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  • A peace mission and a massacre

    A peace mission and a massacre

    The Nigerian Army is bereaved. Indeed, the entire country is in a pensive mood. But the excruciating pain that followed the death of our soldiers in a Delta State community is felt deepest by the relations of the departed servicemen now called fallen heroes.

    Their fathers, mothers, widows, children, and associates are mourning. The faces of these family members that always lit up in joy whenever the soldiers were around them are now bowed in deep sorrow for the military men who died in active service. They never provoked their assailants. The killers are public enemies.

    The Okuoma/Okoloba incident has further depicted Nigeria as a country with a widening nest of killers, including civilians who willfully murder soldiers.

    There was no justification for the killing of 17 soldiers and officers on a peace mission to the two age-long neighbouring Delta communities that are now at daggers drawn – Okoloba and Okuoma. Turning your communities into lands of hate, acrimony, and blood is not the best way to show strength and claim supremacy.

    The dead soldiers include a Lieutenant Colonel, two Majors, a Captain, and 12 soldiers.

    Before responding to the call to duty, many civilians had been wasted on both sides, warranting the deployment of soldiers to halt the carnage.

    The death of the soldiers was devastating to peace-loving Nigerians. The circumstance of the killing would heat up the blood of any relative. It was not surprising that colleagues of the slain officers moved to avenge the deaths.

    It could be said that the aggressive community is paying a huge price for harbouring, aiding and abetting lawless militants and restless youths who ambushed and killed the soldiers. The incident was tantamount to the declaration of war on constituted authotities.

    It is doubtful if any of the perpetrators was caught in the retaliatory fire. They had reportedly fled the community, leaving their kinsmen and other vulnerable residents as casualties of official reprisal attacks and horror.

    The genesis of the hostility was the ethnic tension between Okoloba (Ijaw) and Okuoma (Urhobo). It was a replica of the communal clashes that unsettled Delta State over two decades ago when a coalition of tribes fought the Itsekiri.

    Okoloba and Okuoma communities were locked in violent clashes over what some have attributed to a land dispute. An account said it was a quarrel over a natural resource; another said the rift had to do with a fishing lake.

    As the crisis exacerbated, the traditional rulers of the two communities became helpless. The intervention of soldiers meant that policemen could not curtail the tension; so, the soldiers were drafted to the villages as reinforcement to restore peace.

    There is no evidence to show that the soldiers took sides or demonstrated bias while on the peace mission. Many of them reportedly did not have links with the communities. They were on an assignment to halt the carnage and restore normalcy.

    Read Also: Military kills 106 terrorists, apprehends 103

    Unfortunately, they became casualties of the protracted conflicts they were called to stop. The yet-to-be-identified killers of the soldiers are guilty of impunity. Reports said the officers and servicemen were given undignified death, thereby putting their families and relations in a state of psychological torture. It was also reported that the arms of the slain soldiers were carted by the killers who are said to be on the run. Thus, the military was provoked. The “bloody civilians” have murdered sleep.

    Twenty-five years after the restoration of civil rule, Nigeria is still grappling with the challenges of civil/military relations. The society is becoming more violent to the extent that policemen are not enough to quell riots. They are not only handicapped by numerical strength but also by tools. Warring communities can even defy the police when the battle is hot. Under such a circumstance, soldiers detest any form of resistance by civilians, which police can discountenance.

    However, when soldiers are killed by civilians during operations, trouble becomes a willing companion in the affected areas.

    Had the people of Okuoma learnt from history, perhaps, they would not have plunged their community into an avoidable disaster. A semblance of the Odi massacre of November 20, 1999 should have been prevented. If they had forgotten Odi, is there no elder in the community to remind them also about Zakin Biam?

    On November 4, 1999, an armed gang killed seven policemen at Odi in Bayelsa State. Later, five policemen were also murdered. Those killed included CSP Thomas Jokotola (Osun), DSP George Nwine (Rivers), St. Emmanuel Bako (Bauchi), CPL Ayuba Silas (Kaduna), PC Shaibu Zamani (Kaduna), CPL Elias Bitrus (Borno), CPL Robinson Obazee (Edo), Sgt. Alhaji Atabor (Kogi), PC Stephen Abu (Cross River), and PC Umoh Ukbo (Cross River).

    There was a public outcry. The then President Olusegun Obasanjo was enraged. He contacted former Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, asking him to fish out the suspects within two weeks and arraign them in court.

    It appeared the directive was taken with levity or the governor found it difficult to apprehend the killers. The visit and discussion of the Police Affairs Minister, Major-General David Jemibewon, and Senate President Chuba Okadigbo to Alamieyeseigha did not yield any result. The militants, armed robbers, cultists, kidnappers, and pirates allegedly responsible for the murders could not be found.

    Gen. Obasanjo said his administration would not ignore the atrocity. He declared a state of emergency in Bayelsa. Later, 300 soldiers stormed Odi with an instruction to dislodge the perpetrators of violence, restore law and order and apprehend the suspected murderers.

    The mission was code-named Operation Hakuri. The team was ambushed between Kaiama and Odi. Four soldiers allegedly died during the exercise. But, there was no turning back. The Navy ensured that no one escaped via the waterways. The police ensured civilian movement was contained. Within 48 hours, life deserted Odi; it became a ghost town.

    Only a few buildings, including a church, schools, hospitals and a bank building, survived the operation. Men and animals were wiped out. Human bodies littered the community. According to reports, no fewer than 375 people were killed during the military action.

    Okadigbo described it as “high handedness”; Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka called it “a callous overkill”; but the force commander said it was a “defensive action”. The then-president named it “the animalism of the military”.

    In 2013, Justice Lambo Akanbi of the Federal High Court ordered the Federal Government to pay the victims of the Odi Massacre N37.6 billion as compensation. On May 26, 2014, former President Goodluck Jonathan negotiated an out-of-court settlement of N15 billion, and the compensation was paid.

    Today, Okuoma community does not attract the kind of sympathy that Odi got. The dislocation, displacement and dispersion in the former are confounding. Families were scattered. Parents hardly remembered their children and other dependents as they fled from the carnage.

    Those who travelled could not return home peacefully; those at home forfeited their liberty in the face of military rage. Lives were lost and property destroyed. Houses went up in flames. Socio-economic activities were disrupted. Schools, clinics, churches and markets were deserted. The dispersed natives are still enveloped in grief. The community has become a shadow of its past days.

