The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Development

  • Ishaku’s peace and development agenda

    Ishaku’s peace and development agenda

    They are like Siamese twins. Peace and development. They are inseparable. This twin concept has proved an enduring but regrettable fact of life in many countries and communities around the globe where hostilities in all their manifestations and ramifications have crippled human efforts at improving the quality of life and living. Many societies that had earned for themselves the reputation as great and enviable signposts of human creativity in development have crumbled and their progress retarded due to the absence of peace necessitated by wars and other forms of inter-communal hostilities.

    It is for this reason that some leaders pay attention to the task of forestalling crises and promoting peace through deliberate policies. One good example of such modern day leaders is Architect Darius Dickson Ishaku, governor of Taraba State who came into office in May 2015 trumpeting the philosophy of peace and stability as a necessary and desirable ingredient of the enabling environment for sustainable development.

    People who are familiar with the recent history of Taraba State will not find it difficult to appreciate the wisdom in Ishaku’s choice of the twin concept of peace and development as the underlying philosophy of his administration. Within the period of two years before he assumed the leadership of the state as governor, Taraba was a state in political and inter-ethnic turmoil. The situation had prevailed even uptill the elections that brought him in as governor. The crises left in their trail frightening memories that had destroyed the fabric and fibre of mutual trust among the various ethnic groups in the state. The ultimate loser was development which the state was in dire need of. For this ugly situation to change, Governor Ishaku had to take the message of peace to all corners of the state in order to help heal the social and emotional wounds inflicted and to psych up the people to believe in themselves and their state once more. It was also woo them in support of government’s development agenda to which the governor had unequivocally committed himself.

    Today, just over a year after, the peace effort of the governor has proved a wise political and social investment. Through the machinery of security surveillance established by the governor, crime and criminality have been drastically reduced in the state. But the bigger frontier of achievement is inter-ethnic crises and herdsmen attacks on farmers. These were the major causes of bloody clashes with heavy casualties under the immediate past political dispensation in the state. It gladdens my heart and, I believe the hearts the hearts of numerous Tarabans and Nigerians also, that the gory spectre of socially and economically ruinous crises have ended, thanks to Governor Ishaku’s peace and reconciliatory efforts. Those bitter religious and inter-ethnic ill-feelings that often fuelled crises in the state have been subdued.

    It is in the interest of all indigenes of the state this situation is sustained. Crises of the magnitude that were witnessed in the state in the past two or three years can, apart from the social and psychological trauma that they inflict on the people, also be an unfortunate source of distraction and financial waste for the government. Funds that could have been otherwise channelled into the execution of projects with direct benefits on the social condition of the people will be wasted in the promotion of government’s peace efforts. Government may also lose concentration in the process and its development plans and projections greatly jeopardised.

    Today the people of Taraba State can thumb their chests and say that their state is at peace. That was not the case before the coming of Governor Ishaku. They can also now say with pride that they have a government that is not only deliberately promoting peace but determined to develop the state through the execution of people-centred projects. For example, the scarcity of portable water in Jalingo and other major towns and cities in the state is now being aggressively tackled by the governor. I’m also aware that government is working on a partnership with the African Development Bank for a more dramatic, all-encompassing approach in addressing the problem. This is highly commendable.

    In the past one year, Jalingo has turned a huge construction site. Road projects have received the attention of government. This trend is replicated in other major towns in the state. Electricity power generation and rural electrification projects are being vigorously pursued as part of government’s overall poverty alleviation and job creation package. There has also been a deliberate government emphasis on agriculture to achieve increase in food production, reduce hunger and poverty as well creating employment opportunities. These projects, some already completed and others on-going, are only possible because of the relative peace the state has enjoyed so far. The state would have fared worse if the security situation had been otherwise.

    The lesson behind this development requires no emphasis. The people of the state must give peace a chance to reign. Some people have said in the past that most of the crises in the state are fuelled and even sponsored by the political elite in the state for their selfish political gains. This is not far from the truth. The ordinary people of the state usually nurse no ambitions and desires that bring their communities and ethnic groups into conflicts and crises with others.  The elite do. That is the reason they are the target of this writer’s appeal for peace in the state.

