The Nation Newspaper

Tag: daughters

  • Big Man, Get a Big Padlock and Lock Your Daughters In, Please!

    THE PRINCESS’ FILES BY MIKKY ATTAH

    Many in Nigeria know of the enormous powers wielded by our First Ladies over the times. Like the day that Gen. Abacha died. His wife Maryam swung into action and moved out all the valuable properties in the villa, an operation she carried out with the precision of a General at war! On that day, Maryam packed plane loads of valuables, shuttling to and from Kano for hours.

    The woman turned Aso Rock into Aso Desert before she let the news out that Sanni had died!!! …Now this is just a teaser, an excerpt from my forthcoming book! For now though, the angle I am looking at is the effect that the news of the death of Head of State had on a particular happy family back then.

    There had been this Igbo lady, fleshy “old” by Nigerian standards, a singleton without known male suitors then.

    Suddenly, General Abacha in a palace coup seized power and declared himself Head of State. Since he could not run the affairs of state alone, ministers were appointed and – one of them haply, was this lady’s senior brother! What a great change of status! And immediately suitors started beating down her door, before she settled for one Igbo man. With the marriage rites concluded, contracts started rolling in for the man and happy was the couple.

    This was until that fateful day when it was confirmed that Abacha had died. What! No More Brother-in-Law Minister? No More Contracts?! No More… Believe me, the Marriage Ended Right There!

    And history has been repeating itself in different permutations but with the self same theme. Abacha himself who remained monogamous till the end saw nothing amiss about one of his ministers coming for a daughter’s hand, even into a polygamous setting! No, the marriage did not last. One of our former National Assembly members, Iyabo, used to be Iyabo Obasanjo Bello. Bello didn’t last.

    Another First Lady we have had, Turai Yar’Adua is one beautiful lady any day, and so indeed are all her daughters.

    But for the 3 that were given out in marriage THE SAME DAY – were they not younger and more beautiful the year before their father became President! Umaru Yar’Adua apparently had to fight through many suitors to one day give out 3 daughters in marriage and it only happened upon his becoming President. Even among the 3 daughters was a divorcee of long years standing. So how come all these men only appeared at that time?

    I JUST WONDER. Did something in anyway has ANYTHING to do with the current president’s older daughter’s wedding last year?

    It is well known that before his first wife died, she had 3 daughters for Muhammadu Buhari. That was before he married our very beautiful and elegant Aisha, and together they have 4 more.

    The thing is, Buhari contested the Presidency 4 times in cycles of 4 years. Before winning in 2015, why was it that these men never sought the lady’s hand in marriage? This is a lady that is in her forties now!

    Please, note please that my very best indeed are my wishes for all here. But while Nigerians were very happy and excited about it, I was just that little nervous: talking about the December marriage of yet another daughter, Zahra Muhammadu Buhari to Ahmed Mohammed Indimi.

    Personal choices, yes; family matters, indeed. But private matters – NO MORE, as that is the one luxury that any exalted office does not allow too much of.

    And so it was for me that the lovely looking lady Zahra kept popping up every single time I browsed anything on the internet. On an on endlessly, till I decided that, considering it was harmless, I would just take the time and have a look. So finally I clicked on her and discovered she is the baby of the house (referring again to the Big Padlock – there are more eligible daughters in that fold!). Also, I read that the young lady is very interested in photography, like I am also. SO, IS THE YOUNG MAN THAT MUCH INTERESTED IN PHOTOGRAPHY TOO?!!

    And speaking about youth, from what I read, the Lady Zahra is barely 21. But from the photos, the man Ahmed looks at least 45! An Age Gap Of 21 Years Is Way Too Much for Any Young Girl. I have no qualms about a 50 year old woman marrying a 70 year old man, but for a young person, girl or boy! – Indeed, I agree completely with Bianca Onoh’s father’s initial refusal of his daughter’s marriage to late Chief Emeka Ojukwu. I mean, imagine having a son-in-law that one would have to call ‘Sir’ – older than even the father-in-law! Happily, in their case; True Love Did Prevail. And I truly, truly want it to be so again here.

    I attended Ahmed Indimi’s sister Rahama’s wedding to Mohammed Babangida at the Hilltop mansion in Minna. A paragon of beauty, cute and lovely, Rahama is the kind of girl I would love to have around as a friend.

    And just like the Babangidas, Rahama has no airs around her about being a billionaire’s daughter.

    So I wonder aloud, why are we never told What Ahmed Indimi Does for a Living? He himself could have put it out there. No, it is always …Ahmed, the son of the billionaire businessman Mohammed Indimi…!!