    Okuoma has nurtured some monsters, mainly non-state actors. Militias were bubbling with a curious capability to neutralise trained and experienced military officers and men. They exhibited an audacious barbarity by dehumanising the bodies of their victims. What the thoughtless devil’s disciples failed to consider was the dire consequences of their actions.

    During the week, the community became a military zone. Civilians, even policemen, were kept at bay. The current development has birthed a serious security job that carries a lot of weight and message for those who breach our collective peace with mindless haughtiness.

    The lessons of the entire scenario are instructive. The background was communal violence. That appeared to have taken the back seat now due to the dimension of the Army/militia confrontation.

    If the two communities had embraced dialogue, the conflict would not have escalated. Local security measures, and not a police action or military deployment, would have been sufficient to restore order.

    While the government needs to look at the causes of the communal conflict, it is essential to emphasise that recourse to a legally established process for conflict resolution, ventilation of grievances and redress of injustice is more profitable than some people taking the laws into their hands.

    Celebrating militancy should now be old-fashioned in the Niger Delta. What gave birth to militancy has been addressed, and is still being addressed, by the Federal Government. Many intervention programmes for the welfare of the zone are manned by indigenes across the six Southsouth states.

    Politicians and traditional rulers in the zone should know that the perpetually tension-soaked environment breeds more militants who are not fighting for the common good but for personal survival through nefarious activities, including oil bunkering, kidnapping, and other exploitative tendencies.

    For the umpteenth time and for the sake of law and order, it is expedient to ask: where do the hard guys get their guns? It has been suggested that many of them were armed by rival politicians during the electioneering. The recent Okuoma violence attested to a condemnable proliferation of arms in the region.

    The community owes it a patriotic duty to itself and the country to assist in apprehending the agents of violence, their collaborators and other troublers of public peace. No information should be hoarded about their whereabouts. They should face the wrath of the law to serve as a deterrent to persons with a similar violent disposition. Justice should be well served to placate the souls of the departed soldiers and the psychological torture suffered by their loved ones. Without doing this, the bereaved families will remain in endless agony.

    The atmosphere is still cloudy. The horizon remains blistering. But after the hullabaloo, there should be respite, sooner or later. The dust is expected to settle someday. But one thing is certain: Okuoma will not remain the same again.

  • Kukah, Oyedepo explain mission to Obasanjo

    Two notable clerics, Bishop Mathew Hassan Kukah and Bishop David Oyedepo, have been explaining their mission to the Hilltop mansion of former President Olusegun Obasanjo in Abeokuta, Ogun State, last Thursday. The visit, they say, should not be viewed as politically-inclined, but one made to broker peace between the former President and his erstwhile deputy Atiku Abubakar.

    To many, the mission of notable clerics – Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese Mathew Hassan Kukah and the Presiding Pastor of Living Faith Church (Winners Chapel) David Oyedepo – to  the Hilltop mansion of former President Olusegun Obasanjo in Abeokuta, Ogun State, was to endorse Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar. But, the clerics say their mission was to reconcile the former President with his erstwhile deputy.

    They spoke through different media.

    Kukah, who explained the resistance he put up to decline being dragged into what he called a forest of politics, stated his position in a statement.

    The fiery cleric said that he could not have endorsed any particular candidate since he has his friends spread across the political parties.

    He, however, admitted that the criticisms that trailed the group photographs, showing him with Obasanjo, Atiku, Oyedepo and Sheikh Gumi among others, were expected, especially at a time that the former vice president had just clinched the presidential ticket of his party.

    In his own defence during the Sunday service in Ota, Bishop Oyedepo said he has no membership card of any political party.

    Oyedepo said he is after a peaceful country.

    The presence of the duo on a day Obasanjo said he had forgiven Atiku and rated him above President Muhammadu Buhari has continued to draw flaks from different quarters.

    Their positions are presented below:

    I wasn’t in Abeokuta to endorse Atiku, says Kukah

    “I have deliberately made this explanatory note long because I think it is necessary that people make up their minds based on the facts, given my central role in the event.

    “I note that Sheikh Gumi has already told his own side of the story. I feel obliged to state my own side so that Nigerians can have a clearer picture of my own involvement.

    “Sadly, I personally did not read President Obasanjo’s statement until two days later on the Internet since I was not physically in the hall.

    “Although trying to reconcile President Obasanjo and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar was something I had been working on intermittently in the last few years, nothing could have prepared me for the way things finally shaped up. My focus all along had been with President Obasanjo and I had never brought Alhaji Abubakar into what I was doing. Quite fortuitously, a chance meeting changed the tide in favour of reconciliation.

    “Understandably, the pictures of the four of us (President Obasanjo, Alhaji Abubakar, Shaikh Gumi and I) literally lit up the social media and elicited divergent reactions from the general public.

    “Although over 99 per cent of the reactions that have come to me have been largely those of commendation, with people focusing, rightly, on the reconciliation, there have been others whose focus has been on an isolated development that had absolutely nothing to do with what I had in mind all these years, namely, the endorsement.

    “I must say that I am eternally grateful to God that this reconciliation finally happened. The focus of attention has been on the endorsement of Alhaji Abubakar by President Obasanjo, a development that I can call the third leg of the process which I initiated. I am not sure of President Obasanjo’s other interlocutors after we agreed to meet leading to the participation of other actors and so, I will only clear the air on what I can take full responsibility for.”

    Giving insights into how he was contacted by Obasanjo and how he resisted being dragged into what he described as a “forest of politics.”

    He added: “Let me state first that I am a priest of the Catholic Church and by the grace of God, a Bishop. I have more than a passing knowledge of our discipline and doctrine in matters relating to the role of a Catholic priest in political engagement.

    “My doctoral thesis was on “Religion and Politics in Nigeria”. So, this is an area that I have written and spoken extensively about for over thirty years. I am therefore very clear about the boundaries, the slippery slopes and the contexts. Unlike Sheikh Gumi and Rev. Oyedepo who were invited to this event, I am a central actor. So let me explain what really happened.

    “On Tuesday, October 9th, 2018, I had the honour of being the Guest Speaker for the annual conference of the Four Square Gospel Church in Alagomeji, Lagos. (The Presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, a member of this Church had first invited me some years back, but I could not honour the invitation). President Obasanjo was the chairman of the occasion.

