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Tag: challenge

  • ‘Pipeline vandalism a challenge’

    The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) Secretary Ejigbo Depot Alhaji Onifade Adesina has said oil pipeline vandalism is a major problem facing the group and the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

    He said sabotage at oil pipelines has brought serious shortage of petroleum products in the country, prompting rationalisation of supplies to customers.

    He said a truck carries 33,000 litres of petrol, but the shortage in supplies has made it  to carry only 15,000 litres, with about 40 trucks sold daily.

    On steps taken by NUPENG to checkmate rising cases of pipeline vandalism, he said the body has engaged security operatives to guard pipelines from being vandalised.

    The exercise, he said, has yielded some results as the security men alert the group in cases where unauthorised persons encroach on pipelines.

    He said: “We have appointed security operatives to the pipelines to help  watch over the environment and report any suspicious movements by strangers.

    “NUPENG is also collaborating with the security operatives to help watch over the environment and report any suspicious movement in the premises.”

    The NUPENG scribe said   product scarcity has not stopped marketers from buying the product for sale.

     

  • Enactus challenge begins

    Barring last minute cancellation, students from several higher institutions, who are members of Enactus Nigeria, a non-profit organisation promoting entrepreneurship on campuses, will converged on the Eko Hotel, in Victoria Island, Lagos next Tuesday for the opening of ceremony of the organisation’s annual national contest.

    The four-day event with the theme: See possibilities, will feature an innovation summit, in which the topic of the discourse will be role of innovation in driving entrepreneurial success and how it will engender positive change.

    After the first round of the contest on Tuesday, the semi-final and final contest will come on Thursday and Friday respectively, where students will display their dexterity in entrepreneurship and problem-solving.

    At the competition, students will showcase innovative impact they have been making in communities across the country and how they are impacting lives through life-changing projects. Also to feature at the event is the “Light up Nigeria” power challenge and the “My Cashless Campus Challenge” projects.

    The “Light up Nigeria” power challenge was developed to inspire Enactus teams to explore the opportunities in the value chain of providing sustainable solution to power challenge in the country.

    Students used their innovation to design projects that address electrical power shortage being experienced in rural communities, leveraging on wind and solar energy sources and the creative use of water plants to generate electricity for rural communities.

    “My Cashless Campus Challenge” is an on-campus competition that inspires Enactus teams to develop and implement strategies that will transform their campuses into cashless communities using debit card.

    This year, about 36 higher institutions, including universities and polytechnics are expected to compete for the opportunity to represent Nigeria at the Enactus World Cup Challenge in Beijing, China in October.

    A statement from the Enactus Country Director, Mrs Adesuwa Ifedi, welcomed the participants to the contest and urged them to be decorous in conduct in the duration of the event.

  • Valverde issues challenge after Herrera’s exit

    Athletic Bilbao coach Ernesto Valverde has challenged his midfielders to raise their game following the departure of Ander Herrera.

    Herrera completed a switch to Manchester United on a four-year deal last month, after the Premier League club met his buy-out clause.

    The 24-year-old was an influential member of a Bilbao side that qualified for the UEFA Champions League via a fourth-placed finish in La Liga, making 33 league appearances and scoring five goals.

    Valverde was saddened by Herrera’s departure, but the 50-year-old is expecting others who can play his position to stake their claim for a starting berth.

    “It [losing Herrera] is disappointing,” he said. “He is a player who has given us a lot.

    “[But] there are players vying for his position and we expect them to do as well or even better. We wish him the best of luck.

    “I wasn’t expecting the sale of Ander. [These] are issues that can happen.”

    Valverde also accepts that there is pressure on his side to replicate the form that saw them secure European football when the new campaign begins.

    “FInishing fourth generates high expectations,” he added. “We accept it, but it will be a complicated season.

    “It is a challenge for us. Our aim must be to fight for positions that give access to Europe.”

  • APC, Oyegun and 2015 challenge

    APC, Oyegun and 2015 challenge

    Elder statesman Chief John Odigie-Oyegun was elected at the weekend as the first national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at its national convention in Abuja. Group Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU examines the challenges that will confront the new party leadership as the main opposition party prepares for the next year’s general elections.

    What next after the All Progressives Congress (APC) convention? Six challenges, according to observers, may confront the main opposition party as the country prepares for the next year’s general elections.

    APC and 2015

    Te bigger the party,  the bigger the headache. As the party enlarges its coast, a clash of interests may be inevitable. In the APC, the struggle for ‘party power’ has generated tension. Thus, the first task is the challenge of post-convention reconciliation to prevent its escalation. Apparently reflecting on this crucial task, the APC national leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, urged aspirants to the party positions who could not make it to make more sacrifices for the party.

    This week, the party will face a major test in Ekiti State, where it wields an incumbency power. The governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has lived up to expectation in the last three and half years. But, as part of the agenda to capture the Southwest region, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is on the prowl. Reminiscent of 2003, and 2007, politicians are beating the drum of war. In Anambra State, where the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had bungled the governorship election, the party is still in court. For Ekiti, it is a moment of anxiety, especially now that the campaigns have been marred by violence perpetrated by suspected PDP thugs.

