The Nation Newspaper

Tag: CULTURE

  • Building a culture of pro bono in Nigeria

    Building a culture of pro bono in Nigeria

    The above title is paraphrased from an event organised by Lagos State, the Centre of Excellence, last week, under the auspices of The Lagos State Public Interest Law Partnership (LPILP).

    According to a promotional leaflet shared to participants, the aim of the LPILP platform is “to provide pro bono legal services to indigent citizens in Lagos state”, and the goal “is to expand access to justice and further secure the right of every citizen to justice, irrespective of his or her financial means”. The sign-on meeting, which held at the MUSON Centre was sequel to a stakeholders’ meeting held on November 8, 2012, by Governor Babatunde R. Fashola. A rough estimate of attendees at the event is about 1000.

    Interestingly, I had on this column on July 3, 2012, under the title: “Vote for Public interest litigation”, canvassed a more robust legal environment to help the less privileged members of our society, among other issues. So, I was excited when one of my teachers in mediation practice, Mrs Omotola Rotimi, the Director of the Office of the Public Defender, who presented the opening remarks at the event, invited me to the sign-on meeting. Of course the ceremony was a show-stopper for any person who has an interest in ‘bridging the justice gap’ as was eloquently canvassed by the chief host, Mr. Ade Ipaye, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, of Lagos State. A major highlight of the event was the presentation by Prof Lanre Fagbohun, the Lead Consultant/Principal Investigator, to the Ministry of Justice and its partners, titled: “Defining the Justice Gap – A presentation of the Needs Assessment Study Preliminary Report”.

    The presentation showed starkly the challenges of bridging the justice gap for a socio-economically backward country like Nigeria. Comments and observations by law firms and non-governmental organisations also indicated in clear details, experiences and challenges of pro bono practice. One interesting presentation was by a young lawyer, and what I will call a pro-bono activist, Mr. Ahmed Adetola-Kazeem, who in his about five years of legal practice has impacted quite significantly, under the auspices of his NGO, “Prison Rights Advocacy Initiative”. As he shared his experience, I was enthused by his palpable excitement, at helping under-aged persons gain freedom from incarceration, among other successes. One commentator talked about his faith as the push for going to police and prison cells, under cover, to help free those under chains. That presenter asked participants to rise up to the challenge, for as he said, what is happening under the guise of our criminal justice system is mind boggling and un-imaginable.

    Another participant, Mr. Kola Oluwadare, in his experience presentation, raised fundamental challenges facing practitioners, some caused by state actors. The challenges include delays in the judicial process by the courts, poor knowledge of the essential sacrifice of pro bono practitioners by officials of the lowers courts and many other challenges in the criminal justice system. However, one interesting worthy practice on the part of Lagos government which he pointed out, was that the cost of filling a document for a pro bono matter can be waived. Many other commentators noted the challenge posed by the police, especially as prosecutors at the lower courts. The consensus from the commentaries was the need for more training for those at the vanguard of our criminal justice system, including judicial officers.

    Like in many other spheres of positive change, the Lagos state government is showing the way, to build a modern society. Excitingly, the Lagos state government is revolutionalising their judiciary. What started with the remodeling of the courts, enhanced remuneration and welfare for judges, among other indices, during the administration of the Asiwaju of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as Governor of Lagos, has metamorphosed Governor Fashola into a total revamping of the process and philosophy of justice in the state. The Lagos Multi-Door Court (LMDC) and the Alternative Dispute Resolution mechanism that have statutorily become integral parts of the judicial process in the state are further examples of this change for better. A training program as a Mediator, which I participated in, under the auspices of the LMDC, shows an impending convergence of social justice and legal justice.

    Towards building a culture of pro bono in Nigeria, let me quote again the eloquent erudition of Justice P.N. Bhangwatti, former Chief Justice of India, which was also cited in my 2012, article, “Vote for public interest litigation”; who he said: “… the majority of people who are living in almost subhuman existence in conditions of abject poverty and for whom life is a long unbroken story of want and destitution, notion of individual freedom and liberty, though representing some of the most cherished values of free society would sound empty words bandied about in the drawing room of the rich and well-to-do, and the only solution for making these rights meaningful to them is to remake the material conditions and usher in a new social order where socio-economic justice will inform all institutions of public life so that the preconditions of fundamental liberties of all may be secured.”