    Politicians and political leaders in the state should now realise that the elections are over and time to work for the people is now here. The state must now move forward. The luck of the state today lies in the fact that Darius Ishaku is governor. He is a man with a big dream of a greater Taraba State. Such a man deserves the support of all the people.

     

    • Magaji is a current affairs analyst

     

  • Women seek more grassroots development

    Women seek more grassroots development

    Villages should be transformed enough to attract tourists, and women should be architects of such transformation. People should point to significant facilities built by women to lift the profile of grassroots settlements and the residents.

    That is the aspiration of women of the Southeast who gather every year in their homeland in what is known as the August Meeting.

    One of the leaders of Southeast women in Lagos, Lady Ify Onwubiko, articulated this position in an interview.

    The August Meeting has existed for more than 50 years, being a platform to rally Southeast women to foster good relationship not just among themselves or in their homes and zone, but also ensure that women contribute their quota in developing the region.

    It becomes all the more interesting when the intellectuals among them create meaningful projects to market goals and ideas of the platform in the hinterlands.

    The meeting deals with empowerment in various fields; it imparts and enhances knowledge to participants in culinary matters and crafts.

    Such crafts include bead making, clothes making, computer and mechanised farming, and even new methods of fish farming.

    In an interview, Lady Ify Onwubiko said the meeting platform aims to execute more capital projects in the villages and make them tourist attractions for those coming from other parts of the world to be part of the ceremony.

    She spoke about some of the attractions, mentioning various traditional dances and wrestling competitions among various groups.

    Lady Ify also itemised various Igbo delicacies on offer during such meetings, some of which prepared in a contest. The contestants try their hands on how best to make  ugba, abacha and such soups as oha, ogbono, onugbu, achi, achara, nsala, and utazi with pounded cocoyam or ede and white soup.

    In addition, snail entrepreneurship scheme was introduced to them at home. Some talk shows were organised to update the women on cervical cancer, breast cancer, and how they should go for frequent medical check-up.

    A health expert Mr. Obi Nnorim said there is a need for people to go for regular medical check-ups to know the status of their health. He discouraged them from indulging in female genital mutilation, and patronising local birth attendants.

    Also, opticians and experts in blood pressure informed the people that the more they aged, the more their body was prone to ill-health especially during rainy season.

  • Visually impaired trains pupils on apps, website development

    A 27-year-old visually impaired Mr. Rasak Adekoya, has trained 60 pupils of Babs Fafunwa Millennium Secondary School, Lagos, on website and mobile apps development.

    After two months of rigorous exercise, the pupils, developed Lagos State laws mobile apps and the official website of the Ojodu Local Council Development Area (LCDA).

    At the launch of the apps and websites at Ojodu LCDA secretariat, Adekoya said he embarked on the exercise to equip the pupils with skills capabile of imbibing in them the quest to be employers of labour.

    According to him, the training became imperative given the need to catch the youths early enough, to develop them  to be become self reliant in future  .

    He said some of the challenges facing youths could be traced to what he called ‘lack of pragmatic change’ to transform young minds into budding entrepreneurs.

    Adekoya, who lost his sight shortly after graduating from Lagos State Polytechnic, noted that he would carry his gospel of entrepreneurship to 57 schools across the state 57 councils before 2018.

    He lamented that unemployment has become a challenge in Nigeria, saying that equipping younger ones with requisite skills to become self employed is the most ideal choice.

    With about 1.8 million graduating from the tertiary institutions yearly, Adekoye said he felt relevant skills acquisition would help reduce their number in the labour market.

    “I trained these young minds as part of my contributions to better the society. Nobody or organisation supported me throughout the programme. I deployed my personal resources to achieve this,” he noted.

    He urged the beneficiaries to utilise the knowledge acquired to better themselves and the society at large.