    So, does Ahmed have any business going too?

    Or is he managing his father’s business? Actively?

    Because, this is CHANGE government now! IS HE AT WORK TOMORROW?!!

    And what is my own, you may ask me, believe me; I just feel really duty bound as a Princess to look out for all “Big Daughters.” So I want to say to all “Big Daddies” – just be like Maryam Abacha and hide away your treasures for worthy recipients. But not the treasures of the earthly kind in your case, I mean your Gems of Inestimable Value – your own, very dear DAUGHTERS.

     

     

    A great and mighty man in the sports world even in Africa, a man who I will only try my hardest to present in today’s piece. Tall Paul Sports Bassey is one person who found his gifting early in life and walking in same, has excelled to the point of international recognition. Finally as well, his state government has snapped him up for a very well deserved appointment.

    Actually, just in the nick of time too, because immediately the Lagos State Government passed its State Commission Bill into law some weeks back, it would have been a no brainer from them to have appointed him to head theirs.

    But this time the Akwa Ibom State Government acted fast and Eko-side will be crying blood for our taking ‘their son. In Lagos, he is taken as a complete Lagos Boy. No Governor sits without consulting and interacting with him. And should you ever go to Ikeja in the axis which he lives, you don’t waste long words asking for an address. Just as ANYONE you meet for Paul Bassey and everyone should show you his place.

    Paul Bassey – NFF Techical Committee Member, CAF (confederation of Africa Football) general coordinator and media committee member, FIFA media committee member has been made the substantive Chairman of Akwa United F.C to the glory of God.

    It was a thing of pride indeed to watch him on the NTA network news unveiling the new jersey colors of his team –Orange to reflect the State color. I could actually feel a rebirth for the team, that very day.

    Paul Bassey told me he started sports writing at the Pioneer Newspaper in Calabar back then on a short return from Lagos.

    But the seeds of interest in sports were actually planted at St. Finbarr’s College Akoka Lagos where he is an old Boy. It is because of this that they do not joke with any of their Old Boys’ and Old girls even until death.

    A good example was when “their” daughter the Lady of Songs Christy Essien died. Born in Lagos, she had also publicly requested to be buried there. On her demise, the usually laid back governor then, Mr. Babatunde Fashola pulled all spots and spared no expense to put in place a gloriously befitting burial for their daughter –our Akwa Ibom daughter!

    Sadly as you might have observed all the plans and expenses went to waste because of her wonderful husband who teamed up with his own state governor to have Lady Christiana Essien buried against her wish in Ibo land.

    Anyway from a state owned paper and armed with Unical degree, Paul Bassey returned to Lagos to a national daily where his skills at sports writing captivated Nigerians week after week.

    His organizational skills also did not go unnoticed by continental and international sports associations and so it was an easy choice for FIFA and CAF to name him their media officer.

    At a reserved count, Paul Bassey has been to a minimum of 30 countries around the world, out on sporting assignments. Hardly one full month meet him in his house.

    Paul Bassey was one of the pioneering set of Nigerians to float a purely sports publication –Today sports which had bias his rear love, football. What made him and few others unique was that their papers were purely Independent and not off-shoots of already existing titles e.g. sporting sun etc.

    For years, todaysport kept the nation informed with its highly detailed and quality production, for which, for many, the day was just not complete without a copy.

    It was around this period I came to know the great Paul Bassey I had always been hearing about.

    Indeed our Governor Mr. Udom Emmanuel is humble to insist on being address as Mister.

    But for Paul Bassey– Minister is too FAR!! Sports is in his blood, and like any other sports personality, Mister or Misses is just too formal for them!

    Well around then, I had a vision some years ago to initiate a sports awards to give recognition to notable sportsmen/women and those who have impacted on sports development. I shared my vision with the SWAN chairman Mr. Frank Illaboya, now Chairman Edo State, F.A.

    He told me I would have to constitute a governing board, register the sports awards with CAC and bring in Paul Sports Bassey! What! The first two seemed relatively easy but how was I  going to meet the great Paul Bassey, all on my own? Mr. Frank, please would you take me to him and introduce me, I asked. No need, he said Paul Bassey is a most simple fellow and he is also your ‘Brother.’

    He said I should just go to his office (address given) ask for his P.A. Mr. Waheed and request to see the man.

    Paul Bassey turned out to be more than just a brother. He was and is a complete vision carrier, destiny helper, uncle, father, family rolled into one.

    Now after outlining to me the best way to go about the sports awards he later invited me to his home and I got to meet his wonderful family.

