The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Drink

  • Consumers relish Hollandia Choco Malt Drink

    Consumers relish Hollandia Choco Malt Drink

    The introduction of Hollandia ChocoMalt Drink to the market is beginning to generate interest among young consumer segment.

    Convenience, delicious taste and instant or sharp sharp nutrition are at the core of the product values that have endeared the brand to consumers. Fondly referred to as 3-in-1 Yo! Hollandia ChocoMalt Drink is the first ready-to-drink blend of chocolate, malt and milk in Nigeria. It provides instant nutrition within reach and can be consumed immediately after opening. It is rich in vitamins and minerals, and takes away the hassles and inconvenience involved in preparing choco-based beverage drink the traditional way.

    According to Israel Oladele, a social worker with the Lagos State Hospital Management Board, a satisfied consumer creates value and loyalty, and will likely share his or her experience with other consumers.

    “I heard about Hollandia ChocoMalt Drink by word-of-mouth recommendation via social media and decided to buy the product in a neighborhood shop in my area. The product recommendation came in timely as it has taken away the inconveniences associated with preparing a chocolate, malt and milk drink. Essentially its offer of sharp sharp nutrition means consuming the product has become a part of my daily nutritional requirement,” he said.

    Kelechi Onyedika, a student of the Philosophy Department of Lagos State University, emphasised the popularity of Hollandia ChocoMalt Drink amongst students of the University. He stressed that students have busy schedules and love brands that make life easier for them.

    “Product convenience is highly appealing and when you add instant nutrition to the pack, it becomes highly attractive for the average student. I do not have to worry anymore about beverage choices and nutritional value because Hollandia ChocoMalt Drink fits the bill and my lifestyle,” he stated.

    Adedayo Olumide, a brand consultant, stressed that it is common knowledge that individual preferences for products have their basis in a set of common factors, such as convenience, features, quality and experiences.

    “Hollandia ChocoMalt Drink meets all these parameters because it guarantees convenience, has a delicious taste, offers instant or sharp sharp nutrition and is truly satisfying. These product values have ensured that the brand remains at the top of consumer satisfaction.

  • Kampe herbal drink unveiled

    Kampe herbal drink unveiled

    Ruzu Natural Health Product and Services has introduced a herbal drink into the market.

    Its Chief Executive Officer, Robert Uzu said indigenous roots, especially Aloe Vera, were combined to formulate the drink.

    He told The Nation that the vision came as a result of genuine intention to save lives and contribute to the economic growth of the nation and Africa.

    “Kampe herbal drink takes care of various health conditions, such as oxidative threat, weakness or lack of strength, and menstruation abnormalities. It also takes care of sexual distraction, or quick ejaculation in men as well as arthritis and rheumatism among others,” he said.

    On what inspired him into producing the drink, he said: “In the course of trying to answer questions why health conditions such as diabetes, HIV, High blood pressures among others have no cure yet; I got inspired to delve into herbal medicine. I have always wanted to change lives. I have always wanted to make a mark. I have always wanted to contribute my own quota to the development of this great nation, that is actually what drives me to come out with one of the finest herbal drinks because I have seen that most of the drinks we have in Nigeria today are not up to my satisfaction, hence I have to come out with this Kampe herbal drink.

    “I started researching on herbal medicine about ten years ago. I then went for a Diploma in Alternative Medicine; right now I am studying for a degree in Medicine and alternative medicine at the University of India.”

    He expressed confidence in the quality of the product: “when we started we knew that we would have competitors, but we don’t believe in competition. We are simply showcasing our indigenous herbal plants and roots, as in our own- what we have as a country. People will accept who we are, what we are able to offer to them in the course of time. Ours is highly indigenous. The first of its type. The company is positioned to provide answers for the health needs of the people.

    “The moment you take this herbal drink, naturally, you will come back, and you will help to tell others of the amazing product, and from there we will break into the market, so we have no fear breaking into the market.”

    He said the product has been registered with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

    Managing Director, 25th March Limited and Marketing Consultant for the herbal product, Chuks Enwelem, said the potency of the product is very high, adding that the high level of efficacy of the product we will not be compromised, “We want to make sure that its potency is maintained so that it will continue to attract more consumers.  It is something the body can assimilate easily.”

  • NB launches Zobo alcoholic drink

    NB launches Zobo alcoholic drink

    Nigerian Breweries Plc has  introduced Ace Desire, the first Zobo-flavoured alcoholic drink, into the market.

    Its Marketing Director, Mr. Franco Maria Maggi, explained to reporters in Lagos, that Ace Desire cotains spirit, natural Hibiscus or zobo extracts, being the traditional beverage produced from Hibiscus leaves.

