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Tag: Nigeria

  • Nigeria vs Venezuela clash Ejide is Eagles captain

    Nigeria vs Venezuela clash Ejide is Eagles captain

    • Ameobi, Dike celebrate call
    • Martins vows Afcon place

    Gangling Israeli based goalkeeper, Austin Ejide, will step out of the shadows of his national teammate, Vincent Enyeama, on Wednesday night in Miami, United States, when he leads the team out as skipper in the international friendly against Venezuela at the Marlins Stadium in the American city.

    Head Coach Stephen Keshi said after critical consideration, he has decided to hand Ejide the armband for the match. Indeed, Ejide first joined the national team from Gabros of Nnewi, in the run-up to the Korea-Japan 2002 World Cup, alongside Enyeama and the likes of Justice Christopher. The Eagles number one jersey has since been alternated between the duo, with Enyeama having the lion’s share, but Wednesday’s game will be another opportunity for Ejide to lay claim to the Eagles number one shirt.

    In the meantime, Newcastle United of England’s longest serving player, Shola Ameobi, has said he was simply delighted to be part of the Nigerian set up for the first time and hopes it turns out well on Wednesday (Thursday morning in Nigeria). Ameobi spoke after dinner on Monday night on arrival from England. “Its good to be here and I will learn to speak Pidgin English as the players have directed”, he joked after his former teammate at the Toons’, Obafemi Martins challenged him to start speaking in Pidgin English, which Keshi has adopted as the official language each time the team is in camp.

    Also in ecstacy over his call up is Bright Dike of MLS side Portland Timbers in the United States, who was the last to join camp. Dike said at breakfast on Tuesday morning that it was a dream come true for him to be part of the Nigerian set up, as Assistant Coach, Sylvanus Okpala tries to size up abilities to speak the Ibo language. “I understand it but don’t speak fluently, it will get better now that I will start coming to Nigeria”, he said amidst smiles.

    Obafemi Martins, who is styled the Weapon of Mass Destruction, has vowed to get a shirt with his performance on the pitch on Wednesday and in subsequent camping of the team. “My return is for real and Nigerians will see”, he said. Indeed, Martins looked the sharpest among attackers in camp as he banged in goal after goal in Monday evening training.

    The game will be played at the Marlins Stadium in Miami 8pm Miami time and 2am Thursday Nigerian time.

  • Nigeria needs improved identity management systems

    Nigeria needs improved identity management systems

    SIR: May I use this medium to express my concern over the worrisome dearth of records and the dangers it portends for our dear country, Nigeria.

    Many IT professionals have always advocated that government should create an integrated national database which will feature information about all its citizenry. A database from where public and private organizations can pull information, with needed data to tackle issues of security such as criminality and terrorism is essential. Instead of doing this, government has either completely ignored the calls. For example, billions of the country’s resources have been wasted on printing of national identity cards, registration of voters especially during elections, conducting population census and many other resources-wasting programmes.

    It is befuddling that the various agencies of government such as the defunct Directorate of National Civic Registration (DNCR), Independent Electoral Commission (INEC), and the National Population Commission (NPC) saddled with these responsibilities create different databases to achieve their goals. This would have been unnecessary if a national database exists. Same data, such as name, date and place of birth; local government area, state of origin, occupation, etc are repeatedly being sourced from individual citizens during the course of his/her lifetime. Examples include enrolment in schools, opening of bank accounts, application for employment and others.

    In 2007, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) was established by the federal government as the only recognized, regulatory and institutional mechanism for implementing government’s reform initiatives in the identity sector, but unfortunately not much has been heard about the agency.

    As a regulatory and institution for implementing government’s reform initiatives, the objectives of NIMC as regards the National Identity Management Systems (NIMS)are to carry out the registration of citizens and legal residents as provided for in the Act; create and operate a National Identity Database, issue unique National Identification Numbers (NIN) to qualified citizens and legal residents; issue a multipurpose (Smart) Card to every registered person who is 16 years and above and provide a secured means to access the National Identity Database so that an individual can irrefutably assert his/her identity.