    Its unimaginable, how can one claim to love his state very much, and not love his kinsmen, his family members, even his own blood brothers? But for Paul Bassey, he is clearly demonstrable even with me as a living example – someone he never knew from Adam at the very best must have heard my sports casting on radio in the mornings in Lagos then. He just got committed because I am ‘Akup-Usem.’

    Indeed Paul Bassey not only loves sports but also loves his state, his people and very importantly his family. Sadly, he later lost his wife is happily married to his great love Helen whom I also met, and I can say that she is a mother to his children, and a good companion to the man.

    And so, by the great help of Paul Bassey, the IMASDA Sports Awards was born. I owe to my board member Mr. Paul Bassey an eternal debt of gratitude.

    In fact, his presence on the board alone brought me increased creditability and before I knew it, we were being sent for by the Pillars of Sports in Africa. To Abuja by the President of the Senate, and also for the Sports Minister’s meeting with IMASDA board – all of which travels. Paul Bassey accompanied me and the rest of the team EVERYWHERE.

    Not just that, but free publicity was given by him even sometimes when funds gor trapped, he would reach over his bank and supply – just to keep the project moving, even though he was not the chairman of the board of directors!

    To the glory of God, the award held in Lagos with the SuperSports cable sports channel being our star recipient. That was their first time ever in Nigeria.

    And when they came up to the podium to receive the plaques, they confessed that confessed that their channel had actually received several international awards but NONE from anywhere in their own continent of Africa. They were overjoyed and said they valued that award the most. We smiled at their emotions then, thinking lightly of it until they aired the IMASDA awards on their cable channel later and confirmed this on their program. After showing the clips of the Nigerian Awards, the Black and White South Africans climbed up on their table, JUMPED up and down, waved their plague from Nigeria to the viewing millions around the world. They were truly thrilled.

    Also, upon their return to South Africa, they opened up the Channel: SuperSports Nigeria, dedicated purely to our country’s league.

    Multinationals too have taken notice of his (Paul Bassey’s) organizational skills. Mobil gave him the task of putting up the Akwa Ibom NNPC/Mobil Schools’ Athletics’ Championships. The contract ran for 15 years and was given to Paul Bassey for the full 15. It started in 2001 and ended last year 2016.

    Incidentally too, Keresifon Essien of Keresy Sports Museum here was the media officer from inception. In the course of organizing these championships over the years Paul Bassey has been able to attract the Minister of Sports, officials of the National Sports Commission (NSC) and many important sports dignitaries to Eket where it is mostly held.

    Also, several national sports records have been shattered and new records set at the at the athletics championships. Notable is the record set by Olympic Gold Medalist Chioma Ajunwa, a track record which was shattered some years back in Eket after standing for over a decade.

    For me, I was to later relocate from Lagos to Uyo for 8 years from where I left for Calabar, where I have resided for now for the past one year.

    I want to make known here the several private telephone calls from Paul Bassey through those past 8 years: did you go to the stadium today? Did you watch the match? Have you been watching Akwa united? Did you watch the last match?!! I can tell you that even in private his passion was for the progress of Akwa United.

    It has been many long years since the Adewusi military administration and to some extent the Chief Godswill Akpabio administration utilized this great sports son. The later heavily rewarded him for his input though underutilized. Paul’s new mansion in Eket is proof that one should be rewarded from where one works.

    And now, the State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel has placed this sports guru in a position of leadership in a state sports management.

    And today my heart is filled with joy by the appointment of Paul Bassey, just last week as the SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE GOVERNOR ON SPORTS! I truly cannot think of anyone much more deserving! I do sincerely wish Paul Sports Bassey and Akwa United a most successful season and many more good ones to come.

    Imikanattah@gmail.com

  • Father arraigned for ‘sexually abusing’ three daughters

    For allegedly raping his three daughters, a 48-year-old man, Michael Ogbar, yesterday appeared before an Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court.

    Chief Magistrate Tajudeen Elias refused to hear his plea and remanded him in Kirikiri prisons.

    Elias said the court had no jurisdiction over the case and therefore transferred the matter to Apapa Magistrates’ Court.

    The accused, who lives at Oke-Ogba Street, Badagry, a suburb of Lagos, is facing a two-count charge of defilement and rape.

    Prosecuting Sergeant Rafael Donny, told the court that the offence were committed between January and May at the accused residence.

    Donny said the accused raped his two daughters and defiled the third daughter.

    “The accused sexually abused his 24, 20 and 10 year-old daughters,” he said.

    The offences contravened sections 137 and 259 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011

  • When mothers fail to protect their daughters!

