The Nation Newspaper

Tag: people

  • Amachree commiserates with Kano people

    Former President of the Association of Tourism Practitioners of Nigeria (ATPN), Chief Mike Amachree, has commiserated with the family and people of Kano State on the death of foremost statesman, the late Alhaji Maitama Sule, who died recently.

    Amachree said Alhaji Sule was a true Nigerian who had so much love for Nigeria and everything Nigerian. He described the late statesman as “the man who spoke English better than an English man.’

    He said:“Alhaji Maitama Sule’s death is a great loss to the country. He was a person I interacted and worked with. He had so much passion for tourism and culture. He always wished to be involved in anything that would lead to the growth of the country.

    “We worked together in the early 90s when I was part of the organizing  committee that launched the Plateau Tourism Development Fund under the chairmanship of General Yakubu Gowon.  Former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida, was the special guest of honour  on the occasion.

    “Alhaji Maitama Sule was among those that convinced General Babangida to honour the event and was the Master of Ceremony. He carried out the job of raising funds for the development Plateau State tourism with  so much passion. He was a person that loved tourism and culture and lent his presence and wisdom to such events.”

    He is a person the nation would miss so much for his energy and passion for the country. May Allah grant his family, Kano State and the country at large the fortitude to bear the lost, Amachree said.

  • Ogun empowers young people

    Ogun empowers young people

    Babatunde Gbenga, mass communications graduate turned farmer  now  gives up his time to participate in the  farmers market  set  up by the  Ogun State Ministry of Agriculture  at the state’s  secretariat, Oke-mosan, Abeokuta.

    He  is  amazed by the sales  he makes  and the support shown by civil servants. The mart holds every Friday. He grows maize and raise chicken. His  farm has an array of agronomic practices that guarantee a year-round supply of produce.

    Though he operates from the state’s model market, he finds it irresistible coming to the market to sell his produce. Gbenga is one of the beneficiaries of the programme. After the very first outing, Gbenga was excited at the level of success.

    Another  farmer  is Oludare Tunde. He plants cassava that is intercropped with maize. Intercropping with maize, poultry and cassava helps him keep that income relatively steady year-round. He is fast on picking up ideas that see him become a better farmer.   He has found the Ogun state civil servants’ mart a veritable income source.

    Across Ogun State, small business entrepreneurs are exploring  market opportunities proving by the  farmers market   for civil servants.

    Spotting a lucrative opportunity, many farmers have agreed to sell their produce using the thriving market platform. It is now a Friday ritual for workers at the Secretariat, to stroll into the mart to buy fresh fruits, eggs and vegetables. Such markets are celebrated for providing fresh produce, such as eggs and fruits. The “foodie bazaar” gives civil servants an opportunity to pick up local produce and support small-time suppliers. Stalls sell everything from fruit and vegetables to   fresh fish. Stallholders are well aware that their livelihood depends on retaining loyal customers and this requires them to deliver great value.The program has empowered young people to become entrepreneurs and create a self-sustaining system linking farmers to markets.The feedback from most of the stalls was how fantastic it was.. But the main aim of the market was to bring something back to the secretariat that workers feel is missing.

    The PermanentSecretary, Ogun State Ministry of Agriculture, Mr. Steve Olusegun Ipinniwa, said the aim of establishing the mart was to provide a community get-together.

    He explained that workerscan do all the shopping at the secretariat at home and head home at the close of work to do the cooking.

    He said the initiative is the government’s way of helping entrepreneurial and talented farmers and small businesses.

    He added that the mart was conceived to stock and sell fresh farm produce as a way of linking up agricultural production to the markets to ensure that farmers receive a fair reward and encouragement to increase production.

    He said “the mart is meant to bring food nearer to the civil servants  at a very reasonable price in a healthy environment.

    He stated that this initiative will not only ensure all year round access to food supply at a wholesome quantity but will also create jobs across the agro-business value chain in collaboration with the private sector.

    Head of Service,Ogun State,Mr  Abayomi Sobande said the state is  committed to further development of  farmers skills so they can stand on their own as small business entrepreneurs. The success of the programme, according to him, would empower farmers, input agents and buyers to expand their networks, increase their overall profits, and rebuild their livelihoods.

  • Ekpeye people seek unity in Niger Delta

    Ekpeye people seek unity in Niger Delta

    In a bid to create a more conducive atmosphere, the Ekpeye people of Rivers State recently held a public lecture titled Towards Consciousness For Collective Development; The Peace Imperative.

    The chairman of the event, Dr. Ndubisi Adhikema, said the aim of the lecture was to bring back all Ekpeye people who were displaced, and fled their homes due to restiveness in the land for the past five years.

    “Our people were killed, harassed, and kidnapped by youths in the area, who destroyed buildings and landed properties in time past. People’s buildings were pulled down because of the continuous crisis in the region,” he said.

    Contributing to the discourse, Dr. Ahamefula Vincent Elemaya said so many died due to crisis in Ekpeye land and therefore the need to foster unity among our people.

    He also recounted how he escaped being killed by people who ambushed them at the community, leaving him with machete cuts.

    “We are trying foster of unity among our people so as to heal and treat the wounds and broken bridges between them after several years of hostility in the land. Some lost loved ones, friends, family, husbands, wives, children in cause of it,” he added.

    He said that there is a need for the community to unite again in coming together as an entity.

    “You can’t find us in any other part of the world unless where we are today,” he concludes.

    In his remark, the publisher of the Post Express, Mr. Ibezin Green, said going into journalism was a gift from God, especially as he was given a natural flair for writing, and compilation of information, and happenings around the globe.

    “I wish to elevate the standard of the publication to a National Paper by circulating nationwide and making it a tabloid of interest. Therefore, I call for a new dawn in the land as we sheath our swords for a better growth and development in the environment,” he stated.