    “This rich combination of a balanced mix of spirit and Hibiscus extracts contains 5.5 percent alcohol, and offers a tingling sensation and rich aroma,” he said.

    According to him, Ace Desire, packaged in a 33cl glass bottle, stands out among other products on the Ready-to-Drink category.

    He added that Nigerian Breweries, “the house of quality” has delivered on yet another promise to delight consumers with the introduction of Ace Desire.

    “The brand’s ambition is to lead in the RTD category by establishing itself as the relentless pioneer of innovation”, Maggi said, while also promising that the product will be available in outlets across the country over the next few weeks.

    Maggi said the extensions of the Ace brand have been informed by the need to satisfy various consumer taste profiles that evolve and change over time.

    The firm’s Corporate Communication and Brand Public Relations Manager, Patrick Olowokere, said the drink is not to be consumed by expectant mothers or underage.

    “Zobo (Zoborodo) is a beverage made from dried Roselle plant flowers. It is also known as Roselle drink and called Sorrel drink in the Carribean.

    ‘’Zobo is not recommended for pregnant women in their first trimester or those who are undergoing fertility treatments. This is because it can lower levels of oestrogen in the body and can prompt menstruation which could ultimately lead to a miscarriage.

  • Beware! Don’t drink yourself sick

    NIGERIA’S fast-growing population brings with it a continuing demand for soft/sugary drinks, especially when the climate is quite hot. Soft drinks, otherwise known as sugar drinks, are the beverage of choice for millions of Nigerians. Urbanisation also drives demand for ready-to-drink soft drinks amongst busy, on-the-go consumers, not minding the health implication. In an interview with most of these consumers, their reason for consuming sugary drinks varies: For Mrs. Adenike Akinlotan, she’s so addicted to sugary drinks that she has to take it on a daily basis. “I find it difficult to stop because my taste bud is used to sugary drinks, I know it’s not good for my health but I can’t stop,” she lamented. For Mr. Jude Onyenma, he is a business man who is always on the road, sugary drinks are always available for him to relieve his hunger.

    However, research have also shown that people (men and women) who consume sugary drinks regularly – 1 to 2 bottles a day or more – have a 26% greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes, obesity, heart attack or even at risk of gout, (among others) than people who rarely have such drinks.

    In this interview with Omolara Akintoye, a medical consultant with Ajeromi General Hospital, Ajegunle, Lagos, Dr. Olanrewaju Babalola, said reducing the number of soft drinks you consume — or eliminating them from your diet altogether — is the best way to prevent associated health problems

    What are soft drinks?

    Soft drinks are carbonated beverages. They are commonly also known as soda, soda pop, pop or tonic, sugary drinks. While occasional consumption of these types of beverages may not cause any negative effects, drinking them on a regular basis is not healthy.

    If sugar generally is good for the body, then what makes soft drinks injurious to our health?

    It is good to note that almost all our food is broken down to various forms of sugar. Foods such as rice, “fufu”, “garri”, even beans, have sugar components. Normally, we have enough sugar to sustain us from our routine foods on daily basis. Sugar from food source is natural which the body prefers in terms of digestion and utilisation. But sugar from carbonated drinks is synthesised/refined thus more rapidly/wholly absorbed leading to high sugar level in the blood at a go. So, the sugar in soft drinks is highly concentrated and the body cannot control/regulate its absorption and release into the blood. This is risky.

    What is the acid in soft drinks and what are the dangers in it?

    Although a content of ‘soft drinks’ varies slightly with the brand of the “soft drink”, generally there are phosphoric citric and carbonic acid in most “soft drinks”, which are used as preservatives and phosphoric acid gives the drink a unique taste characteristic of the drink.

    Phosphoric acid is derived from phosphorus which is already present in food and can become excess in the body following continued consumption of ‘soft drinks’. Furthermore, in order to counter the effect of excess phosphorus in the body, the body mobilises calcium required to complement the phosphorus from the bone and teeth thus predisposing one to brittle bone which can fracture easily (Osteoporosis) as well as weak/decay teeth. The acid in the soft drink can also worsen gastrointestinal ulcer.

    What are the effects of carbonation in soft drinks?

    Some of the effects include belching and heartburn: Carbonated beverages contain dissolved carbon dioxide, which becomes a gas when it warms to body temperature in your stomach. Consuming carbonated soft drinks may cause repeated belching as your stomach stretches from the accumulation of carbon dioxide gas. Food and stomach acid may come up your food pipe as you belch, causing heartburn.

    Is diet soda good for human consumption?

    It has fewer amounts of sugar, thus low calories. However, there are chemicals in form of preservatives and sweeteners in it that can expose the body to dangers.