    BIOLOGICALLY, mothers have been given the super privilege to bear children and usher in the next generation. Because they nurture the developing child in their own bodies, they almost always feel a compelling drive to protect the new, entirely dependent life they’ve given birth to. These many hours of care each day make mothers most often the person closest to their children and the person with greatest influence. Experiences with mom powerfully shape a child’s perspective, attitudes, and sense of self. Now what happens when in a world as hostile as this, a mother cannot be relied upon for emotional, physical and mental support?

    Dear Aunty Temilolu,

    Kudos to you. Your write-ups have changed so many things in my life most especially my mindset but now I am facing a problem. A month ago, I was raped by my mum’s closest friend’s son. He has threatened me in so many ways not to tell. I am scared. I am just 16 and in S.S.3. I’m even scared of telling my mum and causing a family feud. I am depressed and confused with life. Please help me.

    Anonymous

    Dear Mum,

    I am 20 and was recently raped by my brother’s friend. I have always wanted to remain a virgin till my wedding night. Now that I’ve been forcefully deflowered, I’m so incredibly hurt and ashamed. Can I still be a virgin again? Please help, I don’t know who else to confide in but you.

    Anonymous

     Dear Aunty Temilolu,

    I am a 17-year-old girl and a few months back, I was raped by a guy who walks freely on the street while my heart breaks anytime I come across him. The guy who raped me lives down our street and we exchange pleasantries whenever we see. He invited me for a birthday party in his house and I obliged him. When I got there, he told me he wanted to show me something in his room. Believe me, in my stupidity or do I say naivety, I followed him not suspecting any foul play since his friends were in the living room. He left me on the bedroom and told me he wanted to get me something, I later discovered he went back to the living room to send his friends away. When he returned to the bedroom, he pushed me on the bed. I tried to escape but he held me tight and even when I screamed no one came to my help. Then, after forcing his way inside me, he began apologizing saying he didn’t know I was still a virgin. I cried a lot knowing that my pride was gone and I was scared of getting pregnant. He assured me that he would accept the pregnancy. Eventually, I took in and he bought a small drug and gave it to me to drink. After drinking it, I bled for a week before he finally told me that it was an abortion drug he gave me. I don’t know if God would forgive me for unconsciously killing an innocent soul and if my future partner would ever forgive me. I’m so ashamed to tell anyone this, not even my mum because she could call me a whore which I am not.

    Cynthia

    Dear Nigerians,

    I thought mothers always knew when something goes wrong with a child? I grew up hearing “orisa bi iya kosi” (there’s no god like a mother) which honours the bond between a mother and a child and that special support which guides us through life. I also hear “iya l’alabaro omo” meaning a mother is a child’s confidant. So, what’s the problem here? A non-chalant attitude, lack of real presence in a child’s life due to work and social activities, lack of empathy?

    My darling sisters,

    In the first instance, I just wish you had some piece of evidence so we can nail these guys. As for the 16-years-old who was raped by her mum’s closest friend’s son, she must tell her mum without delay! Those threats are empty. You cannot die in trauma. You are too young for this.

    On the other hand, you are encouraged to remain chaste not to please man but to follow God’s principles and live a good, unpolluted life. Stop moaning or groaning about what any man has done to you. God sees your heart, He knows your thoughts, He knew even before you were raped and deflowered. Little do you know that if you stay glued to Him and remain chaste, there’s a super-duper compensation waiting for you around the corner. He has the final say. He has the power to restore you, to make you greater than you would have been in your former state. This is the time for you to cry out to Him and make heavy demands for a beautiful life that would make you forget your pain. Stop bowing your spirit low, stop hanging your head low….

    “This is but a light thing in the eyes of the lord…” 2 Kings 3:18

  • President’s wife, daughters pray at Ansar-ud-deen Mosque

    President’s wife, daughters pray at Ansar-ud-deen Mosque

    The wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Muhammadu Buhari, and her three daughters yesterday observed the Eid el-Fitr prayers at the Ansar-Ud-Deen Mosque in Abuja.

    She was received at the mosque by Alhaja Saudat Dudayemi, the Chairperson, Ansar-ud-Deed Society of Nigeria (ADSN), FCT Chapter, the wife of the FCT Chairman of the association, Alhaja Risikat Yusuf, and other officials.

    Others who joined her in the prayer session were the APC Woman Leader, Dr Ramatu Aliyu, and Dr Hajo Sani, the Senior Special Assistant (Administration), to the wife of the President, among others.

    Delivering his sermon, the Chief Imam of the mosque, Alhaji Musa Olaofe, urged Muslims to pray for peace and unity of the country.

    He appealed to Nigerians to support Buhari’s administration to ensure the achievement of all the set goals.