  • Sofoluwe: Remembering the ‘people’s VC’

    Sofoluwe: Remembering the ‘people’s VC’

    Five years ago, the University of Lagos (UNILAG) lost its 10th Vice Chancellor (VC), Prof Babatunde Adetokunbo Sofoluwe. Family members, friends, students and colleagues gathered at a memorial lecture held by the Lagos State chapter of UNILAG Alumni Association to reflect on his life and times. ADEGUNLE OLUGBAMILA, MEDINAT KANABE and JANE CHIJIOKE report.

    He cared about people. Although I can’t say or judge, I think he did it to the extreme. With the benefit of hindsight, maybe if he had cut off some relationships, or pegged down some things, maybe he would still be alive

    Some called him an academic and a humanist; others described him as generous. The late Prof Babatunde Adetokunbo Sofoluwe  demystified the office of the Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) with his humility when he was in the saddle. Many believed his philosophy was anchored on the simplicity of life. To some, he took things too lightly. However, one thing was clear about him: he created lasting impressions on those who crossed his path.

    When last Friday, family members, scholars and  friends, gathered in his memory at the fifth anniversary of his death, organised by the UNILAG Alumni Association, Lagos State chapter, what was on the lips of everyone was that he lived a fulfilled life and impacted positively on many who knew him.

    The late Sofoluwe, who was born on April 15, 1950, was UNILAG’s  10th vice chancellor. He mounted the saddle on January 30, 2010. He, died on May 1, 2012.  He was 62.

    Beside a series of events, which included an interdenominational service and sports, among secondary schools, the week-long event climaxed last Friday, with the annual memorial lecture and presentation of scholarship valued at N3 million to 20 indigent, but brilliant undergraduates of the university. Each got N150,000.

    This year’s lecture titled: “The administration and management of a university in a recessed economy; A case study of Nigeria”, was delivered by Sokoto State University Vice Chancellor Prof Nuhu Yaqub. It held at the school’s main auditorium.

    The alumni Chairman, Dr Lukumon Adeoti, said the scholarship represented the shoulder the late Sofoluwe offered many indigent students to lean on by funding their education.

    “While alive, the late Prof Sofoluwe loved education a lot. He sponsored about 72 indigent students and all of them graduated.  He was not using the university’s money. He was personally funding them. He began that initiative before he became the VC and he felt even as VC, he did not need to help himself with the university money to sponsor them,” Adeoti, who teaches at Unilag Department of Geosciences, recalled at a press briefing ahead of the weeklong programme of activities.

    He added:”Aside, he was equally monitoring their growth. We didn’t know them (beneficiaries) until we started the lecture five years ago, and some of them showed up to tell us the role the late Sofoluwe played in their education.”

    Many of the late Sofoluwe’s friends, colleagues and associates  were at the event to testify to his large heart.

    The UNILAG management said the deceased would be remembered for his handling of an office many have held with arrogance.

    His successor, Prof Rahamon Bello, said he demystified the VC’s office.

    “Sofoluwe was full of simplicity. He was a man, who demystified his office as the VC.  It is still difficult to believe that he is gone. At this time five years ago, the university was not as calm as it is now.  There was unrest because that was the time we wanted him more,”he said.

    Bello’s Deputy (Academic and Research), Prof Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, described the deceased as a fantastic scholar. “The truth I can say about him is endless because I worked closely with him and I miss him.”

    Emeritus professor of Computer Science and former UNILAG Deputy VC, Prof Laide Abbas, also spoke glowingly of the deceased.

    “Sofoluwe was a nice man, a simple but talented academic. He demystified any office he occupied. He moved like water, an easy going fellow with lot of energy. Although he had his weaknesses as a human being. Sometimes, something you take serious might not be that serious to him and people sometimes misunderstood him because of that,”he said.

    Prof Mopelola Olusakin of the  Department of Educational Foundation of the university, recounted the the late Sofuluwe’s relationship with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

    “During his (Sofoluwe’s) time as VC, he would use his salary to buy snacks for ASUU members whenever we held our meetings. Sometimes, he personally showed up for ASUU meetings and we appreciated it, but that didn’t stop us from deciding on issues bordering on members’ interest; yet that didn’t stop him from attending meetings.”

    Olusakin said one of Sofoluwe’s weaknesses was his excessive trust in people. “He cared about people; he would always want people to be happy. Although I can’t say or judge, I think he did it to the extreme. With the benefit of hindsight, maybe if he had cut off some relationships, or pegged down some things, he would still be alive. Though only God can say, but truth is, he was so free with everyone, so  jovial, and wanted to please everyone, even students.

    “Students could go and stretch out their hands to embrace him. If you have ever attended our convocation or alumni get together, you would see students hugging him. That was the late Prof Sofoluwe for you. He was passionate about UNILAG, especially when the government wanted to rechristen the university; he couldn’t bear it.”

    The alumni’s National Secretary, Tunde Fadahunsi, said Sofoluwe, who was also an alumnus, graduated with a Second Class Upper Division in Special Mathematics in June 1973.

    “So, we remember a man who left indelible marks on the sands of time. Sofoluwe gave himself to the service of the University of Lagos. I am not a worker in this university, but as an alumnus, I felt him. He had interest in the alumni. He did everything he could to make sure the alumni grows. It is a pity he only lived for two years in his service as the VC. but within that short period, he did a lot. Indeed, we all have termination date, but it’s quite unfortunate that his came five years ago, at a point we humans thought we needed him more,”Fadahunsi said.

    A lecturer in the school who pleaded anonymity, said in the history of the 55-year-old institution, there had not been a man as charismatic and infectious as Sofoluwe.

    “One thing I miss him for is his humility and compassion. We are yet to have another VC that has such charisma and we may never have. He was open to everybody; you can access him any time any day. He would not only listen to you, he would ensure that you feel the impact of his administration.

    “There was a time I wanted my daughter to do diploma programme, he said: “Why don’t you encourage her to sit for JAMB instead of wasting money?” Eventually, my daughter wrote the JAMB examination and got admission on merit. That was who he was: a compassionate man committed to the service of the people. He touched so many lives regardless of individual background,” he said.

