The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigeria newspaper

  • My fears of singing in Yoruba, says Shola Allyson

    SINGER and song writer, Shola Allyson, who became popular with her hit song, Eji Owuro (Morning Dew), has revealed that she was afraid to sing in her local dialect, Yoruba.

    Allyson who said it was exactly what she wanted to do, however noted that at the time she started singing, her genre of music was not yet widely accepted in the music industry where foreign music and local hip hop dominated.

    The songbird, who has since become a household name, on her Instagram page recently, wrote that she had a clear vision of what she wanted to do but there were fears of acceptance because her songs were “sweet, strange and usually deep”.

    She wrote: “I remember this time… Everything. The struggles. The travails. The eventual breakthrough. The gratitude, but laced with dissatisfaction, restlessness. I had pictures in my head and heart that I didn’t have words to describe. The scanty description I had was misunderstood.The songs I sang were sweet, but strange. The words I used were unusually deep.

    “The way I rejected my existing reality was daring! The reality of my childhood; how I grew up. The reality of what my life was and what I was supposed to be. The reality of what it was looking like.The reality of what someone who sings in pure ‘local language’ should be. The expected ‘razzness’ that comes with toeing that path. But in my heart and my head, I was always thinking, ‘I’ll sing in Yoruba, sing pure songs, be real omolúàbí and I’ll cut across all classes, my world would be greatly blessed by me!’

    She also said, friends and family saw her as been insane. “I tried to share that with ‘trusted’ ones, but they considered me insane and unrealistic. So I kept it to myself but letting the picture I see guide me.Here I am. It has looked like it already. And it is still unfolding! The story is still being written! Kò tíì tán!”

    Eji Owuro was the soundtrack album for a film of the same name in 2003 After Eji Owuro. She released other albums like Gbe Je F’ori and Im’oore, among others.

  • NCAC to promote Nigerian fabric culture

    Manufacturers of local fabrics and those in the fashion business will get a boost as the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) is set to reposition the sector.

    The NCAC, which has already taken the lead in the promotion of indigenous fabrics, is set to expand the scope by adopting new strategies to empower local fabric producers and fashion designers in the country.

    This development was made known by the Director-General, Otunba Segun Runsewe, when he received a delegation from Bridge Concepts led by its leader,  Bimbo Daramola.

    Speaking during the visit, Daramola noted that the group was in NCAC to collaborate with the council on his idea, The Fabrics of Nigeria, which will see the elevation of indigenous fabrics to global prominence.

    He said: “We intend to bring all the fabrics of Nigeria like adire, ankara and so on to the global limelight just as we also came to commend the DG who has always demonstrated a Midas touch everywhere he has been, starting from the National Orientation Agency to the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation and now NCAC with excellence all the way.”

    He extolled Otunba Runsewe for his initiative in using local fabrics for playing golf, saying the idea was novel and has gained international traction just as he seized the moment to commend Runsewe for taking the fight to characters like Bobrisky who are negating the cultural identity of Nigeria.

    The former parliamentarian, who established the public relations outfit 22 years ago, recalled that they designed the logo used at the 2003 Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Abuja with Runsewe responsible for its huge success, especially in publicity.

    “The Fabrics of Nigeria project seeks to get all stakeholders on board, including global players, because the industry is a low hanging fruit. Without fabrics and garments, there is no fashion, even President Buhari is a product of the fabric industry. Nigeria will again stamp its presence in international platforms,” said  Daramola.

    He concluded by soliciting for the government’s buy-in and NCAC support going forward.

    On his part, Runsewe said he had always nursed the idea of popularising Nigerian fabrics as evident in the adire bags, shoes, backpacks and pouches which the council currently produces in partnership with local manufacturers.

    The DG expressed commitment to the idea proposed by Bridge Concepts recalling his introduction of “Nigerian dress culture” in 2010, using purely made in Nigeria fabrics to encourage the industry and create jobs for Nigerians.

    He pledged his support to create a workable template that will project the Nigerian dress culture across board, saying, “we will start with a joint press briefing where all media personalities in attendance will wear local fabrics on the day.

  • New dawn Eagles

    Nothing excites this writer more than watching young Nigerians grow through the ranks of the beautiful game.

    Although we have wasted several generations of players discovered from the grassroots, it appears we are rediscovering some and playing them during the big games involving the Super Eagles, a trend which is in tandem with FIFA’s goals in inaugurating age-grade competitions. Nigeria needs to catch up with the rest of the world in fielding players who evolved from age-grade teams.

    Looking at the players’ roll call in Dnipro on Monday ahead of the game against Ukraine, I was confident that the Ukrainians would be shocked, given the way their players were running the usual mind-games’ commentaries on what they would do to the Nigerians. Such headlines as ‘ No mercy for Eagles’, ‘We will attack Eagles full force’ etc raised my hopes further, especially as our boys didn’t trade words with them.

