The Nation Newspaper

Tag: change

  • Change of baton at Innerwheel

    Change of baton at Innerwheel

    Innerwheel Club of Lagos has installed its 41st president, writes AMIDU ARIJE.

    Inner Wheel Club of Lagos was chartered in July 1969. Its first president was Mrs Deji Alakija. The club kicked off with 28 members with an objective to promote true friendship; encourage the ideals of personal service and to foster international understanding.

    It was on this note that the club members and their friends converged at the Pinefield School hall on Christ Avenue, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos to install Mrs Olamide Da-Costa as the 41st President. She and other executive members will steer the affairs of the club for the next two years.

    On entry into the school, the club’s banner was seen strategically placed along roads leading to the hall. It was to sell the club to first-timers and briefly explain what the club is all about.  Many took their time to read through the inscriptions.

    More banners in the hall added beauty to its settings.

    Members of the club shone in different attires, looking resplendent. The -would- be installed president, Da-Costa stole the day with her beautiful attire and became the cynosure of all eyes. With smiles, she moved from table to table, greeting and acknowledging the teeming guests. For those who she could not reach, she simply waved them from a distance.

    Other club members exchanged pleasantries. The venue served as a contact point. Others still found it a fun place to relax.

    The programme began with prayers.  It was led by the club’s District Treasurer, Mrs Blessing Okougbo. Then, followed the club’s anthem Guests were invited to the high table by the anchors.

    There was sonorous music in the background.

    The outgoing president, Mrs Chidinma Joy Ashimole gave her valedictory speech, thanking all for the success she achieved during her tenure.

    She said that during her reign, the club was able to renovate toilets and provide facilities to some schools within its jurisdiction.  She attributed her to the support of all members of the club.

    Ashimole called on all the members to give the new president full support for her to achieve her goals.

    Mrs Da-Costa was introduced to all as her profile was read. She was immediately installed President by the District Chairman, Mrs Mrs Joe Ebo.

    The out gone president Mrs Ashimole gently removed the collaret from her neck and hung it Mrs Da-Costa’s.  This gesture attracted applauds. She took up the challenge by joggling the bell.

    In her acceptance speech, Da-Costa she said the plight of widows will be of top concern, and promised to improve their lots with empowerment programmes.

    “Empowering the women (widows) has been a long-life dream of mine and am thankful that God give me this unexpected chance to fully utilise this opportunity to impact upon the lives of widows and single parents, whom I happen  to be a part of,” she said.

    She added that their intention is to provide them with skill to practice trades.

    She called on their support towards realising her dream.

    Secretary of the Club, Comfort Okolie gave the vote of thanks.

    The curtain was drawn with a closing prayer by the anchor of the programme, and all took to the dance floor.

  • I’m a change agent, says Lubcon chair

    I’m a change agent, says Lubcon chair

    The National Vice-President of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Alhaji Jani Ibrahim, yesterday declared his intention to contest next year’s governorship election in Kwara State on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Addressing his supporters in Ilorin, the state capital, the former managing director of the defunct Nigeria Airways promised to make job creation, agricultural revolution, natural resource development and infrastructural development his four-point agenda, if elected.

    Ibrahim, who is the chairman/technical adviser of the Lubcon Group, said: “Today’s declaration is that of freedom, prosperity and the economic emancipation of Kwarans. I am motivated; I am driven by passion to see this state and every individual in it attain the fullness of their potential.

    “This declaration is an expression of the burning desire of a man with a humble beginning, a man who lost his father at the tender age of five, a man it has pleased God to raise from grass to grace and who is today immensely imbued with the genuine love of his fatherland; one who is determined to apply his wealth of experience, his knowledge, his energy and faculties to the socio-economic transformation of Kwara State and the emancipation of the people from the shackles of poverty, ignorance, disease and oppression to freedom and prosperity.

    “This is why I have decided to step out to offer myself, trusting God and believing in your support, to serve the people by providing the desired exemplary leadership and strategic direction for charting a new course of accelerated socio-economic development of our state.

    “If given the opportunity to serve, I promise to lead a government that will serve as an agent of change, stability and sustainable economic prosperity, while upholding the universal principles of good governance, transparency, accountability, efficiency, rule of law and social equity with zero-tolerance for corruption.

    “I can only do this with your mandate because sovereignty lies with the people. My promise and your agreement to do your part is the covenant I have with you to make my word my bond. It is called the social contract. I stand on the threshold of history and the people. We have the opportunity now to elect a selfless leader and I shall offer selfless service by the grace of God.”

     

  • Odigie-Oyegun preaches hope, change in Ibadan

    Odigie-Oyegun preaches hope, change in Ibadan

    • Says PDP must go in 2015 because it has failed Nigerians

    The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun at the weekend declared that the only thing that can salvage the country from its present ailing condition is for the people to effect change through the ballot box in 2015 general election to rescue Nigeria from total collapse.

    He took a cursory look at the country’s 15 years after the return to democratic rule and concluded that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government has indeed plunged the country into many woes. He said “The truth is our country is really sick and needed help.”

    He charged Nigerians to vote PDP out of power in 2015 after 15 years of stagnation and agony, so as to bring development and growth.

    The APC National Chairman, Chief Odigie-Oyegun made the declaration while delivering the 2014 lecture of the University of Ibadan Alumni Association held at the Trenchard Hall, University of Ibadan on Friday evening.

    He lamented the socio economic downturn of the country which he blamed on brazen corruption aided by top government officials and misrule since 1999 by the PDP government, saying that the atmosphere that pervades the nation today is that of uncertainty and despair.

