The Nation Newspaper

Tag: pleasure

  • Here comes ‘pleasure on wheels’conference coach

    The Federal Government is planning to unveil new services on the Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge rail line to make it more attractive. But that may affect projections for passengers, writes ADEYINKA ADERIBIGBE

    Have you been looking for a venue beyond the prying eyes of the public for your board meetings or conferences? Are you a politician looking for a venue for your strategy session? Why not try the rail?

    To the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), this is not only a possibility, the conference coach has  become a reality and it will be available to customers on demand  on the Lagos-Ibadan, Abuja-Kaduna and Itakpe-Warri routes.

    The conference coach is a luxury on wheels, with a setting that can accommodate about 30 chairs, soothing lighting effect and communication systems. It is complete with a mini-bar, from where light snacks, breakfast or lunch can be served in a bespoke ambience, and a toilet facility, all tailored to serve those with eyes for luxury.

    NRC Chairman Alhaji Ibrahim Alhassan and the Managing Director Fidet Okhiria, an engineer, led the corporation’s new directors  to have the first feel of the conference coach, which was delivered last week.

    The board met CCECC, the contractor, and supervising consultants on board the train, rather than at its last destination at Ibadan.

    “With this coach, we intend to attract captains of industries and interested firms or politicians to have their board meetings, conferences or strategy sessions on the rail. The attraction is that it is exclusive and private,” Alhassan said.

    He said the NRC had brought this offering to the Lagos-Ibadan Standard Gauge to complement the state’s position as the nation’s economic and commercial hub.

    “We envisaged that just as we are experiencing surge on the Abuja-Kaduna route, the Lagos-Ibadan route would be over-subscribed, and we want to break the bar of possibilities for anyone who could pay for extra comfort on the wheels,” he added.

    The conference coach is complemented by the VIP coach yet to be delivered, which has 24 adjustable or collapsible seats. “You may wish to rest, or just relax after your meeting, we have  Very Important Personalities (VIP) coach, with 24 collapsible seats, that can be collapsed into a bed. It can also be rotated to about 180 degrees, just to enjoy the scenery away from worries or pressures. It has a spa and massager bay, just for your comfort,” Alhassan further disclosed.

    Bolanle Adebayo, a business executive, said: “With the way the Nigerian super rich love luxurious lifestyle, it would not be long before exclusive meetings would be holding on the train and companies would be competing to have a taste of the offerings.”

    The NRC said no less than 60 coaches and 200 wagons have been ordered for the speed train transit. They will be driven by 30 locomotives. Also to be added to the rolling stock on the standard gauge are two Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) of 10 coaches each.

    Okhiria said the entire rolling stock, which are of various capacity, would not be tied to the Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge, but  distributed to other routes to provide more services to Nigerians.

    “We intend to add more coaches to the Abuja-Kaduna route, so that we have more transit frequency on that route, and on the Itakpe-Warri route to boost mass speed train transportation,” Okhiria further stated.

    Abandonment

    The story of the standard gauge in Nigeria is a litany of abandonments, synonymous with what was then known as the white elephant projects – an euphemism for those projects that were not conceived to be completed by successive administrations.

    The first standard gauge could be said to have begun in 1983, when the Shehu Shagari-led administration conceived the Itakpe-Warri standard gauge as an industrial line to feed the Ajaokuta Steel Mills, which was meant to stimulate the metallurgical and steel industry.

    The dream of a commercial speed train system, however, took off in Nigeria under the late General Sani Abacha in 1995, when the engineering design and surveys of the standard gauge rail lines were carried out on the western and eastern rail corridors.

    Soon after Abacha, it was another lull as successive administrations simply abandoned the project, until the Obasanjo administration signed the contract for the development of the standard gauge rail line, and turned the sod on the construction of the Abuja-Kaduna rail line.

    It was the Goodluck Jonathan administration that provided the cash backing for the project and Nigeria was put on the map of nations using the speed train systems for transportation.

    The tone set by the Jonathan administration was however crystallised by the Buhari administration which inherited the project, and delivered the Abuja-Kaduna speed train, as well as the Itakpe-Warri standard gauge, for which the alteration of its original purpose as an industrial line, necessitated the construction of many stations for commercial passenger and cargo purposes.

