The Nation Newspaper

Tag: life

  • ‘What life has taught me in 50 years’

    ‘What life has taught me in 50 years’

    Lagos lawyer Temilolu Ogundipe is the principal partner, Iwadola Ogundipe Practice and member Ikeja Bar Association. She clocked 50 recently. The mother of five who is also married to a lawyer tells AdetutuAudu that she now has a clear cut vision.

    YOU have spent half of a century. What does this mean to you? In 50 years, with all the things I have passed through; my educational pursuit over the years, having been married for 22 years running, having children, there have been varieties of lessons that I can look back at 50 and say that I have been through a lot. Different lessons from different phases of life.  To me, it means I have come of age and at this age more than ever before, I must remain true to myself and people around me. The focus is now so sacrosanct; the vision I have for myself, children and career are very clear.

    At 50, I can boldly say that a good name is better than silver and gold. When you help others, it may turn out you are helping yourself that God is faithful indeed.

    The celebration is to show appreciation to God for his protection and grace. Armed robbers have woken us up. They were right in our bedroom because it was raining, we didn’t know when they got in. And I saw God in action. Initially, I thought I was dreaming, but I whispered that ‘God you are the ever present help in trouble’ and I said ‘show yourself.’ They never raised their voices against us or assaulted us. They collected all they needed. Secondly, I had a problem in one of my legs at a point. I couldn’t walk for one day. I anointed my leg and prayed. And to the glory of God, I was able to walk with it the next day. So I said whatever it would take, I would thank God and celebrate. Giving birth to five children without any problem. I can count and count.

    When I gave my life to Christ, the Lord spoke to me that it is not all of us that will mount the pulpit. Some of us will be workers and ministers in his vineyard. I make it a duty to positively impact the lives of people I come across. When they discovered later that I am a lawyer, they are usually surprised because the perception we have is that lawyers are haughty people, especially the female ones.

    When you look back, who are those who shaped you into who you are?

    We had a reverend sister principal way back in secondary school, Sister Pauline from Dublin, when we were in St. Louis Girls  Grammar Ikere-Ekiti. She has gone to be with the Lord now. She instilled in us as young girls a high sense of dedication to assignment that you are given. The spiritual aspect was also very important to her. In my final year, because of the diligence I was pursuing given assignment in that age, I was the library prefect. The sense of doing the right thing even when nobody is watching is important to me. My mum was a primary school teacher before she retired. She also will not take any nonsense, my father was a customary court judge in Ikole-Ekiti and so growing up with these kinds of people I don’t have time with frivolities.

    Did you set to be a lawyer from the beginning?

    Right from secondary school, I knew naturally that it has to be law. I was not very good in mathematics and at that time it was not compulsory you pass mathematics at credit level, unlike now. I loved law. I occasionally visit my dad at the customary court, even though his own was elementary to what we are doing today. It may interest you to know that because of the profound love I have for law as a career, I took up law as a second degree. I had second class upper in linguistics in the University of Ilorin and I was posted to Nigerian Army, 21 Armoured Brigade in Maiduguri for NYSC. By the time I was finishing, I knew that there was no fulfilment and I applied to UNILAG to study law.  I was called to the bar in 1991. Since 1991, I have not looked back. I am enjoying law.

    Your husband is also a lawyer. Do you also practice law in your home?

    If you look at practicing law at home, as you put it, will mean arguing with my husband. My husband studied Civil Engineering at the UNILAG and graduated in 1986. And he felt he had ample time in his hands when we newly got married and said he would study law.  I would not know if it’s because of being married to me. He took up evening law. We have two lawyers at home, we do not argue, we were first and foremost friends, but, of course, we reason along legal lines.

    22 years and still counting, what has bonded you together in the era where there is an alarming rate of divorce?

    My husband was my first boyfriend and I was lucky it ended up in marriage. He is a gentle man per excellence. We are both from Ekiti and in terms of background we have similar back ground .We have friends in common and we are each other’s best friends. When I listen to other people’s stories, I know being married to one’s best friend is the best. I have fantastic in-laws, I have never had issues as far as marriage is concerned and I am thankful to God.            We are members of Gideon International; we distribute bibles, we call them men and women of the books. And so there are so many lessons we continue to learn from the life of Jesus Christ.

    If there is anything you need to change in the last 50 years, what will it be?

    I don’t think there is anything I want to change. I knew the Lord at an early age, gave my life to Christ and I have been toeing that path trying to make impact in the lives of people I come across. Attaining 50, this is what I want to pursue vigorously: I just want to serve God all the way because at the end of the day that is what that matters, not all the degrees and all the materials of this world.

    You have five daughters. As an African woman, are you not under pressure?

