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Tag: indigenous

  • ‘Indigenous firms will take over construction in 15 years’

    The construction sector will  be dominated by indigenous building and civil engineering firms in about 15 years time, the Managing Director, ITB Nigeria Limited, Ramzi Chidiac, has said..

    He said going by the spate of construction being undertaken by indigenous firms, the  sector would be dominated by local firms in about a decade and half.

    “In 15 years, the influence of foreign firms would have waned tremendously. Nigerian firms would have taken over. Foreign construction firms would only be reduced to doing extremely complex works like bridges across the lagoon, or even construction involving the latest technology which might still be very new at that time,” he said.

    He praised the ingenuity of Nigerian professionals and their contributions to the development of the built environment sector as well as the economy.

    The ITB boss said the development might not be unconnected with technology transfer which foreign firms bring to the sector they operate.

    Chidiac saud his firm has raised the standards of buildings and construction, adding that he was awed by the designs and construction being undertaken by Nigerian engineers.

    “You need to see the gigantic projects your engineers are involved in, it is simply incredible what they do. In my opinion, the average Nigerian engineer is good, and there is still room for improvement, I must say. To step up and enhance the pace of engineering development, I think that the government through its Ministry of Education and perhaps the National Universities Commission (NUC) should, as a matter of urgency, review and enhance the engineering curricular to enhance the quality of engineers being churned out from the universities. Once this is done, the involvement of foreign firms in Nigeria’s built environment sector will be drastically reduced,” Chidiac added.

  • Indigenous producers pledge compliance to Content Act

    •To sign SLA with NCDMB

    Members of the Indigenous Petroleum Producers Group (IPPG) have pledged to support and comply with the provisions of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act.

    To cement their commitment, the local operating companies will sign a Service Level Agreement (SLA) with the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), and this will guide the submission and management of statutory reports between the parties.

    The new SLA, akin to the type signed between the Board and the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas Company (NLNG) in May 2017, will commit members of the IPPG to complying with the Nigerian Content Act while the Board will keep to a definite response time for reviews and approvals of contracting documentations. The SLA will take into consideration the capacity of the indigenous producing companies and provide necessary concessions as may be necessary.

    These resolutions were reached at a meeting between the Executive Secretary, NCDMB, Simbi Wabote and members of the IPPG in Lagos last Wednesday.

    The independent producers also promised to partner the Board to equip the Petroleum Technology Development Fund’s Vocational Training facility in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, for the purposes of imparting key skills that are currently lacking in the industry.

    Wabote explained at the meeting that indigenous producers were products of the Nigerian Content Policy hence, they needed to work with the Board to take the implementation to the next level.

    He stressed that Nigerian Content Act was not applicable to only foreign companies, but to all players in the oil and gas industry. “Some Nigerian companies assume erroneously that being wholly indigenous makes them complaint. But local content extends to employment, procurement, training, among other things,”he said.

    The Executive Secretary further challenged the indigenous producers to partner the Board to develop Research and Development Centres of excellence in-country so that problems encountered in their operations can be resolved locally. “The international operating companies have huge research and development (R&D) facilities in their home countries. We can only set up R&D centres in Nigeria with the support of indigenous producers.”

    He also tasked the companies on the remittance of Nigerian Content Development Fund’s (NCDF) deductions. He reiterated that the Board will soon commission third-party forensic audit to track and recover due payments on the NCDF.

    Chairman of IPPG, Mr. Ademola Adeyemi-Bero, pledged the readiness of the members to comply with the provisions of the Nigerian Content Act. “We want to participate in the Nigerian Content journey and we are ready to engage with the Board to take our projects to the next level,” he said.

    He further explained that IPPG was constituted by 25 indigenous operators, including joint venture partners of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), marginal field operators and indigenous sole risk operators. According to him, “we ensure corporate governance among ourselves, help to put a respectable face to indigenous producers and offer government a credible platform to engage. We account for between 12/25 per cent of Nigeria’s crude oil production”.