    “At the end of the lecture, he indicated that he would have to leave because he had a scheduled meeting. I told him I needed to see him briefly and he obliged. I brought up again the issue of what he thought of his reconciliation with Atiku.

    “My last discussion with him this year was either in January or February. His response was still negative and he told me what he later told the media. I reminded him that I was not interested in the politics of reconciliation but the spiritual angle.

    “After all, I said to him, ‘as a Christian, this is an important thing for you to do’. He was quiet and then said he would speak with me later that evening on his final decision. We parted, he went to his car and I returned to the Church to end the event.

    “At about 9pm the same Tuesday, he called to say that he had thought over the issues I had raised and finally decided to accept my suggestion and that yes, he would be happy to reconcile with Atiku. When did he think we could meet then, I asked him? He said he would look at his diary and get back to me later.

    “Then, just before 11pm the same Tuesday, I received another call from him saying his diary was full, that the earliest date for him was October 21. I accepted happily and told him that I would try and reach Alhaji Atiku either directly, or through his aides to convey the news.

    “My initial intention had been to return to Abuja that same evening from Lagos, but my hosts at the Four Square Gospel had suggested that I should get some rest. Next morning, Wednesday October 10, after I had finished celebrating the Holy Mass, I received a call from President Obasanjo: ‘Bishop, listen, I have changed my mind’. My heart nearly sank, but before I could ask why, he said: ‘Let us do it tomorrow if you can reach Atiku. I am going to deliver a lecture in Ife and will be back home before 1pm. “So, tell him to come at 1pm’. I started frantic efforts to reach Alhaji Atiku without luck. I reached one of his aides, Paul Ibe, and asked him to please let him know I am trying to reach him. Finally, at about 1pm, I received a call from him. I told him what had happened with President Obasanjo. He agreed and said he would be in Abeokuta for 1pm on Thursday.

    “I got back to my hosts, the Four Square Gospel Church to tell them about the change in my travelling plans, especially as I had no car to take me to Abeokuta.

    “I didn’t want to ask President Obasanjo’s people to send me a vehicle because I believed I needed a leeway of independence and trust. My hosts were exceedingly gracious in making a vehicle available, a driver and an aide to take me to Abeokuta.

    Getting nervous

    “Earlier that morning, President Obasanjo had called me a second time and told me that he wanted Alhaji Atiku to come with the Chairman of the PDP, and two or three others. He also told me he had also invited both Sheikh Gumi and Bishop Oyedepo. This was welcome news – Bishop Oyedepo is a kinsman of his, and the presence of Sheikh Gumi made sense. I was a bit nervous, seeing that the circle was getting larger for something I thought was between three of us.

    “I arrived at Abeokuta about 12.15pm ahead of both President Obasanjo and Alhaji and his team. Alhaji Atiku and his team arrived, and then I saw more and more people coming in. “I saw familiar faces of different people who turned out to be the leaders of Afenifere. All these years, whenever I brought up this matter of reconciliation, my idea has always been for the three of us to sit down together. I still believed that the meeting would be between the two of them and the three religious leaders.

    “When President Obasanjo appeared, I walked up to him and said I wanted to know the protocol for the meeting. He suggested that we would meet in a hall and that I should say a few words about how we got here.

    “I declined because it seemed again that at this point, we were in small forest of politics and I had no wish to be caught in it. I was happy that what I wanted to achieve had been achieved, namely, getting these two men to put the past behind them.

    “My personal preoccupation was a pastoral one, and not a political one. I was uncomfortable with this and I decided to make my position clear. I offered a different proposal to help us sift the moral grain from the chaff of politics via a three-step process so as to insulate the three of us from the political fallout.

    “I proposed that the first step would be for he and Alhaji Atiku to sit down behind closed doors, sort out their issues and then the next step would be for both Sheikh Gumi and I to go in and listen to the two of them as Bishop Oyedepo had not arrived.

    “After that, I said, they could continue with the third phase which from what I could see, was high wire politics and I had no wish to be caught in the web. After they both finished their brief meeting, Sheikh Gumi and I went in and sat down with the two of them.

    “We had some small briefing and then both of us spoke briefly on what they had done, encouraging them to ensure that this reconciliation holds. I even said jokingly that I am a Catholic priest and our marriage vows are indissoluble! After that, we prayed and then took what has now become the famous photograph behind closed doors.

    “At this point, I felt that my spiritual duties had been achieved and I was prepared to maintain my independence. Sheikh Gumi and I shook hands and although I was hungry and food was being laid out, I skipped lunch.

    “I quietly let myself out by the side door, got into the Four Square Gospel Church car and we drove off to Lagos. Despite the dread of Lagos traffic and the disruption of flights at the Airport in Lagos, I had declined the offer of a seat in the Aircrafts which had flown them to Abeokuta.

    “Although flying with them was the best (and most convenient) assurance I had of getting to Abuja in time for a speaking engagement at an event with the Sultan and Cardinal Onaiyekan for 9am the next day, it was necessary to ensure that I took no favours from any of the two parties.

    “I was not in Abeokuta to endorse Alhaji Atiku, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). I perfectly understand the feelings of many of my friends and members of the opposition who believe that I travelled with Alhaji Atiku and his team to attend his endorsement by President Obasanjo, but I reiterate that this was not the case.

    “All the bills for my travel were settled by the Four Square Gospel Church hosts for the earlier dated programme who had bought my tickets, booked accommodation for me and took care to get me to the airport for my flight to Abuja and Sokoto.

    “I am a strong believer in a peaceful and united Nigeria, ideals for which I have striven and served my entire adult life as a thinker and a priest. My instincts for reconciliation and peace were sharpened during my involvement and experience with the Oputa Panel. When the Generals refused to respond to the invitation of Oputa Panel, I personally undertook to visit both generals Babangida and Buhari (he was not at home) at a time that today’s latter day Buharists were asking the panel to compel them to come or risk being blacked out of national life.

    “Objective-minded people will remember that back in 2001, when the Christian community and many of President Buhari’s opponents claimed that Gen Buhari had said that Muslims should vote only for Muslims, many people in the Christian community were disappointed that I wrote a long article to explain the context of what he had said after speaking with the Gen. “His party, the ANPP later used part of my article for their 2003 campaigns! My faith and experience have taught me to learn to suspend judgment till I have heard both sides of a story, no matter what.