    In attendance at the well- attended lecture are the APC presidential aspirant, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Waziri Tambuwal , Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State, representatives of Osun, Ogun, Kwara States, former governor of Osun State, Senator Isiaka Adeleke, a onetime governor of Ekiti State, Chief Segun Oni, the APC National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, his Imo State counterpart,  Rochas Okorocha represented by the Imo State House of Assembly Speaker, Benjamin Uwajimugo, Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed represented by the Commissioner for Housing, Mr. Bode Olayemi, the Vice Chancellor, University of Ibadan, Professor Isaac Adewole, students, members of the diplomatic corps, and captains of industry amongst others.

    Chief Odigie-Oyegun in his lecture titled, “Nigeria, a trajectory of dashed expectation: Looking into the future with hope”, said while it remains an obvious truth that Nigeria, 54 years after, was perceived and still behaves like a toddler, there is no doubt that the country has suffered stunted growth as a result of gross leadership failure.

    “This is exemplified by our failure, as a people, to use our huge human and material resources to galvanize development in our country, this in spite of being a leading oil producing nation in the world.

    “Despite the fact the Nigeria’s economy is the largest in Africa, yet, it has not translated into a better living standard for the citizens. The people of Nigeria though amongst the world’s most talented, are today suffering from brain drain, unemployment and poverty. In reality, the country is suffering from administrative and management neglect, high unemployment, social deprivation, abject poverty, filth, squalor, insecurity and even increasing endemic ethnic and religious conflict. As the country is burdened by under development and insecurity challenges, the federal government being hamstrung in curtailing it, many are of the opinion that the country is sliding into chaos,” he stated.

    While noting that  today Nigerians  are virtually in a country at war with itself with so much violence, the lecture said the truth is, our country is really sick and needed help, even as examined the progress being made in many areas of everyday living by countries not as endowed like Nigeria.

    For example, Chief Odigie-Oyegun said, “there is economic growth in all OPEC member countries. In 2012, the fastest growing economies were Iraq, Libya, Nigeria and Qatar, while the least growing economies were Iran, Libya and Algeria. However, in Nigeria, it is apparent that the growth is yet to translate into tangible development.  A quick check between Nigeria and her age mates shows clearly that while some of those who had independence same time with Nigeria have earned global reputation for their improved economies through manufacturing and export of their products, Nigeria still seems to rely on other countries for her survival.”

    He accused the federal government of championing the cause of corruption when he related the alleged $9.3million and over $5 million cash for arms deal seized in South Africa, adding that the whole episode makes mockery of Nigeria as a nation.

    He wondered  why will the federal government resort to using private jets for such transactions with the avalanche of official aircraft at its disposal, stating that it was a clear case of money laundering now being white-washed by agents of the state as money meant for arms purchase.

    “This is no time to lead the blind in our country. We are definitely leaving in difficult times beset with problems. These problems and difficulties are by and large man-made and we must not, as Frantz Fanon had warned, continue to waste our time in sterile litanies and nauseating mimicry. We must avoid a leadership that will not serve our collective interests,” he declared.

    The Speaker, House of Representatives, Waziri Tambuwal, in his brief remarks bemoaned the state of education in the country, which he said needed urgent surgery.

    He explained that over the past years the House had tried to ensure that education regained its glory, but blamed the executive for unnecessary interference in the legitimate role of the legislature in its oversight functions.

    He, however, expressed hope for the future of the country, while urging for patience and understanding.

    The governor of Oyo State , Senator Abiola Ajimobi in his address described the former Head of State, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari as the most stoic leader Nigeria ever produced, and stated that the message being sent by the arrays of leaders in the APC is that there is going to be Change and hope for Nigeria.

  • Youths and the change we want

    SIR:  Some believe that the tragedy of Africa and Nigeria in particular is the exclusion of excellence and preference for mediocrity. This school of thought equally believes that the country can be saved by gravitating to the centre and engage issues of institutions by changing the mindset. It argues further that to expect God to do something while we don’t do anything is not a belief but superstition. Mass action by the people brings about change, not by writing commentaries on papers and radio. When truth overtakes falsehood, the people will celebrate. The danger society faces is when good men leave the game of politics for the bad men and society suffers.

    People stand up for the general good else they bequeath a hopeless legacy for future generations. People learn how to organize and not to agonize in building new political platform. Often times they have to challenge the status quo by pouring into the street and demand for change.

    For the young ones according to Franz Fanon, ‘that future will not forgive them if they refuse to fight injustice by mute impassibility’. The young and active young of societies of the world over are dynamic change agents. They need alternative political platforms provided by mass action to decide their destiny. The stark realities of neo-liberal capitalism have continually denied them the empowerment and a voice in the political space.

    In the vortex of the current economic order, what the Nigerian youths can do differently is challenge the status quo by taking up leadership positions. The must cue into the wave of change as the baton of leadership changes hand as it is the trend in the world today. Youth as a period of life is not an opportunity to be wasteful, parasitic and unproductive. There are hopes of a lot more for the youths of every nation to advance the cause of change to make it forward to greatness.

    The Nigerian youths are advised to think literally out of the box. We live in a fast pace and challenging word. We must not be doing things in the old ways and expect positive results. We can make that dream happen if only everyone goes out to propagate the ideas, values, visions and the desired energy. There is urgent need for the youths to take the National Assembly up on the constitutional impediments culminating in political exclusion. The reality is that those who were active political actors in the Second Republic are still much occupying the political space. This was evident in the low representation of youths in the just concluded National Conference.

    The youths also affirm that some of them are often used by the political elites to perpetuate rigging of elections, constitute militants and fundamentalist insurgents. These are systematic regime tendencies designed and stage managed by the status quo which goes beyond protecting votes at the polling centres by voters. The youths are admonished to play the game to rule their destiny. To pay the price for change and stand up to take power as the old will not give up easily without a fight.

