Author of “My Little Book of Etiquette”, Yvonne Ebbi, is set to distribute one million copies of her books to both public primary and secondary schools in Lagos State starting from May under auspices of her ‘iFinesse Project’.
Her pictorial and children-friendly 47-page book, which harped on good manners and etiquettes, fosters the true African cultures and values, is the official resource for the project.
According to the iFinesse Project Initiator, Ebbi, the project which in partnership with Lagos State Government and supported by corporate sponsors, aims at building strong communication skills, confidence, and social awareness in the young ones. It will be inaugurated on April 10, at Protea Hotel, Alausa Ikeja, by 12 noon. And Lagos Deputy Governor and the First Lady of Lagos State, Mrs. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu are expected as the guests of honour.
HOW that the heat generated by former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s “special statement” seems to have subsided and the follow-up by former military president Gen. Ibrahim Babangida has caused a civil war in the Hilltop mansion, it is fitting and proper to move on to other matters that are no less important.
Obasanjo, you may recall, has since launched a Coalition – some call it Commotion – for Nigeria Movement (CN) after advising President Muhammadu Buhari not to pick up the gauntlet in 2019. Babangida and his media aide Kassim Afegbua are battling the wages of shiftiness, an attribute many will not hesitate to decorate the former military leader with.
As I was saying, it is time we moved on to other matters. Among such weighty issues is the unnecessary contempt with which our senators are held, even among those who, by virtue of their standing, should be custodians of protocol and etiquette.
Nobody considers the intellectual and physical exertions that go into lawmaking and oversight duties which keep them burning the midnight oil. All we talk about is their fat pay packet as if we knew what they actually earn.
The other day Senator Dino Jonah Melaye took some time off his new video making venture – he has just released one in which he excoriated Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello; in the earlier one he was on the street hawking groundnuts and many thought he had gone nuts. He led the Ad Hoc Committee on Economic Wastage in the Nigerian Customs Service to the Customs Headquarters in Abuja. Comptroller- General Hameed Ali did not go downstairs from his office to receive the Very Important Visitors (VIV). He simply waited in his office until they were seated in the conference room before showing up.
Melaye, the distinguished senator representing the good people of Kogi West, immediately charged him with a breach of protocols, a rather serious offence in official circles. “Mr CG, rather than meeting us here at the conference room by way of courtesy, you’re supposed to have met us at the ground floor on arrival into the premises. That has been the practice of statutory bodies headed by Chief Executive Officers like you,” he told Col. Ali.
The Senator banged the table with a gavel he had brought with him. The Senate was in session, Melaye – yes, Melaye – presiding. Oh; what a session.
But Ali, a veteran of such battle of wits, would not be bullied. “I don’t need to come downstairs to receive you, just as nobody in the Senate or House of Representatives has ever come out to receive us anytime we visit the National Assembly,” he replied. “So, there is no breach of protocol for not coming down to welcome you since appropriate officers have been assigned to do so. Our protocol is our protocol and should be allowed to be. In fact, by way of etiquette, it is the committee that is supposed to come to my office first on arrival and not just come straight to the conference room.”
Needless to say, the meeting ended on a stormy note. No photographs. Nor handshakes. Nor tea and other niceties to which Customs is said to be accustomed.
If Ali is summoned to appear in uniform and explain the “economic wastage in Customs”, we should not be surprised. A little courtesy to lawmakers surely goes a long way.
Perhaps the CG did not understand all this talk about protocol, etiquette and such elements of officialese. Such ignorance could someday cause a dutiful senator to move a motion for the abolition of the Customs Service. The “ayes” will have it and, just like that, our Customs will cease to exist. But, to be candid, these are compassionate people; I do not see them doing that.
The Melaye-Ali row reminded a friend of mine of an encounter with a Senate committee last year. Some fertiliser suppliers had been summoned to, as they say, shed light on their bids for the yearly contracts. The planting season was on. It was that time of the year when all hands must be on the plough to avert a devastating food shortage.
The company’s spokesman told the lawmakers that it was being owed for supplies it had delivered in the past and that in the new scheme it had supplied about 85 per cent. With payment, it would be able to supply the remaining 15 per cent, the gentleman said.
“But you don’t have the capacity for this job,” a member of the committee said.
“We have. We have already done 85 per cent. We have the capacity for this job and more,” the company chief insisted.
The argument went on and on. All about “capacity”. Flustered, the company chief kept quiet. The distinguished senator – all senators are distinguished – who led the committee looked straight into the eyes of the now subdued company chief and said: “We say you don’t have capacity; you keep screaming that you have capacity. I put it to you on behalf of this distinguished committee that you don’t have capacity. Listen. You went to the Villa and showed them capacity. You went to the Ministry of Agric and showed them capacity. Now, show us capacity.”