    Troost Ekong, Alex Iwobi, Oghenekaro Etebo, Simon Moses, Semi Ajayi, goalkeeper Francis Uzoho, Victor Osimhen, Samuel Chukwueze, Samuel Kalu, Olaoluwa Aina and Jamilu Collins, not forgetting debutants Joseph Aribo of Glasgow Rangers, Scotland, Joshua Maja of Girondins Bordeaux, France, Emmanuel Dennis of Club Brugge, Belgium and Anderson Esiti of PAOK Salonica of Greece represent the future of our Eagles, given the performances of Nigerians in Europe this season. A few others, such as Henry Onyekuru, Wilfred Ndidi, Tyronne Ebuehi, Ikechukwu Ezenwa, Paul Onuachu, Bonaventure Dennis, Kelechi Iheanacho, Anderson Esiti, Chidozie Awaziem, Maduka Okoye and Brian Idowu, need to be encouraged with such big games.

    Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) chieftains should ask coach Gernot Rohr to search for defenders and goalkeepers in the domestic league. This can only happen, if Rohr lives here longer than he does now. Rohr can stay in Nigeria and watch games here weekly. Technology has made it possible for anyone to watch missed games on television – courtesy of the Explora device on DSTV, yet have the same impact on his selection.

    Looking at the team which played in Dnipro on Tuesday, one is tempted to celebrate. What I saw of the players doesn’t look like a fluke. Those boys play weekly for their European clubs and it showed in the way they handled the ball.

    They were very fit, they were faster to the ball than the Ukrainians and they knew what to do with the ball, going forward. I’m sure we would have won the game, if Rohr wasn’t concerned with utilising the six changes available to both coaches during such friendly matches.

    Members of the country’s Olympic Games’ squad, such as Kelechi Nwakali, Taiwo Awoniyi, Azubuike Okechukwu and Effiong Ndifreke, should immediately be drafted to the Super Eagles instead of digging deep into the past to unearth ageing players. Mikel Obi and Odion Ighalo have quit the team honourably. Others, such as  Daniel Akpeyi, Leon Balogun (if he continues to sit on the bench at Brighton), Oguenyi Onazi and, possibly Kenneth Omeruo, should be pulled out honourably through international matches. The average age of most national teams is 22, hence the fast pace of matches.

    Do we have a team for the future? Ukraine’s coach, Coach Andriy Shevchenko, a top international, provided the answer in a post match interview in which he said: ‘’But today’s (Tuesday night’s) game was very important, we received a lot of valuable information.”

    Shevchenko urged his countrymen to applaud the Yellow Men for the pulsating 2-2 draw, pointing out that:”It is very difficult to find the ideal at all. The team is moving in the right direction. It is impossible to compare today’s (Tuesday night’s) match with the previous one against Lithuania.”

    Shevchenko told reporters after the game – Soccernet.ng confirmed – that: “It is a completely different team made up of players who play in different championships. But today’s (Tuesday night’s) game was very important, we received a lot of valuable information.”

    We hope that NFF will secure quality matches for the team to blend. Such games should be held in the country to give Nigerians an opportunity to watch their heroes. Playing matches at home will open a new vista for sports sponsorship since business chiefs will appreciate the marketing windows available to them to connect with the fans, who they could convert to their customers.

    Of course, everything should be done to ensure that the coaches are comfortable and are paid their wages regularly.

    Good luck Nigeria.

    Whither Serena Williams

    The deafening noise from the US Open court’s women singles final, especially with the ouster of the Queen of the courts, Serena Williams, is instructive, even though most of her admirers continue to rue her misfortune on compassionate grounds – expectedly, many have imputed bad luck, age, etc as the reason for the bad days on the courts for cup finals.

    But the truth is that Serena is being beaten by young girls who see her as their heroine. These young girls have modelled their game after Serena’s, with their coaches perfecting plans on how to beat their queen, exploiting her weaknesses, which aren’t known to the American. Not many champions stand the chance of correcting their mistakes during matches. Most times, they are frustrated and it influences the outcome of the matches. Serena’s case shouldn’t be different.

    Any person worried by the trends in anything would definitely be angry and eventually lose focus. This is where Serena has failed. Serena, despite her towering status, hasn’t be able to manage her temperament. If she hopes to conquer the new final game hoodoo, she should work on her mood swings during matches. Serena must learn how to play without being influenced by the fans or be worried about the umpire’s nuisances, including wrong calls. Umpires are humans, prone to mistakes.

    If Serena must break the ‘unforced jinx’, she should sit back at home with her coaches to watch the new girls on the bloc and change her approaches to games. If Serena sticks to her previous strategies, she won’t beat these girls.

