The Nation Newspaper

Tag: change

  • ‘We need change but…’

    ‘We need change but…’

    A public commentator and founder, Bible Believing Mission Incorporation in Aba, Abia State, Pastor Kingsley Innocent, is optimistic that things will soon improve in the country. In this chat with EVELYN OSAGIE, he calls for proactive ways to address state challenges.

    The effect of change in country

     

    IN all honesty, indeed, change is what we needed as a country. The administration led by President Muhammadu Buhari came singing the song of change which was timely. Hence, he won the hearts of Nigerians because our nation is hungry for the change.

    And I trust his sense of judgement to a great extent, but in my opinion, this administration is slow in effecting the kind of change that Nigerians want. We expect much more than what we are getting. We have heard of the verbal change; we want to see the sign of change in its reality. We are looking forward to the president turning the nation around for good in all areas, especially economically. We had hoped that within six months in office some things would have turned around, positively. Although it may seem like a difficult task, I believe it is achievable and I am hopeful that it will be ours. We need that change we desire as soon as possible because” justice delayed is justice denied”. I, therefore, urge the government to ensure that the ‘change’ preached is realised quickly because Nigerians are suffering wearied down by, especially, the non-availability of light and fuel scarcity. I know that our president has a plan; but it is high time that we leave the planning room to the “acting” room.

     

    Prolonged fuel scarcity

    Until Nigeria grows beyond selfishness and becomes nationalistic, we would continue to suffer such. Few Nigerians are taking advantage of the situation to enrich themselves. It is a selfish thing that should not be allowed. The government should fish out those who are taking advantage of the situation to enrich themselves. Once they are discovered, fuel scarcity will be a thing of the past. I am hopeful that God will hear the cries of Nigerians and very soon, we will grow past that level. The efforts of the federal government in importing more fuel from outside to be distributed across the country will have a respite for the country, but what about our refineries. Can’t they be put in good shape like the old days?

     

    On the preaching bill in Kaduna State

    That bill is an error and it cannot hold. Nigeria has grown beyond such sentimental bills and Kaduna is place with large number of Christians such a thing cannot hold there. As far as I am concerned that Christians should see it as a distraction that will never stand. Our faith cannot be compromised; nobody can stand on the way of God.

     

    Marrying of teenage girls and converting them to Islam                                        These are part of the end-time signs. It is unfortunate that it is happening in Nigeria. It is dehumanising and it the height of human degradation. It exposes our children to danger in future and it is corrupting our tomorrow. It is destroying the fabrics of our nation, our co-existence and what holds us together as a people. A true Muslim will not do that. Such are Muslim fundamentalists and they destroy the name of Islam. It would require collective efforts both polity (irrespective of their religious beliefs) and the government end such in-human acts. Let us stand together against such and those using religious extremism to destroy the fabrics of our nation.

     

    Legislators fighting in the House

    When our lawmakers who are charged with enacting a law that would harmonise Nigeria begin to fight on the floor, it shows the level of social degradation. When you have men and women at the floor, who are not disciplined, self-controlled, it goes a long way to show that a lot of work needs to be done.

    My advice to the lawmakers is that they are representatives of the people; the young are looking up to them and the nation is seeing what they are doing. Let them show good examples for others to emulate. They should set this nation on a base of peace and harmony and embrace dialogue. Fighting is not what we need now. They should not disgrace themselves and their people which they represent. We need matured lawmakers who can reason out matters and iron it through dialogue.

     

    Advice to Nigerians

    Our nation is at a trial period and every Nigerian should pray to God for divine intervention. Nigeria has lived and survived through prayers. Prayer is the only weapon that we have as Nigerians to call upon God and He will step into the matter of our nation and bring solutions to problems facing the country.

     

  • Nigeria logistics industry braces for change

    The recovery of the  economy is on track in most key sectors, an annual benchmark report released by National Logistics Strategy Conference held in Lagos has revealed. The report said Nigeria’s logistics sector was poised for accelerated growth this year.

    According to the report, the magnitude and breadth of recovery across sectors is “surprisingly strong”, led by ramp up in transport infrastructure, and other initiatives.

    Estimating that the nation’s logistics industry is worth well over N200billion, the report noted that the industry offers opportunities across the spectrum for companies to invest in transportation, storage, distribution, and allied services.

    Empirical evidence suggests the logistics industry grows at annual growth rate of 10 per cent.

    Driven by strong fundamentals and consistent demand, the report noted that the logistics sector is seemingly well-positioned to sail through turbulent waters.