    • Com. Ogbu Alexander Ameh,

     Abuja

  • Cracking the code of change

    Studying change and leadership is one of my passions. I’ve dedicated quality time over the years in studying how societies change and the effect leadership plays in influencing change. From Singapore to China, from Ghana to India and elsewhere I’ve read about how hitherto hopeless situations are turned around, some almost in the realm of miracle. In all these transformations, the Bible singled out the “renewing of your minds” as a key factor because it is in the mind that ideas are toyed with and formed, and it is better done when one is young and open to receiving positive ideas.

    I participated in two conferences last week – the annual SWAT leadership academy and the 13th edition of our Coca-Cola/NBC sponsored Campuslife Correspondents’ capacity building workshop – which gave me hope that all is not lost after all regarding our dear country Nigeria despite the almost endless bombardment of negative news we hear and read about daily.

    At the Strategic learning, Work ethics, Attitude, Technology (SWAT) Leadership Academy where I co-presented a paper on reading and writing with my partner Desmond Ekeh, I met a group of dedicated and passionate undergraduates and graduates from 40 higher institutions in Nigeria and other African countries cutting across various disciplines engaged in activities that will definitely secure their future in an era where role models are becoming a rarity.

    Led by Evangelist Emmanuel Emeh, a minister in the International Church of Christ (ICOC), the SWAT Leadership Academy is a not-for-profit, faith based leadership and citizenship training initiative for University and other College students, operating from Nigeria with a widespread international chain of affiliates. Its core strategy and approach rests on the quadrant of SWAT and is tailored after the hardcore discipline of the elite special operations tactical unit found in some national law enforcement agencies.

    Since its debut in 2009, the annual International Campus Leadership Conference (ICLC) is held annually. This has since grown to becoming a significant rallying point for many University and other college students, not just in Nigeria and West Africa, but has also attracted participants from other African countries and vacationers from Europe and the United States of America.

    This five-day grooming event has consistently provided an incredible opportunity for cross culture interaction, academic enlightenment, skills empowerment and Leadership transformation amongst others.

    What I found interesting about the leadership academy is the core focus of impartation of leadership values and provision of relevant mentorship and tools needed to build a generation of young men and women who will in turn impact their immediate community and country at large. This starts from a monthly leadership focused seminars from the beginning of each year. Fallout of these seminars is the call to action for each participant to engage in individual or group social and community service. An exclusive time out with a renowned personality always follows such interaction.

    These are geared toward building generations of dynamic and hardworking men and women with character, honour and self-discipline. I met and interacted with almost 200 students and the passion they exude for what they do is almost infectious.

    Even though participants from Liberia, Sierra Leone, Cote d’ Ivoire and Ghana were prevented from coming for the conference by their governments due to the Ebola health crisis, I still found some students from Cote d’ Ivoire who came despite threats that they won’t be allowed back home once their passports are stamped that they visited Nigeria! That should serve as lessons in determination and that the conference has things to offer that the eyes cannot see.

    A very zealous Emmanuel Emeh told me all registrations are done online. “If you respond by filling our online form, we evaluate your health data and when we recognize that you are ready to be impacted with what we are offering, you are in. So many participants here are known to the organisers only when they arrive here,” he said.

    Regardless of the financial challenge of providing accommodation and feeding for hundreds of students for five days, this minister of the gospel in all sense of the word said support comes mainly in kind from some corporate organisations and brands. “The International Church of Christ is our biggest donour. A lot of brands have been supporting as well, but majorly in kind. Globacom gave us lots of materials, some FMCGs and banks have also provided things intermittently.

    “We are not really there yet in terms of financial support but we are really encouraged by the appreciation shown by those who supported us this year.  Two of our supporters visited twice. They came late evening, unannounced and they were quite impressed with what they saw. They promptly made the commitment to support in cash and kind next year. We are really hopeful that next year, we will achieve much more in the area of sponsorship.”

    After spending time with Emeh and the students, I left with the conviction that the country’s future is bright. I saw some students who started when they were in medical school but are now qualified doctors offering services free of charge to their colleagues at the camp. The same goes for other professionals as well. The artists among them ensured that they did not leave the venue – Eko tourist resort – the way they met it.

    Our campus correspondents from the capacity building workshop also had a nice time as they were taken through two lectures under the theme ‘Towards a sustainable environment.’ Mrs. Iwalola Akin-Jimoh, executive director of Ovie Brume Foundation and Seun Akioye of The Nation presented papers in line with the theme. For the first time, we had a panel session where alumni of campuslife recounted how the platform prepared them for the future.

    One of them, Jumoke Awe, who was quite emotional revealed how the late editor and initiator of The Nation’s campuslife, Mrs. Ngozi Agbo gave her “wings to fly.” Today Jumoke runs a consultancy employing seven workers. “Campuslife and aunty Ngozi prepared me to take my destiny in my hands by thinking how to create jobs and not to depend on the government. Today, I’m a brand strategist and run my own firm”

    Femi Asu, who is now a reporter with Business Day newspaper and Francis Egwuatu of the Federal University of Technology Owerri – who won the Mr. Universe Nigeria 2014 competition – were also filled with praise for what the platform taught them and the opportunities it opened. They all commended the sponsors for their support. The campuslifers, as they fondly call themselves, ended the day by interacting with the students at the SWAT academy synergizing what they learnt at both conferences.

    As we took our students back to their hotel it wasn’t lost on me that there is a massive global search for a new breed of leaders who have what it takes to lead and do things differently politically, socially, economically and spiritually, this is even more pronounced in Nigeria and Africa.

    Nations and organisations are constantly looking out for competent leaders who will lead them to the realization of their corporate goals and destinies. The failure of the previous generations of leaders has now turned the spotlight on the emerging generation of leaders which is what these two conferences set out to achieve. But the question however is; are they prepared to lead where others have failed?” From what I observed, they are prepared.