    Such changes include improving on her first serves, which are not as potent as they used to be.

    I don’t think Serena’s problem is her age. She should learn to be as calm as cucumber. She should learn to throw her balls a little higher for her first serves. She should deemphasise speed on the serve but placement, which should give her enough time to move briskly towards the net to finish off the serve with killer half volleys or smashes, depending on the height of the returned ball.

    Indeed, Serena’s game management is on the decline. She needs a bit of variation to confound these younger girls who are quicker to the ball. I don’t know if she still reckons with her manager. If she doesn’t, she should quickly get someone she can listen to. Possibly her elder sister Venus, only if she is a coach. With a good coach, she would know if her problems include having to change her grip of the racquet among other plausible reasons.

    Serena’s ability to win these biggest of the big matches was her calling card, a talent that was virtually unmatched by even her most illustrious WTA peers of the past. From 1999 to 2015, Serena went 21-4 in major finals. Two of those losses came to her sister Venus and another to Maria Sharapova. Serena was so incensed by the latter defeat that she’s still avenging it 15 years later.

    Serena would need to overcome this psychological problems associated with her recent final matches. She could possibly sit with her elder sister Venus to review her game and chart a new course to surpass the record on her sight. It is achievable only if Serena accepts that the present predicament is hers to resolve.

    Arsenal’s axe indeed

    Driving through Gbagada Road’s traffic occasioned by the ongoing construction  to increase the height of the road’s median, I noticed one guy carrying a sign board, which read “Arsenal’s axe”. I was curious and consequently changed my lane in the gridlock to have a closer look at that what the guy was saying.

    Surprise. This hawker was wearing an old, tattered Liverpool shirt, but my focus was on what he wrote. I didn’t see him carrying any load to suggest that he kept the axes inside the bags. Rather, I saw a sign which signifies any product produced by Nike.

    What was this sign?  Nike’s usual “good” sign. I couldn’t find any correlation with the good sign and axes. I also couldn’t reconcile how Arsenal’s “guns” could suddenly become “axes”. Equally laughable was the fact that the hawker wore a Liverpool top. Don’t ask me if there were no security operatives.

    The gridlock suddenly eased, allowing for quicker vehicular movement, hence I zoomed off, leaving the man (God forgive me, because the hawker looked like a lunatic), to walk in the opposite direction. I just hope he truly didn’t have axes with him.

  • Judiciary as political umpire?

    It was the National Chairman of the defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN), Chief Meredith Adisa Akinloye, who famously declared in the run up to the 1983 general elections that there were only two political parties in Nigeria – the NPN and the military. The opposition political parties took umbrage at Akinloye’s explosive assertion. They interpreted it as implying that the ruling NPN would prefer the military coming back to power than losing at the polls. Yet, there was an element of truth in Akinloye’s thesis. The military, which had only recently quit the political stage in 1979 after 13 years of praetorian rule, was still a potent political force waiting in ill-disguised impatience, to hijack power, once again, not just from the NPN as assumed by Akinloye, but from the political class as a whole. And this is exactly what happened with the military coup of December, 1983, that sacked the Second Republic.

    The politicians, seemingly oblivious of the existential danger they faced as a ruling power elite, continued to approach competition for power as a desperate do – or die affair, until the military crept into the political household like the proverbial thief in the night. The country was to remain under the jackboots of military authoritarianism until the onset of this political dispensation in 1999 after the forced exit from the political terrain of the men in uniform.

    Despite the last two decades of unbroken civilian rule since 1999, it is evident that not much has changed as regards the tendency of the political class to pursue the acquisition of political power with such fierceness and utter absence of restraint that perennially threatens not just democracy but the stability and very existence of the polity as a whole. Yes, unceasing quarrels, disagreements and disputes among factions and fractions of the political class are inherent and indispensable features of the democratic process. But these must always be conducted within the boundaries of the ‘constitutive and regulative’ rules of the game if they are not to become dysfunctional to the system.

    In the absence, for instance, of a largely coherent and credible entity like the military able to intervene as in the past when democratic rule experiences systemic breakdown, persistently disruptive behavior on the part of the political class is more likely to result in generalized descent to anarchy with devastating consequences within and beyond Nigeria if such an entity as we know it survives as a cohesive whole.

    This is why it is so sad that the proclivity of Nigeria’s political class towards political self-immolation, which had brought the polity to grief so many times in the past, continued to be evident before, during and after the 2019 elections. The violence that marred the elections at several polling centres in many states was only an indication of the ferociousness of the power struggle. With the conclusion of the elections and the announcement of winners and losers at various levels, the battle only shifted in most cases from the electoral to the judicial front.

