The Nation Newspaper

Tag: RENAISSANCE

  • Aremu to deliver keynote address at Africa Unity for Renaissance conference

    Aremu to deliver keynote address at Africa Unity for Renaissance conference

    The Executive Director of Research Enterprise Systems (RES) Professor Fatai Aremu is set to deliver a keynote address at Africa Unity for Renaissance Conference (AURC) in South Africa.

    The conference scheduled for February 24 in Pretoria, South Africa, will bring together leading scholars, policymakers, heads of think tank institutions and innovation stakeholders from across Africa and beyond.

    The invitation extended to the erudite political and development scholar by the Human Sciences Research Council (HRSC), organisers of the conference, underscores Aremu’s influence and contribution to Africa’s research and policy ecosystem.  

    The 2026 AURC is with the theme “Harnessing Digital Technology and Artificial Intelligence for Sustainable Development in Africa,” resonating  with the robust, intellectually stimulating conversations over the past decade about the impact of digital technologies and artificial intelligence on African societies.

    According to HSRC, the theme reflects the urgent need to strategically leverage digital technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) to drive inclusive economic growth, strengthen governance, and address Africa’s development challenges.

    As a keynote speaker, Professor Aremu is expected to contribute to high-level conversations on the policy, infrastructure, ethical considerations and practical applications of digital technology and AI in Africa’s sustainable development agenda.

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    His participation at the event strongly aligns with RES’s mission to advance evidence-based research, innovation, and policy engagement at national, regional, and continental levels.

    RES views this invitation as a strong affirmation of its commitment to research excellence, global collaboration and thought leadership, particularly in emerging areas such as digital transformation and artificial intelligence for development.

    RES is a pan-African leader in knowledge, innovation, and impact, empowering  decision-making through policy advising, strategy development, and capacity building for public, private, and civic sectors.

  • Renaissance in Nigerian creativity: Why now is the time to invest

    Renaissance in Nigerian creativity: Why now is the time to invest

    • By Idris Olorunnimbe

    In the melodious waves of Afrobeats, the artistry of our movie producers and the majestic skills of our athletes lies an undeniable truth – Nigeria’s creative industry is a goldmine ripe for investment.

    The vibrant pulse of Nigeria’s creative industry is no secret. Yet, there is a palpable sense that we are only scratching the surface. As the world increasingly turns its attention to our shores, Nigeria’s moment to shine brightly on the global stage has come.

    President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s transformative leadership is a cornerstone of this newfound optimism. Speaking at the 78th UNGA, he aptly highlighted the challenges that Africa, particularly Nigeria, has faced. These challenges spanned both internal governance issues and external influences that have often been exploitative. However, as he stated, Nigeria is not waiting for the world. Instead, it is opening its doors for equitable and mutually beneficial partnerships.

    One can witness the president’s commitment to changing the narrative first-hand.

    His remarks at the G20 in New Delhi, accompanied by securing nearly $14 billion pledges from Indian investors, makes one thing clear: Nigeria is open for business. Not just any business, but purposeful investments that create jobs, foster innovation and drive sustainable economic growth.

    Foreign governments are taking notice of the creative sector in particular. The recent visits of UK Foreign Secretary Rt. Hon James Cleverly, MP and the US Deputy Secretary of the Treasury, Wally Adeyemo, which included roundtables with industry leaders and visits to Ogidi Studios underline the recognition of Nigeria’s potential at governmental level. When we welcomed these distinguished personalities at Ogidi, they were not mere courtesy calls; they signified an understanding that the Nigerian narrative is being reshaped by its creative and entrepreneurial forces. They recognized the value proposition, the immense talent and the potential returns.

    Nigerian artists are not just making waves; they are creating tsunamis globally.

    Rema’s ground-breaking one billion streams on Spotify, Asake’s triumph at the O2 Arena, Wizkid’s electrifying performance at Tottenham stadium, Tiwa Savage’s royal presence and performance at King Charles’ coronation, Davido’s Puma endorsement and Burna Boy’s Grammy victory are merely the tip of the iceberg.

    They symbolize a nation bursting at its seams with potential.

    Yet, the prowess does not end with music. Tobi Amusan continues to sparkle at international track meets and recently won the Diamond League. Anthony Joshua, Israel Adesanya and Kamaru Usman are their opponents’ nightmares in the ring. Victor Osimhen’s stellar performance at Napoli further showcases Nigeria’s sporting talent. Every global brand was once just a local talent.

    Your favourite football club or basketball team were made global by hard work, passion and financial backing of visionaries and investors. Nigeria is a goldmine of such local talents, waiting for the right platforms, investments and partnerships to morph into global icons.