    The report   said rising investment, rapidly evolving regulatory policies, mega infrastructure projects and several other developments in recent times have driven the logistics market, simultaneously gradually overcoming infrastructure-related constraints and logistics-centric inefficiency.

    The report said there is significant potential to make further investments in the  logistics space as the sector continues to evolve and develop, adding that port development benefited from increased private sector engagement in post-concession which has in turn brought more efficiency and investment.

    For instance, the sector was boosted with AP Muller investment over $100million in Apapa port concession and targeting one million containers capacity per year. Equally a large pipeline of deep sea ports – Lekki, Ibaka, Bayelsa, all geared to make Nigeria the regional maritime hub.

    There is projection of revenue from Lekki Deep sea port ($20billion) and expected growth of three per cent on annual transport infrastructure but then there is Ibaka and Bayelsa deep sea port, Enugu–Abakiliki– Cameroon Highway; new international airport in Enugu and new rail network from Lagos to the north.

    However, the report noted that infrastructural bottlenecks have stifled sector’s growth and promoted inefficiency.

  • Change of promise or promise of change?

    SIR: Virtually everything is upside down at the moment! The impact of the scarcity of fuel is spreading like a wild fire. From the unborn babies in their mother’s womb to the Nigerians on the street,  the story is the same. One might be tempted to say that it is hard to believe in the future of Nigeria, going by the experience of the past and the symptoms of the present.

    Nigeria’s economy is at the mercy of God. Inflation is at its peak. Dollar is dictating how our economy would go with the IMF devaluation noise. Prices of food items have skyrocketed,  leaving the poor masses begging to survive.

    Where then is this change we have been preaching?

    The People’s Democratic Party,  PDP ended up their 16 years of enslaving Nigerians but thanks to the hand of  mercy from God who terminated their reign.  But here we are, 11 months into the new era of President Muhammadu Buhari, has anything changed?

    Expectations are high and the change mantra rather than swing into action has become a game  of hide and seek, a show of power between the executive and the legislators. The budget of change has been comatose. From the delay in sending the budget to the National Assembly, the disappearance, padding, alleged removal of some items by the the National Assembly and now the president’s refusal to sign until changes are made. It is obvious all is not well  with the country.

    Could Nigerians have bargained for this? Is this a change of promise or a promise of change?

    Things cannot be allowed to continue like this. President Muhamadu Buhari,  must unite the country irrespective our religion,  tribe and political differences. Nigerians love for Buhari hence the reason he got the massive votes was basically centered on his ability to do the impossible, in giving us the hope that the  previous leaders could not.

    While the government asks us to give him time, we must enjoy what we have now and not in the grave.

     

    • Alifia Sunday

    Ilorin, Kwara State.

  • Is NASS ready for change?

    SIR; In Nigeria, we as citizens have been at the forefront clamouring for change from the corrupt and inept ways of our previous leaders. In fact, our recent history as a democratic nation under the PDP administration was characterized by a total disregard for due process and rule of law.

    In 2015, Nigerians had another opportunity to elect a new leadership and eventually bestowed their mandate on President Muhammadu Buhari. Before his emergence, it was common knowledge that Ghana-Must-Go bags usually exchanged hands between the executive and NASS during budget presentations and defence. As President Buhari rode to power with a pledge to eradicate corruption, secure the nation and rejuvenate the economy, it was obvious that the corruption-infested process of the past in the passage of the national budget was no longer going to be tolerated.

    The question to ask is: Is National Assembly ready for the change? The National Assembly being a key arm of government owes it as a duty to support the President to rid Nigeria of this malaise which has eroded the basic values inherent in governance. Lest we forget, the fundamental objective of any government is the welfare and wellbeing of its citizens.

    The legislature must rise above petty politics and self-aggrandizement by availing the executive of their full support in not only approving the budget as presented, but in supporting its execution for the overall benefit of Nigerians. As the representatives of the people, the NASS must be seen to be on the same page with the President as he seeks to deliver the dividends of democracy to Nigerians. It does not augur well for the National Assembly to be pulling in another direction, when they ought to collaborate with the executive in ensuring that the budget of change is bereft of obstacles.

    In so far as they retain the discretion to adjust certain items in the budget, it will amount to a monumental error on their part to remove the Lagos-Calabar rail project, which forms a major plank on which the revitalization of the nation’s economy is anchored.

    Nigerians are united in their support for the Buhari administration in its efforts to change the old order, and reposition Nigeria once again on the path of moral rectitude. Already, there are concerns that the National Assembly does not appear to be ready for the change unfolding under this administration. Definitely, Nigerians are sick and tired of the overbearing influence of the legislature in arm-twisting the executive to do their bidding. For once, we need adopt new ways of doing things in Nigeria, and gladly we are in an era where a personage like President Muhammadu Buhari has demonstrated the strong will to chart a new course for the country.  Our lawmakers must not only support the change, but also lead the way for us to realise our dream of a great nation.