    The depth of desperation of political actors in the quest to win or retain power at all costs was again poignantly exhibited in some of the extremist submissions both of the petitioners, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and the PDP on the one hand and the respondents, President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC on the other, in the presidential election dispute resolved in favour of Buhari on Wednesday. For instance, Atiku did not only want the court to pronounce on the integrity and plausibility of the 2019 election results as pronounced by INEC, he sought to convince the court that Buhari was unqualified to contest the election in the first place because he allegedly lacked the constitutionally stipulated educational requirements.

    Of course, the court was, unsurprisingly, not persuaded. Here is a man who had not only risen to the apex of Nigeria’s military as a General; he is a former Head-of-State and Commander-In-Chief of the country’s Armed Forces. Furthermore, he had contested for the country’s presidency on four previous occasions amassing substantial votes on all occasions. Had Atiku’s submission been upheld by the court, Buhari’s election would have been annulled and the PDP candidate declared winner even though he lost the election by a margin of no less than four million votes! That would have been a veritable judicial coup.

    But then, the Buhari camp was also uncharitable and provocative in contesting Atiku’s claims partly on the grounds that the PDP candidate is not a Nigerian by birth. It is laudable that the court did not find the reasons adduced for this submission plausible and thus dismissed it. Again, here is an Atiku who rose to the top hierarchy of the Nigeria Customs Service from where he retired to pursue his career in business and politics for over three decades now. He was a former Vice-President of Nigeria for eight years and after that had contested for the country’s presidency on two occasions.

    These kinds of submissions by both Atiku and Buhari, had they been upheld by the courts would have eposed Nigeria to global ridicule and generated severe tensions and conflicts in the polity. It is important that members of the political elite cultivate the discipline to look beyond their immediate personal interests in the pursuit of their ambitions and also consider the stability, peace and cohesion of the polity. For, a country must first exist before political offices can be meaningfully competed for.

    Does this mean that aggrieved contestants and parties in elections must sacrifice the pursuit of justice in the interest of peace? No. The latter will surely always ultimately be a function of the former. But has Atiku really been denied justice in this instance as claimed by the PDP in its rather provocative reaction to Wednesday’s verdict of the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC)? It is difficult to agree with the PDP. Luckily, the PEPC’s judgement was not delivered in the cloistered closet of the court. The 8-hour marathon judgement was broadcast live on national television for the public to follow. In my view, the jurists were painstaking and rigorous in their submissions even though the Supreme Court will have the last say on the matter.

    Atiku and the PDP claim on the one hand that the elections were marred by large scale violence and intimidation of voters by security agents, over voting, manipulations, alterations and subtraction of valid votes given to Atiku by Nigerians all of which resulted in Buhari’s victory as declared by INEC. But it claims, on the other hand, that this allegedly perverted and grossly manipulated process by electoral and security agencies, working in concert with the APC, also strangely resulted in Atiku’s victory according to results the party claims to have obtained from an INEC server that it failed to convince the courts exists.

    This is an irreconcilable contradiction. How did these alleged gross irregularities not stop the PDP’s victory in the 17 states and the Federal Capital Victory which it won in the 23rd Februray, 2019, presidential election in contrast to the APC’s victory in 19 states. The truth is that it was a closely fought and largely credible election whatever its shortcomings.

    But then, this is not just a problem peculiar to Atiku and the PDP. It is a question of an entrenched political culture in which contestants for political office do not accept the outcome of elections and always resort to litigation no matter how glaring their defeat at the polls. After all, Buhari also resorted to seeking judicial intervention up to the Supreme Court on the three occasions that he lost the presidential election until his victory on the fourth attempt. His 2015 election triumph, however, shows that Buhari’s previous losses could be attributed not just to electoral malpractices but also the limitations of his political platforms and his lack of a pan-Nigerian appeal on those occasions.

    Yes, aggrieved contestants for political office have the right to seek redress exploiting all constitutionally stipulated avenues to do so in the accordance with democratic tenets. In fact, we have had several badly rigged executive and legislative elections upturned especially since 2007 thus strengthening both democracy and the judicial process in Nigeria. But when contesting the outcome of elections in court becomes the norm rather than the exception when elections have been demonstrably rigged, it becomes a distracting, enervating and dysfunctional practice.

    To strengthen public confidence in the electoral process and thus reduce the justification for reflexive resort to the courts by losers in elections, the National Assembly should improve on the Electoral Act passed by the 8th Assembly but which was rejected by the President and ensure that this time around it is passed into law.

  • I don’t encourage advances from male fans – Talented Comedienne Chigul

    Nigerian comedienne, Chioma Omeruah aka Chigul, is well known for her prowess in mimicking accents and comedic characters. In this interview with BRIDGET ONWUNEME, the multi-talented ribs-cracker speaks on her ‘12 personalities no’, and how she came into comedy accidentally,among other issues. Excerpts:

    How would you describe yourself?