    Others include harmonizing and integrating Identity Databases in Government Agencies to achieve resource optimization and shared services facilities, collaborating with private sector and/or public sector institutions to deliver on the NIMS and register births and deaths in collaboration with the National Population Commission.

    It is however a sorry case that the assets which NIMC took over from the Directorate of National Civic Registration (DNCR) “could not be re-used” according to the former. The implication of this is that NIMC have to start all over. Nothing to show at all for the existence of our nationhood since 1960 when we got independence, no data!

    It is interesting that NIMC has, however, taken the bull by the horns by initiating the NIMS programme in 2009. The NIMS comprises the National Identity Database also known as a Central Identity Repository or Register (CIDR), a chip-based, secure identity card and a network of access and means to irrefutably prove or assert the identity of an individual among other things.

    Most importantly, what NIMC needs to look at critically is the clause that NIN will only be issued to every citizen from the age of 16 years and above. Does it mean that those under 16 are not Nigerians? NIMC should ensure that there should be no age restriction in obtaining NIN. Once a child is born into a hospital, he/she should be registered and enrolled into the NIMS and issued a NIN immediately to reduce the accumulation of those that are supposed to register and would help in monitoring each citizen, right from birth.

     

    • Olatunde Tijani,

    IT Consultant, CEO, Leo6 Technologies.

  • Nigeria loses $7b to crude oil theft

    Nigeria loses $7b to crude oil theft

    widespread theft of crude oil has cost the country $7 billion this year, the International Energy Agency said yesterday in a monthly report on oil production around the world.

    The agency noted that Royal Dutch Shell PLC, the country’s largest oil producer, had already said its quarterly results would be down about 20 per cent after a series of pipeline theft attacks.

    The agency also said crude oil production in Nigeria dropped to its lowest level in two and a half years in October to about 1.95 million barrels a day because of flooding in the oil-rich Niger Delta.

    Militant attacks in the region dropped after a 2009 government-sponsored amnesty programme. However, crude oil thefts have skyrocketed, likely supported by some security forces and politicians.

    Government is also believed to be considering a review of the N5.6b pipeline surveillance contracts it awarded to companies owned by former militant leaders.

    The Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology yesterday said oil companies in the country stop oil spills.

    He said this has become necessary as a result of its devastating effect on the environment and livelihoods of the people.

    Chairman of the committee Senator Bukola Saraki spoke during the opening of a public hearing on the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) Amendment Bill 2012 in Abuja.

    He lamented that the statistics of oil spills in the country is “shameful” while the impact on the environment is “offensive.”

    He noted that the Bill, entitled: “An Act to amend the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) establishment, etc, Act 2006 and for other matters connected therewith”, is aimed at redressing the legal loopholes in the existing Act.

    Saraki said: “Oil spill is ravaging our environment and has become one of the greatest threats to our sustainable development.

    “This amendment Bill is a clarion call to us all, to put a stop to this.

    “It can no longer be business as usual.”

    He noted that the level of spills in the country is a reflection of the “total disregard placed on our environment and the dignity of our people.”

    He added: “Without a doubt, oil spillage is dealt with all over the world as an environmental issue and a human right issue that goes to the quality of the environment and the value of life of those impacted by spills.

    “It is erroneous to continue to view oil spills as a necessary consequence of oil exploration.”

    He stated that it was obvious that the Act setting up NOSDRA is presently deficient to meet current challenges posed by oil spill and at such a better legal framework is required.

    He said: “This bill seeks to cure the observed deficiency in the previous law by tweaking the institutional framework for oil spill management and regulation to make it more efficient.

    “Our objective is to reverse the ugly trend of endless spilling and devastation of our environment and the repugnant impact on our people.”

    He stated that the bill does not seek to make life more difficult for oil operators and business partners.

    “This bill seeks to make business more peaceful, the regulatory and governance system much clearer and predictable for all and achieve a more livable environment for our people.