    It can also be used to rapidly correct low blood sugar before one can access medical help. Soft drink can quickly reverse low blood sugar in diabetic patients in case of overdose of blood sugar lowering medications.

    What are the effects of soft drinks consumption on nutrition and health?

    Generally, consumption of soft drink can predispose one to some health conditions. It can aggravate and increase the incidence of some health issues like gastric ulcer, diabetes mellitus, obesity, heartburn etc. Ingesting sugar can contribute to tooth decay because acid is produced when bacteria enters the mouth and mixes with sugar. When the acid attacks the teeth for 20 minutes or more and causes plaque buildup on the teeth and gums, it leads to tooth decay. While it is not necessary to cut out consumption of naturally occurring sugars from healthy foods such as dairy products, fruits and vegetables, it is important to limit intake of processed sugary foods, such as soda, that do not provide any nutritional value.

    Makers of these soft drinks know the dangers of carbonation yet they still add it to sugar/soft drinks, what is the attraction?

    Carbonation is created by adding dissolved carbon dioxide and carbonic acid into the liquid. Carbonation is added to soft drinks to give consumers a “mouth watering taste”. Carbonation creates a slightly burning sensation when you drink it, and consumers enjoy this bubbly taste, while makers are smiling to the bank.

    What could someone take in place of soft/sugary drinks?

    Potable water, fruits, homemade smoothies can be taken in place of carbonated drinks.

    Final word

    Healthy living requires discipline, commitment and dedication. Cutting back on the number of soft drinks you consume — or eliminating them from your diet altogether — is the best way to prevent associated health problems. We should all strife to be healthy.

  • Polish energy drink coming

    A firm, Mutalo Group, a Polish energy drinks manufacturer, is set to launch the Kabisa Energy Drink in Nigeria.

    Its Chief Executive Officer, Tomasz Nowowiejski, the founder of Jumia Africa, said Kabisa differs from its competitors as it is produced with high quality ingredients.

    Kabisa is a tropical, Africa-oriented energy drink that has become popular in other African countries such as Angola, Burkina Faso, Namibia, Kenya, Seychelles and Uganda, he said.

    Nowowiejski said in a statement: “African beverage markets have a tendency to be bi-polarised – there are cheap, low quality drinks and, on the other hand, high quality ones, which are heavily overpriced.

    “There was hardly anything in between before KABISA appeared on the display shelves; to put it simply, KABISA has filled the gap in the energy drink sector.

    “As a result, the customers who are looking for something of good quality don’t have to spend twice as much because expensive, premium products are no longer the only ones that are offered.”

    According to him, Mutalo Group understands that Africa is different and has different needs.

    “African design, tropical taste, branded fridges – it seems like nothing special, but altogether it creates something unique yet familiar. This is exactly what makes people want to buy Kabisa Energy Drink, not commercials with sportsmen jumping from the roofs and monster trucks, which are not commonplace or embedded in the local culture.

    “All things considered, we are witnessing the expansion of the African market and KABISA Energy Drink is a perfect example. It shows that there is a place and a growing demand for good quality products. Who knows, maybe it’s the beginning of another beverage giant?,” he added

  • ‘Watch what you eat, drink’

    ‘Watch what you eat, drink’

    Some foods and eating habits harm the health. Mrs Idowu Ashiru, a Mayr therapy practitoner, says detoxification is the way to go.  OYEYEMI GBENGA-MUSTAPHA writes.

    Nigerians have been urged to watch what they eat and drink to avoid contracting diseases.

    An expert, Mrs Idowu Ashiru, who made the call in Lagos, said diseases afflict the gut because of what one eats, drinks, and how one chews food. She said a digestive system is not completely healthy until it is cleansed by detoxification.

    Mrs Ashiru Managing Director of Martlife Detox Clinic/Medical Wellness and Anti-aging Beauty Centre, said: “Nigerians should develop the habit of chewing their food properly before swallowing them to avoid auto-intoxication. When you eat morsels, otherwise called ‘swallow’ after 8pm, for instance, it doesn’t digest and can stay like that in the stomach for several days fermenting and decaying; likewise eating salad. When you do that, the body cannot digest it before you go to sleep. Best time to take salad is at midday during lunch.

    Mrs Ashiru trained under Mrs Fisher the head chef in Viva Mayr in the principles of healthy Mayr nutrition and Mayr cuisine.

    ‘’Dr. Mayr, realised that such fermenting and decaying in the intestines would bring out a lot of alcohol, and the proteins would cause some biogenic amines that are in constant accumulation. ‘Swallow’ is carbohydrate and the place of digestion and breakdown is in the mouth by the amylase produced by the salivary glands, so when the ‘swallow’ goes into the stomach without being chewed, the body is not properly being given nutrients.”

