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Tag: lives

  • The men in our lives (IV)

    The men in our lives (IV)

    In the last two weeks, I’ve been writing on what makes a good father and the very important role he plays in bringing out the best in his daughter. Now, what about girls defiled by their fathers? This ugly situation is rampant these days and it is called INCEST. We often hear stories of uncles who raped their nieces but I was shocked to discover a young girl so close to me whose waywardness was caused by her father. She came to spend her long vacation with my family and I realised she liked to wear revealing clothes and pushed her chest forward around males.

    Rumours of her dalliances with the males in the neighbourhood were rife and before long, she was nick-named “cheap.” One of the domestic staff members “caught her” with the security guard barely a week into her holiday. She could do the sexiest and craziest dance steps so much that you would think she went to a dancing school. Many times, she got missing for long hours and came back with funny tales. Some other times, she said she was spending the weekend with her uncle or going for a vigil only to end up in her boyfriend’s house. Yet, she was only 15.

    The amazing thing was that no matter how much you reprimanded her, even lovingly, she never changed. No matter the leverage of insults hurled at her, she just could not be bothered and never showed any form of remorse. It was already her way of life and we assumed a spiritual angle to it. She always came back home with tales of her classmates’ escapades with boys. This is a girl who never had any sober moments. But one day, after a weekend at her uncle’s house, she came back looking dejected and tired. When asked what the problem was, she burst into tears and narrated how he slept with her thrice before she could collect her stipend of N 1,500 for the week. This was the same uncle we had invited over to discuss his niece’s waywardness who had castigated her to no end. She said it had been going on for a long time but could not tell anyone because he was the only one fending for her since her ailing father had no job. She said each time she told him she feared becoming pregnant, he would tell her to ask her mates about abortion and have sex with her till she became sore.

    Her next revelation was most shocking. She said her father deflowered her against her will at age 13. She said he simply told her that she constantly reminded him of her mother, his late wife who died at her birth, and wanted her to fill the vacuum she created. Unbelievable it seems, but it’s happening to so many other girls. He continued sleeping with her every now and then while she lived with him.

    One can only wonder what would become of the girl because he not only defiled her physically, but mentally and emotionally. At her tender age, she saw sex as an in-door game and a means to get phone cards, snacks, money to buy hair extensions, fix her nails…and so on. Obviously, such a girl would grow up unable to handle relationships with the opposite sex.  She’s likely to be very suspicious of men and see them as mean and callous. If her father could do the worst to her, then all men could as well be as beastly as they seem. However, that depends on how she’s taken care of by those around her if she spoke out. She may get over it on time and who knows, the experience may not have a long-lasting effect on her. But you will agree with me that it is not only a breach of trust but a very evil thing to do.

    Our relationship with our fathers goes a long way in determining our personality and shaping our destiny. Those with responsible and caring fathers are very lucky. And those without responsible and caring fathers can still get on with the support of their mothers or siblings.

    A Few Tips on How A Father Can Play His Role Effectively

    1.  He must have a good and respectful relationship with the child’s mother. Children are affected by the environment in which they grow and by what they see. That forms their personality and way of life.

    2. Parents are role models for children. A girl who grows up with a loving father knows she deserves respect from the man she marries. If a father comes home drunk every day or gets involved in shady deals or flirts with the opposite sex, his son would do the same and his daughter would feel she can’t marry a better man. What the children see mould their principles and morals.

    3. It is important that the family bonds by sitting together at dinner, praying together etc. This relaxes the child and gives her the opportunity to express feelings, ideas and experiences.

    4. There must be a good level of discipline in the family. If wrongs are punishable, good behaviour must be rewarded and emphasised.

    5. Fathers MUST give exclusive attention to each child as often as possible. During       their time together, they should not allow distractions to interfere. As a result, their children would feel noticed and special!

  • ‘OUR LIVES AS GHETTO DWELLERS’

    TWENTY-FIVE old John has spent almost his entire life in the area. Since his parents relocated to Idi-Araba, a large expanse of slum located close to the lagoon in Oworonshoki area of Lagos, about 23 years ago, John has known no other place he could call home. Interestingly, in spite of the hellish condition of his community, John insists “there is life in the ghetto”.

    For John, and indeed every resident of this community, originally called ‘Golugo’, Yoruba word for foolishness, with no access road, potable water, drainage, school, hospital or other manifestations of modernity, living is in many ways comparable to Thomas Hobbs’ state of nature where life is solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short; the state where man struggled against animals and other elements in the bid to conquer his environment.

    However, this has not in any form taken anything away from the pride of the residents, who in spite of their poor living conditions hold aloft their dream of a better tomorrow. This is the case with John who works as an estate agent in Ikeja.

    To gain access to his home, you would have to trek about 100 metres on a creaking plank bridge and then waddle through some murky water from the lagoon. The house itself is one of the few block buildings in the area. The floor is bare, with the water oozing out from the lagoon.

    Like John’s house, the entire community can only be accessed through a road strewn with dirt. The road takes you to a long stretch of narrow plank bridge on which the residents walk into their homes. With no toilet facility available to them, the lagoon serves as the platform for the residents to empty their bowels.

    The community is exposed to serious danger in the rainy season when the lagoon overflows its bank, driving reptiles into the living rooms of residents. But if you expect John to get despondent each time he closes from work and heads home, you are in for a surprise.

    “I have no reason to be sad or discouraged,” he said. “This is my home, and I am happy to live here. After all, it is my father’s house and I am proud of it.

    “Of course, I know that there is a difference between what obtains here and the situation in Ikeja where I am currently doing a part-time job because of the ASUP strike. Yet I appreciate the life around here. My brother, there is life in the ghetto.”

    Asked if he was being visited at the slum by his girlfriend, John expressed surprise that the question was asked in the first place. “I have a girlfriend and she comes here to see me. Like I told you, there is life in the ghetto and those of us who live here enjoy it. I am not the kind of guy that would be ashamed to bring his girlfriend here. I bring both my male and female friends to the community. I can never deny the area or speak ill of it.

    “When God blesses me, I will demolish the building and rebuild it for my father. If we abandon the community, who would come and develop it for us? It is a challenge that nature has dropped on our laps and we will face it headlong.”

    John is proud to be called a ghetto man, but not so for Akin. He (Akin) would go to any length to hide his identity as a slum dweller. Once he gets out of the community, he drops the garb of ghetto life and pose as a highly sophisticated and urbane man. For him, it is a taboo to bring a girlfriend to the community.

    Akin said: “I don’t bring my friends here, particularly the female ones. It is not possible for me to do that because most of them assume that I live in a high brow area. If you see me away from this community, you would never believe that I came out of this dilapidated wooden house, because I always dress very well.

    “If you were in my shoes, would you bring your babe here? No babe would ever want to have anything to do with you anymore if you bring her here. In fact, most babes in the area prefer to date people outside the community because they don’t want to remain in this condition longer than they have done.

    “If you are in this community whenever it rains, you would appreciate what we are talking about. The entire community is usually flooded. At times, parts of the wooden houses are blown away by storm. You could see that some residents are spreading their valuables outside for the sun to dry them.

