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Tag: frontiers

  • Exploring the Canadian frontiers

    Exploring the Canadian frontiers

    Author: Alaba Ojapinwa
    Title of Book: Skilled Migration Canadian Experience
    Year of publication: 2016
    Number of Pages: 200 pages
    Reviewer: Debo Ikuesewo-Akinbami

    Nigration has been with and in man since creation. The bare fact that it’s even as old as the first man is sufficient credence to the locution that it’s in the nature of man as it’s with lesser creatures to alternate between environments, in search for difference, notwithstanding the latitude. It’s in us, innately, as humans, (even animals) to seek and move in the direction of relative comfort, where life is richer and better, where the grass is greener and the land fertile or fertilised.

    Today, migration has become about the biggest deal. The theme continues to sprout shades of discusses, spurring issues in politics, international relations, religions, economy and remains a regular subject of investigation within the knowledge industries. As migration generates and attracts diverse enquiries and prospective migrants seek diverse answers to hearty queries by which they can measure the consequence of migrating, as they itch for competent compass that should determine the propriety or otherwise of related actions, or that should fortify their resolve to sojourn, the birthing of this book becomes apt as apposite.

    The book, ‘Skilled Migration, Canadian Experience ‘ is written for persons, institutions and purposes. It addresses salient issues of worry to government and citizens alike. It nudges governments of nations to work to better humanity where and how it matters to achieve global peace as it speaks instructively to migration intents, raising cautious flags about ubiquitous illusory notions and bruises the seeming inertia in societies with issues that pushes citizens abroad. The work that tasks the western world (especially Canada) to up it cares also carefully undresses unrighteous myths, portrays the other sides of the coin, while challenging stressed countries to new thinking and difference. The treatise of the themes of remittance and its economic implications, loss of cultural identity and values, family separation and breakdown bring especially lessons to source countries, even Nigeria.

    Alaba Ojapinwa who is a skilled Nigerian-Canadian migrant, learned by first-hand experience and dispassionately provides reliefs for those fears and anxieties that usually come with the migration plans. A number of issues raised in the book are edifying as they are instructive. From experiential bank, Ojapinwa admits that western clime is one with limitless opportunities and possibilities, yet he laments the attendant hitches some of which he identified as late or outright non-integration, poor skilled job prospects and anti-migrant sentiments.

    However, the book neither promotes nor dissuades citizens from migration as it appreciates both sides and sizes of the motivation that either pulls or pushes a citizen to the plan – alibis which range from quest for fatter income to opportunity for thorough training, health and financial securities. Even the lure of good infrastructure attracts many, away from the debilitating condition of public facilities in the Third World Countries.

    Ojapinwa contends that citizens should leave their countries in order to improve their skills and economic conditions. The author believes that some governments and societies have, either purposely or inadvertently, created conditions that push citizens to other lands for inferior situations. It’s, in his words, the height of irresponsibility and failure for any government to encourage a situation whereby her citizens travel to another country for reasons of low-wage jobs, safety or survival. I cannot agree more.

    From a vantage, Ojapinwa objectively discusses the challenges of the west, the flaws and failings of the host countries with a view to signpost them to the authorities and rouse them to righting the wrongs. He pointedly argued that migrant target countries, including Canada should ascertain genuine need before bringing in skilled migrants since it’s a common occurrence that far too many skilled migrants travel without a chance of ever finding a job in their areas of training or experience.

    ‘Skilled Migration’ is a sure ticket to getting the tickets in one’s strife to be correct for migration and to be at advantage in the event of uncertainties. The prospective migrants, either as individuals or families will sure find a worthy guide in the quest to have travelling prospects. Alaba Ojapinwa, a Pharmacist who delves into writing and towers in both spheres has, again, done the world a world of worth.

  • Expanding the frontiers of mango farming

    Expanding the frontiers of mango farming

    There is a huge market for mangoes in the world from which Nigerian farmers can hit a goldmine, reports DANIEL ESSIET.

    Former Adamawa State Governor Vice Admiral Murtala Nyako (rtd), who is renowned for his investment in mangoes, is a successful farmer.

    Nyako owns the largest mango farm in Nigeria and he is popularly known as Baba Mai Mangoro (BMM). Exotic mangoes from his orchard of 50,000 trees were first exported to Europe in 1993. The mango farm, Nyako said, generates N5 billion yearly.

    With 50,000 mango trees,  he said, the farm has the capacity to produce 10,000 tonnes of mangoes yearly, representing 200 kgs of mango per tree. ”If you make juice with 10,000 tonnes of mangoes at the present price of juice in the market, you will get about N5 billion, while all it would cost you to process the juice won’t be more than N1.5 billion. That is why I will be taking home N3.5 billion annually all things being equal,” Nyako said. He cited his farm to underscore the importance of commercial farming.

    Experts believe mango has enormous potential that can transform the economy like other traditional export produce, such as cocoa, cashew and palm oil. Classified as MangiferaIndica, its fruits are delicious and they have the advantage of being relatively low in calories and high in nutrients.

    In total, about 40 million tonnes of mangoes are produced worldwide.

    Key exporters in Africa, include  Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Ghana, South Africa, Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Kenya, The Gambia and  Cameroon. Top ten mango importers are the United States of America, the Netherlands, China, Germany, the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Japan, Hong Kong and Spain in that order.

    This clearly points to the fact the developed countries are the main importers. Of the 10 top importing countries, the US, the Netherlands and China, account for 49 per cent of total world imports.

    Rising consumer appetite for mangoes, particularly in Europe, has boosted demand for mango from developing world . However, in Europe, importers  give  preference  to fair trade – and organic-certified mangoes. To access premium prices from European supermarkets, as opposed to selling into the less lucrative wholesale market, exporters need to achieve GlobalGap (EurepGap), which assures good agricultural practices including traceability, soil management, pest management and responsible water use.

    An  exporter, Sunny Anjorin, said there was  a big market  for mango in the Middle East. He  told The Nation that he  had an order from Dubai for mango last November. Anjorin  has  experience in export business, including purchasing produce from farmers and overseeing movement of the produce to the port.

    He said perishable products, such as mango present greater risks than other non-perishable ones. This is because the  fruits get damaged at every point in the value chain from pest infestation, poor transport conditions, such as poor ventilation, temperature control, bumpy roads and delays in shipments.

