The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigeria newspaper

  • Revolutionary pressures in Nigeria (3)

    With the reckless and relentless squandering of the country’s bounteous oil revenues at various times between the mid-1970s and the tail end of the Dr. Goodluck Jonathan administration, various elected governments in Nigeria have conveniently hidden behind the non-justiciability of Section 2 of the 1979 and 1999 constitutions to refuse to make any meaningful effort to actualize the extensive welfare provisions that make up the ‘Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy’ that constitute the chapter.

    They claim that that the country simply does not have the resources to pursue such ambitious welfare schemes stipulated but not made mandatory by the constitution. This is as a result of the ever increasing marginalization of oil in the international political economy and the failure over the years of an irresponsible and complacent political class to utilize successive periods of intense but short-lived bursts of oil boom to diversify the economy and create alternative viable and sustainable revenue sources.

    Yet, the reality of shrinking oil revenues has not in any way diminished the capacity of the various factions of the Nigerian ruling class to engage in the most venal forms of primitive accumulation through both the direct, massive looting of the national treasury and the extraction of humongous amounts of resources as ‘legitimate’ salaries, allowances and emoluments of elected and appointed public officers. It is thus not surprising that Nigeria is routinely described today as the poverty capital of the world and a wide gulf exists between a few Nigerians who feature among the club of the richest individuals in the world and the vast majority of the citizenry who merely exist but do not live in any meaningful sense of the word.

    In the words, once again, of Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) in his book, ‘Nigerian Law on Socioeconomic Rights’, “Despite the abundant resources of the nation, the federal government has admitted that over 100 million Nigerians live below the poverty line. The commitment of the Buhari administration to fight the menace of corruption is not in doubt. But it should be pointed out that that corruption is not the root cause of poverty, but a fall out of the country’s peripheral capitalist economy, which is anchored on privatization, maximum profiteering, capital flight, tax avoidance and capital waivers”.

    Rather, Falana contends that “The State has engaged in the systematic promotion of poverty through the implementation of the neo-liberal economic policies instead of striving by means of appropriate regulations for the minimization of exploitation and the concentration of wealth in a few hands, the securing of adequate means of livelihood and employment opportunities, suitable shelter, reasonable minimum living wage, old age care and pensions, unemployment and sick benefits etc”.

    But how on earth, can the resources be found to implement this kind of extensive welfare programme the question will be asked in many quarters particularly with ever shrinking oil revenues? It would appear as Mr. Falana himself acknowledges that the welfare provisions of chapter 2 of the constitution are predicated on the continued availability of abundant oil resources to make these social services available to the majority of deprived Nigerians rather than the transformation of the Nigerian ‘rentier’ state from almost exclusive dependency on oil rents to one with a solid foundation based on actual production and not merely distribution of oil revenue.

    But without making Section 2 of the constitution legally binding and fully justiciable, Nigeria’s ruling class will not be motivated and forced to put on its thinking cap and ensure the imperative that, in the words of Professor Okwudiba Nnoli, “The demands of production must define the character of Nigerian politics. This means that the state must formulate and implement concrete incentives to increase creatively the productivity of the vast majority of the people…The State must ensure that economic enterprises, public or private, maintain a viable Research and Development activity with a view to creating new products related to the needs and traditional consumption habits of the people, using local resources…Without increased and increasing production, distribution soon reaches a dead end”.

    Chief Obafemi Awolowo and his Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) faced this same skepticism as regards resource availability when they enunciated their four cardinal programmes of free education at all levels, free medical care for all, integrated rural development and full and gainful employment for all in the Second Republic (1979 – 1983). These promises evoked cynicism and scorn from Awo’s opponents who dismissed them as mere election gimmicks that could not be realistically implemented. Awo demonstrated repeatedly, however, that he and his political think tank had done the hard work of estimating the cost, crunching the figures and working out the implementation details of these programmes.

    On the occasion of the launching of his book, ‘The Strategy and Tactics of the Peoples Republic of Nigeria’ on Friday, 31st July, 1970, for instance, Awolowo gave an insight into the kind of comprehensive research and meticulous planning he and his inner circle had done towards the actualization of free education on the country’s return to democratic governance, which he assumed at that time would be in 1974 as earlier promised by General Yakubu Gowon.