     

    • Chukwudi Enekwechi,

    Abuja.

  • Change! What color are thou?

    The word Change is power packed; needs no qualifier for its impact or import to be felt. It is a word of emotion and distinctiveness. Hue? One is not certain though at times Change will come at you as sly and deceitful. Flip the coin and Change is on either side – negative or positive all is Change. It is a word you can’t find napping. However, it is pertinent to note that not every change action is neither desirable nor connotes improvement on what had existed.

    • There is nothing permanent except change. – Heraclitus
    • Constance is the foundation of virtues – Francis Bacon
    • My life changed when I encountered Jesus – Anonymous
    • There is danger in reckless change, but greater danger in blind conservatism.- Henry George – ‘Social Problems’
    • There is a certain relief in change, even though it be from bad to worse; as I have found in travelling in a stage coach, that it is often a comfort to shift one’s position and be bruised in a new place. – Washington Irving – Tales of a Traveler

    Change! As the Nigerian would say ‘na you biko’; head or tail you win.

    What is, however, of importance from the above expressions is the dynamics of Change. A dynamism that enables it elicits formidable emotion irrespective of what it hits you with. However, Change, since the 2015 national elections has unwittingly become one of the most gleefully or scornfully used words. Consequently one would briefly take a go at Change action on purely business/management perspective. A political neutral arena where Nigerians of all political dispositions inter mingle in pursuit of one singular interest, the acquisition of stomach infrastructure – daily bread by many but wealth and fame for lucky few. That route hopefully would disarm those that the word change would ordinarily conjure up partisan political inklings; and instinctively make them feel Esau’s hand and the voice of Jacob in every sentence.

    Can anybody remember when the times were not hard and money not scarce? – Emerson, Ralf (1803 – 1882).

    It is pertinent to admit that the socio-economic flux currently visiting and its effects on Nigerians is at the root of this write up. A rational being gasps for change when it dawns on the individual that his/her situation has become not only unviable but indefensible. Similarly, the instinct for an informed private sector enterprise, which finds itself in identical economic nightmare most Nigerian enterprises public and private have of resent memory been experiencing would readily opt for image laundering or the ultimate, operational change action. The Obasonjo down to Jonathan’s administrations fully appreciated that and inaugurated respectively – rebranding, and transformation agenda.

    The quest for improvement and the pursuit of efficiency in operations is an agenda in change action. It is a change action that should be directed at discarding all nonviable operational practices. One of such is over staffing, which of recent has been complemented by a new malady ‘ghosts at work’. Uncontrolled hiring and retaining of unproductive staff are comparable to uncontrollable imposition of excess weight or fat on a fragile body frame; a development many Nigerians are conscious of its consequences, – the inability of the heavily laden skeleton to elegantly carry such superimposed load. Though, the unfortunate subject by our customary standard is hailed as being robust, well fed and nourished, but a simple function like ascending stairs, –  and for corporate bodies paying of salaries, translates to unbearable nightmare.

    That caliber of incapacitation is equally applicable to an over-bloated business entity, who in terms of business turnover and staff strength may momentarily appear to be in good shape, but who in real viability index does not have time on its side. An organization can therefore be a victim of its seeming success. Drucker, a management guru notes that; ‘size will have to fit the strategy of the business. The age when bigger is better is definitely over. The elephant is not a better animal than the cockroach, and the cockroach has outlived untold species of elephants.” Coincidentally, Nigerian Airways – ‘The flying elephant’ did not equally live long. General Obasanjo another guru knows why.

    One is of the view that any organization that aspires to be competitive and deliver; like an athlete, need to be flexible, lean and agile while still constantly subjecting itself to continuous self-examination and performance review. Once in awhile, an organization should pause; take a critical look at where it is at and where it would like to be. That constant self-assessment is advisable if it intends to be both viable and competitive; ‘be good at what you do or you won’t be doing it for long.’  The 2015 general elections in no uncertain terms made that point clear to our political class.

    To drive a change action through is an act of good leadership, in like manner to be in a position to drive an effect change, and shy away from executing that is a damnable failure of leadership. The drive for change and its sustenance must be championed by leadership. It is the shepherd that leads the flock to the green pasture and not the other way round.  Peoples’ expectations for good governance can no longer be ignored. Consequently, nations and governments are positioning either rightly or wrongly to satisfy that change yearnings. However, to rightly be in the position to accomplish that implies positioning the system on the right track, facing the right direction, while fully conscious of the required sacrifices, the score and objective.