    The key to progress lies in investing both in infrastructure and skill development—this is the prescription for success. As we develop our infrastructure, it is imperative that we simultaneously nurture our musicians, actors, athletes, as well as the coaches, officials and crews supporting them.

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    These elements are interdependent; one cannot flourish without the other. A proficient coach, leading a skilled team and equipped with a top-notch venue, draws fans who spend on tickets, food and beverages, thereby boosting the local economy. For those who cannot be physically present, television broadcasting rights ensure inclusivity. Moreover, such versatile venues can double up as concert arenas, showcasing the dynamism of commerce.

    One might ask, why is now the right time for investment? The answer lies in the changing nature of content and its potential as collateral.

    Already, we see content owners licensing to major streamers, getting paid in instalments. These agreements’ inherent strength could soon serve as substantial financial instruments, strengthening economic structures. The reliability and strength of these agreements have garnered the trust of banks, indicating a transformative shift in how we view and value content.

    Imagine a world where the next global hit, the next cinematic masterpiece, becomes not just an emblem of cultural pride but a tangible asset, enriching both the creator and the investor.

    While Disney’s original “Black Panther” movie might not have invested directly in Nigeria or Africa, its sequel showcased Nigeria’s potent creative prowess, with significant portions of its iconic score crafted at our Ogidi Studios. Esteemed composer Ludwig Göransson, known for his award-winning work on films like “Fruitvale Station,” “Creed” and “Tenet,” was so impressed by our capabilities that he incorporated many elements we recorded — from evocative chants to war percussions and flutes. Given the successful collaborations and the world class infrastructure we offer, I foresee our upcoming studio becoming the choice destination for future international blockbusters. This transformation underscores Nigeria’s ascension as a lucrative investment hub in the global creative arena.

    In an age where “content is the new crude,” Nigeria’s reservoir runs deep. The potential for investment is not confined to entertainment alone. With burgeoning sectors in technology, e-commerce, agriculture, and more, the opportunities will only multiply.

    As the world stands at the cusp of a new era, the Nigerian dream is becoming an exciting reality. It beckons investors, creators, innovators and dreamers to partake in a journey that promises unparalleled returns and an opportunity to shape the future.

    The fabric of Nigeria’s rich heritage, combined with its unparalleled potential, makes it a beacon for investment. Our artists and athletes have shown what is possible on the global stage. Now, it is time for the world to invest in the boundless potential that lies within our shores. These opportunities will only increase, and the world should be ready to embrace them.

    In the words of President Tinubu, “We are ready to give you the best returns for investment possible; there’s nowhere else like our country.” Indeed, the Nigerian renaissance is here and it is ripe for investment.

     •Olorunnimbe is the founder and group chief executive of The Temple Company, owners of Ogidi Studios.

  • Renaissance Capital restates commitment to Africa

    Renaissance Capital, an emerging and frontier markets investment bank, has launched its 10th Annual Pan-Africa 1:1 Investor Conference in Lagos yesterday, following bespoke investor trips to Accra (Ghana) and Abuja (Nigeria) earlier this week.

    The 10th anniversary investor conference is an opportunity to underscore the importance of diversifying the Nigerian economy, highlight ways that diversification can be achieved, and restate Renaissance Capital’s long-term commitment to Africa. It also serves as a platform to hear first-hand from prominent government officials, business leaders and economists in the region, alongside Renaissance Capital analysts, who will share African insights and present high-opportunity corporate stories during the conference.

    In the closed-door 1:1 meetings, between top global and local investors from across the globe, 30 corporate representatives are able to discuss investment opportunities in Nigeria and other fast-growing economies on the African continent.

    In her keynote investor address at Renaissance Capital’s 10th Annual Pan-Africa 1:1 Investor Conference, Yewande Sadiku, Executive Secretary/CEO, Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to progressively improving the business environment in Nigeria. Since Nigeria’s long-term growth potential remains compelling, she urged investors to continue to keep it in their portfolios.

    She reminded the investors that NIPC was created as the friend of investors in government and solicited support of professionals such as Renaissance Capital in advocating for policy changes that are better aligned with investor expectations.

    While giving the opening remarks, Temitope Popoola, CEO, Renaissance Capital Nigeria identified the impending swearing-in ceremony of elected leaders in Nigeria as an opportunity for a new start.

    “This is the right time to begin to focus on policies that will deliver inclusive growth in the next four years. We believe that diversification from oil dependency is inevitable given how little oil Nigeria exports per capita. To fully unlock Nigeria’s economic potential, some structural constraints must also be removed: adult literacy needs to improve to 70 to 80 per cent, electricity consumption needs to treble and investment needs to double from 13 per cent of GDP in 2017 to at least 25 per cent,” Popoola said.