    “The situation is worse if you are outside the community when it rains. This is because you will hardly be able to get into your house. Mosquitoes and other insects will deal with you mercilessly. The net can only protect you when you are sleeping. If you are not sleeping, would you be wearing the net everywhere? I think the mosquitoes have even become our friends and hardly do us any harm.”

    Another resident, Remi Adetayo, is also unhappy that she lives in the area. Claiming that she had spent 15 years in the area, she lamented the living condition of the people, blaming it more on the government, from whom she said the community had not received any form of attention over the years.

    She said: “I have lived here for 15 years. It has been challenging because the community has never received any form of attention from successive governments. The heap of refuse you are seeing all around the community is not our handiwork. It is not that we are dirty people who enjoy living in the midst of refuse. We are not. The community has been a marshy area from time. It gets worse whenever it rains.

    “To make sure we have something to step on when we are going out, we buy refuse from refuse collectors and fill our roads with it. We pay between N50 and N100 for a lorry load of refuse. We buy as many lorry loads as are needed to fill the area we need to cover. Kindhearted refuse collectors sometimes dash us the refuse they would ordinarily dump at refuse sites.

    “We also acquire rain boots for our children to enable them move around whenever there is heavy downpour. This also helps to prevent them from infections that may arise from walking barefoot in murky waters.

    “We have no basic amenities here. We go outside the community to get water for everything we do in the house. This is challenging because it requires so much time and energy to do this on a daily basis. Besides, we also spend a lot of money doing this every day. I am not a tenant. The house I live in is our family house.”

    Mosquitoes might be the worst enemies of the residents of this Lagos community, but the dirty water from the lagoon is also a veritable source of seasonal threat. In their battle for survival, the residents have devised ways of beating the water surge by raising the base of their structures very high in order to beat the water surge.

    But it is not that easy to escape mosquito bites, which have landed many of them in hospitals located several kilometres away. Despite the free treated mosquito nets distributed to them by the Lagos State Government, the residents, whose homes are made mostly of planks and rusty corrugated iron sheets and overgrown with weeds, are veritable breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Hence most of the residents regularly fall victim to malaria.

    “It is impossible not to have mosquitoes in an area like this. Malaria would have been killing us on a daily basis if not for the treated mosquito nets distributed by the Lagos State Government,” Remi said.

    While a first time visitor to the community would cringe at the sight of huge refuse and its nauseating odour, which gets worse whenever it rains, the residents struggle to buy truck-loads of it from refuse collectors and pour same on the paths that lead to their homes.

    “The refuse that litters the community may appear horrible to an outsider,” reasoned a resident who identified herself simply as Bose, “but it serves a good purpose here. We use it to fill the roads because we don’t have the resources to buy sophisticated materials to do that. They have been helpful all along.

    “We are used to the conditions in which we have found ourselves in the community. It is a natural habitat that many people would like to live in. Contrary to fears by people that cooking and eating in a place like this may lead to outbreak of sicknesses, I can confidently tell you that we have never had any such experience in the area.”

    Some of the wooden houses are occupied by their owners. The rent for the ones occupied by tenants ranges between N700 and N1000 every month. The rent for brick houses is between N2,500 and N3, 000.

    Taye Omonuberu lives with his grandmother. A graduate of the Yaba College of Technology, Taiwo, whose wife lives outside the community, has not been able to get a job since he left school. Left with no other choice, Taiwo said he was compelled to live in the squalor.

    He said: “I have been living here for the past 20 years. The community is another world entirely. It lacks all the basic things that one requires to live a happy life. As a young man, I am not comfortable living in the area. My wife could not even stay here with me because of the deplorable state of the community.

    “We live in Lagos, but we are worse off than most rural dwellers. We vote during elections and pay all the necessary dues and levies, yet we are regrettably not considered to enjoy the dividends of democracy. This is a ghetto to the core.”

    Issac, who said he had lived in the community for more than 20 years, does not see anything wrong with living in the area.

    He said: “I have been living here for the past 20 years. It has not been easy, but we thank God for helping us to weather the storm till this day.

    “The challenges we have in the community are multifaceted and they happen all the year round. It is, however worse during the rainy season. Whenever it rains heavily, the flood covers the planks that make movement possible in the area. This poses serious danger because one would not know where to put his feet in such an unpleasant situation.”

    Fortunately, the residents said they were yet to record any death resulting from a resident falling off the narrow wooden paths into the lagoon.

    Isaac said: “We have had situations where people fell off the plank into the water. But we have not recorded any case of death arising from such accidents. The saving grace is that many people in the community know how to swim very well. When they find themselves in such conditions, they always employ their swimming skills to get out of danger.”

    In spite their seemingly hopeless condition, residents of Idi-Araba have not lost the will to enjoy life. In the midst of the suffering, some of the shanties have satellite dishes hoisted on their roofs. These give their neighbours a sense of modernity as they gather round television sets to watch news from across the world on CNN, BBC and other satellite channels.

    Like most communities elsewhere, residents of Idi-Araba have devised ways to ensure their safety and ensure that the community is made unsafe for criminals who may be looking for safe havens.

    The head of the community, Chief Olorunwa Luwa, said his people had done well with the security problems by establishing a cordial relationship with the police. He, however, lamented the lack of basic amenities in his community, calling on the government to come to the aid of his people.

    “We are aware that the state government is doing very well, but we are yet to get their attention in our community. When you look around, you will see that we have little or no touch of government activities. The few developments we have here are through communal efforts.

    “We lack so many things in the community and would appreciate if the government could come to our rescue. We would appreciate if they help us with water supply, a health centre and a public school. We have none of these and it is having an adverse effect on our people.

    “If we have a health centre, our people will have quick access to medical attention and this would reduce the stress they go through travelling to distant places when there are emergencies.”

    Chief (Dr.) Aborewa John is the chief priest of the community. Together with other elders, he sees to the security and spiritual needs of his people.

    “Our community is a unique one in every sense of it. It is totally different from other ghettos you would find anywhere in the state. Unlike other communities where crime is prevalent, our community is totally free from criminal activities. We have put in place tight security measures which have made it impossible for criminals to operate in the area.

    “We have security men in every part of the community. They secure the entire area and make sure that nobody moves around after 9 pm. If anybody is found moving about, especially in a suspicious manner, they would apprehend the person and hand him over to the police.

    “We have a good working relationship with the police. It would also interest you to know that the community does not harbor people who would appear innocent at home, but go out to commit crime. We always keep eagle eyes on every member of the community to make sure that nobody tarnishes our image.

    “We may not have basic amenities but we have integrity. We also don’t condone promiscuity. It is totally against our principles in this area. If we find anybody engaging in promiscuous activities, we would quickly hand such a person over to the police.”

    Speaking on the state of slum communities in the state, the state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Aderemi Ibiriogba, said the Lagos State Government woud not leave out any area across the state in its transformation agenda.

    Ibiriogba, who was responding to the condition of living in slum communities in the state, told The Nation that the Governor Babatunde Fashola administration is committed to bring development to every part of the state, including Idi-Araba community in Oworonshoki.

    He explained that the government had consistently warned residents about the need to always maintain a clean environment in other to avoid the outbreak of epidemic in their area.