    Another teaching staff, who also chose to remain anonymous, said. “I was newly employed at the time he (Sofoluwe) became the Vice Chancellor. Also at that period I won an award with which I was supposed to travel to the United States. Coincidentally, there were issues. I was compelled to personally see him when I felt other offices, which would have handled it were not giving me positive response. Instantly he gave approval. That was how I was able to travel abroad.  It’s painful that that period was the last time I saw him because I was in the US when he passed on,”he recalled.

    Another member of staff, Prince Awere Odor, extolled the late Sofoluwe as a man who held women in high esteem.

    He said: “He gave exceptional regard to women, and you could almost call him ‘woman wrapper’. For women, who worked with him, once it was 4 o’clock, he would tell them to go home and attend to their husbands and children. He didn’t want their work to affect their family life.

    “He was quite generous; he gave out everything, even his wife expressed worry while we were having (burial) mass for him. She said at a point, she became worried that he was giving out everything and she didn’t know what he would leave behind for the family to live on upon retirement. She said she tried to make him stop but he didn’t.

    “He was that generous. He paid the fees and hostel accommodation for many people. For me, he did quite a lot; he even got annoyed with me that I refused to collect money from him many times; but I was feeling for him. Most time, he would empty his whole pocket to please someone.”

    Students were also not left out in pouring encomiums on the late professor.

    “He (Sofoluwe) was always available in times of trouble. I could remember when I had issues with my courses. I went to meet him, he was then the Dean of Sciences and the problem was resolved. He displayed fatherly role to many of us. He deserves to be remembered at all times,” said Afolabi Fashoranti , who is pursuing his Ph.D programme in the university.

    Another student, Bunmi Akinyemisi, who did his Masters programme in 2013, said the late Sofoluwe was an astute administrator, who, during his time, reduced the one-year Masters programme to nine months. “It was good news to those of us then and I felt his service before he died,” Akinyemisi recounted. .

    Speaker Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, and Mobil Oil Managing Director, Adetunji Oyebanji, who were both special guests of honour at the lecture, noted that good people are not forgotten so soon even in death.

    “When people die, they are forgotten, but those with good deeds will forever be remembered. Sofoluwe left a good legacy and the gathering here today by people from all walks of life is a pointer to this fact. He was accessible by all, he never placed himself as a small god to be worshipped,” Obasa said.

    “It is good to celebrate people, who have impacted on our way of lifve and the society.  Though he is gone, but his good name still lives, “Oyebanji noted.

    Earlier, Prof Yaqub while delivering the memorial lecture, urged the management to accept Sofoluwe’s death philosophically.

    Yaqub also noted that the university has done the needful by floating the memorial lecture to sustain the late Sofoluwe’s memory. “It is stated that time heals the wounds an individual might have sustained, experienced or suffered through life’s journey. Certainly not the pains of the death of a beloved one, especially when it is put in the context of the fact that Prof Sofoluwe died at the pinnacle of his career. He was an accomplished computer scientist, a committed professional teacher, and a technocrat of administrative distinction. He can never be forgotten and this memorial lecture is one way to keep his memory alive and evergreen,” Yaqub said.

  • A Christian and People’s Memo to the Chairman: for Yemi Ogunbiyi @70

    A Christian and People’s Memo to the Chairman: for Yemi Ogunbiyi @70

    Earlier this week on Thursday, April 13, Dr. Yemi Ogunbiyi, former Head of the Theatre Arts Department at the University of Ife and former MD and CEO of Daily Times of Nigeria, turned 70. He is quite possibly the biggest producer and distributor of textbooks in Nigeria. He not only has knowledge of that trade as much as any other person in the country does, he is the profession’s best example of conscientious, indefatigable and sophisticated practice. Since he left academia more than two decades ago, he has succeeded superlatively in everything he has done. For a man who is neither a politician nor a self-promoting socialite, he is widely known and admired by the public for his professional abilities, and for his uncanny ways of bringing people of all stations in life and of diverse social, ethnic and religious backgrounds together. When, some months ago, he was appointed the new Chairman of the governing council of the University of Ife, the acclaim that the announcement generated was near universal. More on this point later in this tribute. Thus, Dr. Ogunbiyi is a man of great accomplishments and in all likelihood, a man of still greater things to come.  He is also, of course, Yemi, one of my three closest friends. This is the vantage point from which I am writing this tribute because, quite literally, much of what life and the world have meant for me has come mostly from my very close friends among whom Yemi is quite distinctive.

    It was in secondary school thatYemi and I first met and became, instantly and forever, friends who are very much like brothers. In the long period of more than a half century since then, Yemi has remained the same in the things that make him so uniquethat all who know him seem agreed that he is truly one of a kind. These things include a generosity so unstinting, so limitless that it has become the stuff of legend to all who know him; a gregariousness that is so capacious, so elemental that he is always the centre of interest, the heart and soul of any gathering in which you find him; and a kindness that is so unlimited that it makes no distinction between family members, friends and complete strangers.On this last point, I often tell our mutual friend and acquaintances that unlike most people we know who became “generous” when they became rich, Yemi was the essence of generosity long before all of us became who we are today in our late adulthood. For instance, in our boarding house in high school, Yemi was the only student in the entire school who shared his provisions liberally with everybody, to the point where half-way through nearly every term, he would have become “provision-less”! As anyone who has ever been a resident of a boarding house knows, this is nothing short of disastrous. But to Yemi, it was nothing at all. I was personally greatly impressed by this otherworldly generosity of my friend, so much so that I tried to follow his example. Well, l had better keep silent about my failure in the effort lest some mischievous people retroactively use this confession to query the genuineness of my socialism!