    The LPILP, among other initiatives of the Lagos government, hopefully will substantially answer to the rhetorical question of the eminent jurist, Justice Chukwudifu Oputa, who said: “What is the value of say, fair hearing to the poor man who cannot pay a summons fees let alone afford the services of a counsel”. As one of the lead presenters, at LPILP, Prof Edwin Rekosh, the President of PILnet, (a global network for public interest law) said, the game plan is to spread this goodwill across Nigeria.

  • United by their culture

    United by their culture

    It was a feast of culture and excitement at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) when the Federated Association of Nsukka Students (FANS) marked its cultural day. KINGSLEY AMATANWEZE (Metallurgical and Materials Engineering) reports

    The women came out gorgeously dressed in their native attires. They adorned beautiful bead-necklaces and head gears; some dressed in blouses and wrapper, others tied long wrappers around their necks. For the men, it was a variety of traditional robes, including the popular Isi agu regalia with beads to match, portraying the culture of Nsukka people.

    That was the scene when the Federated Association of Nsukka Students (FANS), University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), held its cultural day penultimate week. The event took place at an open space called Freedom Square on campus, and it was attended by students from the seven local government areas that constitute the old Nsukka district, which now falls under the purview of Enugu North Senatorial zone.

    The Enugu North Senatorial zone comprises Udenu, Isi-uzo, Igbo Eze South, Igbo Eze North, Uzo-Uwani, Igbo Etiti and Nsukka local government areas.

    As the students moved in a carnival-like procession to the venue, Ijele (the king of masqueraders) and Adanma (the beauty queen masquerader) entertained the passers-by with traditional dance steps. The cultural troupes of the association trailed the masqueraders, dancing to the tune of traditional talking drum.

    The venue was decorated with some cultural objects, such as like palm wine tappers’ climbing belt, palm wine wooden keg, local mats, beads, palm fronds and other traditional ornaments.

    The event was also an opportunity for the students to showcase their local cuisines. Only local foods, such as Okpa, Ona, Ayaraya and Achicha, were served. Palm wine was also the only brand of wine taken at the event. It was about culture.

    Students from each Local Government Area were called to present their cultural exhibitions, which were mainly masqueraders and traditional music.

    The FANS president, Bartholomew Asogwa, a 300-Level Public Administration and Local Government student, decried the embrace of “alien way of life” in place of Nsukka culture, urging members of the association to revive the traditions of the Nsukka people.

    He said: “Our culture forbids kidnapping, cultism, lack of respect to elders and listening to lewd songs.. But today, our youths embrace these vices because they have abandoned the cultural beliefs bequeathed to us by our ancestors. Ours is a culture that promotes honesty and humility.”

    He stated that the objective of the cultural event was to promote unity and to take members back to their roots. He said it would be tragedy if Nsukka youths grow up to learn that their heritage had been substituted with alien culture.

    He attributed success organisation of the event to efforts of the association’s patrons, including Eze Willy Ezugwu, who is the Enugu’s chairman of Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP), who supported the students financially. He reiterated that FANS does not associate with any political party.

    Students, who spoke to CAMPUSLIFE, commended the organisers for rescuing the Nsukka people’s culture from extinction. Jennifer Tim, a 200-Level Biochemistry student, described the event as reminder to sustain Nsukka culture.

    “I learned new thing about my background. If it is not for the cultural event, which serves as a reminder for people like, I would have completely lost bond with my tradition,” she said.

    Another student, Samson Udekwe, 300-Level Combined Political Science and Philosophy, bemoaned the contact of local culture with western way of life, saying it was time students saved the Nsukka heritage from losing its values. He said: “Our culture as Africans and Igbos in particular is losing values after contact with the western culture. So, the essence of this gathering is to revitalise our dying culture.”