    The Buhari government also shopped for funding for the Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge, being executed through a loan from the China Export Import Bank (China EximBank). Work started in 2017.

    Fielding questions last Thursday, Okhiria said the project is about 70 percent completed with the second line just about six kilometres to Ibadan, where it linked the Ibadan dry port initiative, driven by the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) as part of Federal Government’s efforts to decongest the port.

    He said when the tracks were completed, attention would be shifted to Lagos where work had been slowed down as a result of some challenges ranging from obstruction to the right of way and the challenges of executing such a huge project in a built environment.

    Apart from some structures that are yet to be pulled down as a result of festering litigation over compensations, the contractor, it was gathered, is still battling with encumbrances at the Agege and Apapa end of the contract, which may slow down the pace of work.

    Water pipes, valves, oil and gas pipelines and bridges are some of the impediments that still dog the project on the Lagos corridor.

    Lagos-Ibadan standard guage takes Oct

    Okhiria said the challenges are daunting, but not insurmountable. He said the Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge would be opened in  October.

    “From October we would begin passenger traffic on the Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge. We should be able to run from Agege to Ibadan without any stress while work continues from Agege to Ebute-Metta Junction, and from there to Apapa, where the contract would terminate to begin cargo freighting from the ports by rail.

    “As the contractor handles the linking of the rail to Apapa, it would also be delivering on the 10 medium and mega stations lined up for the route,” Okhiria said.

    He assured that all the 10 stations designed for the route would be completed by December.

    Transportation and logistics experts said the solution to traffic congestion lies in the exploitation of intermodal transportation system where the rail serves the critical needs of moving the more people.

    At peak period, trains account for three million passenger traffic in the United Kingdom; in Nigeria, the rail system hardly carries over a million passenger traffic yearly.

    With a population of 200 million and Lagos alone accounting for over 26 million, the potential of the train to optimise its potential, whether on the passenger or cargo traffic, are possible, a freight forwarder Mr. Tola Adebayo, said.

    NRC Board member Kayode Opeifa said the feat of achieving the Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge within the time frame of three years was commendable. He praised the Buhari administration and the commitment of the former Minister for Transportation for bequeathing to Nigerians a worthy legacy.

    “For most of us, this is the first time our generation is seeing the construction of a railway line as the narrow gauge was constructed in the 19th century. That is the more reason we must appreciate all those who put their integrity on the line to ensure that this project is completed within record time. We are happy that this is almost nearing completion and we do hope that the next lot- Ibadan to Kano would as well as all other projects lined up for execution by this government would be given expeditious execution,” he said.

    Another Director Alhaji Muhammed Musa Bayero could not hide his excitement as he rode the speed train. “We are excited at the pace of work. We salute the commitment and sacrifices that has pushed this project to this level. We are certainly on the cruise to the next level and a ride on this train has further confirmed to us that the train project is on course,” he said.

    His excitement was no doubt infectious. It underlies the yearnings by silent Nigerians longing for good times and a promise which the train exemplifies.

  • ‘Writing gives me great pleasure’

    ‘Writing gives me great pleasure’

    Victoria Abraham has a great passion for writing and she has churned out a number of books that motivate and inspire others. In this interview with Yetunde Oladeinde, she  talks about her passion for writing , getting inspiration from nature , making creative minds thrive better in the economy and more.

    Tell us about life as a writer?

    I wrote and published my first book ‘Treasures’ in 2011, since then I have written a total of 9 books and published 6 of them physically while 8 of them have all been published on Amazon. Since publishing ‘Treasures in 2011, I have published other titles including, Hope on the go, 12 golden laws of Success, The Tiny Big First Step, 100 Life’s Little Lessons, and In Pursuit of Happiness. The others soon to be published books include ‘Because I Believed’, ‘Insightful nuggets for Living’ and ‘The Creative Force of Faith’, I started with writing and publishing just one title but subsequently I have written and continued to write multiple books every year and this year is no exception. Though more and more people on a global scene are going online to purchase their favourite titles and the entire publishing business is going digital, Africa and Nigeria are yet to catch up to this fad because of the high illiteracy levels prevalent all over Africa and in Nigeria.

    What gives you inspiration to do the things you do?