    I do not wish to mythologize my friend in this tribute. He is not entirely who he was in our teenage years going to the period of our young adulthood. Who among us is? For instance, there is one quite remarkable change in Yemi that strikes me as nothing short ofa sea change. What is this change? Well, he now has a very sharp and deflationary sense of humor that we his schoolmates, did not associate with him in secondary school. Yemi did not exactly have a saintly, altar boy personality, but it was very rare indeed to find him corrosively, if also good-naturedly teasing anybody. But now, he is the Balogun of playful, teasing apara dida! I think this serves him as a sort of tonicor tactic for negotiating those unexpected turns to negativity and unpleasantness that suddenly spring up in human interactions and affairs. The world is a hard, hard place and as Sigmund Freud demonstrated in his classic monograph, Jokes and Their Relationship to the Unconscious, humor, sharp-edged humor, often helps to negotiate moments of tension and or unpleasantness. In drawing attention to this factor, I am, I hope, rendering my friend a service because from now on, anyone who gets a sample of Yemi’scaustic, teasing “awada” or “apara” will be obliged to go and read Freud in order to appreciate the usefulness of the sting in his mischievous his jokes!

    Beyond this basically blameless and harmless teasing habit, there are two big things in which, over the years, Yemi has changed significantly. Because he will probably be surprised by my identifying and even making much of these two changes, I wish to make them the pivot around which I will weave my thoughts, my wishes for my friend on this occasion of his 70th birthday anniversary.

    The first of these two changes pertains to attitude and predisposition toward religion in general and Christianity in particular.I could express this simply by saying that Yemi has become more religious, more of a practicing Christian than he was in the long period that spans our teenage years in high school, through our undergraduate years at UI, to the time of our young adulthood as graduate students at New York University and young lecturers at the University of Ife (OAU). But this does not adequately express precisely what I have in mind. After all, these days, people in all stations of life in our country are turning to religion in mighty wavesof new converts every day. In such a context, to say, simply, that someone has become more religious is to say something quite banal. What I find in Yemi is different from this phenomenon. I can think of no better way of expressing it than to say that he has become a real true believer, a practicing man of faith fired by the moral and philosophical tenets of Christianity, without however clothing his Christian activism in the cheap and showy garb of thereligiosity that is the defining mark of Christianity in our country today.No, Yemi is a man who serves God with genuine but unostentatious rectitude.

    Here, I must make a “confession” of sorts. Many times, as I have watched Yemi unfailinglygo to church every Sunday and on special occasions, and as I have observed him spend huge chunks of his time, his energies and his material resources in furtherance of good deeds promoted by his church, it has crossed my mind to ask him exactly what religion, what his Christian faith means to him. But we have not had that discussion because I have not posed the question to him. Perhaps in this tribute lies the beginnings of that conversation? I do not know. What I do know is that his birthday immediately precedes Easter which, as we know, is the central cycle of symbolic ceremonies in Christianity. The cycle starts with the Lenten period of fasting and deep soul searching and ends with Easter Monday that is laden with the symbolism of renewal and regeneration attached to the resurrection of Christ. Since my friend has become a faithful and committed Christian, that is one of the two major things that I wish to reflect upon in this tribute.

    Concerning the second big change, I am not exactly sure what kind of a change it is, even as I am certain that it is a big, big change. To put it briefly, here is what it is. Believe it or not, at one time, Yemi was an avowed socialist like many of us who still remain socialists whilst he has “moved on”, so to speak. Yes, he was not one of the so-called “hard” Left. But he was a member of the editorial board of our journal, Positive Review, a journal that was unapologetically socialist and Marxist. He was one of the socialists whom our elder and mentor, Wole Soyinka, savagely attacked and derided as “Leftocrats”. The term “Leftocrat”, in Soyinka’s bitingly sarcastic coinage, conjoins “Left” and “autocrat”. Thus, by the term, Soyinka meant a hard and dogmatic Left. For this reason, the fact that Yemi was one of the principal targets of Soyinka’s ire in that attack against us meant that the Nobel laureate not only saw Yemi as one of us, he saw him as an essential member of our group. But gradually, from that location in the storm centre of the maelstrom of Leftist ideology and politics, Yemi “moved on”, so to speak. But then, it is at precisely this juncture that I locate Yemi’s movement to Christian social activism. Is there a link between the two? Is there a connection between moving on from socialism and moving to Christian activism? Does one “moving on” reflect the other, no matter how obscure or incommensurable this might seem?

    Since the abstract theological, ideological and philosophical dimensions of this question are much too big for the present discussion, I will not deal with them. Instead, I go back to the earlier mentioned symbolism of Lent and Easter: after fasting, after chastening hardship and soul searching comes renewal and regeneration. I see the widespread praise for Yemi’s appointment as the Chairman of the Governing Council of the University of Ife as symbolic of the long and interminable period of Lent in the experience of the University of Ife itself and most of the public, state-financed universities in Nigeria. It is impossible to overstate the depth of hardship, confusion and misdirection in OAU, the depth of a Lenten mortification of spirit, soul and mind that the university has undergone, with particular reference to the students and the faculty. I can testify as his friend that Yemi has been deeply, deeply moved by the outpouring of sentiments of goodwill and expectations of renewal and regeneration that have been expressed to him. No one has expressed this in the specific idiom of Christian symbolism, but the resonance is unmistakable. I cannot imagine that in his moments of reflection and insight meditation, Yemi can fail to see the intimations of this Christian symbolism.

    Christianity has deep, formative theological and cultural roots with socialism. The early Church was the religion of the poor and the oppressed; it was openly and doctrinally socialistic. Organized Christianity became the religion of the wealthy and the powerful when Emperor Constantine made it a state religion. Christ himself was deeply averse to usurious capitalism. And throughout history, some of the most humane and lasting effects of Christian social activism have been directed at the liberation of the poor, the downtrodden, the neglected. Thinking of these buried or forgotten aspects of the history of Christianity, I draw your attention, Yemi, to the fact that just as you were once a socialist, your religion also has an honorable and proud history of socialistic humanism. This is thus both a Christian and People’s Memo to you as the new Chairman of the Governing Council of our beloved OAU. It comes with fervent wishes for long life, health, and great success in the next ofthe many great challenges you have faced and mastered in the course of the last four decades. The rich, the powerful, the well-connected will flock to you in your new assignment. In their memos to you, they will lay emphasis on big, heavy capitalization, with much of the contracts of course going to them. And so of course will the marginalized, the excluded, together with their leaders and representatives, come to you with pleas for cooperation, fairness and accountability. May the Easter of unprecedented renewal and regeneration follow the Lenten tales of hardship and crises that you will no doubt hear daily as you move to start the great work ahead of you.