    Let us have a glimpse of the incomparable industry I am referring to here by quoting Awolowo at some length on that occasion: “As I have stated in the preface to the book, Tables 1-7 are only abstracts from 158 Tables with altogether 1,587 columns. Tables 1 and 2 set out the estimated school population at all levels for the Northern and Southern States, from 1970 to 1980, taking into account a compound growth rate of 2 and a half percent per annum in our population. Tables 3-7 set out the projected recurrent and capital costs of this great scheme for the next 20 years. Appendix 1 is a summary of the methodology and procedure adopted in computing the 158 Tables from which Tables 1-7 have been abstracted. Table 8, on the other hand, contains Nigeria’s projected GDP from 1970/71 to 1990/91 at current factor cost, and the estimated Government Revenue for this period. Appendix two is an outline of the rationale for this Table”.

    Giving details of carefully calculated capital and recurrent expenditure from 1970/71 to 1990/91, Awolowo stressed that free and compulsory primary education “must not wait till later than 1974…if we truly appreciate the unifying and harmony-promoting influence of such a scheme”. He continued: “Granting then that God bestows on us the wisdom, vision and grace to embark on free and compulsory primary education in 1974, it is clear from Tables 1 and 2 that we would end this decade in 1979 with a primary school population of 7 and a half million pupils in the Northern States compared and contrasted with 6 million primary school pupils in the Southern States. By 1980, the Northern States would have 1.17 million general secondary pupils as compared with 1.2 million in the Southern States. Also, by 1980, 270,000 students of Northern States origin would be pursuing post-secondary education as contrasted with 262,000 from the Southern States. By 1985, the process, which would have begun much earlier, of each constituent state having at least one University, would be completed”.

    Where would Nigeria be today if this kind of meticulous, serious-minded thinking and planning had been applied to Nigeria’s developmental aspirations in diverse sectors since 1970 when Awolowo penned these words? These are exactly the qualities needed by the leadership for the successful actualization of Section 2 of the 1999 constitution in order to respond effectively to the revolutionary pressures occasioned by the crisis of poverty, inequality and underdevelopment in post-colonial Nigeria. Of course, Awolowo was aware that achieving the ambitious developmental goals his party set for Nigeria would require the highest levels of discipline and sacrifice from all and sundry. Thus, in a speech on 6th October, 1978, he lamented the high level of indiscipline and self-indulgence at all strata of our society, asking “What else on earth, for instance, could have made our public servants at the Federal level alone feel at ease with the expenditure in 1977/78 of over N97 million on Local Transport and Travelling, over N28 million on Vehicles, Maintenance and Running Costs and over N7 million on Overseas Travel?”. The levels of waste and fiscal recklessness in our public life have grown even more atrocious and reprehensible over time.

    Interestingly, Awolowo does not disagree with Sowore on the imperative of revolutionary changes as a necessary condition for national transformation in Nigeria. But the sage’s notion of revolution is not the spontaneous, reflexive and superficial #RevolutionNow spearheaded by Sowore. Rather, Awo avers that “In order that she may attain her natural birthright and destiny, Nigeria must be remade and re-created. Every aspect of her existence must be revolutionized: her agriculture, her industry, her trade and other tertiary services, the attitude of her sons and daughters to life as well as their education and upbringing – all must be revolutionized”. Which party can achieve this feat within the context of a democratic, federal and united Nigeria? That is the big question. But the answer certainly does not lie in populist showmanship masquerading as revolutionary fervor.

  • Power, history and reality

    Power corrupts and absolute  power corrupts  absolutely  is a well known cliché. I put that alongside a saying  that you do not know a man’s  nature until you  give him power. You  may  have guessed  where I  am  heading if you followed  the world  news  as well  the local  one. The major global  news this week  was the suspension of  Parliament in Britain  by the new  British  PM Boris  Johnson and the full  support given him via twitter by US President Donald  Trump.

    In  Nigeria a well-known Northern leader Prof  Ango  Abdullahi   asserted controversially  that the Fulanis  were  better  off under colonial  rule than Independent  Nigeria. I want  to connect Boris Johnson’s suspension  of  Parliament  with the Fulani   lamentation  and fate under  the Colonialists  because Britain was Nigeria’s colonizer and  gave  us Independence under the system  of  Parliamentary  Democracy  which  we  have since abandoned   for the presidential  system  of  government. The  reality  today  however  is  that Britain ‘s PM last  week behaved more  like an executive president in suspending  Parliament  and  exposed  the Achilles  heel of the British  constitution which  is largely  unwritten.

