The Nation Newspaper

Tag: International

  • Esther Ohwoka is Miss Safety International

    NIGERIAN model, Esther Ohwoka, has emerged winner of the Miss Safety International pageant, beating over twelve other contestants to clinch the crown.

    In line with the exclusive practice of the pageantry five other queens were crowned .They are ; Goodness Eneyin (Miss Safety Africa) , Odia Joy (Miss Safety Nigeria), Success Emeruche (Miss Safety Tourism) , Ayobami Miss Safety Lagos) as well as Mercy Michael.

    Thanking the organizers for the opportunity to partake in the pageant, an elated Owhoka expressed gratitude to God for her victory.

    Founder of the pageant, Madu C. Chikwendu, thanked the guests for coming and more importantly the contestants for their courage and confidence.

    “This pageant was founded to contribute significantly to issues of safety. The queen(s) is the brand ambassador on issues of Safety and is expected to be the voice for safety,” he said.

    Founded in 2012 by the filmmaker, the pageant has been specially engineered as his contribution to raising awareness about issues of safety with the catch phrase, Beauty for Safety.

    The queen will reign for eight calendar months with the Coronation Ball for the 2018 edition taking place in February.

    The pageant is put together by Chikwendu’s Kraftman Production.

  • International Condom Day

    •It’s better to contain sexual excesses with protection than to be a target of condolences

    Tuesday, February 14 was this year’s International Condom Day. Promoted by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) to reduce the spread of HIV through safe sex practices, as well as a means of preventing unwanted pregnancies, the day has since 2009 been observed every February 14, to coincide with Valentine’s Day.

    There is a reason for this: It is assumed that where people share time with their loved ones, HIV also finds time to spread within the period. AHF Country Director, Dr Adetayo Towolawi, put it more succinctly: “In order to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS while expressing sexuality, we need you to take care of your sexual and reproductive health by using the condom correctly.”

    In the past, many people, particularly in the developing countries, found it repulsive to talk about condom. Indeed, the word was abomination in some places due to religious and cultural beliefs. Many religious organisations are opposed to the two uses to which condoms are put. If you say it is to prevent unwanted pregnancies, they immediately see it as a way to limit God’s blessings (which children are); and if you say condom is good to check the spread of HIV/AIDS, they also tell you that sex (which is the major way through which HIV could be contracted) is supposed to be a sacred activity between couples and, that being the case, there should be no need for condom since couples are expected to be faithful to one another.

    But we know that this is hardly the case. These days, many teenagers and even people that are unmarried, engage in pre-marital sex; many unprotected. This has led to unwanted pregnancies and deaths in cases where the attendant abortions were mishandled. In like manner, many people have contracted various sexually transmitted infections (STIs) through unsafe sex, with many having HIV/AIDS, the ultimate, for which there has been no known cure.

    Fortunately, things are changing even if gradually, with some religious organisations now organising workshops and seminars on sex and sexuality for their members, concepts that were hitherto considered irreligious in the places of worship. Many of them have begun to accept the inevitable reality that if they do not educate their members, particularly the youths about these concepts, they could learn the wrong way from their peers and the ubiquitous internet.

    Nigeria particularly has every reason to keep the condom enlightenment flame burning. Although the prevalence rate of HIV/AIDS has been dropping in the country since 2001, the fact is, it still has the second largest population of people living with HIV, and only being able to put about 750,000 on treatment. This is still scary even as it can be explained in the context of the country’s huge population. This is the more reason why the lessons from the fixing of the International Condom Day to coincide with Valentine’s Day should not be lost on us. Unfortunately, it appears lost on us, as our school children and adults only celebrate the ‘lovers’ day’ while forgetting completely the International Condom Day.

    For maximum effect, both should go in pari passu. This is the only way not to get the voice of organisations like AHF drowned in the cacophony of the celebration of Valentine’s Day.