    As a parting shot, I identified five key points they should keep close to their chest as they face the leadership challenge of the future. These are: vision, courage, integrity, servant leadership and demonstrable faith in their abilities. I strongly believe that it is always better to prepare for leadership responsibilities and not have an opportunity to lead than to take on a leadership responsibility for which you have not been prepared.

    The complexities of the 21st century require that leaders be extremely visionary. It is expected of leaders that they develop the capacity to see more than their followers. It is also imperative that they develop the capacity to see farther than and faster than others see. However, it is important to note that beyond seeing more than, farther than and faster than their followers, there is an overarching need that as leaders, they need to develop the capacity to see more clearly than their followers. Clarity of vision and purpose is therefore a critical success factor for all would-be leaders.

  • ‘It’s time for change in NBA’

    ‘It’s time for change in NBA’

    The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) election will hold next Tuesday. Mrs Funke Adekoya (SAN) is the third in our interview series on the candidates. She tells Legal Editor John Austin Unachukwu, why she is running for the office, her programme and sundry issues.

    There have been  calls for an Electoral Offences Commission to adjudicate on electoral offences in the country. What is your reaction to this?

    I do not support the idea of an Electoral Offences Commission specially set up to adjudicate over electoral offences. All offences are serious and deserve equal attention from the administration of justice system. We had the Failed Banks Tribunal and the Miscellaneous Offences Tribunal in the past and the administration of justice system suffered from delays in the hearing of regular matters because judges were posted to these tribunals.

    Electoraloffences were created by our Electoral Law a while back. It is not the absence of a court that has prevented the arraignment of offenders before now but the political will to try offenders. If the political will is there, offenders can be arraigned before the regular courts and dealt with appropriately.

    What is your appraisal of the performance of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the conduct of by elections in the country with respect to our recent experiences?

    The INEC has fallen short of my personal expectations even though they had a good outing in the Ekiti State elections.  I have the highest respect for Professor Attahiru Jega and hold him in the highest esteem.

    Perhaps because I am not privy to any bottlenecks hindering the performance of the Commission I may be judging wrongly, but I was excited when he indicated that electronic voting would be used for the 2015 elections and would be test run in the Ekiti and Osun elections.

    The law to allow this to happen has not been changed till date. I feel he has the clout to make this happen, but as I stated earlier, perhaps I am wrong. In addition the NBA Electoral Monitoring Group which monitored the elections on behalf of the NBA reported that the Commission needs to do more in the area of voter education, as some elderly voters came to vote without being aware of who or which party

    What does this portend for 2015 general elections ?

    For credible elections, voter education needs to be improved upon.

    However the staggering of the elections should be re-visited so as to avoid a ‘bandwagon’ effect. I do not see why it is impossible for all the elections to be held on the same day, moreso now the Senate is supporting the amendment of the Electoral Act to allow electronic voting. This will also avoid voter fatigue and increase voter turnout, which is itself a factor in holding credible elections.  On the plus side, the colour coding of ballot papers in the June elections made the movement of ballot boxes a non-issue. If such innovative systems are replicated in the 2015 elections, those elections will be more credible.

     As a Presidential candidate in the forthcoming NBA elections, why do you think you are the most qualified to lead the Bar at this time?

    I believe I am the most qualified to lead the Bar at this time because I can utilise my international exposure – through my years of active involvement with the Bar Issues Commission of the International Bar Association where I served as an Officer – to implement and inject international best practices into the management of our Bar Association. The election of our Secretary-General as a Vice President of PALU means Nigeria is gaining recognition on the international legal stage, and our Bar Association must be ‘fit for purpose’.

    Furthermore, I believe I am the most qualified in terms of my length of service and the wealth of experience in service to the profession through the Association, which experience has been utilised by every

    NBA President since Chief T. J. Okpoko (SAN) became the President of the revived NBA in 2000. He appointed me as a member of the NBA Disciplinary Committee for the Lagos Zone. In 1999 he also nominated me to the Body of Benchers as a representative of the Association. He also appointed me as a member of the National Judiciary Committee of the Association. The Committee was chaired by Mr. Olisa Agbakoba, SAN and was charged with oversight of relationships between the Bar and the Bench at the national level.

    Between 2002 and 2004, I was the first Vice President of the Association under the presidency of Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN). In that role, I served as Chair of the National Human Rights Committee that later evolved into the Human Rights Institute. I ensured that committees were constituted under the leadership of the first Vice Chairman of each

    branch to provide pro bono legal services. Quarterly reports of pro bono cases were provided to me by each branch. Branches were encouraged to approach lawyers and law firms in their territory to initiate fundamental human rights proceedings to assist awaiting trial detainees and aid prison decongestion.  I also pioneered the campaign for introduction of the use of stamps and seals by all lawyers practicing in Nigeria, similar to those used by architects and engineers to authenticate their professional status. The project was successfully launched by the then Chief Justice of Nigeria during the NEC meeting in Ilorin in June 2004 and then abandoned. 10 years later, the Association has now revived the project.

    Tell us the key issues in your manifesto and how you intend to go about them?

    The key issues in my manifesto are three-fold and I intend to achieve them as set out below: Human Resource Development – I will champion the process of equipping members with requisite skills and providing them with needed access to information, knowledge and professional training that, in turn, enables them perform optimally and effectively. Organisational Development – Utilising the experience gained as an Officer of the Bar Issues Commission of the International Bar Association, I will put in place structures, processes and procedures for efficient management of the Association. This will ensure that the Association delivers necessary membership benefits to all members of the legal profession who pay their practising fees before 31st March of each year. Institutional and Legal Framework Development – Under my leadership, the Association will implement the five-year Strategic Development Plan proposed for the Association. I will also promote the introduction of legal and regulatory changes that will enable the Association to better enhance the role of its members and make itself the true representative voice of the profession, its members and the society at large.

