverbird Group as Winner of Man of the Year Life Entertainment Achievement Award.

    Tell us about the spiritual aspect of your life.

    I commune with God. I think of the creator all the time. I am a visionary. In my opinion, it is not only taking a microphone and preaching that makes one an evangelist. If by what you do, you glorify God, you are already a preacher. I am a Catholic. I worship at the Holy Cross Cathedral on Mission Road in Benin City. And like I said before, I have a chapel in my house, which I named Soul Gate. The communication between Man and God is the soul. So in the chapel, you commune and are in tandem with the spiritual world. And God in his infinite mercy  l call God the universal mind reveals to you things you have to achieve, things you have to do; and then you do all to the glory of God. It is not to your glory.

    I have so many talents, but if I had allowed them to waste, it would have amounted to a sin. I have achieved; I have explored and exploited each of the talent God has given me to the limit: from music to arts, sculpture, engineering, architecture, to design; even to sports and now Biomimetics. As I speak, I work on the computer. In fact you are never old; you are only old when you fail to follow the trend. Then time leaves you. Otherwise when you move with the time or even more ahead of time, you’re never old. I always say time is so slow. I wish I had enough time to fix it for the rest of the work. Time is never enough. And it comes at its own pace. Sometimes, I say, time is so sluggish; I just feel that God has been so wonderful, so kind and given me so many gifts, and I identified and realised them early in life.

    Can you imagine that it is now 50 years ago since I made the first Gold dire in Africa? It was not easy to even sell 1000 records; but I sold over 100,000 in one week. Aside that, 33 years ago, I was honoured with a national honour of Member of the Order of the Niger (MON) by the then President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. And to think I did not even have any idea of what a national honour meant. It was so strange and I value that honour more than Gold.

    What legacy are you leaving behind? As it stands, you seem to have so much to give to the world?

    The legacy I am leaving behind? I am not going anywhere yet ooo. So the matter of leaving any legacy behind does not arise. But I have the Revelation Palazzo Museum close to my residence in Benin City. What is a legacy? Then of course, the Victor Uwaifo Music Academy. There are other legacies. The Ebony Band, Lagos, is an alumni of the Academy. There is also Baba 2010 Abuja; Vintage Band, Lagos, Damee, Benin et al. At lot of them are all alumni of this academy. We have contributed also to knowledge and the building of people, and are adding to life. These make me happy. An achiever does not rest unless he wants his achievements to rest. My philosophy is, do not wait for destiny to wake you up, get up and

     wake up your destiny.

     Looking at your life, some would say that you are into mysticism…

    I am a mystic. You have to study me. Yes how would I put it? It’s like the way I see things are different from how others see things. As a maestro, I hear sounds that you cannot hear; then I capture the sound and put them into a record. As an artist, I see things you cannot see crying for help to be brought out, and I bring them out. Is that not mystic?

    With your many children, do you have any of them following in your footsteps?

    First, I don’t have so many children. I am married of course. But when you say ‘so many,’ it’s as if I have a football team. No way. I have quite a few. Having said that, it is wrong to follow the footsteps of people, because as far as I am concerned, I am a genius and genius comes once in a lifetime. So, successor most unlikely because how many people can be artists, painter and inventor? As I said I am still reading; I am a PhD student. My children have art, music in their blood already, but in different forms. That’s already a signature; a trademark in all of them. But I can’t find any of my children that has all of the multifarious qualities that I have. And that’s the difference between me and them.

     Looking back at your younger days, what would you say has given way; that is now out of place?

    In our days, it was originality, creativity, satisfaction and self-motivation. But today, it is all about money. People are in a rush to get rich quickly, within a twinkle of an eye, without learning the ropes. Then technology came in and has taken its toll on our young ones. If you do not have a good foundation; if the foundation is weak; you are bound to fall apart. People do not learn music again; they don’t learn how to play musical instruments; they don’t undergo apprenticeship; and that is one thing that is missing from way back. Now the computer plays the music and it’s like plastic. The music has no soul. But if you play music live, it has soul, like the way you breadth. The breath is absent on the computer; it’s quite unnatural. It’s ephemeral. So, technology has implored the quality of sound and video and mortgaged creativity and originality. It’s like creating more mediocre than meritocrats. So I would like to advice the young ones to learn from the masters. They should learn the rudiments of music. They should have a mentor.