    In other words, we have to do more to make more Nigerians aware of the existence of condoms; the uses and even how to use them effectively. This is not about supporting promiscuity as some people may want to believe because even those promoting condoms admonish people about the need for fidelity in social relationships. They advise people to stick to one partner and to ‘zip up’, among other things. It is when they cannot abstain that they are advised to use condoms so that they won’t contract STIs or HIV/AIDS. Religious organisations have to see things in this context because, in the final analysis, repentance is only possible for the living.

  • Firm hosts international trade fair

    As part of its commitment towards raising the bar in the area of education and health awareness, Edmark International at the weekend hosted trade fair and health awareness programme in Osun state.

    The fair featured symposium, counselling session, choreography as well as weight loss programmes conducted by a team of experts in different fields of expertise.

    The event, which kicked off with an exercise session lasted for about one hour, amidst the fanfare.

    One of the guest speakers, Mr Adesina Yinka spoke extensively on the value addition programmes facilitated by the company all geared towards making people succeed.

    Also speaking to one of the beneficiaries of the company’s business platform, Mr Fakomiti Adeyemi said the company is committed to helping people succeed in health, wealth and total wellbeing.

    According to him, the reason why many people are not successful in life is because they trade time for money urging the Nigerian youths to key into using other means to make money than depending on the government.

    Mr.  Aries Masoso the Sales and Event Manager, Edmark International told the gathering that though his firm is not a university, but it posses educative and instructional materials which many universities do not have on health wellness.

    Also speaking at the fair, especially the health component of the programme, the Head of Marketing Department of the Osogbo branch of Edmark, Mr. Austin Amadi said it became necessary because the company observed empirically that one of the major causes of numerous diseases among Africans today is obesity.

  • ‘Traditional medicine can be practised to international standard’

    ‘Traditional medicine can be practised to international standard’

    The founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Diafra Ayodele Herbals, Lagos, Dr Isaac Ayodele, a researcher who has digitalised herbal medicine practice and written some e-books on it, gives an insight in how to step up its practice and modernise it.

    I am 53 years old with over 20 years of managing Diafra Ayodele Herbals that is touching lives positively. And, indeed, in this perspective, I can say the outfit has come a long way.

    At the take-off of Diafra Ayodele Herbals in 1996, it was a sin to talk about herbal or traditional medicine. It was then regarded by the elite as medicine for the pagans. Herbal medicine in syrups was referred to as concoctions. Those in powdered form were called agunmu in Yoruba language. Those in the form of injections were called gbere (incision). Indeed, herbal medicine was castigated as voodoo (juju) medicine. The practitioners were called Babalawo and servants of satan. Church leaders told their members to keep off herbal medicine. In fact, one risks being excommunicated in some churches if one dares to take what they referred to as concoction. That was the same time some churches were terrorised for watching television.

    It was in one of those churches that I wedded in 1990. On the wedding day our chief bridesmaid was disqualified because she flew down from London the previous day for the ceremony. Our video man was told to stop shooting the video and the photographer was not allowed to take any photograph. Our reception, which held at the Shell Club, Port-Harcourt, was also disqualified. All these were referred to as sins, which God would not forgive.

    As a result, the pastor of the church did not want to wed sinners. So, he told a member of the church to wed us. That was not all; the pastor rained curses on our marriage because we were sinners. Yet, we courted for five years without making love to one another. In fact, my wife was a virgin. But we were the greatest sinners because of video, television and photographs.

    So it was then with herbal and traditional medicine. This situation made us to know that we were in for a serious work to uplift herbal medicine and make it acceptable to the elite.  To start with, we embarked on a new information order. We had to appeal to the media to give herbal medicine a pride of place. We told them not to call it concoction, but call it syrup. So, at Diafra Ayodele Herbals, we brought in the gelatin to capsulate our powder to capsules, and packaged the syrup. We developed tablets, blisters and cream.

    Even at that, the elite still felt that herbal medicine was still satanic/diabolical until the revolution that took place with the National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), which made herbal medicine to be considered as medicine that elite could take. There was product analysis, and toxicology was thoroughly examined in standard laboratories to assure the people that herbal medicine was not an agent of death contrary to what most people believed.