    Also, exporters of fresh produce incur a lot of costs, including processing and transportation costs.

    On the farmers’ level, they are concerned with diminishing mango yields caused by fruit flies that cause losses of between 50 to 85 per cent of total mango production. They plant the mango trees and maintain them by weeding, controlling pests and applying compost.   These aside, Anjorin maintained that mango export offers a particularly promising opportunity for economic development.

    He  urged  farmers  to  continue on growing notable varieties that interest  importers and  produce fruits that meet the domestic and international market standards.

    National President of Federation of Agricultural Commodities Association of Nigeria,Dr. Victor Iyama, said Nigeria has potential for producing mango products that can be used in processed food. He believes  the  nation’s  arable land offers enormous potential for development of exports.

    Although Nigeria’s potential exports in the mango sub sector is  limited because of increasing competition from other  West African countries  and capacity constraints, Iyama believes that Nigeria ‘s numerous under-exploited  perishable  food resources present potential for expanded exports.

    He said constraints such as old storage depots, outdated infrastructure and additional cold storage facilities for perishable agricultural commodities need to be fixed. Some container facilities are slow to process cargo containers. Quality control, inadequate technical capacity, and lack of government and institutional support are also cited as impediments to export development. There is also a limited understanding of global market quality requirements.

    He said mango exporters   have had to improve several processes, from understanding what products are in demand internationally and planning crops to the logistics of shipping, handling of the product and its packaging, which must be done carefully and must always follow rules to qualify for certification

    The Chairman, Export Group, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Chief Executive,  Multimix Group , Dr Obiora Madu,  said  involvement  of big players  is crucial  to support the development of  the mango sector  and stimulate wealth creation and reduce poverty. According to him, though small- and medium-scale farmers are the majority in the sector, they don’t have the capacity to acquire infrastructure to succeed in mango exports. In addition, he noted that small businesses are unable to fulfill the volume requirements of importers in developed-country markets. Since mango has a big value chain, Madu said  there is scope for small farmers to increase their incomes. He added, however that the big players  have to support SMEs in farming to increase productivity. This is because big time processors need higher volumes of fruit at lower prices to be competitive. Compared with Nigeria, he  said Kenya is doing   well as  the leading mango producer in East Africa. It contributes about 43 per cent  of the region’s total production volume. Kenya has two mango seasons: a main season from October to March and a low season from May to July. This production calendar gives Kenya a natural advantage in the Middle Eastern market where, during Kenya’s main season,the key market suppliers, India and Pakistan are out of production.

    Kenya is able to supply mangoes throughout the year but there are two distinct major harvest seasons from October to March and from May to July, with only minimal supplies available in April, August and September.

    Madu  said the  government needs to commit to continue improving the infrastructure for the entire productive chain. They must give priority to irrigation projects, as well as to modernising the roads, airports and the ports to improve marketing from the main agricultural activity points and to facilitate transportation to the most distant destinations. One of the most important things farmers consider in raising the quality of mango production is the suitability of the soils, fertilisers, climate and irrigation in the proposed plantation site. They are encouraged to collect soil samples for testing to identify nutrients, composition and other characteristics to know whether the soil is suitable for mango cultivation.

    For many years, mango growers have struggled to find experts from abroad specialised in soil sciences and fertilisers to have trainings on soil and fertiliser application so that they would be able to produce high quality mangoes and generate a surplus for export meeting customer’s needs.

  • Expanding the frontiers of ICT

    Expanding the frontiers of ICT

    The African Regional Centre for Information Science (ARCIS) of the University of Ibadan (UI) has marked its 25th anniversary. Its founding fathers were honoured at the event. OLUWAFEMI OGUNJOBI reports.

    Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has become a catalyst for sustainable economic growth, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITOA) Executive Director Peter Jack has said.

    Delivering a keynote lecture at the University of Ibadan (UI) to mark the 25th anniversary of the institution’s African Regional Centre for Information Science (ARCIS), he said ICT could create jobs and wealth to improve societal wellbeing.

    Jack, represented by Rev Sunday Afolayan, spoke on: Emerging dimensions and issues in Nigeria’s ICT Space: Progress, challenges and prospects.

    He explained that the 21st century economy is powered by information technology, adding that any nation that craved for economic growth must explore ICT.

    Noting that the Information Technology had opened doors of opportunities for the jobless, Jack said the Federal Government had tapped into the opportunities to make the nation Africa’s ICT hub.

    In his address, the ARCIS Director, Dr Wole Olatokun, said the Centre was founded to train manpower in ICT research, networking, content creation and advisory services. He said ARCIS had been trying to live up to its mandate by playing no small role in promoting academic excellence and research in line with its vison.

    Olatokun promised the Centre’s commitment to finding solutions to ICT challenges.

    Speaking on behalf of the chairman of the event, Aare Afe Babalola, SAN, Prof Abiodun Ojo, the Provost of College of Sciences, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), described ARCIS as a center of excellence, noting that its impacts in the ICT world could not be quantified.

    “Marking 25 years in any establishment is a great feat. The success of ARCIS is owed to its founding fathers, who laid good foundation for the Centre to truly excellence in ICT,” he said.

    With the world becoming a global village, Ojo said the use of information technology remained pertinent, adding that any nation that failed to join the trend could be isolated for years. He said the celebration came at a period the nation transcended into the global system of information technology.

    In his goodwill message, former UI Vice-Chancellor (VC), Emeritus Prof Ayodeji Banjo, said that ARCIS was established at a time when computer revolution was about to take off in Nigeria, observing that the Centre was part of the nation’s success story in ICT.

    The event was attended by Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Samuel Odulana; Acting VC of UI, Prof Ambrose Emilolohun, and Prof Ayodele Falase, a former VC of the university.

    The event also featured award, exhibition and alumni homecoming. Aare Babalola was honoured as the most distinguished educationist and legal mentor par excellence, while Professors Banjo and Wilson Aiyepekun were honoured for their efforts to put the Centres on good foundations in its founding years.

