The Nation Newspaper

Tag: beauty

  • Things stylish women never do

    Things stylish women never do

    Every woman has her morning routine, the things you do from the time you get out of bed in the morning, until you head out the door to work. From taking a bath, tohitting the gym; meditating, or having a cup of tea, we all have our peculiar routine when it comes to starting a new day. But, one thing we all have no choice but get dressed for whatever lies ahead. With our constant daily to-do lists, it’s not unusual to spend an entire day running from responsibility to responsibility, which is why this year afunctional wardrobe is a must.

    When it comes to the dos and don’ts of getting dressed, the most inspiring women share a common trait: They choose comfort and versatility when picking out their outfit.Whether that means never wearing heels, or staying away from anything too restrictive, here are a few dos and don’ts to note when getting ready.  We hope these tips will make dressing up in the morning that much easier.

    Don’t: Wear Anything That’s Not Versatile Enough to Survive the Whole Day

    One word that should define the modern woman’s morning outfit decisions should be comfort.  Strive for comfort at all times. For some, it may mean never wearing heels. For others it could be wearing platforms or wedges. And don’t forget that those sneakers are in right now.

    Don’t: No visible panty lines please!

    “No visible panty lines” is another important rule to keep in mind when preparing for the day.  That way you can do your work, or go about your business without worrying that you are scandalizing anyone, or giving a negative image.

    Don’t:  No overmatching.

    And while picking the right underwear for the day ahead is crucial, another big no-go when getting dressed, being too matchy-matchy (except for denim on denim). Except you are doing the monochrome thing, your clothes, and accessories don’t necessarily have to always match, that is so old school.

    Don’t: Sacrificing comfort for glamour.

    Always dress in pieces that make you comfortable. For some it may mean not to dressing too young, or flamboyantly. Its okay to wear trends, but not at the expense of comfort. For work, avoid pieces that are restrictive or uncomfortable, for the simple reason that they will just irritate you within an hour.

    Don’t: Putting on makeup before getting dressed

    When it comes to dressing for work, when getting ready in the morning, never put on makeup before getting fully dressed.

    Don’t: Wearing leggings to work

    And whatever you do, never wear leggings to the office, except you are off to the gym. And when you do, wearing a G-string would be a good idea.

     Don’t: Wearing anything distracting

    For busy professionals, and entrepreneurial women a busy schedule means that you are constantly on the go, it’s all about clothing that can get you through anything. Entrepreneurship leaves you much less time for everything else, so versatility and comfort become increasingly important filters for one’s personal style.  Avoid anything that distracts you from focusing on what’s important; instead choose to gravitate toward real, beautiful clothes that you can live and work in.

    Don’t: Getting dressed without considering the weather

    When it comes to morning rituals, one often overlooked factor is getting dressed without considering the weather. Walking to work every day means that being prepared is key to making through the day unscathed. So you can choose to consider  the weather forecast, or face the consequences at your own peril.

  • From squalor to beauty

    From squalor to beauty

    The renovation of Tinubu Square in the Lagos Central Business District (CBD) on Broad Street,  has brought colour to the place. The aim, according to the government, is to preserve cultural and historical sites, and turn the Marina and Onikan axis into a world-class tourism hub, Assistant Editor (Arts) OZOLUA UHAKHEME reports. 