    The goal of a change action is the attainment of desired objective. No change process is simple and stress free; to overcome the inherent inertia, and vested interests on what exists, the change agent has to be adequately prepared, properly psyched, firmly and confidently focused on the desired objective. For an organization to be in the best shape for the race of change necessitates a complete change in organizational ‘life style’ – the way we have been doing it mentality.

    It is common knowledge that sports coaches generally read the riot act to their athletes preparing for major competitions, ‘no drinking, no night life, and no women/men’; as all these dissipate energy/resources. Similar, appropriate riot act applies to an organization that intends to win the corporate survival race. Its preparation has to be total and focused with the muscles/organization structure made lean, fit and tough. The system’s will to succeed necessitating the retention of only needed personnel to keep operations efficiently running.

    Any change regimen as noted usually appear at the unset demanding, daunting and at times painful, but like all human positive efforts the reward of success invariably soothes, and often obliterates even the memory of pain. The joy of an Olympic gold medalist as he takes the lap of honor eloquently says it all.

  • Our Change is not One Chance, Buhari assures Nigerians

    Our Change is not One Chance, Buhari assures Nigerians

    President Muhammadu Buhari has commended Nigerians for their perseverance while urging them not to lose confidence in the ability of his administration to bring about the change they so much desire.
    The president stated this at the 2015 Vanguard Awards in Lagos on Friday night, where he was honoured with the Personality of the Year Award 2015.
    The President, who was represented by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said that he was keenly aware of the difficulties that Nigerians were facing, especially as a result of the fuel scarcity, poor power supply and inflation.
    “As a government that was propelled into office by the power of the people, we cannot but feel the pains of our compatriots, and we deeply empathise with them.
    “We are working round the clock to ease the pains of Nigerians, and the effort of the government has started yielding fruits.
    “We seek to make the petroleum products available nationwide, restore gas supply to the power generating firms, improve the economy and put Nigerians back to work,’’ he said.
    The president said that he understood that Nigerians had started questioning whether this indeed was the `Change’ they voted for.
    He said that some had even gone as far as saying that by voting for the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nigerians had entered “One Chance’’.
    “Well, I can tell Nigerians that our change agenda is real, and that indeed, they will get the change they voted for.
    “Nigerians have not entered ‘One Chance’, because the ‘One Chance’ drivers and their conductors have been driven out of town.
    “Change is a process, and that process has begun. The pains of today are temporary, and will soon give way to abundant joy as we put our country firmly on the path of sustainable growth and development,’’ he said.
    The President said that all Nigerians, the civil society organisations and the media were the real heroes of the last general elections and the country’s democracy in general.
    He commended the media for the role it played in ensuring the relative success of the last general elections and the resilience of the nation’s democracy since the beginning of the Republic.
    “When the history of the last general elections as well as our democracy is eventually written, I have no doubt that the media will occupy a prominent place on its honour’s list.
    “This is not a surprise because there is no contesting the fact that from the pre-independence years through the years of independence, the various attempts at democratic governance and the years of military interregnum, the media has stood solidly on the side of the people.
    “It has fought for the national interest without compromising its integrity,’’ the President said.
    In bestowing the honour on the President, the Vanguard described him as “a living example of what tenacity, fortitude, and perseverance meant in human experience.’’
    “Until future experience proves otherwise, Buhari is the closest yet that Nigeria will have to America’s Abraham Lincoln,’’ it said.

  • Nigeria and the wait for change

    SIR: That Nigeria is the giant of Africa is a hyperbolic expression. The fact is, Nigeria has the potentialities to become the true giant of Africa. One out of every five black person in our today’s world is a Nigerian. Nigeria has a humongous population. This is a plus for us. Nigerians in the Diaspora are contributing immensely to the development of their host countries, instead of helping Nigeria to achieve technological and economic growth, although they send remittances home for the upkeep of their immediate families in Nigeria. These people with skills, expertise, and knowledge can be lured back to Nigeria in order that they should contribute their quotas towards the development of Nigeria.

    Again, unlike in Europe,  America,  and Asia where acts of God, such as typhoon, Tsunami, and earthquakes cause the devastation of infrastructure , public buildings, and the loss of human lives,  these natural disasters do not occur in Nigeria. Nigeria is a very large country of diverse ethnic groups. Our strength lies in our diversities as we can utilize our diversities to achieve national growth. Rather, our country is bifurcated along ethnic and religious lines. Here in Nigeria, our weather condition is equable; and our land arable and fertile. Agriculture, which used to be the mainstay of our economy before the discovery of oil, has been utterly neglected and relegated to the background.