    The way out, according to Mrs Ashiru, is to do regular clearing and filtering of toxins and wastes (detoxification) of the body, as it allows the body to work on enhancing its basic functions and end auto-intoxication.’’

    Explaining auto-intoxication, Mrs Ashiru said when the eliminative system of the human body is not in top-notch working order, particularly if it has become sluggish or clogged, it cannot properly process and eliminate food wastes and toxins. Medical science acknowledges that up to 85 percent or more of all adult Nigerians suffer from some form of intestinal stasis [i.e., constipation, sluggish bowels, etc). This virtually guarantees toxic build-up in the colon which, over time, inevitably results in one or more forms of serious illness or chronic degenerative disease. Intestinal stasis sooner or later causes the wastes and toxic by-products from the foods we eat to build up to such an extent that they start to become putrefactive. It, in turn (the putrefactive build-up in the colon), becomes a veritable breeding ground, encouraging the rapid growth of huge colonies of toxin-producing, disease-causing bacteria (e-coli) with known toxic chemicals and waste products.

    ‘’When the digestive and eliminative systems are not properly working to rid the body of this accumulating putrefactive build-up in the colon, the resulting toxins are then absorbed from the colon into the bloodstream, and are carried back into every part of the body. This process of self-poisoning is known as ‘auto-intoxication’. In a nutshell, because of intestinal stasis, the body ends up chronically poisoning itself with its own wastes and toxins instead of carrying out its designed purpose of eliminating them.

    ‘’This process of continued self-poisoning inevitably results in candidiasis and a dramatically weakened immune system, which can lead to such common ill-health conditions as chronic fatigue and body weakness, nervousness, depression and mood swings, skin disruptions, such as acne and eczema, ulcers and other gastro-intestinal disorders, headaches, arthritic joints, swelling of hands and feet, chronic allergies, bronchial problems, cardio-vascular irregularities (arythmias, high blood pressure, etc.), pathological changes in the breasts, premature senility, epilepsy, and many other serious and debilitating problems.

    ‘’In Africa, Nigeria in particular, this has been the case with appendicitis, ishemic heart disease, diabetes, obesity, gallstones, varicose veins, venous thrombosis, and hemorrhoids.

    “As African countries develop and begin to adopt Western customs, a rise in the frequency of these disorders follows almost as surely as night follows day. They first appear and then become common in the upper socioeconomic groups, which are the first group of people to become westernised. In Africa, this has been the case with appendicitis, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, gallstones, varicose veins, and hemorrhoids.’’

    On how Mayr therapy can helpful in cleaning the gut, she said the purpose of Mayr’s digestive cleansing programme can essentially be summarised in three major concepts: Training – By chewing every bite at least 50 times, eating slowly, and avoiding drinking with meals; Cleansing – (from the top-down) by promoting increased quantity and quality of saliva and; Respite – Predigestion of food by salivation, which rests the remainder of the intestines.

    “The ultimate goal of what has become known as the ‘Mayr Cure’ is to improve one’s health through digestive detoxification. Since most illnesses are believed to originate from the gut – resulting in auto-intoxication, abnormal body shapes and postures, and enteropathy – this is where the attention of the therapy is focused,” she explained.

     

    What is Enteropathy?

    Mrs Ashiru explained: “Most people eat too much. They live from 1/4 and the physicians live from the rest. The belly is the middle point of life… 100 different diseases have their origin there. The first line of defence against what we take into our bodies through eating and drinking is our intestines. In fact, 80 percent of the immune system is found in the intestines and intestine-related tissue. A disturbance in the healthy function of our intestines leads to what is known as ‘enteropathy.’ Such a disturbance can be the result of genetic inheritance, fetal damage during pregnancy, or poor nutritional habits.’

    She said: “Poor nutritional habits are the most common reasons for enteropathy and include eating too much, too fast, too often, too late in the day, and when tired. Acute reactions can occur from fermentation (e.g. eating too much raw food at the evening meal). When we sleep, the intestines also sleep and thus, can’t finish its work until the morning. Upon awakening, it must deal with toxins developed from stagnant food. Toxins absorbed from the intestinal tract are filtered either directly into the blood, or indirectly through the lymphatic system, before being transported to the liver and/or the kidneys. If the liver becomes overwhelmed, or the kidneys become overburdened, toxins are unable to be eliminated. They may then be deposited in areas of less importance (e.g. joints, sinuses, skin, etc.) or weakness and result in symptoms at a remote distance from the intestines. Fasting can help out.”

     

    How does fasting differ from hunger?