    Chioma Omeruah is the second child out of four children. My father was a military official, and my mother worked at the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA). As a child, I was a very noisy and funny one among my siblings. I was  not only noisy, Ialso very mysterious. I was always doing funny things in the house and making everyone laugh. So, I’ll say that from my childhood, I was being groomed to do what I am doing now.

    How did you start up as a comedienne?

    I would say that comedy found me. That is because comedy was never in my plans.

    It happened one day; I did a voice note and sent it to somebody. That somebody then sent it to someone. That was how it went viral. Now, here we are; Chigul was born.

    You are an all-rounder entertainer, tell us about it?

    I have always loved acting. I actually started with theatre. Then my love for the craft grew on; then I knew that someday I would take to it full-time. On being a musician, yes I sing and write songs, but I do not call myself a professional singer or songwriter. I write my silly songs that I can literally do at the snap of my fingers. My singing and songwriting is a spontaneous act; it is really not like a thing I do big time. It’s just part of my personality.

    How many films have you featured in so far?

    Yea, the most recent films that I have done include Chief Daddy, Crazy People, The Reunion, and of course my first feature film, ‘Banana Island Ghost’.

    Which of these talents brought you to limelight?

    Of course, comedy brought me to the limelight.

    Are you currently working on any project?

    Yes. I actually have many products in the works at the moment, some of which I am not able to discuss.

    Tell us about your ’12 personalities’?

    (Laughs) I have always been able to mimic accents and sort of look at different people and imitate them. I discovered that I was good at doing different accents; so I created 12 characters, each one with a different personality and accent. All these characters are part of my comedy ‘Cooperation’.

    How many languages do you speak?

    I speak five languages, including English, Hausa, Igbo, French and Spanish.

    Switching accents through the five languages come quite easily for me.

    Tell us about these characters?

    The character ‘Chigul’ actually speaks with a very thick Igbo accent. She feels she is posh and sings songs about anything or everything. She has her own way of speaking. She does not seem to care that her ways are not the norm but goes off on her own rantings sometimes. Chigul is my stage name; she is a funny character, quite independent, and it seems she knows a lot, but she actually knows nothing.

    Aside from entertainment, what else do you do?

    I am a certified French teacher.

    What has been your source of inspiration?

    I will say that I am totally inspired by my environment; not just that, I am also inspired by the people I meet, the things I see, and the things that happen around me too.

    Can you tell us more about your past marriage?

    I would rather not talk about that.

    Would you get into marriage again, if you find Mr Right?

    (Laughs) Well, maybe I would. Who knows, time will definitely tell.

    How do you handle advances from male fans?

    I do not encourage advances from male fans.

    What’s the nastiest thing a fan has said to you?

    (Laughs) Wow, there has been so many that it is hard to pick one right now. Well, someone had once said that I look like Fiona from ‘Shrek’ the cartoon.  And I was like “Yeah Fiona is a cool chick and all, but really..? Fiona in Shrek”.

     If you would change some things about you, what would they be?

    Hmm, one thing is that I am a bit too accommodating. That is one thing I would like to make changes on; I need to set more boundaries.

    What is your favourite designer?

    Well, I would not say I have any favourites. If I like any clothes, shoes, accessories, I buy and use them. If I even like it a lot, I will wear it, until I tear it (laughs).

    Who are your role models in the movie, comedy, and music industries?

    I would not say I have role models.

    Where do you see yourself in the near future?

    I hope to still be working in careers that I love, and also to keep building my legacy.

    Your advice for the youth?

    My advice to the youth out there is for them to always stay humble, stay grounded, to work hard, be kind to people, and play ‘forward’ always.

  • A good marriage attracts God’s blessings

    Dear reader, marriage was instituted for better living for mankind.  It is not to bring hurts or constitute a hindrance. If you want your home and marriage to exhibit a better living, God must be at the centre of your heart and home. You have to be open to His Words and follow His instructions. His Words, instructions or commandments are not grievous or burdensome (1 John 5:3).

    It is an easy thing to do. God made man with a desire to please and follow His will (Scripture). The Lord Jesus came to make it easier for man to follow and obey the Word of God. Come, all that labour … for my burden is light and my yoke is easy (Matthew 11:28). Instead of seeking to do things your way, doing them God’s way will give you cheaply the results you desire.

    Family life originated from God; hence, He must be the centre of your family life to enjoy a better living. Countless people are having a near death experience in their family lives. Some have had many wives and still are dissatisfied. Others are separated, while some live a cat and dog life, wishing that someone would deliver them from it. Despite all these, there are some who are enjoying family life and making a success of it. This is not just by luck. Success is not by luck, you programme yourself for the type of success you desire.