    My first and only motivation would be God and God alone. He inspires me daily and sometimes when I feel like giving up or I feel tired and worn out He helps me get back on track and grants me new strength, wisdom and courage. The publishing terrain is not for the lily livered. It is for the determined and courageous and if you do not have God as your backbone and strength you would certainly not last.   Another inspiration is the very strong need to succeed and succeed big in my area of business because the publishing and media industry is predominantly a man’s world so being a woman in this field demands that I succeed and succeed big to prove that whatever a man can do a woman can do better!

    Let’s talk about moments as a writer ?

    Writing for me gives me plenty of pleasure. I write first as a means of therapy and then as a form of blessing to humanity. For the last 8years I have written for free on the internet. I write a weekly motivation via my blog, and on facebook and linkedin. I also post this same weekly writing on whatsapp every week. Writing brings me great joy because it empowers me to have a voice in the world. Writing inspires me and breeds great confidence in me. I write down virtually everything. I also use my writing to capture important events and occurrences in my life this way I am able to situate events and keep records of important events in my life. I write weekly sometimes daily but there are periods when I do not write at all but this is usually rare because as writer I am always inspired by my environment and by occurrences that happen around me. Writing has put food on my table for the last 9 years now since I left paid employment and I know that the best is yet to come because I believe that I have paid my dues in the industry and it is pay day for me now as I go global with my art and my craft. This is my hope, dream and aspiration.

    What are some of the challenges encountered ?

    A big challenge is breaking into new markets because Africans do not necessarily like to read so this is a big challenge because you have stock of books that remain unsold for years. I decided to self-publish my books before going into the business of publishing for others. This is not an easy route to take but I wanted the monopoly of owing the rights to my published works. The easier route would be to sign in to well established publishers and be paid royalty for one’s works. The other challenge is that at this early stage of my publishing and media business I am the writer, publisher, marketer and promoter. Wearing these 4 hats has not been easy though the grace of God has always been sufficient. Other challenges include promotion for one’s work. Promoting anything or brand would ordinarily cost money and because we have been experiencing a downturn in our economy in the last couple of years this means that people spend money on only essential goods and this does not usually include books. This means that only the rich, discerning and students buy books at the moment. I am determined and committed to my vision and mission to become a global player in the publishing and media business, owning publishing companies producing music, magazines, and movies. I believe that providence will soon smile at my business and brand and I will be able to birth all the dreams inside of me and map out for my business despite all these challenges that I presently are facing. I am resolved not to quit or surrender to the vicissitudes of life.

    How did you cope with them?

    I am dogged and resolute by nature and I never ever back down once I commit to a cause especially when I have come to believe that it is my calling and passion in life. I engage the powers of prayer and fasting as a born again Christian. I also have mentors that encourage me whenever I am down and out. I also make sure that I am abreast of changes within the industry so that I am prepared for imminent changes within my industry. Finally I remain optimistic and positive knowing that I will laugh long, laugh loud and laugh last in this quest if I do not quit. The grace of God remains sufficient for me as a creative entrepreneur.

    Who or what do you consider as the greatest influence in your life and career? What are some of the other things that occupy your time?

    The greatest influence in my life and career would be the person of JESUS CHRIST.   I read Physics Education from the University of Lagos in the 80’S and ordinarily I should be a teacher. I went into administration and training in life but I was not fulfilled at all working in the insurance company that was paying me a good salary some years ago. I wanted to do something for myself. I wanted to do great things and leave a great legacy in life. The only way that I could have done this was to partner with a greater and a higher power in the person of Jesus Christ who has not only been a great source of blessings but has also been a great ally and business partner till date. The second greatest influence has to be Pastor E. A. Adeboye who has played a huge role in my life, business and ministry since 1998. Apart from writing I also run a media company and I merchandize some of the products that I create as a creative entrepreneur. I am also a poet, motivational speaker and trainer.

    Let’s compare when you started writing and now, what has changed?