    “I hope that this clarification helps to allay the concerns of those who may have seen all of these in a different light. Many minds will remain set no matter the reasonableness of my comments here, and this is to be expected- one cannot please everyone. This is why it is often best to seek to please only one’s own conscience, and here, mine is very clear.

    “I have been involved in a few behind-the-scene shuttle diplomacy for years, largely on my own initiative, taking advantage of my knowledge of those engaged in the conflict or at the invitation of third parties. Some have succeeded and some have not. As priest, it is not in my place to publicize what we have achieved.

    “I am the Convener of the National Peace Committee (NPC). This alone is enough to place a moral boundary which I am bound to respect. The NPC able to accomplish much because of trust and that is not what I can treat lightly. When it became clear that both President Obasanjo and Atiku were on the verge of making peace, I alerted the Chairman of the NPC, Gen Abdusalami. Since I happen to be in Lagos, I drove to the Ikoyi home of Chief Emeka Anyaoku and alerted him. I spoke to my Metropolitan, the Archbishop of Kaduna, Archbishop Matthew Ndagoso. All in all, everyone believed this was a very good move if we could achieve it. None of us imagined the third phase of this meeting.

    “Both theoretically and practically, I have come to know that peace making is a very risky business and often a thankless job. I recall listening to the late Kofi Anan speak about his on two different occasions. Anyone involved in peace making from domestic quarrels to larger battles, must be ready for the good, the bad and the ugly.

    “In the end, we must wear the shoes of the long distance runner, believing and trusting that the truth never ever sinks to the bottom of the sea. The truth will always have a stubborn way of defying the hostile elements and popping up at the right time, no matter how long it takes.

    “I perfectly understand that with Alhaji Atiku, having just picked up the presidential ticket of his party, without providing this context, definitely, I can appreciate why many people will have a lot of anxieties. They will definitely be right to question my neutrality.

    “However, I have far too many friends across party lines for me to openly endorse one candidate or party against the other. It will be against the principles of the Code of Canon Law of the Catholic Church which regulates our public life in the political space.

    The President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference has signed a statement to the effect that no altar of the Catholic Church must ever be open to any politician, something we have all taken seriously. I therefore hope that this clarification helps those whose minds are open.

    “I am thankful to God and quite pleased that this reconciliation took place and that I was a small instrument in making it happen. However, I am sorry that it has been given a different colouration and doubts to many people. Its timing was purely fortuitous and purely circumstantial not a contrivance. Personally, I will never relent in the very urgent task of making peace and reconciliation across the spectrum of our country.”

     

  • ‘I’m on a mission to unify and transform’

    A global leader of repute, engineer, evangelist, author and leadership management consultant, Dr Johnson Edosomwan is certainly a man of many parts. His numerous exploits, recognitions and awards also means he is tested and trusted, little wonder he is throwing his hat in the ring as preparations for contest into the highest office in the land come 2019 hot up. Paul Ukpabio reports.

    Welcome to another exciting week. I hope you were blessed by last week’s teaching. May God engrace us to access the required keys to divine direction in Jesus’ name! Today, we shall focus on Unveiling Our Heritage in Christ from the Word!

    It is important to understand that God’s plan for the redeemed is a robust heritage in Christ which is written in the Bible; the Word of God.

    From scriptures, we discover that God’s Word is a spiritual mirror that reveals who we are in God’s perspective in redemption and when we walk in that light; we will obviously, walk in liberty. For it is written: But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed (James 1:22-25). Also, God’s Word is likened to water that shows us who we are, what we carry and what we can do. It is written: As in water face [answereth] to face, so the heart of man to man(Proverbs 27:19; Ephesians 5: 26; Isaiah 55:1/11).

    Furthermore, the Word says: Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father(John 14:12). This connotes, we have a most elastic destiny in Christ, which empowers us to keep making progress.

    What, then, is the Word Saying about Us?

    • Everyone that is Born again is Redeemed to Enjoy Health and Vitality: The Bible says: Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed(Isaiah 53:4-5: see also Matthew 8:17). Thus, redemption entitles us to live a sickness and pain -free life. The same way He took the place of Barabbas in death and he walked home free is the same way He took our place in sickness and disease; so we can walk free from them for life.
    • We have been Redeemed to Live the Overcomer’s Life: As it is written: For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith (1 John 5:4). This means, we have been redeemed to live the overcomer’s life through the instrumentality of faith which has capacity to crush every gang up of hell against our lives. It is written: Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked (Ephesians 6:16). Never assume faith; consciously cultivate it because faith comes by hearing and understanding the Word of God (Romans 10:17). Remember, we do not overcome because we are born again; we overcome because our faith is actively alive. However, our victory is guaranteed if we are born again and we engage with the Word of faith. So, we are not just free because we are born again, we are free because we take responsibility to build our faith against the gang ups of hell on our lives(2 Corinthians 2:14).
    • We have been Redeemed as the Light of the World for Dominion: We have been redeemed as light in the world of darkness, that means we have been redeemed a pacesetter, a pathfinder and a trailblazer (Matthew 5:13-15; Isaiah 60:1/3). So, every child of God is redeemed a light to the world and can only remain lighted by the Word. For it is written:In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth (John 1:1/9/14).

    In summary, you can only access your heritage in Christ from the Word if you are born again. Are you born again? If you are not, this is an opportunity to do so. Simply say the following prayer: Lord Jesus, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins. Cleanse me with Your precious Blood. Today, I accept You as my Lord and personal Saviour. Thank You Jesus, for saving me! Now I know I am born again!”

    For further reading, please get my books: In pursuit of Vision, Following The Path Of The Eagle, The Breakthrough Power of Vision and Understanding Divine Direction. I invite you to come and fellowship with us at the Faith Tabernacle, Canaanland, Ota, the covenant home of Winners. We have five services on Sundays, holding at 6:00 a.m., 7:50 a.m., 9:40 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 1:20 p.m. respectively. I know this teaching has blessed you. Write and share your testimony with me through: Faith Tabernacle, Canaanland, Ota, P.M.B. 21688, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria; or call 01-4548070, 01-4548280; or E-mail: feedback@lfcww.org; Face book: www.facebook.com/davidoyedepoministries/;  Twitter: @DavidOyedepoMin

  • NACC to lead delegation on trade mission to US

    The Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce (NACC) plans to lead businesses, investors, government representatives across sectors on a trade mission to the United States.