    Also, in less than two months, attention will shift to Osun State. The PDP, a source said, is desperate to displace the APC government by all means, despite the performance and popularity of Governor Rauf Aregbesola. “The PDP is planning to rig elections in Ekiti and Osun states. I urge you to be vigilant”, said Chief Bisi Akande, the Interim National Chairman, who stepped down. ‘There is no sanctity of the ballot box yet. That is why we are calling on the INEC to use electronic card reader. It will eliminate rigging,” he added.

    If the party wins the elections in the two states, it will send a clear signal to the PDP that it has laid a foundation for power shift at the centre next year.

    In the last quarter of the year, the APC presidential primaries may hold in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). There are indications that the slot may be zoned to the North. Six aspirants are said to be warming up for the exercise. They are former military Head of State Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwakwanso, former governor of Kwara State Senator Olusola Saraki, former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Mallam Nuhu Ribadu and the publisher of Leadership Newspaper, Nda Isaiah. More aspirants may join the race later.

    Internal democracy

    Ahead of the exercise, prominent chieftains have been calling for credible primaries. “We will democratically choose our democratically our presidential candidate,” said Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi at the convention. Echoing him, his Imo State counterpart and Chairman of APC Governors’ Forum, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, said: “Our party must observe and respect internal democracy”. In agreement with these assertions, Buhari, who received the ovation of a moral voice and father figure, explained that the convention was organised to choose party leaders who will hold primaries from councillorship to presidential elections.

    Observers believe that, if the party can hold presidential primaries without rancour, it will be well positioned to fight for federal power without being balkanised before the critical poll.

    Delegates who spoke with our correspondent also agreed that how the choice of the presidential running mate is managed has implications. There are speculations that the slot may be zoned to either the Southwest or Southsouth. “In our party, it is a sensitive issue. But, it is better to choose a man of worth who has made sacrifice for the party from the South as the running mate. The APC should not listen to this propaganda that religion should shape the choice of the flag bearer and the running mate. Merit and competence should be our watchword. That is where I stand”, said a delegate from Katsina.

    Also, between now and next elections, the APC must watch out for moles in the fold. The pattern of skeletal defections from the party has shown that there are few politicians who can still be bought by the PDP or jump ship, if their narrow aspirations are not met.

    Quest for free poll

    But, the most salient challenge that will confront the APC is the challenge of free and fair elections in 2015. Peeping into the future, Buhari, Tinubu,  Akande, Turaki Abubakar and Amaechi said that, for the APC to survive the rigging machinery of the PDP, the votes must count.

    As the leaders and members converged on Abuja, these challenges were on the front burner. It was a carnival-like convention at Eagle Square. The crowd was huge. Party faithful from 37 chapters were in one accord. At the end of the historic national congress, the APC emerged as a better and more formidable opposition party. Not only did the party passed the arduous test of internal democracy, it drew power and strength from compromise, consensus building and extreme self-sacrifice of its leaders.

    The convention, which was witnessed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials, was devoid of large scale acrimony and intrigues. Unlike the last year’s convention of the ruling PDP, which led to a split, it seemed that APC leaders jettisoned personal interests for collective interest. Reality may have dawned on them that, for the party to dislodge the PDP from power in the next election, they must put their house in order.

    Reconciliation

    However, crisis resolution is still work in progress. The post-convention reconciliation, party chieftains acknowledged, is necessary to prevent defection from the fold, ahead of the next election. At the convention, crises in some chapters reflected in the composition of delegates. In Ogun State, a section of the party loyal a national leader, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, shunned the event. Apart from Osoba’s absence, a contender for the national chairmanship, Chief Tom Ikimi from Edo State, also refused to participate at the congress. In some state chapters, there were subtle cries of despondency over intra-party marginalisation and politics of exclusion.

    Former governor of Edo State and National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) chieftain Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, who emerged as the new national chairman, inherited the challenge of forging unity in the party. The position was zoned to the Southsouth, his region of birth. Before the commencement of voting by delegates, another contestant, former Bayelsa State Governor Timpreye Sylva, had stepped down, citing the need to ensure unity, harmony and cohesion in the region. Some governors, who had formed themselves into a powerful bloc, bowed to the superior argument that the odd favoured Oyegun against Sylva, their candidate. Giving hints about how he was endorsed by the majority of party leaders, a source said that the former Edo governor warmed himself into their hearts because of his pedigree. “He is a retired Federal Permanent Secretary. He was a governor who served without blemish. Remember that he was a fighter for democracy in NADECO. He has no controversy. He cannot be compromised,” added the source, who was a delegate from Lagos State. Although Oyegun ran as a lone candidate, the party still insisted on election in the spirit of internal democracy.

    Many party chieftains, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers state said they expect the same scenario to repeat itself during the APC’s presidential primaries.

    A top party source said that the composition of the Board of Trustees (BOT) may take into cognisance the urgency of crisis resolution and reconciliation. “Those who wanted to be part of the national executive committee but were not successful may become BoT members. I know that there is also a plan to have a Council of Elders primarily to serve as guardians and monitors of the party processes”, said the source.