    One of the beneficiaries of the programme , a 15-year-old SSS 3 of the school, Master Akintola Ebenezer, said  he was  happy for undergoing the training, saying it had impacted much on his life and perceptions towards entepreneurship .

    He, alongside his 59 other contemporaries, designed the website in such a way that the platform is accessibile while visitors to the site  can get information on Ojodu  LCDA without much hitches.

    “The training and experience is worthwhile for me and I will make good use of the knowledge to improve and develop myself”, he said.

    Another beneficiary a 13-year-old SSS 2 of the same school, Miss. Kaku Kemi Marvelous, said the Lagos State laws mobile apps, when downloaded on their mobile devices, would afford the general public knowledge about the laws of the state.

    The Sole Administrator of Ojodu LCDA, Alhaja Olushola Kokumo, and Principal of Babs Fafunwa Millennium Secondary School, Mrs. Adepoju  Oyefunke praised Adekoya and his crew for the laudable initiative.

  • Ambode harps on planning for grassroots development

    Ambode harps on planning for grassroots development

    Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has said the role of local government planners in the physical and economic development of the grassroots areas cannot be overlooked.

    He also saidthe local government system in Nigeria needs reconfiguration for effective physical development, especially in the area of financing.

    Governor Ambode spoke at the public presentation of a book Purpose-driven Plan: A 10-year Epe Local Government Development Plan, 2015-2025 at the Remi Tinubu Hall, Yaba Local Council Development Area Secretariat, Panti Lagos.

    Represented by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Primary Health care, Dr Owolabi O. Onanuga, Governor Ambode noted that the local governments as agents of grassroots development have been discovered to play the main roles of linking popular participation; legitimacy and democratic governance.

    He stressed the need for every local government to have qualified planners in their planning department. He congratulated Adebola Benjamin Adeyemi on his efforts to bring the importance of planning in the local governments to the front burner, so that people would understand that the issue of planning­- whether physical or economic-does not begin and end at the state or federal levels of governance.

    In his welcome speech, the Director of Planning and Chairman Lagos State Conference of Local Government Planners, Mr. Olalere Olanrewaju said Mr Adeyemi’s book on local government planning couldn’t have come at a better time than now that the state government has shown commitment to the development of the grassroots where majority of the people live.

    He said the author had demonstrated sincere dedication to the need for local governments to key into the state government’s cardinal development plans such as economic, infrastructural, environmental, revenue enhancement and social development.

    Mr. Olanrewaju affirmed that “data analysis and collection management is not only for major effective planning but also a means for effective revenue generation for efficient, adequate and proper planning which have been the fortune of Epe Local Government Area whose revenue generation base was N2.8 million between January and June last  year.

    ”Subsequent to production and implementation of the data analysed by Planner Bola Adeyemi, Epe Local Government is now generating N11 million for the corresponding period-January to June this year.

    “This was achieved by the singular efforts of Planner Bola Adeyemi and his team…who is now the Director of Planning and Head of Administration of Oriade Local Council Development Area.”

    Reviewing the book, the Director of Planning and Head of Administration Ijede Local Council Development Area, Mr Adewunmi Ogunbambi noted that development planning is a burning issue.

    “At this point,” he said, “when we intend to move Lagos forward, governance is shifting to the local governments.”

    Continuing, he said: “It is auspicious that a book of this nature is being presented now. As the immediate past president and forerunner of Conference of Local Government Planners, his efforts to integrate the state and local government systems cannot be overlooked.

    “Even though the author had risen to the post of Head of Administration in a local government, his passion and zeal for planning is still burning.”

    Mr. Ogunbambi stressed that only few books have been written on development at the local government level, especially one dedicated to the development of a specific local government-Epe.

    He noted that the author might have written the book in order to bring to the fore its objectives which include a more realistic government growth in internally generated revenue, to tilt capital investment funds towards government key priority areas and to improve fiscal discipline. He described the book as “a compact handy and detailed compendium of statistics of the local government.

    The book is a very useful handbook and it’s recommended for the executive and management of local governments, students, researchers and prospective investors in Epe.”