    “This bill also seeks to provide specific powers that will help deal with the regulatory confusion in the sector, which has pitched certain government agencies against one another and inhibited effective regulation.

     

     

     

     

  • Gullibility is harming Nigeria on all fronts

    Gullibility is harming Nigeria on all fronts

    SIR: Kindly let me use your esteemed medium to express my worries over the worsening gullibility among my fellowmen which makes them fall easy prey to the antics of fraudsters who are in various forms.

    A Harvard study said the most gullible people in the world are the Filipinos. The study said “the causes of this gullibility include the inability to question information and an over-reliance on interpersonal sources.”

    All too often, Nigerians fall easily to swindlers, especially money doublers. Usually, the customer brings a small amount of money which he hides under a scrap of cloth.

    The trick is for a few customers to win small amounts to convince those with big money to play. Those who win the small sums are smart when they take their winning and walk away. But the greedy will stay and stake a bigger sum. The customer is given the cloth with the money and warned not to open it for a given period of time. Eventually, when the customer opens it he finds no money but scraps of paper. And when he returns to complain, the blame is laid on him.

    Even now, Nigerians will go for‘wonder banks’ that promise unreasonable returns.

    As Aristotle once observed, youths are easily deceived because they are quick to hope. In Nigeria the youth are lured easily by politicians for their own selfish purposes and eventually discard them. Looking for work to do, and finding none, the youth become a menace to the society.

    At no place than the church is the gullibility of Nigerians most manifest. Nigerians, believing that what ever the pastors tell them is divinely inspired, accept everything in ‘faith’. People have been flagellated to exorcise their purported demons. Men have allowed their pastors sleep with their wives believing that it will be the solution to the couple’s infertility.

    Nigerians, seeking for any means to get wealthy go to witchdoctors who are themselves poor. Idolaters carve images and call them their god. Nigerians have an unrivalled herd mentality.

    Suicide bombers have continued to bomb their own fellow Nigerians in the dubious belief that they are carrying out a divine injunction. And because of gullibility, there is no shortage of recruits. Without asking questions, without examining facts, Nigerians gang up to mob and burn fellow Nigerians alive.

    Tribalism is also a consequence of gullibility. Nigerian children grow up hating other tribes because their parents told them that those ones are their enemies. When the children grow up, they pass it on to their children and the cycle goes on. It is this deep-seated prejudice that has made Prof Chinua Achebe’s book “There was a country” an issue of truculence.

    Perhaps the most gullible among Nigerians is the government, particularly to organizations like the IMF and World Bank and some other so-called international lenders. As at today, Nigeria’s debt profile is $44 billion, and recently it signed a new deal to borrow $600 million from China’s Export-Import bank, supposedly to build a railway to service Abuja and its environs, a deal said to be in dispute. If our earnings from oil are judiciously used and leprous hands of corruption don’t touch them, we would not need to borrow money to finance any projects. Our creditors sold SAP (Structural Adjustment Programme) to us, and we bought it!

    Debt is a tool for manipulation by neo-liberalists led by these institutions and other institutions known as the”Washington Consensus”. They sold to a gullible Nigerian government the idea of fuel subsidy withdrawal. They preach privatization but are on hand to make sure local industries are not protected and dead, so that they will have leeway for their own exports. They are the ones who sold devaluation of currency and high interest rate to our government.

    Gullibility fosters corruption. That is why fuel subsidy thieves can manufacture any figures to get undue payments under the nose of gullible NNPC and government officials and still get away with it.

    It is in Nigeria where a juju man has more credibility than a professor of science. It is in Nigeria we vote politicians in because they had no shoes growing up.

    If we must develop as a nation government, institutions, individuals should be critical and refrain from swallowing everything hook, line and sinker.

    • Dr Cosmas Odoemena,

    Medical practitioner, Lagos.

  • EU investment in Nigeria hits N7.4tr, says envoy

    EU investment in Nigeria hits N7.4tr, says envoy

    The European Union (EU) investment in Nigeria has risen to over N7.4 trillion, its Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr David MacRae, has said.