    And mineral resources are deposited below our soil. Such natural resources as bauxite, lime-stone, coal, tin-ore, and crude oil lie beneath our soil. Our receipt of foreign revenues is dependent on the sale of our crude-oil. Consequently, the slump in the global oil prices has thrown our mono-economy into recession and tail-spin.

    So, why has Nigeria not attained a great height in terms of economic and technological development for all its human and material resources? Nigeria’s backwardness is not unconnected to bad political and military leaderships. Dictatorial, repressive, and fascist military regimes interspersed with inept and corrupt political leaderships ruined our country’s economy, truncated our political evolution, and stalled our technological advancement. Nigeria has not realized its potentialities simply because our country has not been led by its best politicians.

    During the electioneering, President Muhammadu Buhari promised to bring change to our polity. To be fair to him, he hasn’t stayed long in office. But so far he has shown incapacity as to tackling our national problems. Our problems are mounting while he is still engaging in sloganeering and demagoguery as though the campaign period has not ended.

    The queues at our petrol stations are lengthening. Our president who is the substantive minster in charge of petroleum couldn’t address the issue of fuel scarcity decisively and holistically. And, electricity supply throughout Nigeria hasn’t improved. It is a fact that he inherited the problem of epileptic power supply from his predecessor. But what has he done to address the problem? Both small scale businesses and industries rely on steady supply of electricity for production. Irregular supply of electricity is a disincentive to the rapid industrialization of the country.

    What is the president’s solution and answer to the depreciation of our national currency and the depressed economy occasioned by the slump in global oil prices? He has not formulated and implemented economic policies that will boost our economic growth as well as diversify it. Instead of staying at home to tackle our multifarious problems, our president is engaged in globe – trotting. Rather than send a Minister to deputize for him at an unimportant global meeting, our president would attend the meeting.

    Sadly, he has turned a blind eye to the homicidal deeds of the Fulani cattle rearers. Those pastoralists with itinerant and sanguinary proclivities do attack natives of the host communities where their cattle graze.

    The ruling party hasn’t failed on all fronts though. Our soldiers are containing and rebuffing the murderous onslaught of the Boko Haram insurgents. And it is waging a relentless and spirited fight to eradicate corruption from our country.

     

    • Chiedu Uche Okoye,

    Uruowulu – Obosi, Anambra State.

  • ‘Civil Service critical to change agenda’

    The National Productivity Centre (NPC) Director-General (DG) Alhaji Kashim Akor has identified the civil service as critical to the actualisation of the present administration’s change agenda.

    The civil service, he said, could help reposition the other sectors through a productivity mindset and culture.

    Akor spoke at a productivity sensitisation lecture organised by the NPC for grade levels 07 to 12 workers of the Federal Character Commission (FCC) at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

    The lecture, according to the D-G, was to create productivity awareness and enhance civil servants’ capacities for efficient service delivery.

    He decried the poor attitude of workers to work. “The civil service must improve its productivity in order to achieve growth and revitalise the economy against the backdrop of accelerating globalisation and international competitiveness, exponential increase in the unemployment rate and the dwindling oil revenues,” he said.

  • ‘Only new mindset can change Nigeria’

    ‘Only new mindset can change Nigeria’

    Femi Adetayo is the initiator of the Academy for Talent, Leadership and Entrepreneurial Development, an organisation that is determined to groom the younger generation of Nigerians for a better future. In this interview with Yetunde Oladeinde he talks about his passion, catching them young and the things that inspired him.

    What is the focus of the academy?

    My core area is leadership, talent and entrepreneurial development. Talent development in the sense that we can also recruit for people. Also we are looking forward to developing young talents and sponsoring them to develop themselves. I have been doing this seriously for about four years. We train for corporate organisations; we train for schools, companies and everything that has to do with training generally.

    What do you think can be done in terms of nation building?

    We need to develop the mind of the young people. Our slogan is renewing minds for exploits. If you renew the mind of people, automatically you have someone whose mind is renewed for business. He would use his mind profitably for business, he would use his mind profitably for leadership and when he does that, everything goes back to nation building. When the leadership structure is strong, the academic structure is strong and the entrepreneurial structure is strong, then you would have a great nation.

    What inspired you into all this?