    She said: “It was the ancient physician Hippocrates (‘The Father of Medicine’), who once said: ‘Find your way to health through fasting and not medicines.’ Consistent with this philosophy, Mayr therapy is essentially fasting with control. Fasting differs from hunger in that fasting is the result of a personal decision reinforced from inner willpower and a sense of purpose. After the first few days, the physical hunger pangs are overcome, and the body feels full of energy. Instead of being hungry, the body lives off its reserves.

    “As with any detoxification therapy, most symptoms will occur within the first few days as unwanted poisons begin to exit the body. However, after the initial reaction, the patient usually experiences an increase in energy and hunger pangs abate entirely. During the therapy, some medications (e.g. blood pressure medicines, psychotropics, etc.) may need to be adjusted downwards or weaned altogether. After completion of the cure, women of child-bearing age should be advised that they may be much more likely to conceive.”

    She said the firm, reputed to be the first Mayr Medical Spa in Africa, was set up  to enable Nigerians enjoy the benefits of Mayr wellness programme, and save some foreign exchange (forex) for the nation.

  • Why I never drink, smoke, or womanise – Ebenezer Obey

    Why I never drink, smoke, or womanise – Ebenezer Obey

    eteran Juju music star and the Chief Commander of Juju music himself, popularly known as Evangelist Ebenezer Obey-Fabiyi, has explained why he has a squeaky clean image, in spite of being in an industry where wine, women, and drugs are the order of the day.

    According to the Juju music icon, it was because of his mother, although she loved music, was not enamoured of the idea, as she did not want her eldest son involved in the licentious lifestyle of entertainers.

    Speaking to The Nation, he said, “When I realised that my mother was not in support of my passion, even though she was a music lover herself, I asked her why she did not want me involved in music. My mother told me that musicians live a rough lifestyle, drinking, smoking, and womanizing, and she did not want her son involved in such things. Then and there, I made her a promise that I would never do all those things entertainers did. And that was it.”

    Unable to stay away from the stage, in spite of promising his mother that he would. As a result, the music loving mother would hound a young Obey to the venues of youth entertainments events, and drag him home. At some point, she resorted to asking his colleagues to leave her son alone.

    His artistic talent; which found expression in singing and drama  was discovered in Idogo, Ogun State, and saw him first in the church choir and theatre groups, before moving on to community based youth groups.

    Obey later  garnered much acclaim and international renown in the course of his career, starting out in the secular music genre before veering into gospel music in the nineties, and later into full time ministry.

  • Why I never drink, smoke, or womanise – Ebenezer Obey

    Why I never drink, smoke, or womanise – Ebenezer Obey

    veteran Juju music star and the Chief Commander of Juju music himself, popularly known as Evangelist Ebenezer Obey-Fabiyi, has explained why he has a squeaky clean image, in spite of being in an industry where wine, women, and drugs are the order of the day.

    According to the Juju music icon, it was because of his mother, although she loved music, was not enamoured of the idea, as she did not want her eldest son involved in the licentious lifestyle of entertainers.

    Speaking to The Nation, he said, “When I realised that my mother was not in support of my passion, even though she was a music lover herself, I asked her why she did not want me involved in music. My mother told me that musicians live a rough lifestyle, drinking, smoking, and womanizing, and she did not want her son involved in such things. Then and there, I made her a promise that I would never do all those things entertainers did. And that was it.”

    Unable to stay away from the stage, in spite of promising his mother that he would. As a result, the music loving mother would hound a young Obey to the venues of youth entertainments events, and drag him home. At some point, she resorted to asking his colleagues to leave her son alone.

    His artistic talent; which found expression in singing and drama  was discovered in Idogo, Ogun State, and saw him first in the church choir and theatre groups, before moving on to community based youth groups.

    Obey later  garnered much acclaim and international renown in the course of his career, starting out in the secular music genre before veering into gospel music in the nineties, and later into full time ministry.

  • I DON’T DRINK, I DON’T SMOKE, AND I DON’T DO DRUGS–ANGELIQUE KIDJO

    I DON’T DRINK, I DON’T SMOKE, AND I DON’T DO DRUGS–ANGELIQUE KIDJO

    Angélique Kpasseloko Hinto Hounsinou Kandjo Manta Zogbin Kidjo, known as Angélique Kidjo, currently in Nigeria for the latest work of Kunle Afolayan, The CEO, speaks to DUPE AYINLA-OLASUNKANMI on her journey as a black musician who had survived the odds abroad, among other issues. Enjoy

    CAN you tell us about your role in the movie The CEO?

    I can’t tell you until you see the movie. If I give out the secret and the juices, then what pleasure would you have when watching the movie?

    What made you accept the script?