    He also said about N2.5trillion worth of goods were imported to Nigeria from the EU in the past one year.

    Speaking with The Nation, the envoy said the EU is still Nigeria’s biggest non-oil trading partner.

    Giving the breakdown of the imports, MacRae said N750 billion worth of machinery and equipment  are imported, while the total imports of food and beverages within the period  was N200 billion .

    He listed others to include N200 billion from chemicals, pharma and perfumes, N200 billion on manufactured goods (mainly paper, metallic items, steel),  about N1 trillion  on oil products (refined).

    MacRae said imports of industrial equipment is being liberalised in Nigeria to promote local production and import substitution.

    He said EU is committed in the negotiation of an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with Nigeria.

    ”Nigeria constitutes around half of the EU exports to the region and nearly 70 per cent of the imports.

    “Of course, oil takes the biggest share, but the EU also attracts more than 50 per cent of the Nigerian non-oil exports, and is a key partner, through trade and investments in the industrialisation of the country.

    “Stocks of EU investments in Nigeria alone amounted to no less than 30 billion Euros in 2010/2011,” the envoy said.

    He said Nigeria is EU’s key partner in Africa, stressing that the collaboration has been on for a very long time now and he only sees a better future.

    “We see EPA as a development tool to reinforce regional integration process and foster growth and development. The EU believes that the EPA represents an opportunity to Nigeria in terms of attracting investment to the no oil sectors, improved access to the EU market and economic governance,” he added.

  • Nigeria intensifies effort to boost literacy

    Nigeria intensifies effort to boost literacy

    THE Minister of Education, Professor Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufa’i, has said literacy programme delivery system has improved and the focus now is on equity especially towards reaching women, girl and marginalised rural indigenous population.

    Speaking at the opening of the ninth E-9 Ministerial Review meeting in New Delhi, India, while presenting member nations progress report, she said among the E-9 nations, India as host, Egypt, Mexico and Nigeria had adopted clear cut intervention strategies for reaching out.

    In the case of India, literacy programme focuses on rural women, Egypt adopted national campaign to fight illiteracy, Mexico focuses on learning needs of illiterate indigenous groups and in Nigeria, model centres were built mainly for girls as well as the development of primers in 22 minority languages.

    The minister said all countries are looking at literacy across the lifespan and therefore integrating literacy learning in schools and non formal education acquired by youth and adults.

    The minister also said many countries are exploring new resources for literacy, thereby augmenting the state funding which raised abilities to fund mass literacy in recent years with India recording over 70% increase from the $250 million in 2007 to over $1bilion in 2012.

    She called for more collaboration towards becoming a learning community of practice, prioritising literacy in member countries and the establishment of a sustainable system of literacy learning process.

     

  • Nigeria shines at World Travel Market

    Nigeria shines at World Travel Market

    Annually, the world gathers in Custom House, ExCel, London for the  biggest travel and tourism event, the World Travel Market (WTM). It has in attendance more than 180 countries.

    Almost 48,000 senior travel industry professionals, government ministers and international journalists attend the event in London to network, negotiate and discover the latest industry opinion. The WTM, now in its 33rd year, is the event where the travel industry conducts and concludes its deals.

    The fair in 2011 generated £1,653 million of travel industry contracts. Countries, airlines, international hospitality chains, IT solution providers in the tourism industry, resorts, top travel agencies, tour operators all come together under one roof to do business.  That is why it is catastrophic for any country interested in its tourism growth to miss this annual event.

    For a country like Nigeria seeking to create an identity for itself and build its profile as an emerging destination, the need to put up a very strong presence and also articulate and market its products was imperative.

    Slowly over the last few years, due to Nigeria’s strong presence and visibility in WTM and some other key travel fairs, the travel world is now conscious of the country as an emerging destination in Africa and is also taking a look at some of the things that are making Nigeria tick. The African Section of the fair came to a standstill as people trooped  to listen to Nigerian music, watch dancers and have a thirst of the nation’s cuisines. They had it so good that most refused to go and had to when the music stopped.