    It will interest you to know that after my third daughter, my husband said that would be fine. He is completely satisfied with the three daughters.  It was my insistence that made us have five because I wanted a boy, but you know God’s way is not our way.  We tried two more and it turned out to be all girls and not for one day was he bothered or displeased. Even my parents in-law. People have always felt my mother in-law was my mum for a long time, because of the closeness. My mother is old and it is my mother-in-law that spends more time with me. She had never reacted in any way to suggest that it’s because I don’t have a son.

    Share your fond memories with us

    I have friends that I have gained since 1976 and who today have become sisters. I thank God everyday that I was at St. Loius Girls Grammar School. We shared each other’s burden and they are fantastic sisters. I am passionate about the school and I am the national legal adviser for the old girls.  The Reverend Sister really instilled discipline in us and we meet at different fora. With the old girls, I feel the school has done so much for me.

    How do you juggle motherhood and your career?

    My husband supports me. He wants the best for me at all times. If I have to stay late in the office, my husband helps me with the children’s homework. As I said, I have people around who help me with daily chores, making life easier. Apart from the domestic helps, I just do what I need to do with the help of God.

    Share the experience of your first day in court with us

    I was before retired Justice A. L. Balogun, he is late now. I couldn’t sleep all night long. I was reading so that I could get all my facts right. I was nervous and at that time Justice Balogun was almost retiring. The father figure just made things pretty simple for me. Since that day, I just take things in my stride.

    You sound religious. How close are you to God?

    I consider Jesus Christ as my all in all. And he has always been there for me. My favourite bible passage is Romans 9 verse16: “So then it is not of him that willeth or runneth but of the Lord that showeth mercy.” I believe that God has been extremely merciful to me.

    Do you feel intimidated by men in your profession?

    As a matter of fact, we don’t have ladies at the bar, we are all gentlemen. There is no intimidation. I have earned the respect of my male colleagues, especially at the Ikeja Bar Association, where I belong and I am senior member.

  • LIFE IN SURULERE

    LIFE IN SURULERE

    As The Audrey Silva Company premiered its latest movie, Surulere, in cinemas across Nigeria yesterday, actress and co-owner of the company, Rita Dominic spoke to JOE AGBRO JR about working on the flick.

    HOW did you veer into film production?

    I always wanted to try out different aspects of filmmaking. I wanted to be a producer. I wanted to go behind the camera to see how it’s done and how I can contribute. So, some years back, Mildred Okwo who manages my career as an actor said to me, ‘I have this idea of setting up my production company, we will do films.’ And to be quite honest, I liked her ideas, I liked what she wanted to do. And that was what I wanted I do as well. And so I decided to go into partnership with her.

    How did you feel that your first movie, ‘The Meeting’ became so huge?

    I was elated and that was actually what encouraged me to do another project because of the success of our first project. That encouraged me to go ahead and produce Surulere.

    What informed the story?

    It’s really a story Lagosians or Nigerians can connect to. You know, we have a lot of young men who go through life… I know there are a lot of young people out there who are trying to make ends meet, hustling, to be able to live a good life. At the end of the day, what makes Nollywood are simple stories that we tell. And which is what we try to do at The Audrey Silva Company. Now, this simple story, we’re trying to do it at a much higher level and this is what Surulere presented to us.

    How long did it take to shoot this film?

    Altogether, the shooting took 10 days because of months of planning was put in place. We were organised. We knew what we wanted to do months before we went on set to shoot. And then after that, post-production.So, give and take, it’s taken us about a year for it to come out.

    You played a big role in producing the movie, why were you not so involved?

    Because the director said to me, would you like to play this role? We need your face to show in this (movie). I don’t have to play the lead role. That’s the point.

    Considering the global economic recession, and dwindling movie sales, what keeps you motivated doing films?

    Well, the truth of the matter is the Nollywood audience, they are still our audience. They still love Nollywood. And just for that reason alone, it encourages me to keep on doing what it is we’re doing, which is to put movies out there for them to watch. They love the things we do.

    Now that you’re a producer, how does it feel after you experienced what it means to produce movies?

    To be quite honest, anybody who has been able to go behind the camera to produce a film and able to get it out to the public deserves a pat on the back. It’s not an easy job.

    What do you consider the most challenging part of your work?

    Basically handling the whole set, organising the people. For me, if your cast are happy they’ll give you the best. But at the same time, you have to be firm. It’s like finding a balance to make sure your cast are not lacking, they’re comfortable enough on set to shoot for you and at the same time, you know when to put your foot down.

    And really, I don’t do it alone. My business partner is very much involved as well, which is Mildred Okwo, who co-owns the company with me. so, it’s  a teamwork between both of us.

    What are the next plans?

    Well, for people to go and watch the film. And at the same time, we plan to shoot one or two projects this year which we’re not revealing now.

    Surulere was tagged a romantic comedy and it coming out on February 12 which is very close to Valentine’s Day. How are you spending Valentine’s Day?

    (That’s) for me to know (Laughs).

    Was the date deliberate to coincide with Valentine’s Day?