    Until recently, it was home to untidy lawns, flowers and dried fountains. It was also an abode for beggars, hawkers, roadside traders and motorists, including commercial cyclists. But not any more.
    Today, the famous Tinubu Square is tourist- friendly and houses a functional fountain, remodelled and painted with statues of Madam Efunroye Tinubu, the legendary Kokoro the blind drummer, Wings of Liberty and Knowledge is Power. It has been lifted from squalor to grace with a 24-hour power supply, security and functioning conveniences.
    This development is a fall-out of Lagos State Government’s decision to embark on strategic investment by building more iconic monuments and renovating historical sites across the state.
    Of all the tourist sites in the state, Tinubu Square has an enviable record of being one of the most-visited by Lagosians and tourists, no thanks to its location at the heart of Lagos Central Business District. Historically, Tinubu Square sits on a 2000-square metre piece of land believed to have been donated to the British by Madam Tinubu, a wealthy business woman and an activist. The structure that was built on the land was the Court of Assizes, a landmark of a magnificent construction edifice. The Court of Assizes was demolished to pave way for the construction of a tourist water fountain donated by the Lebanese Community in Nigeria to commemorate Nigeria’s independence from British rule in 1960.
    According to a report, ‘Madam Tinubu, the first Nigerian woman to buy a car, was a courageous human rights activist, outspoken, fearless, a strong woman and warrior from Egbaland in Abeokuta, Ogun State. She’d also fought for the Egba people to gain their freedom. In recognition of her bravery, she was honoured with the chieftaincy title of Iyalode of Egbaland.
    She was among those who helped Oba Ibikunle Akintoye to get to the throne as Oba of Lagos. She fought against Dahomey, when they were tormenting the Egba; later she left Lagos in 1856 during the reign of Dosunmu. She died in 1887 and was given a befitting burial by the Egba. After her death, the place was named after her, because in 1807, when the British prohibited slave trade, she and some Nigerians immensely contributed to ensure that the law against the inhuman practice was successfully carried out because Lagos was a stopping point along the slave coast.
    Expectedly, the square, among others, houses a very conspicuous cenotaph in memory of Madam Tinubu the irrepressible opponent of slave trade and British colonial government. The cenotaph was dedicated by Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration (1999 to 2007) to inspire millions of women to acts of heroism and sacrifice for the common good.
    But what makes today’s Tinubu Square a much-sought-after site by fun seekers and tourists? Is it the history behind the square or the size and location of the facility? Everything about the square certainly adds up. Apart from the facelift given to the facilities in the square, a 24-hour security is maintained by security officials who stationed their patrol vehicles near the square. Movements in and around the square have become orderly and safe as there are no more street hawkers and traders. Also, steady power supply is another big asset and attraction for visitors to the place at night. In fact, the square is enhanced by a well-lit environment beautified with trees and flowers, and its landscape laced with strong paved blocks.
    According to a staff member of Kenny Adamson International, the company maintaining the square, Tayo Owolabi, people visit Tinubu Square mostly at evenings and night when the illumination from the power supply lights up the environment.
    “The light is one of the major attractions because of the colourful illumination at night. At such a time, commercial activities in the area are on the low side, and safety and comfort are assured,” he said, noting that the neighbouring corporate offices and shops are reaping from the sanity at the square.
    A soothing cold breeze from the rising and tumbling water in the beautifully-designed Zebra fountain greets every guest to the square. Hemmed by newly painted iron bars, the walkways provide easier access for visitors to move round the various statues within the square.
    And as the reporter walked round the square, some men came in with materials to treat the water fountain which was turning green. Since it was renovated last January, Tinubu Square, like the city of Lagos, never sleeps. Its three main entrances are always open to visitors who stream in day and night to enjoy its soothing ambience.
    At the unveiling of the square last month, Lagos State Governor Akinwumi Ambode reiterated his administration’s vision to use art, culture, entertainment and hospitality to promote the state as the hub of creative arts and tourism in Africa. Represented by the Special Adviser and Acting Commissioner of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Hon. Adebimpe Akinshola, the governor said the decision to renovate Tinubu Square was informed by the need to upgrade it to a level that befits the status of the CBD. He said the development was also part of the administration’s plan to develop the Marina and Onikan axis to world- class tourism destination.
    He said: “All over the world, monuments are erected as a way of preserving human history and upholding societal values and ethics. They are testament of selfless leadership, valour and bravery of great men and women who have contributed significantly to the development of mankind.”
    He described Madam Tinubu’s statue as a magnificent monument erected in memory of a woman, who was one of the greatest merchants of colonial Lagos. Continuing, he said: “As we all know, this magnificent monument was erected in memory of a valiant woman, Madam Efunroye Tinubu, the first Iyalode of Egbaland and one of the greatest merchants of colonial Lagos. It is a celebration of her exploits in the business world and contribution to the foremost status to which our state has attained in the world of commerce and for us as a government and in line with our administration’s commitment to harness the tourism potentials of our state, historical monuments such as this will continue to be given a face lift and outlook.”
    Ambode, who called for the cooperation of the residents in protecting the site against vandalism and distortion of its historical and tourism value, said it was the collective responsibility of all to preserve the rich cultural heritage of the state for the present generation and generations yet unborn.
    According to him, the state government would continue to use artistic facilities, such as the Tinubu Square and others being constructed across the state, to showcase its positive attractions and create a must-visit appetite in domestic and foreign tourists.
    The unveiling was attended by the Special Adviser to the Governor on CBDs, Agboola Dabiri, the Sole Administrator, Lagos Island East Council Development Area, Abiola Are, and his Lagos Island Local Government counterpart, Nasir Musa, among others.
    The joy of most business owners in the neighbouring streets, such as Custom, Broad, Nnamdi Azikiwe and Ali knew no bound. Expressing the minds of many is a 65-year-old textile merchant, Mr. Chuks Tony Ike, who owns a major store at Tinubu. He described the renovation as a new dawn. He said it had transformed the district from a rowdy and chaotic place to a saner business environment. This, he said, has enhanced commercial activities, which in turn has affected their returns positively. He said: “In the years I have spent operating my textile business here in Tinubu, the sanity and order currently experienced here are next to none. Apart from the fact that it is now more secured than before, the power supply has added colour and glamour to the street especially at night. Again, such lighting attracts friends and peers to relax at the square when many homes are without light.”
    The youths are, however, not left out in the increasing army of patrons. A female undergraduate and resident of Lagos Island, who identified as Nifemi, disclosed that the new-look square has drawn most of her friends to the place for taking selfie photographs in the evening. “For us, Tinubu Square is our own Eiffel Tower in Paris, France. It is fast becoming the face of Lagos Island in tourism affairs,” she said.

    Tinubu’s life and times

    Madam Efunroye Tinubu (1810-1887), born Efunporoye Osuntinubu, was a politically-significant figure in Nigerian history because of her role as a notable female aristocrat in pre-colonial and colonial Nigeria. She was a major figure in Lagos during the reigns of Obas Adele, Oluwole, Akintoye and Dosunmu.
    Tinubu was born in the Ojokodo forest area of Egbaland, her father’s name was Olumosa. She was allegedly of Owu ancestry either through her maternal or paternal side. Madam Tinubu reportedly married multiple times. Her first marriage to an Owu man bore two sons. After her Owu husband died, she remarried the exiled Oba Adele in 1833, who, while visiting Abeokuta, was charmed by Tinubu. She moved with the exiled Oba to Badagry, which was traditionally the place of refuge for Lagos monarchs and that was where she exploited Adele’s connections to build a formidable business trading in tobacco, salt and slaves.

    Lagos

    The exiled Oba Adele was still in Badagry when his successor, Oba Idewu died. Prince Kosoko, Idewu Ojulari’s brother, was a major contender for the throne; however, Eletu Odibo, the chief kingmaker thwarted Kosoko’s aspiration and Adele was invited to become oba. Tinubu accompanied Adele to Lagos but the oba died two years later. After Adele’s death in 1837, Tinubu reportedly supported Oluwole, Adele’s son’s bid for the Obaship of Lagos over that of Kosoko.
    Oba Oluwole had recurring conflicts with Kosoko, who felt he was the true heir to the throne. Consequently, Kosoko was banished to Ouidah. During Oluwole’s reign, Madam Tinubu remarried one Yesufu Bada (alias Obadina), who was Oluwole’s war captain and with the support of Oluwole, Tinubu and Yesufu’s trading with the Egba grew.
    When Oluwole died in 1841, Tinubu supported Akitoye her brother-in-law’s bid for the obaship over Kosoko’s. After Akitoye emerged oba, he granted Tinubu favourable commercial concessions. Against the wish of his chiefs, Akitoye invited Kosoko back to Lagos and tried to placate him. Soon thereafter, Kosoko dislodged Akitoye from the throne. Considering Tinubu’s alliance with Akitoye, she and other Akitoye supporters fled to Badagry when Kosoko became oba in 1845. As a wealthy woman, Madam Tinubu was able to influence economic and political decisions so during her time in Badagry, she tried to rally Akitoye’s supporters to wage war against Kosoko.
    In December 1851, and under the pretext of abolishing slavery, the British bombarded Lagos, dislodged Kosoko, and installed a more amenable Akitoye as oba. Though Akitoye signed a treaty with Britain outlawing the slave trade, Tinubu subverted the 1852 treaty and secretly traded slaves for guns with Brazilians and Portuguese traders. Further, she obtained a piece of land from Akitoye, which now constitutes parts of present day Tinubu Square and Kakawa Street. Later, a conflict developed between Tinubu and some slave traders, including Possu, a Kosoko loyalist. Consequently, Possu, Ajenia, and other traders tried to instigate an uprising against Akitoye because of Tinubu’s influence in Lagos. In the interest of peace, Benjamin Campbell, the British Consul in Lagos, asked Akitoye to send Tinubu on exile. After Akitoye died, Tinubu returned to Lagos and gave her support to his successor, Dosunmu. Under Dosunmu’s reign Tinubu had a massive security force composed of slaves and she sometimes executed orders usually given by the king. As a result, Dosunmu grew wary of her influence in Lagos.
    A new development was the colonial government’s support for the return of repatriated captives (mostly of Yoruba heritage) to settle in Lagos. Many of the returnees were favoured by the British in commerce and soon began dominating legitimate trade in Lagos.
    In 1855, when Campbell travelled to England Tinubu tried to influence Dosunmu to limit the influence of returnees. Dosunmu was non-committal to her request and, consequently, Tinubu was alleged to have played a part in an uprising against the returnees in which her husband, Bada, was a major participant. When Campbell returned in 1856, he asked Dosunmu to banish Tinubu. In May 1856, Tinubu was banished to Abeokuta.
    In Abeokuta, Tinubu traded in arms and supplied Abeokuta with munitions in the war against Dahomey. Her activities in the war earned her the Iyalode of the Egba. While in Abeokuta, she allegedly opposed colonial policies in Lagos. In 1865, a fire that engulfed the shops of some traders, including some of her properties in Abeokuta, however, didn’t appear to have weakened her financially. Tinubu became involved in Abeokuta king-making as well as supporting Prince Oyekan over Ademola for the Alake of Egba title in 1879.