    Also some media houses like The Guardian (on Thursdays) and Comet newspaper, which later metamorphosed into The Nation, took the bull by the horn to promote herbal medicine. Tell magazine followed in its letter pages. And so, continued the growth of herbal medicine.  More and more news media followed. Though some newspapers are still wary of herbal medicine, it is, however, heartwarming that we are growing.

    To tackle the misconception and myth, Diafra Ayodele Herbals had to digitalise herbal medicine. Diafra Ayodele Herbals was the first organisation to introduce health by mail. With that, we can attend to peoples’ health needs wherever they are, by just signing agreements with courier companies to deliver our products within two to 48 hours, depending on location. We also have a world class complex, and packages fashioned to international standard.

    I can take the writer to on-sight inspection because in the last few months, Diafra Ayodele Herbals has embarked on the re-engineering of its production line. Its factory is better structured. It is into organic farming from where the raw materials are derived for the production of our products.

    The enquirer can also visit Diafra Ayodele Herbals website: www.ayodeleherbals. com. It is one in town and the best herbal medicine website in Africa. It is an interactive e-commerce website. The enquirer can make enquiries on it. It allows for e-booking or appointments and has online consultations.

    Diafra Ayodele Herbals blog is also very rich with lots of health tips. In fact, in just three months, it had more than 20,000 fans, who love the website, and the number is growing rapidly at the speed of light. It is very untraditional for herbal medicine to have a mobile app, but Diafra Ayodele Herbals does have Ayodele Herbal mobile APP, which anyone can download from Google play.

    In addition to all these, determination enabled me to have e-Books, which one can read to be well or healthy without using drugs.  One of them is Seventeen medicinal power of music. Music, yes music, what you call ordinary music is not just music, it is medicine. In fact, in some new generation hospitals there is a unit created for music to expedite the healing process of the mentally, physically and otherwise ill of acute or chronic ailments. The enquirer can be mentored on how to write e-books as well.

    In over 20 years of meeting thousands of clients of Ayodele Herbals, numerous people, who suffered cognitive intelligence problems, depression, insomnia, high blood pressure, among others, have been healed by music. Indeed, music plays a great role in optimum health.

    In this book, I have given out 17 secrets of how ancient and modern people have used music to cure themselves of acute and chronic diseases, when the doctor was in sight and out of sight. This book is being bought by orthodox doctors, other medical personnel and patients to equip themselves with how to get well and treat patients, using music.

    Another very great book is ‘Eight Proven Miracle Foods in Your Kitchen’. Do you know that there are many health products in the kitchen, which can heal you of unimagined ailments? The foods in your kitchen and water that gushes out from the tap or dispenser are all medicine.

    My experience spanning over two decades in herbal medicine, both as a registered practitioner of herbal medicine and a doctor of public health, has exposed me to the miracle foods in your kitchen.

    In this book, I have condensed over 50 foods into eight miracle foods, which can heal as well as proffer solutions to health crises that engulf the world due to environmental or physical and self inflicted health hazards that make life short and miserable. You may be surprised what the ordinary chicken fats can do for you when you bleed. You can absolutely rely in your kitchen to get rid of diabetes mellitus, high blood pressure and deadly diseases of our time.

    Also very good is the book on 15 ways to get rid of bloated stomach. You see as we imbibe a denatured lifestyle, eating lots of pastries and gulping sugar and sodium in addition to an alcoholic lifestyle, we are constantly beset with a load of numerous health crises that send us to an early grave. Obesity, hypertension, fibroids, infertility and low blood and sperm count, insomnia and cancer have become the order of the day.

    One serious problem that we often overlook and has remained the bane of our multifarious medical afflictions is stomach bloating as a result of gas and the inability of our body to digest and break down food. When gas does not leave the body through burping or flatulence, it builds up in the digestive tract and leads to bloating. Sometimes it results in pot belly, chest pain as well as heart related problems. In this book, I gave 15 most effective ways to get rid of stomach bloating. For now, I have made this book a free gift to all my fans.