    Christophe Charlier, Chairman of the Board, Renaissance Capital said: “The key takeaway from this conference is that investors focus too strongly on the risks, often missing the chance to turn some of the country’s key challenges into viable prospects. Opportunities abound, and Renaissance Capital remains committed to Nigeria and West Africa, which is evidenced by the Firm’s growing share of market and deal pipeline.”

    As of FY18, Renaissance Capital is a number-two brokerage in Nigeria by market share, and successfully placed a debut $450 million 9.50 per ent five-year Reg S/144A bond offering for Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI) as a Joint Lead Manager & Joint Bookrunner in April 2019.

  • A renaissance man

    •J.O.S. Ayomike (1927 – 2017)

    No great man can live forever. That explains why history has its place as a theatre for breeding models. In that sense, their souls are eternal. So, the death of Johnson Oritsegbubemi Sunday Ayomike, in spite of happening at a ripe old age of 90, ripped apart the peace of many homes, people of the Itsekiri stock, his home state of Delta, the Niger Delta region and Nigeria at large.

    Known familiarly as JOS, he was a veritable renaissance man and that made him a rare breed for this age. He was a teacher, a raconteur, a peacemaker, author, historian, an organiser of men, an administrator, a communal hero, a nationalist.

    In the last years of his life, he caught the imagination of his fellow country men and women for two emblematic doings. He was the president of the Itsekiri Leaders of Thought, ILOT. Secondly, he contributed to the preservation of memory by donating important books and historical memorabilia to the National Commission for Museums and Monuments. While he was making similar presentation recently to the Federal Government College, Warri, he rebuked the country for neglecting its history, a voice that contributed to the modest progress in reintroducing the study of history to our curriculums, especially in the secondary schools.

    He crested the Itsekiri body as an icon of leadership. He demonstrated you can pursue ethnic pride without being a bigot. He espoused justice for the Itsekiri without compromising the honour of other tribes. He therefore emblematised the true Nigerian nexus of ethnicity and nationalism. He fought for the rights of his Itsekiri with the same ardour of Nanna, without the arms but with an intrepid spirit. He also played a great role in the time of conflict between the Ijaw and the Itsekiri in bringing that turbulent chapter to an end.

    He was a republican but was able to fuse that ideology in his relational with royalty, the Olu of Warri being a huge standpoint of the Itsekiri being. But his activities were vouchsafed with the time-honoured struggles of the progressive front runners in the country for economic equality, social justice, and a fair federation.

    As head of ILOT, he lent a Trojan’s voice to the call for restructuring in the country.  He thought every ethnic group or region ought to enjoy the joys of a fairer union. Former governor of Bendel State, late Gen. Samuel O. Ogbemudia, paid the following tribute when he visited the Nanna Living History Museum in Koko: “The Itsekiri nation is an abiding study of how quality can roundly trump quantity. In the long unbroken chain of excellent leadership, right from the epochal exploits of Nanna to the recent Rewane phenomenon and the current robustness of Ayomike and his peers, the itsekiri nation has a lot to be proud of.”

    Born April 7, 1927 at Ogidigben in Ugborodo in Warri South West Local Government Area, he savoured the graces of early education at the First Baptist School, Sapele, in 1945. He proceeded to obtain a teachers’ Grade Two certificate in 1956. It qualified him to teach in schools in the riverine area and rose to become a headmaster. He also taught in Hussey College, Warri.

    A restless soul, he continued his education by obtaining a bachelor’s degree in Business administration at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He launched into corporate Nigeria and worked with the Nigerian Tobacco Co. Ltd, where he rose from salesman to senior management.

    His virtues opened positions for him in government as he served at various times between 1975 and 1979 as commissioner for health, commissioner for agriculture and natural resources and, finally, as commissioner for information, culture and sports.

    As he is laid to earth this weekend, we join all Nigerians in saying to him in his Itsekiri tongue, ode ju ma.

  • Oba Ewuare II: Towards Benin renaissance

    Tomorrow October 20, it will exactly be one year that Omo n’ Oba n’ Edo, UKU AKPOLOKPOLO,  Ewuare the Second, Oba of Benin, ascended the majestic throne of his forefathers. October 20, 2016 was a day the stars stood still for yet another great Oba of Benin as he assumed his responsibilities as the monarch of the Great Benin Kingdom. It was a day a new peace, a new Benin nationalism and a new Benin ancestry was born.

