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Tag: kitchen

  • When not lost in book world, I’m experimenting in the kitchen

    When not lost in book world, I’m experimenting in the kitchen

    Twenty-three-year-old Shalom Shaba, the director of Publishing at Gemspread Publishing, is one young woman dedicated to ensuring that African stories, particularly those of the womenfolk, find a voice in the world. Born in the historic city of Ibadan, Shalom comes from a lineage steeped in the book industry. She is the daughter of one of Nigeria’s publishing legends, Steve Shaba. Like her father, Shalom is becoming a strong voice to reckon with in the industry. In this interview with EVELYN OSAGIE, she shares her journey, her love for teenagers and more.

     Being a woman, me

    I think my life is best summed up with these — God addict, book lover and storyteller.

    For me, being a woman means to have a high sense of responsibility; to be responsible for yourself and for others around you. Being a woman entails sacrifice, purposeful mess and passion.

      My sense of style

    I’ll like to think that I am conscious about how I look. It’s very important to me that I dress well and look good and I wear what suits me. I think my fashion style will be corporate casual. I love looking comfortable but corporate. I’ve recently been tilting towards African prints though.

      My thought on beauty

    I think beauty is how you feel on the inside that somehow reflects on your physical appearance.

      What fuels your passion for creativity

    My passion for both creative writing and inspiring teenagers is actually fueled by a need to tell stories that will change narratives, story that will cause teenagers and people in general to reflect on their actions and make better decisions. This passion inspired my Eureka Initiative and The Book Haven Project, Through my words, I craft beautiful yet simple narratives that capture the essence of Nigerian stories. Whether I’m writing or I’m speaking with teenagers, my goal is always the same, changing narratives. I think that reading literature was also informed by this same passion. I immerse myself in an average of 100 books each year, and encourage young ones to read. In the words of Dr. Patrick Bindle, “the way we understand the world is by reading about it.” Books changed my life and it made sense to just study literature.

      My growing up that impacted the woman you became

    My childhood was particularly interesting. I grew up around books so it really influenced me and helped me build a healthy reading culture. I come from a lineage steeped in the love of literature. My journey with words began in the cream-colored pages of books, a journey that led me to study literature at Obafemi Awolowo University. I also grew up under parents who raised me to be self-aware, responsible and hardworking and these are some of the principles that currently guide my life and way of thinking. Most importantly, I grew up learning that God is the most important factor and this is how I live my life.

      Following my father’s footprints

    I get this question a lot and I’ll just say Steve Shaba being my dad is a privilege I do not take for granted. His name has opened up many doors for me and the fact that I have a front row seat to see his creative process and watch how hard he works and the passion he puts into his businesses, makes me know that I can’t do anything less. I’m constantly challenging myself to learn from him and of course, achieve even more feats.

      Being a director at a Publishing brand at a young age

    Serving as the Director of Publishing has been very challenging and humbling. However, Gemspread Publishing started because of a passion to promote the best emerging and established African talent, which I totally subscribe to represent.

    I started interning in my teenage years and I gathered a lot of experience along the way. However, it’s completely different now that I’m actually the one overseeing how things are done. I’m positive that it’ll get easier with time. And we are out to make a difference. Hence, Gemspread Publishing has adopted a completely different publishing model. While we offer paid publishing services to our clients, we’re into trade publishing. We sign authors and cover the publishing costs. Some of our titles are “Ka Chi Foo Nu” by Harachi Nnamchi, “A Hot Lagos Afternoon” by Promise Onyekachukwu and “Of Musical Affairs” by Nyambura Mwangi.

      Challenges

    One challenge will be, having to deal with some people I’ve had to work with disrespecting me because of my gender. Another would be a bit of a knowledge gap. As to how I’ve handled both, I think I’m well aware that some people will always be sexist so I just let my work speak for itself and then I do a lot of reading, watching videos and asking questions from others more experienced than I am.

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     One thing I’d love to change about literature in Nigeria

    I absolutely love Nigerian literature and I’m not sure there’s anything I’ll like to change about it. However, in terms of the Nigerian publishing industry, what I’ll love to change is how we embrace technology and innovation.