    The Imam advised Muslims to give out Zakat-ul-Fitr to the poor and the needy, so that they would have a sense of belonging.

    Also speaking, the FCT Chairman of the society, Alhaji Yusuf Adebayo, informed the audience that the National Universities Commission had granted the association licence to establish the Summit University.

    Adebayo, however, said  the society was now faced with the challenge of raising N5 billion required to fully establish the institution.

    “The licence is part of the fulfilment of our objective  which is to promote education among Muslim youths.’’

    He urged Muslims to continue to maintain the spirit of Ramadan and lessons learnt from it as stated in the Holy Quran.

  • Man ‘defiles’ teenage daughters, nieces

    A 60-year-old man, Tajudeen Awoniyi, has been arrested by the police in Oyo State for allegedly defiling his two daughters and nieces in Ibadan, the state capital.

    Awoniyi, an herbalist, reportedly committed the evil act on Friday night at Moniya, when his two nieces slept over in his house because their mother had travelled to Lagos.

    His teenage daughters alleged that their father slept with them anytime he was drunk.

    His nieces claimed that Awoniyi gave them a black soap to bath around 1am and had carnal knowledge of them throughout the night.

    Parading the suspect yesterday at the police command in Eleyele, Ibadan, the Commissioner of Police, Muhammed Katsina, said the man has committed an abomination.

    According to him, the doctor’s report showed that the victims had STDs.

    “This is a warning to others  to desist or they  will will face the wrath of the law.

    Criminals have three options in the state. One, they should abandon their  acts and embrace decency.

    “Two, they should relocate from Oyo or be ready to be arrested and prosecuted.

    “We will not relent with our painstaking effort to fish out more criminals in the state,” he said

    His first daughter said:” When our cousins spent the night in our house, my father promised to give them a black soap to bath in the midnight so that if they do anything wrong their mother will not beat them, but after using the soap, he slept with them.

    “He also slept with my sister  and I. This is the third time he will be doing such”

    But Awoniyi debunked the allegation, saying that it was a conspiracy to destroy his personality.

    “I am a good herbalist and a traditionalist. I did not sleep with any of my children.

    “When my nieces spent the night in my house, I only gave them a black soap to bath around 1am so that they will not get sick.

    “I prepare herbs for people to receive favour, sell very well and be successful.”

    His sister, Mrs Jelilat Olayiwola, said when she returned home from Lagos, she searched everywhere for her daughters but could not find them.

    “ I was afraid that they may have been kidnapped.

    “ In the morning, my brother came to my house to ask why I sent my daughters away.

    “I said I did not and urged him to ask them to return home. When they returned home, they started behaving strangely  and I questioned them and they told me that he slept with them,” she said.

  • Ebonyi council boss held for ‘rape’ of mum, two daughters

    The police in Ebonyi State yesterday arrested the Vice-Chairman of Ikwo Local Government Area, Sunday Ottah, for alleged complicity in the rape of a woman councillor-aspirant and her two daughters.

    The suspect was brought into the State Police Headquarters, Abakaliki, and detained at 2.09 pm.

    The rape of Mrs. Margaret Elom, a widow, who won the councillorship primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ndiagu Achara Ward 1 in Ikwo community, was alleged to have been perpetrated by hoodlums hired by Ottah.

    The hoodlums stole N50, 000 and a motorcycle from them.

    Police spokesman Sylvester Igbo confirmed the incident, saying the matter would be investigated.

    He said one of the suspects confirmed that Ottah was behind the act, an allegation he said Ottah had denied.

    Igbo said: “Mrs. Margaret Elom, the councillor-aspirant for Ndiagu Echara Ward I in Ikwo Local Government Area reported that some hoodlums broke into her house and stole N50,000 and a motorcycle valued at N120,000 and nine phones.

    “She said two of her daughters were raped by the two suspects, who were later identified as Chidi Eze (24) and Sunday Nwogu (23). Eze was arraigned on August 12.

    “The suspects confessed to the crime and added that they were sent to the woman’s house to retrieve the motorcycle that was given to her for campaign and the Certificate of Return given to her by the State Independent Electoral Commission (EBSIEC).”

    Though the police didn’t confirm if Mrs. Elom was raped, sources confirmed that she was raped with her daughters.

    But Ottah, who spoke from behind the police counter, said he was innocent.