    In   the  lamentation of the fate of the Fulani  herdsmen  today in Nigeria the Professor conveniently  forgot that the Fulani  were the ruling class over the whole of  Northern Nigeria  because the Islamic Jihad of the Sokoto caliphate which is Fulani, was  the   source   from which  power flowed  over Nigeria at Independence  through the Sardauna of Sokoto,  Sir  Ahmadu  Bello,  the first  Northern Nigerian Premier whose  party the NPC was  the ruling  party in Nigeria at  Independence. To  say  that  the Fulanis  were  better off   during colonialism is a tautology.  They  were in power in the North and the  rest  of  Nigeria. They  are  still  very much in power today as the incumbent President of  Nigeria is a full  blooded Fulani  who reportedly said that if he were not educated he would   have been  a cattle  Fulani .

    So  for the distinguished  former VC and  Professor to  say that the Fulanis  were  better off under the  Colonialists is to blow  a trumpet  of  triumph  or kakaki  which  the Fulani  caste  enjoyed under the    policy   of  Indirect Rule  under the British  colonialists  when  Fulani Emirs  ruled over their  Hausa subjects  then  and up till  now.  So  for Ango  Abdullahi to say that the Fulanis  were better off under the British  Colonialsts  is  a fake attempt to pull the wool over our  eyes.  The  reality is that the Fulanis  have always  taken the plums  of power in the rulership  of  Nigeria and right  now  they  are still very  much in the saddle  of  Nigeria’s power politics and democracy.

    In  tackling Boris Johnson’s gamble in suspending Parliament  let  me caution him as I did on Italy’s Matteo  Salvini when  I noted last  week   that in bringing down the government coalition of his party and the Five Stars he  could  lose as a bird in hand is worth  two in the bush.  Now  he has lost because his former coalition partners  have agreed to form a government with a party of the left  which  Salvini never  thought  possible.  In addition they have retained the PM whose  cabinet  Salvini brought down  in a bid  to force  an election. Which shows  that in politics there  are no permanent enemies  but permanent  interests.

    Boris  Johnson’s  disdain for  Parliament  however could  damage  Parliamentary  democracy  for good in Britain. This  is because in the British constitution which  is  unwritten Parliament is  supreme. But the British  constitution is mostly  unwritten  and under  the protocol in which  the Queen  suspended Parliament at the behest  of the PM the Queen’s  action is unqueationable  . Yet  some people  have gone to court to challenge the PM  suspension of Parliament. What  laws or law  precedents will  they use except to mention time  honored traditions and customs. But  how will  that sound in this age and time digital politics and social  media  and hacking of election campaigns  and results?  Obviously  the law  is about  to be given  a kick  in the ass over this Brexit deal  or  no  deal.  One thingis sure though and that is that both Boris  Johnson and Labour Opposition leader Jeremy  Corbyn  have no love lost  between  them on Brexit  and it is difficult  to  say  who  will  prevail   and  the world  will  be watching to see if this is the death  knell  of Parliamentary  democracy  in the Mother of  Parliament or not.

    The  situation in Britain provides ample opportunity  to compare Parliamentary Democracy with the American  presidential  system  with its checks  and balances  and the separation of powers inherent in it. It  is obvious  now  with benefit of hindsight  that both systems  of  government  can  be derailed  under serious system stress  and the machinations  of  politicians.  I    will  use a comparative  analysis to show this disturbing  fact  in the Brexit  saga still  unfolding , the US under  Donald  Trump  and the  Nigerian  senate between 2015  and  2019.

    Udoubtedly  the  British  Parliament  has  been seriously  wounded in terms of image and respectability by the Brexit  Debates. Three   deals on Brexit were rejected by Parliament  and the last by the Speaker who cited   the  wordings as the same and therefore not worthy of  consideration.  This led to the resignation of Theresa May  as PM  and the emergence of Boris  Johnson.  Now Johnson is suspicious  of  Parliament  hence the suspension or prorogation . A mistrust of Parliament by a sitting PM cannot augur  well  for Parliamentary  democracy. As  an observer  noted  if in a Parliamentary  democracy Parliament becomes undemocratic in preventing Brexit from happening then  democracy must  be imposed on Parliament. Which in a way was what the British  PM is trying to do but he is not having it easy at  all   and the world is watching with bated breath.