      Our niche as a publishing house

    I think what is most unique about Gemspread Publishing is our commitment to get rid of the constraints of traditional publishing. We understand how challenging each stage of publishing could get, especially for emerging writers. This is why we have adapted a new age publishing model where the process from manuscript submission to getting the published book to your readers is seamless. We provide all the publishing processes, including and especially marketing and sales, distribution within Nigeria and other African countries and author branding. No, we are not concerned with a specific gender.

      Three important things aspiring women author must know

    Firstly, be sure of what it is you want to be known for in the industry. Whether a writer or a publishing professional, you must create a niche for your craft. The fact that you’re a woman means people would automatically want to think that you might be incompetent, and be very good at what you do. Secondly, ensure that you’re the best that you can be.

    Thirdly, don’t be afraid to ask questions, learn from those that have gone ahead of you and seek mentorship.

      Notion that Nigerian youths are lazy

    I believe that Nigerian youths are extremely tenacious, innovative and driven people and there are so many examples to prove this. I think support, in terms of finances, platforms, exposure, will go a long way to harness their energies and creativity.

      My escape

    I read (laughs). When not lost in the world of literature, you’ll likely find me experimenting in the kitchen. I also love to cook, watch a good movie or hang out with friends.

      Fashion item I can’t do without

    Earrings. I cannot go out without them and they have to be conspicuous.

      My kitchen experiments

    I ran a food business in Ibadan for a year when I was fresh out of university. So I experimented a lot with food and serving people nice meals. I think my most recent kitchen experiment, if I can call it that, would be the Asun rice I made last week but with a secret ingredient.

      What next

    What’s next for me will be more learning, maybe a masters and PHD in publishing (laughs). For Gemspread Publishing, it will be to keep promoting the best of African fiction through our books and promoting Ma Keke, a monthly flash fiction contest that aims to reward emerging writers.

  • Lagos Kitchen boss weds in style

    Lagos Kitchen boss weds in style

    Lagos Kitchen restaurant boss in the United States of America, Oluwatoyin Owasoyo was all smiles, recently, when she exchanged marital vows with her heartthrob, Jimoh Muritala.

    The occasion had the trappings of several American returnees and high society men and women inside the highbrow Isheri Magodo area of Lagos State.

    The restaurateur and her hubby, who is a U.S.-based iron steel merchant, couldn’t hide their joy as they danced and feted guests to a lot of good food and drinks.

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    The wedding reception was the gathering of creme de la crème from the United States of America and Nigeria.

    The bride and groom, alongside their families, left no stone unturned as they made sure the wedding reception turned into a carnival to the guests’ delight.

    Popular fuji maestro, Abass Akande Obesere was also on bandstand to serenade guests while singing the praises of the bride, groom and their associates.

  • Why you should prioritise the cleanliness of your kitchen

    If you are very concerned about the cleanliness of your home, you are clearly on the right path to a healthy life for you and your family.

    The truth is that the benefits of a good hygiene for all parts of a home cannot be overemphasized.

    But you may not be able to clean every part of your house extensively every day, hence the need to prioritize. So, what areas should you focus on? The toilet? The sitting room where guests stay? Your dining area? Or your kitchen?

    Well, it’s fine to clean all these areas of your home but your kitchen is perhaps the most important and I will tell you why.

    Some Parts Of Your Kitchen Have More Bacteria Than A Toilet Seat

    According to researchers, many parts of your kitchen actually contain more bacteria than a toilet seat! Yes, a toilet seat. In fact, according to the BBC, one study that tried to analyze different parts of the kitchen observed that the kitchen sponge harbors 200,000 times more bacteria than your toilet seat.

    You may flush your toilet and clean it often to ensure it sparkles, but when last did you try to disinfect or clean up your kitchen sponge? I am sure you now understand why the results of the study came out that way- it will probably yield the same results if performed in your home.

    Now that we have established the need to clean your kitchen, let’s get deeper into areas that you should specifically clean that are very much prone to containing a lot of bacteria.

    1. Your Sponge

    Your kitchen sponge comes in contact with all manner of foodstuffs, dishes, and cutlery that it is itself a home to different bacteria from decomposing food matter. Many of these food particles get trapped in its fabric and are pretty hard to get out. So, how then can you effectively clean your sponge? Well, some people suggest that you place it in the microwave to heat it up a bit or use a dishwasher to disinfect it.