    Well, that was the date we got and we thought, ‘Wow, this actually works because it’s a romantic comedy and that (February) is a love season too. Why doont we put it out in the cinema and encourage people to spend their Valentine by going to watch a romantic comedy.

    How has it been for you being an entrepreneur?

    That is why I am very much grateful and thankful to God and my business partner because she has encouraged me to go on this journey with her. If she wasn’t there, maybe… In as much as I wanted to be a producer, sometimes, you want somebody to encourage you. And I’m just grateful to her that she encouraged me the whole nine yards. And to be quite honest, it’s not easy to do this in a country….. But every day we learn, every day, we keep pushing, every day, we’re hopeful….taking the industry to the place that it should be.

     What plans have you put in place to combat piracy?

    The government needs to enforce some of those laws because at the end of the day, they’ll tell you, ‘you have piracy in America and all over the world.’ What we’re asking for is for them (government) to enforce some of these laws to create an enabling environment for the industry to thrive because this industry if well structured, can generate a lot of revenue for this country. There are laws against piracy. We just need for them to be enforced.

    What’s the thing about Zamunda?

    (Laughs) How do I put it? Zamunda for me, is a place of mind. It’s a happy place, like when you have an escape place, when you’re passing through a lot of challenges or having a bad day, one of those things that we always go through. For me, that is like a place of mind where I go to in my head where everything is perfect. It started like a joke, next thing my family (fans) now started pushing it. I was like, ‘Okay, alright then, Zamunda is good.’

    You’ve been away from the media, not doing interviews

    I only do interviews when they are necessary. You’re going to see me in the media a lot now because my second film is going to be released on Friday. So, I’m going to be doing a lot of interviews concerning the film.

    For relaxation, what do you do?

    I watch a lot of movies. I watch TV. I work out. I love to travel when I can. I read when I can.

    Where is your favourite holiday destination?

    Anywhere that has water, white sand, beaches. I like Hawaii. I’ve been to Mauritius courtesy of Africa Magic as well. I like southern part of Spain.

    For books, what is your favourite?

    I love thrillers. There was a time I used to read a lot of Stephen King. And the book I’m reading currently is The Pelican Brief by John Grisham. And  then  Chimamanda  Ngozi  Adichie.

  • One Life, Manifold Lessons

    One Life, Manifold Lessons

    Title: Today’s Timely Issue Is Tomorrow’s History
    Author: Oduola Wole Fawole
    Reviewer: Ademola Adesola
    Publishers: Obafemi Awolowo University Press

    A life put into beneficial service for humankind often has telling, remarkable, and insightful lessons to teach about life – its complexities, and ups and downs. The biographies, autobiographies and memoirs of people who contribute(d) significantly to the progress of fellow human beings do serve as wells of inexhaustible wisdom, courage, and inspiration. They are dependable guides through the undulating, treacherous, and labyrinthine paths of life.

    It is in the foregoing context that Chief Oduola Wole Fawole’s invaluable autobiography, Today’s Timely Issue is Tomorrow’s History, released last October on the occasion of his 70th birthday, can be appreciated. The one-sentence title, didactic as it is, immediately annunciates the crux of the Otun-Tobalase of Ife’s offering. He wants to chronicle the trajectories of his seven decades of existence; but it is not going to be bland and without wisdom, grace, and the meatiness of an account which compellingly engages the mind and enriches it. To read the septuagenarian’s life story is to delight the mind and empower it with nuggets of understanding.

    In melodic cadence and mellifluous eloquence, Fawole plots the graph of his chequered life. He serenades the reader with tales of his birth and childhood in the rural conurbation of Afasagboye in Ile-Ife (Never mind that he belongs to that thinning tribe of Nigerians who do not know their exact birthdays!); he takes the reader through the varied scenes of his youth; and climaxes this voyage on the shores of his adult life. Life, you will learn as you carefully leaf through the 490-page book, is not a straight-line graph. And in gripping and thought-provoking manner, the Ife chief’s life account foregrounds the sense in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s memorable lines: ‘The heights by great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight, but they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night’.

    The 12 chapters of Today’s Timely Issue is Tomorrow’s History is structured, textbook-like style, into segments which give panoptic specifics on the events and happenstances that shape the author’s life. As he enthusiastically paints the pictures of his actions and inactions, successes and failings, pains and joys, so does he graphically outline the defining characteristics of all the cities he sojourned in. Through his sojourn there, we come to know a few more interesting facts about the famed New York City of the 70s. His storehouse of knowledge and experiences is as roomy as it is fetching. His power of recall is nearly legendary. He appears incapable of forgetting teeny-weeny details of his life abroad. He recalls each episode of his remarkable life anywhere unequivocally.