  • Indigenous Braille manufacturer gets honour

    Indigenous Braille manufacturer gets honour

    Participants at this year’s Arise Women’s conference  were full of gratitude to   Mrs. Jean Obi, the Steering Committee/Coordinator of the Braille Book Centre. The centre was set up in 1995 with two main aims: to produce Braille books for visually-impaired students; and to provide computer training to prepare visually-impaired applicants for gainful employment.

    The convener of the conference, Pastor Siju Iluyomade, said its theme, ‘Branded for Christ’, was appropriate in time and season for spiritually-discerning women. “And with the slogan- ‘Thermostat controls the temperature’ has shown that spiritually filled women can bring positive changes to the world’’.

    Pastor Iluyomade said: “Mrs. Obi is a thermostat who has controlled her environment positively by ensuring that visually- impaired students and applicants are provided with computer training for gainful employment across the length and breadth of the country. She deserves to be appreciated for her work with the blind students, helping them to maximise their potentials.”

    Mrs. Obi is British by birth. In 1962, she moved to Lagos and joined the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) where she taught herself Braille. In 1988, she and Danlami Basharu (Director of the Anglo-Nigerian Welfare Association for the Blind- ANWAB) participated in an international forum in London to find ways of promoting the use of Braille. They came back determined to set up a national Braille authority in Nigeria and in 1991 jointly initiated the National Braille Council of Nigeria (Nabracon) of which Mrs. Obi is the current President and represents Nigeria on the executive committee of the International Council on English Braille (ICEB).

    In the 1990s, the national body of Nigerwives (a non governmental organisation) accepted a proposal to set up the Nigerwives Braille Book Production Centre – which pioneered the computer production of Brailled textbooks in Nigeria. In 1996, Danlami Basharu  requested Mrs. Obi to help him set up a similar organisation – which is now ANWAB. She serves on ANWAB’s Management Committee and was Chair from 1996 to 2007.

    In 1997, she was awarded the Ulverscroft International Prize for initiative in providing educational services for the visually impaired, and in 1998, she was awarded an MBE in the UK.

  • Joy as Owan gets first indigenous Anglican bishop

    Joy as Owan gets first indigenous Anglican bishop

    There was jubilation in Sabongida-Ora Diocese of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, in Owan West Local Government Area of Delta State.

    Reverend Augustine Ehijimetor Ohilebo was enthroned as its first indigenous bishop in accordance with the tradition of the Anglican Communion.

    Some young members, who were witnessing the enthronement of an Anglican bishop for the first time, were thrilled at the observance of the church’s traditional rules.

    The process began with the bishop knocking three times on the west door of the St. John Sabongida-Ora Cathedral with his pastoral staff seeking to come inside to give thanks to the Lord.

    He informed the cathedral warden, who opened the door, that he had been elected, confirmed and consecrated bishop of the cathedral.

    Archbishop of old Bendel Province and Supervisory Bishop of the cathedral, Reverend Friday John Imaekhai, demanded that the mandate of the Archbishop and Primate of All Nigeria, Reverend Nicholas Okoh, introducing Ohilebo as the elected bishop of Sabongida- Ora Diocese, be read.

    It was read by Francis Okanigbuan, registrar of the diocese. The bishop then took the oath of canonical obedience. Following which Imaekhai administered on him the Declaration of Fidelity.

    After this, he was presented to the congregation.

    He obtained a pledge of loyalty from the cathedral’s clergy and laity, and unveiled his vision by promising to consolidate on achievements of his predecessors.

    Praising the College of Bishops  for electing him, Ohilebo promised to enthrone humility, integrity, dedication, loyalty to constituted authority and faithfulness.

    Ohilebo urged the clergy  to adhere to their responsibilities of fulfilling the command of Christ, warning against laziness and lukewarm service.

    He promised to bridge the communication gap, assuring all that the welfare of the clergy will be given priority.

    Ohilebo said he’s a child of destiny,  recalling how he ran away from serving, but God spoke to him through Baba Agbaje, and he was called to the Ministry in 2001.