    2. Your Chopping Boards

    Chopping boards are often used when cutting meat and chicken, they easily become laden with bacteria and other microorganisms. So, emphasis must be made to clean it. It is advisable that you keep a separate board for cutting meat, fish and other animal products, and another board for cutting vegetables like carrots and cabbage. You should also wash them properly before and after use.

    3. Your Dishwasher

    People often have an erroneous belief that cleaning equipment need no cleaning. The fact that a device is used to clean up dirt from the dishes is the more reason why you need to also clean it.

    How then do you clean your dishwasher? Well, you can use liquids like vinegar to give your dishes a very good clean. Here’s a guide on how to get it done easily.

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    4. Your Oven Ranges

    Usually, oven ranges come in different styles, some are single or double, so you need to put in an effort to clean and disinfect their interior parts. You should also not neglect the electric surface range or the gas surface range.

    You really don’t need to use antibacterial soap to get it done, regular soap and a clean cloth work well to clean off these ranges.

    5. Cloths and Rags

    Many people use the same cloth for cleaning their countertop surfaces, carrying hot pots from the range to the sink, drying their chopping boards and cleaning their hands. This is very inappropriate and can easily spread microbes around.

    You should have different pieces of cloth for these separate purposes and use a disposable paper towel to dry your hands after washing them. Using a cloth to clean your hands after washing will only contaminate them instead.

     

    Guest article by Dr. Charles-Davies OA, a medical doctor based in Lagos. He loves to write about health and blogs at 25 Doctors a website for sharing health information, he also serves as an editor of 93 treats, a food blog.

  • Stench from President’s kitchen

    SIR: The series of scandals that have engulfed this administration recently are beginning to cast a shadow over the integrity of President Buhari and the government he heads. What is more, the deafening silence on some of these weighty allegations is making matters worse.

    President Buhari was roundly supported by Nigerians because of his vow to tackle corruption before it kills us among other things and recent events plus his body language have not quite lived up to expectations. This is not why we kicked out arguably the most corrupt administration this country ever had.

    The slow motion with which this government has handled sensitive issues -from delays in appointments to policymaking, despite complaints from all quarters, has proven to be a real threat to our development in that it has affected businesses and investments. It is imperative that this government understands that inordinate delays in making vital decisions make for a poor image of a government and the country it leads.

    Recently a letter to the President from the Minister of State for Petroleum where some very damning issues were raised was leaked. Forty-eight hours after the news broke, no scratch that, two months after the letter was sent to the Presidency, there has been no action whatsoever from President Buhari. In the said letter Minister Kachikwu accused Maikanti Baru, the GMD of NNPC of insubordination and award of contracts to the tune of US$24 billion, without due process among other allegations. That no move has been made to investigate these allegations and proper actions taken, two months after the letter, beggars belief. With the President’s body language in the light of this, one is wont to believe the fight against corruption is a farce as peddled in some quarters – a witch hunt.

    I didn’t believe a day will come when I’ll have some doubts and questions about President Buhari’s war against corruption and his Presidency in general.

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo submitted his committee’s report on corruption allegations against Messrs. Babachir Lawal and Ayo Okeupon the President’s arrival from London and a month after, there’s been no word on that. Something does not feel right.

    Is there a form of nepotism going on here? Why has Ibe Kachikwu been denied access to the President since his return from medical leave? Why has there been silence on his allegations against Baru? Did the President see this letter? Was it intercepted by someone? If it was, who is that someone and what is/was his motive? This is the time to clear the air and act.

    The true test of President Buhari’s Presidency has just been presented and the way he handles this will determine a lot as his legacy is on the line here.

    Is the legacy he’s built over the years based on his modesty and integrity worth losing over some jejune decision and obsequiousness to some good for nothing cabal? The President can’t continue to make bets in a burning house. This won’t-talk attitude will not even cut it this time around. It’s already one too many and this is too heavy to ensconce.

    The President must make a very firm decision on this. He should as a matter of urgency launch a thorough investigation into these allegations and make sure justice is served. In the same vein, the President cannot continue to hold the country to ransom with respect to Babachir Lawal and Oke – make your damn decision and let justice reign!