    A milestone

    Before the convention, which was presided over by Akande, there were fears that the convention may become the party’s albatross. In fact, accreditation and voting started behind schedule. The voting, which started around 12.30 am, was disrupted by a heavy downpour. But, the delegates did not disperse.  Thus, apart from overcoming previous hurdles triggered by the choice of party name, logo and symbol, and composition of the interim national executive committee, the APC held a free and fair convention, which gave a clear indication that it has a bright future. At the event, the main preoccupation of stalwarts was how to win power in future elections.

    The Chairman of the National Convention Committee, Sokoto State Governor Aliyu Wamakko, described the convention as a milestone and the first stage in its efforts to bail Nigeria out of distress. He reflected on the challenge of forging ahead into a future pregnant with possibilities. “In spite of our diversity, we have acknowledged that we have a common problem, which is the leadership”, he said. Therefore, for APC to wrest power, it must project itself as a viable alternative to the PDP, he added.

    Wamakko stressed: “The critical issue is the economic regression. There is a drift in social infrastructure. There is insurgency. The Federal Government is preoccupied with scheming to retain power, creating mistrust through divide and rule tactics. The solution is leadership change in 2015”. He also refuted the allegation of religious bias, saying that the party cut across ethnic and religious lines, adding that it is dedicated to the building of one nation with justice for all. In the governor’s view, winning power is the ultimate goal. “With all legitimate and noble means, the APC must win power. We must make a choice and not compromise the survival of Nigeria. The time to make it is now. Nigeria is too large to be left in the manipulative hands of the few”, the governor added.

    Hurdles

    However, Wammako said that the 2015 poll will not be a walk over for the APC. “It will require courage and determination of party leaders and members to effect change in Nigeria”, he said.

    Akande, who gave a valedictory speech, thanked the members of the interim executive committee for their loyalty, urging them to extend the same gesture to the new chairman. He said that he was bowing out with pride and satisfaction. He observed that the APC has started a steady and progressive march to Aso Villa, the seat of government. Tracing the history of the party, he said it was formed to serve as a credible alternative to the PDP’s misrule, noting that Nigerians have joined it in huge numbers. “Nigerians see the APC as the agent of change. Our party is strong and our achievements have surpassed our expectation. From 11 states, we now have 16 states. Our strength in the parliament is also growing. APC has given hope to Nigerians”, he said.

    The former interim leader alerted the party to future obstacles. Noting that the “over-confident PDP” is waking up to the reality of a formidable challenge and possibility of not forming the next government at the centre, he said the ruling party may lay mines on the way to power. He said part of efforts made to credit the APC by the PDP was to label it as a Muslim party and janja weed party. But, he assured that the party will reach the promised land.

    Push for power shift

    For Akande, the PDP’s time is up in Aso Rock for other reasons. Lamenting that Nigeria is at its lowest moment, he said the country that was sending troops to help distressed African nations is now seeking foreign military assistance to combat insurgency. In particular, he said that the kidnap of over 200 school girls in Borno State is a national embarrassment. Akande recalled that, while the APC proposed a National Stakeholders Security Summit to brainstorm and find lasting solutions to national insecurity, the Federal Government, which ignored it, blamed the party for sponsoring the insurgency. “It is unfounded, irresponsible and escapist. They believe that the insurgency is the ticket for the second term. Unemployment, infrastructural decay, poor power supply, corruption are on the increase. The President has distinguished between corruption and stealing. But, corruption is corruption. Jonathan is celebrating the resuscitation of a locomotive railway in this century of bullet proof rail,” he fumed.

    Akande shed light on the APC Roadmap, urging Nigerians to be hopeful. He assured that, if elected into power, the party will provide job, healthcare and security for the people.

    The APC Governors Forum Chairman, Okorocha, chided the PDP for mismanaging the opportunities to take the country to greater height in the last 15 years. He said change is desirable next year. “In 2015, our victory is signed, sealed and delivered. This party will not fail Nigerians,” he added. But, Amaechi warned that change would not come easily. “If we sleep in our houses and think that the PDP will release power, we are joking. There should be struggle for power”, he said, adding that mobilisation is essential. Besides, the governor stressed the need to vote and defend the votes.

    The elder statesman from the Southeast, Chief Ogbonnaya Onu, asked from the crowd: is there anybody who is happy with the situation in the country? The crowd chorused “No.” The former Abia State governor said that, since Nigeria has enough resources for development, the APC will harness them judiciously. But, he called for free and fair elections, saying that it should start in Ekiti and Osun states.

    Former Bornu State Governor Modu Sheriff said: “Today, we are making history. This convention shows that we have come together for the APC. APC will solve all the problems we are facing in Nigeria.”

    There was a wild jubilation when Tinubu stormed the convention. On the podium, he received applause for his contributions to party growth. The former Lagos State governor flayed the Federal Government over corruption, abuse of power and gross ineptitude. Waving his broom to the crowd, he said: “The broom revolution is here.” He reflected on the journey so far, noting that the APC is on course. “Tonight is a history making night. They said it was impossible to form the APC. Today, we are existing. We are gathered here because of the life of our country. We are here, not because we want to occupy offices.