     

    Biodun Jeyifo

    bjeyifo@fas.harvard.edu

  • Ojudu at 56: What his people want from him

    Ojudu at 56: What his people want from him

    Segun Dipe, journalist and political analyst, extols the virtues of the Presidential Special Adviser on Political Matters, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, who clocks 56 this month.

    We all provide something unique to this world, and we can all smell when someone isn’t being real. The more you focus on genuine connections with people, and look for ways to help them, rather than just focus on what they can do for you, the more likable and personable you become. This isn’t required to be a great leader, but it is to be a respected leader, which can make all the difference in your business.” -Lewis Howes, New York Times bestselling author of The School of Greatness

    As Babafemi Ojudu, born on March 27, clocks 56, it would be nerve-racking to imagine him in a partying mood, twerking to the rhythm of a live music while his dear state pines. Ojudu is a pro-democracy activist who had suffered so much pain to get his country liberated. To think he would, at this time, close his heart and eyes against his dear state is a misnomer.

    Ojudu possesses so many qualities that he can put to use for the survival of his people. It is an understatement that they are currently in an emotional dungeon, receiving the Israelites treatment under a Pharaoh. And if it will not be too much of a demand, Ojudu is now being asked to come home and lead from the front in ensuring that his dear state returns to its path of glory. That should be his birthday gesture for his people.

    The fact that Ojudu keeps a positive attitude always, and this keeps his energy level up, is a great plus. In the April 2011 election for the Ekiti Central Senatorial seat, Ojudu polled 67,747 running on the ACN platform. Labour Party (LP) candidate and former Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose received 29,773 votes. Kayode Alufa of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) received 29,488 votes. After conceding defeat, Alufa congratulated Ojudu, saying: “Our God in his wisdom has chosen you with your experience and good credentials, which I am sure you will deploy for the service and improvement of our impoverished area.”

    If indeed Ekiti is very dear to Ojudu’s heart, there are so many of such “experience and good credentials” he is bestowed with that he cannot afford to keep them away from his people at this crucial period. Even his sworn enemies have come to admit that he is unarguably bold, brilliant and balanced. Under the Zodiac sign of Aries, Ojudu is defined by enthusiasm, energy and passion. He takes to all matters of life with great energy and dedication. He strives to be the best in all he does, which is why he would always dedicate countless hours to overcoming a challenge that he deems to be worthwhile. In this respect, he is a natural leader who often attracts many admirers to himself.

    Having a great idea, and assembling a team to bring that concept to life is the first step in creating a successful venture. Ojudu has this in a large dose. He is a chip off Anthony Lewis, American public intellectual and journalist, twice winner of the Pulitzer Prize, and a longtime New York Times columnist. Lewis, also born on same March 27, is credited with creating the field of legal journalism in the United States and had proffered that despite all the gains for democracy in the world, in many countries anyone who wants to publish truths unwelcome to the government risks suppression and criminal punishment.

    Truly, Ojudu as a journalist had fallen into this trap. He was bent on publishing the truth and he got stewed for doing so on many occasions. Ojudu was arrested, tortured and detained several times. In July 1998, he almost got his life snuffed out of him, but for the death of the then dictator and maximum ruler, Gen Sani Abacha. It was reported that while still in cell, he suffered from typhoid fever and jaundice, both life-threatening, caused by the unsanitary conditions in which he was detained and denial of access to medication. Yet he remained undeterred.

    Ojudu’s confidence level is electrifying. Even on days when things appeared worrisome and were not going according to plan,

    Ojudu as a leader knew how to keep everyone working and moving ahead. He would maintain the team morale, keep up the confidence level, and assure everyone that setbacks are natural and the important thing is to focus on the larger goal. As the leader who stays calm and confident, he helps keep the team feeling the same.

    March 27 children are generally born militant. They love people, fearless, a little crazy and are true individuals with their own inimitable style of dress and behavior, attracting attention wherever they go. They don’t just have star quality; they have something far more special: the likability factor.

    Ojudu scores a high in creating a productive work environment, which stems from his open door policy or making it a point to talk assuredly to his people on a daily basis and making himself available to discuss issues. Those who work with him would always attest to the fact that they learn to trust and depend on him, and are always less hesitant to work harder.

    Ojudu is not a man who can be drowned by the trivial. He is not only focused, he has a clear vision of where he would want his people to be in a near future. Five minutes of discussion would convince anyone that Ojudu can turn the fortune of Ekiti around for good in a short term if permitted.

    Ojudu is 100 per cent authentically himself in relating to people, sometimes flawed, but always passionate about whatever he believes in. He is such a leader who would seamlessly instill confidence and followership by having a clear vision, showing empathy and being a strong coach. This has allowed him to engender trust and buy-in from his people.

    So, what are those qualities Ojudu need to display to his people as he clocks 56? Though legion, the following must be prioritised: focus, confidence, integrity, transparency, inspiration, passion, innovation, patience, stoicism, wonkiness, authenticity, open-mindedness, decisiveness, personableness, empowerment, positivity, generosity, persistence, insightfulness, communication, accountability and restlessness.

    Happy Birthday, Babafemi Ojudu, illustrious son of Ekiti. It’s time for rescue mission.

    • Segun Dipe, a journalist and political analyst, writes from Ado Ekiti

  • Monarch advises people on land

    The monarch of Orimedu community in Ibeju-Lekki Local Government of Lagos State, Oba Amusa Atiku, has advised people on how to go about the land in his domain.

    He said they should guard against buying land from hoodlums and land grabbers.

    The traditional ruler, at a news briefing in Lagos at the weekend, said the land at Orimedu had been surveyed “and no part of it is left unsurveyed.”

    He said: “The Orimedu community implores licensed and unlicensed surveyors and any person intending to survey any part of the land that all land within the jurisdiction of the community, both excised and unexcised, to take note.

    “Transactions affecting Orimedu land must be carried out in my palace and in my presence.