  • New frontiers of the National Question

    Almost everybody is on edge these days. There is a foul and murky distemper abroad.  There is so much bile and bitterness around. This new National Charter of mutual loathing is an equal opportunity employer. Individuals, groups, ethnic categories, youths, old people, men, women, rulers, the ruled, pastors and pastoralists are all implicated in the gridlock of national disaffection. Welcome to the new frontiers of the National Question.

    In a multi-national country, whenever there is a rise in ethnic consciousness, you can be sure that it is accompanied by a corresponding recession of national consciousness. There is so much ethnic profiling, group-baiting and tribal scapegoating in this country that one may tend to agree with the American missionary who glumly concluded after a recent tour of Nigeria that God is probably  putting the worst set of people on earth together in a nation-space to conduct an experiment.

    Boxed together in the same territorial space by alien conquerors who consider them an inferior race, it is hard for the diverse people of a colonial contraption like Nigeria not to feel like enemy combatants forced to observe a tense truce. The National Question remains as long as it is impossible for the disparate entities to congeal into organic nationhood, and as long as the political elite are incapable of coming up with certain core values which drive the destiny of the nation.

    This is why MASSOB is massing and sobbing, and why hitherto peaceful Fulani cattle people have suddenly transformed into herdsmen of the new apocalypse armed with AK Kalashnikov. While this is going on, normally circumspect and reflective Yoruba notables are threatening fire and brimstone. In response some northern notables have resorted to ethnic baiting and an irresponsible trivialization of the issues at stake. Meanwhile as the nation’s economic misery is compounded by a looted treasury and falling oil price, there is a vicious and deliberate sabotage of the economy by some groups as a weapon for settling old and recent political scores.

    It is tempting and comforting to dismiss many of these disaffected nationals as belonging to a lunatic fringe of extremists who have lost the battle with reality and who must exhibit certain anti-social pathologies. The problem with this rosy view is that the lunatic fringes are often an uncomfortable manifestation of the deepest political unconscious of a group, a race, a nation or an ethnic formation, that is what everybody thinks but which they are afraid to say,  and what everybody wants to do but which are better left to affronted  voices from the margins who are not afraid of the consequences of their actions and pronouncements.

    In a relentless, mercilessly documented landmark publication titled, Hitler’s Willing Executioners, Daniel Goldhagen has shown how Hitler’s hate-suffused fantasies could not have been the private delusions of a solitary madman or the antics of a lunatic fringe but the manifestation of a group-think which found deep resonance in the political unconscious of the people and made them compliant accomplices and collaborators in Hitler’s genocidal heist.

    Goldhagen has been slammed by some major authorities for first constructing a theory and then looking for compliant evidence to fit into this. But this does not detract from the major thrust of his construct. In most societies, the genocidal impulses of the lower masses are usually held in check by elite social engineering which tries to abolish or neutralize societal divisions based on race, creed and region and religion and through philosophical constructs which sets premium by racial harmony and the fundamental oneness of all humanity .

    It is when the elite of a nation give vent to the baser impulses that darkness looms and an apocalyptic meltdown inevitable. This is the origin of genocide in Rwanda and Burundi, of pogrom in Nigeria and of the madness that hobbled Europe in two memorable world wars.

    There are sections of the Nigerian political elite bent on toying with the apocalypse. Just how we came to this sorry pass after a landmark election that was supposed to usher in a new beginning for the nation must remain a mystery to the uninitiated. But they are merely the return of the repressed.  As this column has repeatedly warned, elections do not resolve national questions. They often bring them into bold and bitter relief or exacerbate them as the case may be. Elections can never unite or unify a political elite bitterly polarized along regional, religious and ethnic fault lines.

    Grappling heroically with corruption in all its systemic manifestations, President Mohammadu Buhari can be forgiven for being peeved and miffed by these centrifugal forces and the attempts to distract or wrong foot him. For now, he has decided to ignore them, or to treat them with the stoic contempt and disdain he thinks they deserve.

    But this is not going to be enough, for they stand a chance of dead-ending his economic reforms. The economic reconstruction of a collapsed nation cannot succeed without its political reconfiguration, for in the final analysis it is the political foundation that determines the economic configuration of a nation after allowances have been made for the modulating pressures of economics on politics.

    Given the economic ravages of the Jonathan years and the total devastation of the Nigerian treasury, the retired general from Daura can be forgiven for behaving like a brutal and candid physician who must first open a festering and purulent wound before cauterizing it. This is the correct surgical procedure even though it may not be sweet music to the ears of those responsible for the nation’s economic adversity in the first instance.  And those lot have been singing like canaries.

    But General Buhari must be reminded that the economic carnage of the Jonathan dispensation cannot be divorced from the unjust politics that threw him up in the first instance and the structural delinquency of the nation’s political architecture. Gazing exclusively at the nation’s hideous economic wounds is a good sign of probity but it can also skew Buhari’s  adamantine disposition in the direction of an unhelpful inquisition which may in turn induce dangerous  countervailing group reaction.

    This is where the president needs the political dexterity and the cosmopolitan gamesmanship much more than he has been able to muster so far. Rather than being constantly nagged about his hideous injuries, a badly wounded patient also needs tropes of hope and narratives of possible redemption. The outstanding surgeon must not only cure the wounds he must also procure hope for the badly mauled. President Buhari’s speechwriters have their work cut out for them. They must infuse the narrative with tropes of hope and the conceits of the heroic stirring of Nigeria’s manifest destiny which threw up the president in the first instance.

    Just as all great and exceptional leaders do in moments of grave national emergency, it is time for President Buhari to engage the nation in critical and introspective soul-searching.  There is too much hatred and bitterness in the land. In the event, it may be discovered that the curious resurgence of MASSOB and its delinquent antics is nothing but a political ploy with an economic foundation which resonates with the deep political unconscious of the Igbo elite or its dominant faction, whether they care to admit this or not. Ditto for the resurgent restiveness in the Niger Delta.

    Yet no one ever knows just when dire economic straits could factor itself into an unstable political equation tipping the balance in the direction of anarchy and chaos. Who would have thought that the phenomenon of hostage taking and economic kidnapping which was thought a southern preserve would achieve a cultural crossover with some urchins abducting an outstanding patriot like Chief Olu Falae on his farm? If that economic misadventure had gone awry, we would have been grappling with a major political disaster.