    The mission will see delegates participating in the Africa Trade and Investment Global Summit (ATIGS), featuring over 2,000 participants, 70 countries, 16 economic sectors, 150 speakers and 350 global investors.

    The Chamber said the  mission, scheduled for June, was a yearly commitment in promoting the development of trade, commerce, investment and industrial technological relationships between the public and private sectors of the country and the U.S,  adding the mission will further drive socio-economic growth and development for all.

    According to the statement, the six- day event will see participants involved in sector presentation and round-table business to business (B2B) meetings and engagement with the Nigerian Diaspora Business Community.

    The statement added that the event will offer participants the opportunity to leverage the chamber’s initiative to meet new international buyers and distributors, expand into new markets, exchange market knowledge, network, gain insight from industry experts and promote their business across border as well as further generate new business for their company.

    It said the NACC had been organising trade missions to the US, adding that last year, the Chamber led delegates to Miami Florida, US, recording success stories in new deals and investments.

    This year, the Chamber, in its scope of linking businesses in Nigeria to global enterprises, will not only create business opportunities for participating delegates, but lead a movement of many more success stories.

  • Obaze, the man, mission and destiny

    Oseloka Henry Obaze, fondly called OHO is an immensely interesting individual. Obaze, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP candidate in the November 18 gubernatorial election is an embodiment of knowledge, an intellectual of very high repute, a diplomat of esteemed class and a leader of extraordinaire ability.

    Somebody once described a diplomat as one who could dive into turbulent water without making a single splash. He is such diplomat. In him you notice the first quality of any great leader – humility. And he has this unbelievable memory of remembering one’s name after just one introduction.

    OHO is one person, who would not make a decision while conducting any meeting without listening to the views of everyone. He calls you, however junior to him, to listen to you carefully then respond or ginger you with so appropriate words.  And I still don’t know how he manages to do it but he keeps tracks, communicates via sms and email so regularly, despite his work load and out-of-office engagements. Whenever he wouldn’t pick your call, he must return the call to apologise and explain why he couldn’t pick when you called earlier.

    OHO has this unbelievable care for people that he takes to other people’s problem as if he’s directly in their shoes. His attention, complete dedication to finding solutions mark him out as one specially created for the benefit of mankind. It’s not just for sight-seeing that he is one of the most traveled men in the world. While working for the United Nations, he had been sent to over 100 member nations. And he wasn’t just touring neither was he interested in showing around his handsome face. He was indeed being sent to help solve problems.

    You didn’t know anything about the word resilient until you met OHO. I wondered if he ever slept and I’m still wondering. Nothing he believes in will go unattained once he is on it. And he is a perfectionist of some sort. He will continue working on it until it’s perfectly executed. He’s ever consistent with his beliefs and will NEVER compromise any positive act, however tempting the course of cutting corners could present.

    OHO exhumes reliability. His ever amiable demeanour provides him with the exceptional charm that easily breaks barriers.  His consistently being sent to those nations as a UN diplomat is a confirmation of one with the ability to proffer appropriate solutions. He has served Anambra State as the Secretary to the State Government for three years and significantly across two different governors. In his book, Here To Serve, he uncannily branded the term SSG to stand for Senior ScapeGoat. Interesting but then are equally his dedication and accomplishment in those three years. He so redefined the office to not only stand it out as the real administrative hub of the state’s governance but also infused transparent dedication and quality of delivery from the members of staff. So much was his impact that when he decided to resign from that position one year into the tenure of the incumbent governor, the members of staff he was leaving behind were unanimous in printing a farewell banner thus – We Lost A Saint!

    But OHO is not all about administration. He’s much more of action. While in service to his state, he was directly in charge of managing very complex policy and practical issues. Top amongst the practical issues include the flood disaster of 2012, the illegal repatriation of Anambra indigenes from Lagos, the return and settling of Anambra IDPs from Central African Republic, the 2014 Ebola crisis, the spate of collapsed buildings in 2014 as well as handling the leadership crisis within the Anambra State Association in the United States. In all these, OHO exhibited a quality of leadership ability that won over keen observers.

    Taking the flood disaster issue as a reference point, one could be convinced beyond doubt that Anambra State and indeed humanity are blessed to have a man of such dedication and diligence around. OHO brought his years of experience in handling such issues in the UN to bear immediately.

    That unprecedented flood of 2012 devastated properties and farmlands worth trillions of Naira in 24 states of the nation. With 57 communities in eight local government areas adversely affected, Anambra State was not just one of the worst hit, it actually was deemed as the most acutely affected. Two of these LGAs, Ogbaru and Anambra West were extensively submerged. Property and business losses in the state alone were estimated at nearly N23 billion.

    But under OHO in his dual capacity as the chair, Anambra State Flood Disaster Relief Coordination Committee and chair, Anambra State Flood Disaster Relief Trust Fund, Anambra State became the most proactive and transparent state of the 24 states in effectively managing and efficiently responding to the complex natural disaster. Managing 125,000 internally displaced people, IDPs was quite a task but OHO did manage admirably. An estimated 15,000 houses and businesses were fully or partially submerged. In all, four people directly lost their lives via drowning, the lowest number of human fatalities from the 24 states.

    While efficiently coordinating and involving both the state and federal agencies responsible, the State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA and Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA respectively, Anambra State, under OHO’s firm control, admirably dealt with the worst natural disaster the state had faced since Nigeria came to being.

    Though the state government released N100 million immediately while the federal government came later with N500 million, many well-meaning people donated cash and food items, clothing, etc to the cause. These generous individuals could have been compelled to assist based on humanitarian basis but law of nature would largely revolve their encouragement to do so around the professionalism and transparency shown by the people in charge.

    Concerned Anambrarians took deep interest and time to study that disaster and concluded that in OHO was one individual completely capable of replacing the man he was then serving and assisting in managing the terrible disaster. But those people got the disappointment of their lives. They were never given the opportunity. The very terrible politics of vendetta denied the expecting population of ndi Anambra the opportunity to cast their votes in favour of this amiable and workaholic diplomat. OHO’s party then, All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA disqualified him from participating in the primaries.

    And many Anambrarians shed tears, tears that such individual of class was denied the opportunity to govern a state he loved so much as to resign from his plum job and very enviable position in the UN to come home to serve. And because of the zoning formula in Anambra, they all believed the chance was lost forever.