    There have been calls for electoral reforms at the Bar to make our elections transparent, credible, free fair and rancuor free. What is your view on this?

    As immediate past chair of the Nigerian Branch of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (United Kingdom), I implemented the use of electronic/online voting for our Branch elections. This meant that our members all over the country did not have to converge in Lagos at the risk of life and limb before they could vote for the Executive Committee members of our choice. Based on our membership strength, it cost us less than USD $1000 and increased voter participation by over 100 per cent. I would propose this as an alternative to our present system of voting,  and if accepted would submit proposals to amend the NBA Constitution to allow for its implementation.

      There seems to be a disconnect between the NBA and majority of its members. How do intend tackle this and make the association the pride of its members?

    It is true that currently there is a lack of involvement of members in the affairs and activities of the Nigerian Bar Association. This can be solved through an all-inclusive approach to leadership which I would implement, if elected. Consultation with Branch chairmen on issues affecting the profession is key to inclusiveness. There is also a huge disconnect between the leadership and its members who are largely uninformed about the activities of the Association. Some lawyers think the elections are by universal suffrage and will take place during the Annual General Conference in Owerri next month and are planning to attend the conference so they can vote! I had to educate them otherwise. The Publicity Secretary is responsible for communicating issues between the Association and its members. I have reached out to the profession through the various social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, in addition to emails and SMS. Under my leadership, the Publicity Secretary will be mandated to vigorously engage with members through these various platforms. In addition, we shall ensure publication of monthly Electronic Newsletters to be provided to members of the association so as to keep them abreast of news and activities of the association.

    You are reputed to have served the Bar in its golden years. What experiences are you bringing  to reposition the organisation if elected its president?

    Let me say that prior to 2000, I served as Assistant National Secretary and as Secretary of Lagos Branch between 1984 and 1986. I then served as National Treasurer between 1990 and 1992. My record of service spans the last 35 years. I intend to deploy all these experiences and the ones earlier set out to the service of our association if I am elected.

  • Peaceful change

    Dear delegate,

    I have been a keen observer of the CONFAB so far. Some of you have salient points which you have argued cogently, however, a majority of you simply do not understand that you hold the key to unlock the destiny of this great nation from the prison of underdevelopment.

    You may not agree with me that we need stable power supply to operate our SMEs, we may disagree on the fact that massive unemployment in the country is fuelling  gang-related crimes on the streets of Lagos, militancy and oil bunkering in the creeks of Niger Delta, cattle rustling and terrorism in the north and kidnapping in the south, we may argue about the fact that the present system of governance in Nigeria is not sustainable, but I bet you will agree with me that we need leaders who have the foresight to dream of a better Nigeria for our children yet unborn and the WILL  to pursue this selfless ambition.  The question is, can the presidential system we currently operate produce new Tafawa Balewas, Nnamdi Azikwes or Obafemi Awolowos at the national level without subsequent rancour, violence and litigations? Can this present system resuscitate the groundnut pyramids and textile industries in the north, can it revitalise the cocoa industry in the southwest or support genuine industrial revolution in the south east?

    Admittedly, no single system of governance is perfect, but sustainable development was at its peak when we had regional governments in Nigeria. The Federal Character policy which has promoted mediocrity and corruption was incorporated into Nigeria’s statute when the presidential system was introduced. However, until we have a system that makes each region accountable for its leaders and resources, civil strife and agitations against marginalisation will not cease in our societies. This is the greatest benefit we will derive from a parliamentary system.

    The courage of the average Hausa (military), the entrepreneurial sense of the Igbo (Industry) and the flair of the Yoruba for academics (Science and Technology) coupled with  abundant mineral resources makes Nigeria a potential superpower, if we can only open our eyes and tap into our strengths.  In the wake of terrorism and civic extremism in the country, we need to look inwards and holistically proffer solutions to prevent the total collapse of the Nigerian state. Sooner or later, this republic will be restructured, we simply cannot survive much less thrive on bigotry, corruption and mediocrity.

     How can  the Chibok girls, the victims of the Nigerian Immigration Scam and millions of other oppressed Nigerian youths be leaders of tomorrow if there is no tomorrow? The CONFAB may be the last chance we have to restructure peacefully.

    God Bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    Yours faithfully,

    Femi Oloro

    Federal Housing Estate, Ado Ekiti.

  • ‘Be change agents’

    The Emir of Argungu in Kebbi State, Alhaji Ismaila Mohammadu Mera has said journalists can be agents of change if they imbibe the ethics of their profession and the fear of God.

    The monarch spoke in Kebbi while receiving reporters who visited him in Argungu.

    He said journalists throughout the world are considered to be agents of peace and development because of their role in reporting events in the society as well as government’s policies and programmes. This, he said, they could achieve through their commitment to unbiased and balanced reportage of events as they unfold in the society.

    The Emir also advised that they should propagate peace and shun the temptation of being used by selfish politicians to rob the country of the much-desired peace and development.

    “You can make or mar the country depending on how you go about disseminating information. This is because journalists are noble people in the society. Based on this understanding, you should use the power of your profession to preach peace as the society depends on you for information, more so as the 2015 general elections are around the corner,” he said.

    The Emir further urged journalists to help douse the current political tension in the country through their reportage.

    On security, the Emir said the insecurity in some parts of the north was unfortunate, warning that those perpetuating it should be responsible for the countless loss of lives of innocent people, pointing out that Islam does not give anybody the legal authority to kill his fellow mankind no matter his religious or cultural leaning.