    I have watched the Oba, listened to him and admired his majestic finesse which he exuded in the last one year, and I am basking in the euphoria that the Benin nation is once again flourishing with a 21st century monarch who is equipped with the intellectual depth, moral high grounds and spiritual dexterity to lead the modern Benin people to greater heights. Oba Ewaure II, on assuming powers on that fateful day, gave a roadmap of where he is leading the modern Benin person to. His maiden speech brilliantly articulated the prospects and challenges of the Benin people in particular, and Nigeria in general. He talked about his plans to restore the glory of the old Great Benin, touching on the economy, administration, cultural revival and restoration of the Edo language, promotion of the ethics, values and morals of the Benin people which great historians of the Benin civilization gladly recorded in their various works. Oba Ewaure II comes to the throne with a great sense of the history of Benin. His grasp of the historical trajectory of the Benin people seemingly guided his sense of mission which was articulated in his coronation speech as he called for the development of the Gele Gele port, an ancient port with which Great Benin reached out to the world for trade and advanced international economic relations way back in the 15th century. Dr. Ekhaguosa Aisien, a retired consultant surgeon and an eminent authority on the Benin history in his recent work, entitled; Ughoton described the GeleGele port, which is adjacent to the Ughoton Beach on the banks of the Ovia River as the “window on the world” for old Benin for 400 years. The Benin scholar-doctor-historian sheds light on the pre-eminence of the Gele Gele port in Ughoton further: “And much of what old Benin was known for was propagated through Ughoton and her Beach. Then 120 years ago, this port, through which Benin interacted with the wider world, was destroyed, along with Benin City itself, during the Benin-British war. After the war the new victorious rulers of the land turned their backs on Ughoton and her beach, and inadvertently converted Benin artificially into a landlocked kingdom, a kingdom without any access to the sea”.

    Oba Ewaure II Knows very well that Benin is not a landlocked kingdom. The artificial landlocked status imposed on the Benins by the British was sustained in post-colonial Nigeria as one of the consequences of the forced integration of old Benin Kingdom into the modern Nigerian state by the British imperialists. Also, the majoritarian politics which drives the contested Nigerian federalism and its neo-colonial political economy is yet another reason for the abandonment of the Gele Gele port which is the oldest port in the West African sub region. It operated since the middle of the15th century. The politics of majoritariaism and its short-sighted leadership ensured the subjugation of other ports in the country while sustaining the Lagos port and ensuring its boom economy in international trade to the detriment of the Benin Gele Gele port and other ports in the Niger Delta region. Today, only the ports in Lagos flourish. This is at the expense of the Gele Gele port in Ughoton. It is time for ports in Warri, Koko, Port Harcourt, Benin and other parts in the Niger Delta to flourish. The monarch’s call’s as many well-meaning Nigerians have noted is not political. It is purely economic. Commerce and economic prosperity from international and domestic trades are the imperatives here. It sits at the apex of the logic to rebuild the economy of the Benins and Nigerians on a larger scale. The Gele Gele port will flourish afresh, open up the agro-based economy of Ughoton and environs and create the new industrial hub in Benin and Nigeria.

    The development of the Gele Gele port will open new frontiers for the prosperity of Benin and her neighbours in the much marginalized Niger Delta. This is crystal clear in the light of the centrality of trade in contemporary world economy. Trade, the engine of growth of the developed countries, looms large as the engine of growth for the developing economies. The prosperity of the European, American, Japanese, and recently the Chinese economies with other Asian tigers is a testimony to the fact that Benin, and indeed, Nigeria can reconnect to the world, and the mystery that made the Gele Gele port in Ughoton to flourish for over four centuries is very much alive. The Benins are on the threshold of history. And so, Oba Ewaure II has set the pace. He has made a clarion call. We must all respond to his call.

    An accomplished diplomat, administrator, humanist and lover of his people, Oba Ewaure II has in the last one year given us a roadmap on how Great Benin can recreate itself and re-enact the mystique surrounding Benin civilization which knowledgeable historians claimed is as old  as the creation of the world by Osanobua (Almighty God). The monarch has opened new vistas on a cultural renaissance as he mobilizes the Edo man and woman to return to the promotion of the Edo language and the beautiful culture of the Benin people. Edo n’ Imose!

    I listened to the monarch respond to welcome addresses of his subjects from the various Benin communities since he embarked on his appreciation tour of his kingdom;  I have seen the  Oba pray fervently for the progress, peace and development of his people in the communities he visited so far. I have watched the Oba passionately begging Osanobua and his ancestors to have mercy on his subjects. I came to the conclusion that there is a renaissance in Great Benin. The circle of Benin greatness is anew in the digital age with a digital-compliant Oba. The monarch’s zeal for good governance, development, justice, fair play, rule of law, maintenance of law and order is remarkable. No doubt, his background as a diplomat, indeed, as Ambassador Plenipotentiary to several countries including Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Angola, Italy and Albania, and his academic training in the United States and the United kingdom foreground his enviable prowess for decorum, equity, protocol, and of course, orderliness in line with the Kingdom’s cosmology and the heritage of inimitable and self-respecting Benin people.