     

    Chiechefulam Ikebuiro,

    chiechefulamikebuiro@gmail.com

  • From the Villa: Probing the kitchen cabinet

    Last Wednesday was definitely not a day the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir David Lawal and the Director General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ambassador Ayo Oke, will forget in a hurry.

    Like a bombshell, the news of their suspension spread like wildfire. That afternoon it went viral on social media in response to the press statement by the Special Adviser on media and publicity, Femi Adesina, which announced the suspension.

    While Lawal was suspended over alleged fraudulent practices in the award of contracts under the Presidential Initiative on the North East (PINE), Oke was suspended over the discovery of large amounts of foreign and local currencies by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in a residential apartment at Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos, to which the NIA had made a claim.

    The allegations leveled against Lawal included the Senate’s Ad-hoc Committee on Mounting Humanitarian Crisis in the North East, headed by Senator Shehu Sani. alleging breach of Nigeria’s law in handling contracts awarded by the Presidential Initiative for the North East (PINE).

    It claimed that one of Lawal’s firms was awarded over N200 million contract to clear an ‘invasive plant specie’ in Yobe State.

    Lawal was accused by the committee of putting himself in a position of conflict of interests.

    Besides Lawal denying the allegations, a press statement by Hamidu David Lawal, who is the Managing Director of one of the firms under probe, Rholavision Engineering Ltd., which the SGF was connected to, had claimed that Lawal resigned as director of the firm and relinquished his shareholding in the firm as soon as he was appointed Secretary to the Government of the Federation in August 2015.

    Apart from the statement also noting that the PINE contract came in 2016, a year after Lawal resigned from the company, it disagreed with the claim that over N200 million was paid to the firm.

    It explained that the firm only got N7.01 million contract for Consultancy Services from PINE.

    Lawal, who had severally claimed that he was not given fair hearing by the committee, was directed to appear before the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, alongside the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu, for investigation by the Executive arm of government.

    That panel later wrote a letter to the Senate, clearing the duo of all allegations.

    But still worried that the Presidency had kept mute as Lawal refused to appear before the Senate Committee to clear his name, its Chairman, Senator Shehu Sani, had accused the Presidency of fighting corruption with double standard.

    According to him, while the Presidency was fighting corruption with insecticide in other arms of government, it was fighting corruption with deodorant in the executive arm of government.

    This matter was part of the issues that recently caused rift between the Executive and the Legislative arms of government, with the legislature threatening to stop screening of National Electoral Commissioners as its resolutions were not been respected by the Executive.

    But in a twist of events and to prove that it is not fighting corruption with deodorant in the Executive arm,  President Buhari last Wednesday named Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to chair another committee to investigate allegations against Lawal and the money linked to Oke.

    Even though some Nigerians have reservations about the ability of the executive to probe itself without any bais, others still think that the new probe is only intended to give Lawal and Oke soft landing.

    Responding to the suspension, the National Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council, Muhammedu Nalado described  it as demonstration of President Muhammadu Buhari’s commitment to anti-corruption fight.

    On the other hand, Senator Ahmed Makarfi -led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), while calling for setting up of independent commission of inquiry to probe the matter, described the suspension as a ruse to deceive Nigerians.

    But the drama that played out in the Presidential Villa last Wednesday did not show that the government was handling the probe with kid gloves.

    Lawal, who normally crack jokes whenever he comes into contact with journalists in the Villa, was visibly shaken by the development.

    Apart from parrying all the questions from journalists who laid ambush for him before coming out from the Vice President’s office shortly after the suspension was announced, Lawal did not find the journalists’ presence exciting that afternoon.

    He did everything possible to quickly get away from the journalists’ ambush even though he managed to crack some jokes with them as he walked out from the Vice President’s office.

    But the newly launched Sagem MorphoAccess security gateway did not help matter.

    He was momentarily stucked with the scanner that refused to open for him to go out.

    The security personnel on duty had to ask him to step back a bit from the glass door for the machine to properly assess information in his identity card in order for the door to open.

    While the delay lasted with the machine, journalists did not stop bombarding him with questions one after the other, which Lawal also did not fail to parry.