    As Chapter Eight of the book reveals, 1998 remains an unforgettable year for Fawole and his family. It was the year the demon of war and destruction possessed the people of Ile-Ife and Modakeke. Hardly had the war began when, first his wife, and later Fawole himself was arrested for allegedly being responsible for the death of two policemen not too far away from his street where he was the Chairman of the Landlord Association. As the Ife-Modakeke pointless war raged on, he was in police detention undergoing the kind of nerve-wracking, bestial torture that only the inflexibly unprofessional men and women of the Nigeria Police Force can joyously vouchsafe. From one police dingy cell to another uninhabitable one, his humanity was battered. His torturers heinously removed his toe with a plier and almost finished him off.

    But Fawole neither gave up on himself nor did he lose his faith in God. He demonstrated dogged resilience and ceaselessly gave himself to prayers and worship with other inmates. He was left in the lurch; those he thought he could depend on merrily disappointed him. Through it all, he survived and was later left off the hook when it became clear to the police authorities, as he says, that he was framed by sworn traducers. It is a moving yarn, one not lacking in rich, eye-opening instructions.

    Today’s Timely Issue is Tomorrow’s History is a book that only a person with Fawole’s experiences can write. It explains why each chapter and segment contains heart-stirring and epigrammatic epigraphs. Even in their unattractiveness, the pictures that adorn the pages fittingly complement the narrative of one life with multifarious lessons.

    Fawole is one of those Abraham Lincoln (a man whose life is a study in adversity and success) would always like their company, for he declaimed: I like to see a man proud of the place in which he lives. I like to see a man live so that his place will be proud of him. The All Progressives Congress stalwart’s love for Ile-Ife is akin to a mother’s undiluted love for her child. As the book shows, he has given and continues to give of himself to the progress of the ancient town. To the land, he remains a reference point of all things positive.

    Today’s Timely Issue is Tomorrow’s History is not a flawless book. Regardless of its avoidable grammatical and other forms of infelicities, it will be invaluable for the novitiate youth, historians, sociologists, and those willing to read and learn.

  • Lawmaker leads disabled on walk for life

    Lawmaker leads disabled on walk for life

    A member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Desmond Elliot has led women, the physically-challenged and youths of his Surulere Constituency 1 on walk for life, good health and vitality.

    He said the walk would keep the people fit to contribute their quota to the progress and development of the constituency in particular and state in general.

    The almost two-hour walk began at 9:30 in the morning at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere passing through Ojulegba, Masha and finally ending at the stadium.

    During the walk, paramedics and other health officials were on ground in case of any emergency, even though there was no incident suggestive of danger throughout the walk.

    The trekkers gyrated and danced to the rhythm of music emanating from mobile speakers during the walk.

    Elliot said: “A couple of months ago, I was very ill due to overweight. Adhering strictly to the doctor’s advice, I had to design a method to shed weight. This was one of the methods.”

    The lawmaker explained that leading the people on the walk for life and vitality was in response to medical prescription.

    “A lot of people get ill because they did not take their health seriously.’’

    He said apart from the walk, the paramedics equally carried out various tests and prescribed drugs to the people.

    “They do the heart test to know if their blood is circulating properly. They tests were to ensure they do not have hypertension, their sight is good, breathing and hearing are functioning well. This is basically to make sure that we have a healthy Surulere,” he said.

    Elliot gave kudos to the women for coming out en masse to participate in the programme, noting that the inspiration to embrace the womenfolk for the exercise came from his wife.

    “My wife is the main motivator of the programme and that is why it is good to marry someone who is good. When we do something, we should always seek the advice of the women because they are our mothers,” he said.

    The lawmaker, who personally wheeled some of the physically-challenged persons during the walk, explained that he had set up skill acquisition and empowerment programme for them.

    “Nigerians should try to put smiles on the faces of the less-privileged. Nothing gives pleasure than making people happy through the provision of empowerment and other facilities,” he said.

    One of the participants, Edo State-born physically-challenged Short-put Silver medal holder, Hanah Ogie said the lawmaker is a true friend of the disabled people.

    “For me, the walk is lovely even though I am physically-challenged. We have to thank the Hon. who facilitated the walk. There are Nigerians who are well placed, but who refuse to make impact in the lives of the physically-challenged persons.

    “He has organised empowerment programme to make life easy for us. He should equally fight for us through the enabling laws. For instance, when I was coming, I had to pay extra money for a taxi cab to bring me here.

    “Nigerian commercial drivers most of the time don’t stop to take us to where we are going to. We will appreciate if a law could be passed to make life easy for us,’’ she said.

    Another trekker, Mrs Jokotade Olayori said: “Elliot is doing a good work. I must say a big thank you to him and Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila.

    “The test and medication are useful. I was given a pair of eye glasses. I had tested for positive for diabetes, and my BP is high. So, they recommended medicine for me to reduce it.

    “They made me to know that my cholesterol is high and advised me on what to eat. I say a big thank you to the lawmaker for the opportunity,” she said.

     

  • ‘I have never robbed in my life’

    ‘I have never robbed in my life’

    Two commercial motorcyclists’ otherwise called Okada who specialised in snatching handbags from women in Lagos have been arrested by police.