    “This is commonsense revolution. We need the commonsense revolution to fight insecurity, unemployment, hopelessness, the abduction of our children. It is a shame to all of us that our children are still in captivity. But, the greatest shame goes to the President.

    Storm of change

    “There is going to be a storm. It is not a storm of disaster. It is a storm of positive change for a better and united Nigeria. The PDP has no positive idea to offer, but emotional lies. There is no end to pension scam. Barrels of crude oil are missing. They were even picking the pocket of our children during the immigration recruitment. We are here to give Nigeria hope. We will sweep out failure, corruption, insecurity. With brooms in our hands and with God on our side, we will sweep them away.”

    To Abubakar, Nigerians have the opportunity to end the government next year because the President has no clue to the national problems. “This government has no business in office after 2015”, he said, berating the President for ineptitude. But, he cautioned against the elevation of self-interest over collective interest. “We must be different from the PDP. We must show that we are in a democratic party. We should not be seen as Christians and Muslims, but we must be Nigerians first. We must make sure that our party wins in 2015,” he added.

    Buhari, who agreed with Abubakar, lamented that the PDP has done utter damage. But, he promised that the APC will reposition the country as from next year. He described the formation of the APC as a dream come true. “From 2005, we realised that no single opposition party could make an impact. We resolved to come together to liberate Nigeria. This convention is strategic to the development and survival of Nigeria”, he said. The former Head of State said that the APC will not rest on its oars after the convention. A Council of Elders will be set up to monitor the new executive committee and party processes, he added.

    Buhari said, to get Nigeria moving, power must shift next year. “If you cannot sleep with your two eyes closed in your hundred million houses, what is the use of your money. This government has failed”, he stressed.

  • APC: The Buhari challenge

    Iran into a friend at the 75th birthday reception of Chief Bisi Akande, the interim National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) at the Eko Expo Centre a few months back. Knowing how my friend is intricately connected to the country’s political power grid both in the past and present on either side of the ideological divide – if ideology is not an oxymoron in the nation’s body politic – I quickly engaged him in a political discourse during the munching period. As someone always on the move around the world and not knowing when I would run into him again, I had to quickly pick his brain as I asked him, among other things, how APC will keep the political ‘rock stars’ in its fold from violently colliding with themselves in their efforts to become the party’s presidential flag-bearer in order to prevent a rupture in the party. I also asked him in whose direction he thought the pendulum for the president will likely swing among the key political actors in the party.

    “It’s going to be Buhari’, he deadpanned.

    The formation of a political organization, or any human organization for that matter, is to advance either some identifiable monolithic interests or to bring into fruition a multiplicity of disparate interests under an organizational umbrella. ThereforeAPC cannot be any short of a gathering of people seeking political power of various kinds in which there is bound to be different groupings with similar interests, jockeying for political advantage against other groups whose interests seems dissimilar and vice-versa.

    Although he has not made his intention publicly known as to whether or not he will vie for the country’s Number One seat, General Mohammed Buhari has become such an enigma that has since metamorphosed into a cult personage so enthralling that his decision to or not to run in 2015 is bound to have some ripple effects not only on APC but the polity itself. As a result of this image that the General has carved for himself – wittingly or unwittingly – his decision either way will most definitely arouse a significant amount of intensity from just about all strata of society.

    With Buhari joining the presidential fray in 2015, being indifferent or non-committal by Nigerians will no longer be an option or a luxury. But whether this will bode good or ill for our democratic experience will remain to be seen. While ordinary Nigerians with good grasp of the ills of the society but knows who among the present top echelon of the political class they think would likely make a big difference would be greatly agitated if Buhari is unable to get the presidential ticket, Nigeria’s small but very lethal economic and political elites would no doubt heave a huge sigh of relief if Buhari decide to take a pass in 2015. To them, preventing Buhari from becoming the country’s chief of state once again is the beginning of their financial wisdom.

    While the people should not expect General Mohammed Buhari to be that messianic democrat they’ve been waiting for (if elected) given his military antecedents, the institutions and laws that are necessary for nurturing democratic ethos in the citizenry –the political class inclusive – has been missing for far too long, and General Buhari cannot be an exception to this fact. But Buhari can make up for this democratic deficit by the party’s insistence that he’s surrounded by avidly democratic ‘Young Turks’ to guide him about those little but extremely important nuances of democracy that he may consider to be irritants due to his military background. One must, however, also be cognizant of the fact that Nigeria is most definitely on the brink. Either because of the happy-go-lucky nature of the people or the crass incompetence of the leadership almost since independence, the country is structurally weak and morally depraved that she needs someone who stands relatively morally a shoulder above the rest of the political class who can pull her away from the precipice. General Buhari fits this bill.

    That corruption is now believed to be the single most important problem capable of ultimately destroying the country if not checked on time in a country in which her people hardly agree on anything except their national football team, the opposition All Progressives Party (APC) presidential flag-bearer must be seen by the generality of Nigerians as having the moral authority to wrestle with this hydra-headed monster that they’ve concluded that President Jonathan is unwilling to address, let alone effectively tackle. Aside from corruption, institution-building is another critical element that nations that are placed on sound socio-economic and political pedestal has also been drumming into our ears that we also need if we desire a sustainable society.