    After the glass door opened and he got through it, he was further delayed at the entrance, as he had to wait outside for some time for his driver to drive his SUV forward.

    While waiting outside, journalists still did not spare him of questions concerning his suspension. He only got away when his driver brought his car to the entrance.

    But before he entered the vehicle, he had to muscle his way through journalists standing in his front. The black SUV hurriedly drove out of the Villa as soon as he entered.

    While Lawal was able to withstand and interact with State House correspondents, the case of the gentle and easy going Oke was different when he arrived the Presidential Villa few minutes after Lawal left.

    He could not withstand any contact with the journalists. The lobby and Vice President’s office area had to be cleared of journalists for him to gain access to the Vice President’s office. No journalist was allowed to hang around for the duration of the meeting.

    Only time will tell whether any of them will be left off the hook as the Osinbajo led committee is expected to submit report next week.

  • The ‘great’ man in Jonathan’s kitchen

    The Head of the Presidential Stewards in the State House, Abuja, Mr. Onuh Michael, was a shining star last Monday when he stepped out alongside 313 others to receive national honours from his boss, President Goodluck Jonathan.

    Onuh, who has put in over 30 years as a steward, has an unbroken record of serving nine presidents from Alhaji Shehu Shagari’s to Jonathan’s administrations.

    He has been attending to the domestic needs of the first family, which has given him opportunities to travel to so many countries, including the United States, Libya, Venezuela and Jerusalem.

    Not only was the 59-year-old steward, who lives in a rented apartment at Karu, Nasarawa State, given Member of the Order of the Niger (MON) Award at the 2014 National Honours Award at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, for meritoriously serving nine presidents, he was also among the three award recipients singled out for free housing in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    Before the award was given to him, he had earlier admitted that he had accommodation challenges, saying: “The regret I have is that for someone that has been working for his country for over 30 years, it is not good that I don’t have my own accommodation. I live at the outskirts of the city (in Karu, Nasarawa State) in a rented house.

    “My greatest challenge is coming all the way to work from a very far distance every day. Waking up by 3:00 a.m. to be at work and closing in the early hours of the morning only to be back again very early to work is a big challenge for me.” After receiving the award and listed among those to get free accommodation in the FCT, he expressed gratitude to President Jonathan for putting smiles on his face.

    He said: “The President is always full of surprises. He has done it again today.

    “I thank my God that I am witnessing this in my lifetime, that I am now a landlord in Abuja. I will ever be grateful to him.”

    Speaking on the Head of Presidential Steward at the 2014 National Honours Award, President Jonathan said: “A very dedicated steward who has survived every heads of state loyally since President Shehu Shagari. From Shagari till today, to have survived about nine presidents and nine first ladies, you must be a great man.”

  • Make your kitchen a safer place

    Make your kitchen a safer place

    Your kitchen is one of the most dangerous rooms in the house. But you can make it safer with these 10 expert tips from weight watchers magazines.

    Sharpen your knives. Struggling with a dull blade, you can easily lose your grip and slice your fingers. Surprisingly, knives are the most hazardous items inyour home.

    Avoid outlet overload. Plugging two heating or cooking appliances such as electric boiler rings, popcorn poppers, toaster ovens, or electric frying pans into the circuit could blow a fuse or cause a fire.

    Refrigerate all left overs promptly. When cooked food sits out for more than two hours, bacteria multiply to levels that can make you sick. Heat properly stored left overs thoroughly

    Set your refrigerator at or below 40 degrees. Your freezer should be set at 0 degrees.

    Marinate meat in the fridge; it will prevent bacteria from multiplying. Bring marinade to a boil for a few minutes before serving as a sauce.

    Thaw carefully. To defrost frozen foods, place them on a plate in the refrigerator or in a bowl of cold water that you’ empty and refill frequently. If you are ready to cook, it is alright to thaw in the microwave.

    Head off cross-contamination. You can spread hazardous bacteria, including salmonella and E. Coli, by handling raw meat, poultry, fish and eggs, then touching other foods and surfaces. Wash contaminated surfaces with plain soap and hot water to clean them adequately expert’s advice. Use an antibacterial cleaner for extra protection

    Scrub food that grows on the ground. The skins of melons and squash can carry dangerous bacteria. Before cutting, rinse them thoroughly under cold water and scrub to remove any clinging soil.