    He congratulated the author on his tenacity in writing a book that articulates the current benchmark of the local government.

  • Ilese: Driving development through carnival

    Residents of Ilese-Ijebu, a sprawling community in the Ogun East Senatorial District were ecstatic for seven days as indigenes from all walks of life returned to mark its yearly carnival. The festivity was a platform for the indigenes to see their Oba-elect, 21 years after the traditional stool became vacant, reports WALE AJETUNMOBI

    Culture and modernism are interdependent forces shaping human evolution and civilisation. They play vital roles in the development of any society. Both can stifle development when they play out as contradicting values. They also make society to flourish when they are deployed to the progress of the society.

    This literally summarised the 12th Convocation of Ilese-Ijebu people, which is otherwise known as Ilese-IJebu Day. The week-long event, held from August 7 to 13, was a fusion of culture and modernism, which profiles the town’s rich heritage and its quest for modernity without sacrificing its cherished cultural values.

    Ilese, a sprawling settlement located in the East of Ijebu-Ode in Ogun State, is a town with a rich history, tradition and culture. At its borderline with Ijebu-Ode is an expansive military settlement, Sappers Barracks, which makes Ilese the most secured town in Ogun East Senatorial District.

    The town also hosts the College of Health Technology, a state-owned tertiary institution reputed for its knowledge-base in health technology. The presence of these facilities is regarded as catalysts for the town’s rapid modernisation.

    For Ilese indigenes, the town’s development is a work in progress and a collective task for every family. For many years, keeping the pace of the town’s development rested squarely on the strength of its indigenes. This is because Ilese, until recently, did not have a constituted traditional institution that could champion its progress.

    Its last monarch died more than two decades ago, leaving the responsibility of physical development of the town to Ilese Development Council (IDC)–a group of professionals and highly-connected indigenes.

    From all walks of life, indigenes of Ilese returned to the town to celebrate this year’s Ilese Day. For seven days, the town bubbled, witnessing a crowd of revellers staging road shows and carnivals in every nook and cranny of the community. They clad in colourful aso ebi and moved round the town in celebration. Some engaged in outdoor dance shows.

    The Ilese carnival, for its indigenes, is not just a festivity; it is a celebration of the town’s achievements in diverse areas, including physical development, cultural preservation, youth development and unity.

    This festival began on Sunday with a church service at the St. Paul’s Anglican Church. Residents gathered in the expansive church auditorium for thanksgiving to God for the unity and progress witnessed in the community. The church service was followed by a football match organised for the youth to promote peace and friendship among them.

    Children and babies were not left out in the carnival. They also participate in fun shows held at the imposing Ilese Town Hall.

    Concerned about the health and well-being of the populace, Centre for Alternative Development and Self Enhancement (CEADESE), a non-governmental organisation (NGO), partnered with IDC to organise a free medical outreach for the residents.

    Indigenes trooped to the Town Hall to receive free test and treatment for various ailments, including malaria and typhoid. There were also free eye tests, body mass index (BMI) and blood pressure check-up.

    In promoting education and knowledge among the youth, IDC organised a quiz contest for students. Many youths had the opportunity to participate in the contest, which was held at the Town Hall. Winners were rewarded with cash prizes and scholarship.

    The quiz was followed by Enterprise Development Seminar to educate unemployed residents and youths on how to obtain bank loans to begin or develop their businesses. The workshop was organised by the community-based Catland Micro-finance Bank.

    On Friday, the town’s troupe entertained indigenes and guests with Woro traditional dance. The expansive town hall literally erupted in excitement as members of the troupe thrilled some indigenes who were attending the event for the first time with their artistic dance displays.

    At 1:00 p.m., residents flocked to the Ilese Central Mosque for a special Jumat prayer to mark the annual festivity. The mosque auditorium was filled to its capacity, as residents turned out in their colourful attire to pray for peace, unity and progress of the town.

    In the evening, they returned to the town hall for a cooking contest, which had 11 contestants selected to prepare Ikokore–Ijebu’s local delicacy made of smashed yam. The contestants were provided with ingredients and cooking materials to prepare the local food and serve in separate dishes.