    It is the decay in the society. When I drive on the road and you find traffic, you would discover that it is because something was not done well. Some of these things have been discussed over time but they still remain the same? They are not done because people do not have the passion to get them done. A lot of people go into politics to make money, not because they want to serve. I believe that politics is too important to be left alone to the politicians. This would help the average man on the street to know what it should be. Everybody is a leader in their own right and we should all strive to do the right thing. I may be working under you, but at my level, I am an effective leader. If everybody is effective, it goes a long way. But if I am not effective, then I cannot expect the next person to do magic. The leaders that we are talking about came from here (the society). A leader that has not passed through the process and emerges as governor would not understand the system.

    I work with organisations, companies and young people a lot. My focus is young people. I believe that if we can catch them now, as they grow older they, would have formed that culture; and then they would not struggle to adjust. Most of the leaders we have do not have this mindset.

    You also have things like godfatherism affecting the choice of leaders?

    You cannot take away party structure. But you can have a party where the men in the party have strong values; they would not want to break the rules and bend the laws because of selfish interests. If all the people in the party have it right, things would be better and that is what we want to achieve. This godfatherism thing is the same all over the world but there is positive godfatherism and negative godfatherism.

    What are the other things that occupy your time?

    In my personal time, I read a lot. I grew up in Calabar. My dad was in the army; we lived in Lagos before moving to Calabar. I went to the Army school for primary and secondary education before moving to the University of Calabar, served in Lagos, went back to Calabar and back to Lagos. I studied Business Education and majored in Marketing. I also did Applied Economics and Entrepreneurship. I also have an MBA in professional health and safety management, and another on Safety and health.

    On the job, I work as a health and safety manager. I have two masters’ degrees but there comes a time in life when you have to prune. Truly, I trained in safety too but I do not want to focus my time that, because that is not where my passion is.

    What are some of your achievements in the past four years?

    We have done a lot of things on campuses. Right now, we have a campus organisation called Atled. We started one this month in Ladoke Akintola, Ogbomoso; from there we went to Ilorin. We also have a radio program every Sunday on 106.1 FM, where we talk about leadership, entrepreneurial and talent development. It is a complete mindset renewal.

    What is your take on gender and leadership?

    I believe there is nothing like male and female. You were created as human, we were all created as man and there is only a different species of man. One specie is male and the other specie is female. The only difference is the sex organ and everything else is just a bias, not the real thing. It is just culture that caused it; politics also caused it and greed. In the real sense, what a man can do, a woman can do. We have seen a lot of great women today, the likes of Margaret Thatcher and Hilary Clinton.

    Something must have inspired you to think this way?

    The human mind is made of brain cells and the man and woman have the same kind of brain. Really, I have seen my mother to be a very hard working woman. My father was in the army and my mum was a very independent businesswoman. She had more money and that did not affect their home. The first car that was bought in my home was bought by my mother and it was not a problem. I have two kids, a boy and a girl. The truth is that we can’t build Nigeria without a new mindset. If you do not believe in something, you can develop it. It is all a function of the mind.

    Women just don’t rebel, men push them to rebel. The woman usually wants to help; she is a helpmate, and so a good man would see this. She wants to ride on to her purpose and some people would think that she is rebellious. Most times, the red flags are there but we allow our emotions to becloud our judgement. Others think ‘well, I can change him’ or there is pressure from the family to get married.

    Are there challenges doing all this?

    Yes, there are many challenges. The First is time constraints. Most times, I have to work late in the night. A lot of travels and sometimes financial constraints. There would always be challenges but you have to find your way through it. Start from the smallest point and grow gradually. I am working on a book titled, ‘the Secrets of successful people.’ In it you have topics like reading, good health and your friends. We also have thirteen principles that helped them, not just money. That is the problem with Africa; we always link success with money.

    What other business do you do?

    Right now, I do more of exportation. We import clothes at the moment, casual clothes; in the next few months we are going into our own brand. We are using Onestopmotivate, a motivational company to put messages on these shirts.

    What does style mean to you?

    I like dressing good. It says a lot about you. I also thought that I could us simple cloths to affect the minds of people using inspirational quotes on them; belts heads with different motivational logos…. When I travelled recently, I found that the business was quite massive. I am taking my time because it takes a lot of grace to believe in Nigeria. In terms of infrastructure the development is massive. It is our leaders’ fault, especially as a student of history. When we had plenty money, they were busy doing Udoji Award. Instead of working on infrastructure, the head of state was giving civil servants four times their salary. They were buying cars and marrying wives.

    Did we learn from that?

    We didn’t learn from that. That’s why I was so happy when I heard that Buhari said he was not going to give out the N5000 allowance. A lot of people would have taken the money and used it to buy recharge cards and nothing would happen to their lives. I am not a fan of Buhari, I did not vote for him but I like that decision. We need a leader that would take Nigeria to the promise land. I also do not believe in the national quota thing; the man that is qualified for the job should have it.