    The high point of this year’s event was the Nigeria Day.

    The Nigerian tourism drive  was given a boost by the 2012 Industry Report  of the WTM  which in addition to steady progress the country is making stated that: “The Nigerian film industry dubbed Nollywood has made the country the highlight of the African tourist industry with Africans making use of the increase no-frills airline routes to visit the country made famous in the movies.”

    However, it must be added here that one of the strong areas for inbound tourists to Nigeria is religious tourism. The annual convention of the Living Faith Church Worldwide (Winners’ Chapel), the Redeemed Christian Church of God Holy Ghost convention and Pastor T.B. Joshua’s  Synagogue Church of All Nations are all building the market for pilgrimage and religious tourism.

    The Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) boss, Otunba Segun Runsewe, assessed the impact of Nigeria at the this year WTM: “ Nigeria had its bold and imposing  stand at the African section of the market, showing remarkable improvement in not articulating its presence in the market, but being able to create a platform for states and  private sector operators to showcase what Nigeria has to offer in tourism.

    “While the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) co-coordinated the Nigeria ’s participation,  key private sector operators in the tourism industry had the opportunity to market and network with their counterparts from all over the world. It was an encouraging participation by the Nigerian private sector practitioners.

    “States like Cross River State , Rivers and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) had a strong presence. The umbrella tourism  body for Nigeria, the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN), led by its President, Chief Samuel Alabi, led the private sector operators, including the National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies (NANTA), National Association of Tour Operators (NATOP), Arik Airline,  Remlord Group, Naija Seven Wonders, Eko Hotel and Suites, Tarzan Balogun Marine Services Limited and many others. “In the 2012 World Travel market, we have seen that more countries are coming to the WTM and with the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) also opening their windows and bringing in their members, we have seen that it is an opportunity to bring a very strong inbound tourists traffic to Nigeria . So, we are using the opportunity to showcase the strength of Nigeria basically in terms of our history  which is also part of the history of the African-Americans. We are also looking at our craft, festival, waterfalls, rocks and so on. So for us, it is an opportunity to invite more foreigners to Nigeria to come and see for themselves.

    “The most recent thing that happened was the Americans that we invited to Nigeria who were pleasantly surprised.  They were surprised by the number of tourism opportunities and tourist destinations we have in Nigeria . So, we want to use the opportunity of the WTM to reassure every tourist coming to Nigeria of their safety and security. Let me use this opportunity to also explain one very important issue. There is no country in the world that has total security. We would have some challenges. What is more important is how to overcome them. That is what we are working on. So, the World Travel Market is a total opportunity for us to showcase our strength as a people and invite more inbound tourists to Nigeria, considering the fact that two major factors are not a problem in Nigeria, in fact three, one language, two accommodation, all the major hotels in the world now have facilities in Nigeria, all the major airlines in the world fly to Nigeria. So, the language, accommodation and transportation are not problems. We have also created an advantage to make Nigeria a preferred destination.”

    The NTDC boss explained that every country in the world has its challenges, especially in the area of security, but the most important thing is the efforts the country is making to combat it and also ensuring the safety of tourists that visit the country.

    Commenting on the WTM Global Trends report, Runswe said: “The report we are getting from the WTM is the sixth in the world in the recent past. That means Nigeria is making major impact in terms of tourism development. I want to be very grateful to the organizers for bringing out the real fact that Nigeria has made concerted efforts and still making until tourism becomes a major income earner for the country.”

     

  • Nigeria becomes ICPT member

    The innovations and aggressive promotion of Nigeria’s tourist destinations have earned the country a place on the International Council for the Promotion of Tourism (ICPT).

    President of the ICTP, Professor Geoffrey Lipman, who conducted the ceremony at the Seychelles’ stand at the ongoing World Travel Market in London, disclosed that the council’s search for right-minded members led it to Nigeria and her apex tourism promotion agency, the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation.