    Ibirogba also explained other efforts of the government to ensure that residents in the state enjoy good health, which he said include the distribution of free treated mosquito net and free medical service. According to him, the state government’s free health service also includes the provision of free healthcare services to the people in all the local government areas across the state.

    “Well, let me first of all say that we have not forgotten about the slum in Oworonshoki. We are committed to bring development to every part of Lagos State. And that is why our impact is being felt in Badagry, Shomolu, Epe, Iyana Ipaja and every other parts of the state, where we are carrying out one project or the other.

    “You will agree with me that there is the possibility of an outbreak of an epidemic in any community where the condition of living is not hygienic. That is why we have upped our game as far as health for all is concerned. To solve this, we have established primary health centres in the local government areas so that people with minor ailment can easily go there for treatment.”

  • The men in our lives

    The men in our lives

    ONE of them laid the egg that brought us into this world. When we tried to talk, his name was the second we uttered. We grew up seeing him as our hero as he was on hand to cater to our needs.

    However, at a certain age, we saw him as the villain (father dearest).

    Some of them we grew up with, we played together and fought each other as they always turned out to bully us as caring as they were. They want to live our lives for us because they feel they know better. They may know better, but can’t they let us be who we “wanna be?”(Big brothers).

    Then comes those we never really grew up with. Those we hate to love, love to love, love to hate. They seem to have a stronger hold on us than the men we were with during our formative years.

    They are boys actually, but because of their domineering presence in our lives, they’ve become men!

    They rule our hearts, our minds, our souls; they make us fools for love.

    They are the major reason why we have so much trouble with the other men we have biological ties with. (Boy friends)

    How can one ever forget the men whose real interest we are oblivious of?

    They are our parents’ male domestic staff, our teachers… my goodness! Our lecturers, our brothers’ friends, our cousins, even our “uncles” and father’s friends as we mature.

    Some of them openly make amorous advances but we are way too innocent to know the depth of their ungodly interest in us.

    Unknown to us, a mere look from them strips us naked and one cannot even imagine what goes on in their heads. If only we knew, perhaps we would run far away from them. (Cradle snatchers)

    The men in our lives love us, protect us, and harass us emotionally and physically, cause us so much pain and make us wonder why we came into this world as females.

    But, can we really survive without them?

    No wonder, they say it’s a man’s world!

     

    Hello peeps,

    I am glad to be in touch with you again. Some girls have been sending messages to me to write about dealing with boys. While that makes sense, there are other men out there we ought to learn to deal with as well. However, the first male I’ll be discussing in these series would be the most important man in our life of all time – our father. True, so many fathers have failed their children for one reason or the other. At the same time, there are fathers who remain precious gems to us for the rest of our lives even after their demise. Who knows, many a father may not even know they are not carrying out their due responsibilities – now I am not referring to the financial aspect but talking in general terms. I’ll be writing on what we expect from our fathers and how the father’s love coupled with a strict upbringing and attention to the least detail of a girl’s life could make her not only a very special child but a rare gem and an extra-ordinary human being. Our fathers are meant to be our heroes. Every female would do everything to make her hero happy and proud of her. True or false? You know better.

     

    FATHER DEAREST

    To start with, we were brought into this world as a result of copulation between a man and a woman. When we tried to talk, our father’s name was the second we called after our mother’s. He is the very first man in our life. In our formative years we grow to love him so much. He becomes our hero especially if we grow up living with him under the same roof. He takes care of things (if he is the responsible type) and we assume he fights any evil around us. We run into his arms and want him to carry us on his shoulder even when we can walk. He is the first we take our homework to before he directs us to our mother. He is the one we often boast about at school. “My daddy is … my daddy bought me … took me…” and so on. Like mummy does not exist. All of these happen in our formative and impressionable years. Well, it continues for me though he passed on eleven years ago.

    When young people get to their teens and start experiencing all sorts of changes in their bodies, they see the world as a whole new place. They feel they have to be left alone and express themselves the way they deem fit living life to the fullest in the way they understand it. This is usually contrary to what daddy thinks. As such, it is rare to find a teenager who has never rebelled or tried to rebel against her father. This is because any responsible father will always protect his children, especially his daughter.

  • Our lives as chapters for others

    Our lives as chapters for others

    Your life is a book for others to read. What kind of book is your life? Rustic graphics or a book of life? Remember that your way of life and all that you do, some strive to excel”.

    This extract from Sola Owonibi’s poem titled Watch out is heart-touching. Many people live their lives without moderation, forgetting that they are being emulated by someone. They fail to realise that their lives are books for others to make reference. They also fail to realise that living by example is the best; perhaps, examples are better than dictums.

    Pathetically, Nigerian leaders, no doubt, live contrary to this. They live as though they will die in office, forgetting that everything that has a beginning also has an end. They disagree with Williams Shakespeare’s aphorism: “Life is a stage that has the door of entry and exit.”

    Our leaders have used their ways of life to poison the good morals of the upcoming generation; they live extravagant lives at the expense of the suffering masses; they corrupt themselves in power by embezzling funds meant for the development of the society and become billionaires overnight. Thus, the youth now see leadership positions as a veritable platform to amass wealth.

    Religious leaders – Christian and Muslim – are not left out in this mess. They are supposed to be custodians of good behaviour and moral uprightness, but their ways of life do more harm than good to the society. In the holy Bible, for instance, Jesus Christ describes believers as the light of the world, with the expectation of illuminating the world with their exemplary lifestyles. Sardonically, the so-called believers have shed the toga of responsibility and opted to be agents of darkness. What a pity!

    Besides, Muslim leaders, who are also believers, are toeing the path of their Christian counterparts. They are so much enmeshed in immoral acts capable of derailing their followers who look up to them. Thus, many of their followers have resolved to worshiping in their various homes rather than worshiping with these “devil’s instruments”. However, we still have some of them who refuse to be caught in the web of immorality.

    Equally disheartening, lecturers in the ivory towers today fail to inculcate moral values in their students. Instead, they contribute immensely to the moral decadence in our society. What shall it profit a lecturer who threatens to fail a female student for preventing him from having carnal knowledge of her? Most of these lecturers have their own daughters. What moral value will they instill in their daughters?

    Are you a political leader, a religious leader, a lecturer, a teacher, a preacher? How long shall you continue to disappoint your followers? Many people are using the library of your life for research to bring about innovation in their own lives; and also using it as a tool to shape their own lives. How long shall you keep causing psychological trauma for those looking up to you for good morals?

    The time to make amendment is now. Erase poisonous chapters from your book. Always remember that you may be the only holy creed some people will ever read. Shola Owonibi’s poem continues, reminding us that we live in a global village that is suffering from cultural spillage.

    He asks: “What parts of the culture do you, in appearance, nurture?” The simple answer to this question is that, sharpening yourself internally is sharpening the society, which means you must correct some bad graphics in the book of your life.

    Those who are doing well should continue; those who are contributing tremendously to the moral decadence in our society should also endeavour not to stop. A Yoruba adage says: “It is the calabash that will point where to put the rope on it.” Each individual will write the contents of his or her book, either the contents that will help other in turning a new leaf or the ones that poison. Remember, posterity will judge everything we do while we live.