    These values which separate the Benins from other tribes and ethnic groups are being eroded by the younger generation, perhaps, due to urbanization and migration leading to the mix-up in Benin land. But these values, as our Great Oba Ewuare II has demonstrated and instructed, must be restored. I salute you my king! Our land must be saved from the downside of globalization. And so, all Benin elites and mass of the people must join the ship of progress which the Great Oba Ewuare II has commissioned. We must re-conceptualize globalization, and fashion it to meet our local needs and common destiny. So, it is glocalization that can rescue from the “elephantine” fangs of globalization.

    It is a mark of the king’s flair for excellence in development and the upliftment of the lives of the people that he recently honoured the former governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, for his great works as governor of Edo State from 2008 to 2016. The reception of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole should send the message to all and sundry especially members of the political class that our Oba and the great people of Nigeria are in search of persons on the political space who can bring about socio-economic development and uplift the lives of the people. The Oba’s reception for the Comrade Adams Oshiomhole is a wake-up call to the political class in Edo State to return to the drawing board, put on their thinking caps and commit to the socio-economic transformation of Edo State

    . Omo n’ Oba n’ Edo, UKU AKPOLOKPOLO, Ewuare the Second, Oba of Benin has unveiled a new wave for good governance. We must answer this clarion call. Oba ghator, kpere, ise!

     

    • Honorable Obahiagbon is former chief of staff, Edo State Government, Government House, Benin City.
  • Artistes model for Yomi Casual’s ‘Renaissance ‘

    Artistes model for Yomi Casual’s ‘Renaissance ‘

    In preparation for its 10 years of doing business in Nigeria, celebrity stylist, Yomi Casual, over the weekend unveiled his first collection for 2017 titled Renaissance.

    In his usual manner, Nollywood stars Zack Orji, Alex Ekubo, IK Ogbonna and Ebube Nwagbo modelled the piece from the collection.

    According to Yomi, who is the younger brother of Comedian AY, originality is evident in the timeless pieces which reflects elaborate magical details and also meet the consistent expectation of high quality clothing and total comfort.

    “The line includes casual looks as well as more enchanting attires that could be the highlight of your day or night out. Renaissance collection’s unconventional designs is inspired primarily by impeccable art that blends well with nature, marking the rebirth of trend to the modern world,” the designer said.

    Speaking further, he said that he drew the inspiration from different foreign brands like Gucci, Giorgio Armani as well as the African signature of animals.

    “I love animals. In most of my designs, you will notice that I play with animal prints. And they are all reflected in the collection. I tried to get myself out of my comfort zone to do something different. I have taken the African traditional look and made it more modern. That’s what I’ve done in this collection,” he said.

  • Famakinwa, DAWN and S/West renaissance

    The death of Dipo Famakinwa is a very sad one. I have known the Director General of Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) for a few years now and I have come to respect not only his maturity, quiet personality, relational skills, solid professionalism, but also his sound credentials as a development expert with commendable entrepreneurial intelligence. Famakinwa did not become the DG of DAWN by some kind of lucky coincidence. On the contrary, he came to that multidisciplinary organisation in 2013 with a solid educational background, business acumen and an enviable professional experience at both the public and private sectors, as well as at home and abroad. He was a consummate administrator, able to motivate and inspire.

    We became very good friends because after my retirement in 2015 when it became clear to us that we share some commonalities that border on ideas about federalism, development in general, regionalism, but most especially the significance of the Southwest as a development signpost for Nigeria’s federal framework. Recently, Famakinwa’s DAWN and the Ibadan School of Government and Public Policy (ISGPP) have been looking for a unique joint project around which these shared ideas could translate to active proposals that would further the objectives of the two organisations. No one can doubt Famakinwa’s concern for the development of Nigeria through a constant reassessment of the mechanics for structurally recreating Nigeria’s federalism. A critical opponent of platitudinous rhetoric about reform, he was concerned with a deep and operationalized rehabilitation of the Nigerian project that goes beyond mere constitutional exercise. For instance, he was very critical of recent confabulation experiment like the National Conference of 2014 and all its internal inconsistencies, contradictions and lack of solid understanding of what ails Nigeria. For him, the renegotiation of Nigerian federal experiment must commence from an unbiased diagnosis of where we are presently. For instance, we will all be playing the ostrich and hiding our heads from our geopolitical reality if we think that, say, the creation of more states has the capacity to rejuvenate federalism.

    Now, Dipo Famakinwa has been snatched by death at the prime of his life. This ought to be the time when DAWN blueprint for strategic integration of the Southwest into a large context of good governance and infrastructural development should be going into implementation. He ought to have been present to add his administrative and coordinating skills to the complex implementation exercise simply because the blueprint was articulated by his team. It derives from a vision which he himself had carried for five years since he became the director general at DAWN. Death has been said to bring finality to all things, to aspirations and to dreams and to hope. For Malene Dietrich, “When you are dead, you are dead. That’s it.” Final. Finality.The end.