    Next Challenge

    Now that the square has been renovated, the next critical issue to address is its maintenance. The Lagos State government should, as a matter of urgency, hand over its maintenance to a firm or agency to prevent another neglect.
    Also, to drive tourists to the site and generate revenue, the government can tie the historical relevance of the square to a marketing strategy such that it will attract local and foreign tourists. The government should pilot such marketing strategies to woo private sectors. To enhance easy access to the facility, public car parks should be identified and designated for use, especially when the Onikan-Marina axis is being designated as a world-class tourism hub in the state.

  • What Exactly Are Blackheads?

    What Exactly Are Blackheads?

    Blackheads are really a specific type of acne, triggered by sebum (otherwise known as face oil) production. If a clogged pore “remains open to the air, the oils in the pores oxidize to a black color, which is why we called them ‘open’ comedones or blackheads.”Here are tips to deal with black heads. Before you can begin to start treating blackheads, it’s a good idea to actually know what you’re dealing with. As you can’t really fix a problem when you don’t know what’s causing it.

    Keep in mind that they aren’t composed of dirt stuck in your pores. It’s really just the natural oil from your skin, turned a darker color.

    Those May Not Be Blackheads
    Also not all large pores have blackheads. Also, not everything that comes up when you press your pimples are blackheads either. Grab a magnifying mirror and take a (much) closer look. You may just have microscopic hairs that look like blackheads. A visit to your dermatologist, to tell the difference between the two diagnoses, can make the difference in getting rid of these spots.

    Sebaceous Filaments

    Besides microscopic nose hairs, you could have sebaceous filaments. These, instead of turning black, are clear. Sebaceous filaments don’t oxidize like blackheads do, meaning they don’t have the telltale color change. Sebaceous filaments are like blackheads, in that they both have condensed oil and skin scales, but they aren’t totally congealed like blackheads. Sebaceous filament material may congeal into a true blackhead, and most blackheads have had former lives as sebaceous filaments. With proper cleansing and care, however, sebaceous filaments can be softened, dissolved, and/or lifted up and out of the oil gland ducts.

     

    Blackheads Can Show Up Anywhere
    Not all blackheads live on your nose. You can get blackheads anywhere you can get a pimple; they’re just more common near the oiliest parts of your skin. In fact, blackheads regularly show up on areas besides the nose and chin. To be honest, most people can have blackheads on the face, chest, and back. Blackheads are dependent on many different factors. A combination of the thickness of your sebum, the stickiness of skin scales, and how well both can move through the pore. Oil and scale production amounts, and qualities vary from place to place on the skin and, in the same person, vary over time due to developmental and hormonal factors.

     

    Topical Treatments To Bust Through Blackheads
    So by now, we know blackheads are made up of oil and skin scales getting stuck in a pore. When you’re a hormonal teen with an especially oily T-zone, it may seem like there is nothing you can do to quell the oil. And, for many, that may just be true unless they turn to hormonal regulation through something like the birth control pill.

    Even if you can’t stop your skin from being oily, you can help to keep that pore from getting clogged in the first place. Adding a retinol in your nightly regimen, exfoliation using an at-home peel to remove dead skin cells, and products with salicylic acid like cleansers, and spot treatments are your best bets for treating your blackheads at home.

     

    Search for these three specific skin-care ingredients:

    Salicylic acid, glycolic acid, and vitamin A. Salicylic and glycolic acids work well together to decrease oil production and vitamin A (found in retinols) is a great exfoliant. Prescription-strength varieties of vitamin A are sometimes necessary if the acne is severe, but during harmattan months, use over-the-counter versions of retinol.

     

    DIY Treatments For Blackheads
    But if you aren’t into buying lots of new products, you can also look to DIY treatments for acne. Here are a few concoctions for treating blackheads with ingredients you may find in your own kitchen.

    Turmeric mask

    Combine turmeric powder with chickpea flour, and plain yogurt to create an easy DIY mask. It’s what Indian brides bathe in the day before their big wedding day.  Apply the mask for 10 minutes, and then rinse it off to avoid staining towels with the bright yellow pigment of turmeric. You’ll notice the improvement in the blackhead acne, as well as the overall complexion of the skin within the first 48 hours. It works great and is pregnancy safe!

    Oatmeal and Honey Mask

    Combine oatmeal and raw honey, mix in with filtered or distilled water, and apply as a mask. This can pull out sebum.” This type of mask is great for sebaceous filaments.

  • Dangerous manicures to avoid

    Dangerous manicures to avoid

    Getting a manicure should be an opportunity to pamper yourself as you beautify your digits; unfortunately many ladies fail to realize that they could actually be putting their lives in danger at the manicurist. How? Investigations reveal that quite a number of nail studios pose a health hazard to clients due to their insanitary conditions. Furthermore lovers of acrylic nails need to be wary of a dangerous substance some contain, Methyl Metacrylate; a banned substance in many states in the US. Here are some of the dangers of exposure to MMA.