    Apart from the eBooks, we do cash on delivery. You can also use your ATM cards to pay online through our secured portal.

    We have webinar where we can reach out to millions of people online all over the world one on one. I’ll be talking to them every Saturday and Sunday at 5 pm daily.

    The enquirer will be encouraged on research, as I embark on vigorous researches, which are producing results. We have also completed a product to resolve some cardiovascular ailments in addition to a product that will treat diabetes from the root. This is because high blood sugar is only a symptom. It is not a disease. What triggers the high sugar level is part of the remedies we want to resolve very soon.

    It has been a wonderful 20 years spent.

  • Delta urges moral rebirth, as it celebrates international peace day

    The Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators (ICMC) ,Asaba branch has admonished all aggrieved groups in the country to sheathe their swords as the world celebrated the 2016 International Day of Peace.

    It canvassed the adoption of mediation and concilliation in the judicial process to foster peace and unity in the Nigerian State, adding that Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) is flexible ,quick at dispensing social justice , less expensive ,less time wastage, friendly, and conducted in private and strictly confidential.

    The group in collaboration with Delta State Ministry of Justice penultimate week organised a one-day workshop to train legal officers in the Delta State Ministry of Justice on mediation and concilliation as the primary mechanism for resolving disputes.

    The workshop with theme, ‘The Sustainable Development Goals:Building Blocks for Peace’ calls attention to the United Nations three prong approach to ensuring world peace I.e ‘end to poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all’.

    The group said the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Mechanism can ‘greatly help in fostering peace and unity in the Nigerian State even before 2030 which is the target date for achievement of the 17 sustainable development goals by the United Nation (UN)’.

    The ICMC is the professional body of Nigerian practitioners that trains prospective candidates , and encourages organisations and institutions to adopt mediation and concilliation as the primary mechanisms for resolving disputes.

    Its President, Dr Louis Ogbeifun in an address at the occasion blamed ‘some stakeholders in the judicial process of hindering the anti-corruption fight of the present administration’, rand urged support for the anti-corruption crusade.

    He urged the federal government to take proactive measures to tackle the current recession,warning that the ‘sole catalyst for people’s revolt in almost all ages is poverty and hunger’.

    His words, ‘ Government can fight corruption with the teeth of the law.It can fight militancy ,insurgency and other wars with guns and bombs, but the war orchestrated by hunger if allowed to rear its ugly heads does not respond to any law ,arsenals and armament.’

    He said to prevent a masses revolt, government must provide necessary support to farmers, while encouraging citizens to cultivate small scale gardens and poultry farms.

    Ogbeifun said bailout funds should not be geared towards salaries but be channelled into employment generation ,reduction of poverty ,hunger and incentivising exportation to earn foreign exchange.

    On the successes  recorded by ICMC, Ogbeifun said, ‘So far, the ICMC is happy to have partnered with Delta ,Bayelsa, Ogun  and Edo States in setting up or in the process of setting up their multi Door Courthouses’.

    He harped on the imperatives of ADR in resolving disputes, adding that in ‘Delta State many lawyers have been trained to ensure effective administration of justice, and promotion of peace and harmonious coexistence among the various ethnic, religious and socio-political groups.’

    Delta Commissioner for Justice, and Attorney General  Mr Peter Mrakpor in his remarks said the fight against corruption should be attitudinal,adding that except Nigerians imbibe values and principles the war on corruption is doomed.

    His words: ‘It is an attitudinal change we need in Nigeria. Nigerians should understand  that what they need to live a qualitative life. Since we do not need a billion Naira to live a qualitative life, then someone should remind us that we do not need a billion to live a qualitative life.Food clothing and shelter are the basics in achieving this goal.We need to have a re orientation of values. You can take people to court, you can charge them or even send them to prison,despite these measures, society is still grappling with large scale larceny of our commonwealth.”