    But not this time. This is because even death does not have any power over any combustible idea. Death itself can be the route to immortality. “Between our birth and death,” says Christopher Fry, “we may touch understanding.” This is not an automatic achievement. Many came into the world and died without achieving significant understanding, especially of the roles they are expected to play and the duties they owe mankind. Dipo Famakinwa was not that kind of man. For 50 years of his life, he was a leader. But leading was not just enough for him; legacy was. With DAWN, he was read to take his credentials and reputation that regionalization for development is the path for Nigeria’s progress. How then can we make his death the platform for the establishment of his legacy, DAWN?

    DAWN has strategic reform significance. This is the understanding that Famakinwa committed his professionalism, intelligence and development expertise to. DAWN possesses the operational capability to conceptualise, negotiate and implement the renaissance of socio-economic well-being for Southwestern citizens of Nigeria. In fact, at a deeper level, through DAWN, we can achieve the ignition of a national revolution in development.The DAWN vision and mission is grand and beautiful. But far more significant are the five development pillars around which the vision and mission are woven—economic development (around agriculture, tourism, solid minerals and applied science and innovation), social and human development (health, wellness, education and workforce development), infrastructural development (transportation, power, energy, science and technology), building inclusive institutions (civil society, civil service), and homeland affairs (security, cultural preservation, promotion of excellence).

    This, for me, constitutes a complete reform agenda for the South-west. It is to the commendation of Famakinwa that there is in place already a strategic roadmapfor bringing to birth the blueprint for the regional development of the South-west. But this does not abate my professional fear. I have, in my short years as a reformer, seen the death of so many beautiful strategic plans and roadmaps. Ideas and ideals die easily on the platform of good intentions. And yet, even the readiness to implement is also fraught with terrible foreboding. However, Famakinwa was never afraid of implementing the roadmap. The challenges he faced went beyond just the roadmap itself. Would his death signal the end of his vision and his staunch belief in their implementability? Very soon, encomiums will start pouring in. Many people will reflect on his life time and achievements. Others will make many promises to his left behind family. Some portion of DAWN building may even be named after him. And a picture will remain at the DAWN headquarters as a memorial. Famakinwa will then be buried, and silence will threaten to obliterate his development efforts. The strategic roadmap will still be dogged by political and administrative impediments.

    The best memory we can inscribe to his legacy of courageous development thinking and administrative perspicacity is to commence the implementation of the roadmap he staked his professional credentials on. Specific issues are at stake in implementing the DAWN strategic roadmap. The most important, I think, is contained in the DAWN’s 10 operating principles. Underlying all these principles is a solid orientation towards policy implications of DAWN’s development pillars. Converting these pillars into significant policies in the South-west is the most important challenge DAWN has to face after the demise of Famakinwa.

    As things stand, Nigeria’s economic profile still ensures that state governments are held captive by a crippling fiscal framework, founded on what I have called the “bail-out” monthly allocation mentality, which limits governance responsibility. How then can implementation of the roadmap take off if the wherewithal to achieve its implementation and critical sustainability is missing? The most immediate challenge therefore is two-pronged. On the one hand, to significantly deal with the cost of governance issue by downsizing/rightsizing government institutional expenses in a way that will free up funds for efficient investment in infrastructural development. And on the other hand, there is the urgent need to invest in the active cultivation of internally generated revenue, beginning, for instance, with adequate tax payment enforcement matched with strong culture of performance and democratic accountability.

    There is no other way, therefore, to keep the legacies of Famakinwa alive than for the six governors of the Southwest states to not only renew their commitment to an operationally sound organisation they jointly set up, demonstrate shared ideological commitment that transcends party differences and dichotomies for the sake of the Southwest people, but to also use the former DG’s death as a clarion call to no longer waste development time through paying mere lip service to South-west agenda. This must be the time to bring the governance blueprint alive, together with the cultivation of critical synergies and partnership that could assist in bringing alive the blueprint for South-west strategic integration and governance thus reliving the great Awo legacy. That is what would make Dipo Famakinwa’s untimely death a timely intervention in the trajectory of what he stood for.

     

    • Olaopa is Executive Vice-Chairman, Ibadan School of Government & Public Policy (ISGPP).