    Nigeria, according to Lipman, “has huge tourism potential, and we on the council know how lucky we are to have the NTDC DG Otunba Segun Runsewe as a council member.”

    He said the plan of the ICTP  is to put the tourism sector of its over 500 member countries on the path of growth.

    In his acceptance speech, Runsewe expressed his gratitude to the council for noticing the humble work the agency was doing in Nigeria and pledged his commitment to the goals of the council.

    Issues discussed at the ICTP meeting were the improvement of services to help members strengthen their own commitment to Green Growth and Quality,rebranding the organisation as a “coalition” supporting grassroots engagement in the sector’s contribution to a low carbon inclusive and environmentally-responsible world with a proactive leadership council.

    They also announced a strengthening of advocacy programmes through collaboration with industry organisations and business partners in co-sponsored events to promote: Sustainable aviation growth, streamlined travel, fair coherent taxation and  investments for jobs.

    They reiterated their commitment to work with international travel and tourism organisations in their efforts to advance these strategies.

    President Geoffrey Lipman said: “We firmly expect that in 2013, which is going to be a very difficult year, our coalition will be a new force to help destinations and their stakeholders to focus on Green Growth and Quality in a creative way that enhances their competitiveness, attracts new investments, creates jobs, and helps build happier communities.”

    Both Minister Alain St.Ange of the Seychelles and Mr. Thomas Steinmetz, the Chairman of the ICTP, also addressed the gathered members at the Seychelles Stand at WTM 2012 in the presence of Mr. David Aherne of the EURO Congress, the European Convention Bureau.

  • ‘I’ve learnt to adjust to life in Nigeria’

    ‘I’ve learnt to adjust to life in Nigeria’

    Juliet Esiri, CEO of Okin Arewa Beauty Centre, is one of the top-most make-up artists and headgear specialists in the UK where she lived for about 20 years. Recently, the beauty specialist partially relocated to Nigeria to reconnect with her roots as well as to share her expertise in the beauty and style sector with her compatriots. She spoke to a group of journalists at her newly opened beauty centre in Surulere, Lagos, where she bared her mind on the new trends in beauty and skin care, life abroad, coping with life in Nigeria, what motivated her into make-up artist and other issues. PATIENCE SADUWA, Assistant Editor, was there. Excerpts:

     

    MY name is Juliet Esiri. I’m from Delta State. I’ve been away for a long time, I have been abroad, precisely in the UK. I’m now back in the country. Previously, I used to come to Nigeria often, visiting like three times a year. I’m the CEO of Okin Arewa. Let me explain something about the name of my company. When I was brainstorming for a name, I wanted something with an African heritage. Though it has nothing to do with my tribe but I could say I’m a citizen of Yorubaland as I was born and bred in Ibadan. I speak Yoruba as a first language- I read and write in Yoruba. On the name, Okin is a peacock and it’s a beautiful bird. I love it so much and I could sit and watch it all day. It’s an outstanding bird- classy and walks elegantly. It opens up its wings elegantly. You can’t see the peacock misbehaving. Since I wanted something with an African heritage and I have an English name, I needed something different. Arewa is a beautiful woman in Yoruba. And I deal with women and I believe everywoman is beautiful.

     

    How the business started

    I started with make-up and head-ties. I’ve always loved make-up from a very young age. I feed on magazines and was always in touch with the latest trends.

    I went to make up school and I qualified as a make-up artiste. But before then, friends encouraged me to do that because they saw the passion in me, what I do, though I was not doing it as business.

    The break-through really was at a party in London. It was my pastor’s 50th birthday. I was helping a lady tie her gele, because we did aso-ebi. And at a point in time, I stood up and there was a queue of ladies and some were saying, “Where are you, there’s a lady tying gele here!” That day, I did almost 95 percent of the head ties at that party. It got to a stage that my friend came to drag me away, that I had to stop as I was there to enjoy the party, not tie gele for people.