    The suspects are John Okechukwu (19) from Olomohu village in Delta State and Olamide Oyebanjo (25) from Ilaje in Ondo State.

    According to police, the suspects on motion snatched a handbag from a woman but luck ran against them as the people chase, arrested and handed them over to police.

    Okechukwu said: “I am a commercial motorcycle rider and resides around Boundary in Ajegunle area of Lagos. This man (pointing at Olamide) called me and asked me to take him from Orile to Surulere. It was when I saw people chasing us and shouting thieves! Thieves!! that I knew something was wrong and all efforts to explain that I was not one of them fell on deaf ears.

    “I did not know that he wanted to use me to escape. Both of us were arrested at the spot. You can ask Olamide whether I am one of them. I have never robbed in my life. Both of us were arrested at Shitta area in Surulere near Bode Thomas. You can ask him whether I was telling you the truth.”

    Oyebanjo confirmed that John is a commercial motorcycle rider and that he was the one who asked him to take him from Orile to Surulere.

    He said: “I was the one that stopped him and asked him to drop me at Shitta. I have already snatched the bag from one woman near Samson Police Station, Bode Thomas before I asked him to carry me. He did not know that I wanted to use him to escape. It was when I was arrested that he knew that I am a bag snatcher and I even told the mob that he was a mere commercial motorcyclist but they could not listen to me rather it made them to continue to beat me until I could no longer talk about him. I am the real thief.”

  • EX-PDP CHAIRMAN TUKUR ALLEGES ATTEMPT ON HIS LIFE

    EX-PDP CHAIRMAN TUKUR ALLEGES ATTEMPT ON HIS LIFE

    Former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, yesterday escaped what his aide described as “an attempt on his life.”

    The incident occurred along Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport area in Abuja while Tukur was on his way to Owerri via Abuja Airport to receive a doctorate degree award from the Federal University of Technology (FUTO) Owerri, the Imo State capital.

    Speaking on the incident, Prince Oliver Okpala, the Special Assistant, Media, to Tukur, said, “It happened as his convoy, made up of four jeeps were driving to the airport, and a tinted Hilux van emerged and attempted to break into the convoy  while heading towards Ambassador Tukur’s  jeep. But his security escort prevented this move.”

    Okpala explained further that the hilux had forcefully run into the convoy hitting and damaging three of the jeeps including that of Tukur in the process, adding, “Then the occupants of the hilux demanded that the door of the car should be opened and the occupant pulled out. The hilux’s occupants also fought to disarm the security aides of their guns and this met some resistance.”

    In the process, the occupants of the hilux, whoever they are, manhandled the policemen, but Alhaji Tukur and his driver cleverly escaped from the scene.”

    Okpala said further, “As my boss alighted to board the aircraft, the same people again tried to reach him, possibly to execute their motive, but the airport security now joined his security details to subdue them before Tukur was quickly rushed to the departure hall.”

    Okpala said they have notified the police of the development, but added that no arrest has been made.

  • Importance of colour to life

    Importance of colour to life

    Colours are more than what they seem. They impact on health. They also determine mood and emotions because they influence the flow and amount of energy in the body. The absence  of colours can affect aura and thus predispose people to various ailments. A colour therapist, Chief Iwowarri James spoke to WALE ADEPOJU on the benefits

    Have you seen the rainbow before and how harmoniously the colours are arranged? That is exactly how colours in edibles and other items, such as clothing ‘harmonise’ our body, spirit, soul and environment to give man radiant health.

    According to a Colour Therapist, Chief Iwowarri James, colours are very crucial to man’s survival and wellbeing. He said colour healing is one way of restoring health and vitality to people’s aura, activate the functioning of the Chakras and regain health and balance.

    But precisely, how do colours affect people? Chief Iwowarri said colour is one of the languages of the soul, which influences people’s mood and emotions. “Colour therapy is an area of holistic methodology that uses light and colour to treat illness and disorders. It alleviates physical ailments and pain, addresses mental and emotional conditions and prevents illness and maintains good health,” he said.

    Colour therapy, James said, balances energy and restores vitality throughout the body, adding: “It helps relaxation and meditation. Colour therapy aids awareness, inspiration and protection. It lifts spiritual awareness and helps people to understand their needs for certain colours. By absorbing and altering the colour that surrounds us, we can alter our state of health and imbalances. The attributes and qualities of each colour causes a shift in energy and this restores the body to good health. Colour can help jump-start the tired or diseased body. Colour healing, known as Chromo-therapy, can be implemented in a number of ways. The ancients built great halls of colour healing, where individuals entered and were bathed in light that was filtered through various coloured glass panels or windows.”

    “Colours”, he said, “serve as the gateway to inner peace, personal freedom and achievement. They have impact on our sense of well-being or un-easiness. So, using and avoiding certain colours is a way of self-expression; it sheds light on our personality. They affect our way of perception (light colours make a space look big, a high ceiling looks less high when painted in a dark color, etc.)