    But the poor masses counted without considering destiny. When OHO agreed to serve this present government of Governor Willie Obiano, it was to show he accepted whatever God put in place in good faith. He decided to serve Anambra further from the number three role, despite the circumstances with which he was schemed out. His love for humanity was the deciding factor. He buried the desire to ever govern Anambra again and moved on.

    But the same man, who benefitted from the political shenanigans that denied OHO; the same man who destiny fortuitously played a favourable orchestra for; the same man who inherited an empire he never contributed anything in building…the same man completely veered off from toeing the path painstakingly designed for him in benefit of dear people of the state. The same man would unwittingly resurrect OHO’s own destiny back to contention.

    OHO’s new party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has already elected him as their candidate. And in doing so the party has thrown up the best candidate for the November 18 election by a mile. Already ndi Anambra are rejoicing that they will make that choice on the D-Day.

    This is DESTINY threatening in its finest form. In OHO is a bestseller waiting to happen.

     

    • Obasi writes from Ozubulu, Anambra State.
  • Minister leads experts on VVF repair mission

    Minister leads experts on VVF repair mission

    Vesico-Vaginal Fistula (VVF) is prevalent in Nigeria. OYEYEMI GBENGA-MUSTAPHA reports on how the Minister of Health, Prof Isaac Adewole, for three days, led a team of experts that performed surgeries on some women, and gave them back their dignity at the Wesley Guild Hospital, Ilesa, Osun State.

    For three days, 26 women  living with Vesico-Vaginal Fistula (VVF)  received treatment from a team of professionals/surgeons in genitourinary and urogynaecology. The team was led by the Minister of Health, Prof Isaac Adewole.

    The venue was the Wesley Guild Hospital, Ilesa, Osun State.

    The free obstetric fistula surgical repair was organised by the Federal Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Osun State Government and the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife.

    Decked in a surgical kit,  Adewole busied himself with surgeries.

    This is the second time the minister would lead a team of medics, including the International Society of Fistula Surgeon National President, Prof Oladosu Ojengbende, on such surgery. The first was at the Federal Medical Centre, Jabi, Abuja last October, where surgeries were carried out on over 50 VVF patients.

    Each had an unpleasant experience  to tell. They recounted stories of their rejection, depression, isolation and mental frustration.

    One of them is Mrs. Iyabo Olaseku (not real name), a 35-year-old resident of Erinmo, Ijesa, a suburb of Ilesa, whose  VVF ailment started three years ago.

    According to her, despite her undergoing the VVF surgery, she still finds it difficult to reintegrate into the society.

    Mrs. Olaseku said: “It was very devastating and dehumanising. I have lost everything called self-worth and esteem. It was frustrating, leaking and oozing out bad odour as an adult. I kept to myself. I hardly go out again. So blending into the society is going to take a while.”

    The story of Hajia Sadia Kolawole (not real name), a mother of two children, moved listeners to tears . She recalled being transferred from a Lagos hospital to Ilesa.

    “I have been abandoned by my family, relatives. Even my husband is nowhere to be found in the last two years. I used to be a trader but now, I have been economically devalued as I cannot stand in public places for too long because of the bad odour emanating from my body,” she said.

    Adewole said the over 300,000 women living with VVF in Nigeria is of serious concern to the ministry and to the USAID, hence the reasons he is advocating regular trainings for volunteers in the specialised medical field to join the Federal Government in tackling VVF.

    To cater for the axis, the hospital was declared a VVF repair centre.

    “I am announcing that the Ilesa Wesley Guild Hospital has become a centre for VVF operations in Nigeria. I am reiterating that the simple way to prevent obstetric fistula is to be delivered safely by skilled medical personnel. This is to reduce the cases of VVF because most of them are usually the case of obstetric fistula. These are helpless women caught in the web of VVF,” Adewole said.

    On why he participated, the minister explained. “This is our small way of showing leadership and concern to the plight of the suffering masses, and our display of affection must be a thorough practical approach of putting smiles on their faces, removing shame and reproach, restoring dignity to womanhood and more importantly lifting the undue financial burden the disease has placed on them.”

    Ojengbende and the Minister’s Special Adviser, Dr. Imran O. Morhason-Bello, described the minister’s participation as a rare display of patriotism, considering his tight schedule.

    “He sees this mission to the Wesley Guild Hospital is another life-saving intervention. And he is here with more capable hands to perform another round of VVF repairs on suffering women,’’ the aide said.

    “Prof. Isaac Folorunso Adewole is taking giant stride in evolving and revolutionising the entire medical sector in the last 24 months. He started the free cervical and breast screening for women last year. He initiated the Northeast Emergency Nutritional and Medical Response, and has  promised to ensure smooth implementation of more surgeries of the VVF in the 2018 budget,” Morhason-Bello, added.

    Declaring the event open, the Country Project Manager of USAID Fistula Care Plus, Chief Iyeme Ifem, decried the silence and long years of medical  denial — VVF treatment was restricted to the North.

    He said the massive turnout for the treatment in the Southwest had shown that many sufferers were hidden and untreated, adding that none of the 26 patients were Hausa-speaking people.

    He urged VVF paients to seek medical help by reporting to the nearest teaching hospital or VVF centre in their locality.

    He described VVF as an abnormal trait extending between the bladder and the vaginal, that allows the involuntary discharge of urine into the vagina vault.

    “In most cases, research has revealed, 90 percent are caused from prolonged obstructed labour during the first or second child bearing, often associated with marked pressure necrosis, edema, tissue sloughing and cicatrisation.

    ‘’Studies have shown that cultural beliefs of marriage and conception at a very young age, often before full pelvic growth has been achieved, is the most prevalent factor, coupled with unsupervised antenatal care by quack medical professionals during child birth and prolong labour,” Ifem said.

    He continued: “An obstetric fistula is a hole between the vagina and rectum or bladder that is caused by prolonged obstructed labour, leaving a woman incontinent of urine or faeces or both. More than 75 percent of women with obstetric fistula have endured labour that lasted three days or more. In the western part of Nigeria, cases of obstetric fistula are from havoc of traditional birth attendance and from mismanagement of CS in some conventional hospital.

    “Twenty-three of the patients have been rejected and abandoned in the society, as they are either divorced or separated as only two are still under a man’s roof. They have become financial burdens to the community, which they belong as they are not employable due to the stigmatisation and serial loss of dignity over time. It has also affected their emotional and psychological well-being.’’