    When I got home that night, it was like the Lord was speaking to me that ‘if you had charged for the head-ties that day, how much would you have made?’ I really had no idea. So, I started making enquiries.

    I contacted this guy in America whom I met at a party. His name is Segun Gele. I told him I had finished from make-up school and I wanted to know how to tie gele. He said it was fine. I travelled all the way to Houston, Texas to be trained by him. I happened to be his first student.

    Since then, I’ve created a brand for myself in the UK so that when people see my work, they will say, ‘that’s Juliet Esiri’s gele!’ Though, today I’ve trained so many people and reborn myself in the UK, you can still see the signature look in my work. I thank God for that.

     

    Experience living abroad

    My experience abroad has been fine actually. But when I clocked ten years, I started feeling home-sick. I love living in the UK, but maybe because I’m getting older, I feel the need to come back home. But my kids are right now in the UK but once they set foot in Nigeria, I will say that is it. What I missed most about Nigeria is the food. I love amala and gbegiri. I can eat amala three times a day with ewedu and gbegiri soup. You know I’m an Ibadan girl. I was born and bred in Ibadan, though I’m Urhobo by tribe from Delta State. I also love ponmo a lot.

     

    Schooling and working life

    I went to London Metropolitan University and studied Law. After that, I worked, then did another degree in Social Work and became a social worker, working in mental health with the NHS. That’s another area I’m passionate about. I was a support worker.

    From when I qualified, it’s been seven years since I started as a make-up artist. I will say even though I’m not making money, I enjoy what I do. When you enjoy what you do, you don’t see anything bad in it. But I was never out of job in the UK. Even when I was coming to Nigeria to set up this place, there were some clients who were begging me to stay for another two weeks for their events. So, it’s a very lucrative business. Since I have always wanted to be on top of my game, I ensure every year, I go for refresher classes to see what’s in town, what’s the new trend, what’s happening. About five years ago, I did a refresher course with Banke Meshida as I believe in training. Right now, the industry is highly saturated in Nigeria but I believe in quality. So, even when it’s saturated, your clients will be loyal to you. We have billions of women and they all want to look good.

     

    New thing in the beauty business in Nigeria

    Before I came to set this up, I did my research. I have brides that will tell me ‘oh I’m going to have my massage, facials and teeth whitening done.’ These are the things I’ve brought in. Here is a one stop-centre. The teeth whitening is a new thing I’ve brought in. I’m a qualified, certified dental technician and I’m offering the service here. I deliberately introduced teeth whitening because of my brides because some of them often miss appointments as they have to see their dentists. But it’s not just for brides- I’ve done some for guys as well.

    When I was working in the UK, I wasn’t into other body services but here you can come for your make-up, body polish, teeth whitening, among others. My services are affordable compared to what I charge in the UK. I’ve made my services affordable for the average Nigerian.

    On the skin lightening, we use herbal products for the facials and the skin. I’m against hydroquinone because of the damage it does to the skin. Some brides want to lighten up a bit, maybe they’ve lost their colour. And there are no side effects with herbal products with natural ingredients like carrots, papaya and so on. It’s not black skin alone I work on. I also do Caucasian skin as well. I’ve done make-up for them too including working for a Vogue magazine shoot. I actually trained for Caucasian skin before I started working on black skin.

     

    Coping with life in Nigeria

    Anyway, I’m a Nigerian, so that’s not a problem. Anywhere I am, I tend to adapt easily. In my house, when the light goes off, I switch off the generator at midnight so I can save some diesel. I took the okada once or twice because I wanted to have a feel of what’s like. I’ve also taken the three-wheeler or keke. I told a friend with me to take my picture so I could put it on my face book page. So, I adapt easily. When I’m back in the UK, I will adapt also. And when in Nigeria, I can sit down and drink garri with groundnut.

     

    Leisure time

    When I’m not working, I relax at home. I’m a very homely person. I love movies, especially Nollywood films. I can stay and watch movies till I get knocked off by sleep. Once in a while, I take my kids to the cinema to watch movies. I also like to eat out a lot.