    As a born-again child of God, enjoying a better family life is your birthright. It is God’s will and desire for you to enjoy an exciting marriage, an exciting home, life and family. Apart from making God the centre of your family, the next thing you must understand is that family life is meant for better living. It is meant for help, not hurt. The Bible says: I will make him a help (Genesis 2:18); Two are better than one (Ecclesiastes 4:9). One of the ways to enjoy this better living in marriage is to know your role, accept it and work diligently with it.

    It is very important as a man or woman in marriage to accept your responsibility. Nothing works on its own.  You have to work out your marriage to make it a fulfilled one.

    Husband:

    Your primary responsibility is to love, care for and generally oversee the welfare of your family. A great burden is placed on the man to love his wife as Christ loves the Church, and he is not exempted from this responsibility, even if his wife is not submissive or is unsaved. This responsibility can be accomplished only through sacrifices, being a godly example, and through an unconditional devotion, commitment and dedication to his marriage.

    It is very important for you to know that your wife is your chief concern, second only to God. As a man, you are the head of the household and you bear the responsibility for the entire family unit. Your leadership position as head of the union places a great responsibility on you to protect, care for, and seek the general well-being of your family spiritually, physically, and emotionally. This must be seen in action and not in mere words. You can tell your wife all day long that you love her, but until you show her that love, your words will do little to strengthen your relationship.

    As a husband, you need to encourage the spiritual development of your family, as Christ encouraged the spiritual development of His disciples.  You must be prepared to lay down your life for your wife and every member of your family if necessary.  This includes giving up selfish hobbies and past times which take you away from family unit or drain needed resources from the family budget.  For the spiritual development of the family, it is also required that as a husband, you lead your household in the study of God’s Word and in regular family devotions.  You are to take the lead particularly by example, in the worship of God.  In addition, you cannot direct the affairs of your family without first having daily fellowship with the Lord in prayers and the study of the Bible.

    Another fundamental responsibility of the husband is to honour his wife (I Peter 3:7).  This, perhaps, is even a higher level of responsibility than just providing for her physical needs. Respect, they say, is reciprocal.  If a man must enjoy respect from his wife, then he must be willing first to invest in it.  He must respect, admire, appreciate, praise and exalt her.

    Wife:

    The woman’s primary responsibility, after the Lord, is to her husband and her children.  The woman received the title of “help meet” in Genesis 2, which clearly established her role in the family as one of a support to her husband.  The Bible specifically demands of the woman, submission in all things.  A man of wisdom, David Lipscomb, wrote, “The submission of the wife to the husband is that of love, respect and reverence, which is befitting the relation she holds to her husband.  In her sphere she is spiritually on equality with man, but as a husband, he is the natural scripturally recognized head and leader of the family.  Her submission must be in accordance with the principles of righteousness, and nothing is required of her inconsistent with Christian character”.

    The idea of submission is a stumbling block to many women, because they equate submission with inferiority.  Men and women are created co-equal by God, but for the purpose of His plan of redemption, God has assigned to each of them differing roles to carry out.  God has clearly called the wife to submit to her own husband.  That is God’s design ordained for her blessings.  The Word of God says: Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing (Ephesians 5:22-24).

    Just as the body submits to the brain located in the head by design, so the wife should submit to the husband who is the head. The manner of submission is as unto the Lord, and the motive is God’s design to make the husband the head of the wife.  When you see a body that does not respond to the head, you see a deformity, you see something that is not normal.  You see a dysfunctional person.  The same is true in a marriage.  Where a wife does not submit to her husband, there is distortion, deformity, and dysfunction.  God has designed that the body respond to the head, and the husband is the head of the wife.

    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).

  • Ways to have a romantic relationship in between life hustles

    Gbenga and Tutu (not real names) had been together for six years. So far, they have a good understanding
    of each other. The only issue is that Tutu is not happy, why? Gbenga is no longer as romantic as he used to be. All the things he used to do, he had practically stopped. No more wedding anniversary gifts, no more surprise gifts, once he comes back from work he will drop his clothes anyhow on the floor. To even carry the baby is headache for him. He leaves her alone to handle all the house work and all while, Gbenga, on the other hand feels the extra things Tutu used to do is no longer forthcoming: the great sex, the listening ear, the attention to his food. Instead, it is always nagging and ignoring him when she never gets her way.

    Over the years, the challenge of having and maintaining a romantic relationship with your partner is an issue of worry for many while dating, early years of marriage and many years after being married. A couple of clients keep asking: “Rois what does a healthy relationship look like”? Every relationship has its unique nature. What is good for Bisi may not necessarily be good for Joke And the only answer I have been able to give and still give is relationships will always look and feel different for every couple.

    However, in my experience with couples dating and married, I have seen that the role models you look up to is very key. For instance, if as an individual you did not get to have the experience to grow up with parents, guardians or people who can influence you, with their wonderful and healthy way of relating to each other, it may be difficult to find a healthy couple to learn from or look up to.