  • Club launches mission for vision

    Club launches mission for vision

    About 10 Primary Health Centres are being mapped out for renovation in Lagos State, while 20 Smart and Sensor canes costing about $1.57m will be distributed by the Rotary Club of Lagos- Palm groove Estate, Nigeria (District 9110).

    Club President Rtn Atul Kshetry made this known when the District Governor (Dist 9110) Rtn. Dr. Wale Adewale Ogunbadejo and his spouse Rtn. Ann. Olufunmilayo made an official visit to the club.

    Ogunbadejo described the club as the biggest mega rotary club in Nigeria having been established in 2007 and chattered in 2008. He urged members to continue their act of kindness like the founding founder, Rotn Naranbhai G. Patel (MFR).

    Rtn. Ogunbadejo told the president and his Board of Directors to explore new avenues to assimilate new members by skypeing, video chatting and other forms of communication.

    Kshetry and his Board of Directors used the medium to reveal  the  plans of the club for the current rotary year.

    He informed the District Governor of the  the club’s plan  to have to have 150 members soon.

    Arch. Klumph, member Rtn. Patel,  assured the District Governor that Rotary Club of Lagos Palmgrove Estate will continue with its policy to utilise 100 percent of the donations received for projects under the six focused areas of Rotary.

    Rtn. Jayashankar Nalode, Chairman, Service Project, thanked the District Governor for honouring  the club with 11 awards, including: The Best Club in District 9110 for the previous Rotary year, assuring him that the club  would work  with the district and other rotary clubs to offer humanitarian services to the under privileged members of the society, in line with rotary goals.

    Rtn Kshetry said Rotary Club of Lagos Palmgrove Estate plans to implement the following major projects during the year: Blood donation camps with a target of 1000 pints of blood in this Rotary year; in collaboration with Lagos State Blood Transfusion Services (LSBTS).

    He promised that provision of artificial limbs and its donation will be sustained because the club has its own clinic where artificial limbs are provided and fixed on a daily basis to beneficiaries, since the inception of the club. Over 40,000 limbs have been replaced.

    Also the Laboratory in the Box – a joint venture with Rotary Club of Lagos, to provide laboratory materials to 50 government primary and secondary schools to enable pupils and students conduct math and science experiments will be expanded- targeting at least 25,000 beneficiaries in the first phase.

    Throwing light on the star project of the club-‘Mission for Vision 2017’, Chair of the Mission, Rtn. Tarun Sanghvi said free cataract surgery programme will be conducted from the  end of November to early December this year, during which, the club would offer free cataract surgery to 1,500 underprivileged patients. The screening is expected to start from October and at least 10 Rotary clubs belonging to District 9110 shall participate with Rotary Club of Lagos Palm grove estate in the project. “This would be the 10th year of conducting this camp, which has given new eyesight to over 15,000 patients suffering from cataracts, completely free of cost. The club thanked the the  state government for its  support to the project over the last 10 years. It has been possible to implement these projects over the last 10 years because of the strong support from the donor community,” she stated.

    Rtn. Sanghvi made an appeal to the donor community to continue supporting the Mission for Vision project so that the club can continue to offer the free cataract surgeries to the needy and underprivileged.

    President Sanjeev Tandon of Rotary Club of Lagos Island (RCLI) pledged that his club will continue to partner  Vision in 2017 as it was in 2016.

    Chairman, Public Relations, Rtn. Pravin Kumar highlighted the role of the media and pleaded for objective and accurate reporting  of the club’s activities.

  • Ekiti ready to return mission schools, says Fayose

    Ekiti ready to return mission schools, says Fayose

    Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose has said his administration is ready to hand over mission schools to their original owners as long as they can prove that they have the capacity to provide qualitative education in such institutions.

    The governor spoke at the weekend in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, during a meeting with the leadership of the Anglican Church and members of the Alumni Association of Christ’s School in Ado-Ekiti on moves to return the school and Christ’s Girls School to their original owners.

    Fayose said the provision of quality education to Ekiti children and improving standards the state had set were important to his administration.

  • Is peace a mission impossible?

    A  throwback into history paints a dreadful picture of how past heroes across Africa sweated blood to make the continent autonomous—a celebrated achievement through which the dreams of their children were expected to be fulfilled. The poser as to whether the freedom is attained should rather be left out.

    The reality of enthroning peace in Nigeria has, like democracy in Africa, become a mere catchphrase. An apt description for the 16th item of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Nigeria is believed to be a mission impossible.

    To start with, peace is not just a word, it is an act. And “to act” means “to do” or “to work towards”. Paraphrasing Eleanor Roosevelt, it is not enough to talk about peace, one must believe in it. And it is not enough to believe in it, one must act for it. The important question at this point is: are we really working towards peace?

    As you know, Nigeria ranks top on the list of Africa’s most religious nations. While the existence of the Traditional Religion remains obvious, it is a known fact that more than 90 per cent of Nigerians identify with either Christianity or Islam. It wouldn’t then be a bad idea to refer to sources which the majority trust.

    Christians knew that “Nations shall rise against nations; and kingdoms against kingdoms… And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.” (Matthew 24:7-10). Qur’an 103:2 says: “Verily man is in loss”. And to be in loss implies being in a perilous state. Prophet Muhammad (Peace be unto Him) was quoted by Sahih Muslim in Hadith, which says there will be domination of one over the other when the end time comes, and killings without justifications.” So, where is peace coming from? Or will our holy books change?

    Happenings around the world are all clear indications that these ageless prophecies are being fulfilled. Let’s think about the unending insurgencies in the Middle East. Or the various uprisings in many parts of Europe, Asia and the Pacific. How about the never-ending crisis between United States and several nations?

    Is it not confounding that despite the efforts of the United Nations (UN) and Non-governmental Organisations to keep peace, no violent conflict has completely ended since 1922? And now, one wonders if world peace is achievable when the U.S. – the superpower –now becomes the threat to world peace itself. That was the view of John Pilger.

    The sporadic attacks by the Boko Haram insurgents in the Northeast of Nigeria, the intermittent revolts by the Niger Delta militants alongside numerous inter-communal conflicts across the country are proofs that Nigeria is at war against itself. And as pathetic as this may sound, the government is yet to truly address the root causes of any of these conflicts.