    MMA (Methyl Methacrylate) is an ingredient that was commonly used in early nail enhancements. It was used by orthopedic surgeons during bone replacements surgeries as bone ‘cement or grout’ and it has also been used in flooring products. Unfortunately it was not designed to be in contact with human skin. In the 1970s, the US Food and Drug Administration received a number of injury complaints associated with the use of MMA. As such, the FDA stated that the substance is poisonous. MMA is banned in 30 states.

    It is said that MMA can cause cancer, nail infections, respiratory problems, eye, nose and throat irritation, permanent nail deformities and allergic reactions. How? In order for MMA to adhere to the natural nail, the nail has to be buffed and etched, significantly. This procedure thins and weakens the natural nail, and puts it at a higher risk of absorption. While the strength of MMA is effective as an adhesion for bone and teeth in the medical and dental industries, it is not suitable for soft tissue such as the nail plate.

    Furthermore, because MMA is an extremely durable, hard substance, if the nail enhancement gets caught on something and breaks, it could tear the entire natural nail off its bed, an experience not a few acrylic nail wearers have been through. MMA liquid also burns the skin when it comes into contact. So when next you have a manicure/pedicure, take the time to confirm that the products used on you don’t contain this ingredient.

  • How to stop puffy eyes

    How to stop puffy eyes

     

    Everyone has suffered from puffy eyes at one time or the other; either because you did not get enough sleep, drank too much alcohol, partied too hard or simply find that yours is hereditary. Here are a few tips to banish puffy eyes or under-eye bags to keep your skin looking young and healthy.
    There are three ways to get rid of puffy eyes or under eye bags. Number one, you need to get moisturizer to help your body to de-puff your under eye bugs and get rid of all the toxins that build up there. There are quite a lot of eye creams formulated with ingredients to remove eye bags. Also note, that sometimes your diet can cause a lot of extra fluid to actually collect under your eyes, so if you had a salty meal the night before, you are going to wake up the next morning with more fluid under your eyes, so try to correct your diet a little bit there.

    The second thing you can use is a little secret, nothing more than paper tape. So if you did have had that high salt meal and you know you are prone to these bags the next day, put a little paper tape under your eyes when you got to sleep, the night before, and when you wake up in the morning take away the tape, you will not have the same collection of fluid under your eyes. That’s a secret way to minimize the bags.
    And the third way to get rid of under eye bags after they appear. Anytime you wake up, and see bags under your eyes, and need a quick fix. You can take a very cold shower to constrict all the blood vessels and de-puff, and also do two sets of jumping jacks for 30 seconds each. That circulation is really going to help rev your body up and help drain away some of that extra fluid that collected there.

     

  • ‘We must use beauty for positive change’

    ‘We must use beauty for positive change’

    Cynthia Olajumoke Sapara, 24, is a multitasking young lady. Tall, slender and soft-spoken, she combines a tough resume of a BTech Engineer, Chemistry graduate, beauty pageant, model, ex-beauty queen and currently adding charitable deeds to her career profile. She speaks with JOKE KUJENYA on her fundraising venture on the platform of her not-for-profit organisation, Cynthia Sapara Foundation (CSF), based in Canada, to alleviate the sufferings and supplement the efforts of several others towards making life a little better for the IDPs scattered across Nigeria.

    Tell us about Cynthia Adesuwa Sapara

    I’ll probably call myself a renaissance woman, well at least, people regularly call me that nowadays. I have a Bsc in Chemistry & Mathematics from the University of Alberta in Canada and a Bachelor of Technology in Chemical Engineering (BTech Eng) from the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, Canada. I still intend on going to medical school in a few years.
    I am also a model and an ex-beauty queen. I am a professional model in Canada and I have done a couple of pageants. Currently one of the runners up for Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria. I have represented Nigeria for Top Model of the World in 2013 when I became the first runner up for Miss Global Nigeria.
    Aside from that, I just started my clothing line, called Garnet, which would be launched during summer of 2017 in Canada. It will comprise ready to wear pieces as well as couture. Nowadays, any cloth you probably see me wear is from my clothing line. My intention is to create beautiful pieces using very skin friendly materials that would make my clients stand out amongst others, very chic and elegant.
    I am very meticulous and could sometimes come off as a perfectionist. I try not to be though because being a perfectionist could be very overwhelming. However, some personalities and traits are in-built, and so, could be very hard to tame. This innate trait also makes me very observant, so I am sort of an introvert. People that find that an irony, especially because I am into modelling and fashion. But, that is where a lot of people misunderstand the whole purpose of my involvement in those areas. I do like fashion and apparently so take good pictures and have the physique and face for a model. So I just decided to use that for something that would make an impact in the world. That is the main reason I contested for Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria. Winning the pageant would have given me an opportunity to represent Nigeria in the Miss World contest competing with about a-hundred of other beautiful girls to win and work with an organization bent on making the word beautiful purposely.

    From beauty pageant to charity work; what changed?
    Undoubtedly, we have both the good and bad side. We were created that way. But I believe in the ability to contain one’s bad attribute. If God has given me a physical beauty that I am able to compete in international pageant and other pageants, I could easily let that get into my head, believing I am way too beautiful. However, that is not the reality. The reality is that beauty is meant to be used to empower a cause, leading to a positive change. For example, I believe in the ability to end poverty and oppression, with the act of being selfless. Like I said, we have the ability to contain our bad attributes that affects others. I visit Nigeria at least once every year ever since I left at age 11. The contrast between Western and Africa democracy is massive. In the aspect of Nigeria, there is indeed a promising future for her. We all just individually have to understand that the democracy here is different especially because globalization plays a huge role in this. This is why we can’t live in isolation in the modern world. We need a global view on issues, especially when it comes to healthcare, education, and poverty. We have the government trying to understand the problem as well as trying to find a solution. Then we are left with the majority of the populace, whose social responsibility should be to help find a solution. That is the way I think. However, I do get some of my fellow Nigerians who would respond to that saying that there aren’t incentives by the Nigerian government to encourage them in doing this and I totally understand that. But personally, I have always wanted to help the most vulnerable Nigerians in any way I could. You know not everyone has a humanitarian attribute. That is why people who do, have to create awareness and the capability to convince others. I have honestly used my beauty pageant platform to acknowledge my beauty, knowledge and humanitarian attribute.