    What attracted me to the script is because the part I am playing can be seen in different light. I can be a mediator, a helper, a stressed reliever and also help people to understand the work they are doing and what they can do with it. And if they have the opportunity to change, then they have the opportunity to be prominent in their life and that of the corporation they are working for. It is a very versatile role.

    I see the way you have been relating with everyone on set. Which is usually unseen of an entertainer; why are you different?

    I relate with everybody the same way. It does not matter if you are rich or poor; because that is the way I have been raised. Every single human being deserves respect, even your enemy. If you have problem with someone, you can say good morning and walk away; you don’t have to entertain the person. But courtesy is very important.

    We are not animals, we are taught manners. For me, I know some of my colleagues feel for you to be a celebrity, you have to be untouchable. I have people who protect me, and I know how to protect myself too. If I don’t want to spend time with you, I tell you I don’t have the time, and if you feel vexed by it, then it’s your problem.

    And I have been told by many that I give and don’t keep for myself, so I’m learning. Because if give too much, you dry yourself.

    I do my music, always thinking how to impact on people, and how do you impact when you are lying? You preach, but you don’t do what you preach. I don’t relate to people because they are rich or poor, I relate to people because I’m excited to see what is in your brain; how we can talk, come together and share ideas, and do things together on how we can move forward.

    Like I do when in the studio to do my music; you have talent and want to play on my music, if it fits what I want to do at that time, then you can be part of it.

    How close are you to your roots?

    Nigeria is close to Republic of Benin. And I have ties here; part of my family is from Iseyin, while others are from Ilorin. I am deeply rooted to the Yoruba culture. I used to come here when I was a kid, until the age of 14, when I left. Even if I was not in Nigeria, I have learnt that everywhere I go to in Africa, we have a lot in common.

    The women around the continent, we have the same challenges. Because women in Europe are not as free as we thought. That is because equal diplomat does not mean equal pay in Europe.

    So when I come to you and you want to be nasty to me, then it’s your problem. I just walk away because I don’t want to be a party to that.

    You want to talk to me, I am always available, but if I don’t have the time, I say ‘can we push it?’ When you wanted to do the interview earlier, my head was not there; that is because I can’t do two things at the same time. When it comes to talking to people, I am very careful, because I like to listen when people are talking to me. For me, everybody on the set is my blood.

    Everywhere I go, I have been exposed and always see every human being like a kin. I don’t have any ego about that, because that is how my parents raised me.

    How often do you come home?

    I do that every year. This is my second time and towards the end of the year, I will be going to Cotonou to see my mother, because her 89th birthday is coming up. And every time I’m opportune to be in Africa, it is home.

    You still speak Yoruba, how have you been able to maintain the dialect after many years abroad?

    I have brothers over there and whenever we want to have conversations that are private, we switch to Yoruba. Whenever I m home, my mum speaks Yoruba.

    But most people forget their local languages when they travel for long.

    Yes, that is why I said it is a matter of choices; if you make the wrong choices you have to pay for it. My dad used to say that you should be careful of what you wish for; because if it turns out to be good, you take the glory for it, and if turns out wrongly, you pay for the consequences.

    More so, I have been taught that before you give your word, make sure you have the time to fulfil it. Because you can’t come back if you don’t have the word, you have no honour nor respect. So that is how I function.

    Why should I forget where I come from? What is it out there that can be better than where my ancestor comes from? Nothing, because every single person from this planet comes from Africa. You DNA is linked to this continent, so why are Africans of this complex of I-want-to-be-different?

    But you lose, because when you know your culture, and know where you come from, then you can be strong. And that is where I stand, because I know who I am. For me, it’s surprising when I see some of my high school mates and you speak your language to them and they tell you they don’t understand anymore. I look at them and say ‘I really pity you, because you can spend your whole life abroad and spit on your culture.’ When you can live in a rich culture, but thinking it is a liability for you to move forward.

     And then you throw this rich culture in the garbage, the day you wake up, you will not even be treated like a human being. The music I listen to around the world, where does it come from? Here, I don’t brag about it.

    What is the secret to your success story?

    There is no secret. I always say if you are not inspired to do something, then what are you doing in there? I didn’t come to do music because I wanted to be rich; it was my passion that pushed me to where I am today. It is like breath to me; because if I don’t sing, I can’t breathe; which means I don’t live anymore.

    And to be able to do what I do, it’s because I know all of us are story tellers. Because our tradition is important, and we are born in it, so how do you want to put that away?

    So, people write things about you that are not true, it is not you. You know who you are, so tell your story. I maintain what I do, because when I am doing an album, I don’t think about hit. Every song is treated equally. I am an artiste that does an album, and if anyone becomes a hit, amen. My thought is not to be thinking hit, I don’t know how to do that, because I only follow my inspiration. If I’m not inspired to do a song, you will never hear me sing it.