    Evaristus Eneje, a 500-Level Civil Engineering student, was elated to witness the event for the first time. He described the cultural day as a “good show”, saying: “The fiesta has made it possible for us to know our brothers, and to relate with one another better. I feel so happy to be a member of the association and organisers of the event must be commended for bringing culture back to our door step.”

    “I am proud from being an indigene of Nsukka,” Augusta Ugwuanyi, a 200-Level Library and Information Science student, said, adding: “One the things that made the event so interesting was making our local foods the official meal at the event.”

    The event also featured decoration of some students with chieftaincy titles. Uchenna Oshomi, a 300-Level Public Administration and Local Government student, was bestowed with honour.

    At the event included the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration), Prof Malachy Ukwueze and officials of Enugu State government.

  • Culture vital to history, say Awujale, Balogun

    The Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, and the Olori Omoba of Ijebu, Otunba Subomi Balogun, have urged rulers to preserve the people’s cultural heritage.

    They said a people’s cultural heritage was “a sacred institution that should be protected”.

    The duo spoke in Ijebu Ode at the weekend at the inauguration of a multimillion naira Oba Adesimbo Tunwase Museum and Hall, facilitated by Balogun.

    Oba Adetona said the institution should be protected against brigands in the ruling house, “who intend to destroy the family’s peace and legacies.”

    Speaking on his “ordeal” with aggrieved members of the royal family, who filed a case to challenge Balogun’s position as the Olori Omoba of Ijebuland, the Awujale described the plaintiffs as ingrates.

    He said: “The royal family is a sacred institution, which should not be allowed to be polluted by charlatans. It is unfortunate that people with dubious character are finding their way into the royal institution and this has to be checked.”

    Balogun said a people’s culture is the only means to trace their history.

    He said many past rulers in Ijebuland were buried at the spot where the museum is situated.

    Balogun said an ancient crown, staff, books on the origin of Ijebu and the grave of the late rulers were preserved in the museum, adding: “People can travel from all over the world to the museum because there are many ancient and historical artefacts here.”

  • Osun governor’s wife challenges artistes on culture

    Osun State Governor’s wife, Mrs Sherifat Aregbesola and the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Hon. Najeem Salam have urged theartre artistes to instill good culture and character in the young ones through their profession.

    The duo spoke in Osogbo on Sunday at the launch of a Yoruba film, produced by Mrs. Foluke Amere, wife of the House of Representative member, representing Iwo/Ayedire/Ola-Oluwa Federal Constituency, Hon. Gafar Amere, which was celebrated amidst fanfare.

    Mrs Aregbesola, who described artiste as teachers, said that evidences have shown that young ones, cultivate the habit they watch on films.

    She added that the artistes can assist the administration of Governor Aregbesola in the propagation of Omoluabi ethos being propagated by the administration.

    She added: “Artistes are teachers, because what our children, even the old watch on video sometimes serve as guide for them.

    “This is the reason our thearter professionals must always come up with ideas that will instill good character in our children,” she said.

    Also, Hon. Salaam urged the artistes to always be proud of their profession and use it to help the government in the development of society.

    He said: “As you entertain, try to use your profession to help the society by propagating Omoluabi culture.”

    Commending the governor for ensuring peace in the state, which, according to him, allows all professions to thrive, he said that this has brought rapid development to the state.

    Speaking, the producer of the film, Mrs Amere said that the film was tailored towards propagating Omoluabi ethos.

    She further noted that the major objective of the film was to showcase Yoruba culture and tradition.

    Present at the occasion were the state Deputy Governor, Otunba Titilayo Laoye-Tomori; Senators Babajide Omoworare of Osun East, Mudashir Hussein of Osun West and Gbenga Ashafa from Lagos State.

    Other are members of the House of Representatives, members of the state House of Assembly, members of the state executive council, Yoruba film producers, actors and actresses among others.

  • Celebrating culture to mark milestone

    Celebrating culture to mark milestone

    AMAEKPU community in Ohafia Local Government Area of Abia State is richly endowed with tourism centres. The Mgbeyi-Ele Lake, Ibuobuo Stream and Ukogoro Spring are scenic vistas any day.

