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Tag: discriminate

  • Don’t discriminate against people with mental illness, say psychiatrists

    Nigerians and reporters have been advised not to discriminate against people suffering from mental illness.

    They spoke at a workshop for reporters and members of the Suicide Research and Prevention Initiative (SURPIN) of Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi Araba.

    They said the workshop was aimed at reducing the rising rate of suicide across the country.

    The experts, which included Dr Babatunde Fadipe, Dr Bola Ola, Dr Peters Nubi, Dr Raphael E. Ogbolu and Dr Oladipo A. Adepoju, Dr Alero and Miss Titi Tade of LUTH’s Socia Welfare Unit praised LUTH’s SURPIN, saying it is the first of its kind.

    Stigma, the experts said, makes sufferers of mental illness to be maltreated by friends, relatives, neighbours and employers.

    It has aggravated their rejection, loneliness and depression among those with the illness, they said. They also said those with the condition are often denied participation in family life, normal social networks and productive employment.

    According to the psychiatrists, stigma can be defined as a mark of shame, disgrace or disapproval, which results in an individual being shunned or rejected by others.

    The stigma associated with mental illness is strong, but increases more if an individual’s behaviour differs from that of the ‘norm’, they added.

    Stigma, especially the one associated with mental illness, they said, has a negative effect on any mentally ill person’s recovery, ability to access services, the type of treatment and level of support received and acceptance in the community. Rejection of people with mental illness, they said, also affects the family and caretakers of the mentally ill person and leads to isolation and humiliation.

    Major causes of stigma, according to them, are myths, misconceptions and negative stereotypes about mental illness.

    They said the number one factor, which drives suicide or mental illness, is stigma, and that it could be reduced by  talking about mental illness in the community. It could also be reduced by providing accurate information on the causes, prevalence, course and effects of mental illness and countering the negative stereotypes and misconceptions surrounding mental illness.

    Providing support and treatment services, which enable sufferers to participate in community activities and ensuring the existence of a legislation to reduce discrimination in the workplace, access to health and social community services, is another way of reduce the stigma.

    The experts pointed out that mental illness have both economic and diminishing effects on the society. This, according to them, is because it affects the thinking of the individual and diminishes his or her social role and productivity.

    Also, they said mental illnesses could disable one and last for many years, as they take could reduce the emotional and socio-economic capabilities of relatives, who care for sufferers, especially when the health system is unable to offer treatment and support at an early stage.

    The experts listed some of the  costs to include lost production from premature deaths caused by suicide (which most times are under reported, hence, generally equals to and greater than deaths from road accidents); loss of production from people with mental illness, who are unable to work; loss of productivity from family members caring for the mentally-ill person, reduced productivity from people who are ill while at work and cost of accidents by people who are psychologically disturbed, especially dangerous in people like train drivers, airline pilots and factory workers.

    Also, supporting dependants of the mentally ill persons, financial costs for families caring for the mentally-ill persons, unemployment, alienation, and crime in young people whose childhood problems, e.g., depression, behaviour disorder, were not sufficiently well addressed  to benefit from the education available, poor cognitive development in the children of mentally ill parents, and the emotional burden and diminished quality of life for family members.

  • Anambra: ‘As governor, I won’t discriminate against women’

    Anambra: ‘As governor, I won’t discriminate against women’

    Mr. Barth Nwibe, an oil and gas entrepreneur, engineer, consultant and All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant in Anambra State speaks on his humble beginning, challenges of leadership and sundry issues in this interview with Arinze Igboeli 

    What was your growing up like?

    I grew up like every normal person born in the 60s. I had a father who was a tradesman while my mum was a business woman. But they believed in education, so they sent me to school. I grew up in those days when almost everybody in the village then was almost at the same level. Nobody was too rich and nobody was too poor. I will say that I had a humble beginning, but my parents realised that education was a path.

    So, I had my primary school at Ifite Primary School, Igbo Ukwu. When I left primary school in 1975, I proceeded to Christ the King College, (CKC) Onitsha in Anambra State for my secondary education. CKC was one of the premier schools then. So, I was very happy when my parents sent me to CKC. And at the end of my secondary school in 1980, I came out with distinction in my school certificate examination. And with that, I proceeded to University of Nigeria Nsukka, where I read Civil Engineering.