    Among challenges he promised to tackle are reviving the church dilapidated infrastructures, such as a cassava processing factory, ‘pure’ water factory and printing press.

    His words:  “Our administration shall be committed to the revamping of these structures. With God all things are possible. We should give up anything if God asks us to do so.

    “I feel happy that God has favoured us and we are given the assignment to shepherd his flock in times as this. We are not here on our own. God gave us this assignment. We rely on him to lead us.

    “We are coming to a diocese where the Bishop’s Court needs N24 million to renovate. There is no official car for the bishop. We will depend on the strength of God to rebuild the infrastructure. We are willing to take the diocese to higher heights.”

    Reverend Ohilebo started his education at Owato Primary School and proceeded to Oke Secondary School.

    He attended Ezekiel College of Theology, Ujoelen-Ekpoma; obtained a diploma in Religious Studies and Diploma in Theology.

    The bishop was ordained in 2004 before proceeding to former Amrose Alli University, Ekpoma, to study Religious Management and Cultural Studies.

  • Ogun to give priority to indigenous contractors

    Ogun State Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Mr. Olamilekan Adegbite, has said the state would consider indigenous contractors  in the award of contracts for the construction of 171 rural roads.

    In a statement made available to The Nation  by the ministry’s Head of media, Mr. Ayokunle Ewuoso, the commissioner assured that notwithstanding the preference of government for smaller indigenous firms in the execution of this project, bigger firms will not be prevented from applying for the contracts.

    ‘’Presently, there are so many contractors that are working for us, including indigenous companies. Look at the present jobs where we have requested for Bids for the construction of the 171 rural roads and 25 semi-urban roads, deliberately we are saying they should be indigenous contractors for all these rural roads. We are not stopping the big contractors from applying, we are saying let our focus be on indigenous contractors in the 171 rural roads we want to do,’’ it read.

    While reacting to the accusation that government was more concerned with the construction of Federal roads at the detriment of state roads, Adegbite noted that government had constructed several state roads across the state.

    “There is hierarchy when you are doing roads. The one that benefits most, that is the spine (major roads), are the ones you will do first. We are not claiming that government ends with this administration. Government is continuum,” the statement read.

    He assured that all the roads constructed by the government were designed to last for a minimum of 30 years, adding that the state had written the Federal Ministry of Works on the need to cede some of these roads to Ogun.

  • Evolving indigenous greeting culture

    SIR: There are values Africans hold on to quite strongly, that people who are considered to be of “Advanced Civilisation” rarely concern themselves with. One of which, is the slightly weird nature of our indigenous greeting culture.

    Greeting is a traditional African trait. In a stiff cultural environment like the African society where one’s character is constantly being examined, greeting can brighten one’s chances of making a good first impression. To the elderly, greeting plays a role in evaluating one’s level of morals. It also creates the opportunity of discerning in a few seconds, the quality of a child’s parental upbringing. In fact, greeting is non-negotiable in Africa!

    Having pictured the great value attached to greeting, in what way do Africans seem to go overboard with it?

    Occasionally, I get troubled with the feeling that the greeting culture in many parts of Africa (especially in reverence to elders and those we hold in high esteem or consider superior), still suffers the rub-off effect of colonialism.  Although, culture varies across the continent, we’re unified in a way as regards our approach to elders, religious leaders and other prominent individuals. Greeting an elderly or influential person in Africa, is more on the side of showing honour than exchanging pleasantries. As a result, it isn’t complete without bowing, kneeling, squatting, prostrating, receiving a handshake with both hands, etc. (depending on the varying cultures).

    I get terrified when I happen to watch the exchange of pleasantries when an African football team engages a foreign opponent during the first game or finals of an international tournament. As is customary, the president of the world football’s governing body (FIFA) is obliged to share a warm handshake with the players either before kick-off (if it were the first game of the tournament), or at the end of a final when the players take a walk to collect their medals. While the foreigners receive the handshake with one hand, some of the African players proceed to receive theirs with both hands and sometimes, even compliment it with a bow. Wow!