    The community also boast of Ezeofiri caves which accommodate several houses inside and Ekidi stream renown for its curative power and a wonderful landscape of the Ugwu Oko hills.

    Some of the major festivals in the ancient community are the Omume-iri Uduma which ususally held in the month of March; Orie Okpo Odo in April during the planting season, Easter celebration(in April), Igwa Ali(between February and March); Omume Iriji( in September), Uzouiyi ( in February) while Afia Abali is celebrated every leap year.

    The 18th coronation anniversary of the traditional ruler of the town, His Royal Highness,Prof.Emeh Okwara(Ekpudiogba Ofali Agwu III, the Ezeogo of Amaekpu provided an opportunity for the community to showcase its rich tourism and cultural values.

    At the event, the academic turned traditional ruler shone in a red traditional Isi Enyi matched with Okuagu cap and complemented with Eagle feathers pinned to the cap. The monarch expressed his happiness at large turn out of indegenes and guests. He thanked the chieftaincy award recipients for their contribution towards the uplift of the community.

    The guest of honour at the occasion and former gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance(APGA) in Abia State, Ochiagha Reagan Ofomba, praised the people of Amaekpu for the enterprise and desire to continually improve the community. He asked the community to count on his support on community projects saying :”Always feel free to call on me for support on community projects because I consider myself a member of this community”..

    The atmosphere at Ofali Agwu Primary School, venue of the cultural event was lively. Gaily dressed women in their traditional attires register their presence in large numbers.

    It was as if the men were in competition of sort with the women who filed out in flamboyant attires. Ohafia traditional attire is complemented with bird feathers and shiny materials with images of wild animals such as lion and elephants. The attire allows for such. The traditional cap called Okpu Agu has a single eagle feather pinned to it. As tradition demands on big occasions, Ohafia men do not wear trousers but wrappers made of George fabric. It is usually tied round the waist while the knot is hanged on the ankle level.

    The Ohafia War dancers added to the occasion. About two or three groups of war dancers were on hand to entertain the audience. They gave a good account of themselves with their energetic dance to pulsating drum beat. Their stagemanshi ,rhythmic vibration of their muscle and the scintillating movement had a magnetic effect on the guests . Indeed, some excited guests fruitlessly tried to simulate the energetic dancers.

    The war dancers are like a metaphor for the history of Ohafia people. In the past the totality of the life of an average Ohafia person revolves round wars and conquests. They are like the Spartan people reveled in war in the ancient times.. There are however, no compelling evidence to show that this insatiable appetite for wars go hand in hand with ascetic lifestyle of the ancient Spartan people.

    They no longer engage in war but the war dancers simulate this epoch in the life of the people of Ohafia through the dances.

    After all the dances and merriments, it was time to honour some illustrious sons of the community.

    The chair of the Palnning Committee, Chief Uduma Agbai, urged the recipients of the honorary chieftaincy titles not to relent in their contribution toward the development of the community.

    One of the recipients Chief Ibe Anaga Ojo, the Ochomma Oha 1 of Amaekpu Ohafia said “ the conferment of the title was more or less a call for more service not just to the town and its people, but to humanity in general”.

    Amaekpu was said to have been founded by Nna Ajaiyi Aworo and Nna Ukpai. The community has seventeen ancient traditional compounds which include Ndi Ofali, Ndi Umuozio, Ndi Odike, Ndi Nnate, Ndi Ikuku, Ndi Uche, Ndi Okowu, Ndi Uyo, Ndi Edike, Ndi Inyima, Ndi Agboke, Ndi Aja, Ndi Alum, Ndi Umaja, Eziuku Ngodo, Ndi Nkole and Ndi Nnachi.

    The ceremony turned out to be another occasion for the people of Amaekpu community, regarded as one of the most progressive communities in Ohafia town, to display its rich culture and natural endowments.

     

  • Africans’ identity rooted in culture, says VC

    Africans’ identity rooted in culture, says VC

    The Department of Theatre Arts of the Kwara State University (KSU) has held an induction and orientation for its new students.