    But in the prevalent climate of cultural hysteria, notable Yoruba elders also succumbed to ruinous politics. First, by unilaterally ordering the expulsion of Fulani herdsmen from Yoruba space within a stipulated timeframe, they gave an ultimatum which could not be enforced given the subsisting balance of power in the old region. Second, their knee-jerk reaction gave room to the prevalent suspicion that the kidnapping outrage is merely a pretext for a more fundamental animus: the loss of relevance and political hegemony.

    This is not how Awolowo would have handled the situation. The great sage and outstanding political thinker would have closet himself in his study and come up with an original prognosis of the National Question in all its new dimensions. If they want Buhari to take them seriously as altruistic statesmen, they must not give the impression that they are still bickering and smarting over the outcome of the last election when they backed the wrong horse for the wrong and most bizarre reason.

    The election has come and gone and Buhari will be there for the next three and half years. It is time for Yoruba notables to engage him in the quest for the redemption of the nation for which they have sacrificed a lot. And they cannot give precondition for this. Insisting that Buhari must implement the recommendations of the Jonathan Confab is a whimsical nullity.

    Buhari did not order the conference and it was not part of his campaigning manifesto. In any case, despite the reality of the virtual economic collapse of the nation, if the proliferation of unviable states as recommended by the Confab is their main preoccupation at this point in time, then it is time to summon the appropriate protocols.

    But if the reaction of the grand old men of Yoruba politics shows how far ruinous politics can damage the collective health and wellbeing of a nation, the response of certain northern notables reveals the devastating damage to the Nigerian commonwealth and the wide divergence of cultural nous. They range from peevishness to sheer political perversity.  While our friend, Shehu Sani, turned the whole thing into a Suya joint yabis, Rabiu Kwankwaso broke a cultural taboo by openly insulting and slandering elders from a different ethnic formation.

    The issue of cattle grazing factors deeply into the Indigene-Settler segment of the National Question. Even after we have established autonomous grazing zones as an interim measure, it should be clear that this deeply cultural habit cannot be sustained in a modern nation-state. But it is a habit that is part of the cultural identity that has defined and sustained our nomadic compatriots for generations and epochs and hence cannot be summarily abolished without far-reaching ameliorative and radical measures being put in place. Perhaps it will take the advent of a modernizing Ataturk.

    Meanwhile, we must get on with the colonial conjoining and imperialist mish-mash which has brought   hardy Sahelian lifestyle to bear on tropical latitude. If we found the resolve and the creative resources to bear on the National Question, the sheer diversity of Nigeria may yet turn out a source of strength and a unique African brand. If not, the unresolved National Question will eventually resolve itself in its own unique manner. Let President Buhari find the time to be in a hurry.

  • Pushing the frontiers of education

    Pushing the frontiers of education

    National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members in Benue and Taraba states have visited secondary schools in their host communities to sensitise pupils on the need to attain the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). OLUWAFEMI OGUNJOBI (NYSC, Makurdi) and PHILIP OKORODUDU (NYSC, Jalingo) report.

    From the hinterland to the riverine areas, Corps members took education campaigns to schools in Benue State. Last Thursday, 10 members of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), a Community Development Service (CDS) of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), paddled a canoe for about 30 minutes to Bukuru Local Government Area  for educational mission at Binev Secondary School in Agwabi, a riverine village in the council.

    Led by their president, Temidayo Adeyemi, the Corps members were received by Mrs Victoria Gbaa, the principal. They were in the school to sensitise pupils on Universal Primary Education, which is the second goal of the MDGs.

    Addressing the pupils in the school hall, Ademola Oyinloye, one of the MDGs’ members, told them about the benefits of acquiring education. He advised them to develop passion for learning, saying only education could make them achieve their dreams of being future leaders.

    He said: “We live in a century that is controlled by innovation and good ideas. Your role as youngsters is to create a future that you want to live in but this is possible only if you are educated. There is no limit to what you can achieve with sound education.”

    Adeolu Oludeke and Airhe Esele  urged the pupils to take advantage of their age to explore the opportunities in learning.

    Mrs Gbaa hailed the Corps members, describing the seminar as the best capacity building for the pupils.

    Temidayo said the outreach was to fulfil the goals of MDGs to ensure the message got to the grassroots. “We will reach out to as many schools as possible in the state, not only in education but also in sustainable development,” he said.

    In neighbouring Taraba State, another set of MDGs members also sensitised for pupils of Calvary Academy in Jalingo, the capital.

    Welcoming the Corps members, Mr Dauda Sangore, the principal, told  the pupils that the academy was privileged to be chosen among the schools in the capital city.

    The Corps members shared the success stories of MDGs with the pupils. Matthew Adeyeba, a graduate of Mass Communication at The Polytechnic, Ibadan (IBADAN POLY), said also thousands of youths in rural communities had benefitted from the exercise. He encouraged them to acquire skills that will make them employers.

    Charles Odey, a graduate of Business Administration at the Federal Polytechnics, Bauchi, told the pupils that though some of the goals had been met, a lot still have been done. He enjoined the pupils to take their studies seriously.

    Highlight of the event included an interactive session, where the pupils asked questions bordering on how to become MDGs ambassadors and  to choose career.

    In his remark, the Taraba State MDGs president, Ifeanyi Obiamalu, a graduate of Economics at the Anambra State University, Uli (ANSU), thanked the school management for the opportunity to reach out to the pupils. He said education remained the only way young people could grow to become future leaders.

     

  • Telcos explore new frontiers

    Telcos explore new frontiers

    Monday  marked the 14th anniversary of the liberalisation of the telecoms industry. While subscribers’ figures are approaching the 140 million mark from 450,000 analogue lines before the liberalisation, foreign direct investment (FDI) has gone up from $50million in 2001 to about $35 billion. With the achievement of these milestones, carriers and regulator are exploring data and digital services as new frontiers to redefine customers’ experience earn revenue. LUCAS AJANAKU reports that there is still a long way to go.

    Shortly after the deregulation of the telecoms industry and the award of digital telephone licences to offer service through the global system for mobile communication (GSM) to the two early birds in 2001, the Chief Executive Officer, SO4 Engineering Limited, Soji Oluwasuyi, approached one of the service providers to acquire a telephone line. He was not subjected to the rigours of filling forms and waiting on a long queue. He paid N25,000 for his subscriber identity module (SIM) card and N35,000 for his Nokia 3310, a feature phone.