     

    Richard, 300-Level Mass Comm., AAUA

  • A Foundation’s one year of touching lives

    A Foundation’s one year of touching lives

    My name is Chile Iheanacho. I am from Umuerim in Umuajuloke community in Omuma Local Government Area of Rivers State. I thank God Almighty for bringing O.B.Lulu-Briggs Foundation to Omuma. I have suffered from pains and torture as a result of hernia for nine years.

    “Out of fear, I continued to live with the discomforts until my father called to tell me about the free medical mission in my local government area.”

    Iheanacho’s was one of many testimonies and appreciations at the 21st edition of O.B.Lulu-Briggs Foundation free medical mission held at Obiohia community of Omuma Local Government Area between November 18 and 22, 2013.

    The foundation, which was set up by High Chief Lulu-Briggs 10 years ago with the aim of giving free medical treatment to the rural poor of the Niger Delta, has made a total of 21 outings across communities of Rivers, Bayelsa and Akwa Ibom states.

    In 2013 alone, it made four outings in the average of one outreach in each quarter and treated a total of 21,932 people who were suffering from different kinds of disease.

    Surgeries were carried out in Opokuma in Kolokuma/Opokuma and Emeyal 11 in Ogbia Local Government Area both in Bayelsa State. About 9,063 patients; of whom children accounted for 1, 477 were treated. There with 66 surgical operations that day.

    The team also visited Enwang/Oron in Mbo Local Government Area of Akwa/Ibom State where they treated 6,837 patients, 824 children and performed 56 surgeries.

    At the Omuma outreach recently, of 6,032 patients, 1,315 were children while 16 operations were performed.

    The President and Founder of the Foundation, High Chief Lulu-Briggs and his wife Mrs. Sienye who is also the Executive Director of the Foundation, were present at the flag-off/closing ceremony of the event on November 21.

    Speaking at the occasion, Mrs. Lulu-Briggs explained why they decided to give free Medicare to communities:

    She said: “One major challenge facing the rural people is not just the issue of healthcare cost to economic hardship, but the fact that rural areas often have fewer general medical practitioners, ophthalmologists, dentists and certain relevant specialists may not be available. As a result, their health issues can become more serious by the time of diagnosis. Again, many of them would ultimately be referred to secondary or tertiary health facilities far away from their dwellings.

    “Also, rural communities have a large proportion of elderly people and children; with relatively few people of working age. This often results in higher dependency ratio. When compared to their urban counterparts, rural dwellers have poorer socio-economic conditions, less education and higher mortality rate.

    “It is in recognition of these stark realities that the foundation has given special attention to rural communities in the dispensation of free healthcare, in assisting the elderly, healing communities, improving lives and creating opportunities in these parts of the country.”

    Mrs. Lulu-Briggs advocated for the provision of quality, effective, accessible and sustainable healthcare to all by government, saying it would encourage sustainability of Nigeria’s already-large population.

    She said the choice of Omuma for the round-off of this year’s programme was divine, revealing that the local government area was not originally listed among local government areas and communities considered for the trip.

    She likened it to Paul the Apostle who, by divine relation, went to Macedonia despite negative prophecies against his safety in the area. She further said she clearly heard the voice of God calling them to Omuma and overlooked the resistance and objections which members of the team raised over the decision. The fears followed tales of killings and kidnappings in the area. She added that difficulties encountered at every stage of preparation for the trip rather confirmed and strengthened her faith that God actually spoke to her.

    Mrs. Lulu-Briggs said the number of children and the aged that came out to take advantage of the programme as noticed on the second day of the event further confirmed that the finger of God was in their coming to the local government area.

    At the Obohio Health Centre, thousands of patients, including old, young and children were noticed at different points struggling to get card/tally, prescriptions, or patiently seated under canopy shades to see the doctor, as the hospital’s general consultation hall, all balconies and passages were filled with patients.

    Twenty-two-year-old Miss Oluchi Nwuju, who lived with hernia for 20 years, also testified of how God used the foundation to give her another chance in life. She thanked the founder and financier of the foundation for giving her the chance to live normal life again.

    Earlier, the organisers of the outreach had paid a courtesy visit at the palace of Chairman Omuma Council of Chiefs, His Royal Highness (HRH) Eze Monday I. Ojiegbe; the Omu 11 of Omuma.

    Spokesman of the visiting medical team, Chief Membrene told members of Omuma Council of Chiefs that they brought good news to members of the community and thought it necessary to visit and inform them.

    Chairman of the local government area, Mr. John Anucha, in his response, thanked the team for coming to help the people and consolidate on what the state government led by Governor Chibuike Amaechi and Omuma council had been doing in the area of healthcare delivery.

    The foundation’s Director of Programmes, Miebaka Nabiebo informed the chiefs that the community was not originally in the lists of communities for the outing but that Mrs. Lulu-Briggs suddenly came up with the name.

    In its good will message, the United Ladies of Omuma led by Lady Comfort, expressed women’s gratitude for the gesture of the foundation.

    “What you have been doing in the land of Omuma in the past days as you have done and yet to do in other communities and local government areas across the country is a thing worthy of emulation by all wealthy Nigerians.

    The Director of Health, Omuma Local Government Area appealed to the foundation to assist with keeping the Obiohia Health Centre functional.

    He said: “Because of security challenges in the area some years ago, the general hospital we had was shut down; leaving us with access to just primary healthcare treatment.

    “Unfortunately, among the 12 primary healthcare centres we currently have, it is just this that is functional; all others are like first-aid centres.

    “I therefore want to use the opportunity provided by this event to appeal to the foundation to, please assist us in any way to keep this remaining one on.”

    A young widow shared a testimony which added an element of humour to the programme as she testified how, in all that was said at the crusade, what she focused on was on the name O.B.Lulu, and she received a miracle which sort of lifted a heavy burden from her.

    In the same manner, another participant at the programme told the crowd of how, apart from receiving the miracle of salvation, her little daughter was healed at the crusade ground.

    In a short exaltation at the event by a Pastor from the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), noted that the reason for God creating man was for man to do exploit on earth, to the glory of God.

    He said the family of Lulu-Briggs is a shining example of that, saying that they are fulfilling the purpose for which they were created.

    the resistance and objections raised by members of the team over the decision. The fears followed tales of killings and kidnappings in the area. She added that difficulties encountered at every stage of preparation for the trip rather confirmed and strengthened her faith that God actually spoke to her.

    Mrs Lulu-Briggs said the number of children and the aged that came out to take advantage of the programme as noticed on the second day of the event further confirmed that the finger of God was in their coming to the LGA.

    At the Obohio Health Centre, thousands of patients, including old, young and children struggled to either get card/tally, prescriptions, or patiently seated under canopy shades to see the doctor, as the hospital general consultation hall, all balconies and passages were filled with patients.

    Twenty-two year-old Miss Oluchi Nwuju, who lived with hernia for 20 years, also testified of how God used the Foundation to give her another chance on life. She thanked the founder and financier for giving her the chance to live on.

    Earlier, the organizers of the outreach had paid a courtesy visit at the palace of Chairman Omuma Council of chiefs, HRH Eze Monday I. Ojiegbe, the Omu 11 of Omuma.

    Spokesman of the visiting medical team, Chief Membrene told the members of Omuma council of chiefs that they brought good news to members of the community and thought it necessary to visit and inform them.