    The late Sunny Okosun was a member of my band and when he was pulling out, he asked for my blessing and I gave him. He did great before he died. So there must be apprenticeship. Everybody can play football. All have talents. But you have to learn how to play the ball to help the team win matches by scoring the goals. The fact that you can sing does not make you a musician. You have to learn the art of singing.

    But there are very few formal schools like yours where the young can enrol for formal training?

    There are different ways of getting apprenticeship. You can attach yourself to a band for example. Then you are already in the school. This is a way of learning the ropes. I am not talking of a formal school setting as such. But if you go to a formal school to learn music and right through to the University, better. You will see more than others. You will hear more than others. It’s always good to go beyond the normal way of doing things. So if you go for a formal training, it’s ok, but if you cannot, it does not matter. Take some inventors like Faraday, Bill Gates, Brian Bell; they did not go to formal school. They made discoveries before looking for the underlying theories governing their findings.

    In a nutshell, I am glad that the world is changing and if you can change with the times, then you are on course.

  • ‘Weak institutions make corruption thrive’

    ‘Weak institutions make corruption thrive’

    After 27 years in the civil service, Dr Tunji Olaopa retired as the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Communication Technology. Leveraging on his rich experience and deep knowledge, he teamed with some others to establish the Ibadan School of Government and Public Policy. In this interview, he talks about the rot in the public service system and suggests ways that corruption can be better tackled.  Bisi Oladele was there.

    You just retired as a Permanent Secretary. How would you describe the Nigerian civil service?

    In fact, in the public service system and as a political scientist, one of the first things I noticed was that a lot of what we practise in government lack theoretical basis; they are more like commonsense. A whole lot of these were conceived properly in the First Republic because the colonial administrative system taught the first generation, brought them up in the knowledge of people; what the parameters are and what you can call the theoretical and value foundation for these institutions. But even the institutions have changed over time. What you have is that we still carry on, based largely on experience. And these are factors that are really constraining the effectiveness of some of these institutions. If you read some of the books that have influenced me mostly; that have deepened my thinking greatly, one of which was the book on Why Nations Fail. You will see that there have been so many theories on why Africa is not working. There has been the theory of geography because the weather is very friendly. The Africans are not innovative; you can sleep for a whole day, for the whole year if you are a son of a millionaire. But you can’t be a son of a millionaire in America and sleep like that. If winter comes and you don’t prepare for it, you may die. So, the society compels you to innovate because the environment could be very hostile. But  we feel that Africa has a type of soil that even if you just wake up from your window and you throw anything to the soil, it will germinate whereas if you go to Israel and you don’t study the soil and re-cultivate it significantly with technology, you cannot bring out a single fruit. There is also the cultural theory by Max Weber that the West was largely influenced by the factor of Christianity. And it is a reflection of the theory about us, the cultural thing. We are so comfortable; we are a very consumptive people and all of that. So, there have been different theories but what an author said is that in spite of all, you cannot get development to happen if your institutions are not functioning. If your institutions have lost their focus and values, you can’t make things happen. For example, if the police cannot be made to work according to the ethics of policing, nothing meaningful can come from the force. It is only in Nigeria that somebody who has not been trained to be a police would go and be wearing uniform. There are values. There are strong issues that define institutions. Look at our institutions, the Legon University in Ghana is still like the University of Ibadan (UI) of the old. But what made our institutions to derail and become prodigal is because there was so much money. We had money because oil was the first to be discovered because it was defining global trend. All the multinationals came and quickly exploited it. But immediately the money was coming, we forgot gold and other mineral resources. Bitumen is more than oil but we forgot. And that is how it happens to spoilt children; all they think is what goes to their mouth. They don’t use their brain. So, what we want to do in the Ibadan School of Government and Public Policy is to offer policy research and advise executives while at the same time creating sustained platforms for innovative problems solving in executive education.