    In the US under  Trump  separation of powers seem  broken and  apart.  Whereas the checks  and balances  put  in place were to make  the system  intertwined and interwoven.  But  now under Trump  the senate goes its way   dominated   by the Republicans  while the House  of Reps  under the Democrats does  things its way and  there is little room  for accommodation or  tolerance which is the essence of the  checks  and balances in a presidential  system.  So  the American  political  system  is under the personality  stress  of its  incumbent  president and that  stress  has  been  translated into a global  stress affecting all  issues from climate to diplomacy and trade.

    Ironically  the Nigerian  political  system  weathered  its  separation of  powers stress better than both the US and Britain  where  the sovereignty  and integrity of Parliament have been  impugned.  The  Senate President in 2015 became that President by subterfuge and deceit  of the ruling APC.  He  was able to hold on to that position till  the end of his tenure and to the chagrin of his then  party before defecting to the opposition PDP,  This  definitely debarred  the APC  from fulfilling  its mandate as it was crippled in the senate where an enemy  from within its ranks  had imposed himself  as president. Luckily the APC  won the 2019  election  and has put its house in order as lightning  cannot  be allowed to strike   twice at the same spot.

    So  to a great  extent Nigeria’s  metamorphosis from a Parliamentary democracy  to an executive presidency  encompasses  the good  the bad and  ugly  of the two  systems. We have seen  the worst case scenario in which the Speakers mace  had  been  used to break  law  makers heads or get lost in Parliament.  Such incidents led to military intervention and later   the Presidential  system of government.  From  all  indications it would seem that  both our former colonial  master  and the garrulous Americans are  on the verge of  their    round   of  fisticuffs  in evolving their own  democracies   and  we can  only  watch  from  afar.  After all what is good for the goose    should be sauce   for the gander.

    Once again long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

  • Lai, The Tailor: Role model for all youths

    I think it was the philosopher juju musician, Ebenezer Obey that waxed a record many years ago, extolling the virtue in hard work. Before then, many had the narrow mindset that you could only make good in life through the structured careers or vocations. That was when the fad was to be in white collar jobs, or be lawyers, doctors or engineers and such like things.

    But, not any more. Many emerged from petty trading to become champions of commerce and industry. In the years of yore, Chief Ilodibe, a Catholic priest houseboy, rose from that lowly position to pioneer long-haul luxury bus transportation business from the Eastern part of Nigeria under the well-known trade name of Ekele Chukwu Transport Company. In Yorubaland, Chief Rasaq Akanbi Okoya had a modest start in merchandising, to grow to the octopus-businessman that he is today, with his hands in plastic manufacturing, household utensils and enamelware, and real estate. His toothpaste smile is a testament that he succeeded immensely in his business. Neither can one forget Chief Maduka, another Catholic priest houseboy, who today is a major player in the automobile sales industry as Coscharis Motors.

    Lai Olumegbon started as your common pound-the-street tailor, but because of his vision and commitment and strong belief in dignity of labour, he soldiered on, to emerge the leader in the garment making industry in the country, whose clientele expanded from individuals to corporate bodies, including the military and para-military institutions. By any parameters, Lai made good in that business arena. Apart from the wealth that accrued from his tailoring trade, his nation honoured him with the Member of the Order of Niger (MON) award, in recognition of his contribution to the growth of economy from his own line of business.

    At 90, the thoroughbred Lagosian was celebrated the other week for attaining that age in a clime where the wear and tear of doing rigorous business take their toll quickly on people. If one were to use his rotund physique to assess the grand old man, you’d think he had it all rosy from the start; but no, God’s grace on a chequered life is on display. Happy birthday to our own venerated Lai, the tailor!

  • Suspected 25-yr-old burglar arrested

    A suspected burglar, Babajide Sokeye a.k.a. prophet has been arrested by the police in Sango – Ota, Ogun State.

    The 25-year-old suspect was nabbed by operatives of the Inspector General of Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT).

    Sokeye forcibly broke into the apartment of one of his neighbours, Kayode Ahmed, who had travelled out of town for some days.

    The suspect Babajide forced his way into Ahmed’s apartment through one of the windows in the building and moved valuables inside the three bedroom apartment including television stand, fan, gas cylinder, utensils, three cups of rice and pressing iron among others into his own room.

    Following a petition to the IRT by Ahmed, Sokeye was tracked trailed to his hideout in the neighbourhood and the stolen items were recovered from him.