    What inspired your choice of engineering for your first degree?

    I was reading Ebony magazine one day and I saw a black guy dressed as an engineer. He said he schooled at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). As I looked at that picture, I was so inspired to study in the same institution. But of course, my parents didn’t have the money to send me to MIT. So, that was how the thought and inspiration of becoming an engineer came. My parents actually wanted me to read medicine and almost everybody around me thought I was going to ready medicine because just like I said earlier, I was the leader of my class. So, I chose to read Engineering and Civil then was the engineering course. In fact, in my JAMB, I registered for Civil Engineering and Physics and Physics as single honour because I liked Mathematics and Physics. That was what inspired me to read engineering.

    How would you describe your career path so far?

    It has been very excellent and fulfilling. Engineering has given me the opportunity to believe that anything is possible as long as you can think it through. I left the university in 1980 and I did my youth service in Rivers State. In fact, during my service, I was given a certificate of commendation for my excellent performance in my place of primary assignment. After that I got employed by a relation who has a structural engineering firm in Enugu. I worked with the firm for six month and got a job with an oil and gas firm – Wog Allied Services Ltd. I did three years with this establishment and joined Sperry Sun Drilling Services – a division of Halliburton Company. I did about three years with Sperry Sun and the company left Nigeria because they had a big contract to do in Saudi Arabia. I joined Baker Hughes where I worked for about a year and then left to work with Schlumberger Drilling and Measurements where I had most of my working life. Having spent about five years with Schlumberger, I left them to become a consultant also to Schlumberger. I did that for two years before I got a consultancy job with Shell which I did for about five years and I quit to start my own when the local content came into play and that is the company I have been running till today.

    What are your hobbies?

    I like reading and football. I am a fan of Arsenal because I don’t believe you always have to win, I believe in doing things right.

    What is the book that impacted your life most?

    The book that impacted me most in life is ‘Success through a Positive Mental Attitude’ by Napoleon Hill. I read this book just after I left secondary school. It was a book that helped me to realise that whatever the mind can conceive and believe, that the mind can achieve it. I was so inspired by that book. The titles were so catchy that one of it says ‘if you don’t have money, use OPM’.

    And OPM means ‘Other People’s Money’. And reading further, it will tell you that you are going to meet the most important living person. And you keep reading to know who is the most important living person, it tells you that you are the most important living person. It was a book that helped to shape me. But once in a while, one comes across some good books. Then another book that inspired me is ‘Why Nations Fail’ by a Turkish-American Economist, Daron Acemoglu and a British Political Scientist, James Robinson. With this you will understand why some countries are rich while some are poor. It is a book people should read. Also, in Nigeria here, the book by Mallam Nassir el-Rufai, ‘Accidental Civil Servant’, is also a good book. So, such books, you read them and you get to know how people navigate through life and what leadership entails.

    As a governorship aspirant, do you believe in giving women equal opportunity to utilise their talents and expertise in different fields and endeavours?

    In the company I run today, 40 per cent of my managers are women. I don’t see any difference between a man and a woman; the important thing is brain and character. What does it really mean that you are a man or woman? For me, as long as somebody can perform and deliver the expected result, she gets the job.

    As a governorship aspirant, how comfortable will you be with a woman being your deputy?

    To me, there are some things women even do better. Which man has done the kind of job late Dora Akunyili did in NAFDAC or even Oby Ezekwesili in this their advocacy ‘Bring Back Our Girls’ they are doing? Like I told you, women should be encouraged. If I have the opportunity and a good lady presents herself to be my deputy, why not? But I am not going to go all out searching to bring a woman on board. But if she has what it takes and she is prepared to do what she need to do – to partner to make it happen, that will be okay.

    I have on my own trying to fund some women organisations. There is a movement in Anambra State that came up, I was the person that gave them the seed money to organise themselves into a mass movement, even though at the end of the day, the leader derailed and it became a mess. To me, it doesn’t matter whether you are a man or a woman and I have more daughters and sisters, why should I discriminate against them?