    If you have to advise young people, what would you tell them?

    I would tell them that with what we have in Nigeria, they should look inwards. They should not go through university for four years and start looking for jobs. They should create jobs. Everybody has a potential, everybody has a talent. So it is important to convert your talent to a product and take it to the marketplace.

    What are some of the changes you hope to see in the next five years?

    First of all, I hope that the average Nigerian would have a change of heart about how they see Nigeria. We have a project that we call ‘God Bless Nigeria,’ it is coming up soon. Most Nigerians can’t say that. Usually they say what is the blessing about Nigeria. We would be going round Nigeria to schools, companies and churches with the message. Here, we would make them understand the concept, the brand known as Nigeria.  ‘God bless Nigeria’ would be on stickers, billboards and we are going to flood the online media with it.

  • Change, global terrorism and security

    Literature on the concept  of change   show  that change management is  an oxymoron   like   ‘ holy war ‘ as  change cannot be managed. The  experts thus  concluded that the best  way to confront change is  to be prepared for any eventualities  by  continually improving one’s  self  or  organization. Change  they  concluded can be faced by learning, growth  and  development. They  illustrate  this historically with the example of American President  Abraham  Lincoln who  fought the American  Civil War to free slaves  and became one of the most successful  and  impactful  US  president after a life dogged  by  failures and personal  difficulties  and mishaps. Lincoln famously  took change and difficulties  he faced with the  famous  statement – I will  prepare  myself and my time must  come.

    It  is from the perspective of this Lincolnian  statement  that I look  at  the topic  of today in terms  of the events that happened this week  which  we  will  focus on. The  first  is the killing of over 35  people in the Airport and Metro in Brussels the capital of Belgium  and that of the  European  Union and  the statement issued  by Turkey  that  it warned Belgium  when it deported  one of the suicide bombers involved when  he was deported  in July  last year.  Yet the man found his way to  Belgium to kill  innocent people  this week.

    The  second  was the visit  of the US  President  Barak  Obama to Cuba,  a very  historic  one for  that matter and  the import of his speech to  an audience in  Cuba  during which  he tried  to sell American market  economy, human  rights  and gay  rights to  the people  of  Cuba. The  third  is the reported  kidnapping of over 100  women  and  some girls by  Boko  Haram  in  Adamawa state  and the reported suspicion of people in the area  that some security  officials could be aiding  and abetting the terrorists  presumably  for a fee . The  fourth  is the reported Memorandum  of Understanding signed by the Lagos  state  government with Kebbi  state to buy rice and other agricultural  produce from that state  and sell in  Lagos  state  which  has  the largest  market  for such produce not only  in  Nigeria but in the entire ECOWAS  region. The  fifth  is the statement credited to the GMD   of  NNPC   Dr  Ibe  Kachikwu  that  the fuel  queues  giving Nigerians  nightmares nowadays  will  not  go away  till  May 2016, a statement that has fuelled a mad  rush  for fuel, hoarding,  and escalated  the black  market price of the scarce commodity. Let  us now  examine  how  the statement credited to Lincoln  could  be  applicable  in all  the situations  and events identified  this week.

    First  let  us look  at the intelligence gaffe that made the Belgians  to ignore the Turkish  warning. Was  it ought of incompetence, ignorance or arrogance or all of these?. Obviously  the Belgians could have downgraded the Turkish  warning because  Turkey  is not yet a full EU  member which has proved to be a costly  and  murderous mistake. Turkey  has  always  been  at the heart of Europe even though it is Muslim. But  it is not an inferior nation  to any EU  member including Belgium. Turkey founded by Kemal  Ataturk   in  1923  was an offspring of the Ottoman Empire that ruled  Europe  for centuries  and its security and intelligence institutions  are efficient especially  in fishing out the sort of people that the Belgians ignored  to their own peril  last week.  So  for  the Belgians they did not prepared  themselves to face change like Lincoln  did  and the result  was the bomb  disaster  that claimed innocent lives this week. The  same  can  be said  of the kidnapping of the  women in  Adamawa  state by  Boko  Haram  and the fears expressed  on intelligence  lapses or sabotage  by those expected  to protect fellow  Nigerians. The  government must  investigate  and bring such intelligence or field  officials  to  book.  They  are treacherous  to say the least  as they  are running  with  the hunted  and  shooting  with the hunters  and benefitting from the awful  carnage   This should  not be allowed  as it is the duty of the Nigerian  government to  protect  all Nigerians no  matter where  they live from any insurgency  especially that of the imfamous  and blood thirsty  Boko  Haram.  It  is not enough to say  terrorism  is a global   problem   not peculiar   to  Nigeria  and sit back. Our  intelligence  community  must  be on their toes to foil Boko  Haram notoriety  and mayhem and not only be reacting to them when  the harm  was done or  closing the stable doors when  the horses  have bolted  from the.