    Oluwasuyi went home elated. “At least, this is better than trying to apply for a NITEL line for which you will not only wait for months after paying about N200,000 but also have to grease the palms of all manners of characters in the organisation before you will eventually get a line. I will no longer invade the privacy of my neighbour to make or receive calls.” he mused to himself.

    Like a dammed river suddenly losing its fetters, telephone hungry Nigerians took advantage of the new vistas opened by the telcos and started talking. It began with N50 per minute regardless of whether the line cut off within the first two seconds. Then the airtime too had the very provocative validity period. A myth was created around service by the first two players that per second billing could only be done through rocket science. Then came Globacom and the story changed. Today, calls could be made for between N10 and N9 per minute while the caller could pay less depending on the number of seconds used. Some of the operators even give one free minute for every minute spent on their network to their customers.

    Speaking on the phenomenal growth in the industry, Executive Vice Chairman, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr, Eugene Juwah, said: “Over $32 billion investment has been recorded in the sector as at June 2014 from $50 million in year 2001. The investment stood at $18 billion in 2010 and $25 billion in 2012.”

    He said this represents giant strides, adding that the commission will continue to regulate the industry in a way to continuously make it more attractive to global investment community.

    Over the past 14 years, the telcos have been able to deploy some 68,124-kilometre optic fibre cable (OFC).Last year, an additional 38, 000 kilometre OFC were laid. Experts say this represents an increase of about 44.2 per cent investment in OFC by the telcos last year alone.

    Services cannot be rendered without base transmission stations (BTS). The telcos have invested massively in building BTS across the country. According to the NCC, the telcos have built over 27, 000 BTS. But more still needs to be done in this area as there is still a deficit of some 53,000 BTS to assure seamless service delivery.

    In line with the focus of the telcos on the provision of data and digital services, the BTS are gradually being upgraded from 2G to 2.75G and 3G. Some of the operators even say they have done trial of 4G or long term evolution (LTE).  Currently, there is about 11 terabyte of bandwidth capacity brought into the country firms such as MainOne, Glo1, West African Cable Systems (WACS), among others that have landing points in the country. .

    The Ministry of Communication Technology said in the last two years, 2G-enabled sites have increased from 22, 578 to 28,289 while 3G-enabled sites have increased from less than 10,000 to 15,048 during the same period. It added that a backbone infrastructure project, started by the NCC, through the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF), has also continued to bridge the gap between the underserved and unserved areas in the country, especially areas not considered commercially viable by the telcos.

    Funded through the Universal Access Provision Fund of the NCC, subsidy is provided for the project which is designed to facilitate the bridging of the digital divide. It is expected to cover all the 774 local government areas of Nigeria. Minister of Communication Technology, Mrs Omobola Johnson said about 1, 200 kilometres of OFC has also been run so far, adding that over BTS, had been deployed through the fund. She said the sector now contributes about 10 per cent to the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

    Tariff has relatively been friendly. The NCC adopted a progressive reduction in interconnect rates whereby new entrants and small operators had termination rates for voice services pegged at N4.90 in April 2013, N4.40 in April 2014 and by April this year it will drop to N3.90 for all networks.

    Mobile Number Portability (MNP) was introduced into the market to deepen competition. Though not many subscribers have yet taken advantage of the service, Director, Public Affairs, NCC, Tony Ojobo said the fact that it was introduced into the market will make the operators to sit up and improve service quality since they know they might lose their customers without losing their numbers. “So, for us, it is not about total number of subscribers that have used the service but the freedom it has brought to the subscribers and the fact that it has deepened competition and consequently service quality,” he said.

    With the revolution also came the Digital Bridge Institute (DBI) which was established by the NCC to produce the requisite manpower needs of the industry. DBI began in Abuja but now has campuses in Lagos, Enugu, Asaba, Yola, Oturkpo and Kano to represent the six geo-political zones of the country.

    Juwah said the sector has also served as an enabler to other sectors of the economy as it is the only sector that runs 24 hours daily for the whole year. This may not be far from the truth as the sector has nipped in the bud, the billions of naira usually siphoned through fertiliser distribution by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Through the Growth Enhancement Scheme, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, was able to block the conduit pipe known as fertiliser and other inputs to the farmer directly through their cell phones using an e-wallet.

    Chief Operating Officer, Computer Warehouse Group (CWG), Mr. James Agada, agrees no less. According to him, the sector has created jobs and fostered the emergence of e-commerce platforms such as Kong, Jumia and a host of others that have contributed enormously to the GDP.

    He said: “Apart from multiple job creation and the multiplier effect on other sectors of the economy, telecoms sector is driving the growth of e-commerce with the likes of Jumia.com, Konga.com, Dealday.com, Kaymu.com, wakanow.com as major players.”

    Chief Executive Officer and Executive Secretary, E-Payment Providers Association of Nigeria (E-PPAN), Mrs Regha Onajite said the increasing volumes of e-banking transactions, being driven by the cashless policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), “are all resting on the shoulder of the telecoms industry.”

    Chairman, Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Mr Gbenga Adebayo said the telecoms sector has performed well as an enabler of most of the ICT-driven activities that have brought about efficiency in the country.

    He said: “Today, we bank with ease, we do online cash transfers, we use Automated Teller Machines (ATM), mobile money operators, e-wallet in agriculture, telemedicine, among others, but we forget that all of these activities, in addition to their traditional duty of providing voice and internet service, run on the networks of telecoms companies. Yet, cashless transactions are on the rise every day.

    “So, rather than criticise the sector for its little shortcomings, we should commend the players for helping the country to manage all these loads. I can imagine what will happen if telecoms companies decide not to carry any traffic (voice and data) in a day the way we witness it in the oil sector, where companies suddenly stop petrol distribution, thereby creating scarcity.

    “There have been sanctions on erring operators especially on the issue of QoS and related issues in the last four years. But the commission wants to go beyond sanctions by ensuring that it helps in addressing the obstacles to smooth operations by the telcos collaboratively,” Juwah said in an interview.

    The NCC said it has put in place adequate compliance, monitoring and enforcement activities which it said have worked very well.