    What do we mean by these? We would not be doing the regular courses like courses in strategic planning, project management – is not our own focus. What we want to do is that we will be looking at critical challenges. Why can the Lagos/Ibadan  express way not be constructed? That is talking about infrastructure finances because we are still thinking financing through the budget, because we are thinking of Public Private Partnership (PPP) in a contrite manner. We don’t understand it.

    The second thing we want to do is that for every year, the conference will help us to shape the kind of issues that we are going to be concerned with in that year. So, we would have been able to assemble the core of experts. For example, maybe next year we are looking at human capital development. The whole issue will look at education, skills and all these artisan issues.

    After looking at infrastructure, we will now look at education, health and human capital. You will see that these are big issues. We are looking at taxation and all others. The last thing I want to mention concerning what the school will be doing is to raise the bar of discourse towards advancing the Nigeria’s course.

    Are you alone in this venture?

    No, I am not. We have a very large house. First of all, our chairman is Prof. Akin Mabogunje. We have a couple of people who are like advisers such as Dr. Christopher Kolade, Chief Emeka Anyaoku and former president Olusegun Obasanjo. The reason was we shared our experience with them when we were setting it up and we did almost all you may call marketing research. So, in the process of interaction, they encouraged us. So, you discover that a lot of them feature in our programmes. They already have ýbackground knowledge of what is building up. Then, one of the other things we did is that we have within the scope leading political scientists like Professor Adigun Agbaje, who is one of those I regard as the real eggheads of political science.

    Again, you must know that my background has been a policy and institutional work and I have done a global tour and I have built a whole legion of networks. So, what we want to do is that we retain a very large network. And also there are young researchers that we have identified in departments of Economics, Education, Archaeology. We have a list now of experts on our database that is running almost to 300. They are the people that will run the programme that we are starting. As we speak, the programme we are starting is about 250. We are starting a journal, something like a bulletin; I don’t want to call it magazine. We will start with quarterly. It will be like a must read for any policy maker and civil servants because it is going to be directed at educating them; making them know the current thinking that is defining government around the professional skills to run the government. We had a conversation with the Ministry of Science and Technology. In fact, they have asked us to come and help rethink the critical issues in their policies. We are building a whole range of expertise

    The Institute (ISGPP), apparently from a theoretical level, is flamboyant. It is something one can look forward to and say that this is going to be a hub of institutional thinking for society but do you anticipate issues that can militate against this flourishing idea?

    In fact, as we speak, the kind of programme we want to start after the conference are largely driven by a whole range of international institutions that want to do things in Nigeria. Some institutions you don’t know about who have interacted with us. There is one in Nairobi that specialises on governance research. They have a lot of funds. But you see the problem is that most of the equivalent institutions here cannot do their level of work that can pass their scrutiny. I saw it in governance. Most institutions in Nigeria are looking for quick money. They want to do populist things. For example, one of my philosophies is that we will not need to be going around to tell anybody. There are some programmes we will simply advertise and we have our business consulting people almost like the marketers who would go round to critical people that we think should benefit. But you see, it is not volume of patronage that will determine whether we are succeeding, it is the quality of the interaction and the target group that you are getting. People that are looking for solution when they see who can provide it, they will come, and the larger part of those people are the civil societies in the local government. For example, everybody talks about the local government not doing development but nobody has been able to throw it up as an issue of national debate. But by the time it becomes a core issue of research, we will publish it and it will raise the level of debate and level of advocacy that will be challenging. A lot of state governments don’t do good governance. Nobody is looking at it. I can tell you that, I know a lot of things that are happening there that if people know, they will protest. But we will not stand against government. What we would just do is that most of the people that are likely going to appreciate the thing we are doing will be included. Again, it is unfortunate but they are the ones that are looking for quality work. And that is why we are going to begin to create policy dialogue. A lot of these programmes don’t even require people participating to pay. We will just create platforms to popularize a whole range of thinking to educate. I discovered also that a lot of things are happening wrongly in government because people don’t know the proper thing to do. They just follow tradition like “the governor doesn’t allow commissioners to sign for money”. And these are the same governors that will be rated the best in Nigeria. And if you go to the states of these governors, their commissioners cannot even approve N5000. They are the only ones approving money. Some of them will concentrate the money in the hands of their wives. These are things that you can never hear about outside. So, what we want to do is to bring out salient structural and institutional constraining issues and raise it to the level of debate.