    Read Also: Police rescue teenage burglar from mob attack

    Police sources confirmed that efforts were ongoing to apprehend other members of Sokeye’s gang.

    Confessing, Sokeye said: “ l am a cobbler. I am not married yet due to lack of money. I stay at Ojuore area of Ota, Ogun state. My father is late and I am the one taking care of my mother.

    “I found out that the occupants of the three bed room flat had traveled and would spend some days before they come back from their community. I went there to start looting their property but , to my greatest surprise, three guys(burglars) jumped out of the flat, beating me to it. They had been looting the apartment before I started my own.

    “I was annoyed.  I returned home to prepare myself well and collected house breaking tools . Luckily, when I came back that same day at about 9: 00pm I discovered that those guys had already removed the burglary proof. I then entered the house through the window. The three bedroom apartment is at Isale Wahidan Street, Ota.

    ‘’The owner travelled out of town with his family. He just padlocked the gate. My own house is on the next street, a self-contained room where I pay N80,000 per year. That night I passed and entered through the kitchen and started parking those things that I felt were most needed by me for the mean time.

  • Suspected hoodlums rape 16-yr-old girl to death

    The decomposing body of a 16-year-old girl allegedly raped to death by suspected hoodlums in Isale Ijeun area of Idi Ape in Abeokuta, Ogun State, has been found in a bush in the neighbourhood.

    Aishat Shodeinde was allegedly abducted on Friday, August16, while returning home by some unidentified men who proceeded to gang-rape her to death in the bush.

    Aishat was, until her tragic death, an SS3 student at an unnamed secondary school.

    She was simultaneously undergoing training as an auxiliary nurse in a hospital in the neighbourhood.

    Sources said she had repeatedly turned down love advances from one of the suspected hoodlums.

    A search party was launched to find her  soon after her relations realized that she had been unusually  away from home for too long.

    Read Also Police arrest pastor over alleged rape in Oyo

    Her corpse was found near a rock by members of  the So Safe Corps when they raided a joint operated by hemp smokers near the bush.

    The matter was reported to a police division at Itoku area of Abeokuta but nothing was done to apprehend the culprits.

    A source said: “We learnt the girl was accosted by the hoodlums while she was returning home and they forcibly took her to the bush and gang-raped her to death. “The  police divisional headquarters at Oke Itoku was duly informed about the incident but their search for Aishat’s whereabouts did not yield fruits.

    “It was the operatives of So Safe Corps who raided a hemp smoking joint that recovered her body after they perceived odour from the bush near the joint.’’

    A source said that four suspects had been arrested in connection with the incident.

    Police spokesman, Abimbola Oyeyemi did not respond to enquiries sent to his mobile phone at press time.

    He also did not pick his phone when he was called.

  • Auditions for reality TV dating show ‘Hello Mr. Right’ begin September

    Startimes has announced that dating reality TV show, ‘Hello Mr. Right’, will commence in Nigeria with auditions on September 7 and September 8, 2019.

    The auditions scheduled to hold on Saturday and Sunday at NTA 10, Tejuosho in Lagos is open to male and female participants who are single and above 18 years.

    The TV show, currently enjoying massive viewership in other African countries including Kenya and Zambia will be aired from October 2019 exclusively on StarTimes, with a cash prize of N300,000 available for the successfully matched couple.

    Speaking on the initiative, the Public Relations Manager of StarTimes, Kunmi Balogun, said: “The show follows the general format of the well-known dating show which originates from China called “If You Are the One”. During the show, a male guest introduces himself and tries to impress a group of female participants. The women can opt-out of the selection process if they don’t like the guy, and he picks the woman he wants to date from the ones who are left after a series of questioning.

    “’Hello Mr. Right’ is for anyone who is single and searching – it’s a fun way to meet interesting people and maybe find that special one. We are now calling on interested, potential contestants to come for the auditions for a chance to find love.”

  • Sultan, emirs to grace Argungu festival

    The government of Kebbi State will next week hold the Argungu Polo and Cultural Festival. The event will hold at the ancient city of Argungu in Kebbi State. The festival would involve cultural activities and a polo tournament.

    The event will hold next week from Wednesday, September 4 to Saturday, September 7.  The cultural festival and polo tournament will serve as dress rehearsal for the main Argungu International Fishing and Cultural Festival expected to return in the first quarter of next year.