    The local government council chair, John Anucha, in his responses thanked the team for coming to help the people and consolidate on what the state government led by Governor Chibuike Amaechi and Omuma council had been doing in the area of healthcare delivery.

    The Foundation’s Director of Programmes, Miebaka Nabiebo, confirmed to the chiefs that the community was not originally in the lists of communities for the outing but that Mrs Lulu-Briggs suddenly came up with the name.

    In its good will message, the United Ladies of Omuma led to the flag-off ceremony by Lady Comfort, expressed the gratitude of the women of the LGA for the bringing the good news to them.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    “What you have been doing in the land of Omuma in the past days as you have done and yet to do in other communities and LGA’s across the country is a thing worthy of emulation by all wealthy Nigerians.

    The Director of Health, Omuma LGA appealed for the assistance of the Foundation to keep the Obiohia Health centre functional. He explained, “because of security challenges in the LGA some years ago, the general hospital we had was shut down, leaving us with access to just Primary Health care treatment. Unfortunately, among the 12 Primary Health care centres we presently have, it is just this that is functional; all others are like first Aid centres.

    “I therefore want to use the opportunity provided by this event to appeal to the Foundation to please assist us in any way to keep this remaining one on.”

    A young widowed mother in her testimony added humour to the programme as she testified how in all that was said in at the crusade, what she focused on was on the name O.B.Lulu, and she received a miracle of lifting of heaviness from her.

    While another told the crowd of how apart from receiving the miracle of salvation, her little daughter was healed at the crusade ground.

    In a short exaltation at the event by a Pastor from the Redeem Christian Church of God, noted that the reason for God creating man was for man to do exploit on earth, to the glory of God.

    He said the Lulu-Briggs is shining example of that, saying that they are fulfilling the purpose for which they were created.

     

     

     

  • Girls who risk their lives for education

    LONDON — Almost unnoticed, one of the great civil rights struggles of our times is being fought out in our midst. Across the Indian subcontinent, in Afghanistan and in Africa, supporters of universal girls’ education are being threatened, assaulted, bombed and murdered.

    Within the past two weeks alone, a 41-year-old teacher was gunned down 200 meters from her all-girls school near the Pakistan-Afghan border; two classrooms in an all-girls school in the north of Pakistan were blown up; and at an awards ceremony in the heart of Karachi, a principal was shot to death and another teacher and four pupils were wounded after grenades were hurled into a school that specialized in enrolling girls.

    It was perhaps no coincidence that the Karachi teachers had been visited last year by Malala Yousafzai, the 15-year-old who was shot in October simply because she wanted girls to go to school and is now a global symbol for the right of girls to education.

    In the last two years hundreds of schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan have been firebombed and closed down by religious fundamentalists determined to stop the march of girls’ education.

    But just as in 1960s America, when unspoken resentments against discrimination slowly transformed into a wave of public defiance, Pakistan’s silent majority is refusing to stay silent any longer. More and more are saying that neither bombs nor bullets nor arson will now stop them from sending girls to school.

    And, for the first time, it is not adults but girls themselves who are pushing this civil rights movement forward. A few months ago, when Morocco’s education minister visited a Marrakech school, he told a 12-year-old named Raouia Ayache she would be better off leaving school and becoming a child bride: “You! Your time would be better spent looking for a man!”

    But Raouia stood up to him and stayed in school, her family protesting to the government about how the education minister had betrayed his obligation to promote education.

    Across the Indian subcontinent, teenage girls are joining together, village by village, to create “child-marriage-free zones.”

    In Bangladesh, the so-called “wedding busters” have now created 19 such zones, pledging that they will support one another to stay in school and resist being married against their will.

    Add the child-marriage-free zones, the Malala demonstrations, the petitions against child labor, the growing movement exposing child trafficking, and there are a million young Malalas. All are trying to uphold and affirm their human dignity and battling for their rights, doing so far from the glare of publicity, fighting a daily unrecorded battle for human decency and fair treatment.

    Of course many of the rights that girls are fighting for are those that have been taken for granted, at least for a century, in most countries. We have moved from an old world where, if you were a girl, your rights were what others decreed, your status what others ascribed to you, and if your mother was poor, so too would you always be.

    But today’s movement is not just for emancipation — a 20th-century demand for freedom from injustices — but for empowerment, a 21st-century demand for freedom to make the most of your talents. It is a liberation movement more akin to the Arab Spring.

    And it is, potentially, a game changer. The movement challenges world leaders to recognize that, despite the Millenium Development Goal promise to ensure universal education for girls by the end of 2015, progress has stalled. As Martin Luther King said in his time about the “promissory note” on black rights, the check has been returned marked “insufficient funds.”

    Next week, The United Nations secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, and the president of the World Bank, Jim Yong Kim, will meet with countries that are off-track to discuss the legislation, incentives, reforms — and money — needed to speed up the enrollment of girls in schools.

    I will share with them the testimony of the two friends of Malala Yousafzai, Kainat Riaz and Shazia Ramzan, who were also shot on the Swat Valley school bus that fateful day last October. Both want to be doctors. Both are still in Pakistan, protected in their homes by security guards, escorted to school by police. I have talked twice to the girls, and, as they repeated to a foreign TV crew only a few weeks ago, they are being persecuted but will never again be cowed.

    Four years ago, Kainat says, girls were hiding their books under their burqas. Now, she says, the Taliban “can’t stop us from going to school. I want to study. I am not afraid.” Now, Shazia says, “We are strong.”

    • Gordon Brown is the United Nations secretary general’s special envoy for global education. He was Britain’s prime minister from 2007 to 2010.

  • Dispensable lives

    Mother Nature could be beautiful, kind and nurturing, but she also has her dark moments. Floods, droughts, earthquakes, hurricanes, cyclones are all natural disasters that have the gargantuan capacity to destroy communities and indeed cities. The biggest most recent natural disaster was the Haiti earthquake in 2010 where an estimated 316,000 people were killed by a 7.0 magnitude earthquake and a minimum of 52 aftershocks. As devastating as these events were, they were not preventable because they happened naturally.

    But when disasters are caused by man, it is inexcusable. Mankind has frequently created catastrophes that have devastated the immediate environment and taken countless innocent lives. The effects of chemical or radioactive spills are especially horrific to a person’s physical and mental state of health. The adverse effects resulting from chemicals are known to evoke a wide spectrum of biological responses in people, depending upon the extent of their exposure and its potential to interact with the person’s anatomical structures and physiological functions. These effects could finally result in clusters of disease or instantaneous death.

    That is why when I shockingly learnt of the alleged dumping of harmful waste by the Kaduna Refinery and Petrochemical Company (KPRC), the NNPC subsidiary in Rido community of Chikun LGA, Kaduna State, I was appalled. The community of Rido is about half a kilometre from KRPC with an estimated 30,000 people residing there. But between June 10 and 14, 2012, a powdery, dusty substance was dumped by contractors that were hired by the KRPC. Almost immediately, two human deaths were reported with a high death toll of dogs and chickens within the vicinity. At least six more deaths were reported within two weeks of this alleged callous crime; many children were admitted into the community’s only hospital and clinic. Many villagers experienced respiratory tract problems, as the fumes they inhaled were toxic and caused incessant, severe coughing. Even though children and animals alike had gone to the waste dump to pick wood and other things, those that did not go near the dump site experienced severe symptoms as the wind blew the powdery substance to nearby distances. The village head, nurses that work in the community and eyewitnesses have clarified the above facts.