    I started writing in the mid 90’S though I my first published work was in 2011. When I started writing the era of the internet had just begun but it was slow in penetrating Africa. Comparing the 90’S to the 21st century a lot has changed since then. Then books were sold as physical copies now we have e books. Then many people could not publish their works by themselves but now a lot of people self-publish. In the 90’S you could not sell your books on line but now there are many online channels through which you can sell your books including the Amazon, and so many other platforms because of the age of the internet. As a writer there are many research tools including google that has made researching easier because now you can just ‘google it’ and information is easier and faster to access compared to the 90’S.

    What are some of the memorable moments as a writer ?

    The year I wrote 4 books and published 2 out of the books remains a great year in my life. Publishing my first book after years and years of writing it too is another milestone for me. Finally between 2011 and 2015 I wrote, published and launched my books and believe me this is no mean feat. All these for me remains memorable moment as a writer.

    Let’s talk about the people you admire and role models.

    I greatly admire Pastor E. A. Adeboye for his simplicity, humility and great leadership abilities. I also admire him for his great faith and great accomplishments in life and ministry. I also admire my Pastor, Pastor Fred Odekhian for his sacrifice and love for the things of God. I admire Mrs. Ibukun Awosika for making all women everywhere proud. On a global scale I greatly have a lot of respect for Michele Obama for the way she supported her husband and the great works she did during her husband’s tenure in the United States of America.

  • ‘Royalty has deprived me the pleasure of my roadside booli’

    ‘Royalty has deprived me the pleasure of my roadside booli’

    Olugbo of Ugboland, Oba Frederick EnitiOlounda Obateru Akinruntan (Okoro Ajiga I) last week marked his 6th coronation anniversary amid celebration. Taiwo Abiodun who was there reports.

    Dressed in immaculate white Dansiki attire with his signature muffler – this time a shinny blue dangling down his royal neck, it was the occasion of his 6th coronation anniversary as the Olugbo of Ugboland in Ondo State. The muffler was laced with shining diamond stones, while his white cap and the crown embroidery along with his blue-beaded fly whisk gracefully complemented his personality. His black slip-on shoes, gold necklace along with his silver-coloured walking stick at once tell you that you’re in the presence of a rich and flamboyant monarch worth his onion.

    Oba Frederick EnitiOlorunda Obateru (Okoro Ajiga I) loves the flamboyant lifestyle and makes no pretences about it. Without mincing words, he tells you that “I have about 500 mufflers of different colours. I’m a stylist, a man of fashion and creativity, and I love the best things of life.”

    According to Forbes list, the monarch is the richest royal father in Nigeria and one of the richest in Africa.

    But he is also a man who wants the best for his community and people of Ugboland and the Yoruba race at large. Speaking of the changes and prosperity he has brought to his community since attaining the throne of his forefathers, Oba Obateru said, “Life was not easy before my arrival; everything was in disarray, but now I have done a lot of things people can testify to. For example, I introduced medical services and that is the Frederick Eniolorunda Boat, a mobile clinic on boat for our people to be checking their blood pressure and sugar level (diabetic) while drugs are recommended and administered to them on boat Medicare.”

    “In terms of good hands in the town’s affairs management, I have credible and experienced people who are technocrats,  professionals and even retired civil servant such as retired commissioners, permanent secretaries, eggheads and other top government notchers as my chiefs, who represent our community anywhere with dignity and confidence.”

    According to the billionaire, when he became the Oba, he changed the town’s chiefs’ orientation towards life. “The set of people I met here especially chiefs had their ways of lives but with my ascension to the throne, I changed them and taught them how to dress, talk in public and many social ways. For instance, I told them not to eat in the public. Now I make sure our Yoruba Culture is promoted from the way they dress like putting on our most cherished style of Yoruba flowing gown (Agbada).”

    On the infrastructure, the monarch said before coming to the throne, there was no access road to his town but now, Dr. Mimiko, the present governor of the state has opened up the area.

    He also contributes to humanity by paying some students’ school fees and assisting the unemployed. “I pay their fees from primary to the university, even to PhD level. I believe that if you don’t have education, you are not living. I don’t want our people to have inferiority complex when they see their mates in Ibadan, Lagos, New York or London. Not only that, quarterly I gather the unemployed indigenes together and collect curriculum vitae and fix them up, because I want to change their lives. I believe one needs to assist humanity and I want my name to be written both in gold and diamond.”