     

     

  • Daughters of the Niger Delta

    Daughters of the Niger Delta

    he Daughters of the Niger Delta is a soul moving, thought provoking and controversial gendered film. The film, which is sponsored by the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, Abuja, is produced by nine amateur film makers, all females from the Niger Delta, who were trained by Media Informative Narrative Development (MIND), under the directorship of the maverick and dynamic lady film maker per excellence Ilse van Lamoen, as part of MIND’s capacity building programme entitled FEMSCRIPT. Through the film, the producers have as never before brought to public attention, the stark realities on ground in respect of the human rights of women and children as well as development issues facing the core Niger Delta states of Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers.

    The film in a subtle way draws the viewer’s attention to the fact that the 2009 amnesty deal by the Federal Government with armed groups may have stopped the incidences of violence, destruction and kidnappings in the Niger Delta region for now. It has, however, failed to address the key developmental issues which would make for lasting and sustainable peace in the region.

    The film begins with footage of the nine producers before beaming the caption of the film and presenting a vivid montage of the waterways of the Niger Delta, showing the daily activities of grassroots communities, for whom the canoe is the major form of transportation connecting the communities. Then the producers’ camera lenses zoom on the struggling women folk who are the pivot of the family units, because of their roles as bread winners of the families of the region and the challenges they face in their day to day activities. These are the central focus of the film.

    Our inner most emotions are stirred up when we are confronted with the extent of devastation of the oil spillage and gas flaring in the Niger Delta, which have made it increasingly difficult for the women to make ends meet, as they struggle to eke a living for their families’ up keep against all odds.

    The film portrays the story of courage and resilience of three women: Hannah Tende, Naomi Alaere Ofoni and Rebecca Churchill from Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta states as they struggle against poverty in the face of customs and traditions that reduce women to second class status position.

    Our first heroine, Hannah is a fisherwoman and farmer, who is unable to fish anymore in the rivers and creeks because of years of neglect caused by serious environmental pollution/degradation posed by oil spillage which has destroyed aquatic life in the area. A poor widow with young children, she scavenges the devastated river and creek banks in search of the occasional periwinkles amidst thick black oil sludge, while doubling on the side as a farm labourer to fend for her family. She became widowed in 2005 after her husband died due to a prolonged battle with ill health brought about by environmental pollution and the lack of viable health care delivery system in the region. Her life mirrors the abject poverty in a region that produces the national wealth and the human right abuses widows are subjected to as a result of continued societal adherence to customs and traditions that deprive women of the rights of inheritance and basic human privileges.

    Our apprehension is heightened when we come face to face with Hannah and her family living in a dilapidated one room shack bereft of even the most basic furniture and amenities! Her seeming lack of economic empowerment is all too evident in her malnourished children, who are beneficiaries of the Universal Basic Education(UBE) programme of the Federal Government without books. Her use of firewood for cooking amidst the continuous gas flaring by the oil companies elicits anger as she and the children are exposed to health hazards from the smoke and soot.

    Just like her mother before her, she was married off at a tender age and when she became widowed; her in-laws inherited everything and threw her and the children out with nothing. Hannah is enmeshed in a vicious circle of poverty and bondage. The audience is made to share her anguish that her daughter’s future is in jeopardy too. Then comes Hannah’s moments of self evaluation, holding the audience spell bond! She questions the moral of poverty and the traditions that have limited her horizon and denied her basic human rights such as the right to remarry! She is fired with determination that her daughter’s life should be better and the customs which have placed her in the peculiar circumstances must be changed!

    Our second heroine, Noami like her mother also suffered rejection as a child by her father on account of her societal ascribed second class status. Brought up single handed by her divorced mother, Ruth, who married her father at age 14, her childhood is a tale of intolerable hardships as she supported her mother in the endless toil of preparing and making snacks which they sold by the road side. The turning point in their lives came, when her mother learnt about a health school and enrolled for training as a community health worker and then bagged a government job! With Ruth’s pay as a community health worker, she was able to send Naomi, her only daughter to school and pay for her education up to the university level without any support from her father.

    Just as one heaves a sigh of relief that this is a story that ends well, the audience is hit with a bombshell! Naomi was a victim of sexual harassment by her course advisor while in the university. The film’s account of the way lecturers take advantage of their students and toy with the future of those entrusted into their tutelage draws the ire of the viewer. Sexual harassment exists in the universities and deserves condemnation but the impact of this malaise is blown out of proportion as presented in the film when the integrity of all public universities  as citadels of learning is brought to question. Most institutions have institutionalised procedures for awarding degrees and handling grievances. The film sadly illustrates that a girl like Naomi may lack the awareness and networks to effectively appeal to these mechanisms. It makes the viewer wonder what can be done to make students like Naomi more aware of their rights, and strengthen their confidence in the system. Naomi shockingly admitted that she condescended to offering bribes to the lecturer to enable her to pass her exams to avoid sleeping with him as he requested. Could she not have found other ways to nullify his indecent proposals, rather than bribing her way out? Given that the ivory towers have quality assurance mechanisms in place, it is very unlikely that a single lecturer can award a student a degree. Naomi states that she went to a public university, but her story is so incredible that one wonders whether she didn’t go to one of the many illegal university study centres which hitherto operate in the region and offered various degrees (which have since been closed down by the National Universities’ Commission) or a real public university. There are several reasons which may make one end up with a third class degree and Naomi’s claims are highly controversial particularly since having benefited from a university education, she is discouraging other girls from getting degrees. The negative and sweeping assertions in the film appear to be a deliberate act by the producers to trigger public discourse on the issue of sexual harassment in public universities and break the silence. Generally, people shy away from discussing sensitive issues such as this in public and in this direction; the producers have been very effective.