    “Colours have a symbolic meaning which is immediately recognised by people’s subconsciousness. It must be said that not all colours mean the same to all persons and all cultures. They influence the flow and amount of energy in our bodies. Colours tell something about biological attraction and sexual availability.”

    He said the seven colours of rainbow: Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet / purple are significant to healing and man’s wellbeing.

    How?  Chief Iwowarri said man most important energy source is light, and the entire spectrum of colours is derived from light. “Sunlight, which contains all the wavelengths, consists of the entire electromagnetic spectrum that we depend on to exist on this planet. Light flows through man’s eyes and triggers hormone production, and as such influences his entire complex biochemical system. This biochemical system then affects man’s being. And light does not travel alone. Light travels with other energies. We know that each colour found in the visible light spectrum has its own wavelength and its own frequency, which produces a specific energy and has a nutritive effect. We know some rays can be dangerous if we are exposed to them. But the visible light, which is the rainbow, has a soothing effect on us.”

    According to him, “There are various colour healing methods. Some we practise on daily basis through our interaction with our environment, our food choices and the dresses we wear as well as the ornaments we put on. As we know that everything emits frequencies, it then means that everything emits colours and tones. There are also specific colours, healing methods discovered or developed under guidance by colour healers. Such methods include colour flashing, colour bathing, colour transfer through hands or healing.

    The absence of colours, he said, can affect people’s aura, and, as such, predispose them to health issues. Some of the problems are joint pain, lower backache, elimination problems, obesity, constipation, anorexia, and poor immune system function.

    Hence, “Many physical ailments, such as asthma, arthritis, nervous and mental disorders can be treated with colours. Others are depression, eating disorders, skin diseases, digestive ailments, blood and circulation problems, fevers, rheumatism, shock, relief of pain as part of the treatment for many serious illnesses such as paralysis, multiple sclerosis (ME), cancer and Aids.

  • Giving quality life to the elderly

    Giving quality life to the elderly

    Quality Medicare International Limited, an organization focused on the needs of the aged and vulnerable ones in the society, has vowed to improve the quality of life of elderly citizens in the society.

    This revelation was made by Dr. Mrs. Abimbola Halloway and Mrs. Elizabeth Akin Abiola, both directors of the organisation. “We discovered that there are so many things that affect the aged in our society that are neglected, which is very unfortunate. We are trying to make a change and make life better for the elderly in our society. In addition, we are also asking for applicants willing to be trained for two weeks to care for the aged ones in the society.”

    This was made known at the organisation’s premises located on Ribadu Road, Lagos, according to the Executive Chairman, Abiola Halloway, a graduate of the Trinity College, Dublin and Ireland medical school

    “The most important aspect for the team is how to make use of the teeming population of unemployed youths and women of all ages.”

    Halloway who has a working experience that spans over 33 years added that “We focus on the wellbeing and early detention of illness of our client by offering various health screening packages. The organisation calls on all who are willing to receive training for this special work, most especially women hawking on the high ways knowing it is a dangerous work they are into. While the applicants will be screened properly for the needed training, application is open to all and sundry and we have pegged our training fees moderately.”

    She went on to explain the purpose of establishing the two independent companies, Care Companion and Quality Medicare International Limited. “Quality Medicare is a health screening clinic mainly for health assessment by comprehensive medical screening of hypertension and many more. While the Care Companion carters for the aged ones who have lost their independence; which makes them become so depressed and lonely as a result. They may not be able to cope with their day to day personal needs.”

    She went further: “This has created the need for the delivery of health and much needed social care, i.e. taking them out for social gatherings like beach, playing of games or even discussing with them their old times,” said the doctor.

    The apathy of the government and poor social infrastructure for the provision of care and treatment for this set of people, she stressed, is a great challenge for many.  “Sadly, this is unlike what we have in the developed countries like the United Kingdom. So having identified this unfortunate situation, we have been driven by our passion to establish an outfit to provide these services on our own, and to ensure that clients get the desired service. To provide health education and counselling, medical evaluation and home care for parents, whose children or family live abroad.”

    For Elizabeth Akin-Abiola, a graduate of law from the University of Hertfordshire, London, “We have started this training and we have six among the 10 people we trained back as our workers. That is the essence of us calling on others to join in this training and get rehabilitated as our workers.”

    She said those willing to be trained must come with their passports, two guarantors and their identification cards the like voter card. “This is important because we are determined to give our clients the best as well as make the environment safe for them.”

    While talking about the sponsoring and partnership of the organisation from the government, both state and locally, and any other corporate entity, Mrs. Abiola said the organisation at present is looking forward to helping hands for support.

    In addition, Quality Medicare International Limited has a partnership in London with Dr Renu Hans, experienced physicians with extensive training in hospital and community medicine.