    “Any action or move by any person(s) or group(s) of person contrary to these shall be deemed to be null and void.”

     

  • ‘I bring out the best in people’

    ‘I bring out the best in people’

    Kolawole Oyeyemi a marketing communication expert is the General Manager, Sales and Distribution Division, MTN. Oyeyemi who recently hit the golden jubilee age in this interview with Bukola Aroloye speaks on his career path, management style, philosophy and his interesting pastime. Excerpts:

    Turning 50

    I feel very grateful for four fundamental reasons: the first is gratitude for the gift of life. This is because in an environment where life expectancy is low, (46 by WHO report), to be alive and well; sound in spirit, soul and body at 50 years is a gift from God I am eternally grateful for. Secondly, I am grateful for the privilege of an early discovery of my purpose and a progressive movement in the direction of vision fulfilment. It is gratifying to know that I am not too far from the milestones on the journey. Thirdly, I am grateful for a most loving and supportive family, friends, colleagues and fellow travellers. Finally, I am eternally grateful for the humble achievements of having made some impacts in my chosen career, humanitarian pursuits and ministerial assignment.

    Career trajectory

    In the course of my career, I have been privileged to have won varying awards in marketing creativity, professionalism and knowledge share. I have also been instrumental to several awards won by my marketing communication agencies. I won the Cadbury Creativity Award in my days in Cadbury Schweppes and was also a part of the team that won the Marketing team award. I was awarded the Marketing Professional of the Year 2012 by Marketing World Awards. I was awarded the Brand Icon of the Year 2013 by Brand Age Nigeria. In 2014, I got the Marketing World Awards Lifetime Achievement Award in Marketing. In 2015, Marketing Edge conferred on me the Marketing Personality of the Year 2014. I have also won varying awards internally in my company.

    I was fortunate to be a two term President of the Advertisers Association of Nigeria; a body made up of Marketing Directors and Heads of Marketing of advertiser companies in Nigeria responsible for over 80 per cent of Nigerian advertising budget. This platform gave me the opportunity to provide thought leadership in the Marketing and Marketing Communication industry in Nigeria

    I have also authored six books including the first Marketing Book of its kind by an African, reviewed and catalogued by the US Library of Congress. This book: ‘Kill Or Get Killed; The Marketing Killer Instinct’ has been endorsed by the Marketing and Advertising Institutes in Nigeria and adopted as a text book for Marketing and Mass Communication students by two Nigerian universities. I have also been able to touch a number of students across Lagos and Rivers states with my Foundation: Ignite Africa Leadership Foundation focused on youths and the revival of the Reading Culture in Nigeria. The Foundation has over sixty book clubs, over four thousand books in stock and boasts of an ultra modern library facility open free to the public.

    Philosophy

    Please God; Fulfil Purpose; Impact lives. By all means, do not live quietly!

    Management style

    I see the best in people and so focus on extracting the best out of them as a route to delivering personal and corporate objectives. I challenge and stretch those who work with me to exceed their expressed capacities. If you are not driven, you won’t enjoy working with me.

    Pastime

    First, my transparency and sincerity is infectious. Integrity is not negotiable. Those who work with me know that. Secondly, diligence is scripturally demanded. I live by this rule and so those who work with me are challenged to do the same. Thirdly, ownership mindset; success at work demands an ownership mindset where work does not end when you close from your physical office

    Toughest decision

    It was saying ‘Yes to God’ to pastor a church. I did not want to be a Pastor or be responsible for other people’s spiritual wellbeing. This was in addition to the fact that I had a good job in a multinational company and so didn’t need to pastor to earn a living. I also felt that there were enough churches anyway? I ran from God for two years but ultimately had to say “Yes Lord!”

    Most favourable decision

    Becoming a born again Christian. It changed the dynamics and trajectory of my life irrevocably positively.

    Unwinding

    Travelling, driving, teaching, reading, watching movies and listening to music

    Inspiration

    God’s love. Family love. Work love. Music. Joyfulness and seeing people happy and knowing that somehow I am connected to their joy gives me the high.

    Passion

    If I wasn’t working with MTN, I think I would have naturally ended up in the academic environment as a lecturer.

    Traded skills

    I am a very robust commercial strategist with excellent skills in Marketing, Sales, Integrated Marketing disciplines of Advertising, Public Relations, Sponsorship and Events, Media and Media management. I am also a speaker, teacher, writer and author.

    Serving as ADVAN president

    It was a privilege and an opportunity to serve. It was an opportunity to fulfil a part of my life philosophy. Providing leadership to a team of highly skilled and respected professionals was a humbling experience and a learning opportunity. The art and science of negotiations amongst industry stakeholders to reach consensus on widely varied issues were very profoundly defining for me. I worked with some of the best minds the Marketing industry and Nigeria at large can boast of. I am very grateful for the opportunity to serve and to add value to the industry

    Advice to new entrants in the industry

    You must make a strategic choice early in your career. Do you want the quick money or you want to build a formidable profile? Doing the latter makes you a humble lifelong learner. The money may not come early but you won’t lack either. When you’ve built up a formidable equity, you can then price for it.

    Advice to government

    Fix the socio-economic fundamentals. Bring the real sector out of coma. Diversify our revenue base.  Plug leakages. Make real scapegoats of treasury looters. Communicate your efforts effectively.

    Oyeyemi inside out

    I was born in Ogbomoso, Oyo state. I attended Baptist Day School, Modakeke from where I proceeded to Saint David’s Modern School in Ife. I thereafter went to Christ Apostolic Church Grammar School, Akure from where I graduated in 1984. I spent one year at the Oyo State College of Arts and Science for my ‘A’-levels before proceeding to the then University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife, where I graduated with a Second Class Upper Bachelor’s degree in English Studies in 1989. I went to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism for Post Graduate studies in Journalism, Advertising and Public Relations. I then attended various international business schools; Columbia Business School, New York; Cranfield, UK and Lagos Business School, Pan Atlantic University, Nigeria, for executive business education in Advanced Management, Strategy, Marketing, Sales and Leadership.