    Despite his stupendous wealth, the Oba however still upholds the virtue of humility. He said it is not his family trait or culture to be rude or arrogant, as his father taught he and his siblings to respect elders. “Anytime we were rude, he smacked us. Aside that, he my bible tells me that the things we have in life are vanity; the moment you die, that is all. Whatever one has in life is by chance and opportunity. Talking about my philanthropism, I have also read in the Bible many times that ‘givers never lack.’

    “I don’t regard myself as more important than any other person. And when you give and assist people, they would speak good of you.

    “Before now there were no buildings here in Ugboland, until I came and started erecting buildings. Later others joined and I am happy. The fact is that they thought if they have houses, they would be killed by witches and wizards.”

    Continuing, he said “You should be proud of your heritage, I spent about 50 years in Ibadan, but I eventually came back home. So you have to show example. Today, my palace is one of the best palaces in the world; when you leave here you can go and make your comparison. Obaship has been taken to another level. Now you have to think twice before you become an Oba. You need education, money etc.

    As the Chairman of Obas on Obaship Resolution and Conflicts, the monarch said he has done a lot. “We make sure no Oba fights in the public anymore. No segregation again among the Obas and we are orderly in our dealings. Our problem in Yorubaland before now was ego, but this is no longer so, as there is now unity.”

    As a staunch member of Cherubim and Seraphim, Oba Obateru does not partake in the town’s rituals. He said there is a chief priest who is in charge of rituals.

    On his large entourage

    Asked why he goes about with a large entourage of his chiefs and village heads, the monarch laughed and replied: “Everything is special. My convoy is special. If I travel outside, I go with a convoy. I have about 250 communities under my kingdom, so if I’m travelling, each is represented; and I have about 500 people going with me, even if I’m travelling out. I spend millions of naira maintaining my security personnel and preparing meals for people in the palace everyday. And it is the same when I’m in Lagos and London.”

    Regrets

    Smiling, the Okoro Ajiga I of Ugboland said “Look the Obaship throne has changed my life. Before I could dance hip hop, dance to Sunny Ade and Ebenezer Obey’s music and roll it, but I can’t dig it on the dancing floor again. What even pains me most is the love I have for roasted plantain (booli) and groundnuts, which I can no longer stop by the roadside and buy.”

  • Cutting away a young woman’s right to personal pride, privacy, pleasure, personality and possibly reproduction

    Sex and reproduction:

    In a busy outpatient Gynaecology clinic, a Professor asked  a young lady that had been  investigated exhaustively  for primary infertility a few questions concerning sex with her husband ; was sex  more frequent around mid cycle, and regular? She answered in the affirmative. When asked  if she enjoyed sex with him, she said there were no problems, but  asked to recall two three times she experienced orgasm, she claimed such things only happened  between  couples who are not born again. With controlled anger, the Consultant Gynaecologist  referred her to the counselling unit .

    Inability to reach orgasm during penovaginal sex(aorgasmic coitus) has been found to be associated with certain cases of infertility.  Particularly in women married to men with borderline or low sperm count, the little sperm cells produced (normal ejaculate should fill up a teaspoon) may also have problems with morphology as well as with motility. Ability of the couple to achieve pregnancy may in that situation depend on the ability of the woman to create enough negative(sucking )pressure in the endo cervix, uterus and up to the outer fallopian tube so sperm cells can swim up stream and fertilize ovum.  Without adequate counselling the chances of this occurring are lower in conditions of persistent aorgasmic coitus.

    Infection in the genitor urinary tract introduced during genital manipulation , cutting or mutilation is  capable of blocking the fallopian tubes, the inner walls of which are liable to become organised and plastic in the growing female child. When that happens, even the uterus could become underdeveloped.  The result is infertility or abortions(miscarriages) during the life of the woman