He was all smiles. Obviously showing some understanding of the word “capacity”, the company chief smiled in return and promised to be back – apparently to show his “capacity”.
The story is told of how the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) was being summoned last year to explain one thing or the other. So frequent were the summons that many thought the CBN had moved its offices to the National Assembly.
On one of such occasions, said a source close to a lawmaker whose colleague is a friend of one of the uncles of a member of the panel that met with the bankers, one of the senator could barely conceal his indignation.
“Every time we read in the papers that the CBN has injected $200m into the forex market to prop up the Naira; who is getting the contracts?” he demanded.
“Nigerians want to know and this committee will do everything within its power to let Nigerians know who is getting the contracts; $200m today; $250m tomorrow. Haba! The contractor must appear. Who signed the contract? Was there due process? Was it competitive? Is that the best we can do? Why were we not carried along? You award contracts without telling us and when Nigerians demand an answer, they want us to come up with one. Enough. Henceforth, the CBN must not intervene in the forex market or any market – Gerin Kasua, Ariaria, Oba Market, Oyingbo, Balogun; any market at all without the express permission of this committee.”
However, of all the hazards of lawmaking, none seems to be more of immediate danger than the continued stay in office of the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu. A court has said the Senate has the power to confirm the appointment of a chairman for the agency. Based on this, the lawmakers are asking the Executive to nominate another person for the job. The Presidency does not appear to be ready to do this; it would rather swim or sink with Magu.
How do we resolve this logjam? Simple. Let’s just pick a senator for the job. Won’t that save us all the rigmarole of background investigation, security report, and formal Senate interview?
A curious (and dubious?) amnesty
IMO State Governor Rochas Okorocha has ignited another controversy. He has not created a new Ministry. Nor has he erected any new statue. The fresh row is about the amnesty His Excellency has granted some seemingly repentant lawbreakers, including Emenike Agamu (aka General Red Scorpion).
Red Scorpion is said to be number four in the hierarchy of leaders of the late Don Waney’s gang, which reportedly killed 23 people on New Year’s Day in Omoku, Rivers State. Some other members of the gang, including Waney’s brother, have met a bloody end.
Okorocha and Wike
With the security agencies in hot pursuit of other members of the collapsing criminal empire, it is curious that Owelle Okorocha will suddenly announce an amnesty for the group. Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike is angry. He has said that the amnesty is not binding on the state. He believes it is a desperate step by some suspected criminals to evade justice.
Is the amnesty not preposterous? Isn’t the timing curious and dubious? How are we sure that Red Scorpion will not, like his late boss, go back to running a criminal enterprise?
Don Waney was once pardoned by the government of Rivers State. He even got a chieftaincy title to the bargain. Yet, he would not forsake crime, until his sensational life of crimes collapsed under a hail of bullets fired by patriotic security agents. Will the killing and abduction of innocent people stop now? Will the destruction of oil pipelines end?
Let’s hope Okorocha has not got it all wrong this time.
Teenage girls in public secondary schools in Lagos State Education District I, have benefitted from a four-week summer camp organised by a nongovernmental organization (NGO), Ornaments of Grace and Virtue (OGAV) in collaboration with the district.
The girls were exposed to etiquette training at the Government College, Agege, for the duration.
President of OGAV, Mrs Olubusola Kolade, said the camp, with the theme: “Etiquette,” featured career guidance, safety guidance, character education, life coaching as well as academic and leadership skills development.
She said: “We decided to fill a gap that we have seen in the society and the need for girls to be properly brought up for them to succeed in life. Eighty-five per cent of what is required in life’s journey is the social skills, while personal development and academic knowledge just form about 15 per cent. So, we decided to go to schools, especially public schools, where some of these things are not readily taught and to nurture girls using holistic approach to become proper ladies in society and to impact in the community positively.”
Being a holiday camp, Mrs Kolade said activities were organised to hold on Tuesdays and Fridays at the College.
Tutor-General/Permanent Secretary (TGPS) of the district, Dr Olufolayimika Ayandele, advised the pupils at the opening ceremony, to listen and conduct themselves well during the camp.
“You should always remember that character defines who you are and what you will be in future. This empowerment programme is meant to build your character and academic performance; teach you how to build yourself positively and how you relate to the economy and the society; and also how to overcome negative influences; to make the right decisions and be confident with truth; leadership skills and ethical behaviour,” she said.
Some of the participants described their experience at the summer camp as worthwhile.
Oluwademilade Ogo said: “I was enlightened more on sleeping, walking, eating, sitting and talking etiquette and I was taught how to dress outside school in order for people to respect me.”