    The proprietor of Biams Integrated Farms, a farm located 500m from the vicinity of the waste dump, recorded the loss of 700 chickens in less than three hours, within four days of the waste’s dumping on their poultry farm. Staff employed at the farm complained of headaches and bloated stomachs. Justifiably, the matter is now in court and it would be inexcusable for the legal system not to take this matter with the seriousness it deserves. KINGS (Kaduna Integrity Groups), an NGO, has on behalf of the Rido community taken the matter up in court and a legal battle has been in the works since last year. Abdullahi Umar Ladan, leader of KINGS, has repeatedly called on the relevant authorities to come to the aid of the people in Rido Community by avoiding another illegal dumping of any toxic waste.

    A veterinary doctor of Biams Integrated Farms, Abdul Ganiyu, spoke about the high mortality rate experienced with poultry on the farm. He also described some of the symptoms experienced by villagers, who described the smell of the waste as “having a tear-gas effect”. The victims spoke about taking painful breaths from the fumes of the waste.

    Despite the fact that the waste has long been evacuated, residents of the community are still suffering from the effects of this traumatic event. The KEPA (Kaduna Environmental Protection Agency) has also confirmed that industrial waste was dumped in Rido community when KRPC refurbished some of its facilities. KEPA had informed KRPC that any waste to be dumped has to be done only with official clearance from KEPA, as industrial waste is a specialized waste and there are usually specific sites where these are dumped — far away from community settlements. There have been futile promises by the affected government agencies to look fully into the matter but, till date, no impactful action has been taken on behalf of the people of this longsuffering community. The KRPC has continuously denied any misappropriate action taken by them, claiming that any dumping of waste was conducted by contractors. If indeed toxic waste was dumped by KRPC, then there need to be accountability by the organization as well as adequate compensation for the victims.

    Whatever the facts, a chemical incident has resulted as an unexpected, uncontrolled release of a chemical from its containment. The WHO defines a public- health incident as “where two or more members of the public are exposed (or threatened to be exposed) to a chemical.” In a majority of cases, it’s an acute release where the exposure and dose do not rise quickly and public health measures are not taken so promptly, even though the public- health concern can emerge suddenly and acutely. Chemicals enter our body through the eyes, skin, lung or digestive tract. The rate varies from different chemicals and the concentration of a chemical as well as length of time of exposure can have varying but ultimately damaging effects.

    So how do we protect our people and environment from exposure to these chemical disasters? The federal government should set up procedures and organizations to ensure that the public- health management of any chemical incident is effective and comprehensive. In the case of the Rido community, it is apparent that the safety measures put in place were not adequate enough to protect them. At the local level, public- health authorities need to identify situations where chemical incidents could occur and assess the likely risks to exposed people, property and the environment. There should be facilities for emergency plan development and implementation. This means well- stocked pharmacies within a clinic, functional ambulances and highly trained staff attached to the clinics.

    Vulnerability assessment, also known as community risk assessment (CRA) in the field of chemical incident management, is an assessment of the potential effects of a chemical incident in the local area. This is composed of four major steps: identification of hazardous chemical sites, identification of possible incident scenarios and exposure paths, identification of vulnerable populations, facilities and environments, and lastly estimation of health impact of potential chemical incidents and the requirements for health-care facilities sensitized on the dangers of such. There should also be proper monitoring of vulnerable areas with emergency phone lines available in preparation for any chemical incident.

    In April 2010, a Maesrk Line vessel, “MV Nashville” was apprehended by the Nigerian Ports Authority. It was filled with toxic waste. In June 2010, a ship, “MV Gumel”, was detained in Lagos with several containers of toxic waste. Similarly, in 1988, radioactive waste was dumped in Koko, Delta State. The list seems endless. Ironically, in all these cases, the federal government sought substantial compensation for these crimes. There should not be double standard in how the crime of toxic waste dumping is investigated.

    Since it is proven that chemical waste has a long-lasting impact on our society and environment, all potential victims are entitled to compensation. Sadly, there can be no compensation for those innocent adults and children that lost their lives in 2012 in Rido community. A community’s basic right to coexist in peace and lead happy, healthy and productive lives has forever been blemished by the incident of chemical waste dump.

    No matter how powerful or influential an organization is, no one has the right to play God with innocent people’s lives. And if that unfortunate gamble is indeed taken, then, the culprits should be ready to not only face the wrath of God himself but be accountable to the proper authorities within the confines of our judicial system

     

  • A pedigree dog lives here…

    FOR  Susan, falling in love was not a new idea. As a matter of fact, she had been in and out of the love nest over a dozen times. At a point, it became very unappealing and she just wasn’t dreaming of another emotional hide and seek process. For her it had become a routine; something she could almost predict its outcome.

    Just when she thought that the idea was best read in story books and poems, a romantic dude strolled into her life. They actually met in a café and somehow she did not take the connection seriously. The Romeo on his part was very enthusiastic and he took her number and gave her his phone number too.

    Another emotional bullshit! So she did not bother to give him a call. “What is the point starting another failed project; a project that brings heartaches and cumulative stress?”

    He did not give up, so she gave in reluctantly. That was a romantic turning point that she did not bargain for. The first phase of the relationship was done via phone calls and they got along pretty well. His magnetic voice was a major accomplice, and gradually he swept her off her feet in style. In a short while she was lost in another emotional ‘jungle’.

    A love deal? Why not! Date, time and venue were agreed upon and her heart was opened, widened, ready to explore the possibilities available via this window of emotional opportunity. Confusion? Yes, she just couldn’t sleep till the D-day. It was also tough finding something exciting to wear. How can you satisfy someone whose lifestyle is still unclear?

    Everything she actually touched was good enough but somehow she it was difficult making a choice. She finally settled for a pink and blue combination and it looked like a good ‘formula’ to solve this emotional equation.

    Unfortunately for this dehydrated love bird, the neighbourhood wasn’t a familiar terrain. So she had to comb the nooks and crannies to discover the house. She finally found the place and the edifice looks great from the outside. Then she took a look at her wristwatch and discovered that she was almost one hour behind the affection schedule.

    Luckily (or was it unluckily), the gate was open and she walked in quickly with a better-late-than-never look on her face.

    There was a notice on the gate which read: “A pedigree dog lives here”, but our dear friend did not take cognisance of this because she was in a hurry.

    Looking great, she walked towards the front door, hoping to see her Romeo. Her calculations were wrong and the pedigree dog showed her the stuff that it was made of. In desperation she took to her heels and the dog chased her all over the compound. By the time she found her way out of the gates, she had been to hell and back.

    The dog with pedigree was on the other side, barking in anger. A good Samaritan came to her rescue and promised to help fish the lover boy. Hisses and sighs…Would she go back in there? No way! This wasn’t a good first impression at all. Thank God that she was still in one piece, after a quick calculation of the physical and emotional loses. Luckily, they were things that could be replaced: The heel of one of her sandals was damaged, her clothes were dirtied and ‘injuries’ done to her accessories.Oh dear, she looked awful and so confused.