    What we need in the country is more like a culture change; values reorientation. All these ‘no light, no water…’, if you go to find the root cause of the problem, it is the people. So, Nigeria is being undermined by culture but a lot of people don’t know. If people know the magnitude of corruption that is at the federal level, they will know ‘Dasukigate’ is a child’s play.

    I am happy you mentioned corruption. Is this project going to develop any programme that can help government go beyond the level of just arresting and prosecuting…?

    You see, my own conception of corruption is that all these arrests, for me, is a way of making yourself popular. It should be done but the question is: have you defined the goal? Corruption is a systemic issue arising from the weakness of institutions.  For example, for 15 years a cabal was thriving on payroll pension silently. It never allowed computerization for almost two decades because they knew that some biometrics and introduction of technology to that industry will kill their shady business venture.  And so they didn’t allow the right kind of people who are not compromised to be sent there. And they confused government. Former President Obasanjo got it right but can you imagine the kind of government we have had but they will be briefed by people who would divert their attention from the facts. So, for me, the starting point in fighting corruption is knowledge. And that is why we want to stand out. If we want to make money from this kind of school then we must be ready to simply help government. What most people in government want is who can help them to paint a good image. They don’t want somebody that will help them to interpret their reality for the public to appreciate. A lot of information and knowledge, if made available to the public, will begin to shape the way the people compromise themselves in the name of election. There is poverty but how many leaders have done sufficient scientific analysis of where we are, the steps we have to take before we can get out of poverty? All you tell people is ‘I’ll buy food for your children in school’. They will just pick an issue that doesn’t tie up. But when people know that you cannot eat an omelet without cracking egg, you can’t overcome corruption without first of all sitting down going through the pace and within a short time you do a turn around. So for me, the way to tackle corruption is while you are doing all these razzmatazz, you must be tackling the roots of corruption. You must begin to get institutions to work. You cannot be getting people to run institutions through lobbying and they would get there and face up to the core job. There are a few things around value and I think we are lucky with a government like Buhari’s because the luck we have is that one thing that has been missing in Nigeria’s dynamics was discipline. But you could also have discipline that will not translate to anything. In my book, I call it ration without knowledge.

    Why have all the institutions not been able to find solutions to some of the problems you have highlighted in government because we have corporate personnel who go there for training?

    It depends on why they are set up. The focus and methodology; I think the way ASCON and others are structured are achieving what they are set up to achieve: to provide continuous training for people in government. But the nature of the bureaucratic structure that it operates with, the quality of people in its faculty can hardly make it. You can only give what you have. The quality of the faculty you assemble which is a factor determines so many variables. If you go to Lagos Business School, the structure is created just like the Kennedy School: it is for you to have an expanded scope of income. Secondly, the environment is created for you to be very innovative, the courses are not structured. So, then you are also exposed to a lot of trainings. You find in most of our training institutions that some of our trainers have never gone to training themselves. They just come and say what is project management and they define it. Is that the way to go? So, it is a typical approach to learning and that is what you will find in university also. Why? Because of the flexibility; how much resources do you provide for them to do research? Do you even attract the kind of people that can do research in such institutions? So all you have are instructors who have first and second degrees and who have done it so well. When I used to talk to them in the training institutions, they will say but the civil service produced somebody like me. And I told them that I made efforts; it is not the system. Most of the knowledge that I have, most of the things I published, those in the civil service only read them to pass examinations because the system itself doesn’t directly have a need for it. So, I was developing myself to be on top of my game; the knowledge of my chosen area and I built up skills. But somehow, it comes out that through my advocacy the whole issue of reform was getting more serious. So we are raising the level of debate. Previously, routine officers that took reform. When they want to set committee to do reform, they bring retired people with mere reputation but without necessarily knowledge. For me, a lot of the institutions are serving what they are supposed to do but they don’t have the kind of flexibilities that would enable them to engage in some of the activities that can make them to be creative in a manner that we want to do here. For example, ASCON people cannot wake up tomorrow and say that there is an issue in government and they want to research it. Then, the first thing we will ask is how do you get the money? If you want to ýget money from somewhere, you have to go write a letter to the Permanent Secretary in charge of training who would now say why are you looking for money? Then they would say let us look at financial regulation; what does it say about how we can raise money? But even if we want to raise fund, there is protocol but the protocols are supposed to be directed at enabling you to solve problems. We won’t go for grants that we know will constrain us. And that is the difference between us.