  • ‘I ‘ll not discriminate against opposition’

    ‘I ‘ll not discriminate against opposition’

    Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State has reiterated his commitment to carrying stakeholders along in his administration. The governor spoke at a reception held by his supporters to mark his victory at the Supreme Court. Correspondent MIKE ODIEGWU reports.

    Bayelsa state Governor Seriake Dickson is like the proverbial cat with nine lives. the Supreme Court has upheld his victory in last year’s election. Dickson weathered the storm and the obstacles thrown at him by the opposition. For the first time in the history of the state, the election was hotly contested. The governor was finally declared the winner of the poll by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) after the supplementary election of January 9.

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate, Chief Timipre Sylva, rejected the outcome of the elections and commenced a protracted litigation. But, Dickson, who contested on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), triumphed. He won at the tribunal, the Court of Appeal and finally the apex court.

    The stakes were high and if the governor had lost at any level, it would have spelted doom, not only for him, but also for the PDP.

    Dickson, fondly called the Ofurumapepe (the great white shark), a sobriquet he adopted throughout the period of the elections and litigations, understood the dangers ahead. He threw everything into the contest. He was focused, dogged and restless, until the victory was stamped, sealed and delivered.

    Dickson’s supporters organised a reception recently. He was celebrated as a hero by his admirers and party supporters.

    Many Bayelsans trooped to the streets to welcome their governor. Women adorned in uniform wrappers and blouses; youths clad in praising-singing t-shirts and elders with their Ijaw attire lined up the roads singing and dancing for the victorious Dickson.

    The crowd was mammoth; the Peace Park, venue of the celebration was filled to the brim. They shouted in joy, jumped in excitement, displaying various placards to congratulate their hero.

    Dickson, who wore Ijaw attire with a feather festooned in his hat, marveled at the crowd that trooped out to welcome him. He dedicated his victory to God, saying that power comes from God.

    The governor said: “If God did not allow it, who would have defeated all these people who are saying and doing all kinds of things? Have you forgotten how we got  here. You know they mobilised all their forces everywhere.

    “In your units you know the people you saw and the people you defeated. In this state, I can’t remember the number of rallies we addressed, the number of meetings we attended. We went round across the length and breadth of this state.

    “They said they had the powers, more money and everything. There was nothing they didn’t boast of but Gd delivered them to us.

    “Even, when they started magomago you people resisted them. Most of them even lost in their polling units. Women and young men in Bayelsa rose up and used their bare bodies to block Armoured Personnel Carriers APC)”.

    He went down memory lane to narrate how he defeated the APC and Sylva at the poll. He said the opposition using its influence constituted a three-man panel for the tribunal and relocated the panel from Bayelsa to Abuja.

    “What they forgot is that power doesn’t come from Abuja. Abuja cannot do anything or say anything, if this Baba up there has not approved it. After everything, their own three-man tribunal unanimously said all of you in this state gave your mandate freely to me, my running mate and our great party”, he said.

    The governor said the APC leaders, instead of joining forces with him, having lost at the tribunal, took the matter to the Court of Appeal and to the Supreme Court. According to him while the case was awaiting the adjudication of the apex court, the opposition was planning the number of people they would kill and chase away from their communities should they win the case.

    He thanked the people of the state for their support and commended the judiciary for being truthful to its calling. Dickson warned against the intimidation of the judiciary, which it described as the foundation of democracy and nation’s stability.

    The governor said: “I want to thank the judiciary for what they have displayed in this case that I know. They refused to be intimidated.

    “They refused to be swayed. I want to call on all political leaders, whoever they are, to continue to support and encourage our judiciary and not to intimidate them because the judiciary remains the foundation of the nation stability.

    “I agree that all may not be well, the few bad eggs here and there. But we should isolate them. While attending to that problem we should not at the same time destroy the institution called the judiciary.

    “Because if we intimidate our judiciary to a level that judges would have to seek clearance before they make rulings, then we can say bye-bye not just to our democracy but also to national stability”.

    Dickson dedicated his administration to what he referred to as the task of consolidating development and security. He promised to finish all projects he initiated and to engage the youths and women in meaningful activities.