  • Strange World! A room that serves as kitchen, toilet and bedroom at once

    Strange World! A room that serves as kitchen, toilet and bedroom at once

    This woman cooks, defecates, washes and bathes in her single room apartment with her children. Taiwo Abiodun reports

    Mrs. Toyin  Abiodun lives with her four children in a one-room apartment at Number 24, Adekunle  Street, Akute- Odo ,  Ogun State. In her room she cooks, eats, washes her clothes and dishes. She and her four children defecate, and have their bath in the same room.

    According to her co-tenants, Toyin abuses her children by locking them up and using cutlass, knife and belt to beat them. Evidence of this is on their bodies. Their heads and bodies are full of scars while their hands are dislocated.The eldest of the kids , Dejitade,11, in  Z  I Primary School , Akute School Two!

    When The Nation got to the school, the teachers (who begged for anonymity ) described the situation of  the three children as pathetic, ” we are so afraid and full of pity for these kids and we had to report the incident to our community head , Oba Aleeh Idowu Akindele.”

    According to the children, their mother would give them caps to cover their heads in order to avoid the scars from being seen or discovered. The other girl has a strange big Bob Marley strands of over 500 woven on her head to cover the scars on her head. The hair looked weird as it is too heavy for such a small girl of four!

    One of the teachers with  misty eyes  said, “The eldest one is in Primary Two at age 11, yet he cannot read or identify numbers one to four, he is always afraid and his speech is blurred  and  could no longer reason  well, this is as a result of abuse from her mother.” Another teacher who was full of pity said “The children are always afraid to go home when it is time for them to go.They said their mother used to beat them with any object from knife, cutlass, belt to iron. These kids need to be rescued before it is too late.”

    However , at school the  first born is said to have been affected psychologically as he does not know how to identify numbers  and  cannot identify any of the alphabets. Another teacher said “these children’s bodies

    are full of scars, the first born Dejitade is about 11years old but he said he is nine, he is in Primary Two. He does not speak properly while his hands have broken as he has dislocation. How can an 11-year-old boy be in Primary Two and still does not speak properly? I believe this has affected his brain.”

    Dejitade said his mother uses stick, cutlass, and knife to beat them. He said it is true that she maltreats them always. He said she does not care. “She would put knife in the fire and use it to cut our body.”

    Emmanuel said he is in KG Two, he said his mother used to beat them with cutlass, belts , sticks and knives.

    Damilola, 4, said she does not want to live with their mother again. “My mother is wicked”, she kept on repeating the statement.

    The landlord of the house, Samuel Soyemi, said the woman was her late mother’s tenant. ” I asked of her husband but she  said  she was no longer with her husband. When I called the husband he said he is no longer interested in their relationship. This woman is weird, she would lock up the children and leave  home till evening while they would be crying. She has done like that  four times locking the children in the room. She does not cooperate with anybody. It’s  like she has  psychological problem .One day  she locked up the children and used  a knife she brought from the fire and  cut their scalps, their  heads  are full of scars. She gave them caps to be wearing and tutored  them to tell whoever asked about their scars that they  were involved in  motor accidents. That is why they wear caps .She baths for them in the room, cooks, wash clothes and defecates in the same room they live.”

    When The Nation visited Toyin  at her residence  she was met with a belt in her hand  with eyes frowned , possibly  she had just finished  beating one of the kids. While the last one was on a potty defeacating and at the same time eating along with his brothers and sister from same plate!

    When asked about  her life , she said she had the eldest child for her husband and later had another for another man but both are not serious men .On the last  baby , she denied she is the mother and said the baby belongs to her sister, when asked where the sister lives , she kept quiet and started challenging the reporter on his mission. However, she confessed that she  at present has no man  in her life as she  had divorced her  first  and  second husband who did not care  for her. She added that all the tenants in the house hated her including the landlord , ” they all hate me here and did not mind their business. In fact, I suspect it is either the landlord who had wanted me to befriend him and I refused or my former husband who came to report me in your office.”