  • Nigerian leaders must change their ways

    SIR: the ongoing face-off between the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and the House of Representatives Committee on Finance, over the budget and the state of the economy, is another repulsive scenario. The Committee had asked the Minister to furnish it with answers to a set of fifty questions which the minister obliged it (the committee). At the weekend, however, the Committee, through its Chairman, Honourable Abdulmumini Jibrin, rejected the minister’s response, insisting that “some questions were either not answered, partially answered, ignored or completely misunderstood”. Consequent upon this, the minister has been sent another set of fifty questions and mandated to appear before the committee for further questioning.

    This latest drama of the absurd is the ongoing fiasco involving the All Progressives Congress and the Federal Government in which the former justifiably directed its members in the National Assembly to filibuster on debate regarding the 2014 Appropriation Bill. These two scenarios are intimately related – half-truth is being presented to the public as the truth. Anyone who is familiar with the way members of the National Assembly, especially those of the lower house, have been conducting their affairs – particularly in regard to issues of finance – cannot fail to note that the ostensible purpose of the so-called fifty questions is for Nigeria to have a more robust economy but the real goal, one can make bold to say, is self-service. In a House where some of the members have, at various times in the past, been incriminated of ignoble financial crimes (remember Faruk Lawal?) and certificate forgery (remember Salisu Buhari?), and where there has never been probity and accountability in financial matters, what else does one expect but the present scenarios.

    There is something not quite right in the present face-off. In one’s considered opinion, rather than the honourable minister, it is actually members of the House of Representative Committee on Finance that have questions to answer. If these so-called Honourable men are people with their honours intact indeed, they need to demonstrate to Nigerians first why they have to be taken seriously, and this has to start with them telling us what they wish to achieve with these fifty questions. Yes, they have stated the purpose of these questions, but we know too that these questions raise issues that they themselves are also implicated in. He who comes to justice must come with clean hands, and he who leaves in glass house should throw no stones.

    While it is true that the minister is the coordinator of the economy, it is also true that she is not alone in ensuring that the economy does not go to the dogs. The House of Representatives, through its Committee on Finance, ought to realize that Nigerians are not fools and cannot be hoodwinked into shifting blames for the parlous state of the economy to the Finance Minister alone.

    How accountable are these men? How have they been expending the monies allocated to them for constituency projects and oversight functions? What can they say about the humongous amount being paid out to them every month in salaries and other emoluments, the bulk of which forms part of our recurrent expenditure? Can these men, in all honesty, wash themselves clean of the hushed allegation making the round that they routinely collect bribe in order to approve ministry budgets and other spending?

    More crucial than the above is the question of morality. Here is an assembly with a shameful record of infamy. We cannot forget too soon the case of Honourable Farouk Lawan. We cannot forget too soon that this is a House where members have been routinely implicated in sundry cases of bribery leading to aborted investigation into corruption charges. How, pray, can this House consider itself morally upright enough to ask the minister the so-called fifty questions. It is all too glaring that these so-called fifty questions and other matters arising therein are related to the current impasse in the House over the Appropriation Bill, and this is rather unfortunate considering the self-serving overtone of the whole affair.

    No nation can expect to be great if the leaders will always think that they can always pull the wool over the eyes of the citizenry. For sooner than later, it would be revealed that no matter for how long falsehood may have been travelling, it will take only a moment for the truth to catch up with it. A note of warning: Nigerians are watching. We are gearing up for a purge, and anyone caught in the vortex of our collective action will have only himself or herself to blame!

     

    • Issachar Odion, a Post-graduate student lives in Abuja.

  • Globalisation, transformation and imperative for change through entrepreneurship education

    delivered by Ekiti State Deputy Governor Prof Modupe Adelabu at the Third Distinguished Lecture of Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Ikeji-Arakeji, Osun State.

    future vocational activity, which may bring them into close contact with commercial or social enterprise. In other words, at the family and individual levels, a university education is to enable the beneficiary to have a good and sustainable employment. In the immediate past, that has been the case of university graduates in various professions. However, in the wake of rapid growth in the number of universities in Nigeria, and the global market competition experienced by employers of labour, there is urgent need to re-engineer our educational curriculum to make it truly functional.

    Re-engineering University Education

    Re-engineering university education is the technical application of the re-thinking process. As earlier mentioned, attempt must be made to break new grounds, by moving away from well-trodden paths, in this case, education for white collar jobs and a rigid curriculum that fits into it.

    Re-engineering university education in Nigeria would require a strong emphasis on curriculum enrichment which would involve the following:

    i. modification of existing course content (sometimes in response to employer’ssuggestions),

    ii. the introduction of new courses,

    iii. the introduction of new teaching methods, and

    iv. expanded provision of opportunities for work experience -all intended to enhance the development of employability skills and/or ensure that the acquisition of such skills is made more explicit. (Obanya, 2002)

    Entrepreneurship Education in Higher Institutions

    In the developed countries like United Kingdom (UK)and United States of America (USA), many Universities are already offering an impressive and sophisticated array of entrepreneurship activities. Incidentally this cuts across all disciplines. It also implies that entrepreneurship activities could be part of the curriculum of every discipline.

    Entrepreneurship education has been embraced by almost all the developed countries and its capabilities and efficacy in springing up economies is not in doubt. It is believed that refocusing education system will immensely contribute in developing the spirit and culture of entrepreneurship in the country. The methodology here involves review of the current situation especially the existing education policies and highlights the need for departure by studying some models that can be applied. It was discovered that the current education system is deficient in providing the necessary impetus for development. It has also been found out that same problems keep escalating despite various efforts by the government to review policies and programmes in the past.

    The incidence of Poverty in Nigeria is on the high side, where 70% of the total population has been classified as poor (Ewhrudjakpor, 2008) This rate of poverty is however accentuated by the increasing rate of unemployment, high level of illiteracy, corruption and bad governance among others. Therefore, as a panacea to this problem, entrepreneurship has been identified as a means of providing employment and income generation in the country.