    Following his victory, he said the mandate of the Ijaw nation had been protected and could not be stolen adding that the Ijaw could not be put to shame.

    “They did everything to put us to shame. After driving us from the centre, they were not satisfied. They did everything to take this place to humiliate us further. But we thank God that it had not happened. This Bayelsa State, the Jerusalem of Ijaw nation will never be conquered or intimidated”, he said.

    The crowd roared. He said the APC leaders had hoped to get big appointments at the centre but had so far been disappointed.

    He advised them to leave Abuja, return home and join hands with his administration to develop the state. He said some of them thought they would get free money and become billionaires overnight.

    He said: “All the same, they are Bayelsans and I am the governor of all Bayelsans, both those who supported me and those who for one reason or the other did not. I want to reiterate my commitment to running an open-door policy and invite all of them to join us”.

    He warned the youths not to allow them selves to be used for criminal activities against fellow citizens and the state.

    “We know that the opposition will like to buy guns and give to people. We know that they like to do terrible things to create crisis in the communities. Please, desist from that.

    “We don’t want crisis. All these threats of people blowing up facilities should stop. We want to protect the small revenue coming to this state to enable us serve you better”, he said.

    Also speaking, Senator Barigha Amange, said with the electoral disputes over, peace and development would return to the state. He asked the APC and its leaders to join the PDP to develop the state saying that the state belonged to everybody.

    Amange, who represents Bayelsa East in the Senate, said: “The money they wasted in litigation, they should have used it to support their supporters. But now that they have wasted the money, we can contribute money to assist them. They should come and join us to develop the state”, he said.

    Chief Theophilus Okorotie from Bayelsa West said Dickson has provided leadership and made the Ijaw nation proud. He said the people would continue to support the governor. He said the distraction was over, adding that development would  follow. He appealed to the opposition to join the administration of Dickson.

    The Chief of Staff, Government House, Talford Ongolo, urged the people to cooperate with the “wonderful” governor. He said the stage could not ask for more from God adding that the people were blessed to have Dickson as their governor.

    “Dickson has given us cause to rejoice. The way he is managing our resources, our future is in safe hands. Those who are in the opposition camp will be worried but they have no reason to be worried.

    “Dickson believes that everybody must be carried along. He had put to practice the principles of integration and inclusiveness in governance. We call for peace. As party members, let us extend the Olive branch”, he said.

    The Chairman, Southern Ijaw Local Government, Joshua Macaiver, described the governorship election as a battle between light and darkness. He said : “It was a battle between those that believe in the Ijaw nation and those that don’t believe in the development of Ijaw nation. When you face the two candidates, one will tell you, ‘kill whatever number you want to kill, let me be the governor’.

    “But, Governor Dickson will always tell you, ‘I don’t want you to kill any Ijaw man for me to be the governor’. That is one thing I like about him. We are solidly behind the governor”.

    Also speaking, the Chairman of the PDP, Mr. Cleopas Moses, says power flows from God. He said the governor had always attributed his victories to God. He described Dickson as a special specie and congratulated him on his victory.

    In fact, the outpouring of goodwill messages continued and most of the speakers including the Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral John Jonah (retd) and the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Chief Serena Dokubo-Spiff, kept asking the opposition to sheath its sword and join to develop the state.

    With the litigation over, people are looking forward to what the future holds for Bayelsa and the reactions of the APC and its leaders especially following the Olive branch extended to them by Dickson and other PDP leaders.

  • Lagos will not discriminate against any tribe, religion-Ambode

    Lagos will not discriminate against any tribe, religion-Ambode

    Lagos State governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, has reassured citizens of the state that his administration would continue to uphold the provisions of the constitution and would on no ground discriminate against any tribe or religion.

     The governor made the remark on Thursday while hosting  the executive members of the Federation of Muslim Women Association of Nigeria (FOMWAN), at the Lagos House, Ike Lagos.

    Ambode, said as much as the state is home to a large number of religious organisations, the government would continue to respect the constitution of the country which allows for freedom of association.