    So, since it’s almost a foregone conclusion that President Jonathan – who has demonstrated that he would rather not be bothered with corruption, let alone building institutions – will run for re-election, APC, as part of its winning formula may have to settle for Buhari as its presidential candidate. As a known quantity in the north, most specifically in the North-east and North-west geo-political zones where the votes will probably decide who wins the presidential election (barring rigging from the ruling party), Buhari’s candidacy will probably make much sense for the APC and voters more likely to see that the party is serious about stabilizing the drifting ship of state with his candidacy.

    Even if it wins the presidential election, APC should be under no illusion that the battle has been won as the real test of the ‘new leadership’ then will be how intelligently corruption is being fought. In order not to get too bogged down thereby becoming lethargic within a short period, the ‘new leadership’ may first have to stabilize the country’s runaway corruption by putting it on a leash. This it can do by compartmentalizing this social behemoth into what can be termed the ‘old’ and ‘new’ corruption. A “carrot approach” may first have to be deployed for those villains of the ‘old corruption’ to encourage them to voluntarily relinquish their loots to the state for job creation and other developmental agendas, while stringent laws are being put in place, existing institutions strengthened and new ones created to handle them (if they refused) and those that falls into the ‘new corruption’ category. It means that the four years of the APC government will be a period of legislative renaissance for a ‘New Nigeria’ with radical overhauling of existing laws and reforming the judiciary. Therefore aspirants to the National Assembly in 2015 without sound minds may not contest.

    • Odere is a media practitioner. He can be reached at femiodere@gmail.com.

  • ‘Living in Niger Delta prepares you for any challenge in life’

    ‘Living in Niger Delta prepares you for any challenge in life’

    A Canada-based film producer, Henry Eruotor, speaks with Shola O’Neil on his determination to, through his films, change misconceptions about the region and Nigeria in the international community.

    I was born and raised in Warri, Delta State, where I worked in my family’s video rental shop. It was only logical for me to watch most of the films we offered so I could market them to patrons. My favourite part of watching a DVD was always the extra features section where the director described the making of the movie. I remember always wishing that these sections were longer. My exposure to these foreign films piqued my interest and curiosity about the art of filmmaking.

    Many Nigerians seem to have certain preconceptions and misconceptions about foreigners and life abroad. My experiences in both countries have helped me portray life in each more accurately.

    After my final undergraduate exam, my project supervisor invited me to join the production crew for another adaptation project. It could be that my niche is adapting established stories for screen.

    Upon arrival in Canada, my quest to improve my filmmaking skills drove me to study Documentary Production at Algonquin College, Ottawa. I also have a Masters of Information Studies from the University of Ottawa.

    For some time, like all of us, I was more of a Nollywood critic than a content creator. “Why is that woman waking up with full make-up? Where’s the wallet he was holding in the last shot? Why are they speaking proper English in the house?” Finally, someone told me, “That’s all well and good, but what have you done?” That put fire under my ‘yansh’ and forced me to start producing. That humbled me, because I learned that nailing these details—costuming, continuity, diction and a million other things—is not as easy as they seem. But it also motivated me to learn by doing. Practice, practice, practice. The goal is always to make the next project better than the last.

    What do you hope to achieve with your works?

    I am inspired to tell African stories, not just Delta or Nigeria. I want to tell the good, evil, tragic, funny, common and incredible. I’m repeatedly stunned by the number of people who are unaware of the talents and prospects of Africa in general and Nigeria in particular. They are blinded by the negative stories they have heard or seen in the media. I want to broaden their perspective with my films.

    I’m not trying to recreate Nollywood in Canada. Nollywood is the second largest film industry in the world by number of films. Nollywood tells our stories very well, but it can do better in terms of generating content and improving the technical aspects of film production.

    Though Nollywood has done well, we should be aiming for more than just quantity. Nigeria has such tremendous writers and amazing stories to tell. I admire Jeta Amata and Kunle Afolayan, who have been able to marry Nollywood themes with Hollywood quality. I aspire to do the same. This winter, I attended the premiere of Half of a Yellow Sun at the Toronto International Film Festival. It was incredible. I also saw Fela! on Broadway in New York City and loved it. Sitting in those audiences, I felt very proud to be Nigerian.

    I look forward to the day when we can turn more of our incredible stories into high quality, widely seen productions. I’ve seen wonderful Indian stories on film, and several have won prestigious awards. I would love to see a Nigerian film in serious contention for an Oscar or a Golden Globe. I have resolved to be a part of the generation of Africans and Nigerians that takes Nollywood to a different level and a wider audience. We have the talent, the drive, the creativity and the industriousness to do it.

    About his works

    My filmmaking journey continues. Each play, television show and film I watch is a learning experience, and every project I undertake is an opportunity for me to expand my skills. Since earning my undergraduate degree, I’ve produced documentary profiles (Mr. Independent, From Kaduna to Canada, Greener Pastures) short films and promotional videos. The No-Nonsense Wife and Otito are two of my favourites.