  • My sister inspired my fashion career’

    My sister inspired my fashion career’

    Tochukwu Michael is the CEO of Asandrea Collections, which basically produces exotic African wears for men. The label which boasts a large clientele in and out of the country went into the fashion line after a futile job search about six years ago.
    “After my secondary education, I proceeded to the Nnamdi Azikwe University and studied Economics. After graduation, I went for my youth service in Kebbi State and served in Yauri and I was teaching as well as the CLO (Corpers Liaison officer) and bagged the award as the Best Corper of the year 2009/2010.” In this interview with Yetunde Oladeinde, he talks about the humble beginning, inspiration and more.

    HOW did it all begin? It started from early life; I got to know about designing through my sister. She was then forcing me to be part of it. Then I was young and didn’t have a say. She taught me how to put buttons on clothes and from there she taught me how to cut with cement bags. Then it wasn’t nylon, it was paper bags. From there, I learnt how to use the machine and I became a tailor. So, I started sewing but then it was for the fun of it.

    What made you win that award?

    I worked very hard to make sure that the lives of Corpers in Yoari were good. There they didn’t take care of them. There I met Corp members sleeping on bare floor. So I put in my thinking cap, did my best and with the help of one or two people in government offices turned things around for my colleagues. We met the chairman of the local government and they provided 140 mattresses for Corpers. That was a big achievement, compared to the way they were treated in the past. I also tried my best to change the way they were treated. We also provided water as their allowances were not paid as at when due.

    What motivated you to do that?

    Honestly, I like good things, I like to put things in order and make them perfect. I don’t like a situation where things aren’t done properly. So, I said I must do something to make a change.

    What did the award mean to you?

    It was just a plaque from NYSC and there was no cash. It was just to appreciate you for the project executed. It is a thing of honour. I actually thought that such an award would give me automatic employment. The system is not working in Nigeria. I waited for a year and nothing happened. The state didn’t call and there was no job for about a year.

    So what did you do?

    I came back to Lagos and hunger dealt with me. Then I remembered what I knew how to do best. So, I went back to fashion and it wasn’t easy because I hadn’t done it in a long while. I said instead of wasting more time, I said let me just try.

    Did anyone encourage or discourage you at this point?

    I got a lot of discouragement. My friends called saying that after wasting four years in the university, one year in service year, you want to become a tailor, but I wasn’t discouraged. I knew what I wanted to do and had passion for it. I didn’t listen to them because I knew that once I achieved result, the result would convince them. I believe that you must do whatever you want to do very well. Do it to the very best and the result would speak for you?

    Did you go for further training?

    Yes, I went for further training in Abia State in the bid to get all I needed for the designing, especially Tinko designing and U20. I touched all the angles which included hemming to make sure that I could do it on my own.

    Was it easy to go for further training without a job?

    I didn’t go immediately. I approached a friend to make some outfits for him. He doubted my ability and gave me two designs to test my ability. He gave me an advance and when he saw what I came up with, he was really impressed. I had to go to the East to bring my machine. After this, he gave me another job, that was my starting point and he paid me fully. The money he paid was the initial fund that I used.