    The scare in this aspect could be that the “healthy couple” may just be faking it. But all things being equal, we are talking about learning from couples who actually relate properly with each other.

    So I will try in my own little way to address healthy ways to have and maintain a romantic relationship as it works differently for people and the fact remains that it finally depends on each couple how they want to function irrespective of what I may say.

    Always tell your spouse you love them and why

    Action speaks louder than words. This is a motto I have lived by in my life, but the words were also created for a reason. They speak clearly, helping erase all misconceptions. Every now and then, you have to learn to verbalize your feelings. Don’t just expect your spouse to know, especially during hard times. Just a very simple “I love you my husband, you are a great father” or “I love you my wife, thank you for standing by me through thick and thin” can go a long way. It will make your significant other not only feel wanted, but appreciated as well. It improves the security in the relationship and improves self-confidence of both of you.

    Always show affection no matter how small

    A certain amount of people, though not very comfortable with intimacy as a result of upbringing, religion or environment, may not be able to do this 100 per cent. At least, some efforts should be made to show small acts of physical intimacy. For instance, learn to hold hands. I can hear some people laughing and asking “in Nigeria?” This is not an European country o!  Yes, I know, but an act, as small as holding hand is a good way to show affection. I had to personally learn how to do this. While sitting watching a movie or TV news, put your arm over their shoulder. What people don’t realize is that the littlest touch can be as important and sometimes depending on your spouse, may be even more than having sex 24 hours a day. Quite a number of people are emotional beings. They may not want to show it.

     Always be appreciative of your partner

    It is very important to always inform your partner as often as possible on how important they are to you in the simplest terms in simple ways: by stating what you like about them , what makes you proud of them, their strength no matter how silly it may sound. Romance should not just be about bonding in every way, especially sexually alone , but it’s about connecting the mind , body and soul to your spouse , creating a win-win situation , with everyone feeling good about themselves. Words like “honey, I just love the way you analyse issues with speed and can make decisions under pressure” or “honey, I admire your skill in cooking jollof rice; I am sure you can even cook it in your sleep” or “honey no one can handle pressure like you, you make everything look so easy.” These are sincere ways of showing appreciation, which ever works for you . Please, try it and see how romance will increase in your relationship,

    Always be open about yourself

    Some couples have a poor habit of letting outsiders know and understand them better than their spouse. This is very wrong and kills the romance in any relationship. Ensure you share what you like and what you don’t like with your spouse. Infact, anything you feel is important information or worthy of note should be shared. Share intimate parts of yourself with your spouse, unless you have trust issues, but this is the right thing to do. Of course, there should also be ability to have some space and boundaries in every relationship, but it is important to share this with them, so they know what to do and what to avoid in order to make you not only happy, but improve the romance you both share.

    Always be available for your spouse

    Being supportive of your spouse is a very important rule. Life sometimes is not rosy all the time , but being available when times are tough is crucial to avoid a feeling of neglect and betrayal. There are times either of you may experience loss of job, loss of a family member, loss of business, financial loss , even loss of a child , you need to be supportive when these challenges in life come because they do come and in a lot of cases , take you by surprise.

    What we are saying is you should be supportive when there is chaos . Bring calm to the situation , be ready to listen and offer help. Sometimes you may not have the solution, but offer sympathy. Be the shoulder to cry on and don’t let them cry on another person’s shoulder.

    Always present gifts no matter how small

    It is not only on anniversary, birthday, or some major occasions that you will present gifts. Every day you are alive is an opportunity to show love, showing love in material forms doesn’t make your spouse cheap. It’s not about jewellery alone or boxers or cakes. You can pick a very good book, take them to the movies, a nice tie, bracelet with a little note by the pillow so when they wake up, they can see it. This is applicable to both sides, meaning even women can do this and not always wait for the man. Both genders should not be waiting for who will buy gifts first. Create a reason for the gift and take action. If there is no reason , then the reason of “ I love this man , or I love this woman” should be enough and this will show them amongst other good behavior that you love and care for them.

  • Ajeluorou, Akubuiro headline writing masterclass at UNIBEN

    TWO Lagos-based journalists and fiction writers – Anote Ajeluorou of The Guardian and Henry Akubuiro of The Sun – will be lead discussants in a creative writing masterclass to be held at the Department of English and Literature, University of Benin, Benin City, Edo State, on Friday, September 20, 2019 at 1000 Lecture Theatre, Faculty of Arts, Ugbowo Campus by 10.00am.

    The department is keen to give an early start to its students on the rudiments of creative writing and critical engagement.