    During pregnancy, nearly all organs of the body are increased in size; some more than others.  The clitoris and the adjoining small lips of the vagina are no exemption; the observed changes are physiological and  except in the case of the breast and other major organs, will come back to pre pregnancy status. During the third(last) stage of normal  labour , baby’s head stretches every thing in the opening of the birth canal . For large babies(normal birth weight of Nigerian babies on the average=3.5kg), a mother may suffer lacerations or bruises in the areas at the top, bottom and sides of the vagina. These may involve significant bleeding when they involve prominent blood vessels. Doctors prevent these by giving neat surgical cuts and repairing them almost immediately after. In women that have had genital cutting, the protective cushion offered by the structures that are removed is taken away.  Back of baby’s head comes into direct contact with the under surface of the pubic bone and because the pain felt in this region is different from the pain felt as a result of contraction of the uterus(womb), the woman pushes baby out even at the risk of having the cervix torn to pieces and bleeding to death because she is simply unable to bear the agonizing pain.  Post partum pain is also more severe for the same reasons

    Conclusion

    In spite of  the efforts by governments, individuals and organizations to  remove the falsehood and myth about female genital cutting ,inform and educate  the public about the dangers associated with the practice , many communities in Nigeria have refused to break with tradition and embrace change. Ignorance , poverty and failure of Governments to enforce rights of the child are responsible for the situation and must be reasonably considered if the resistance to change can be overcome.

    It is clear from what has been discussed in this article that removing the clitoris does not dampen a woman’s appetite for sex  because other parts of the body are designed by the creator to behave  in exactly the same way as the clitoris. Cutting away the clitoris  in some women creates instead, situations where it becomes difficult to understand and define sexual arousal in terms of commencement, peak etc.  The wound that is caused heals with scar formation and the resulting distortion brings about chronic pain and mixed sensations that do not respond to treatment. The bottom line is that  once in an atmosphere of sex, the woman with an amputated clitoris finds her emotions oscillating ; if it manages to ascend, it might reach a level where it hangs and then it may take days to stabilize. The clitoris like other organs of the body affects emotional health and vice versa. It should therefore be left undisturbed so that the body remains emotionally balanced.

    Recommendations

    It is time governments and legislators organized an update on the rights of children

    Many of our Moms and Dads are not aware of the child right acts ,and so children die every day from circumstances that are avoidable from neglect to acts of omission and others that could have directly or indirectly caused death.

    Emphasis should be on educating the  girl child and the illiterate woman.

    When a  child is dying and a mother refuses to sign consent for the child to have a unit of blood transfused for reason the church forbids it, and the child goes on to die, there should be an aspect of the child rights act  strong  enough to hold the parents  accountable

    As soon as the bag containing non sterile equipment was opened, Shanice  the  five year old girl mentioned in the first part of this article sensed danger. She was not ill,  and could not have seen any reason why any one would want  to do  anything drastic to make her well. She made to rise but was held down, as could be observed in the accompanying photograph; and so helplessly the little girl, went  through trauma to have  a part of her body cut off and thrown away against her will. Shanice is alive, but a very angry woman; a Prophet  in the Holy Bible stood and faced four hundred men, but when challenged by one angry woman, he fled the city. Details of what went between the parents whose responsibility it was to protect Shanice  could not possibly be known, but usually, these issues are forced down on husbands. Except for  a small number of educated men and women,  it is much easier for a man to break with traditional practices considered harmful, compared with women. The current government  must therefore do all that is humanly possible to ensure that  education for the girl child is placed on the priority list. With the quality  of education  in this country persistently  on the decline, it is time the Federal government  did a review of the current policy on education  to capture the poor who unfortunately are the majority. Let there be free education for all at least up to secondary school level .

    Health education should be given a pride of place by governments at all levels . It is unfortunate that in churches, mosques and other religious places of worship where families congregate, topics on human sexuality are considered taboo. It is my opinion that  these places where individuals are likely to take matters seriously, basic and relevant aspects of  male and female sexuality and where and when necessary sexual health should be discussed.

    Also, Schools and institutions of higher learning should  be allowed to provide information on sexual health ,provided such information is strictly age appropriate and delivered under  the supervision of equally appropriate and relevant authorities.

    Health education must in this matter be made to cover a wide range of subjects including the fact that  female genital cutting in addition to producing a sexually dysfunctional woman

    does the exact opposite of what is generally  intended;  syndrome of ever burning desire .

  • When business meets pleasure in Lekki

    When business meets pleasure in Lekki

    Golf and business meetings have gone together since the dawn of the game. The world over, there are more to golf facilities than just recreation and sporting events. To say the least, they have become job creation opportunities that both the public and private sectors can no longer ignore.