  • Teen shines at international summit

    Teen shines at international summit

    The EF Academy, Torbay Campus, United Kingdom, an institution that offers International Baccalaureate (IB), IGCSE, A-Levels preparation programmes, is proud of Oluwatosin Onaolapo’s performance at the Global Student Leaders’ Summit held at The Hague in the Netherlands in June.

    The 16-year-old was one of the 23 students that represented the academy at the summit.

    Tosin, an IB student, serving as an intern for the summit, was praised for how she handled her role at the summit, which was to  to give a speech introducing Ndaba Mandela (grandson of Nelson Mandela).

    She was chosen out of 1,500 international high school students for this role at the three-day leadership conference focused on human rights issues.

    Other keynote speakers were Arun Gandhi, grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, Pulitzer Prize winner Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, an alumna of the African Leadership Academy (ALA), South Africa.

    Oluwatosin said she learnt a lot from the summit.

    “The summit gives us the confidence to raise our voice higher and add our thoughts, our ideas to global issues. My entire internship experience was centered on learning from everyone around me and being bigger than some of the limitations that are typically associated with youth or race. It was all truly amazing,” she said.

    Students at the summit attended human rights and leadership workshops and participated in innovation sessions.

    The innovation sessions gave small groups of students opportunity to work together to solve a current human rights issue, using the ‘design thinking methodology’.

    They chose from four case studies of individuals who overcame situations where their human rights were diminished or disregarded, which were featured on the “Humans of New York” blog.

    Tosin’s group worked on finding a solution for women like Bhavani, an Indian now living in the U.S. after her husband died 15 years ago. She, and other women like her, have had to move past the gender roles that restrict them.

    “As a group, we realised that Bhavani needed support from other women who had been in, and risen above similar circumstances. One group member suggested we send letters of encouragement from such women to Bhavani. We then decided to fold those letters into origami cranes and have them mailed to her personally,” she said.

    From her experience at the summit, Oluwatosin believes young students should be given similar opportunities which challenge youths to seek solutions to problems.

    “Some of the other interns and I are thinking of creating an international non-profit organization where we can use what we’ve learned about leadership and storytelling to teach others to take leadership positions in the student council and become better ambassadors for EF Academy and for our countries. Being part of the conference allowed me to get a glimpse of where I stand in the global community,” she said.

    Oluwatosin, who lives in Port Harcourt and likes chemistry and economics, hopes to land a career that will allow her to combine her love for both the natural and social sciences.

  • It’s International Youth Day

    SIR: Today, August 12, marks another International Youth Day. It is a day set aside by the United Nations and member states to celebrate youths and discuss issues relating to them. Nigerian youth will join their counterparts all over the world to commemorate the aay, and more importantly reflect on the issues affecting their lives and well-being.

    One of such issues confronting youth all over the world is their increasing role in violent conflicts, radicalisation and violent extremism.

    The general consensus that conflicts in the world is shifting more from inter-states to intra-states is more reflective in Nigeria, which is suffering from the havoc caused by various proscribed armed groups such as Boko Haram militants, Niger Delta militants, Biafra agitators and so forth. This has led to the loss of several thousands of lives, properties worth billions of dollars and displacement of millions.

    As important stakeholders in the society, the Buhari led administration must engage the youth in shaping lasting peace and contributing to justice and reconciliation. While the administration has taken steps and actions to counter terrorism and violent extremist movements especially through the traditional military approach, nevertheless, this approach only tackles the symptoms without addressing the root causes of violent extremism and the factors driving youth involvement and participation in terrorist acts.

    With the current state of the economy, one may be tempted to admit that there is a sense of deliberate disengagement and marginalisation of the youth by the government.

    The lack of infrastructure and bad business environment is a critical issue inhibiting youth contribution to national development. Our roads are in dilapidating conditions, power supply is something else. Most of youth aspirations, ideas and initiatives are crushed by the absence of these two major elements.