    I began my career as a broadcaster with Kano State Broadcasting Corporation where I excelled and got the NYSC Recognition Award for exemplary performance in 1990 because of the innovation I brought to bear on my assignment at the broadcast station. I had a short stint with The Quadrant Company in 1991 where I was introduced to Public Relations practice. With a thirst to get into full Marketing Communication, I left The Quadrant Company to join Sunrise Marketing Communications in 1992. In 1996, I moved to Cadbury Nigeria Plc. as the Advertising Manager managing the Advertising and Promotions portfolio. Under two years in this role, I distinguished myself in the company and got the Creativity Award for innovation. A passion for full brand management saw me move into mainstream Marketing practice as Brand Manager for the company’s highest value brands- Knoor Cubes and Knoor Chicken Cubes. Again, I excelled and the brand under my watch sold the highest volume and delivered the highest value in its 20 years history then.

    After this feat, I left to join MTN Nigeria Communications Limited as the Brand Manager, Business Market. I was behind the launch of several propositions and high impact sub brands before I was promoted into senior management to manage the MTN master brand and look after the sponsorship, events and media portfolio. I became General Manager, Consumer Marketing, and continued the string of excellent and creative brand management that led to many award winning Marketing and Marketing communication campaigns that grew both volume and value market share. During this era, the brand became the highest value brand in Nigeria and the Group brand the highest value brand in Africa.

    I am currently in the Sales and Distribution division of the firm as the General Manager, Business Development with responsibility for developing strategies for business growth via both traditional and emerging channels, structures, systems, technologies and platforms to deliver business targets on market share and revenue.

  • ‘Borno people love comic theatre’

    ‘Borno people love comic theatre’

    Edozie Udeze in this interview with Professor Sonnie Ododo of the Theatre Arts department of the University of Maiduguri, Borno State, engages him on the state of drama and theatre in the troubled state of Borno and lots more. Excerpts.

    Professor Sonnie Ododo is not just a teacher of Theatre Arts; he is equally the President of Society for Nigerian Theatre Artistes (SONTA).  SONTA is the umbrella body of all Theatre Arts teachers in Nigerian tertiary institutions.  At the University of Maiduguri, Borno State, where he teaches Theatre, Ododo is known to be in the forefront of ensuring that practical drama is constantly kept alive.

    But in the face of constant insecurity of lives and property occasioned by the Boko Haram menace in the whole of North-East Nigeria, how has he and his gang being coping to keep drama active and in the front burner?  Ododo who loves to be on his toes to proffer answers on this, then he said, “Of course, in any place where you have insurgency, this tends to paralyse the system.  This is so because you’ve to be alive first to engage in certain social activities.  So the fact remains that people are more conscious of their safety, given the state of insecurity in Borno State.  Social events that used to last well into the night had to be rescheduled.  Most of them were now made to start early in the day and last till 6p.m.”

    In this wise, theatre was equally affected.  “Of course, you and I know that both theatre and other social activities were affected.  Since theatre has to be in the evening, this also became a problem.  So for some time now social and theatrical activities in the town of Maiduguri have not been vibrant.  However, within the campus where we seem somehow immune from all of this, theatrical activities still go on.  We still engage our minds in plays, dramas and sorts, to keep the environment warm and busy.  We cannot say we would keep these things quiet because most of the students live off-campus.  So, we do most of the programmes early enough for them to go home on time.  So what I can tell you is that the show must go on wherever we find ourselves.  We have been able to adapt to the situation to make sure that the theatre scene in kept busy and alive and that academic activities do not suffer.”

    Ododo believes, however, that no artiste operates in an island and therefore the kind of theatre he displays in his environment is dictated by the whims of the moment.  He said, ‘No artiste operates in an island.  You must succumb to what that society provides for you.  But you cannot in the name of theatre offend the sensibilities of the people or the host community.  But I can tell you that both the people and the host community are amenable to good theatre.  They love the sort of theatre and drama that appeal to them, that make their social lives good and memorable.  So you cannot because it is theatre go naked on stage.  Not even here in the South that you can display such madness.  So, we have our own set of theatrical values to display in the North.  Most of the time what you hear about the North is not what it is.  No, it is not often so.  There, theatre has its own values, its own norms and precepts.  Theatre is a culture which the people follow conscientiously.  We uphold those norms and we also have good audience for our productions.  However, the people so much love comedy.  They are in love with the theatre that can tease them, that can make them laugh, relax and feel at ease.  The comic may even deviate a little, yet they may not mind.”

    Ododo stressed, however, that it is usually wiser to balance the doctrines of theatre for such an audience in order to receive the best response and appreciation from them.  “What you have in the South may not be what you have in the North.  Yet, to them theatre is life.  I can only say that in Maiduguri theatre is ever alive.  Yes, there’s live theatre in the town.  But it is not as robust as you have it in Lagos.  Perhaps the centre of theatrical activities in Maiduguri is still the University.  Just like you have in most major cities where you have theatre in the universities, that’s the same experience we have in the city of Maiduguri.”

    A practical theatre artiste who loves to engage in the practice in spite of his busy schedule as a lecturer, Ododo delved into those memorable moments that have so far defined his theatrical outputs.  He said, “Yes, my most exciting moment as a teacher of theatre in Unimaid is my exposure to the culture of the people.  It is for me a new culture.  I have been exposed to this new culture, to the new ways of looking at life.  A new look at the people who have different lives to live, it shows me that the people are who they are due to their own culture, their own peculiarities.  These are very very hospitable people, very very receptive to visitors.  They are warm also to visitors,” he said.

    He asserted that Maiduguri has always been a conducive place to everyone and this is why theatre seems to thrive there.  “The most important thing to the people is how to obtain and retain your fellowship.  It is topmost in their attitude to visitors and people around them.  This goes to show also why their love for their local cultural values is immense and deep.”