    I faithfully read Nigerian news and blogs. When I read Abimbola Dare’s short story The No-Nonsense Wife online, I was drawn to the message. I’m a big believer in not passing judgment unless you’ve walked a mile in someone’s shoes. I immediately contacted Abimbola, who graciously agreed to my adaptation proposal.

    I cast eager, talented friends and acquaintances that were available to film. Some were more experienced than others. In some ways, we were learning together. In fact, I had to scrap the first version of the film; I knew we could do better. I met Omodudu Onidada Osun (Toni) through a mutual friend in Toronto. She had no formal acting training, but she is expressive and creative, and I could tell she would be a natural on screen. I have known Efe Mike-Ifeta (Biyi) since we were classmates and flatmates in Abraka. We work together on film projects often, and he’s talented both on- and off-screen. Hans Oreva (Dennis) and Divine Emeovrode (Dayo), incidentally from my hometown, are actually siblings. I thought this might make it easier for them to be comfortable playing out a difficult scene together. They’re both very skilled. The cast worked very hard, often in very cold weather and late into the night, and I’m so happy with their work.

    Otito (Truth) came out of my desire to lay out some of the innocuous ways Nigerians are stereotyped in the West. Ade’s experiences are just a sample of some of the frustrations I’ve experienced since emigrating. Individually they seem small, sometimes even humorous, but together they illustrate everyday prejudice. Once again, friends came through: John Eke (Ade), Jeti Olafimihan (Otito) and Robert Sykes (professor) were great, as were the management and staff of Le Dôme Bar-Lounge, where we shot the bar scene.

    Misconceptions about the Niger Delta and Nigerians

    There are a couple of misconceptions I experience regularly. The most common one is people asking me if I’m a boxer or a fighter. I could not understand their curiosity until someone explained that they are confused because of the scars on my face. I have facial tribal marks and back home it’s pretty normal to meet people with marks.

    Of course, I’m exposed to quite a few negative misconceptions, often framed as jokes, about Nigerians being loud, boastful or crass (I especially get this from other Africans!), and about Nigerians engaging in fraud. People have asked about my village, and have assumed my upbringing was more impoverished than it really was. (This goes with general lack of awareness about Nigeria’s educated middle class.) I generally don’t mind, because I get opportunities to educate people about Nigeria and Africa.

    But generally, I would say Canadians are quite open-minded and worldly, and other African immigrants always greet each other kindly and engage each other as in Africa.

    How has your background as a Niger Deltan affected your life in Canada?

    There is a reason for everything in life. I’m very happy that I was born and raised where I was; growing up in the Niger Delta prepares you to face many challenges of life, and has really helped me distinguish what’s really important. Life in Africa is full of drama and interesting experiences and these inspire my work most.

    At the same time, being exposed to a very different society has helped me reflect on life in the Niger Delta. I’m constantly confronted with ideas and experiences that challenge some of the beliefs I held growing up, and it forces me to really think about the good and bad of the Niger Delta and the good and bad of my new home, and what I can learn from each. I think this comes across in my films, and will continue to.

    I want my films to showcase the experiences that are unique to Nigeria and to Africa (certain customs, for example), but also to showcase our universal experiences like love and loss and laughter.

     

  • ‘ABS gave us our toughest challenge’

    ‘ABS gave us our toughest challenge’

    Head coach of Premier League new entrants, Giwa FC of Jos, Abdullahi Biffo has revealed that his side faced the toughest challenge so far, in their build up of the season in the encounter against Abubakar Bukola Saraki FC.

    ABS FC played out a two-all draw with Giwa FC at the Kwara State Stadium Wednesday.

    Coach Biffo, who spoke with sport writers shortly after the explosive encounter, praised the Saraki Boys for giving his side their toughest test of opposition so far in their preparations ahead of the Glo Premier League kick off later this month.

    He praised the efforts of the technical bench of the ABS side led by Coach Moshood Adebayo and Yomi Elijah for assembling a quality side within a short time frame having lost over 24 players.

    The Kwara State-born gaffer said that the ABS FC team he watched was a potential Premier League side, even as he tipped the club for promotion at the end of the Nigerian National League (NNL) season.

    On his team’s preparation so far, he said the privately-owned Giwa FC were in Ilorin for a 10-day pre-season camping, and that so far the level of readiness was encouraging, stressing further that his side were set to face defending champions, Kano Pillars in the league opener.

    Meanwhile, ABS FC will travel to Ijebu-Ode this weekend to face another Glo League side, Sunshine Stars of Akure in another friendly encounter as build up for the new season continues.

    General Manager of ABS FC Alloy Chukwuemeka said the exposure his side gets from playing bigger teams would give the Saraki-owned club a psychological advantage when they play against teams in the NNL.

     

  • My successor’s main challenge’ll be CBN’s independence, says Sanusi

    My successor’s main challenge’ll be CBN’s independence, says Sanusi

    The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi has said the major challenge his successor will face is that of maintaining the independence of the apex bank, warning that any attempt to muscle the bank will be inimical to the economy.

    Sanusi who spoke in an interview with Bloomberg TV Africa at the World Economic Forum in Davos, said it is important that the CBN be allowed to make comments openly at all times about the economy without fear or favour.