    When precisely did you go into charity activities?
    I have always treasured the core value of humanity, which includes but not limited to equality, justice, human health, love, peace and freedom. Right from high school, I was always involved in charity work, mostly volunteering in charity organizations. In my high school in the United Kingdom. I volunteered with Oxfam several times on their projects and even in their stores. I also helped out in the children hospital and the Manchester Stroke Rehabilitation Ward, amongst others.
    When I moved to Canada for my university educations, I became part of Habitat for Humanity as a volunteer. They help build homes for low income people and the homeless to eradicate homelessness. It’s a huge international non-profit organization. After my MBGN pageant last year, I basically wanted to help out in many different causes. It can be quite over-reaching, but I am taking baby steps and the more help I can get, the better.
    Already, I officially registered my own not-for-profit organization, ‘Cynthia Sapara Foundation’ (CSF). When I return to Canada, I would organise more fundraising event specifically focusing on the Internally Displaces People (IDPs) in Nigeria affected by Boko Haram, mainly to raise money to provide them with the resources they need as well as to create awareness about this issue in Canada. A lot of people over there don’t know so much about Boko Haram and the affect effect it has had on the victims. Even a number of Nigerians over there don’t know that the victims are residing in various camps across the country, especially in the north, requiring help because of the limited resources they have.

    Why are you raising funds for the IDPs in particular when there are others in similar needs?
    You will agree with me that their case is more pathetic. They are in a situation that is not informed by the decisions they make. They are suffering just because they reside in a particular region. I know it is not so extreme, but their case is only slightly different from what is going on in some parts of Syria and people are displace. I particularly choose to organize a fundraiser this year in Canada during summer in June under the United Nations High Commission for Refugee (UNHCR), rather than working under my own NGO because it is my first fundraiser. It was paramount I did this in partnership with an organization that is more recognized over there; particularly to create trust and build relationship between myself and the amazing donors. With the help of my cousin Temi Tayo and other close friends, we worked as a team on the theme “Fashion for Purpose” and we had amazing sponsors who gave out their time and products towards the cause.
    I choose to raise funds for IDPs in Nigeria mainly because it is an issue on every Nigerian’s lips and not just a northern problem. To me, caring for one another is a core value of humanity.

    When do you hope to retrieve the fundraiser money currently with the UNHCR Int’l for onward transfer to their Nigeria office for its actual use?
    Yes, the money is with the UNHCR Int’l in Canada to be transferred to the UNHCR Nigeria as that was the agreement between us. I specifically wanted to work directly with the UNHCR Nigeria so that the funds can be rightly channelled to the IDPS. I also felt that would help for proper monitoring of what the funds were used for in the camps so that I would be able to know what more would be needed because every project needs to be analysed before embarking on it. Failure to this this would lead to project failure. Unfortunately, the one-way communication between myself and the UNHCR Nigeria has put some level of constrain in the execution of the project. This is a fundraiser event. I must be accountable to my donors. However, the communication chain with the UNHCR Nigeria has not consistent. I experienced dropped calls, no replies of emails, frequent interruptions of the phone signal and concurrent communication between both parties deterred the flow of conversation. Yet, I have to return to Canada.

    As you know, all IDPs have been relocated up-north; when will you visit Nigeria again for the task of giving them what you have for them?
    I will visit Nigeria hopefully in the spring time between April and June. By that time, the UNHCR Canada should have transferred the funds I sent to them, and which they acknowledged, either to the UNHCR Nigeria or we make alternative arrangement. I need to be given the contact number of the exact person to relate with so that I can access the funds with the UNHCR Nigeria so we can directly work together henceforth. From my research, different camps have different resources. For example, I realise that the WASH project is focused on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene project in Yobe State. I was given access to this data by the UNHCR and from the analyses, Kukareta Camp is composed of the largest amount of IDPs and the sanitation in that camp is extremely appalling. The demands of shower and hand-wash facilities compared to the amount of what is being provided is not realistic. I observed that a number of crude latrine, that is open defecation is being practiced, which limits the promotion of good sanitation and hygiene, encouraging the spread of diseases and bad health. So basically, I intend to directly work with a project coordinator specially allocated to the issue of IDPs in Nigeria.

    Is any of these tasks, clashing with your educational pursuits?
    It cannot clash with my educational pursuit even when I go to medical school. It will only extend my scope of operations. How can you get tired of helping the vulnerable? Having a career that requires me to help people in whatever way I can is what I strive to achieve. Helping people with my career is more of a blessing to me than having the career myself.

    So, you are returning to Canada on December 30th, what are your plans to raise more funds for the IDPs or other aspects of charity activities?
    The next fundraiser in 2017 would be under my charity organization specially for a health-related cause. It is important to understand the problem just as much as finding the solution. Health issues have no border. There are health issues in Canada just as much as in Nigeria. I would have to understand to the health care system here in Nigeria in order for me to pick a particular health care issue I would want to focus on.

  • A beauty queen’s travails

    A fortnight ago, a lesbian sex video involving Chidinma Okeke, winner of the 2015 edition of Miss Anambra Beauty Pageant went viral in the social media. Before then, the organizers of the event, state owned Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS) had a few days to the expiration of her tenure, dethroned and retrieved her official car in very curious circumstances.

    The current edition of the event was also put off apparently because of the contradictions raised by the X-rated sex video for an event that is designed ostensibly to empower Anambra women, promote their culture and heritage. Rather than enhance these objectives, what has emerged from the sex video is an unbridled debasement of womanhood such that has left public sensibilities badly ruffled.

    Accounts of what transpired vary amidst allegations of threats from unknown quarters to harm the dethroned beauty queen should she go public with all that transpired. But in the midst of this silence, the ABS, organizers of the event issued a quick statement seeking to exculpate the organization from issues relating to the sex video scandal.

    The organization condemned the circulation of the video together with its contents and apologized to the government and people of the state, sponsors of the event and supporters for the embarrassment the issue would have caused them.  It would also want to dissociate Miss Anambra Beauty Pageant from any discussions on the matter.

    But the girl in the storm, Chidinma has come out with her side of the story even as she refrained from naming her traducers with a promise to expose them soon. She said when the event was advertised, she made enquiries and one of the organizers encouraged her to apply. On seeing her reluctance, the man insisted she should apply as she might win. He even promised to give her the form free if she applied which he eventually did.

    She was later told that there were certain things to be done before a winner could be declared including the sex video. After much persuasion by the organizers, she later consented. She later went for the contest and was declared winner with a car as star prize.

    But when she went for the car, they brought a contract paper urging her to sign. Chidinma said when she insisted in contacting her lawyer before signing the contract papers, the organizers threatened to release the said video. At that point she was left with no option than to sign. According to her, from that point, she became a slave to the organizers.