    The ceremony featured a play titled: The greedy wife, written by Biola Fasoranti, a 200-Level student, and Struggling to die, a dance libretto by Felix Akinsipe. The freshers had their first experience in art performance during the ceremony.

    The Vice-Chancellor, Prof Abdulrasheed Na’Allah, reiterated the need to preserve and promote African oral traditions, stressing that the identity of Africans was rooted in their robust culture. He said African identity should not be compromised.

    He said: “The university, having realised this urgent need, decided to establish a School of Visual and Performing Arts to train students in the discipline. The university had recruited a highly experienced scholar in the Diaspora to teach students in Theatre Arts. We have Prof Awam Amkpa from the New York University as the Dean of the Arts Faculty and we have provided state-of-the-art equipment for the school to excel.”

    The sub-Dean, Dr Femi Abiodun, said induction was conceived in 1970s to initiate students to the discipline. “It is a general phenomenon that induction is not only performed in the School of Visual and Performing Arts or Theatre Arts only, but also in medicine, law and other disciplines,” he said.

    Uthman Owolabi, a 400-Level student, entertained the audience with Kudeti, a play written and directed by him.

    Olayinka Aina, one of the inductees, said: “I am happy to be inducted today. When I told my friends that I am studying Performing Arts, some of them mocked me but seeing me on stage today, they were surprised with my budding talent in arts.”

    Tayo Animashaun, another fresher, said her parents initially did not want her to take the course, but after counselling, she was allowed to study Theatre Arts “I am going to give in my best to convince my parents that I can excel in this discipline,” she said.

     

  • Feast of culture at college’s jubilee

    Feast of culture at college’s jubilee

    Ofo (the deity) led the procession, carrying a black pot through which he communicated with the populace. The chief priest followed the deity, making incantations with a cow horn wrapped with a red ribbon.

    The Igwe (king), his chiefs and some denizens, clad in flamboyant red and white robes, trailed them on the way to the shrine to seek the gods’ face for the festival.

    This was the setting when the Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education in Owerri, the Imo State capital, held a cultural fiesta to mark its 50th anniversary.

    Students shone in different cultural attires to mark the day. Their dressing depicted tradition, life, arts and customs of all ethnic groups in the country.

    It all started with a procession round the campus by staff and students in their traditional attires, bearing object peculiar to their ethnic group. The Igbo, Yoruba, Hausa, Tiv, Efik and Idoma, among others were represented.

    After the tour, they gathered at the Handball Court, the venue of the programme, to dance.

    The ceremony was declared open by the Deputy Provost, Sir B.C Maduka, who praised the students for the display of the “rich cultural heritage of the people of this great nation”. After the speech, the stage was set for cultural troupes’ performance. About 16 different cultural groups entertained the audience.

    Some of the groups that performed are Nzezurume, Kegite Club, Tiv Students Association, Idoma Cultural Group, the Ezemmuo of Nzezurume and Yoruba Students Association.

    Anambra State students stole the show when they brought their masqueraders and dancers to the stage. The masqueraders showcased the rich culture of Anambra people in particular and the Igbo.

    Yoruba students surprised the audience with their Egungun (masquerader) and Babalawo (the priest). A student in the Yoruba troupe moved closer to the Egungun and placed his ears beside the spirit’s mouth. He urged the audience to be silent, claiming he wanted to hear from the ancestors. This attracted applause.

    The performance was followed by the display of the “Ezemmuo” – the oracle of the gods of Nzezurume of Alvan Community. The troupe made incantations in Igbo language, depicting how the oracles acted as medium of communication between the people and the gods. The chief priest interpreted the oracle’s message, which prescribed the use of herbs and leaves as medication by the people.

    Chairman of the Governing Council Hon. Ajibola Oyinlola danced with Yoruba students in excitement. He commended the students for their “perfect” display of their cultures. He told them to use culture to promote unity in the country.

    Theatre Art students displayed their dancing skills. They started with the Ohafia war dance, a symbol of Ohafia people in Abia State. They also performed the Atilogwu dance of Anambra people and the Egedege of Imo people.