    Each song that I have written throughout my entire career, I can sing it anytime without being ashamed. I can sing it alone; I can also sing it with instruments, and different form, because they come from a truth place.

    But most artistes expect their songs to be hits

    If it works for them, fine. It does not work for me. Songs like Wombo Lombo, Babalawo, and some others; I didn’t plan them to be hits. I had fun doing it. And if you are on stage and you get bored, then you are in the wrong place. When you hit the stage, like my mama mi used to say to me, you should be able to make it spiritually. And it is that light that you give, you get back.

    The public is not accessory; without the public, there is no artiste. Why do you want to make hit? To listen to it in the bathroom or put it out there for people to listen to? Without people listening to your music and interacting with you, you are nobody. So you have no respect for the public, you do one hit and disappear.

    What are you here for, what do you want to do with your music? That question has to be asked. You want to be rich, famous, or you want to impact on people. You should be able to look at yourself in the mirror and say I am worth the money I make.

    Have those always been your keywords or you developed these after making hit?

    Right from day one, those have always been my key words since six years old that I started singing on stage. You write a beautiful song and I can’t sing it, I’m not going to sing it. Because I know a lot of artistes do one hit song and try to have a career, they don’t even like it.

    You know how painful it is to be on stage, singing something you don’t like?

    Has that ever happened to you?

    No, never, my stage is my heaven. You are invited to participate anytime you want. But don’t bring any bad thought, it doesn’t work. I am not in the hate or envy business. What works for you, I wish you well, but use it well. It is all about give and take.

    After so many years, the energy is still there, what do you take to maintain the energy?

    The energy is African. I was fed in this continent, and the energy I have comes from here. And that energy cannot go away because I live and sink with my roots. And I have always worked out; if you don’t work out, how can you stay? I don’t drink, I don’t smoke, and I don’t do drugs. Fame has nothing to do with drugs; it’s bullshit. The only thing it does, it sucks you up. And I don’t want that, I want to live long, see my grandkids, and see people happy around me. I want to participate in the well being of this world, and to do that you cannot be hooked unto drugs 24/7.

    What are the challenges of being a black artiste doing music abroad?

    The challenges are still there. Because the ones who colonised and enslaved till date, whenever they see us in the market, expect you to be less educated, less articulate, and see you as an exotic product that they can consume and I am not. From day one, I made that clear. No one was going to decide what I sing, what my video was going to look like, so it has been very difficult and still difficult till today.

    A prominent journalist told me with tears in her eyes in Denmark, that if I was not born in Africa, that I would be a planetary superstar. That the system put in place is unfair. But that won’t bring me down; what I can use the system to achieve is enough for me. That there are possibilities if we Africans stop stabbing each other in the back, we will always fail. If you look at the world, it is us the Africans that are still in the same place.

    Why? Because there is no solidarity; we are more into the business of criticising and bringing people down then to help them rise up. And until we come to that realisation that we are hurting only ourselves, we will never move forward.

    This cliché was waiting for me when I arrived in Europe and everywhere I go, and I always go around, but the cliché never fits in. They expect you to go late, I never go late. So we have a huge negative story that follows us. How do we change that narrative, by going around the world in truth, light and correctly; by proving to the world that it is not because you are African, that you have to fail. That people can do business with you and succeed too. We have to tell successful stories by being engaged with all our being. By doing things, not just take the money and run away, but to do things that when you leave are important.

    Let’s be citizens of change to our own culture, country and narrative. Let’s bring history teaching in schools, let’s reach out to the elderly people to teach the kids that their culture is more important than anything else. So when next time they come around and want to take advantage of us, we can tell them time has changed.

  • Tracking that drink down the bottling line

    Tracking that drink down the bottling line

    •Do bottling companies exercise adequate care in manufacturing? Jill Okeke finds out.

    A cursory look at the manufacturing processes of major bottling plants in Nigeria shows a semblance of international standards. From Nigerian Breweries, Guinness Nigeria and Nigerian Bottling Company, tours of their manufacturing facilities at Ibadan, Ogba and Agidingbi reveal they all exercise due care in the manufacturing and processing of their products in a way that makes it a surprise that consumers still find reasons to complain about some of the products.

    Recently, the Nigerian Breweries took many Nigerian journalists on a facility tour of their bottling plant at Ibadan. This visit was aimed at familiarising the media with the internal processes of the leading brewer. It was nice to witness firsthand how alcoholic beverage is processed and bottled to maintain and achieve high hygiene and quality standards.