    Things however came to a head on October 11, when one of the organizers invited her to his office purportedly to make a presentation. While there, the man excused other people in the same room, showed her the video and asked that the beauty queen should drop the car and the crown.

    She refused the order and contacted her uncle who demanded that the official should leave the car with Chidinma in keeping with the terms of the agreement. Instead, the official forwarded the sex video to her uncle as part of the blackmail. And that was the beginning of the circulation of the sex video. It is not clear who posted the video in the social media. But if the statements of Chidinma are anything to repose confidence on, the last official she had contact with, should be able to account for how the video found itself in the social media.

    From the account of the young lady, it is obvious that the official who asked her to drop her car and crown with threat to make public the sex video if she resisted was the brain behind its eventual release. Even without naming the said official, his complicity in the matter is very obvious.

    And one asks, why has it been difficult for the Anambra State government and the police to wade into this unmitigated scandal? We raise this question given that the event is organized by a government owned broadcasting service. That being the case, the organization cannot feign ignorance of the critical details of all activities leading to the short listing, selection and eventual emergence of the winner. It cannot claim that it is not aware of some of the conditions set for the eventual emergence of the winner.

    It is not enough for that organization to just condemn the sad episode. Neither is it sufficient for its officials to wash their hands off the mess. The ABS owns the beauty pageant. It sets the rules and supervises the contest and therefore should be held accountable for whatever lapses that arise from that contest. And if there are other interests that hijack the beauty contest for some other sinister motives as we have seen from the controversial sex video, it is the duty of the organizers to call them to order.

    The contest being the franchise of the ABS, the organization has the responsibility to ensure that its overriding objectives and philosophy are strictly adhered to. Unfortunately, that has only been observed in its breach as the recent scandal vividly shows. So the ABS cannot shy away from assuming responsibility for the mess. Its attempt to dissociate Miss Anambra Beauty Pageant from any discussions on the matter cannot stand.

    The fact that the current edition has been put off is clear evidence that the show has run into credibility problems. It has lost steam and no self respecting citizen would have anything to do with an event that dehumanizes young girls in the most callous manner depicted in that sex video.

    But then, what purpose do those involved in the video recording want to achieve? Why would a lesbian sex video be a condition before the outcome of the beauty contest would be announced? And who are the brains behind such a dehumanizing and demented recording- the organizers, sponsors or some other party working outside of the knowledge of the two?

    These posers underscore the imperative of very thorough and detailed investigation into the matter. It is curious that Anambra State government has remained silent in the face of the unmitigated embarrassment into which one of its agencies has been entangled. The fact that a government agency is involved demands that the state governor, Willie Obiano rise to the occasion by ensuring detailed inquisition into the matter if anything, to save the face of his government. Chidinma has provided sufficient lead into the scandal and it will not be difficult to get at all those behind that show of shame.

    Sadly, the event bears the imprimatur of the Okija shrine saga where a former governorship candidate in the state was made to swear to an oath of allegiance by a political godfather. Events of that episode are now history. But they exposed the evil practices that went on in that evil shrine forest, eventually culminating to its destruction.

    Today, Anambra is better for it. It is not surprising that all the governments that came since that incident have been able to raise the bar of governance. The state has become a reference point in good and purposeful governance in the South-east.

    It is this excellent record that stands to be tainted by the activities of some evil and demented few in the state as we have seen in the senseless sex video recording.  If the objective is to blackmail winners to drop their crown and car before the expiration of their tenure, that is the most crude an unethical way of going about it.

    But as despicable as the entire episode is, it should serve as a hard lesson to ambitious young girls and boys. Had Chidinma realized the folly in subjecting herself to such a dehumanizing and utterly indecent exposure for whatever motivations, she would not have found herself in her current mess.

  • The beauty in Brexit

    ven with the seismic effects of the recent Brexit vote by Great Britain, the beauty of democracy glitters through. The crunch line is: voters made their choice. Only that the choice has left the Queen’s domain with such a nasty hangover that many now rue the decision and must be wondering if they sleepwalked through the referendum penultimate Thursday rather than make a reasoned and intelligent choice.

    Following a heated campaign by opposing camps in the course of which Labour Member of Parliament (MP) Jo Cox was murdered, voters in the June 23 referendum chose to pull the United Kingdom out of the European Union (EU), ending its 43-year membership of the bloc. But that decision was only by a slim margin of victory (52% to 48%) for Eurosceptics over those who preferred the status quo. It was also a neatly polarising decision among the four constituent states of the United Kingdom. Voting in support of Brexit were England (53.4% ‘Leave’ votes to 46.6% who chose ‘Remain’) and Wales (52.5% to 47.5%), while Scotland (62% ‘Remain’ to 38% ‘Leave’) and Northern Ireland (55.8% to 44.2%) strongly favoured remaining in EU. The poll’s aftermath has been like unleashing hell’s fury on the Queen’s country. But citizens made the choice. They must live with the consequences that choice and ride out the storm that has been ignited by it. That is what democracy is all about.

    The Brexit vote has left the country in leadership and economic disarray, and with resurgent threat to its national unity. As things stand, Britain looks effectively leaderless. For a country where power alternates strictly between two dominant parties, Prime Minister David Cameron of the ruling Conservative Party, who lost out in the referendum, has served notice of his resignation. Opposition Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, is hanging in only by the teeth in defiance of a mass revolt by Labour MPs who voted 172 to 40 to pass a no-confidence vote on him. He looks formatted to loose in a leadership challenge by members of his party.

    Meanwhile the referendum’s outcome has once again stoked nationalist temperament in that country. The Brexit vote rankles with the Scots, who voted only in 2014 to remain a part of the United Kingdom.Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said it was “democratically unacceptable” that Scotland faced being taken out of the EU when it voted to remain in the bloc. She signalled that a second Independence referendum for the country was “highly likely.” Northern Ireland, for its part, was reported to be considering a reunion with kindred Republic of Ireland, which is a Euro-spending dyed-in-the-wool member of the EU.Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said the whole island of Ireland should now be able to vote on reunification.

    Beyond the political chaos, the shock Brexit vote impacted rudely on the economic front. The uncertainty stemming from the vote sent the British pound and stocks on London’s FTSE tumbling, though the stocks rallied again some days after. As Britain reeled from the fallouts of the Brexit vote and the international community watched fretfully, Prime Minister Cameron said he would leave invoking Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, which is a condition to begin divorce talks with the EU, to his successor expected to take office in October. But the country was pressed by the 27 remaining members of the EU to make haste in giving practical effect to voters’ choice to exit the bloc. In other words, Cameron and some other leaders of Britain may have desired otherwise,voters made their choice in the referendum, and that choice must be duly and speedily respected.