    Education should be a veritable tool for securing employment and emancipation of people through the provision and acquiring of necessary knowledge and skills to make lives more flourishing.

    Challenges facing Entrepreneurship Education in Nigeria

    The challenges facing entrepreneurship education in Nigeria are multi-faceted. The first is that entrepreneurship education curriculum is ineffectively implemented hence the difficulty in achieving its goals (Garba, 2004) neither could its curriculum objectives like other specialised education been translated into practical realities at the implementation stage for the benefits of learners (Okebukola, 2004, Onyeachu, 2008)

    The second challenge facing entrepreneurship education in meeting its policy goals is traceable to lateness in starting entrepreneurship education at any level in Nigeria. This is premised on the argument that introduction of anything new in human society takes time to develop. Available facts in the literature indicate that United States of America introduced entrepreneurship into the curriculum of higher education as far back as 1947 (Kuratko, 2003). In the early 2000, the number of tertiary institutions that mounted entrepreneurship programme increased to 1,050 schools, as against 300 in the 1980s (Solomon, et al., 1994;Kuratko, 2003).

    Another key challenge stifling the growth of entrepreneurship education is dearthof lecturers in the field of entrepreneurship to make the course practically interesting and goal-oriented as opposed to too much focus on theoretical instructions and the commonly use of traditional talk-chalk method of communicating knowledge and information as well as rote learning. According to Ajibola (2008), this form of instruction and learning hampers creativity and does little to equip students with problem-solving and decision-making skills

    Deficiency of instructional materials such as textbooks and others could also be a challenge at the tertiary institutions in Nigeria. If there is absence of standard learning materials/text-books on entrepreneurship education, students would have no option other than to fall back on scanty hand-outs/training manuals made available by course instructors. Moreover, if functional infrastructures are not available in the schools, entrepreneurship education will not be effectively implemented and the goal of equipping the youths with skills and knowledge of trades will not be achieved.

    Entrepreneurship education requires the use of active learning methods that place the learners at the centre of educational process and enable them to take responsibility for their learning. Such methods have been known to make learning experiences richer and to have positive benefits for students in terms of improving their motivation with positive effects on their engagement with learning and long-term attainment.

    Poor funding of entrepreneurship education in particular and the education sector in general has been a serious challenge to entrepreneurship, both at the institutional level and the nation at large. This funding constraint has adversely affected the implementation of entrepreneurship education curricula, a fact attested to by National Universities Commission and counterpart supervisory agencies (Gabadeen&Raimi, 2012).

    Lack of adequate orientation and sensitisation of students in our tertiary institutions can cause a dis-interest in entrepreneurship education, resulting in wrong mind-set and very weak participation in entrepreneurship activities.

    Equally, unpleasant feedback from preceding self-employed graduates sends wrong signals to undergraduates taking compulsory courses in entrepreneurship education in several tertiary institutions (Gabadeen&Raimi, 2012). Some of the negative feedbacks from self-employed individuals to those still in school include: multiple taxes, harsh business regulations, inadequate infrastructural facilities for small businesses, high rate of inflation, labour regulations and stringent laws on starting/ running a business (Kisunkoet. al, 1999)

    Other challenges are lack of access to bank credits, lack of government interest in promoting small businesses, poor state of infrastructural facilities and poor telecommunication system, epileptic electricity, corruption and fraud such that will discourage investors.

    Entrepreneurship: A Strategy for Sustainable National Transformation:

    No country can move forward technologically, industrially and economically without developing strong private partner initiate in the creation of wealth, poverty reduction and employment generation, with required skills. These skills include managerial, comparative, communication, technical, human and special skills to cope with the challenges of the future. Since entrepreneurship is vital to the sustainable advancement of any nation, entrepreneurship thus:

    •Serves as learning and training centres for the translation of dreams and ideas into successful ventures;

    •Facilitates the identification, creation and utilization of non-existent saving;

    •Brings self-fulfilment;

    •Checks Rural-Urban drifts;

    •Alleviates and eradicates poverty;

    •Creates employment.

    •Leads to technological advancement;

    •Creates more jobs per unit of invested capital and per unit of energy consumed;

    •Mobilizes resources that ordinarily would have remained idle in the hands of people and employ them productively and by doing so, capital formulation is encouraged;

    •Strengthens locally produced product for perfect competition;

    •Links up the various sectors of the economy and constitute the market for agricultural extractive and industrial output as well as providing source of material and labour input for big industries;

    •Builds skills such as managerial, human, technical and conceptual skills in the individuals by teaching and allowing them to start businesses with little or no money for themselves;

    •Reduces poverty and idleness;

    •Attracts Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). Investors will flood the economy, which will move the nation towards industrialization (Akpomi, 2009).

    The role of entrepreneurship in na tional transformation globally as experienced in many countries of the world, mostly the Asian continent such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Pakistan and India, shows that entrepreneurship contributes substantially to national development. In Nigeria, where poverty is on the high side, this actually presents a persuading factor. Industrialization strategy can mostly be a way of inducing entrepreneurship development. Our society is not static; it keeps changing. In the past, graduates in Nigeria had the problem of choosing among the various opportunities waiting for them. Then possession of a good certificate was synonymous with obtaining a very attractive white collar job. But today, the story has tremendously changed, there is a high rate of unemployed and employable youths in Nigeria despite Governments investment in education; perhaps the investment has been on wrong form of education.