Some female students in SS2 and SS3 in Education District III have learnt to do things with decorum, thanks to the four-week Girls’ Summer Camp organised by a non-governmental organisation, Ornaments of Grace and Virtue (OGAV).
The ceremony, which held at St Gregory’s Hall, Education District III Headquarters, Ikoyi, Lagos State had participants taught etiquette and leadership development skills.
Some of the participants, who spoke to The Nation on the last day of the event, described the programme as a ‘life changer’ and related some of the new things they learnt or have improved upon.
“Now I know how to address my elders, respect myself and my peers, dress properly, speak, walk and act properly as a lady,” said Hamdalat Akingbade, an SS 2 pupil of Wahab Folawiyo Senior School, Ikoyi, Lagos.
Adama Mohammed, another SS3 pupil of Girls Grammar School, Ikoyi, who demonstrated how to set a table for a three-course meal, said: “I have learnt a lot about etiquette. We have been working on practical ways of doing everything and it has started helping me already because there are some things that I have corrected about myself, especially in my behaviour. I can boldly advice my peers to behave like proper ladies and to not over react on issues.”
For Omotolani Daniel, an SS2 pupil of Wahab Folawiyo Senior High School, Ikoyi, who demonstrated how to walk like a lady said: “I have learned a lot about makeup and other crafts as well as moral characters. I discovered how to be bold. I would gather people and teach them what I have learnt and I would also try to generate income for myself. Whenever we are asked to come for programmes like this, we should all try to attend because they are always helpful and we all must learn a trade to be independent.”
The event was replete with colour as participants displayed what they had been taught during the month-long programme in practicals.
Oluwadamilola Adekoya from Wahab Folawiyo Senior School, Ikoyi, showed guests how to tie head gear. Others simply talked about their desired identities and displayed art works showing their personalities.
Secretary of OGAV, Mrs Kehinde Omojola said she had an exciting experience facilitating the camp.
“It has been very exciting facilitating these children. We all had fun. While teaching, we had to use them as models. Hearing some of them speak, I was very impressed. I know Lagos State is doing so much to make our schools better. The children have been punctual, obedient and ready to learn. They just want to soak in everything. We have made fun of ourselves, we shared mistakes which they learnt from and it has been nice,” she said.
Omojola said the camp’s objective was to fill the gap of moral decadence and social etiquette in the society.
She said: “We decided to fill a gap that we have seen in the society. There is the need for them to be properly brought up, because for them to succeed in life, 85 per cent of what is required is the social skills, while personal development and academic knowledge just forms about 15 per cent. So, we decided to go to schools, especially public schools, where some of these things are not readily taught.”
Director of Schools Administration of the district, Dr Raji Mudasiru, praised the recent focus of the society on morals, and leadership education outside the classroom. She called for extension of such projects to other parts of the state.
District Counsellor, Mrs Aderonke Odunsi-Titus and Mrs Kehinde Beckley, who anchored the event were optimistic that participants would shine in future.
Don’t fail to give the right of way when you come across your teachers, school prefects, and senior students on the corridor when coming from the opposite direction.
In public
Do offer your seat to any elderly person or your teacher or a senior student standing in a commuter bus.
Proverb of the week
If there is character, ugliness becomes beauty; if there is none, beauty becomes ugliness. ~Nigerian Proverb
Personal Grooming/health Care
Bathe twice daily: Soap and water are essential for keeping the skin clean. A good bath twice a day is recommended especially because of the accumulated sweat while in school.
Maintain a regular sleep pattern. The average teen needs+ at least eight hours of sleep a night. Getting seven to eight hours of sleep is a major factor contributing to how healthy you are. Getting enough sleep raises your alertness during the day, and minimises anxiety.
Cookery/home-making
Pepper soup is meat in a spiced broth usually made from chicken, beef or fish. Its peculiar taste comes from the spice mix which is sold in the market.
Ingredients
3 tea spoons pepper soup spice mix
2 tea spoons dry blended hot chilli
Goat meat ( 10 small pieces)
3 cubes of Maggi seasoning
Salt to taste
Small onion, small ginger and garlic (peeled, not cut)
Direction
•Set a medium size pot on medium heat, add in the washed meat, 1 cup of water, 2 cubes of Maggi, some salt, onion, ginger and garlic. Cover the pot and leave the meat to cook until very tender. Remove the ginger and garlic pieces.
•Add 4 cups of water to the boiled meat; add in the pepper soup spice, chilli powder, and 1 Maggi cube. Stir and taste. You may add more salt if required. Cover and simmer for another 25-30mins.
•Goat meat pepper soup can be eaten with bread rolls and goes really nice with boiled plantain.