    The panel of judges, led by Hon. Segun Ogunkoya, assessed the Ikokore meal made by each contestant.

    Speaking on the criteria for picking the winners, Ogunkoya said a well-prepared Ikokore must have a blend of tastes of all ingredients used in making it. Smoke, he said, must not be perceived in the food.

    At the end of the contest, Ms Abiodun Temitope was picked as the winner of the food contest. She received a giant-size gas cooker. Monsurah Badejo  and Adekunle Babatunde were the first and second runners up respectively. They were rewarded with power generating set and electric fan respectively.

    After the Ikokore cooking challenge, the stage was set for a beauty pageant held at the same venue. All the 14 contestants were Ilese indigenes studying in different higher institutions. But, the contest was clearly between students of the Ilese-based College of Health Technology and Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago Iwoye.

    The hall became animated when the contestants filed out to showcase their beauty. Members of the audience roared in excitement as the girls moved round the podium in measured steps, dancing to the tunes of various genre of music.

    It was not a contest for beauty alone. For a town with rich history, preserving the Ilese culture and heritage was prominent during the contest. The contestants’ knowledge of Ilese history and their intelligence were put to test. Their knowledge of current affairs was also assessed.

    Oluwafunmi Ayeni Imoleayo, a graduate of College of Health Technology, dazzled the audience with her deep knowledge of the town’s history and current affairs. She beat 13 other contestants to win the beauty pageant which  prize was a new Nissan Primera car.

    The first and second runners up were Abiodun Balogun Omolade Osoteku, student of Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED), and a post-graduate student of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA).

    On Saturday, the indigenes flocked to the field of Muslim Primary School for the grand finale of the carnival. The guests at the colourful event included traditional rulers and high chiefs from neighbouring towns, who turned out in their flamboyant royal regalia.

    For the incoming Ilese monarch, Prince Oluremi Owolabi Obayomi, it was his first public appearance after he was elected as Elese of Ilese by the kingmakers. This came 21 years after the death of the previous king.

    Obayomi used the opportunity to present his programmes to the people. He extended a hand of fellowship to his challengers to the throne.

    The Elese-elect said the unity among indigenes was his priority, noting that the struggle for the selection of Elese pitted some families against others. He promised to carry everyone along in the running of the town’s affairs.

    He said: “This is the time for unity. I have heard people saying I would be a king for the Christians. I want to make it clear to all that I will be a king for all residents, irrespective of their religious leaning. I promise I will not disappoint the confidence reposed in me. But, I crave the support of everybody, old and young, to move our town to the next level.”

    In his goodwill message, the IDC chairman, Otunba Segun Demuren, said the yearly event was to foster unity and development in the town. He said the IDC had delivered its promise to make Ilese the headquarters of the newly-created Yemoji Local Council Development Area.

    The goodwill speeches were followed by colourful parade and stunts by youth groups, that competed for trophy. The groups of revellers entertained the audience with their intrepid displays, which lasted for 30 minutes each. Purple House carried the day, winning the coveted trophy.

    The highpoint was the presentation of car to Oluwafunmi, the winner of the beauty pageant. She was also crowned as Ilese Beauty Queen. She will reign till August next year when another beauty queen will be crowned.

    The indigenes used the occasion to present merit awards to non-indigenes in recognition of their contributions to the development, unity and peace in the town. A clergyman, Reverend Adeleke Adeyemi, former Vicar of St. Paul’s Church in Ilese, was honoured for promoting social and religious harmony in the town.

    Also, Commanding Officer of 12 Field Engineering Regiment, Sappers Barracks, was honoured for protecting the town from activities of criminals.

     

  • ‘FDI’ll boost national development’

    The importance of foreign direct investment (FDI) to job creation and national development will be only be known if the government creates a minimum adequate economic environment for economic recovery, the Chairman, NovareLekki Mall, Prof Fabian Ajogwu, has said.