    Concerning the state of SONTA which he has led as its president for a while now, Ododo intoned, “We are viabrant now.  And don’t forget that our national headquarters is in Maiduguri.  So, the society for Nigerian Theatre Artistes is very much alive; we are working seriously to keep the activities fresh in the minds of members.  We have programmes lined up every year to sensitise members and keep them on their toes.  In November this year we’ll have our national conference.  That’s what is in the offing.  We will also be 35 years old this year and we are looking at what we can do to mark the anniversary.  We will equally celebrate some of the core contributors to the growth and development of SONTA and theatre in Nigeria.  This is one of the critical issues we have on ground right now.  And of course we try to see how we can redefine the society with theatre development.  We see how we can use theatre to advance the development of the Nigerian society.  This is what is uppermost in our minds at the moment.  And we’ll not relent until it is achieved so that we will let the world see the role of theatre in national development.  We have also created activities to advance the careers of our members and encourage more people to come in.”

    He, nonetheless, emphasized the relationship between the National Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners (NANTAP) and SONTA and said, “Yes, we are working in synergy with NANTAP to have a robust theatre scene in Nigeria.  Since the time of Greg Odutayo and now, the synergy has been there.  The programme we are working on now is the revival of NUTAF, that is Nigerian Universities Theatre Arts Festival, in which we have the students converge on a campus for robust theatre festivities.  So we are hoping that in April or May this year, we will have NUTAF so that our students will feel the pulse of total theatre once more.  We hope to have it at the University of Benin, Edo State.  We see how we can make it come back to what it used to be.  We hope to have series of workshops too to help our students so that they will not be at a loss,” he concluded.

  • ‘People don’t attend churches that cannot meet needs’

    ‘People don’t attend churches that cannot meet needs’

    Founder of Laughter Foundation International Ministries, otherwise known as babies’ factory, Pastor Gbenga Oso, spoke with Sunday Oguntola on the uniqueness of the church on the eve of its 20th anniversary. Excerpts:  

    There are people who believe the church should have been a ministry. What would be your reaction to them?

    For me, I don’t see any difference between ministry and church. Either church or ministry, there is only one goal – that people should go to the kingdom of God.

    And secondly, we meet the physical needs of people. That was what Jesus did when He was here. There were three basic things He did when He was here. He would preach, heal the sick and do deliverance. Then, there were times he fed people with physical foods.

    So, Jesus was meeting the spiritual and physical needs of people, which is what a church or ministry is expected to do. If they are sick, they must be healed and live healthy lives. If they don’t have children, they must have children. That is what church or ministry exists to do.

    But there is the argument that need-oriented ministries and churches tend to raise people to use, rather than love God. What do you say to this?

    A Church or ministry is expected to meet the spiritual and physical needs of people. Doing one without the other means you won’t see people in the church.

    The major thing that draws people to God is meeting their physical needs. When you see churches and ministries with population today, it is because they are meeting the physical needs of people. People don’t go to church mostly because they want to hear the word of God or love God. They are going because they have a challenge, which they believe can be addressed in such a church or ministry.

    But after you have baited in people, what do you do with them?

    In this church, apart from the fact that the main focus is for people to have children, I always say it is not the major emphasis. The major emphasis is to make the kingdom of God and go to heaven because there is life after here.

    If someone has all the children and go to hell, it is just a waste of efforts on the part of the pastor and waste of life with the person involved. So, we tell people here that they must serve God, shun ungodliness and love people.

    After then, they must have the good things of life. They must have children and have money to take care of them. So, the two are combined. But preaching to people without meeting their needs is not what Jesus sent us to do.

    He didn’t do that. He would first of us preach to them and meet their physical needs. And that is what we are doing.

    Those with specialised ministries or churches like this impose consultation fees or ask people to do something before sharing testimonies. Is that what obtains here?

    That kind of thing is not found in the Bible. It is not part of what we do here at all. During the times of Jesus, he didn’t take money from anybody for consultation or something. We don’t ask people to do that either. People see me when they have to see me; of course they are procedures because of security and all that.

    When they have testimonies, we just ask them to write everything in a sheet of paper. We look through and take the ones we consider major. Most times, we always don’t know what they want to say and we never ask them to sow anything.

    There are people that do things and there are people that don’t do. What they do depends on what they have. But we have never asked them to do anything or bring anything at all. It is not part of our culture here.

    At 20, why is the church not involved in any relationship with Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) or Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN)? Is that deliberate or you have anything against the bodies?

    No, we don’t have anything against them. We are a member of CAN, though not registered and all that. If there is a need to do that, we will do. Their officials come here and all that. If there are procedures to follow to register….

    … They haven’t told you or you didn’t ask?

    Well, they haven’t told me but if I feel the need to do that, we will do it. But if PFN or CAN is doing anything, we will support from here. It is not compulsory all of us register. It is not compulsory, but if there is a reason to register, we will do that. We believe we are a member of the body of Christ in this nation. And if we have to register, we will do that. If anything is needed, we are part of it.

    You also don’t invite ministers from outside the church. Is that also deliberate?

    That is because this is a highly specialised ministry. We have what we are aiming at; basically praying for people that want children and all that. It is a specialised ministry and God has to have prepared you to be able to do it.

    Besides, we have people we have trained in-house to handle our ministrations over the years. So, we don’t really need ministers from outside here.

    And you don’t honour invitations from other churches too?

    I do but not always most of the time. I just like to face the thing God asked me to do. My joy is to see people that come here receive their breakthrough and all that.

    Once in a while, I go to other places but not many times.

    Does that mean those who already have children have no place in this church?

    They do because the kingdom of God is the basic here. But we have some other programmes in the church, though not the basic. Childbearing is the basic. We know that if members have children and no money to take care of them, they will suffer.

    So, first Sunday of every month, after service, we hold a service for like 30 minutes to pray for their careers and businesses. We call it the billionaires’ service. If they don’t become billionaires, they will become multi-millionaires.

    We also pray for singles to get married because there are many of them eligible but it is not happening for them. Whether we like it or not, there are reasons beyond them responsible for this.

    We also have a prayer service for pregnant women. Women must carry pregnancies for 40 weeks and many of them lose their pregnancies. But we don’t have that here because we pray for them and encourage them to go to good hospitals.