    Her four kids are in a terrible condition as their bodies are full of scars. The head of the first born is full of scars, while their bodies are full of sores and scars as well,  no wonder the  first born wears cap like the  fabled Alade  in Yoruba  folktales who had horn on his head and wear cap always to cover the horn.

    Asked why she use to beat the children, she denied and claimed that the belt she was holding was just to discipline them at that moment. She said “the scars on them had been there for long. The first born had all those marks as a result of the beatings he had when he was with my brother in law in Lagos Island.” Asked about the second one with scars and dislocation, she could not say a word but insisted that her enemies had sent the reporter to her

    When the interrogations continued  she confessed that she has been to the Welfare office. She then called a number to inform the woman who spoke with this reporter.

    The Welfare Officer spoke with this reporter on phone and confirmed the scars on the children’s bodies and she asked the reporter ” has she started bullying the kids again? We once took the custody of the kids.”

    Oba Aleeh Idowu Akindele, the Alakute of Akute said the case has been reported to him from the school the children attend. He said ” I have called the landlord to confirm what was happening in the  house and he said it is true. I have instructed them to call the human rights organization to wade into the matter. I don’t believe we can allow the children to still be under the mother’s care. We need to rescue the children.”

  • Women should not stay in the kitchen

    Women should not stay in the kitchen

    Business tycoon, mother and a royal princess from Eko; these are the many hats Princess Funmilayo Bakare Okeowo wears with dignity.

    Spurred by a need to break beyond the economic and gender barrier she faced as a young wife, Funmilayo listened to her mother’s advice, strived on her own and built a business that rivalled her competitors. Now the second largest producer of envelopes in Nigeria, the Chief Executive Officer of FAE Limited spoke with Rita Ohai on her journey to the top.

     

    YOU run the second largest envelope-manufacturing company in Nigeria. As the only woman at the top of this field, how did you build your brand?

    Over 20 years ago, my mother and I were distributors to Wigeen-Steep, a company that produced envelopes at the time. At the end of the year, they would give us fridges or television sets for being the best distributors.

    One day, I felt I had done enough and wanted to own my business. I did some research, bought the machine that was needed and became a manufacturer. I was passionate about it and it has been good for me.

    In Nigeria it is normal for men to want to oppress women but since you already have that at the back of your mind, you will need to strive harder to succeed so that you can stand tall among your peers.

    Also, I gave it my best every time because if I did not want people to just rank me among the mediocrities.

    If you look at my envelopes, you feel how smooth they are and the look very professional. And we ensure that about 80 percent of our materials are gotten locally.

    Has putting efforts into running your company profitably affected other areas of your life such as your family?

    It has not been easy but thank God my husband is a brother and father. He fills in the gap for me and whenever I am becoming weak, he is there to support me. Plus I have beautiful children who stand by me through thick and thin.

    Although my children are all out of the house, I keep in touch with all of them as much as possible. At least one of them calls me every night and we talk for about two hours each time.

    One of them works with me as the Chief Operating Officer. My baby is in the medical school in Canada while my daughter is a lawyer practicing in Calgary.

    Plus I try to prepare my husband’s favourite dish which is Ikokore. My husband had to teach me how to make it because he is an Ijebu man.

    What do you not like about being an entrepreneur?

    I love everything about owning my business. I feel proud as an industrialist.

    In the morning when I enter the factory, this might be sentimental, but there is an internal joy I feel when I hear the machines work. I just get happy.

    Sometimes when I am upset, I go to the factory, pick up a chair, sit down and look at what God has done for me.

    Who can you say has been the greatest influence in your business life?

    My mother! She was a teacher for 35 years and she was tougher than my dad, but she was the best.

    Initially I thought she was a bad mum. Along the line, I found out that she had become the closest person to me and I could discuss anything with her. Even while I was at boarding school, I would come home and work for my mum and she would pay me, no matter how small.

    When I wanted to be a full-time house wife, it did not go down well with her. It was a real tug of war and she insisted that I must work. At the time, my husband did not want me to work so I was between the devil and the deep blue sea.

    She sat me down and told me that it was a beautiful thing to be married but it was more honourable for a woman to be able to raise her head among her peers.

    So I went to work with her while she was selling small stationeries like pencils and rulers at her petty shop. We ran this company together for a few years before she passed on.