    In some African traditions (notable among the Zambians), men are not allowed to shake hands with their mother-in-laws. The women likewise, avoid a handshake from their father-in-laws. If the elders are seated, one must kneel with at least one knee touching the ground when shaking hands. If at a distance, one may touch the chest and bow slightly.

    “I have on several occasions in the middle of Lusaka, seen men kneeling across the road from their mother-in-laws, also kneeling and clapping, asking each other how the family is doing while avoiding eye contact” said Ziggi, a Zambian friend of mine.

    In Nigeria (famous with the Yoruba tribe), some males still prostrate on the bare floor as an acceptable way of showing respect to elders. A “well-behaved” male child is one who greets an elder by lying on the ground until permitted to get up. Of course, getting up too soon ridicules your home training!

    Over the years, this cultural ideology has transitioned into religion. To certain people, kneeling before a religious leader who’s presumably “standing in the presence of God” seem to be the quickest remedy for answered prayers. Hence, some people tend to relate casually with God, but revere preachers. Some other Christian may prefer to say a quick tacky prayer in bed in hopes of kneeling before a preacher for “special prayers”.

    These are a few of the many absurd practices we’ve absorbed into our daily lifestyle as demanded by our indigenous greeting cultures.

    These practices may have served whatever purpose they were established for at an earlier time, but I think they’ve outlived their usefulness! Greeting is intended to be an exchange of polite friendly gestures, and not pseudo-worship of elders or “Important People” (many of which won’t have the decency to resist).

     

    • Nimi Princewill,

    princewill.nimi@yahoo.com

  • Roundtable on indigenous newspapers holds next week

    The Federal Government is expected to host a two-day annual roundtable for indigenous language newspapers, as part of the efforts to promote indigenous languages.

    National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, is organising the programme with the theme “Nigerian Indigenous Language Newspapers and National Development”.

    The Annual Roundtable, which comes up between May 15 and 16, at the Arewa House, Kaduna by 11am, will be hosted by the Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed.

    Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai will be the Special Guest of Honour.

    The Chairman, Senate Committee on Culture and Tourism, Senator Mathew Urhoghide will chair the opening ceremony. The Chairman/Publisher of Leadership Newspapers, Mr. Sam Nda-Isaiah, will deliver the keynote address.

    The lead paper presenter on the occasion is the CEO/Editor-in-Chief, Media Trust Limited, Mallam Manir Dan Ali and Professor Olu Obafemi of the University of Ilorin will serve as moderator.

    The forum is designed to build the capacity of publishers, editors and art correspondents of the indigenous language newspapers to keep them abreast of contemporary realities in the sector and also enhance their professional skills and competence for effective service delivery.

  • N4m budgeted for indigenous fruit trees production

    Enugu State government earmarked N4 million for the production of 300,000 forest trees and indigenous fruits in its 2017 budget, Finance Commissioner Mrs. Eucharia Offor has said.

    She spoke at the 2017 budget breakdown in Enugu.

    Offor said the N4 million was part of the N46 million allocated to the Forestry Commission.

    She added that it was under the seeding production the government aimed at raising more than 150,000 fast growing forest tree seedlings of teak and eucalyptus.

    The commissioner said another 150,000 indigenous fruit trees, such as mahogany and others used in the production of local delicacies would be raised.

    She explained that N5 million was budgeted for retracement of boundaries of some encroached forest reserves, while N2 million would be for the maintenance of newly established 80 hectare forest plantations.

    Offor said N5million was for the enlightenment and sensitisation of communities that host forest reserves on climate change benefits accruable from forest preservation and reservation.

  • Educationist canvasses resources for indigenous language teaching

    Proprietress, Goszamheights Schools, Akowonjo, Lagos, Mrs Stella Okonkwo has called for the provision of literary resources required to promote  teaching and learning of indigenous languages in schools. She lamented that the lack of literature on varying topics poses difficulty in complying with the National Policy on Education which requires elementary schools to educate pupils in the language of the immediate environment.