    He said: “It’s extremely important from the fiscal side, it’s extremely important from the governance side, that the governor of the central bank is able to speak independently of political authority and raise an alarm and concerns and give constructive criticism and advice.

    “If anyone tampered with it, the markets would punish the economy. It’s a very strong institution that needs a strong leader and I think one of the things we’ve achieved over the last four or five years is to show that we can have an independent central bank in Africa.”

    Sanusi, 52, will leave his position in June when his contract ends. During his five-year term, he fired bank executives to clean up an industry that was near collapse, kept interest rates at a record in the face of calls from businesses for lower borrowing costs and last month raised concern about the Nigerian National Petroleum Coroporation (NNPC’s) retaining revenue.

    President Goodluck Jonathan hasn’t said anything about who will replace him neither has the president solicited his advice on a potential successor, Sanusi said.

    The governor said he has “no fears” of tightening monetary policy further to keep inflation down and to stabilise the currency. The bank can increase its key interest rate from 12 per cent and the cash reserve requirement (CRR) on public sector funds to 100 per cent if needed, he said.

    Sanusi said: “I don’t think we are at the end of possible tightening cycles, but I do think that the scope for further tightening is getting narrower and narrower. We do need to rely more on other instruments.”

    The CBN has kept its policy rate unchanged at a record high since October 2011, helping to bring inflation down to the lowest level in more than five years last year. That still hasn’t been enough to persuade the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) to cut rates as oil savings fall, eroding the funds available to defend the currency. The CRR on public funds was increased to 75 per cent from 50 per cent at an MPC meeting earlier this week.

    He said inflation will be kept within a band of six per cent to nine per cent this year, controlled mainly by monetary conditions.

    “Government spending has not been huge, the real challenge has been on the revenue side and on the foreign-exchange side. I see no reason why from 2015, Nigeria cannot move to within the range of South Africa’s three per cent to six per cent, or four per cent to seven percent” for inflation, he said.

    Chief Executive Officer, United Bank for Africa Plc, Phillips Oduoza, said while banks’ earnings will be hit in the short term by the monetary tightening on public funds, it will encourage them to attract more private sector deposits.

    “In the short run, it is going to affect every person, but in the long run, I think the system is going to be better off. Financial inclusion is very, very key. We have a significant number of people that are not in the financial system,” Oduoza said in a separate interview in Davos yesterday

    Sanusi said he’s unconcerned by “personal relationships,” given the backlash he’s faced since writing a letter to Jonathan alleging the state oil company had withheld $49.8 billion in revenue.

    “We meet at work and people should do their job. I do hope that the president will be happy if I do the job very well,” he said.

    Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala told reporters on Dec. 18 a reconciliation of the accounts showed unaccounted oil receipts from the NNPC stood at $10.8 billion. The NNPC has said it spent the funds on pipeline repairs, fuel subsidies, crude losses and reserve fuel

  • Agents challenge Customs

    The National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) has urged the management Customs to tackle corruption among its men and enforce its law to ensure trade compliance

    The group also said the Customs has the capacity and capability to take over the management, operation and administration of Destination Inspection (DI).

    The Founder of the group, Mr Boniface Aniebonam told reporters in Lagos that they are happy that the Federal Government has lived up to expectation by directing the service providers to hand over D I scheme to Customs and advised its management to instil discipline.

    He advised Freight Agents to stop third party documentation because of inherent liability, revenue and security of practitioners and the country.

    He also urged stakeholders to embrace good practice of genuine declaration of imports for Customs purposes.

    “We are all happy that today every responsibility has been returned to the Nigeria Customs Service after several years of hard struggle,” he said.

    Aniebonam, however, advised Customs officers, Importers, Freight Forwarders and other stakeholders to buckle up to avoid what he called, “playing again into the hands of portfolio investors and world class business groups.

    “Customs must tackle corruption among some of its officers.  It is also important that Customs’ law should be enforced with a view to ensuring trade compliance.  In the same vein, issues of discipline, professionalism, best practice and respect for division of labour should be encouraged and actualised.

    “It is our view that the Nigeria Customs Service management must now raise the bar by invoking and applying relevant Sections of CEMA to do their job. Specifically, Nigeria Customs Service should pay attention to Sections 4, 5, 8, 11, 12, 13, 19, 27, 28, 29, 46, 47, 63, 64, 77, 136, 153, 154, 155, 158, 160, 161, 162,164, 166 and 176 etc.

    “The point herein is that laws are made to be obeyed, and if we do not enforce our trade laws, we may not be able to advance the course of compliance. Freight Forwarders whose names appear in the register of CRFFN and Licensed Customs Agents must now embrace the doctrine of professionalism and ethical standards in practice. There is the urgent need for scale of charges to be developed and applied by the agents for their services.”

    The Nigerian importer/exporter, he said, should take note of liability inherent under Sections 154 and 155 of Customs Law – CEMA.