    The choice of the two journalists and writers (sometimes referred to as ‘journartists’) comes on the heels of their respective performances in the creative arena with the publication of their works that continue to receive popular acclaim. Akubuiro has published two children’s books, Adventures of Bingo and Bomboi and Little Wizard of Okokomaiko, including a novel, Prodigals in Paradise. Akubuiro is Arts Editor at The Sun newspaper.

    Ajeluorou, on the other hand, who is the author of Igho Goes to Farm, longlisted for The Nigeria Prize for Literature, was former Arts Editor of The Guardian, but currently heads the politics desk.

    According to the coordinator of the workshop, poet, and professor of English and Literature at the department, Tony Afejuku, “The idea is to get the two writers to interface with our students in a conversation on the process of writing. It will be interactive and students will ask questions about their works. We believe our students will greatly benefit from the experience of talking to two practicing journalists and writers. So, it is a meeting of current practitioners of the craft of writing and students studying that craft.”

    Akubuiro, who studied English and Literature at Imo State University, Owerri, said, “The event enkindles a nostalgic feeling for me, because two of my published works, especially the novel, Prodigals in Paradise, was begun during my one year mandatory national youth service at the Faculty of Arts, University of Benin, Benin City. I will also be talking about new trends in creative writing to the students of the English Department.”

    Ajeluorou is also excited at the masterclass idea, as it signals his return to his old department where he studied many years ago.

    According to him, “This is quite exciting and I look forward to it with eagerness. Having studied at the department and headed the department’s Creative Writing Workshop back in the 1990s as a student, which had aspiring student writers from other departments, it is a privilege to go back to the department again to share my creative and journalistic writing experiences with the current crop of trainee writers and critics of my beloved department. The idea alone already invokes nostalgic feelings in me and I hope the students are ready!”

  • Nigerian Film Corporation partners with Agencie Francaise De Development

    THE Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC) has opened discussions with the French Agency for Development (Agence Francaise de Developpement) AFD to secure funds to develop the Nigerian film industry. The funding intervention, among others, will be for training and capacity building for the professional and amateur filmmakers across the country. The National Film Institute (NFI) in Jos will serve as the training fulcrum, while the Nigeria Film Corporation, proprietors of the NFI, will equally support the expected funding with the provision of physical infrastructure.

    At the same event, the NFC signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Lagos-Paris-Arts to partner, develop, promote, develop the Nigerian creative industry. The MoU provides the attraction of direct foreign investment, transfer of technology and employment opportunities for Nigerians, with the creation of institutional linkages between African and European creative industries. The NFC and Lagos-Paris-Arts will be expected to jointly undertake outreach capacity training in film production at the NFC zonal offices across the country. Lagos-Paris-Arts shall also provide state-of-the-art learning facilities suited for the development of digital contents at the training locations.

    Dr. Chidia Maduekwe, NFC’s Managing Director/Chief Executive, at both events said that NFC has embarked on expanding its operations through collaboration and partnership platforms, intended to strengthening Nigeria’s position as the hub of film training and production in Africa. Dr. Maduekwe, while speaking on the envisaged funding from AFD, listed the upgrade of the Screening Auditorium at the township facility of the NFI to a standard cinema to serve Jos and contiguous states to Plateau State. Other areas are the remodelling of the facility of the newly created Northern Regional Office sited in Kaduna State, a buy in into the NFC/NFI Motorised Mobile Training Platform as well as the construction of a sound stage with knock down capabilities.

    Receiving the team from France and Lagos Paris Art, Dr. Chidia said that the visit was timely as the corporation is currently expanding her operations in several areas towards achieving the goal of making Nigeria the hub of film training in Africa through the NFI, which is now fully operational from the permanent site in Lamingo.

    The Country Director of AFD, Pascal Grangereau, said the discussion with NFC was to foster accelerated and enhanced capacity of the Nigerian Film Industry in terms of capacity building and infrastructural development. Grangereau assured that AFD will kick-start the collaboration/partnership as soon as all processes are concluded.  Also Mr. Sony O’ Jaga, Chief Executive Officer of Lagos- Paris Art expressed his committed to ensure that the content of the MoU  is executed to the fullest, and thanked the NFC for its support.

  • BamBam steals show at ‘Delphino Picnic with Fayrouz’

    AYROUZ and Delphino Entertainment  recently held Delphino Picnic in Abuja, tagged “nature meets natural”.

    Expecting attendees to come in different nature looks, former BBNaija housemate, BamBam, became the center of attraction with her looks, bringing the theme to life with her attention-snatching ensemble, made by Lady Beellionaire Luxury.

    The Big Brother Naija 2018 star, who recently said “I do” to the love of her life, Teddy A, hardly gets it wrong whenever she steps out for events and this was no different.

    Captioning one of the pictures, the entertainer wrote: “No one does magical better than Queen Bam.”