    What was the turning point?

    I would say it is the grace of God. When it comes to clients, I would say that I have more clients outside Nigeria than in the country. I started advertising my products online and people outside Nigeria started seeing my creativity in African attires. They called to make bookings and what also made me marvel was that they were not afraid to send money. People I don’t even know and I usually model my wears myself. Most times, they would ask if it’s the guy in the picture that’s behind the outfits. They just had confidence in me and I also built the company on trust. If I tell you that you would get the outfit in two weeks, then it must be ready. My two weeks is always two weeks. That helped and the referral came from people I made clothes for.

    Is it basically a collection for men?

    I do both. The men are the major thing, but for women I choose those that I sew for. Men are great to work with. I got in to motivate men to look good as well as restore our culture through fashion. When we started doing it, people thought how would these guys make money? I target men who used to say, ‘I don’t like African wears’ and design things that are unique and once they get compliments from people they wanted more.

    So, would you say that Nigerian men are getting trendier?

    Yes, that was the idea and things have changed from what we used to have in the past. Right now, everyone wants to look good. Take the entertainment industry for example, if you are not looking good, you are not in. In fact, I would say that men look more interesting than women now. It is not all about money, before some people just didn’t care about what they wore. The truth of the matter is that people rate you based on the way you are looking.

  • ‘PR beyond press releases’

    ‘PR beyond press releases’

    Mrs. Nkechi Ali-Balogun, a versatile PR practitioner with over two decades experience in the sector, is Chief Executive Officer, NECCI Consulting. In this interview with Ambrose Nnaji, she speaks on the principles and practice of PR vis-à-vis opportunities, her management style, among others. Excerpts:

    well, PR practice in Nigeria, I will say, has come of age even though we still have a lot to do. If you look at it from our history and from where we started in this country, as first agency and you follow it through, you see that we have actually metamorphosed into a profession that can compare with what is practised abroad. So, I want to say that PR practice in Nigeria has come of age. Of course, we still have challenges but those challenges still roll across every other profession in the country and that is the issue of funding, in the sense that people are not able on their own to understand the need for funding.

    I mean abroad, it is just for you to bring a proposal and somebody will file into it and then they can sponsor your programme. In Nigeria, we’re still lagging behind in the area of PR research, lagging behind in PR audit, PR survey, community development, etc. We’re lagging behind because organisations, very few of them, understand and know why they have to spend money in this area.

    Funding is a challenge because let’s take a community for instance, you have identified their need, you have gone to that area, you have surveyed, let’s even assume you have a business in communication, and you have seen that the only way you can make the business thrive is to create an angle that will help both your organisation and the community. You need funding and you need your executive to buy into your idea or your initiative.

    Available opportunities for PR

    Practitioners are thriving. Again, I personally know that the problem we have is of people understanding the need for PR. People very quickly will run to advertising because people are interested in what they see more than any other thing. But our job is beyond visuals. So, people take advantage of this and they are also beginning to be able to convince consumers on the need for public relations.

    Comparative analysis of Nigerian PR practitioners and counterparts abroad

    Very few PR practitioners are actually experts in the area of PR and I think that the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations is looking very seriously into that to make sure that its members are properly trained and equipped to practice public relations in this country. I think they are doing a lot in that area. We are expecting that there will be some form of sanity. I think the current president is very interested in ensuring properly qualified personnel in the field of PR. I expect a lot of sanity to come into the profession very soon. I don’t think it is only PR practitioners that have that problem. But I’m happy today public relations is beyond press releases, beyond posting things on the social media, beyond smiling at people. In today’s PR, you need to have a good qualification, good university degree in PR or Mass Communication or the other area that will assist you to understand what PR is all about so that you can practice.