    Also, the stark reality of rising graduate unemployment is brought to focus when Naomi is unable to secure a job after graduation. Our heroine undeterred, struggled to surmount the problem when she opted for self employment and began a soap making business. Her education in the university proved an asset in her business. The film makers greatest contribution to fighting poverty is in their subtle message to Nigerian youths to embrace self employment and be job creators rather than job seekers and contribute their quota to economic development of the nation.

    Our third heroine is a heavily pregnant young woman, Rebecca, who has never attended an antenatal clinic before! A victim of early marriage, Rebecca’s father collected dowry from a man she has never met and gave her out in marriage without her consent! Her mother who was greatly displeased at the turn of events was powerless to do anything due to the customs that demand absolute obedience to her husband’s wish. The poor woman finds herself enmeshed in a polygamous marriage as one of three wives where the women are the major breadwinners of the family, while their husband indulges in the exclusive male preserve of drinking local gin to while away time. Despite his seeming laxity in contributing to the family’s upkeep and using his wives as slave labours, he has no qualms about siring more children with them and leaving them with the responsibility of the children’s up keeping. Rebecca has given birth to babies a record of ten times with this pregnancy being her eleventh. She has six living children and has had five stillbirths which included a set of twins. Despite being heavily pregnant, she still goes to farm, processes food using crude methodologies (like time old technique of processing cassava into garri-the major staple food) and engages in endless household chores such as fetching water that she is energy sapped.

    Our apprehension heightens and turns to outrage when faced with the statistics of the high incidence of maternal mortality which is the second highest in the world and the high incidence of child mortality. One in every five children born in the region dies in infancy. The death toll is higher than death from kidnapping but no one gets to hear about it. The constant drudgery which the women undergo in order to feed their children fills one with a sense of righteous indignation. Furthermore, one is appalled by the devastation and environmental pollution caused by oil exploration, drilling and gas flaring which has reached endemic proportions with no attempt to clean up the landscape (which may take years) nor even stop the gas flaring which is the highest in the world. One’s emotions are heightened at the all too obvious seeming lack of government presence in the area; such that even the most basic amenities like portable drinking water, sanitation, viable transport system, and power supply are nonexistent. furthermore, the viewer is filled with a sense of imminent doom when confronted with the stark reality that people like Hannah resort to self medication with disastrous consequences because of the poor primary health care delivery in the Niger Delta area.

    Respite comes when the viewer gets an emotional lift, from the bottom pits of despair as the heroines begin to question their existence in the context of development issues confronting the region and the traditions which weigh them down in the vicious cycle of poverty and bondage.

    Our attention is drawn to the fact that the developmental needs of men and women are different in the region. On one hand, the men focus on infrastructures and the like, while on the other hand, the women are more interested in economic activities, health care, water, food, healthy environment and change in the traditions that deny them basic human rights and privileges. Sadly, the women who are the pivot of the family unit and who are more affected by the years of the neglect of the region are not part of the decision making in the local communities of the Niger Delta. This fills one with a sense of forlornness. However, our emotions are uplifted when our heroines take the crucial steps that make a difference to their existence.

    On the whole, the film has a subtle message that if the women of the Niger Delta come together and speak with one voice on issues (such as the serious environmental challenges that have made life difficult in the region, the abject poverty, lack of viable health care delivery service, non existence of basic infrastructure, lack of access to economic means, government inaction, sexual harassment in the tertiary institutions and harmful traditional practices that are gender biased and hold women in bondage), they would be able to bring about the desired change that would make the men see reason to involve them in decision making as partners in progress. The film leaves no one in doubt that the women folk are the catalysts for achieving sustainable development, peace and stability in the Niger Delta area for the benefit of all; however, they must brace themselves up for the challenges ahead.