  • 25 things I learned about life by age 25

    When I turned 25 a few months ago, I wrote down some of the things I’ve learned over my short time on earth. The last year has been a crazy roller-coaster ride which has enabled me to see certain things like never before Last year during this time, I was working at what I would consider my “dream job” — well, before I discovered my current “job” (I don’t think I can even call it a job).

    Over the last year, I’ve tried to learn from people who have “made it” in life — entrepreneurs, figureheads, lawyers, bankers and even politicians. I’ve realized that there is no formula to success in life, but there are definitely lessons that can be learned to help along the journey. I came up with the following list which I hope to someday come back to — but for now, I think it’s a pretty accurate depiction of how I think. So without further adieu:

    1. Take risks when you’re young. The older you become, the harder it gets. But they should always be calculated.
    2. The most important thing you learn in school is how to learn. Once you master that, nothing will stand in your way. Never stop learning.
    3. I would rather say that I tried and failed than live a life of regret. You miss every shot you don’t take.
    4. Dream big. Life is too short to only be mediocre.
    5. Music is the cheapest and simplest cure to life’s problems. Queue up your favourite play list, put on some headphones, and take a walk. You’ll instantly feel better.
    6. Drink. Drink lots of water. It makes you think more creatively. Oh, and wine too, very optional.
    7. Join clubs and put yourself in as many different social settings as possible. It will help you understand people and make you a better communicator.
    8. Start your own business as young as possible. Even if it’s a lemonade stand, it will teach you business lessons you’ll use for the rest of your life.
    9. If you’re going to fail, fail fast and make it public. Don’t drag it on. Then pick yourself back up. Knowing that others watched you fail will encourage you to prove them wrong.
    10. Meet lots of different people. Life is serendipitous in many ways, and you never know what can happen.
    11. When life throws lemons at you, make lemonade. Then pour it for all your friends. Be optimistic. It spreads like wild fire.
    12. Success does not lead to happiness. You need to be happy first before you can become successful. Find what makes you happy. Don’t stop until you find it.
    13. Many people don’t want to start businesses because they are scared. Successful entrepreneurs got to where they are because they were willing to tread where others wouldn’t. If you’re too scared to leave your 9-5 job, entrepreneurship is not meant for you.
    14. Surround yourself with people way smarter than you. That is the only way you will be challenged to grow.
    15. Only those who are with you during the struggles deserve to be with you when you celebrate the successes.
    16. Pick and choose your battles carefully. There are only 24 hours in a day. If something isn’t worth your time, just say no … or outsource it to India 😉 (Thank you, “4 Hour Workweek.”)
    17. The most important asset to invest in is yourself. Take classes to make yourself a better person and never stop learning. Buy books. Lots of them.
    18. True friends will never question why you disappeared off the face of the earth. They will be there for you unconditionally.
    19. The more comfortable you are with a job you don’t want to be doing, the harder it will become to leave it and chase your dreams. Learn what you can, then go change the world.
    20. A dream job does not exist. You have to create it.
    21. Travel as much as you can. You will come back with a wider perspective of the world and more ideas on how to change it.
    22. “Thank You” — the most powerful two words in the English dictionary.
    23. God gave us all a purpose. Don’t settle until you find yours. I didn’t think mine was to sit in front of computer screens and trade foreign exchange, so I kept looking.
    24. The world may seem big and scary. But the older you get, the more you realise that everything is man-made. Nothing is set in stone. Don’t stick with the status quo.
    25. Life is not easy. But having the right support group with you during your journey goes a long, long way.

     

    Fung, is Chief Executive Officer, Tunez

  • ‘Our youths are impatient in all areas of life’

    ‘Our youths are impatient in all areas of life’

    You run into Dotun Akande at an interactive session for parents of children with Autism. Here, the banker turned educator shared a personal experience on how her son who is now in the university has survived autism and how the passion spurred her to save other children. In this interview with YETUNDE OLADEINDE, the woman who is also the overall winner of the 2015 Vlisco Award talks about the passion and the inspiration behind Patrick Speech and Languages Centre and Pure Souls Learning Foundation.

    When did the organisation begin? We started in 2008 and started with the centre for children with Autism before starting the Patrick’s Speech and Languages Centre. We discovered that there are so many families that could not afford to pay fees and that inspired setting up a foundation on their behalf. So we started sponsoring families for therapy.

    Did something personal inspire you to do this?

    Yes, my son did. He was diagnosed with Autism. After this, he was growing and we did therapy and he emerged and was emerging. He is now in the university. So it showed me that if you put them in an environment of love, put them in an environment that is filled with affection, care for them, they really would do well. We have been doing this for about ten years now.

    What were some of the challenges that you faced at the beginning?