    Among the dignitaries expected at the event include: the Sultan of Sokoto, Emir of Bade from Yobe State, Emir of Gwandu, Emir of Yauri and Emir of Zuru. We are also expecting three first-class emirs from Niger Republic.

    Speaking on the event , the Special Adviser to the Kebbi State Governor on Tourism, Alhaji Nura Kangiwa (Turakin Kebbi), said everything had been put in place for the wonderful cultural-cum-polo fiesta.

    He said: “The Argungu fishing festival is coming back in the first quarter of next year. What we are having is the polo festival that  will serve as a prelude to the fishing festival. We are going to assemble all our artisans to come and participate and display their skills. The only things that would not take place is the fishing competition and the water sports. All other events will take place, especially the wrestling competition, boxing, horse racing, camel racing, and other activities.

    “This time around, we have even introduced bull fighting, and it is even much more interesting than the ones you see in Spain and South America.

    “In terms of the polo event, we are expecting about 15 teams. They will be coming from as far as Lagos. We are partnering the Nigerian Breweries.

    “We have virtually finished everything. We are just waiting for the arrival of participants and spectators.

    “We are expecting about 15 teams for the polo event. We are expecting participants from other states for the other events. We have participants coming from Niger Republic.”

    Kangiwa spoke on what the state and organisers of the festival are doing to bring back the festival.

    He said: “When the stakeholders of the Argungu Fishing Festival-the emir, the state government, the local government and the local chiefs-sat down, we decided to include polo in the activities of the Argungu Fishing Festival.

    “When the fishing festival will be coming back, the first event will be the kick-off of the national polo competition. We want to see how those coming for this event would see the friendliness of the people and  the Argungu ambience would make them come back next year for the main event, that is the fishing festival.

    “In polo, most times, both winners and the runners-up  receive trophies. We are having seven trophies to be competed for. They include the Governor’s Cup, Sultan of Sokoto Cup,  Emir of Argungu Cup, Abubakar Umar Dangiwa Cup, Shehu Kangiwa Cup and Umar Shinkafi Cup.”

  • The truth about lying in your relationship (2)

    IF your spouse is explaining an event or occurrence in a vague way with an ambiguous style, giving you assignment in your brain, making you go through so much effort to connect the dots, it may mean he/she is lying. Sometimes if frustration or confusion on how to finish the lie , when the web has confused even the liar , they will suddenly claim anger and become aggressive to drive you away from the issue at hand. If this is regular, I would personally advise you start opening your eyes to the reality of your situation.

    1. Change in response time to questions asked

    When you are in a situation where your spouse has to take time to answer your questions, or keeps replying with “ ermmmmmmmmmm, ermmmmmm” more than usual ,  it may  indicate that he/she is being  dishonest at the time and looking for a way out .  When you are saying the truth no matter how bad it is meant to be flawless and consistent, during winter, summer, autumn or spring. Because telling a lie is a creation of an untruth it will take time to come up with it, although I must commend some people who are masters in the game. They breathe, sleep and eat lies. What a tasking life this would be.

    1. Change in repetition of questions before answering the questions

    If your spouse has the habit of answering question with question repeatedly, then you need to watch out. They may fake ignorance of not understanding your question and appear angry because you are not allowing them time to assimilate the question so they can concoct the lie. This may be another way to identify when you are being told a lie. The pause before response to a question means a lot, and when you get to experience this pause all the time, then there is a problem at hand.

    What to do if you have a liar as a spouse

    It is not a good thing to discover your spouse is a liar. Sadness and distrust can destroy your joy with that person. It could be overwhelming and emotionally draining. There are certain actions to take when someone lies to you in a relationship. They are addressed below.

    • Talk to your partner one on one, no third party please

    Don’t go about reporting to people saying: “Do you know my spouse is a liar?”  you will need to settle this amicably without drama or causing a scene, please try, it is not easy but try, start the conversation in a quiet place with very minimal people incase all hell breaks loose, especially if you do not know how to control yourself. Don’t start the conversation shouting and screaming “you are a liar “up and down. You can inform your partner about your findings or tell them what you feel about him/her not telling the truth and how it is hurting both of you. It’s best to take a calm approach not to intensify the tension. You could use stylish language and not be too direct a figure of speech instead of speaking literally to have a reduced effect, so it doesn’t appear you are being aggressive on the issue, if you feel you can’t deal from the start? You have a right to walk away.