    While it is good to tackle violent extremism by using military tactics, by monitoring and regulating religious preaching, providing jobs and economic opportunities for youth and others, curbing corrupt practices and by building infrastructures, it is necessary to point out that the ultimate solution to curbing radicalisation, preventing violent conflicts and extremism in our society is through education. The lack of good education and the capacity to acquire, process and interpret information have been largely responsible for the smooth radicalisation of youth into extremist groups.  Not until the government takes education seriously and funds it according to UNESCO 26 percent recommendation, reducing the surge of violent extremism will remain a mirage.

     

    • LawalRafiuAdeniran

    Basorun, Ibadan.

  • LCCI unveils 2016 International Trade Fair

    LCCI unveils 2016 International Trade Fair

    The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) drew the attention of managers of the Nigerian economy and the public  to the importance of harnessing the nation’s human resources with modern technology, in addition to adding  value to the non-oil export that will result in improved earnings for the country.

    LCCI President, Chief  Nike Akande stated this at   the public presentation of the prospectus of the 2016 Lagos International Trade Fair scheduled to hold from Friday November 4 to Sunday November 13, 2016, tagged: “Positioning the Nigeria Economy for Diversification and Sustainable Growth Enhancing”.

    Akande said:  “We have neglected our non-oil sector for too long , hence we are blessed with abundant deposits of solid minerals which had remained largely undeveloped over the years. There are needs to focus on a non-oil economy such as Gypsum, Bentonite, Tantalite, Bitumen,Coal, Gold, Gold Baryte, Iron ore, Gemstone and many more”.

    She  stressed the need to  identify the alternatives to crude oil, including  giving exposure to the opportunities that abound in value addition to enhance earning and profitability.

    Also speaking, Chairman, Trade Promotion Board, Mr. Sola Oyetayo said the public presentation of the prospectus is also coming on the heels of the Chamber’s introduction of three trade venues to facilitate corporate exhibitions, business to business meetings, and boost Nigeria’s rapidly growing creative industry.

  • Lagosians turn out for International Jazz Day

    Lagosians turn out for International Jazz Day

    Turn by turn, the musicians took to the two stages, filling the night with the sounds of horns, guitars, keyboards, drums and their voices. That was how both the Steve Rhodes and Fela Kuti stages at Freedom Park boomed and lit up Saturday night with over 20 artists and hundreds of fans for the second day of the Lagos International Jazz Festival which held from April 29 to May 1. To the artistes and fans, it was groovy way to spend International Jazz Day which is celebrated globally on April 30 every year. April is Jazz Appreciation Month.

    The celebration also took place at the Intercontinental Hotel and Eko Hotel and Suites, with a fusion of jazz and fashion in a show called ‘Runway Jazz’, while Lagos State governor Akinwumi Ambode hosted businessmen, politicians, celebrities and other VIPs to an evening of music.

    At the Lagos House, the Jazz session, tagged ‘Evening of Jazz’ had musicians such as Kunle Ajayi, Darey Art Alade, two-time Grammy Award winner Lekan Babalola, Yinka Davies and Jermaine Jackson, a member of the Jackson 5 entertaining an elite guest list which included Oba Rilwan Akiolu, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, former governor of Ogun state Aremo Olusegun Osoba and his wife, Derin as well as other dignitaries.

    The concert, among others, ensured it was indeed a night to appreciate jazz.

    For the Runway Jazz which held on Friday April 29 and Saturday April 30 at both the Intercontinental Hotel and Eko Hotel and Suites, American Grammy award-winner Kirk Whalum, Omawumi, Yinka Davies, Tosin Alao, Sweet Sound, Chee and other musicians joined fashion designers in a fusion of jazz and fashion. Big wigs such as Femi Otedola, Aliko Dangote and Donald Duke were in attendance.