    I see a few morals in the British referendum for the practice of democracy, despite its cataclysmic side effects. The campaign leading up to the June 23 vote showed that politicians could rise above narrow partisan loyalties and self-serving considerations to canvass convictions on what they considered best, rightly or not, for their country. The Brexit campaign made emergency allies of historical foes, and fierceadversaries of party mates. Prime Minister Cameron wanted Britain in the EU and earlier on negotiated concessions from the bloc to strengthen his hand. He called the June 23 referendum primarily to stamp down Europhobes like former London Mayor Boris Johnson in the Conservative Party, which declined to adopt a collective position on the debate. But while Cameron contended with opposition from within his party, in addition to others without, he found an unusual ally in opposition Labour Party, among others, which adopted an official stance favouring Britain’s stay in the European bloc.

    On the other hand, nearly the fiercest advocate of Brexit was the UK Independence Party (UKIP), which won the last European elections and had held a seat in the European Parliament for some 16 years. When UKIP leader Nigel Farage returned to EU Parliament in Brussels in the wake of the Brexit vote, some parliamentarians could not help questioning him on why he returned, in view of his strong advocacy against Britain’s membership of the bloc.

    One lesson from the Brexit vote for Britain’s political elite, just as well as for politicians in all true democracies, is that voters’ darkest – perhaps irrational – fears must be reckoned with. You do not dismiss voters’ concerns as unfounded and hope to get their support in elections, unless by crooked means as is common in our own context here in Nigeria.

    With all the benefits of access to a single market that membership of the EU conferred on Britain, the average citizen seemed to detest the “free movement” principle of the bloc, wanted their county to take back full control of its borders and limit immigration. It didn’t seem to count thatthe open border principle also meant citizens of Britain could freely emigrate to, and pursue their enterprise in any country within the bloc. Following the Brexit vote, EU leaders have been warning that Britain would not be allowed to negotiate for the beneficial single market access while avoiding the allied responsibility of free movement.

    Under U. K. laws, the June 23 referendum is not legally binding and could in principle be blocked by the country’s parliament. Parliament yet has to pass the laws that will get Britain out of the 28-nation bloc, starting with the repeal of the 1972 European Communities Act.The withdrawal agreement also has to be ratified by Parliament. In principle, the House of Lords and/or the Commons could vote against ratification. But that isn’t likely to happen in practice. In deference to voter’s choice, the government will move for Brexit in Parliament, and Conservative MPs who had voted ‘Remain’ will be ‘whipped’ to align with the government. Any MP that defies the whip must be ready to face the wrath of voters at the next general election.

    One scenario that could see the referendum result overturned is if MPs forced a general election and a party that promises to keep Britain in Europe gets elected. Such party could claimthat the election mandate supersedes the referendum mandate. But it requires the votes of two-thirds of British MPs to force a general election before the schedule date in 2020.

    The beauty in Brexit is that voters hold all the aces, and political leaders must simply submit to what they want. It will be the day here in Nigeria when politicians defer to voters and do not seek to circumvent them through electoral brigandage or judicial ambush. That will be the day!

  • Beauty can be beastly

    It is a thought-provoking irony that the anniversary of an incident of extreme ugliness was exploited for the promotion of beauty. On April 14, the second anniversary of the outrageous seizure of over 200 schoolgirls in Chibok, Borno State, by Boko Haram extremists, First Lady Aisha Buhari launched her  book, “The Essentials of Beauty Therapy: A Complete Guide for Beauty Specialists”,  at the old Banquet Hall of the Presidential  Villa, Abuja. Her husband, President Muhammadu Buhari, was on a one-week official visit to China.  Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo was the event’s Special Guest of Honour.

    The timing of the event was intriguing because it was insensitive. Mrs. Buhari’s book launch was evidence that beauty could be beastly. It was not the kind of therapy needed. It was therapy that was nontherapeutic. According to a report by Aso Rock watcher Olalekan Adetayo, “when Mrs. Buhari’s gorgeously dressed guests were driving or being driven in their posh cars into the Villa premises, armed security operatives were barricading the seat of power in order to ensure that activists campaigning for the rescue of the girls did not have access.”

    Of all days, why did Mrs. Buhari choose that day for her book presentation?  Her speech on the day spoke volumes for her superficiality. Her performance lacked a sense of occasion.  She said ”My natural passion for beauty and fashion developed the unique interest to work, teach and mentor young ones on beauty and fashion. In my over 10 years in the beauty industry, l have trained, mentored and empowered hundreds of young Nigerians in different areas such as facial, skin and body care.”  Mrs. Buhari exposed an emphatically shallow level of empathy by linking her show with the victims of the Islamist terrorist group that has terrorised the country’s Northeast since 2009. She declared: “I am dedicating this event and the proceeds from the sales of the books to be used to empower the mothers of the Chibok girls. Others are Buni Yadi boys murdered in their sleep in 2014 as well as support the malnourished children in the different Internally Displaced Persons camps and other children in such situation across the country.”

    Mrs. Buhari’s promotional enthusiasm on the occasion was pathetically uninspiring. Her words had a hollow ring: “As a mother, my heart is always with the parents of these children; I bear their pains and believe that this is one of the efforts to console them. The parents of these children brought to this event to witness this event are an indication that at individual level a lot can be done to alleviate their hardship.”

    The problem with this particular individual and individualistic effort to soften the tragedy of terrorism is that the donations were wrapped in secrecy. It is fascinating that the men and women of power and resources who attended the event didn’t say how much they were giving in support of Mrs. Buhari’s self-defined cause.

    Understandably, there are speculations that this monetary silence might have been influenced by the Buhari administration’s anti-corruption image. Indeed, the Vice President was quoted as saying: “The President and I are on half salaries. The President is very strict on money issues. So, don’t expect me to make a large donation.”  Also, a report said: “The book presenter, Senator Daisy Danjuma, also failed to make her donation public… The Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, who spoke on behalf of the 36 state governors, also followed the same line. Although he promised that state governors would make the books available to all the local government areas in the country, he did not announce how much they would pay.” Mrs. Buhari’s book reportedly had a price tag of N20, 000 per copy at the event.

    The question is: Doesn’t this unavailability of monetary information related to the book launch encourage public suspicion? At the end of the day, only the organisers would know how much they made from the event, and whatever they eventually give publicly, in connection with the advertised cause, may not be a true reflection of what they received privately. Wouldn’t that look like corruption? Like beauty, or even ugliness, corruption has many faces.