    “In Lagos, it is very clear that there is heavy presence of religious organization, Lagos is a cosmopolitan state, we do not discriminate, and we are set out to obey the constitution of this country. And in doing so, free citizens of Lagos State should be given the chance to excel to any level where God has planned for them to be.

    “We do not discriminate based on religion, we would not discriminate based on tribe, and we are not going to discriminate based on where you come from. It is not the will of God and we would not practice it,” he said.

    The governor, who said Lagos was honoured to be chosen as the host for the 31st edition of the FOMWAN Conference, also commended the group for embarking on laudable projects just as he assured them of the readiness of his government to partner with them in executing the projects earmarked to be done in the state.

  • NUC summons VCs over discriminate grading system

    NUC summons VCs over discriminate grading system

    Worried by irregularities in the grading system of most Nigerian Universities, the National Universities Commission (NUC) has summoned Vice Chancellors of all public and private universities to Abuja to deliberate on the issue.

    They are meant to brainstorm and harmonize the Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) grading system, including a uniformed Benchmark Minimum Academic Standards (BMAS) for all certified Nigerian universities, rather than using discretional method to grade students in each discipline.

    Speaking at the workshop which was held at the Commission’s headquarters, the NUC Executive Secretary said it was worrisome that most universities were derailing from the original academic traditions that guaranteed high quality education in the country, especially the post independence era.

    Okojie who attributed these developments to poor governance structures in most of the institutions, said individual grading systems pose technical challenges for proper grading of students, particularly inter-university credit transfer and student mobility both within and outside the country.

    He said some institutions, while awarding grades in some disciplines use the 6 grade points of 5,4,3,2,1,0 for letter grades of A,B,C,D,E and F respectively. While in some cases, other disciplines removed the E grade altogether thereby having a grading system with grade points of 5,4,3,2,0 for letter grades of A,B,C,D and F respectively.

    Okojie said the discriminations have incontrovertibly introduced two systems of grading within the Nigerian university system.

    He said: “What is happening is that with the kind of governance structure in some institutions, you find that they lose trend about the tradition in the system itself.

    “They should go back to their Senate.  Why we are having this discussion is that we also have private universities coming on board and we have assumed that because Vice Chancellors who service these private universities are from older institutions, they know some of these traditions.  It is not the case, so we are going to go through the process.

    “For CGPA the maximum is 5.  University of Ibadan have been using 7. We have told them, when you are using 7 scale and the maximum is 5, how do you compare, whereas the first class honours on the 5 scale maximum is 4.5 and above. These are the issues we are concerned about.  Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife at some point was using 4.3 they went back to 4.5. We need a common platform and it is very important.

    “A review would not only facilitate curriculum design within the university that would foster inter-departmental and inter-disciplinary collaboration but would also minimise duplication thereby enhancing understanding by most foreign universities too”.

    NUC’s Director, Academic Standards, Gidado Kumo explained that the Vice Chancellors and Directors of Academic Planning were invited to Abuja to get their feedbacks or observations on how to arrive at a generally satisfactory university education policy.

     

  • Dons urge Fed Govt not to discriminate

    Professors of Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Ibadan (UI) Olawale Albert and Tajudeen Akanji have advised President Muhammadu Buhari and governors to shun discriminatory policies that could threaten peace and security.

    They said governments should put in place policies that would ensure equality of persons, irrespective of ethnicity, race or religion.

    The dons spoke at a workshop on ‘Security in a multi-ethnic city’, organised by Konrad Adenauer Foundation, presided over by Mrs. Hildergard Behrendt-Kigozi. The event was held at the UI Conference Centre.

    Prof. Albert, who noted that corrupt Nigerians were a threat to peace and security, added that the more policies for protecting groups’ rights were lacking in a multi-ethnic society as Nigeria, the more the country was likely to be plunged into conflicts.

    He said: “It is only those who have stolen from the nation that you will see going with 10 policemen because they are afraid. They make Nigerians insecure because the money allocated for development has been stolen. This is what threatens peace and security. Certainly they cannot be safe when others are not safe. This is why the anti-corruption crusade must apply to all and not be discriminatory.”

    The don enjoined President Buhari to constitute a security management think tank comprising representatives of security agencies and civilian security analysts.