  • Nigeria’s most important challenge

    For decades now, one issue has stood persistently and unavoidably before the Nigerian public – namely the issue of restructuring of the Nigerian federation. Issues come and go, but the need to restructure our federation, and demands for it, are always out there before us. In recent weeks, since President Jonathan announced his decision to convene a national conference, the issue has loomed very large indeed. But it has loomed that large only because the people of Nigeria want a national conference as forum for restructuring their federation. Restructuring is the one and only issue that fuels the raging fire of Nigerians’ passionate demand for a National Conference, or a Sovereign National Conference.

    So, why is this issue of restructuring so important to us Nigerians? The reason is that we want to live in an orderly country – a country in which governments and systems work. Since independence, especially since 1962 when the controllers of the Nigerian federal government decided that the fast-progressing and independent-minded Western Region must be pulled back and pushed down, we have lived in growing confusion and escalating pain in all parts of Nigeria. Ours is a large country, and a country of copious geographical, ethnic and cultural diversity. It is a country that can only work if it is organized as a rational federation – a federation in which the federating states are vested with sufficient constitutional powers, enough modicum of freedom, and sufficient resources, to promote their own socio-economic development competently, and to expand the opportunities available to their citizens; and a federation in which the federal government has enough powers and resources to defend our country, moderate the relations between our states, and speak with dignity for our country in the world.

    But instead of trying to build this kind of federation, we have watched in agony as the people who control our federal government have relentlessly seized and accumulated all power and resources in our country into the hands of the federal government, thereby turning the federal government into the controller of all important things in our country, and the dictator to all governments and sections of our country. We have watched our state governments become agencies lacking in confidence, uncertain what the all-mighty federal government will give or allow or dictate, and weak-kneed in upholding the welfare of their citizens. We happily accepted (even demanded) it when the controllers of the federal government (especially the military controllers) split up our country again and again, and gave us smaller and smaller states. Now we know that those states were really designed to be weak and incapable of resisting the expanding federal power. We know that those states are incapable of generating resources and developments, and must borrow dangerous loans in order to be able to show any development to their people. We see our states waiting like beggars month by month for the dolls handed out to them by the federal government. We see our federal system become what one of our senators recently called “feeding-bottle federalism”.

    And we live in the horrible consequences of this kind of federation. We live in in the confusion, the relentlessly declining standard of life, and the conflicts. Even the federal government itself admits that about 70% of us now live in “absolute poverty”. Among our young people, unemployment is said to be as high as 78%. Everything important in our public services and infrastructures has declined abysmally – highways, water supply, electricity supply, health services, and most devastating of all, our educational system. We approach every election with fear and trepidation – because we know that, come election time, an agency of the federal government will come and crook up and pollute the electoral process in order to give electoral victories to the ones that they have been ordered and paid to go and help among us, and we know that some of our youths will die needlessly in their attempts to resist the fraud. We can no longer approach our courts with confidence; we know that those of us who do not have the money to buy justice for ourselves simply do not get justice. We built some prosperity in the 1950s through our cash crops – cocoa in the Western Region, palm produce in the Eastern Region, and groundnuts in the Northern Region. The regional governments of those days designed various support programmes for our farmers who gave us this cash crop prosperity. When the military governments came, they took these things away and vested them in the federal government – and under distant federal control and neglect, the programmes of support for our farmers were abandoned, and the cash crops were allowed to decline and fade away, thus establishing firm roots for poverty in significant sections of our rural populations. Because of the fearful reign of crime, we dare not travel on our roads and highways in certain hours, and more and more of us are living behind metal barricades in our homes. For the ambitious and enterprising among us, pushing and jostling to be in government or to be close to the persons in government has become the essence of enterprise. As a result, both our political life and our business life have become fearfully corrupted. And in the wide world, the name of our country has become synonymous with corruption and crime. In country after country on all continents, governments issue advice and warnings to their citizens to avoid dealing with Nigerians, or to take extra care when dealing with Nigeria or Nigerians.

    And finally, in the desperation caused by the poverty, the uncertainties, the insecurity, and the hopelessness, we Nigerians are turning more and more viciously on one another – nationality against nationality, immigrants to other peoples’ homelands against their hosts, adherents of different religions against one another. Desperate youths who have turned to terrorism are now the makers of the biggest news from our country.

    It is the desperate search for solutions that make us Nigerians scream for the restructuring of our country. The demands for restructuring are not some fanciful political game. Those influential ones among us who stick out their necks to oppose restructuring are doing enormous harm to our country, to our people, and to humanity.

    However, there are many, including some of our most prominent political leaders, who do strongly desire the restructuring of our federation, but who are very skeptical of President Jonathan’s step into calling a national conference. The greatest question therefore has to be: What may we expect of President Jonathan in this all-important matter? Will he support the national conference resolutely with the powers of the presidency, until he sees it to a productive conclusion and implementation? Or will he, as many people fear, bungle it at some point – or perhaps shillyshally with it until it fizzles out into nothing?

    In the answer to that question resides, today, even the very destiny of Nigeria. As things stand, this is not a time when our president, like some presidents before him, can play with a national conference for some political purpose of his own, or mess around with a national conference. No, this time is different. The prevailing mood of most Nigerians makes this time different. Very many Nigerians are asking: If what we have been trying to build is impossible to build, should we not be men enough to acknowledge that – and to let it go?