    • Try to wait for an explanation

    Most times when people realize their secret has been exposed, they will be surprised. Liars don’t like confrontation, they sometimes believe they will never be caught, this comes especially to the skilled ones who have gained a degree or maybe PHD in telling lies. But I would personally advise you give your partner a chance to explain, try not roll your eyes too much when they start the explanation. What you need to seek for first is the motive behind the lie. Along the lie, they may apologise or express sadness at lying to you, but don’t count on it 100 per cent, as you may not get the apology you expect.

    • It makes sense to present your evidence

    If your spouse continues to insist that they are telling the truth, this would now be a perfect time to present your evidence of the issue at hand. This move could either get an outright confession or turn to aggression, if they feel their back is against the wall, be careful when doing this.  When this happens, make your partner recognize that your trust for him/her has been lost. This announcement will make your partner severely humiliated.  A lot of people take trust for granted, it is human, no big deal because it happens all the time. They will either choose then to stop lying to you or call it quits be prepared.

    • Realization that your spouse will not stop the lies

  • Nurturing your relationship (5)

    Dear Reader, it is important to know that God’s intent is that we build a sweet and cordial relationship with one another, especially within the confines of marriage. No man was created an island, relationships are vital to one’s destiny. However, in order for you to build and sustain relationships that will positively influence your life, especially in marital relationships, you must engage the key of wisdom.

    Gaining wisdom is vital to our success in any given venture. God has made provisions for your marital relationship to produce good for you, but you have the responsibility to nurture it through wisdom. Couples must search the Word to access revelations for outstanding success in their family life. From the pattern of God’s Word, you can draw up a blueprint for your home.

    What is Wisdom?

    Wisdom is hearing the sayings of our Lord Jesus Christ and doing them. It is the correct application of knowledge. It demands that you take correct steps in line with all you will learn from God this month concerning your home. Only then, can you begin to reap the fruits of a sweet and a successful home. The Bible says: Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock (Matthew 7:24). The place of wisdom in building a successful home cannot be overemphasized. The Word of God says: Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding (Proverbs 4:7).

    Wisdom is the principal thing on which all other things rest. A home is meant to be built for it to be successful. The Bible says: Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established (Proverbs 24:3). Therefore, to build a successful home, wisdom is required. A wise man said, “Courtship brings out the best, marriage brings out the rest.” That is why you need the God-given wisdom to know your spouse, adapt to him or her, and bring out the best that God has designed for your home.

    Build a Godly Expectation

    God has promised to grant your expectations; so, you must ensure the expectations you have for your family and relationship is in accordance with God’s Word. Houses are in different sizes and shapes and you cannot build what you do not desire. Don’t enter into marriage not desiring a good relationship with your spouse. Begin to tell yourself and nurture exactly what you want out of your relationship. You only get peace when you genuinely desire same. Debunk whatever negative experiences you may have had or heard people say and expect the best, as ordained by God.

    Accept your responsibilities

    You are the builder of your home. Stop wishing! Work on making your home a success and you will reap the fruits of your labour! Expectation is the mother of manifestation. What do you expect your home to be? Success or failure, stressful or stress-free, full of troubles or peace? Then, get down to work.

    If you expect success in your home, then apply the wisdom of God. Be a doer of the Word! Do whatever He tells you to do. This is wisdom. When you do your part, God is committed to making your home a success. He can never fail. The Bible instructs all husbands to dwell with their wives according to knowledge (1 Peter 3:7). Understand her nature. When a man understands the nature of his wife and works according to that understanding, problems are less likely to arise in that home. Realise that she is a wife, mother, and homemaker all at once, and these place demands on her. Be considerate towards her and be available to minister to her needs. Don’t wait for her to play her part first. Live by example. Wives are not to be treated as slaves or inferior human beings, rather they should be held in respect. This is the wisdom of God! Men who beat their wives exhibit folly and sin against God.

    God has placed the building of the house into your hands. The Bible says: Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands (Proverbs 14:1). Don’t operate in foolishness. Don’t pluck down your home, operate in the wisdom of God. Abide with God’s instructions. They are not grievous. Even if you happen to be married to a man whose level of understanding is lower than yours; remember Abigail. Through her wisdom and understanding, she saved her home even though she had a foolish husband.

    Identify your husband’s weaknesses and help him to work on them. Learn to appreciate his good points, point out his mistakes in a kind and loving manner. This is God’s wisdom. Embrace it! If you abide by God’s instruction, it will make your home precious before God and before men. Here is the testimony of a sister who wisely applied God’s Word as she was taught and obtained a positive result.