    At Freedom Park for the Lagos International Jazz Festival, a brainchild of Inspiro Productions, musicians such as Tayo Conga, Tarri Guitarri, Survival Band, Tee Mac, Desmon D African Man, Peter and the Jazz Factory graced the two stages. Orliam, Femi Slide, Dotun Bankole, Jaya, Jasperrazzi Adebowale and Wole Sentimenta were also among other artistes that performed. While some artistes like Tarri who has a banging debut album and the Survival Band performed original songs, others did both covers of, especially legends such as Fela Anikulapo Kuti and Tunji Oyelana. Spoken Word artistes like Kemistree and Samurai also spiced up the night with their rhymes.

    In line with Ambode’s campaign to boost entertainment and consequently revenue, the three events which featured many artistes had the support of the Lagos State government.

    The Lagos state Commissioner for Information and Strategic Duties, Steve Ayorinde, said this is in line with governor Ambode’s campaign of emporwerment throught the arts and entertainment.

    “Governor Akinwunmi Ambode,” he said, “in fulfillment of his campaign promise to use tourism, hospitality, entertainment, and sports for excellence to market Lagos as a destination and create jobs, has decided to commemorate the IJD 2016.”

  • ‘International’ not in name alone

    ‘International’ not in name alone

    What a school has the appellation, ‘International,’ does not make it so, says the British Council.  This revelation is significant for parents who are easily wooed by a school’s name, its boast of offering foreign curriculum, or its facilities and environment.

    An International school is much more.  It should be one that encourages pupils to learn the six core skills adjudged to be critical for them to excel in tomorrow’s world.  The skills are: Critical Thinking and Problem Solving; Collaboration and Communication; Creativity and Imagination; Citizenship; Digital Literacy; and Student Leadership and Personal Development.

    Four secondary schools that sufficiently demonstrated the integration of these skills into their curriculum through programmes they initiated as well as collaborations with schools abroad were honoured with the International School Award (ISA) by the British Council at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.

    The schools were: Charles Dale Memorial International College, Port Harcourt; Lifeforte International High School, Ibadan; Olashore International School, Iloko-Ijesa, Osun State; and STEE International School, Lagos.

    Director of Programmes at British Council Lagos,Louisa Waddingham, praised the four schools found deserving of the award.  She added that teaching the skills to children was not easy, explaining that the council’s Connecting Classrooms project was initiated to achieve such through sharing of ideas among schools in various parts of the world.

    “Today, we are rewarding four schools.  We’ve been impressed and delighted by the variety of international programmes they did,” she said.

    Linda Ashaolu, Project Manager, Education, British Council, said the four schools were among the 12 that entered for the ISA when the cycle started in 2014. Of the eight that completed the programme, she said only four were found to meet the benchmarks.

    “It is wonderful that we can call ourselves international schools.  But how do you show that the teaching in your school is international?  Going to collect curriculum from the UK or America does not ensure international learning.  Your activities, do they know how to be global citizens; culturally aware?  How do you bring that to the classroom? Not all schools were able to demonstrate that.   But these four schools were and that’s why they got the awards,” he said.

    School owners and managers present at the award also gained insight on what to do to improve their schools from Jane English, Principal of Paignton Community & Sports Academy, and British Council School Leadership Consultant.

    She underscored the importance of good leadership to a school’s progress.  She also distinguished the qualities of a leader from a manager and an administrator.  She explained that a person can fit into the three roles but a good head teacher should strive to always lead.

    Ms English shared her school’s motto, which was adopted from the Bombay Hospital Motto, to demonstrate that children are at the centre of what a school does and should be well taken care of.

    The motto reads: “A pupil is the most important person in our school. He is not an interruption to our work; he is the purpose of it. “He is not an outsider in our school, he is part of it. We are not doing him a favour by serving him; he is doing us a favour by giving us an opportunity to do so.”

    Mr Derek Smith, Principal of Olashore International School, said the school participated in the ISA because it ties in with its vision to prepare pupils as global citizens.

    “The society we live in is changing so we are preparing students for the future.  When we looked at the award, I felt it marks closely with what we do,” he said.