    One of the highlights of the four-day visit last October was the day three which had the journalists go on a practical tour of the processing and packaging units to see firsthand the various control check-points in place to ensure and maintain high standard in the processing and bottling of the drinks.

    As we left the units overwhelmed, we could not help wondering aloud, “how come with all the quality control measures in place and the meticulousness exhibited by staff that some consumers still come up with claims of seeing foreign bodies in the bottles or under filled bottles and cans?”

    On another occasion, a facility tour of Nigerian Bottling Company’s Coca-Cola bottling plant at Agidingbi, Ikeja, tells a similar story. The plant, known to be the biggest of the various plants of the soft beverage manufacturers in Nigeria, boasts of 12 lines where soft drinks, water and juice drinks are processed and packaged.

    Perhaps more interesting is the case of Guinness Nigeria that recently made strategic investments in the expansion and upgrading of its brewing plants said to have cost up to N52 billion. The confidence of the company in its quality process was exhibited recently when it welcomed a team of the National Agency for Foods and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), led by Dr. Paul Orhii, the agency’s Director General, on a tour of the facilities at the Ogba brewery plant.

    The quality of the production channel caught the attention of Dr. Orhii and his team making him commend Guinness. A satisfied director general gave kudos to Guinness “for maintaining high quality standards in the production of its beverages and high level of compliance with NAFDAC’s regulations and policies.” He also expressed satisfaction about the modern factory established for the production of origin and other products from the stable.

    These tales of leading brewers and bottlers in Nigeria make it more difficult to fathom why consumers’ complaints still abound with the conspiracy theory being peddled in some quarters as being responsible. What is clear is that these companies exercise due care in their manufacturing processes but being human there might still be error margins, though minimal. It is up to the companies to strive for continuous improvement, while regulators like NAFDAC should make such facility tours regular so that the companies would not rest on their oars.

    It is noteworthy that the plants do not just let you visit. The professional standards and care see them put you through an induction course, so that the visitor can get to understand the processes and ask relevant questions as might be necessary.

    Each visitor is provided with Personal Protective Equipment which include, overall, ear plugs, eye glasses, safety boots and hair net. This is a further reinforcement of the desire to ensure safety and comply with international standards by the manufacturers.

    There might also be need for regulators to put discreet measures in place to ascertain the evidence emanating from these ‘guided tours.’ It might be that the companies are staging a show and would do differently when the visitors or inspectors are not on ground. That is, unscheduled regulatory visits should be part of measures put in place to ensure compliance with standards and compliance with quality requirements in the bid to ensure that consumers in Nigeria get the right quality consistently.

    This becomes necessary, because making an example of Nigerian Bottling Company’s Ikeja plant, the facility shows that many control checks and inspections, which the company says is because the empty bottles come in dirty and polluted from the public unlike the plastic bottles and cans. This necessitates more checks for the bottles.

    So, the first control check here starts as soon as the empty bottles are received from the public. The bottles are inspected for chipped necks, breakages, heavy soiling, foreign objects and foreign bottles. The ones that do not meet the standards are eliminated and destroyed at this very first stage.

    Thereafter, the empty bottles on the crates going on the conveyor belt to the uncaser machine which removes the bottles from the crates.

    A second control check called the ‘Pre-Inspection’ takes place at this stage. Here, human inspectors inspect the bottles again for chipped necks, damages, heavy soils, foreign objects like molds, cement, paint, candle-wax etcetera. Bottles that are heavily soiled are removed as part of measures to ensure output quality is not compromised.

    The bottles now go through the washer with its several stages to ensure thorough cleanliness before finally going to the rinser.

    The bottles are again inspected for residual caustic, nonviable mold, bottle appearance and residual liquid. They are now transported to another point where the washed bottles are inspected.

    From this point, the bottles are transferred to the All Surface Electronic Bottle Inspector machine which again inspects the bottles for defects. If the bottles are not okay, the pusher rejects and pushes them out to another line through which they flow out of the unit.

    After this, the certified washed bottles are transferred to the filler. At this stage there are so many critical control points all in the bid to make sure that the products meet the Food Safety Standards.

    It is observed that at any point during the production process, that a malfunction is detected, the whole production is put on hold until the quality re-verification and sanctification is carried out. At every stage, consumer’s interest is guarded and protected jealously, so how come consumer complaints still come up?

    Manufacturing, like any other human endeavour, is prone to errors no matter the level of caution man exercises. This makes it imperative that all hands must be on deck to minimise error margins. This is where visits like the one made by Dr Orhii at Guinness should be more frequent and probably at short or no notice just in case the manufacturers are staging a show with well publicised visits. The interest of the consumer must be paramount and guarded jealously by all stakeholders.