    They staged a drama on how Dibia afa (native doctors) treated people with bone fracture, using Igba okwukwu (a traditional medicine). In the drama, a female dancer feigned injury and the native doctor (a male student) used traditional orthopaedic medication to reset her bones. After the medication, the dancer performed excellently.

    Nwaiwu Somtochukwu, a 200-Level student, said: “It is good to attend this kind of event. I have learnt new things about the culture of my people and I was able to find explanation to some traditions being practised in Igboland today.”

    Iwuchukwu Anurika, another student, said: “I have just discovered that culture is dynamic. I followed every activity of this cultural day and it was really fun-filled. I thought incantation is only used in Nollywood movies, but today I have witnessed it live. This is interesting.”

    At the event were Imo state University students and primary school pupils, among others.

  • ‘Religion must not drive culture around’

    ‘Religion must not drive culture around’

    The Second Ekiti State Festival of Culture and Arts Expo tagged Arts, Culture and Tourism: Tools for social transformation held last week was more than a celebration of culture. Jimoh Aliu’s Imole De, a drama performance says it all, reports Assistant Editor (Arts) Ozolua Uhakheme.

    After a brief scintillating drama sketch by the visiting Oyo State Cultural Troupe on the open lawn of Ikogosi Warm Spring and Resort, it was time for an evening of poetry performances and reading. Venue was the Conference Hall of the resort. US-based Nigerian scholar and poet Prof Niyi Osundare and Erelu Olufunke Fayemi were guest readers at this year’s Ekiti State Festival of Culture and Arts Expo. Akeem Lasisi of Punch Newspaper presented special poems for the evening last Thursday.

    Dressed in a white top on a black pair of trousers, Prof Osundare, who kicked off the evening walked up to the podium, holding a bottle of water on one hand and copies of his books on the other. He was full of smiles. His mission was to share his literary experiences with his kinsmen for the second time in his state. He returned to the country a day earlier for the festival.

    “This is Ikogosi water,” he said in a low tone after a sip from the bottle of Gossy water packaged from Ikogosi warm spring. In a homage to the state, he said the rocky landscape of Ekiti is well-endowed and has produced the mindscape from which emerged lots of brilliant and successful Nigerians.

    “There is no miracle in Ekiti, it is forthrightness and hard work. These are the memories that made me strong and which I want to share with you this night,” he said amid performances. He read and performed some of his poems ,such as Invocation of the word, The rocks rose to meet me, Ewi Adamo, A song for Olosunta and Tender Moment, a parting love song he rendered both in English and Yoruba language. His love for nature and his rocky hometown of Ikere-Ekiti was overwhelmingly demonstrated in his presentations. He recalled with nostalgic feelings how he grew up in the conundrum of myths, tales and fables about the Olosunta rock in Ikerre. Little wander he dedicated A song for Olosunta to the historic rock. Also, he did not deny the audience his mother’s favourite song, Aremo So Loye, which he rendered effortlessly in Ekiti dialect.

    However, he lamented the continued decline in the tempo and size of the Olosunta Festival, saying, Olosunta crowd would continue to fade out like every other thing. “Unfortunately, we don’t appreciate our heritage. Christianity and Islam should not drive culture aground. Our culture is very important. There is so much culture and wisdom in Olosunta Festival.”

    Osundare, who was attending a cultural event for the first time in Ekiti State, stressed that science does not stand in the way of culture and vice versa. According to him, Ifa has given mankind everything including physics, biology and medicine. “Unfortunately, for a long time, we have been looking into the sky for what is in our pockets,” he said, noting that poems can be written in Ekiti dialect.

    Beyond his performances and readings, Osundare commented on the on-going transformation programmes of Governor Kayode Fayemi in Ekiti State, the need to promote Yoruba culture, especially the Olosunta Festival among others.

    He said a lot is happening in Ekiti State, and that is how change begins. He said he sees promise, which must be held with both hands for growth in the state. “Allowing the women not to rot away in men’s kitchens and parlours is another way of empowering the women folks,” he noted.