    Speaking on ‘Manipulation of citizenship and indigeneship in Nigeria: Lessons for multi-ethnic cities’, Prof. Akanji said the indigeneship question had created insecurity.

    He urged the Federal Government to lead by example by stopping policies that discriminated in employment, admission to schools, scholarships, school fees and in election.

    Other speakers included Dr. Willie Eselebor, Dr. Onuka, security representatives, monarchs, among others.

  • ‘Discriminate against the disabled, face the law’

    Persons or organisations that discriminate against people with disability will henceforth face the law, the Lagos State Office for Disability Affairs (LASODA), has warned.

    The General Manager of the establishment, Dr Awelenje Babatunde, said the law establishing the agency gives it powers to investigate and prosecute such acts of discrimination.

    He spoke at a three-day sign language workshop for primary healthcare workers in Lagos, with the theme: “An all-inclusive communication policy for persons with disability.”

    “We’re going to enforce the existing law. LASODA was established to enforce the Lagos State Special Peoples’ Law, which was enacted in 2011. The law is to safeguard the people living with disability against all forms of discrimination and equalise their opportunity, just like their able-bodied counterparts.

    “This office has prosecutorial powers over acts of discrimination. If a person with disability is discriminated against, the office has a right to investigate, and if possible, prosecute; then appropriate sanctions will be taken, as well as redress in court,” Babatunde said.

    He added that persons with disabilities seek equality, saying: “What the people with disability need is just a level-playing field. This was demonstrated in the last Paralympic where persons with disability did Nigeria proud.”

    According to him, the training was aimed at teaching the health workers the rudiments of communication with hearing-impaired persons who they meet in the course of their field work.

    “It’s more or less like teaching them the A-B-C-D of sign language. Subsequently we’ll expand on that. We’re also planning to incorporate sign language into the academic curriculum.

    “This is the second of such training. Last December, we organised a corporate stakeholder forum involving persons with disability, their families and those who care for them. It was more or less an interactive session. The feedback we received led to this workshop,” Babatunde said.

    He said despite challenges of setting up and running such office, the response had been positive.

    “The governing board of the LASODA was inaugurated on July 9 last year. Being a new office, there have been some logistic challenges, but we are rapidly gaining momentum now. The state government deserves commendation. The office is even the first of its kind in West Africa,” Babatunde said.

    The Chairman, LASODA Governing Board, Mrs Tolu Animashaun, said: “Very soon, there will be public enlightenment campaigns. We are going to work hand-in-hand with the state registration agency (LASRA), which is designing a portal for disability. There will be some designated centres.

    “People will input information about their disabilities and challenges. That will help us reach them. That is in the pipeline. Don’t judge anybody based on his disability. Nobody chooses to become disabled. Maybe people discriminate out of ignorance. We have a lot of wrong ideas owing to lack of knowledge.”

  • ‘Excellence does not discriminate’

    ‘Excellence does not discriminate’

    If a book were to be written on the theme ‘Dream Chasers’, Adekunbi Adeoye would definitely play a significant role in it. Suave, urbane and beautiful, Adekunbi, who is in her twenties, walked out on a lucrative MTN Nigeria job offer to start Sesewa, an HR company she founded as a Law undergraduate at the Obafemi Awolowo University. She told Hannah Ojo how she finds fulfillment helping young people acquire employability skills during internship opportunities.

     

    HOW was the idea of Sesewa conceived?

    Sesewa is a Yoruba coinage which means se ise wa? (Is there a job?) I started the company while I was an undergraduate at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. But the idea first came to me during my internship programme with a Law firm. I was training as a lawyer, but the internship experience opened my eyes to what operated in real life and helped me to make a more informed decision. Thereafter, I wasn’t thinking about Law like I used to, because I suddenly realised that I wanted more out of life. The internship thus exposed me to what I could spend my life doing. Back to school, I said to myself: ‘every single person deserves an opportunity to have a foretaste of what they may want to do after school.’ I did a bit of research and I realised that my little idea of internship was actually a global reality that Nigerians weren’t tapping into. So, I wanted to use the opportunity to bring myself forward to help young people in Nigeria and across Africa. I unveiled the company in 2009 and before we knew what was happening, I got a couple of newspaper interviews and opportunities. Thereafter, I saw the possibilities of what I was doing and started helping friends find internship and jobs.