    I really loved her. If you want to destabilise me just tell me that you dreamt that my mother told you to ask me to sit down on a chair for two days, I will obey you, no matter who the person is.

    As a child, was there any household chore you could not stand doing simply because you disliked it?

    I hated washing clothes (she laughs).

    I always found a reason to run away from doing the laundry and my mother who was a disciplinarian would be on my case.

    Right now, I do not wash clothes any more, thanks to washing machines and drycleaners in this jet age.

    Also I would want to advice young women not to stay in the kitchen. Go out and work hard because what a man can do, a woman can also do it. I am not regretting the life I have lived at all. I can talk to the high and mighty. I wine and dine with the people in the corridors of power simply because I am not confined to the kitchen. That is not to say you should shirk your responsibilities, but be smart about it.

    If you had to live permanently anywhere outside Nigeria, seeing how tough the economy is, where would you pick?

    I am not going anywhere. All I want is for the country to improve because this is home for me.

    Let me give you an example, I travelled abroad for three weeks and got this severe cough. When I went to the hospitals there, they gave me all kinds of drugs and it refused to go, but the minute I stepped into Muritala Mohammed Airport, the thing disappeared.

    What do you think tears couples apart in marriage?

    The lack of friendship. Many of the people who get married these days do not work on being confidants or close friends with their spouses.

    When you are not friends, little issues blow up into major ones because there is no understanding between both parties.

    If the wife does something, the husband will not know how to handle it so he starts talking to people outside the home who will give him wrong advice, he starts having girlfriends and then trouble grows.

    When my daughter was about to get married, I just told her to focus on being friends with her husband, that way you can get away with anything.

    Smiling is a visa that can open doors even with your in-laws. People say mother-in-laws are bad but it is up to the incoming party to warm up to her because she is not bound to like you since you are from different backgrounds and she does not want anyone to displace her in her child’s life.

  • ‘I started making body cream from my kitchen’

    ‘I started making body cream from my kitchen’

    THE Chief Executive Officer, Real Future Hope Industries Limited, Prince Saviour Iche, went into body care cream business when things were rough.

    But with tenacity of purpose, he pulled through.

    He started in 2006 by hawking his products at Oyingbo market in Lagos. Initially, his friends mocked him.

    But he was adamant and hopeful that things would change with time. Today, he is enjoying the friuts of his labour.There are many outlets selling his cream. There is a growing demand for them. As a result, he plans to open more sales’ outlets.

    With a capital of N20,000, which he borrowed from a friend in Onitsha, he started making the cream from his kitchen.

    Before then, he was involved in soap making.

    With more research, he was able to produce a low–cost soap that sold fast. However, he faced the challenge of inadequate capital to expand the business and give it a competitive edge.

    He had to quit when he could not cope. Part of the challenge was that he couldn’t pay for the National Agency for Food, Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) licence.

    Later, for some reasons he had to close shop, an experience he described as the darkest hour of his life. It was a major blow, he said. For a long time, he remained jobless. But necessity is the mother of invention. The light at the end of the tunnel was growing brighter. He had the idea to produce body cream.

    He started small and gradually built the business.

    Before long, Iche had established a factory and bought mixing and packaging machines to manufacture the body cream.

    Today, he is happy that small entrepreneurs are getting concessions from NAFDAC to do business.

    He employs 45 factory workers, with 5,000 marketers assisting him. He said his customers are warm and receptive to the product. He has learnt quickly that it is all about business, but relationships.

    The keys to his success? He has continued to stay focused. More importantly, he said the fear of God and sincerity with his consumers, have been his strength He tried to make sure the production is reformulated to make it safer and better. He has also re-packaged the product.

    Iche has surrounded himself with people who, he believes can be an extension of him as well as people who bring what he doesn’t have to the table in both business and his personal life.

    According to him, the economy is too sluggish in enhancing SMEs’ growth, despite the remarkable strides being made in other countries to promote the sector. While there are a growing number of SMEs, he said the environment SMEs are born into and nurtured, leaves much to be desired.

    Iche explained that the growth and development of SMEs is impeded by too many regulatory and institutional barrier, adding that this is affecting aspiring entrepreneurs.