    Wife of Governor Fayemi who did three brief readings from her book, Speaking for myself and speaking above a whisper recalled those political periods after the re-run gubernatorial elections in Ekiti State. She read, particularly, from the chapter that dwells on the many experiences and encounters she had with political opponents, the police, INEC officials and thugs. In fact, her readings were like replays of episodes from a political drama. Her parting poem, The day the devil came to drink water, was the high point of the reading as the audience went wild in laughter after she translated the meaning of the poem in Yoruba to mean Ojo buruku esu gbo mimu.

    According to her, the title of the poem was derived from response from a witness at the election tribunal sitting on the election case at Ilorin.

    The festival, which ran from December 9 to 13 also featured arts expo, colloquim, women extravaganza, film show, traditional cuisine, traditional games, story telling and command performance of Jimoh Aliu’s Imole De. The drama featured artistes such as Peter Fatimilola, Folasade Aliu, and Toyin Olanrewaju.

    The colloquim lead paper titled: Public/private parternship as a viable option for the promotion and branding of festivals and heritage sites in Ekiti, was presented by the Director-Genmeral of Centre for Black Arts and African Civilisation (CBAAC), Prof. Tunde Babwale at the Fountain Hotel,Ado Ekiti.

  • Improving reading culture

    Improving reading culture

    A few days ago, I listened to a phone-in programme on the radio with the topic: The youths do not read. In the sentence, the word “read” refers to academic materials. With such a sensitive subject matter, it is easy to predict who the respondents would be. Your guess was right – most of the callers were elderly people, who believed the reading culture is diminishing.

    Opinions were divided among the respondent, some of whom believed that the youths are lazy and do not want to suffer for anything except to enjoy life. Others emphasised that youths are being distracted by entertainment, sports and other trivial issues.

    When the programme ended, there was an agreement of opinions among the callers that, which could simply be paraphrased as follows: youths don’t want to read again.

    Let us now get down to the crux of this discourse. Who is a youth? Why is he not reading? I might not be able to explain the term “read” from all perspectives, but there is one perspective that is responsible for why the youths are not good readers, especially from the academic angle.

    On personal observation, I believe there are different categories of youth. Some come from an affluent background and do everything with ease. They do not have to struggle for whatever thing they may need in life. This set of youths does not want any challenge to bother them. So, asking them to read to discover and learn or to provide an answer to a puzzle would be their least concern.

    In second category are youths from privileged background, who have all resources they need. Despite the riches of their parents, they still want to explore the world. They read not only to be informed, but also to provide answers to questions. For them, their parents’ riches become an advantage.

    The youths in the third category are from average families, which do not have everything but has enough to be comfortable in life. This set of youth does not want to stress themselves to get what apparently seems unachievable. They do not want to be in the uppermost class; they prefer an average life. They may not bother about getting advanced education; they are modest in everything.

    The fourth category has youths who are also from average families, but are not satisfied with their life. Hence, they would use their meager resources to shoot themselves up to affluence, without difficulty.

    We also have youths from the lowest class, who grow up with little or nothing. They blame everything on fate. They see their peers from rich homes as an enemy to loathe.

    There are also youths from the lowest class, who grow with nothing and do not accept their condition as fate. Rather, they see themselves as a victim of a nation with lopsided wealth distribution. They fight their way to position where the wealth of the nation is shared.

    From the analysis, one could tell why the reading culture drops among the youths. However, youths in category two and four would read more without undivided attention. They are focused and not interested in any trivial issues. You know why? They do not only have the resources they need in readiness, they will also secure jobs with ease in their discipline.

    How? They have ‘connections’ because of their influential parents, friends, relatives and groups. The probability that they will get jobs before graduation is high.

    The subject of this discourse is youths in the last category. They are the ones losing interest in reading, because they does not have a certain aim but still want to make money and be counted as one of the influential people in the society. In their manners, they are rough and tough.

    This set of youth seldom has a target. They may be studying Medicine, Accounting, Law or other professional discipline, but we should not surprise if they tell us they are not building their future on that. While they study, they will be looking out for where to make money.