    Did you have any work experience before fully launching out?

    I had my NYSC with MTN Nigeria. I think it was one of the biggest opportunities for me because I worked in the finance department and had the chance to see what structures really looked like. I had deliberately delayed my NYSC for three months after Law School just to give my inner cravings some attention. Thereafter, I went to get a job with an event company as an HR executive. At MTN, I saw how much was coming in, what the company was using money for. Right after service, I got two opportunities: one within the MTN system and another with another HR company. But I didn’t take up any of them. I thought that would amount to throwing away an opportunity of building my own company. Something just kept telling me that this was the time to stand up and make the difference I always wanted to make. So I started gradually. I was doing internships, consulting for small businesses and before I knew it, we had a lot on our table, and today, we help small businesses grow their structures. We help them build structures around their businesses even as we help young people around Nigeria find internship opportunities in these organisations.

    Are there challenges that are peculiar to your line of business?

    I am excited about challenges. They are stumbling blocks that once you scale over them, you simply become better. One of the challenges I had was that a lot of companies didn’t understand what we were saying regarding internship. To combat that, we started an advocacy. We went about telling companies to create an internship structure. Another challenge would be about internship students who wouldn’t get to work on time. They didn’t have proper work ethics. So you can imagine me finding jobs for young people whom I believed so much in, but who didn’t make good use of the opportunity. Those were the big challenges. But we started using advocacy to solve the problems. I went for speaking engagements to schools and started telling young people what is expected of them and how they need to maximise their opportunities and time. On the part of clients, we work more with small businesses because they are at the bottom of the ladder since the bigger companies who can afford to pay have taken the “smarter” guys. Another challenge was the huge human capital constantly in transit – waiting to serve. It is no longer a challenge anymore because small businesses can now develop innovative ways of recruitment through internships.

    Based on your experience on the job, what do you think young people should do to become employable?

    This is a fundamental question; and it is the reason I started Sesewa. Young people should know that their future does not start when they are given an NYSC certificate. They should learn to prepare themselves for the real world, even while in the university. They can achieve this by being part of structures of the various clubs and societies on campus. Truth, is when you work within these structures, you learn to work more with people; and you become better in terms of intellects. Our education is not the way it used to be. It is falling every day, such that the things that people are being taught are no longer directly applicable in the work place. So, people need to enlarge their mindsets and look for opportunities to learn what will be required of them by employers in the future. Most of the times, I advise students to engage in volunteer works while on vacation or during ASUU strike and to learn to write their CV early.

    How rewarding has Sesewa been in terms of finance and fulfillment?

    The fulfillment is fantastic. I wake up every morning and I am happy to resume at work. When I started, people wanted me to go work for someone else because there wasn’t anybody I could really model what I was doing after. Money-wise, it’s not a lot of money because IT students are not being paid much. We have a policy that our paid internship must be at least a $100 dollars or at worst N15, 000 a month. So it’s not a lot of money actually but the passion to see young people grow up and become very powerful and knowledgeable at the end of their internship is a big reward. We consult for small businesses, so money comes from doing that as well.

    Who are the people that have influenced you?

    One of the people who have had great influence on me is Mr. Olakanmi Amao. He guides me in terms of my career in human resources. Another person is my mother, her strength is amazing and her love for people is something that I want to have. There is also Demola DejiKunmi. These people have all had big influences on my life.

    Has being a female been an added advantage in achieving your goals?

    There is no discrimination against excellence. When you see a great job, you don’t ask if it is a woman that did it or a man. I am a big fan of doing the job excellently. I don’t think being a female has left me with disadvantages. Besides, I’m not gender-conscious. I have always had a supportive family and nobody ever told me that ‘you can’t do this because you are a female.’ I was simply guided to do anything that I wanted to do.

    What plans are you putting in place to reach out to other young people across Nigeria?