    According to the sociologist who spoke at the school’s maiden Christmas Carol, the idea was laudable to boost cultural heritage but availability of materials has limited its effectiveness.

    “We have not got to that stage,” Said Okonkwo, “I think it’s challenging because you must have the materials, literature and resources. For instance, if I have the literature that can teach children new words in Yoruba. you can walk into a bookshop and buy it.

    “What we have is Yoruba as a subject, we don’t use Yoruba to teach Home Economics or Social Studies. But the truth about the language is that it helps your confidence and boldness as a person.

    ” I don’t think in Nigeria we are lacking in the area of policies, what we are lacking is in implementing those policies. I schooled in Lagos and I remember this book by J. Olayemi, ‘Karo O Jire’. I speak Yoruba, I read Yoruba, that’s how good I am in Yoruba but I’m Igbo,” she said.

  • Indigenous filmmakers kick as StarTimes voices Chinese films in Yoruba

    Indigenous filmmakers kick as StarTimes voices Chinese films in Yoruba

    Harping on the fact that functional economies all over the world are known to guard their industries jealously, several indigenous filmmakers and film marketers in Nigeria gathered, last Wednesday, to condemn a current trend whereby Chinese and Indian films are being re-voiced in Yoruba language, saying the act, if not quickly curtailed, is not only capable of eroding Nigeria’s indigenous culture but would also constitute a threat to employment generation which the film industry is noted for.

    The movie stakeholders, under the aegis of Conference of Indigenous Language Films, alleged that StarTimes, a direct-to-home pay-tv station is more culpable of this act, by dubbing thousands of Chinese films in Yoruba and Hausa languages. They described the development as shocking and an attempt by the Chinese to institutionalize their culture at the expense of Nigeria’s.

    Leading other industry veterans such as Prince Jide Kosoko, Alhaji Abdullahi Abdurasak, Barrister Tunji Bamisigbin, Tunji Ojetola, Yomi Fash Lanso and a host of others at a press conference which held at LTV Complex, Ikeja, President of the Theatre Arts and Movie Practitioners Association of Nigeria (TAMPAN), Mr. Dele Odule, urged the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, and the National Assembly to wade into the matter by stopping the move.

    He said: “It gives me great pleasure, on behalf of members of the Conference Of Indigenous Language Film Practitioners to address you on an unfortunate situation which, if not quickly curtailed, will not only rob us of the need to sustain and develop our culture, but also of our source of livelihood and by extension, our desire to sustain employment for the several cast and crew members who depend on film production for their daily bread.

    “You may have observed, as you pass by some bus stops in Lagos, a convergence of youngsters watching some Chinese or Indian films that have been dubbed into distorted, embellished and uncouth dialogues in Yoruba language.

    “The more shocking development, gentlemen of the press, is that, there is an attempt by the Chinese to institutionalize this trend, with StarTimes, a direct-to-home pay-tv station now dubbing thousands of Chinese films in Yoruba and Hausa languages.

    “We hereby reject this development in its entirety, and urge the Federal Government and our regulatory agencies to see the danger inherent in this practice and stop the trend.

    “This is totally uncalled for at this time when the Federal Government is looking in the direction of the film industry as a viable alternative to oil in its economic diversification policy. Thus, we are trusting that the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who has often expressed his passion for the film industry and his desire to turn the motion picture sector from a creative industry to a creative economy to see this incursion of Chinese films as a barrier to his dream for our industry.

    “While we believe that the National Film and Video Censors Board should give these types of films a priority in their occasional raid of the film markets for uncensored and illegal movies, we also urge the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to see this as an indirect way of violating the limit of broadcast time stipulated for foreign contents.”

    Odule recalled a 2015 report by leading audit firm, Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC) which put the worth of Nigerian entertainment and media industry at more than US$4 billion annually, with the prediction that by 2019, the market will be more than twice as big, with estimated total revenue of US$8.1 billion, saying; “How do we attain this feat if foreign companies now want to take advantage of our local market?”