    On a technical standpoint, the film could have been better scripted to streamline the developmental issues of the Niger Delta rather than the bits and pieces of information juxtaposed by the film makers in a haphazard manner. This problem made articulating the key points of the story a bit cumbersome. Also, some elements of dramatization by actors/actresses to highlight some of the issues of the Niger Delta discussed would have made the film more interesting rather than the monologues which characterized a sizeable part of the film. These minor flaws notwithstanding, the dedication and overall efforts of the producers of the film despite being amateurs, must be appreciated. They were able to effectively capture the Niger Delta dilemma and provoke viewers’ emotions and conscience as well as stimulate debates. On the whole the film gets a rating of three stars out of five. I have absolutely no reservations in recommending the film as a MUST WATCH and I say bravo to the girls for a job well done!!!

    •Hauwa is the Director of the Centre for Gender Security Studies & Youth Advancement, University of Abuja.

     

  • ‘I lost two daughters to hard times’

    The Nigeria  Civil Aviation Authority(NCAA)  has brokered a truce between Chanchangi Airlines and 53 of its workers over unpaid salaries. The salaries were said to have accrued since 2010 when the carrier sent the workers on compulsory leave.

    NCAA’s intervention comes on the heels of a protest by the workers’ protest to intimatethe authority of their unpaid salaries, for 36 months.

    The workers said they were asked to stay off work when the airline started having challenges and have not been paid since. They said efforts to draw the management’s attention to their plight failed.

    Before staging a protest  at NCAA Headquarters at Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, the workers demonstrated at the ticket counters of the new domestic terminal.

    Led by the President of the Human Rights Defenders and Advocacy Centre, Moses Ojiekomhan, they expressed disappointment over the failure to pay them, insisting that they would seek justice.

    Ojiekomhan said it was inhuman to allow the workers to suffer untold hardship, while the airline is running smoothly, adding that it would be better to pay them off, instead of allowing their fate to hang in the balance.

    He urged NCAA to ensure that Chanchangi discharged its obligation to the workers.

    Some of the workers, he said, had lost family members because of the difficulties they have been facing since they were sent on leave.

    NCAA’s Director of Human Resources, Mr Austin  Amadi Ifeanyi, and   Director of Consumer Protection, Alhaji Adamu Abdulahi, assured the workers that the authority would look into their grievances.

    They praised the workers for being peaceful, noting that it is NCAA’s duty to ensure that all goes well in the sector.

    The airline Station Manager of Chanchangi Airline, Mr Babadiya Ahmed, has said the workers’ grievance were being looked into, adding that they was not sacked.

    He said they were asked to proceed on compulsory leave due to operational issues adding that the matter would from be resolved.

    An aggrieved worker, who identified himself as Mr Joseph Edem, claimed he lost two daughters because of the airline’s failure to pay his outstanding 36 months’ salary.

    Edem said: ”My wife abandoned me since the crisis started. Ultimately, I lost two daughters, one was 13 years old, the other aged four. They died because I did not have money to take care of them.”

    Another worker, who identified himself as Desmond Omoregie, who broke down, while narrating his ordeal, said he lost his ailing mother, because he did not have enough money to cater for her.

  • Re: El-Rufai and his unemployed daughters

    Re: El-Rufai and his unemployed daughters

    Sir: I refer to the comments of Uwalaka Temple in The Nation of Monday,June 3, on the issue of Mallam Nazir El-Rufai’s position concerning unemployment and its consequences which he embellished with his inability to get job for his daughters.

    Let the Mallam say that to the marines.Who is deceiving who? He has refused to tell us the truth which is probably that he is yet to get his desired job for his daughters or the daughters themselves are choosy due to the fact that they have a father who can feed them for as long as they decide to stay on.This reminds me of a benefactor who wrote a note to one of his friends thus:’Jide has finished his NYSC and in need of a job, not badly o’! It isa confirmation that the influentials discriminate and select the type of job for their wards.Mallam’s case is possibly no exception.I want to believe if his daughters apply to any of the higher institutions in the North with their Master’s degrees, they are sure to be given jobs as lecturers.

    One doubts if such a job is meant for such ladies/girls with silver spoon. Sincerely, the way things are going in this country is scary, and if care is not taken, if concerted efforts are not made by the leadership of this country for mass employment programme through strategic thinking by all stakeholders, the pending crises will be unstoppable and only God knows the end- result because it will cut across all the strata of leadership.

    One wonders about the essence of leadership if not to create job opportunities among other responsibilities. There is the need for a solemn assembly where basically the issue of unemployment would be discussed. A stitch in time saves nine.

     

    • Adeyemi Odedokun

    Lagos.