    PR and public perception

    PR is not what people say it is. PR is the ability to manage information in such a way that parties, the community and the organisations are able to use whatever information to their own advantage. So I don’t see any lie in it; people who lie in public relations are those who are not actually trained in the field. To manage PR, you have to look at the situation, you analyse the situation and make predictions based on that analysis and based on that analysis you want to advice management in such a way that they will be able to work, so you don’t advice management without analysing. There must be a true analysis of the environment to be able to advice your management. So, I don’t see any lying in that and if you also are able to manage information in such a way that you avert some problem, it is not lying. PR thrives on truth and it is always truth well told.

    Don’t forget the fact that PR practitioners still report to management and it doesn’t have the last say, our job is to advice management and it is management’s business to listen to us and in a case where the management doesn’t listen to us, there is not much we can do. It is not that the PR department will just sit down to wait for information to get to you. As a PR person, your business is to look for information, understand your environment at any given time.

    Ethics in PR

    Well, ethics and values; whose values, whose ethics? I ask whose values, whose ethics because ethics play a major in every profession. But you see PR today, we are working for CEOs, ex-officials whose values are different from what you think it should be or whose ethical understanding are also below what you think. It is a problem because we are not in a country where people will easily resign, and say look these people are not ethical, I must resign. As it is practiced in the western world, somebody can easily resign his job on ethical ground and quickly get another one. But here, a lot of things are put into place. I’m not saying it is right but you find that every practitioner will try as much as possible to make sure that he or she works within what is ethical in the profession; make sure he carries out his job within the ethics of the profession, within a value judgment that is correct and at the same time makes sure that he carries management along with him. But supposing the company or organisation or the corporate organisation is such that they are not ethical, well I expect a PR officer that has integrity not to work in that organisation irrespective of what his needs are.

    Management style

    Even though I did management as a course when I was doing my MBA, I found out that management is an institution. There is really no hard and fast rule to it. Of course, there are so many kinds of management one should follow. But I have always believed in team work and I have always believed in the fact that we all have something to offer to the growth of an organisation and the CEO does not know it all. I can learn from my workers and my workers can learn from me and together we can come up with a great idea.

    Staff motivation

    It depends on the staff. I don’t just motivate the staff because I want to motivate them. The staff must also show me there is a reason why I have to motivate him/her. Every move that I think a staff has done -I also make sure I reward that staff. And how do I do this? Sometimes, when we have international programmes, I make sure they come with me and sometimes it could be cash rewards and at other times, in all our trainings I make sure they are trained and I give them certificates for attending. So, there is always capacity building for them and most times, even though a lot of people we employ these days don’t like reading and that’s the truth. Most employees don’t give us value for their pay. The moment you employ them, it’s like they come in here to do nothing and it’s a very painful experience. Otherwise, I believe in team work, I believe that we all have to learn from each other.

    Reprimanding staff

    It depends on what they do, beyond stealing I don’t just have to reprimand them. Though I have not had that experience, I don’t think that I’m one that reprimands anybody. All I do is to counsel the ones that I can counsel but if it is the issue of stealing I will quickly send you out. Even though I want to remain in touch so that I will be able to counsel you but will not hesitate to send you out if you become a threat to the company, otherwise any other minor issues can be sorted out within.

    Most cherished moments and harrowing experience

    I don’t think I have had any harrowing experience. There are challenges here and there that sometimes you organise events and people will not turn up. I will not say it is harrowing but it is not good because you would have spent a lot of money preparing the programme. Otherwise, I would say I have had a wonderful time from the first time I started my journey into PR and I hope it remains so.

    Toughest decision as CEO

    One of the toughest decisions I have taken was either to go into core public relations or remain in training. I think it was a very difficult decision for me because I know if I had to go into core public relations, which is actually what I practice, maybe it would have paid me more. I mean, by now, I would have some very heavy account. But I had to move into training because I identified the need gap in the area of training. When I was in the PR department, I discovered then that we didn’t have any person to go training unless you went abroad, there were scanty programmes here and there. I think that was one of the toughest decisions. Do I regret that decision? Sometimes I do because I see my colleagues that we started and they are doing so well. But then, I’m also doing well in my area but these days most organisations are cutting down on training.