    Funding and I would say that awareness that was the major challenge that we had at the beginning. Where do we go to? I remember when my dad came to the centre and saw tables and chair. He was surprised and wondered why we had so many chairs and if we had so many people that have children with Autism in Nigeria. Then I said ‘daddy, they would come,’ that a lot of people were hiding their children, but today we have a full centre and so many people are coming out. We have about 42 children and adults. Our oldest person in the school is 36 years. We have also seen a 49-year-old, even though the person does not stay in the centre.

    Would you say that you have overcome all the challenges?

    Can that happen? The challenges are still there. We still have challenges with awareness. A number of people are partnering with us because they see that we are doing something that is impactful. That we are touching the lives of families that ordinarily were hopeless.

    Let’s talk about two or three memorable cases that you have handled

    My first memorable moment case was one little girl that came to the centre. We tried for over eight months to try to let her release her words. Then she was the first that started using words like pass the ball. She actually made a sentence and she is now in a regular school. She graduated to secondary school and her parents never left the shores of Nigeria, meaning that it is possible to get help here. My second testimony is the thirty-six-year-old that is with us. He came to us at thirty-five and we had almost lost hope. My staff had actually dismissed the mother when she came and I ran out of my room to tell her to give us her son and we would see what we can do.

    Now, the gentleman from doing two quick puzzles can now do up to fifteen quick puzzles. So you see that cognitive skills are developing here. The elasticity brain is important and it continues to grow as long as we are alive. It continues to adapt to the environment and once learning comes, it stays. Another testimony was someone who came with no skills at all and now he plays the piano with great skills. Ore ofe is one of the best that we have at the centre now.

    Is the tuition free?

    Yes, it is free for those in the foundation. For some, we ask them what they can pay and whatever they can pay, we work with it. However, the most important thing is to get the parents involved. You must be involved in the activities, you must come to meetings, for project, programmes and this would help you to understand how to handle your children. However, the speech centre is where we get more of our funding. Some parents don’t pay at all.

    We also do some programmes, like the talent hunt concert which is a yearly event. The reason we do this is to make the parents to know that their children are not babies. We have one coming up on the 13th December. We are looking at the story of creation because it is talent hunt.

    This is the pioneer programme for parents. We are trying to let them talk about their problems and we can all find solutions together. We already have forms for this, if we cannot solve the problems individually, we can solve them collectively. We match them with someone in their support group and they support them as well as give them counselling. This gives them hope and shared experiences.

    Is there anything that you wish government would do?

    I wish that government would help us with capacity building for families. I also wish that government would help to train our doctors, help them identify the problem when the children are still very young. You can imagine the thirty-five-year-old that we are working with now and you can imagine what could have happened if we had met him when he was much younger. We would like the government to support sensitisation programmes for families and children. That is the best way to do this.

    At what point can this be detected?

    It depends on the type of problem that the child has. In Autism, the child cannot pick speech and the respiratory behaviour. But for the other disabilities, there are other ways in which to detect this. For the cerebral palsy, the child’s head is not properly placed by the time the child is three months, cannot walk, and cannot speak at the appropriate time. For ADHT, the attention is very short, and for dyslexia, cannot read, cannot write and cannot communicate.

    Did you go for training for all this?

    I had to go away for training abroad. I attended courses and I am still attending courses. I go out of my way to call friends abroad on updates and to clarify grey areas. I was in banking for 13years.

    How did you find banking?

    It was very stressful. There was money because there was money in banking at that time.

    You are also the overall winner of Vlisco 2015. What do you think made you to emerge as the winner?

    It was the work that we did. Somebody nominated me, that is how it works. Then we went to the polls and people voted for me. Autism won, it’s not Dotun that won.

    How has this affected you and what you do?

    I have been relishing. A lot has happened. They pamper me, do my makeup and bring fabrics and clothes for me. I look elegant and it’s been a beautiful experience. I have also met a lot of people in the process. I have met great people. I have met wonderful people doing great work in the things that you do. Sometimes you think you are doing a great job, then you meet other people who are doing something really great and you marvel. Now, you analyse what you are all doing and it inspires you to do more.

    If you had to advise women in public life, what would you tell them?

    My advice to them is that our days are numbered and everyone is watching. There is no way you can behave in a way that would discredit you, discredit your background and think it won’t be talked about. People are watching and we must be careful. Our youths should be patient. In all areas of their lives, our youths are not patient.  They are not patient in the work they do, in their relationships and the other areas. I am an employer and I know what I do to get results. Money is not everything; there is so much money cannot do. Unfortunately, we do not realise this. Until it gets to a point when we know that it is only God that propels this wheel that we are all pedalling. It is important that they should be patient and love their neighbours as themselves. It is not about me, me and me.

    What would you want President Buhari to do?

    Mr President should really come to the aid of families. Families are really suffering, especially those in the field of special needs. We have been trying to get Lagos State to give us land for our permanent site. You can’t even imagine the things that we would be able to do there. In the last ten years, we have been able to support the young ones, mentor them and make sure that the services that they are given are the right services. He should support centres like ours. We are an indigenous centre, the first centre for Autism in Nigeria.