    Despite having been independent since 1960, Nigeria is one of the nations with highest rate of unemployed youths in the world (UNESCO and ILO, 2006). Nigeria‘s economy is still crawling because the education system has, over the time, failed to address the issue of human capital development. In other words, Nigeria is yet to join the league of countries that have used entrepreneurship education to drive their economies and overcome mass poverty as has been done in other developing Nations such as United Kingdom, United State of America, Scandinavian Nations and even some African countries like Egypt and Tunisia have been teaching entrepreneurship education in their school systems and have all produced specific and separate national entrepreneurship education strategic documents as their programmes are dovetailed into their national development plans (Chukwuma, 2006).

    Globalisation necessitates that irrespective of country, having the right mix of knowledge and skills is now critical for young people, especially those living in rural and urban areas. Those without any employable skills, out dated skills or low skills are more likely to miss out on opportunities in the economic and social mainstream of their communities (UNESCO and ILO, 2006).

    Recommendations

    In the light of the crucial issues discussed and associated challenges highlighted above, the under listed prescriptions are for implementation by policy-makers.

    Entrepreneurship education should be incorporated into the curricula of secondary schools and tertiary institutions and made compulsory because many might find themselves self-employed after school. This will help shift the youth from being job seekers to job creators and also from social dependence to self-sufficient people, since there are too many people with certificates but no clue as to what to do with their lives.

    Vocational and technical education should be introduced at all levels of education. It is an indisputable means of reducing youth unemployment since it is skilled-oriented and employment motivated.

    Career guidance services should be made compulsory and provided for all levels of education to help students in making realistic career choices. The efficiency of any career guidance effort will be dramatically enhanced if it begins early in life and becomes a way of thinking.

    In our universities, many undergraduates are clueless as regards what they really want to study; others are studying courses that they are not passionate about, sometimes, because their friends talked them into it or their parents forced it upon them. Most times, these students choose these courses because they were given inadequate or no advice before they did so.

    Another way to tackle this menace is to revisit the departmental syllabuses which are usually filled with irrelevant and out-dated courses. The government should furnish universities with the needed basic and academic amenities. A glimpse into a Nigerian university will reveal lots of inadequacies both academicals and infrastructural; the laboratories, better described as dumping rooms, are full of cobwebs sleeping with out-dated and unusable equipment. The lecture halls are dilapidated and most of them cannot even accommodate the number of students admitted. Some students help themselves by sitting on the floors.

    The Vice Chancellors, Rectors and Provost overseeing the affairs of the universities, polytechnics and colleges of education respectively should ensure that course instructors/lecturers assigned to teach entrepreneurship education are specialists in the field. However, where there are difficulties in getting experts, non-specialists lecturers with relevant background in academia should be engaged and sent for accelerated training within and outside Nigeria. Experts with practical experience in entrepreneurship from the industry could also be engaged on full or part-time arrangement.

    In order to enrich the curriculum of entrepreneurship, the tertiary institutions offering entrepreneurship education should organize periodic field trips, industrial tours to developed nations, mentorship programme, hosting of exhibitions/fairs, coaching/grooming, seminars/conferences/workshops and exchange programmes in order to inspire undergraduate students and learners to imbibe entrepreneurial traits.

    There is the need for periodic review and assessment of the contents of the entrepreneurship education curricula. The school curriculum should be pragmatic, that is, inculcate in the undergraduate students practical enterprise-building skills which should be turned into viable business opportunities during and after graduations, thereby reducing youth unemployment in Nigeria.

    National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme should be refocused as a period for acquisition of Entrepreneurship skills and implementation of those skills during the service year. After passing out, it is expected that the trainees will establish personal businesses.

    The Federal government should evolve a national culture of entrepreneurship by supporting, training and rewarding self-reliant graduates across the tertiary levels in Nigeria. This approach would help foster among students offering entrepreneurship innovation, invention and creativity.

    The government should refocus Education Trust Fund (ETF), Petroleum Development Trust Fund (PTDF) and Federal Ministry of Education (FME) to earmark substantial portion of their budget for funding public universities/polytechnic and colleges of education offering entrepreneurship education courses. The funding should cover training, research, infrastructural development and programmes for academic and administrative members of staff in charge of entrepreneurship education across the three levels of tertiary institutions.

    The various micro-finance banks should be alive to their obligations by providing the needed financial and advisory services to graduates and non- graduates that have pass through entrepreneurship education and who possess viable business plans and zeal of establishing innovative small-scale businesses.

    Conclusion

    The world is developing in an unprecedented speed and the rate of unemployment is growing fast which Nigeria is not able to cope with. Various sound economic programmes have been instituted by the Federal Government primarily to reduce poverty, unemployment and encourage entrepreneurship in Nigeria in the last three decades, yet none has worked. The real solution is mostly in our leaders and partly in the followers. We shall get result when we all think right, act right and take up challenges to develop entrepreneurship which, in turn, will lead to national transformation. Nigerian graduates should be encouraged that it is better to be a small head than to be a big tail.Hence, to be an employer of people is better than to be a servant, whether civil, public or modernized servant.

    Graduates of higher education in Nigeria should not sit on the fence. With entrepreneurial education, the nation’s graduates will become employers of labour not job seekers. Their skills will enhance business expansion and reduce the level of poverty. The availability of white-collar jobs compared to the massive turnout of graduates from universities as well as the Nigeria Youth Service Corp (NYSC), shows a negative ratio. The available jobs cannot meet the needs of the over one hundred tertiary schools in Nigeria (Federal, States, Private Universities, Polytechnics, Colleges of Education, etc.).

    However, in view of the dwindling national revenue the burden of educational matters cannot be shouldered by Government alone. Since the community and the private sector are equal stakeholder, there is need for all patriotic citizens, institutions, agencies and communities to support schools so as to make Entrepreneurship Education succeed in our schools. If Nigeria is to achieve the Millennium Development Goals by 2015, as well as become one of the world’s biggest economies in the world by the year 20:20:20, her entrepreneurship sector must receive adequate funding.