    As the telcos shift attention to the provision of data and digital services to their customers, the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) said the industry is still bedevilled with myriad of challenges which needed to be addressed with vigour.

    Its President, Mr. Lanre Ajayi, identified the drawbacks to include vandalism of telecoms infrastructure, bottlenecks in securing approval to build infrastructure, multiple taxation/regulation, and others.

    He said: “A number of challenges are affecting the spread of infrastructure and they include multiple taxation by different levels of government; environmental hostilities such as bringing down BTS, especially in parts of the North by terror groups and some government agencies; grant of permits challenge as well as vandalism and theft of telecoms equipment from sites.”

    Ajayi said more still needed to be done by the regulator and players in order to continue the auspicious march towards fully transforming Nigeria into a truly knowledge economy and a major player on the global ICT development map.

    The policies of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) will have a far reaching effect on how far the telcos can go in their quest to chart a new revenue course from data and digital services provision. Two major ‘hostile’ policies have already been put in place by CBN. One is the devaluation of the naira which will increase the cost of importing telecoms equipment. The other is contained in a circular the apex bank issued to all authorised dealers late last month which directed that importation of ICT equipment shall be through the interbank market only. Endorsed by its Director, Trade & Exchange Department, O.I. Gbadamosi he decreed: “The importation of electronics, finished products, information technology, generators, telecommunication equipment and invisible transactions importations shall henceforth be limited to the interbank market only.”

    Justifying the directive, Gbadamosi told stakeholders that the policy was to maintain the existing stability in the foreign market and strengthen the various policy measures already initiated by the CBN.

    Analysts have wondered the stability the CBN is referring to when the naira has kept falling against the dollar. “Which stability in the foreign exchange market is the CBN trying to maintain? These policies will do more harm than good to the economy. The impact of these policies will begin to manifest in the coming months, especially in an election year,” a sector analyst said.

  • Fortifying frontiers of opposition politics

    Fortifying frontiers of opposition politics

    Nigeria clocked 54 over two days ago but the search for that great leader with the capacity to inspire the country to greatness continues. To this column, the pertinent questions are:Where in Nigeria is the opposition that is the blaze that tempers the rapier and the frost that calms fiery rage? Where is effective opposition of the mould that the nation could learn from? These questions are what political opposition in year 2015 should provide answers for as subtle planning for next year being one when fresh general elections will be conducted.

    It is important for the opposition to rally support to uproot the current go-slow government from Aso-Rock. The opposition needs to rally by providing leadership option that would throw up a presidential candidate that can inspire us to be what we know we could be.

    However, this is achievable provided the opposition will not submit to covert and overt official attempts to decimate them. President Goodluck Jonathan, like his predecessors in office, seems not to appreciate the existence of the opposition. He seems to have forgotten that the opposition is indispensable in any system. His political henchmen will be machinating on how to pocket the opposition before the next elections but if he allows this rather than good governance as his score card, then he will be acting un-statesmanly.

    Walter Lippmann has some words for Jonathan when he said: ‘A good statesman, like any other sensible human being, always learns more from his opponents than from his fervent supporters. Perhaps the current direction is that his supporters may push him to disaster unless his opponents show him where the dangers are. So if he is wise, he will often pray to be delivered from his friends who had already endorsed his sole candidacy for the ruling People’s Democratic Party(PDP), because they will ruin him. But though it hurts, he ought also to pray never to be left without opponents; for they keep him on the path of reason and good sense.’ This should act as food for though for the president in as 2015 approaches.

    Again what does the nation’s political opposition have in stock for Nigerians in 2015?

    Whenever one thinks of the current opposition politics in Nigeria, what readily comes to mind is the statement of that British statesman, Benjamin Disraeli when he said: ‘Circumstances are beyond human control, but our conduct is in our own power.’ The statement becomes apt in view of the fact that President Jonathan’s ascension to power was a fait accompli, but his retention of power should not be viewed as such by Nigerians and especially the opposition. The president assumes power not by popular ballot but upon the death of his boss, late President Umaru Yar’Adua, despite high wired intrigues by grovellers of the late president against his constitutional choice. The opposition at this time should do everything to ensure that the president’s re-election bid in 2015 is truly determined by the people. But so far, what is the opposition doing to make sure the process is not hijacked from them? Is the opposition currently doing enough to stop Jonathan by making the votes count in less than six months time? What about the electoral tyranny from the centre government? How can it be stopped?

    Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, former governor of Lagos state and national leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), unarguably Nigeria’s largest opposition party, in July 2011, delivered a lecture at London’s Royal Institute of International Affairs on “Democracy and the Rebirth of the Opposition in Nigeria” where he gave a dour admonition: “Our country’s democracy remains a parody of true democracies. Ours has mimicked some essential aspects of military and authoritarian rule.” While one agrees with this realistic submission, it will be opportune to equally ask what the opposition in the Nigeria’s political firmament has done to erase all traces of tyranny and authoritarianism in the polity. Are they not complicit in this oppressive game?

    Yes, we might say that the opposition under this democratic dispensation has made remarkable onslaughts in some areas, rising glowingly to the occasion by saving the nation from avoidable periodic tyrannical blows. Let’s have a peep into two of such occasions. One was the attempt by former president Olusegun Obasanjo, a master in the game of tyranny, to elongate his tenure that has now been commonly referred to as the Third Term Agenda, even when the 1999 Constitution (as amended) allows for two terms of four years each. The opposition with the support of some conservatives vanquished the idea. Another was when the opposition party in the south-west mobilised the people to route out of power the oppressively conservative PDP administrations in virtually all the Yoruba speaking states.

    Despite these notable landmarks however, one could still not fathom why the opposition, especially in the south-west, refused to field a presidential candidate in 2003 Presidential election while surreptitiously rooting for the candidate of the centre party? It still remains baffling why and how ‘go slow’ President Jonathan cleared the entire votes in south-west, except Osun state, in the 2011 presidential election when the ruling progressive Action Congress of Nigeria(ACN) party, presumably the most popular party in those areas had its own presidential candidate. This I consider to be a gaffe and do hope such will not repeat itself in 2015 because the partisan and the non partisan are now regretting the 2011 electoral choice of Jonathan.