  • Towards national renaissance

    In 2013, the British Secretary for Education, Michael Gove, initiated education reforms aimed at ditching the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE). After subtle protestations and threats by some individuals to sue him should he go ahead with the reforms, Gove threw in the towel, admitting that he tried to cross a bridge too far. Announcing his decision against the reforms, he said, “When the arguments overwhelm me and I recognize that I am wrong, I think it best to retreat. We only make progress in this life when we know when to cut our losses.” Echoing Mr. Gove’s position was the Schools Minister David Laws, who said; “it is far better that there should be some red faces amongst some ministers in the Department for Education for 24hours than take any risk with the qualifications that will be taken by millions of youngsters for many years into the future.” The point is; no country, in the history of political association, no matter its political system is known to have modernized with a closed-door policy.

    In Nigeria, the government seems to have listened to the voice of reason and decided to cut its losses. Just recently, the Education minister Adamu Adamu, announced government’s readiness to reintroduce history into primary and secondary school curriculum in the country, seven years after it was ditched. This initiative of the federal government is quite commendable especially at this moment. It is baffling how the decision to scrap this all important subject was reached in the first instance but bringing it back will more than make up for the executive error.

    History, simply put, is the study of man’s past activities. And historians believe it is these past activities that culminate into the present condition or situation of man. Cicero, the Roman philosopher and politician once said that “To know nothing of what happened before you were born is to forever remain a child.” The idea of history is that each generation passes on to the next the treasures which it inherited, beneficially modified by its own experience, and enlarged by the fruits of all the victories it has gained.

    To have an education system where history is not prioritized as one of the core subjects is to lay the foundation for a society devoid of the basic orientation for a meaningful existence, where the social patterns and structures for organized meaningful existence is a mirage. In this type of situation, children of school age are plunged into a situation where truth presents itself in a multidimensional and polymorphous fashion. Life becomes a succession of pasts and futures, all too far away from a present that is unattainable.  Faced with such clash of plausible solutions, they dabble with the unhealthy admixture of ideas that put them in the dramatic interplay of interminable crises of sense. Such situation reflects Plato’s imagery of a charioteer with a double-faced horse each wanting to follow a different direction. The vital statistics would be nothing but a litany of woes and shame on all fronts of life; political, social and economic.

    Now that the government has expressed its readiness to bring back history into our schools, and the euphoria that greeted the announcement subsided, the onus is now on stakeholders in the sector to ensure that the subject when reintroduced is optimized, as it will help reawaken the apparent moribund political consciousness of our teeming young population. Philosophers tell us it is the responsibility of government to educate its citizens. It is on this note that I call on the Anambra State government to lead the way in this direction.

    Education is a process, and in this context, the process of educating the Nigerian child with regards to history ought to start with his/her historical origin. History is to a people what memory is to the individual. As a field of study, it offers the avenue for understanding the true nature of the society, its values and problems. As Nietzsche would say; “every people speaks its language of good and evil, which the neighbor does not understand. It has invented its own language of customs and rights.” Suffice it to mean that no society can get along without the knowledge of its history.

    As an Igbo, it was fun having to learn history right from the primary school. During those years, one was able to understand concepts like Omenala (regarded as the corpus of the Igbo belief system), Ala (Earth Goddess), Amadioha (Sky God) Aru (abomination), Eri, the first king of the ancient town of Nri, who according to one of the standard versions of the Igbo myths of origin is the progenitor of the entire Igbo race, the cosmogonic pact between Chukwu and the Igbo proto ancestor, the Aba women riot of 1929, Amalgamation of Southern and Northern Nigeria, heroic antecedents of patriots like Nnamdi Azikiwe, Ahmadu Bello, Obafemi Awolowo, et al. But having to learn about Igbo cultural civilization was the high point as it helped form my worldview.

    Unfortunately, this is no longer the case as education is no longer packaged for the best intellectual formation of the Nigerian child. It is merely job-oriented specifically because of the economization of our thinking. There couldn’t be a better time for the Anambra State government to take this noble step than now that the tide of anti-social behavior and moral degeneracy is on the rise, that we live in the present that lacks a definite shade of meaning, gripped with the cold fist of pessimism in the face of the vanishing old way of living which constituted the nodal hold of the Igbo cultural life.

    As it stands, the Igbo traditional world is in a rapid process of declining, and in dire need of a true embodiment of Igbo cultural messiah. The Igbo traditional world-set with its basic symbolic mind-set and the set of values that characterize its socio-political and religious systems of order and moral standards are swiftly eroding into the archaeological archives.

    The old cultural hegemony is on the verge of destruction, to be replaced with an alien cultural hegemony; all in the name of globalization. The old ancestral tree of cultural reincarnation is severed, with its trunks and stump elements scattered everywhere and left to rot away, evidence that the old can no longer reincarnate in the young. The sacred groves have been divested of their sacred aura. The young no longer perceive the immediacy and reality of their cultural leaning. The ancestral cap of wisdom; that residual reservoir of sapiential gems of centuries past has been removed and the milk of wisdom poured out and allowed to flood into the abyss of oblivion. The old have been dethroned from their ancestral throne of wisdom and the staff of their sapiental authority broken. The young, on the other hand, have developed a total mistrust of the traditional wisdom, and its hold of authenticity and authority is refuted more often than not for want of logical consistency and practical utility.