    For sports, I used to play basketball, but now I swim. I love swimming.

     

    Coping with life as a working mother

    I’m blessed with a very good mother. My mother has been my support with the children. Right now, she’s in the UK with the kids. She’s a very strict disciplinarian. The things they get away with, with me, they can’t get away with her. So, they are in good, safe hands. I speak to them every morning before they go to school and I also call them at night, every day. That’s our routine.

    Sense of style

    I’m a very simple person when it comes to dressing. Once in a while, we do aso-ebi and do this flamboyant style stuff but I like to be simple as possible. I love my jeans and my top.

     

    Nigerian women and fashion

    We are highly fashionable. Don’t say the African woman. It’s the Nigerian woman that’s fashionable, because other people from Africa look up to us and copy our style. We have the Zimbabweans, Kenyans and others who tie gele and do the pele now. They wrap it round their heads; I see them at parties in the UK. When you say you are Nigerian, they exclaim: ‘Oh, Nigerian!’ When they come to our parties, they just watch us. We are truly blessed in this country.

     

    Connection with the Royal Ascot race in the UK

    It’s an annual race course in the UK that attracts a lot of important personalities including the Queen of England. It was established by the royals and there’s a dress code. The ladies dress gorgeously and there’s a lot of competition, especially with the hats. The men also dress in formal clothes like suits. I thought what can we do as Africans that would make us stand out at this event? I organised some ladies and told them about my vision. I also discussed with Ben TV that I would love us as Nigerians to go to the Ascot. That I would do the head-ties.

    About ten of us went. I did some fantastic head-ties that mimicked the hats with fascinators and feathers. I tell you, the reception was fantastic, the way they received us and all that. I’ve never seen anything like it. It was fantastic. It was shown on Ben TV. I did it for three years and it was a success. We didn’t do it this year as we didn’t start planning on time and there was so much going on in the UK during the summer. But I hope to do it next year.

     

    Best accessories

    I used to love gold as a young girl but as I got older, I fell in love with coral. Now, I’m very prudent with my spending so I don’t buy expensive jewelry. I just go for something simple and elegant. But I love wristwatches; I’m a wristwatch freak. I love Rolex and Cartier. I used to use Longines as well. I’m not a designer freak when it comes to clothes. If you open my wardrobe, you won’t see designer stuff there. I love quality things. But I don’t believe I have to carry a £10,000 bag to look good. But if you give me one, I will carry it!

     

    Ideal man

    My husband is my ideal man. He’s the man who will support my vision and dream, will encourage me to go out and achieve whatever I want to. That’s my ideal man.

  • Nigeria’s pension fund hits N2.9tr

    Nigeria’s pension fund hits N2.9tr

     

    The country’s pension fund has grown to N2.9 trillion in the last eight years, the Commissioner for Inspectorate in the National Pension Commission (PENCOM), Dr. Musa Ibrahim, has disclosed.

    Speaking with reporters on Friday during a strategic meeting with managing directors of licensed pension operators in Calabar, Ibrahim said Nigeria’s pension fund has grown tremendously from 2004.

    He said by the end of this year it will increase to N3 trillion, which he said could be compared to the federal government budget of N4.9 trillion.

    Ibrahim hopes that in the next five years the pension scheme will build up funds that will surpass the federal government’s budget.

    He said the enormous resources are not supposed to cater for only retirement benefits of pensioners but also to boost the real sector of the economy.

    The Director- General of PENCOM, Mr. Muhammad Ahmed, said the strategic meeting between the commission and heads of licensed pension operators became necessary in order to take stock of what the contributory pension scheme has achieved over its eight years of implementation.

    He said that the forum is coming on the heels of the recent recapitalization by pension fund administrators as well as the public hearing on the administration of pensions by the National Assembly Joint Committee on Establishment and Public Service and Local Government Administration, which highlighted the need for more sensitization on the working of the scheme.