    So, technically, what we have is negative peace, which unlike positive peace, implies sitting on gun powder. I am not prophesying doom but the truth must be told. After all, the powerful people benefiting from these instabilities have not repented. Have they?

    In theory, Nigeria is the giant of Africa. In practice, it is a dwarfed nation for which superpowers have little or no respect. The African giant can’t even guarantee the security of its own people anymore. Even, toddlers know Nigeria as a chaotic, unsafe, and filth-infested nation.

    There are sentiments and bigotry in the heart of the majority of people. What I call “entitlement mentality” has completely taken over our society. Nepotism is the new item of our national identity. There is corruption in every arm of the government. The masses have no trust in the judicial system. Where is justice in a country where poor civilians languish in detention for decades awaiting trial, while looters are celebrated?

    The people are angry. They are bitterly angry, not because they have chosen to, but because they are hungry. How can anyone explain the fact that hardworking people can’t afford regular meals? That explains why even educated people now engage in physical combat over mundane things on the streets. This is deep! How did we get here?

    Looters are suggesting solutions to corruption. When would these wonders end? Clerics have become opportunists in the holy temples. For how long would the oppressor be shielded against the consuming rage of the oppressed that daily wallow in tyranny? This is not limited to Nigeria alone, but it seems to have been our way of life here. How do we achieve peace?

    Well, more worrisome is the fact that a larger percentage of the people, most the youth, blame the government for all our predicaments. One can’t but wonder if those in government are robots and not humans. It is disappointing that many of those in power presently have once been among us. Let’s say, the reality of the hot seat is more threatening if compared with the enthusiasm of manifestoes.

    Are peace and development achievable when the Not-Too-Young-To-Run Bill gets finally passed? Will those students’ leaders that get into power by massive support from godfathers not pay back royalty at the detriment of the masses? Or how is a 25 year-old average Nigerian supposed to lawfully afford the millions of naira used in purchasing nomination forms of political parties? Shouldn’t we then be expecting fresh agitations in the future?

    Our government’s desire for peace has been made a mission impossible by festering injustice and corruption in the land. The word “peace” would not have been in our lexicon if peace were unrealistic. A peaceful Nigeria is possible if all Nigerians would work for it.

    Moreover, “peace” is mentioned 67 times and “war”, 36 times in the Qur’an. So why not peace? Peace is possible if all Muslims would act for it. After all, the holiness of Christians will (according to Hebrew 12:14) be fruitless if they fail to “Follow peace with all men…”

    The dream about a conflict-free Nigeria is not feasible, because conflict is part of the human nature and therefore, is inevitable. Peace is possible if we all would not only embrace tolerance, but also work together in love. Let us make peace possible in our lifetime. We will be happy to see our children celebrate us for making a mission impossible a reality.

  • Mission to empower women

    Mission to empower women

    A shoka Anglophone West Africa Regional Director, Josephine Nzerem, is a business motivator who can impart knowledge to entrepreneurs who want to join the baking industry.

    After graduation, she did her National Service at the National Arts Theatre, Lagos in the Management department, where she was in charge of bookings and theatre design. At the end of the national assignment, she tried hard to get a job, but because she had just  married, no one hired her for fear that she would be going on maternity leave.

    Eventually, she decided to start a bakery. Her business was successful, and soon she started to supply banks and other organisations with pastries. The  business model, she found, was flexible and profitable.

    She is a success story in bakery business.The experience was inspiring and eye-opening, and it became the catalyst that got her truly thinking differently. Since then, she explored many roles.

    Over time, she discovered she was made to be a mentor. This is reflected in her empathetic, values-driven persistence in finding ways of making it possible for women to learn and be prepared for business opportunities.

    According to her, empowering women through income generating activities helps them become independent, respected individuals in their communities.  Subsequently, she became part of a wave of social entrepreneurs identifying root causes for the youth employment challenges and developing innovative solutions. Her  dream fits the aspirations of Ashoka, a global organisation that identifies and invests in leading social entrepreneurs — individuals with innovative and practical ideas for solving social problems.

    She joined Ashoka. Nzerem was elected an Ashoka Fellow in 2002 for her innovative work in the protection of women from disinheritance and other socio-economic abuses. In 2004, she received an award from Junior Chambers International as the outstanding young person for the year, in contribution to children, world peace and/or human rights.

    In 2011, she became the Regional Director of Anglophone West Africa for Ashoka, Innovators. In that role, she worked tirelessly towards creating an ‘’Everyone a Changemaker’’society by inspiring various communities in Anglophone West Africa to take the initiative to solve social problems. She is also inspiring the Anglophone West Africa team to embody a high standard of excellence, innovation and commitment. She has been recently named the Director, Venture and Fellowship, Ashoka Africa.

    According to her, Ashoka fellows have  success stories building flourishing  businesses  in agriculture, tech, governance and civic engagement, employment  and  youth engagement.

    One of the approaches is to create a model that identifies and strengthens local assets, placing members of the community at the centre of sustainable long-term solutions as stakeholders, patrons, and owners.The model meets the needs of the youth and the entrepreneurs at the same time. The youth gain marketable skills through their work experience and an introduction to positive role models. The entrepreneurs gain access to a pool of potential employees and have the opportunity to prepare youth for career paths of their choice.

    She wants  to connect successful business entrepreneurs and professional people with the concepts around social entrepreneurship.

    For her, social entrepreneurs define the new roadmaps that allow people to thrive in this new environment, while providing solutions and demonstrating the how-tos.

    According to her, Ashoka engages the world’s largest and most powerful network of social entrepreneurs by searching for and selecting the world’s leading social entrepreneurs.

    She explained that Ashoka searches the world for leading social entrepreneurs through an intensive, human-centered process, selecting them into its fellowship of peers. The process of selection is a transformative and enlightening experience.

    Candidates articulate their innovations, and how they have the potential to change sector-wide systems. They scrutinise their strategies and methods, and reflect on how they engage as individuals and leaders in today’s world. The selection process is not simply a means to an end, but rather generates robust discussion, sharpens ideas, and gives room for a journey of self-discovery and growth.

    Where do you see yourself and Ashoka in 10 years? 20 years? Her words: “I expect that in the next 10-20 years Ashoka will continue to grow ever more effective as an agent of change in Africa and other continent. In the next 10-20 years I intend to continue championing the cause of social entrepreneurship in Africa because I believe that it is one of the most potent tools to lift Africa into greater development.”