    As husband and wife, you are the builders of your home. Marriage can be likened to a physical house. Houses in the physical don’t just happen, they are consciously built. You don’t just wake up one day and see a physical house grow up somewhere.  It takes conscious effort and input to make it happen.  In the same manner, and even much more, a good marriage doesn’t just happen, it is consciously made to happen.  The Word of God says, Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established (Proverbs 24:3).

    You have the duty to build it the way you want it to be. Stop shifting your responsibilities to God!  As my husband would always say, “Any faith that makes God absolutely responsible for the happenings of your life is an irresponsible faith”.  The act of building is your responsibility.  You must fulfill your own part for God to fulfill His own.

    For you to be able to possess good qualities that will make you relationship last, you need a good relationship with Christ. If, peradventure, you are not born again and you want to accept Jesus as your Lord and personal Saviour, then say this prayer in faith: Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood. I accept You as my Lord and personal Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for delivering me from sin and satan to serve the living God and thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom.

    Congratulations! If you prayed this simple prayer of faith with me, you are now born again and a child of God. He loves you and will never leave you. Read your Bible daily, obey God’s Word and seek Christian fellowship (John 14:21).

    With this, you are guaranteed all-round rest and peace in Jesus’ Name! Call or write to share your testimonies with me through contact@faithoyedepo.org, 07026385437 OR 08141320204.

    For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work, Building A Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-Authored).

  • Memoir for Nollywood content market

    First, they said the Nigerian motion picture industry was the third largest in the world. It soon moved to the second place, and this, of course, is in quantum.

    Quantum in this contest is not a problem because business strives on numbers. As a matter of fact, one of the things foreigners say we are taking advantage of, in Nigeria, is our population, which they say is good for business.

    On the other hand is the art of filmmaking which gives us what you may choose to call academic recognition. It is the art of filmmaking that takes a filmmaker round the international film festival circuit. It is where we speak highly of creativity, of technical knowhow etcetera. It is the art of filmmaking that wins awards like the Oscar, Golden Globes, AMAA etcetera for the artiste. It is the art of filmmaking that gives the filmmaker recognitions for thematic subjects that are critical of local and global issues of health, of culture, of diplomacy, of diseases, of bad governance. It is the art of filmmaking that keeps record of history, investigative in nature, and brings the problems of small societies to global attention.

    To understand that quantum of film production is not derogatory, even the American and the British film industry that are better known for arty stories, also thrive on commercial filmmaking, and this has impacted significantly on their countries’ GDP.

    Film is also a major export of countries like China and India, to mention a few. This is where Nollywood’s strength is derivable, being the second largest producers of home video in the world.

    In relation to our population that I mentioned earlier, which is about 200 million – that is huge, even for local business without adding the potential of export. The proviso is however for the right structures to be in place.

    Talking about structure, one of them, and fundamentally too, is Distribution in form of cinemas.

    The cinema is an antidote to piracy of CD and DVD form of Distribution, yet (in my opinion); we have less that 5 percent of what we can call an average number of cinemas/screens in Nigeria. Of course, one could count the number of cinemas in Nigeria on the ‘finger tips’. This indicates that there is a serious deficit.

    This is why pundits have canvassed for community cinemas. Some have even suggested that the SDP/NRC buildings in every local government could serve this purpose, at least as a palliative.

    Government must stop paying lip service to the plight of Nollywood. It has said several times that the industry is an alternative to oil in its economy diversification agenda, but not much has been done to create this enabling environment for the business of film to thrive.

    Thank God for technology; this allows filmmakers to find another market in online streaming. This has led to the rise of the likes of iRoko…. And now the biggest online streaming company in the world, Netflix, has found its way into Nigeria.

    An indication of Netflix’s real readiness for the Nigerian market happened in September 2018 when it announced Genevieve Nnaji’s ‘Lionheart’ as ‘Original’ after acquiring the film. Of course, before then, we have had Nigerian films like ‘October 1’, ‘Fifty’ etc in the repertoire of Netflix.

    It is obvious that Netflix as a business entity recognizes the viability of Nigerian films, and the market for same among Nigerians at home, Nigerians in the Diaspora, Africans at home and in the Diaspora, as well as the Caribbeans etc.

    This is huge and good projection for Netflix, but we must be advised that internet is the current issue, and this would define how far the business will go.