    What stupid dog to encounter on a date! What kind of pedigree does it have? Well, the crux of the matter is that a dog is a dog. At least there was a warning, but our love-struck angel was too ‘blind’ to see this. A lot of times, we go into relationships this way. The signs and symptoms are boldly written on the faces of those we fall hopelessly and helplessly in love with.

    Instead of taking a deeper look, we look the other way until we get into trouble. We wake up to reality when we get chased by ‘pedigree dogs’ (people who also desperately want the one you are falling in love with). In this emotional space, there is great competition by lovers, friends as well as family members. You can, however, survive in this ferocious love battle when you have answers on your fingertips. The slogan usually should be survival of the emotionally fit.

    Of course, there are times when we don’t get any notice(s).Yes, you are right. Sometimes, the people we fall in love with hide ‘the pedigree dogs’ that live with (or in) them from us. We don’t actually get that they could be really wild and intolerant when they see ’emotional strangers’ around what they love and cherish. If you find yourself in that state, then you may just have to run fast and find a way of closing this emotional gate. It is not the end of your love world; it may actually open a better gate. A gate that would eventually usher in a patient dog offering a fat emotional bone.

    No matter the odds there must be something propelling you to go on and on. A school of thought also believes that if you run the first time, chances are that you are going to keep on running at different intervals; you must know how to subdue your rivals and make them accomplices in the quest up the emotional ladder.

  • A Corps member’s mission to save lives

    A Corps member’s mission to save lives

    Market women and artisans at the Ojuwoye Market, Mushin, Lagos, participated in a free medical programme organised by Dr Biodun Awosusi, a Batch “A” Corps member. WALE AJETUNMOBI reports.

    What could have brought the ever-bustling Ojuwoye Market in Mushin, Lagos, to a halt during business hours? It was a free health mission.

    Last Friday, traders and artisans left everything to attend to health issues. As if on cue, when the medical team of Corps members arrived at the market, many market women and petty traders rushed out to be treated.

    It was organised by a Batch “A” 2012 Corps member, Dr Biodun Awosusi, to prevent death from hypertension and diabetes. The programme was tagged Here 2 Heal Medical Outreach.

    Last month, hundreds of traders benefited from the first edition of the outreach held on the premises of Government College, Eric Moore, Surulere. The programme was supported by the Chairman of Odiolowo-Ojuwoye Local Council Development Area, Hon. Adeyemi Alli, Market Women Association, E-green Services , Bond Pharmaceuticals, African Health Dialogues, GlaxoSmithKline and Ilupeju Today.

    Members of the Lagos State Health Volunteers Scheme monitored the event.

    Lagos State coordinator of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Mrs. Adenike Adeyemi praised the Corps member for embarking on the health mission, urging others serving in the state to emulate him.

    She spoke through her representative, Mrs Yetunde Baderinwa, who expressed surprise at the large turnout of women for the outreach. She encouraged the beneficiaries to always use drugs and seek medical help when the need arises.

    She said: “This medical outreach will be a waste if you are not here. It is a laudable project intended to meet your critical health needs. The tests, consultations and drugs are given free. So I encourage you use your drugs.” Baderinwa also commended Biodun, while urging him to do more.

    Principal Partner, E-green Services, Tayo Olosunde, said the programme would make a great impact on the beneficiaries. “I am very happy we are making so much impact through this outreach. Here are old women, men, traders and all cadres of people who have come to benefit from the medical mission,” he said, adding: “Here 2 Heal is a laudable social enterprise; we shall continue to provide needed support to expand its reach to more people in the state.”

    Speaking to CAMPUSLIFE on why he embarked on the health mission, Dr Biodun said: “Many people have died of preventable diseases because they could not afford to go to hospital for proper treatment. They believe that from the point of diagnose to treatment of diseases will make them spend a lot of money. This is why we embark on this mission to offer the deprived free medical treatment and diagnose. It is meeting critical health needs of the poor, who can barely afford medical services in hospitals.”

    He expressed appreciation to all partners and volunteers who contributed to the success of the project. He praised the Lagos directorate of the NYSC, Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Health, Dr Yewande Adesina, Hon Alli and his vice, Hon Rasaq Ajala, management of the GlaxoSmithKline, and Mike Merchandise for support.

    “The large crowd here underscores the massive need for this kind of service. We will not relent in providing quality health information and affordable healthcare delivery to the people,” Biodun submitted.

    Several participants at the outreach expressed their gratitude to the organisers. Mrs Iyabo Popoola, a trader in the market, prayed for the medical team and urged the Corps member to continue the “good work”.

    Mrs Fatimo Megida, a beneficiary, said: “This is a good programme. There are many people like me who have high blood pressure but who don’t know about it. I cannot imagine what could have happened to me if I did not come out to participate in this programme. I was given drug and advised to always go for medical checkup. I commend the organisers of this programme.”

    Another beneficiary, Kudirat Sanusi, said: “I am glad that my blood pressure measurement was normal. Though, I was counseled on what to do to remain healthy. I thank the Dr Biodun for organising this kind of programme in the market.

     

  • Behold an umbrella worth 40 forty human lives

    Behold an umbrella worth 40 forty human lives

    •’Man gave out wife and child in exchange for two bottles of gin’

     

    Imagine these? What could make an umbrella to be worth 40 human lives? And a

    medium-size mirror to exchange for 20 persons? Why would 10 able-bodied men and women to be worth not more than one coral bead? This is no puzzle neither does it have correlation with any mathematical equation or theory. It is simply the language of slavery, oppression and dehumanisation. This is the story of how  white slave masters equated and exchanged tens of black people, Nigerians to be specific, with mere commodities in a queer trade by barter system.

    Slave trade may have ended well over a century ago but a visit to Late Chief Seriki Williams Abass’ Museum in Badagry area of Lagos State relives the ugly memory and the mind-boggling account of how some of the forefathers of Nigeria were treated as inferior to mere commodities like pots, umbrella, mirror, wine, among others. The slave masters gave each of the items to their Nigerian agents in exchange for at least 10 slaves.

    Rashidat Abass, a great grandchild of late Abass, who served as a tour guide,  told The Nation that her forefather was initially a slave before he became a slave merchant after his freedom.

    Many decades after the inhuman trade, the heavy manacles with which the slaves were tied to prevent them from escaping, remained intact just as commodities used for the exchange of the slaves sat idly on the shelves where they are kept. While the slaves were tortured and made to do breath-taking hard labours by the whites, their Nigerian agents had little or nothing to do with  the commodities they got in exchange of their kinsmen they gave out as slaves.

    She also gave an account of a man who gave out his wife and child in exchange for two bottles of white man’s gins, though she could not explain if he was forced to do so or did it willingly. Parts of the bottles of the drinks are currently   cemented to the building popularly called Brazillian Barracoon.

    In her parents’ absence, Rashidat narrated the riveting story of his forefather’s involvement in slave business.