    The average Nigerian youth would not be interested in reading abstract textbooks of how two elements became a compound, neither would he be interested in why Shakespeare was the most important writer in the Elizabethan Period.

    He wants substance, he wants something that will trigger his thinking, something physical and concrete, that would be of help to humanity and not absurd formulas.

    In fact, majority of the present day achievers belong to the last category of youths. Older people need to know that there is a new trend. Things were different in their time because they had access to free education, countless scholarship opportunities, good libraries with updated books and good economy.

    But, the youths of today feel unsecured; their attention is divided. They are demoralised by conditions of their uncles and aunts, who read hard but ended up taking dirty jobs with meager salaries. The youths of today do not want to join this league, hence they try to find solution by not putting all of their eggs in a basket.

    Solution? Yes, let the nation, which does not appreciate education, provide a healthy standard in our education system and create equal opportunities based on merit, let us see how the youths would not take their time to study.

    •Temitope is a student of English, UNILAG

     

     

     

  • Unprogressive culture

    WE need to unlearn some aspects of our culture that impedes progress. Last week, the Registrar of the National Examinations Council (NECO), Prof Promise Okpala rightly pointed out that our inability to punish wrong doing is a cultural defect that has impeded the fight against examination malpractice.

    When someone does wrong, then begs, usually those who witness the incident expect that he should be left off the hook – his begging having supposedly atoned for the wrong doing. Usually, in such cases, the wrongdoer becomes the underdog while the prosecutor or plaintiff is viewed as a villain. It is in exceptional cases, such as armed robbery, kidnapping, that Nigerians are interested in meting out instant judgment on criminals, regardless of what the law says.

    This response to wrong doing has affected our ability to enforce laws and instill discipline. For instance, in 2007, Mrs Obiageli Ezekwesili as Education Minister blacklisted more than 300 schools and 200 officials involved in examination malpractice. They were meant to serve the punishment for three years. However, the punishment was suspended forever after she left office the same year, so they did not even feel any inconvenience. As far as many were concerned, the former minister was too harsh.

    Prof Okpala spoke of the frustration of the examining body in prosecuting exam fraudsters because nobody would willingly testify against them. The ‘I don’t want to be responsible for someone’s downfall’ mentality stops people from giving the information that would enable the law to take its course. If we must progress in this country, we need to call a spade its name and be ready to live by the book.

    We need to start enforcing this in our school system. As participants at the 2011 examination summit that held in Abuja noted, the Federal Government needs to make it easier to implement the Exam Malpractice Act by giving more courts jurisdiction to try malpractices cases. Also, those cases need to be made public so we actually know that people are spending three to four years in jail because they import ‘microchips’ into examination halls, impersonate, collude or commit any other act that compromises the integrity of our examination.

    Examining bodies usually sanction perpetrators. However, beyond the number of candidates caught cheating and the seizure of their results, we hear nothing more. Some of these candidates are supposed to be barred from retaking the examination for a period but I doubt if such ever happens. They need to happen.

    We also need to know the names of schools that are blacklisted. I learnt from a retired director in Lagos State that usually, very few schools are axed. I am sure fewer schools than deserve get this punishment. From our interactions with secondary school pupils, the issue of schools helping their candidates during public examinations is more rampant than appreciated. Pupils are assisted for the Junior School Certificate Examinations, which does not attract as much spotlight as the senior school examination. The relevant bodies should not be lenient with erring schools. They need to be disgraced.

    Officials should not be spared either. At several forums, the West African Examinations Council assures Nigerians that any employee of the council found complicit in issues relating to leakages, collusion and other offences are not spared. They are dealt with accordingly, he assured. Sadly, members of the public do not get to find out about them. Many Nigerians assume, rightly or wrongly, that malpractice is made possible because WAEC officials themselves partake. We do not want the silence any longer.

    However, beyond sanctions, we need to help our school children appreciate learning and hard work to earn deserving scores. With such attitude, they are unlikely to prefer cheating.