    So, when in 2010, the Lagos State government announced the building of a modern golf resort as part of its plan for the Lekki Mega City, not a few enterprising individuals and organisations saw immense opportunities in the plan by the Babatunde Fashola administration to blend business with pleasure in a sporty manner.

    Expectedly, many Lagosians and even Nigerians, looked forward to the implementation of the government’s plan for the Lekki Peninsula, an axis of the state that has over the last couple of years, assumed a special status as the place to live for men and women of means. The master plan, aimed at making a new city out of the Lekki peninsula, was seen by many, as a right step towards preparing Lagos for the challenges ahead.

    According to the state government, the updated land use master plan will provide a total built-up area of about 10,380 hectares and can accommodate a residential population of about 3.4 Million persons and non-residential population, such as touristic, hotels, commercial, offices, medical (hospitals and clinics) and industrial, of about 1.9 Million persons.

    Being one of the most dynamic growth areas in Lagos State, the state government ensured nothing disturbed the take off of the laudable project. And today, the dream city in the Peninsula is coming alive. Right in the middle of it all is the Lekki Golf Resort where business and pleasure will constantly meet when it’s finally ready.

    A recent drive around the emerging city by our correspondent revealed the determination of the current administration in Lagos State to deliver on its promise to the people concerning the Lekki Mega City. Commendable is the government’s desire to deliver to the people, a city they will all be proud of. One of the visible signs that the promise is being kept is the Lekki Beach Golf Resort overlooking the beach.

    The emerging masterpiece leaves no one in doubt that the Ibukun Fakeye-led management of Ocean Beach Golf and Leisure Resorts Limited, are ready to contribute their quota to efforts that will see the full implementation of the promises made to Nigerians by Fashola in 2010.

    Standing magnificently on a 148-hectare (about 370-acre) land and spanning 2.5-kilometre of the pristine ocean front, the resort is minutes away from the incredible beaches. Sprouting up all around it are beautiful chalets and other creatively designed structures that speak volume about the distinctive culture and value of the state and its people.

    A chat with one of the Engineers working on the site revealed a desire by both the government and its private sector partners to deliver the resort before the end of the current tenure. He explained that the primary objective of the promoters of the enterprise is to encourage communal participation between the local community, the state and corporate organisations, according to mutually recognised individual interests.

    He added that basic requirements of a world class golf resort that include a well-conditioned and well-designed golf course, hospitable clubhouse, good eats and drinks as well as a welcoming atmosphere, are all part of the total package they are expected to deliver when the project is completed.

    Already, locals around the area have been benefitting immensely from the yet-to-be-completed project. Aside from the trading port that the crowded construction sites have become for men and women selling all sorts of wares to the ready buyers they have in the workmen and women on sites, artisans and professionals of various cadre are daily being recruited to participate in the huge construction works currently ongoing.

    “Even these are not the main employment opportunities we envisaged. These are temporary opportunities. As I speak to you, we are already being besieged with application letters by people who want to work here when we finish. The expectations of the people are high and we are working hard to deliver in good time. The Governor and the management of the resort company are eager too,” our source added.

  • Discovering pleasure in fellowship

    Discovering pleasure in fellowship

     

    The book Pleasure in Fellowship is a fascinating narrative of the travelogue of the author to so many countries, cities, destinations and sites, enriched by analytical commentaries on many topics and subjects.

    Though a practising medical doctor, Bayo proved to be an accomplished observer and reporter of people, places in the flowing prose, while leading the reader through an adventurous journey of our world through an enlightened prism of his personal experience and feelings.

    I did not know this extraordinary dimension of Bayo Windapo’s basket of talents, though I worked with him in the Literary and Library Committee this Rotary Year where he performed excellently.

    He is able through enchanting narrative to hold you spell-bound by hand, and lead you through his passionate tours of the cities he visits, while he focuses your gaze at different sights and sounds of each environment that you will otherwise have overlooked or missed.

    Though I have visited most of the places featured in Windapo’s junket around the world, I can hardly recognise the spell and spirit he has so vividly captured in his travelogue.