    According to her, “Late Chief Seriki Faremi Williams Abass was a slave before he became a slave merchant. He was captured as a slave at a tender age of six. He was captured in Joga Orile an area in the present Ogun State. He was named Faremi by his parents. His father’s name was Fagbemi. He took the name Abass from his first slave master because a slave bore the name of his master. When he was later sold to another slave master called Williams, he also adopted the name and added it to his list of names.

    “After many years of being a slave, he regained his freedom and came to Badagry to settle down and became a slave merchant. There are 40 rooms in the whole compound. The compound is called Brazillian Barracoon. ‘Barracoon’ is a Portuguese word that means cell. 80 slaves were kept in each ‘cell’. The males were kept seperate from the females. The slaves were exchanged for different commodities. For example, 40 slaves were given out in exchange for this umbrella (See picture above).

    “Each ceramic pot we have here was exchanged for 10 slaves; 40 slaves were exchanged for a small canon gun, while 100 slaves exchanged for a big canon gun. Also, 20 slaves were given out in exchange for a mirror, while 10 slaves were exchanged for coral beads. The bottles on the wall were collected by a man in exchange for his wife and child. They contained hot drinks that were the exclusive preserve of the whites then.

    “When they caught  the slaves, they usually locked them up in this place before taking them to the slave market. From there, the slaves were transported on water to various foreign countries. There is a place we call Point of No Return, very close to the sea. The moment any slave crossed the area, he would not be able to return home again. There is a well in that place and it is there till today. The moment any slave drank the water, he would lose his memory. The slave merchants poured charms that made them lose their memories into the well water.

    “They did so because the Brazillians were complaning that some of the slaves were running away. With the charm working on the slaves after drinking the well water, it took any slave about four months to regain his memory. That was why many of them could not remember where they came from after their freedom. Late Abass founded Aiyetoro town in present day Ogun State in 1902 for displaced Egba people. He died in 1919.”

    Asked how she feels being a descendant of the late slave merchant, she said: “I feel very proud to be his descendant but I am against slave trade. It is not a good thing. If the sight of the relics and the oral history we have can be so shocking, you can then imagine what the people who experienced it would have gone through emotionally, mentally psychologically and physically”.

    She added: “From what I told you, late Abass, who was my great grand father, did not just wake up one morning to start trading in slaves. He was taken as a slave when he was a little boy. He suffered similar inhuman oppression and humilation which other slaves experienced. He chose to become a slave merchant after his master gave him conditions to either remain a slave or work for them as a slave merchant. I would never blame him for chosing to be a slave master.

    “Nobody has ever derided or taunted me for being a descendant of a slave or slave merchant. We use the money we realise from tourists to maintain the buildings and the compound. We have no special gain for preserving these landmark relics that have kept the memories of things that happened over 100 years ago very fresh in the minds of people. It is strictly what we get from tourists that we rely on for the maintenance.

    “I am in senior secondary school right now and would appreciate it if I could get scholarship to further my education to the university level. I have been serving as a tour guide to tourists for many years and would like to use my background and experience to expose the youths to modern day slave trade so that they would not suffer the wicked fate that our forefathers experienced.

    “If I have the privilege, I will campaign against man’s inhumanity to fellow man, especially the female gender. I don’t want to see my fellow human beings in mental of physical chains again. I feel sad that after the sacrifice made by our forefathers for us to be free, those who are in position to build on this have turned back the hand of the time by making us to continue to live in the painful past that hurts our memories. It is unfortunate that decades after slavery was abolished, the poor masses have continued to be subjected to modernised slavery in different areas of life.”

    For Fatima, Rashidat’s elder sister, being a descendant of the late merchant has come with some measure of favour and pains. She told our correspondent that she has on different occasions been taunted as a descendant of a slave, adding that she is currently studying at the University of Lagos on scholarship. In spite of the derision that comes with her background, she said she felt great being a descendant of the late slave merchant.

    “I am very proud to be his descendant. It is one of the best things that have happened to me in life but it is not without some challenges. Even though late Abass was my great grand father, some people still taunt me as a child of a slave. I don’t pick quarells with them because I am proud to be associated with a great man like him. If not for his ingenuity in keeping the relics, where would many young people of today learn about slave trade? It is not enough to pass down history in oral form,  it is also very important that people should see concrete items like these relics to be able to relate concretely to the events of the past. Nobody in his right senses would support slavery or slave trade. But I am proud of him because he helped us to preserve history. I am happy that people from all walks of life come to our place to see the relics. He made us custodians of culture.When you list the names of tourists sites in Nigeria and the entire world, our name would be mentioned.

    “There are lessons here for all of us to learn. One is that stories of slave trade are not fabricated. The relics authenticate them. After seeing all these relics that paint a true life picture of what our forefathers passed through, another lesson is that we must do everything possible to prevent whatever that would bring about such unpalatable experience in whatever possible form again.

    “Apart from the derision, I am proud and happy to be enjoying free scholarship at the University of Lagos (UNILAG). The National Museum Commission here in Lagos gave me the scholarship. I am studying Sociology and currently in my second year. This is as a result of the seed sown by my great grand father. How would I not be proud of him and why would I allow the sacastic remarks of certain people to make me hate him or deny my family background? It is impossible.”

    Muinat Abass Philips, another descendant of late Abass, also condemned slave trade and like her sibblings, she also said she is proud to be a descendant of the late slave merchant.

    “ I am happy and proud to be his descendant but I am not happy that he was involved in slave trade. However, I would not blame him because he  was initially a slave before he was compelled by the slave masters to be a slave merchant. He had no alternative then because it was the major business of the day. Though nobody has ever taunted me for being his descendant, I feel sad about how the slaves were punished and dehumanised then.”

    Checks revealed that some of the rooms that served as cells during the slave trade have been rehabilitated and rented out to tenants. One of the tenants Alhaja, Funmilola Lawal, told our correspondent that she does not see anything wrong in living in the building, even though some people advised her against it earlier.

    According to her, “There is nothing wrong in living in this place. Some people tried to discourage me when I came here to look for accommodation. They wondered why I wanted to get accommodation in a place that formerly served as a cell for slaves but I was not bothered. I was only interested in getting a place that would give me peace of mind and that I have been enjoying since I parked into this place. It has transformed from a place of inconvenience during the slavery days to an abode of peace today.

    “Before I parked in as a tenant, I rented one of the shops attached to the buildings. When I saw that it was giving me the desired results, I decided to take one of the vacant apartments and have never regretted taking the decision.

    “ There is absolutely no reason for me to be scared because the slaves who were kept here were human beings. They did not commit any offence to deserve such a treatment. How are we sure that our fore fathers were not among the people captured and detained here as slaves?”

    Bobby McDougall, an English tourist who visited the museum in the company of his half Nigerian friend, Jemma Amachree Broad, said it is interesting to see the relics but lamented that Africans suffered so much in the hands of the whites. He also regretted Africans have continued to be in one form of slavery or the other several decades after physical slave trade was abolished.

    He said: “ It is interesting to see the artefacts but it is sad that Africans suffered grieviously during this period. The unfortunate thing is that slavery is still existing in one form or the other. There are cases of slavery in form of commercial sex, child labour and child trafficking, among others. There is need to check all these so that every human being can enjoy real freedom. The government and non-governmental organisations would have to work together to put an end to all these modernised forms of slavery to make the abolition of physical slave trade to be meaningful”.