    As we begin the race towards 2015, no rapprochement between the centre party and opposition political parties will foster any good result that could be of common benefit in the end. The fact that something has not been achieved before does not mean it would not be achieved one day. Some might allude to the fact that in the First and Second Republics, efforts geared towards upstaging ruling parties through mergers failed. Fingers will be pointed to the First Republic when the United Progressive Grand Alliance (UPGA) comprising the National Council for Nigerian Citizens (NCNC) and the Action Group failed to upstage then ruling centre party – the Northern People’s Congress (NPC). Also in the Second Republic- the National Party of Nigerian (NPN) remained the central ruling party, despite the alliance under the name- People’s Progressive Alliance (PPA) by the Nigerian People’s Party (NPP), Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), People’s Redemption Party (PRP) and Great Nigeria People’s Party (GNPP). Since the advent of democratic rule in1999, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has forcefully sustained this curious tradition that led those two Republics to nowhere.

    It is a good thing that the All Progressives Congress is soon to present its own presidential candidate that will face President Jonathan next February but the leadership must ensure that the process leading to that do not lead to the decimation of the leading opposition party. The need for the opposition party to be truthful, sincere and steadfast in pursuit of the priced political position is now. This is necessary so as to upstage the ruling PDP centre government. In 2015 expectedly, the opposition will have no excuse for failure because Nigerians eagerly look forward to seeing it lay the foundation for a formidable front necessary for achieving meaningful political re-orientation and desired democratic change.

     

    NOTE: This piece was first published in this column on January 4, 2013 but reproduced here for its continuing relevance to prevailing situations, with slight modifications.

  • Expanding the frontiers of educational advancement in Nigeria

    Annually, well over 1.6million Nigerian applicants vie for limited admission slots in the nation’s tertiary institutions. At the time President Goodluck Jonathan took over the reins of governance, the carrying capacity of the tertiary institutions was below 500,000. This has been increased to about one million slots.

    Despite the improvement, Nigeria still has the challenge of access to quality tertiary education for her qualified candidates. The federal government has been working hard to resolve this challenge through expansion of learning facilities in schools and training of academic and non academic staff.

    To further ensure that Nigerians who seek tertiary education abroad are not short-changed, the federal government has opened up direct linkages with key new foreign destinations of Nigerian students to ensure they are of standard and meet the security requirements.

    One of such destinations is Hungary where the Minister of State for Education, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike on July 21 and 22 concluded negotiations for the award of 50 post graduate and undergraduate scholarships to deserving Nigerian students under the sponsorship of the Hungarian government. The process which was initiated by the minister, and Nigerian Ambassador to Hungary, Chief Eddy Onuoha, started months ago.

    The highpoint of the process was the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Nigerian and Hungarian governments on the promotion of educational cooperation between both nations.

    Wike signed the memorandum of understanding (M.O.U.) on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria, while Dr Lazlo Palkovics, Hungarian Minister of State for Higher Education in the Ministry of Human Resources, signed on behalf of the Hungarian Government.

    The Memorandum of Understanding is between the Nigerian Federal of Education and the Hungarian Ministry of Human Resources on Educational Cooperation for 2014, 2015 and 2016.

    Speaking at the M.O.U. signing ceremony, Wike declared that the bilateral relationship on the sponsorship of 50 Nigerian students in Hungarian universities is an indication of the progress the Jonathan administration has attained as regards the sustained development of education, which foreign governments are now appreciating.

    He said that the Jonathan administration is happy with the new scholarship window provided by the Hungarian government for Nigerian students, stressing that the administration would ensure that only students who are academically sound are short listed for the Hungarian Scholarship Scheme.

    The Minister informed the Hungarian government that President Jonathan has made access to quality education from basic to the tertiary education level as the cornerstone of his educational development policy, hence the new scholarship from Hungary is a welcome development.

    Wike expressed satisfaction that the new relationship between Hungary and Nigeria has led to the reopening of the Hungarian Embassy in Nigeria, which will benefit Nigerian students seeking visa to further their education.

    He said: “The Federal Ministry of Education is happy for the scholarship which your government has extended to Nigeria and we commend you. For us as Nigerians, we pledge our commitment to the implementation of this M.O.U”.

    The Hungarian Minister of State for Higher Education, Dr Lazlo Palkovics, declared that the Hungarian government extended the scholarships to Nigeria as a platform for the promotion for positive educational bilateral relations.

    He said that with the signing of the MOU, both countries would advance their educational cooperation to higher levels that would benefit their citizens.

    Dr Palkovics urged more Nigerians to take advantage of the high quality Hungarian educational programme to empower themselves professionally.

    With more Nigerian students expected to train in different professional areas in Hungary, the minister of state for education held a bilateral meeting with officials of the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade to facilitate the security of Nigerian students and get concessionary fees for students on private sponsorship.

    The Hungarian team was led by the Hungarian State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Mr Laszlo Szabo. The deliberations were fruitful and touched on key areas of access to quality education.

    The minister at the meeting requested for the protection of Nigerian students who reside off campus in view of the fact that over 800 Nigerian students are already studying in Hungary, most of them on private sponsorship and residing off their respective campuses.

    He also called on the Hungarian government to formally consider promoting concessionary fees for prospective Nigerian students who intend to seek higher education in Hungary.

    He said: “Because of the number of Nigerian students already studying in Hungary and those who intend to study in the country, we are asking that you implement concessionary fees for our students. We are also reiterate our commitment to fully implementing all the aspects of the memorandum of understanding signed with your Ministry of Human Resources on the award of free scholarship to our students.

    “We are pleased with the re-opening of the Hungarian Embassy in Abuja to ensure that prospective students get their visas in Abuja rather than moving over to Kenya or Egypt. This relationship will develop on all fronts and our Ambassador has assured that all applicants for business visa from your country will get favourable response. We believe this bilateral relationship will lead to investments in other key areas of the Nigerian economy.”

    Speaking at the meeting, Mr Laszlo Szabo, State Secretary of the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, declared that the country was desirous of furthering the cooperation with the Nigeria in the areas of higher education and economic development.

    Advancing the frontiers of quality education has been one of the cornerstones of the Jonathan administration. This is another clear example that no stakeholder of the nation’s education sector would be left without due attention.

    The administration has incrementally achieved the goal of access to quality basic and tertiary education on all fronts. The fundamental objective being to use education as a tool for the empowerment of less privileged Nigerians.