    He said this would entail putting in place investment-friendly reforms, scale economies in trade and investments, minimising policy changes and shocks, and building strong institutions for economic growth.

    Speaking on the sidelines after the inauguration of a mall in Lagos at the weekend, Ajogwu said   Nigeria’s attitude should be similar to that of South Koreans whose leaders have continually re-stated the fundamental truth that – “No one owes us (South Koreans) a living!”

    Therefore, he explained, Nigerians should realise that no one else owes their country a living; hence, the attitude must be clearly reflected in the country’s ways of doing business by creating and implementing innovative strategies that are aimed at turning the economy around.

    “We believe that with this in place, Nigeria can realistically expect to have increased inflow of investments or foreign capital. In the words of former President de la Madrid of Mexico, ‘Capital has no heart. Capital has interests and sees its security and income as fundamental’. Foreign investment only sees profits, and real and sustainable profits can only be made in a place with the minimum adequate economic environment,” he said.

    Ajogwu explained that the solution to the country’s problems does does not lie upon the West, but within the country and her citizens. This, he noted, was because help from the West came in the form of aids and policies and their inherent price tags.

  • Akwa Ibom hails Obong varsity on youth development

    Akwa Ibom hails Obong varsity on youth development

    The Akwa Ibom State Government has lauded the management of Obong University in Obong Ntak for training youths with good character and moral values, in addition to equipping them with knowledge and skills.

    Its Commissioner for Works, the Ephraim Inyang-eyen, spoke when school’s management team visited him. He said the state needed educated youths with integrity to change its fortunes for good.

    He reassured the team that Governor Udom Emmanuel would construct the roads in the university before the convocation next year.

    He said: “We see Obong University as a critical stakeholder in our bid to provide qualitative education for our youths.  It is heart-warming to note that as a faith-based institution, which is imparting secular knowledge on students, the school places a high premium on character development. Since the school is complementing the government’s efforts in training valuable manpower, we are duty-bound to support its development. That is why we have decided to ensure that we construct internal roads within Obong University next year. Before the next convocation, the roads would have been completed.”

    The Vice-Chancellor (VC), Prof Udoudo Ekanemesang, said the visit was motivated by the need to discuss areas of collaboration between the university and the government.

    He hailed Gov. Emmanuel for pledging to construct access roads in the school, noting that the gesture was a confirmation of the government’s determination to promote public-private partnerships.

    The VC said the university would make valuable contributions in the areas of research and manpower.

  • Experts advise fathers on girl-child development

    What are the challenges parents face in raising the  girl-child in the 21st Century? How should the father guide his daughter from negative influences?

    Answers to this question formed the nub of discussions at the maiden edition of The Listening Father, a programme designed to foster emotional relationship between fathers and daughters.

    Over 30 young girls, between ages 10 and 16 years, and their fathers attended the event organised by GirlSaid Initiative, a non-governmental organisation. Held at the Public Affairs Section of the United States Consulate in Lagos, the six-hour event featured interactive sessions anchored by a psychologist and life coach, Lanre Olusola, and Publisher of Today’s Women, Adesuwa Onyenokwe.

    During sessions with the fathers, Olusola identified lack of control, absenteeism, inadequate time and distraction as challenges facing the 21st Century father.

    He said many parents shift the responsibility of bringing up their children to nannies, noting that children easily take up values picked from caregivers.

    He cautioned fathers that children will share their challenges with strangers when parents give them no attention.

    Olusola said: “The greatest challenge facing the 21st Century father is the fear of what becomes of their daughter in a fast changing world. Many parents have regarded Internet and social media as bad tools from which their children must be prevented. But, we must ask ourselves the right questions. What are the values that are relevant in this century?”

    Western influence on African culture, he said, do not pose problems to the upbringing of a girl-child, noting that the West culture came with some good influence that could help African fathers nurture children.

    Olusola advised parents to drop impracticable old values in training children, saying: “We will create a major disadvantage if we choose to bring children up with old values that cannot work in the 21st Century.”

    The young girls explained their challenges in getting their parents’ attention on issues.