    There is no question that Mrs. Buhari’s book launch was lamentably opportunistic. The Chibok kidnap anniversary was not an occasion to be manipulated for personal purposes dressed as public purposes. The spotlight on beauty was symbolically faulty. When the world was focused on a hideous crime against humanity, which is what the girls’ abduction represents, it was ugly to trivialise the anniversary by highlighting cosmetology.

    No application of cosmetics can beautify the unattractive reality of the Chibok multiple kidnappings. Out of the 276 seized students of the Girls Senior Secondary School, Chibok, 57 managed to escape. It is a cause for concern that 219 girls are reportedly still missing, despite an international campaign that resonated across the world, involving U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama and Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai.

    Fundamentally, it is a failure of government that the strident popular demand for action, particularly political action by the political authorities, which was formulated as #BringBackOurGirls, has not brought the desired success. Notwithstanding initial footdragging by the Goodluck Jonathan administration that was in power when the terrorists struck in Chibok, and the associated complications, President Muhammadu Buhari must rise to the challenge. It is remarkable that the latest video attributed to Boko Haram coincided with the second anniversary of the Chibok abductions, and suggested that some of the caged girls were still alive and together. Undeniably, the unresolved kidnappings call for vigorous political will and creative dynamism. In this matter, the government of the day must demonstrate that it is conscious of its institutional and moral responsibilities.

    It is food for thought that on the same day Mrs. Buhari launched her beauty book in Abuja, a more soulful and soul-lifting expression of humanity was unmistakable at the scene of the horrendous happening of April 14, 2014.  Parents of some of the kidnapped Chibok schoolgirls and a team of Federal Government and Borno State officials led by Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima marked the sad anniversary on the school premises where the drama began.

    It was a poignant moment when one of the parents, K.K Yakubu, read lyrical lines: “We don’t know whether you are dead or alive, whether you have eaten or not, whether you are forced to do things you wouldn’t want to do or not, but we miss you and pray for you.” There was a spark that should spark action in the country’s power loop. This was a moment of true beauty as well as a true moment of beauty.

  • Beauty, the beholder and the beast

    Beauty, the saying goes, is in the eye of the beholder. How true this aphorism is can be seen from the different ways we react when we see a thing of beauty, particularly a woman. Most men drool over a beautiful woman. Those specially crafted by God earn our compliments because whether we like it or not they  are irresistible, be they men or women.

    As much as we appreciate beauty, we are not always in one accord in picking a thing of beauty.  What is beautiful to one may not be beautiful to the other. Some will see an ugly woman and scream ”what a beauty” to the amazement of onlookers. Others may see an acclaimed beauty like Miss World and not take a second look at her. What do you make of that? Can we then say that a woman chosen as the most beautiful woman in the world is not pretty?

    She is,  at least to those who chose her, but to other beholders, she may not get a second look.  This is why beauty pageants are always dogged by controversies, with the panellists and members of the audience disagreeing, in most cases, on whoever is eventually picked as winner. But no matter how a woman looks, her head will swell to hear a man say to her ”you are beautiful”.

    Though those three words look simple and ordinary, they have a magnetic effect on women. Many women are known to have taken offence because they do not get such compliments from their men even after taking all the time in the world to look nice for them. Some men do not know how to sweet talk their women to get them, speaking figuratively,  eating out of their hands. And women, no matter how hard hearted they may be, want to hear words that will make their heads spin. It is an age-long practice to appreciate a thing of beauty. There is nothing bad in telling a woman that she is beautiful even if you know she is not. Such compliment is the first step to opening up conversation with her in order to know her better.

    Many men have hit the bull’s eye with that opening line as they have gone to build a lifelong relationship with those complimented women. For trying to use that line on a female cadet officer, a man almost paid with his life, according to a video now trending on social media. He was beaten black and blue sometime in 2014 in Kaduna by the woman and his four male colleagues. They recorded the show of shame on their phone from where it found its way to social media.

    This beauty was not impressed by the compliment of her beholder. And her colleagues, who in this instant can be referred to as beasts because of the way they behaved, descended on the man. The Beast in the fairy tale titled Beauty and the Beast did not behave like that. The Beast appreciated the beauty of Beauty, the last daughter of the widowed wealthy merchant, that it fell ill when Beauty was away from their home in the forest for long. In that tale, we saw the power of love and care, which turned the Beast into a charming, handsome prince.

    But in this true life story, the female cadet officer did not appreciate the language of love. She seems to understand only the power of force, which could be linked to her military training. Does military training preclude a woman from accepting such compliment as ”you are beautiful”? Is there any harm in telling a female cadet officer that she is beautiful? Was that the first time the officer is being told she is beautiful? Was that why the compliment sounded strange to her? Does it not show that something is wrong with her if she can flare up over such innocuous compliment? Does she have the temperament for the military job she is being trained for?

    Who knows the kind of training our cadets are receiving these days. Last December, two Air Force cadets also displayed the beast in them when they locked a porter in the trunk of their car for breaking the windscreen. It was not an intentional act by the porter, but the cadets did not see it as such. They decided to teach the “bloody civilian” a lesson by first dragging him on the ground after which they dumped him in their car trunk. Their plan was to take him to the Air Force Base at Ikeja, Lagos, where he would have seen hell.

    He was saved from these power-drunk cadets by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, who was passing by Mile 12 market, where the incident occurred. The governor directed the police to take over the case. It will be interesting to know what has become of the matter. Have the cadets undergone orderly room trial for public misconduct? When will the police charge them to court for conspiracy, assault occasioning body harm and disturbing public peace? It is when these cadets are tried for their disgraceful public conduct that they will know that their uniform does not confer on them the power to misbehave and terrorise civilians at will.

    The military is an hallowed institution and those who wish to join it must be levelheaded people that will not abuse its might. What is bad in telling a female cadet officer ”you are beautiful”? Even if she is not beautiful, that should not lead to a quarrel. By her training she should have acknowledged the compliment by simply saying ”thank you” and go her way;  or better still she should have kept quiet and moved on. But to now descend on the man with her colleagues, cursing and swearing, is barbaric. It is unbecoming for military cadets to use foul words like “Am I beautiful? Idiot. Describe me, how beautiful am I? This bastard is not responding. See this idiot. Squat down…”

    It is a shame that these cadets are the future of our military. What will they turn to when they become officers? Brutes? The military will be failing in its duty if it does not re-orientate these cadets before they become terrors. The military, whether of now or of the future, must be people-oriented and should not be constituted by officers who run on short fuse.