     

    By Simeon Nwakaudu

    Special Assistant (Media) to the Minister of State for Education

  • New Frontiers Award’s shortlist announced

    Arabian Travel Market, the leading travel and tourism exhibition in the Middle East, has announced the names of the three global destinations nominated for this year’s New Frontiers Award, the results of which will be revealed at a special roundtable session featuring award recipients from the previous seven ceremonies.

    The three destinations shortlisted for 2013 are New York State, the Philippines and Pakistan, each of which suffered from the aftermath of the devastation wreaked by natural catastrophes in the last 12 months.

    “This year’s award coincides with our 20th anniversary celebrations and it is a poignant moment for the industry as a whole to reflect on the devastation that natural disasters can wreak on human life, habitat and infrastructure, irrespective of their international status,” said Mark Walsh, Portfolio Director, Reed Travel Exhibitions.

    Launched in 2005 by Arabian Travel Market, the New Frontiers Award was created to recognise outstanding contributions to tourism development in the face of overwhelming adversity, supporting the chosen destination by donating exhibition space at the event to the value of US$10,000.

    Now in its eighth year, the one-of-a-kind roundtable session will include previous award recipients, including Phuket, Thailand, which was devastated by the 2006 tsunami and last year’s recipient, Japan.

     

     

     

     

    “Participants will have a chance to share their experiences once again and report on how, in the intervening years, their respective tourism destinations have – quite literally – picked up the pieces and gone on to rebuild and recover,” remarked Walsh.

    “However it’s not just a question of physical recovery. Tourism strategies need to be re-evaluated and revised marketing plans put in place to reposition a destination and to create confidence amongst its target markets,” he added.

     

    The New Frontiers Award is a vital element of Arabian Travel Market’s commitment to support the global tourism industry, and provides a platform to drive awareness and assist destinations in the recovery process through participation at the show.

     

    The 2013 nominees have all had to repair, rebuild and recover, with efforts ongoing in some destinations.

     

    New York State, USA – Hurricane Sandy.

    In late October 2012, Hurricane Sandy spread a trail of destruction across the Eastern Seaboard of the US, leaving businesses and homes in New York State – and its tourism heart, Manhattan – without vital resources and inflicting billions of dollars of cumulative damage on the local economy.

     

    Philippines – typhoon.

    At the end of 2012, Typhoon Bopha caused substantial loss of life and hit the tourism economy hard when it ripped across the country, devastating large tracts of land and communities on the southern island of Mindanao, and sweeping across the popular tourist island of Palawan.

     

    Pakistan – floods.

    September floods, prompted by heavy monsoon rains, affected over five million people and the economy, with damage extending across the country from Southern Punjab and Northern Sindh to North-Eastern Balochistan. Over half a million acres of crops were lost as well as lifestock, critically affecting food supplies.

     

  • New frontiers in anatomy and the millenium development goals In focus: Stem cell research and genetic engineering

    New frontiers in anatomy and the millenium development goals In focus: Stem cell research and genetic engineering

    A Nation’s ability to face conflict in any strategic direction depends on many factors, which when examined thoroughly can be found to be interwoven . Issues bothering on the economy, technology and health are worthy of consideration in the sense that it is difficult to be extremely poor and be able to escape deadly diseases and ill health .It is equally difficult for anyone to successfully acquire knowledge and skills in the name of capacity building when extreme poverty and hunger are whiplashing over 80% of the population.

    Stem cell research and genetic engineering have become tools for scientists in clinical and experimental Anatomy as well as others in Agriculture and Bioengineering to redesign humanity ; almost any type of food can now be artificially produced, and in any quantity and even quality as desired.

    Based on evidential facts and figures, information is now available on how proto oncogenes can undergo mutation to become oncogenes , and from there cause cancer by causing excess production of growth factors, particularly when other check mechanisms fail. Through genetic linkage analysis, the presence of some diseases that run in families have been traced through several generations and have become better understood

    For the Nigerian African, only very few medical conditions occur naturally. Majority are either within the spiritual and paranormal provinces or poisons sent by enemies, real and imagined. Not much has been achieved to persuade ordinary people to break with this tradition due in part to the numerous challenges they face, which include poverty, ignorance and disease. Beyond that not much attention is being given to these areas as compared with countries like China , Malaysia, South Africa and Ghana

    The MDGS aim to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger by the year 2015(goal six)

    The fear is that there is nothing SMART on the ground as we approach the target date to give the assurance that this will not go the way of the others like health for all by the year 2000. Perhaps serious Nations are not waiting for such proclamations before they do some thing; they don’t wait for situations in relevant sectors of their economy like power, health and education to deteriorate to levels where declarations will be made. In medical practice, emergency situations declare themselves either before they reach the Physician or as complications of disease processes, and Doctors are by training ever prepared to handle them with the injunction; primum non nocere meaning, first do no harm. This approach is worthy of emulation and can be reasonably copied just like the social marketing mix copied from the social sciences has been found to be relevant in community medicine.

    It has been suggested that if capacity building is about formal education and skills acquisition for empowerment, then emerging frontiers in Anatomy particularly, stem cell research and genetic engineering should be given a place on public agenda, and be enabled to reach the table of policy makers. Laboratories where these activities are taking place are located in places not too far from Nigeria, and some of the departments are headed by Nigerians, who are at times amused at the sort of treatment people from this country travel outside to get.

    Apart from the huge benefits derivable in health and food production, each single process in the laboratories can generate huge employment opportunities for graduates in human anatomy as well as in allied medical and allied sciences

    With more Universities being established here in the Country, more graduates will come out having no where to work and live a healthy life. The situation is particularly bad for graduates in Human Anatomy, for whom there seem to be very little opportunities in Nigeria. Some of them have described their general situation as ‘ leading someone with two legs out onto a cul de sac and having one of the legs sawn off’. This should not be the case if things are done properly.

    Some concerned persons have suggested restructuring organizations like the Fire service, the Federal Road Safety corpse, the Nigerian Civil Defence corpse and the Nigerian police, with a view to accommodate graduates from various disciplines. The argument is that additional on the job training can be provided for young healthy graduates to work as Paramedics, in any of these organizations, as first responders.