    Onyenokwe advised them how they could get their parents’ attention, saying they should not tell their challenges to strangers.

    The NGO’s coordinator, Abosede Lewu, a Mandela Washington Fellow, said the essence of the event was to bridge the gap between parents and their children. She said the initiative would help busy fathers understand their children better.

  • Talking sustainable development

    Talking sustainable development

    Spiritual empowerment creates economic empowerment and facilitates political  stability.” Those were the ideologies that gave birth to the book Empowerment for Sustainable Development  according to Moses Obuba Kalu at the public presentation and  launching of his book held at the auditorium of the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, Lagos.

    Kalu believes that for there to be sustainable development an individual needs to be encouraged and empowered, these will make him be in a position to develop his community, the society and the country at large, He believes that if Nigerians don’t embark extensively on self-sufficiency in Agriculture and industrialization, the country won’t be able to achieve its full potentials. He says “we have to develop individuals this is more paramount to development, many resources without effective human management will result into wastage, but when individuals are effective they will be able to manage the scanty resources available to them…”

    The book launching was graced by various dignitaries from different spheres of life such as Archbishop Magnus Atilade, Sam Ohuabunwa, S.N Okeke, Professor Ndubisi Nwokoma, Rear admiral Solomon Okeke, Yeye of Sasha kingdom Precious Olubunmi Agbabiaka amongst others who came to felicitate with a man they all described as an icon.

    Nwokoma in his review described the book Empowerment for Sustainable Development as a collection of critical issues and practical solutions for the empowerment of an individual in harnessing their gifts and God given talents for spiritual and economic development. He says the book focuses on issues and strategic principles and techniques that enhance the spiritual, economic and public development for individuals to enhance their contribution to society and further enhance the human condition on a sustained basis.

    According to Chukuma Okafor the book is a priceless gem for the youths as the book promotes core values that builds a man and make a nation. He adds that Moses Kalu is an expert in Micro and Small scale enterprises and has dedicated a portion of the book to explain how to start little businesses, sources of financing them and how to make a little idea grow big by explaining minor processes in which they can start a small business and make it grow big. The book will teach them to achieve sustainable growth and development without cutting corners.

    Archbishop Magnus Atilade in his words describes Moses Kalu as a man in a privileged position to produce authentic records and proper documentations. He enjoins all Christians, professionals and people from all works of life to have the fear of God and desire for effective leadership and good governance. According to him anybody who wants to know the origin, establishment and growth of CAN, the acquisition of this book is a necessary requirement.

  • ‘Policy marketing crucial to national development’

    ‘Policy marketing crucial to national development’

    Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) President Dr. Rotimi Oladele has underscored the importance of policy marketing in the  drive by the government to restore investors and citizens’ confidence in the economy.

    Oladele, who joined other speakers to discuss the imperative of “Leadership, policy marketing and repositioning of the Nigerian Nation,” at Brand Campaign Magazine’s fifth anniversary lecture in Lagos, said successive governments did not put in place the right policies.

    He said Nigeria is fertile for “unbaked, disorganised, rotten policies. The issue of policy marketing is totally neglected as far as policy is concerned,” he said.

    He said development was anchored on the rectangle of policy, law, regulation and infrastructure. “Once these are put in place, you do not need to preach to anybody to know what to do and when to do what is is right,” he said.

    Oladele, however, lamented that the country’s policy does not allow the nation to grow.

    He urged leaders to rethink Nigeria’s policies so that followers can change their mindset.

    Also, Brandish Magazine’s Managing Director, Mr. Ikem Okuhu said the lecture was aimed at awakening in Nigerians the need to begin to think, considering the shallow educational policy.

    The Marketing Mix Limited Managing Director, Mr. Akin Adeoya  said Nigerians should watch the lifestyles of the leaders they choose.

    He stressed that those who create value for the little they have should be preferred against those who are profligate in their lifestyle.

    The Brand Campaign’s Publisher, Mr. Akinwumi Dickson described the birth of the magazine as a child of circumstance that grew to become one of the leading brand magazines in the industry.