    Next,  let  us look  at the Obama  visit  to the US and its import  for world  peace and  security  especially  at this  point  in time. Obviously  President  Obama would  have prepared  himself  immensely for the Cuban visit like Abraham  Lincoln  thought and  Lincoln is  indeed Obama’s  favorite  US  president,  but  has  Obama’s time  come on this visit ? I  honestly  think  the answer is no which is unfortunate but I will  show why.  First except  for  making history as the first US president to visit Havana  in decades the visit is simply ceremonial  and does not create any economic opportunities  for the US  or  even  Cuban  citizens who view  it with  suspicion . I watched  the US president  trying to compare  the  American way of life – free speech, human  and  gay rights  to a socialist  nation where the gap between  the rich and poor is shorter  and where  the basics of life  -education, shelter and employment  are available and affordable  without the luxuries associated with American  life and  I really  felt  the US president lost his way to  Havana  and should  quickly  return  to the White  House in  Washington. He  dared  to incite Cuban  youths  and bravely too by referring to President Ronald  Reagan’s  speech  in Berlin  –  Tear  this  wall  down- at the Berlin Wall  which was believed to have been part  of the reasons  for the collapse of the Cold  War  but he asked Cuban youths  to build  new things rather  than  tear anything down.  I am  sure the wily old  man of Cuba and unrepentant socialist Fidel  Castro will  be wondering if American  presidents ever learnt anything new  in their dealings with Cuba except  to think of it as part  of the US backyard,  a notion that the US president’s  speech  has cemented  even more than  anything else.

     Anyway,   Cuban  youths  are  well educated and know what Obama said  in his Cairo  speech  that led to Tahrir Square  revolution  in   Cairo    Egypt  in 2011 and know how  the  same US president   abandoned  Egyptian youths  and their new  found  democracy  to their plight when  the  Army came to wipe them out and take over.

    In  addition  President  Obama is a lame duck  president under whose  watch someone like Donald  Trump  has  become  a front runner  for the presidential  candidacy  of the Republican  Party in the US. Trump  has  already thrown the typical Trump verbal  bomb by laughing at Obama that the Cuban president  was not on hand to receive him in Cuba which is true.  More  importantly Trump  has said  Obama is  a security  risk in the way  he has handled ISIS and  the  fact  that the Brussels  bombing happened when  Obama was  on a visit to Cuba  has not helped  matters as it portrayed US  president as fiddling in Cuba  like the ancient  Roman  Emperor  Nero  while Rome and  this time Europe  and Brussels were  burning which is not a good analogy at all.

    Lastly  we look at  the  efforts  of the  Lagos state  government to create food  security  and the NNPC attempt  at transparency that  backfired.  Actually  both  are good preparations except  that one achieved its objective and the other backfired which  means its time has  not really come. In  the case of Lagos state the state can be said to be following the moral  of the Chinese statement which said – Dig  a well before you  are  thirsty. This is because  food insecurity  puts  Lagos state in a perilous security situation as the recent  Mile 12 riots showed  that even security  forces can  be partisan when  it  comes to  food  matters. So  one  can salute the effort of the Lagos state  government  which  would create jobs for Lagos   youths  and unleash  a new breed  of Ibile rice  distributors  to  ginger the busy  economy  of the state.

    In  the case  of the NNPC MD’s  forecast  of the truth  of regularization of the availability of  fuel; the former  Mobil executive probably thought he was  in the  US. He  was  even reported to have said he was not a magician to produce fuel  from  the blues which has led to the Unions calling for his head or resignation . Obviously  he  should  know  better now  or  go for a refresher course with a former Mobil executive now the ultimate Nigerian  politician and former governor of Lagos state, Asiwaju Dr Bola Ahmed Tinubu on  how  to play  politics in Nigeria. Unavailability  of fuel  can lead to social  upheaval and political  instability  and insecurity  and the GMD of NNPC   must  look  before  he leaps and also  know that  a stitch  in time saves nine especially  when tempers  are  frayed at the fuel  stations  where  Nigerians spend the better  part  of their days looking for fuel  to  take them  to work  to eke out   a precarious  experience even  as they expect a change for the better. Again  long live the Federal  Republic  of Nigeria.