    Many Rotarians, including my good self, have attended many Rotary International Conventions along with Bayo Windapo, but very few of us are blessed with the keen and detailed power of recall and narration captured in the book “Pleasure in Fellowship”. After reading this book, I began to wonder if the same places that I visited are the same locations described by this writer in this iconic book.

    This book is a great contribution to the world of international tourism and I believe many tourists and tourism organisations around the world will benefit from this colourful depiction of many historic and modern destinations.

    The centre piece of their beautiful book is focused on service above self. This essence of Rotary is vividly captured by Arthur F. Sheldon when he states that “He profits most who serves best”.

    The writer emphasises this central theme throughout the book in various forms as he regales the reader with account of Rotary interventions in the service to mankind, Polio eradication from our world being one of those initiatives by Rotary.

    Dr Windapo is the current Chairman of Rotary Wheel Schools, a project that was conceived to rid our streets of beggars, by breaking the chain of begging and poverty through education, beginning with the children of beggars who are forced to assist their parents in begging. This stewardship of his at the Rotary Wheel Schools shows great commitment in the service to mankind.

    As laudable as this programme is, it is suffering the danger of paralysis and extinction because of the shortage of funds, amongst other things, to run the schools. Surprisingly too, many Rotarians and non Rotarians are hardly aware of the existence of these schools, not to talk of knowing the challenges the schools are facing.

    For the record, there are three Rotary Wheel Schools located in Ebute-Metta, Idi-Araba and Agege run by Rotary International District 9110, which are all endangered because of paucity of funds and personnel to run the schools as required.

    The book is rich in fine, thought-provoking quotations.

    For example, he quoted copiously from mother Theresa, the saintly nun in the Slum of Calcutta, India, who posits that people should “Give until it pains”.

    He also quoted the past District Governor of Rotary District 7210, New York, USA, Roterian Mustapha, who admonishes us to commit to serve mankind, because, that is the “rent we all pay for living”.

    On education, the writer repeatedly comments thus: “Education, they say, makes a people easy to lead but difficult to drive; easy to govern but impossible to enslave”.

    From Paul Harris the father of Rotary he quotes, “the power of combined effort knows no limitations, especially when we work together.

    Dr Bayo Windapo is a scientist and practising medical practitioner, yet he exhibits vast knowledge in all areas of human affairs that typifies him as a well-read man of the world.

    He approaches even the most serious topics with wit and candour such that his advocacy for high ideals and values trenchantly rings aloud like the sermon of a preacher from the pulpit.

    Though the printing paper is not of the highest quality, the quality of the content of the book more than compensates for the low quality of the print.

    The book “Pleasure in Fellowship” is a sumptuous menu of tales, comments, reportage and analysis, spread through 160 pages of enchanting adventure written in fluid narrative.

    Through a journey of about 30 short chapters and/ or sections, the book thrills the reader with well written stories and articles on subjects such as travels and places, medicine, philosophy, Rotary service, account of the author’s stewardship as a Rotary President, politics and politicians, tributes to Icons dead or alive, world peace and understanding, and religion, I particularly enjoyed the tribute he paid to my friend and old classmate Dr.Yombo Awojobi. Dr.Windapo’s passion for service to humanity runs through the pages of the book like a flowing stream. His diction is simple and clear, even when he is discussing technical matters.

    The book is replete with deep quotations from outstanding people which he employs to support his position as if he was an advocate in the court of Law. Regular check-up and test to prevent cervical cancer in women, is treated humanely and equally humorously.

    While I highly recommend the book to readers, I will suggest some areas of improvement in the event the author chooses to reprint “Pleasure in Fellowship”. The quality of the book deserves better printing paper and editorial attention.

    I looked for the ISBN in the book and could not find it, which could mean it might not be registered in the National Library. A book of this quality should be so registered to make it accessible to all readers.

    The book could also do with a table of content, to guide the reader through the delightful maze of stories and comments.

    The different topics and sections of the book can be better categorised in editorial classification.

    The illustration on the front cover is apt and suitable, but omitted picture of a bicycle which is a symbol of his daring bicycle junkets in new terrains. The pictures in each chapter are quite appropriately good and relevant.

    In conclusion, I strongly recommend this book to all lovers of service, education, healthy living, good governance, adventure, scholarship and goodwill, whether Rotarian or non-Rotarian.