    We have plans for expansion even across Africa because I have learnt that human capital is not a Nigerian problem; it is a continental problem. So we are looking at expanding to other places in Nigeria as well as Africa. One of the greatest challenges we have had is that there is a lot of demand for our products than the supply. We get more demand from the students than the few companies available. We are in Lagos because Lagos is the centre of a lot of businesses. If we are able to get into a lot of companies in Lagos, then we can expand to other branches in Nigeria.

    Do you ever miss practicing law?

    (Smiles) Every time I meet a client I always remind them that I am a lawyer but because I love my job a lot, it doesn’t make me really miss practicing Law. On the other hand, I wish I had started Sesewa much earlier.

    What is your take on leisure and fashion?

    My weekends are very sacred. As much as I love my clients, I don’t share my weekends with them. I restrict work to Mondays to Fridays. Sometimes I leave my laptop at the office, just to make sure I don’t start working when I should be spending time with family and friends. That’s what I do to ease off the tension from work because it is only a living person that will wake up in the morning and go to work.

    What is style to you?

    There is much more to me than I am doing now in terms of style. Back in the university, I used to be very big on style but since I started work, I just try to keep it simple.

  • APC won’t discriminate, says Tinubu after talks with Buhari

    APC won’t discriminate, says Tinubu after talks with Buhari

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) is open to all progressive-minded people who are interested in turning Nigeria’s fortune around, Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) National Leader Asiwaju Bola Tinubu said yesterday.

    According to him, the newly formed party will not discriminate in its membership drive.

    The former Lagos governor spoke in Kaduna after a meeting with former Head of State Gen. Muhammadu Buhari.

    Gen. Buhari, the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) leader and Tinubu are driving the merger of political parties that have formed the APC.

    Also yesterday, the leader of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) merger committee, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, said four more political parties were interested in joining the APC.

    Tinubu said all those who are genuinely interested in Nigeria’s progress and want to join the APC would be welcomed on board.

    He said that even if PDP National Chairman Bamanga Tukur wanted to join the APC, he would be welcomed.

    The former governor, responding to a question on whether the APC was wooing some PDP governors, said: “If that is a strategy on our part, should I tell you?

    “The facts remain that we must talk to everybody and must woo them. If Bamanga Tukur is interested, we will invite him and talk to him. The APC is a party to stay with, work with and to share the vision of eliminating corruption, ineptitude in governance and lack of employment for our people.

    “If you are threatened by lack of security, enter an APC, if you have persistent headache, use APC”.

    He added: “I am here just to consult with Gen. Buhari on the new party that has come to be and look at the various other options for a one-man-one-vote in the country.

    “The merger will definitely work out this time around. I have been very consistent in saying that it is only through a strong determination and commitment and the sacrifice of the people that we will succeed.

    “It is not only about us as individuals. There are lots of speculations going on this time around and they have even chosen our presidential candidate for us and all of that.

    “It was a banner headline in Nigeria Tribune. Let me say that it is the story of people who are already afraid and scared of the unity of purpose that is coming up in the country. In essence, we are all committed to democratic principles and values for this country and to rescue the nation.

    “To do that, we must be a united body and ready to rescue the nation with one mission, vision and one single commitment to alleviate the problems of the masses. It is not about individual; it is not about Gen. Buhari.

    “If he wants money from the government, he will always get it. But he stands for the truth and the cause of the masses and the redemption of our democratic values, justice and progress.

    “These are the things that we need to harness the opportunity that is here in this country to get it moving and moving forward, but not in the manner it has been going for the past 16 years.”

    National Chairman of ANPP Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu said the APC would clearly show that there is a difference between the ruling party and the progressive coalition party.

    “When the 2015 contest comes in, it will be between the conservatives and the progressives and when the people make their views known, it will be clear which of the two they prefer,” he said.

    He said the ANPP was committed to ensuring that all major opposition parties work together.

    Onu assured Nigerians that once the APC is registered, the party would not disappoint them, adding that it will protect the interest of the ordinary man.

    “We will put the interest of ordinary Nigerians in the affairs of governance,” he said, because this is what has been causing problems in the country’s governance.

    Shekarau, who presented the progress report, explained that the ANPP committee was set up on October 6 to carry out the assignment of ensuring the rebuilding of the party structure at the state and local council offices.