    Nevertheless, the transitory cloud of confusion that characterize the present moment must not daunt our spirit. Having a sense of history is what makes our species unique, and I am not in doubt that the government of Willy Obiano will take up this initiative and put us on the march to national renaissance.

    The words of the late Zik of Africa, himself an indigene of the state, will always be the guiding principle, “it would seem that the God of Africa has specially created the Igbo nation to lead the children of Africa from the bondage of the ages.” Therefore, the governor should take up the task of actualizing the prophecy and vision of his kinsman.

     

    • Chijioke is of the Faculty of Law, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus.
  • Yoruba take cultural renaissance to Ghana, Togo, Cote d’Ivoire

    Yoruba take cultural renaissance to Ghana, Togo, Cote d’Ivoire

    Major cities in Ghana, Togo, Cote d ‘Ivoire and other cities in the West African coast recently had a full dose of Yoruba culture and tradition when several culture enthusiasts and monarchs stormed the cities as part of a 32-man strong team for the launch of the Oodua Progressives Union (OPU), a pan-Yoruba group for Yoruba people in the Diaspora.

    On the team were four traditional rulers from Yoruba land- Oba Joseph Adeoye Adewole, the Owa Ajero of Ijero kingdom, Oba Yisa Olanipekun, the Zaki of Arigidi, Ondo State, Oba Walidu Sanni, the  Onigedegede of Igedegede, Ondo State and Oba  Lasisi Olawuyi, the Asagangan of Igangan, Oyo State.

    Other dignitaries on the team included Otunba Gani Adams, National Coordinator of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) and convener of the OPU; Captain Adetokunbo Adesina; Yoruba actor, Yomi Fash–Lanso; MC kirikiri and other notable members of the OPC.

    In each of these cities, the Yoruba joyfully received the team with the wonderful display of cultural dance, drumming, chants which enchanted and attracted the citizens of the countries to the venues

    The cultural evangelization kicked off on Friday,  September 11  in  the city of Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire , a country where Yoruba constitute 2.5 million of the population. Otunba Adams led the delegates to the warm embrace of the Nigerian Ambassador , Mrs. Ifeoma Jacinite Akabogu – Chinwuba,  who,  together with members of the embassy, held a red carpet reception for the visiting Yoruba cultural revivalists.

    Otunba Adams explained the mission of his delegates to the ambassador. “We are not here for political reason. Far from it. We are neither here for self – determination tendencies, but we are here to stoke and re- kindle the dying embers of the pristine Yoruba cultural values and heritage which are tending towards extinction, particularly among the Yoruba  in the Diaspora, “he said.

    He continued: “We realise that Cote D ‘Ivoire harbours a substantial percentage of Yoruba, some of who  cannot  speak their mother’s language or exhibit their cultural values.  Some here have lost contact with history, culture and norms of their ancestors. This is why we are here in accordance with the mission bestowed on us by Oduduwa  and the necessity of saving members of the Yoruba race  from cultural extinction.“

    Adams explained the difference between the OPC and OPU. “The OPC is a self-determination group solely  to protect the territorial integrity of Yoruba within the political geography of Nigeria  and within Nigeria, while the  OPU  is a socio – cultural organisation saddled with the responsibility of re- awakening and resuscitating the dying embers of pristine Yoruba culture among the Yoruba in the Diaspora. It is non- political and non –militant, “he said.

    Oba Adewole also gave an insight into the cultural revival  mission of the OPU. He said: “ This association is to save our race from cultural doom. It is an association which has received the backing  and blessing of the oba and chiefs in Yoruba land. Thus, we are here  with Otunba Adams  in support and in alliance with his stride to revive and sustain the cultural heritage and value of our race.”

    Ambassador Akabogu – Chinwuba,  in her response, commended Otunba Adams for “ coming out at this time to wake up his people from cultural slumber.   I  have read the mission statement of the association and I believe Otunba Adams is on the right path of history. “

    The ambassador  gave her blessing to the  inauguration of the union.  “I am sure and confident that the OPU as an association will not only help in cultural revival of the Yoruba value, but also serve as a coordinating platform for members of the race and an institution of behavioural adherence“

    Ambassador Akabogu – Chinwuba, who presented a plaque of honour to Otunba Adams and other four traditional rulers, declared her support for the union. “We are here at the embassy for the protection and welfare of Nigerians here. We cannot and shall not shy away from this responsibility. We assure the OPU of our support and assistance now and always as our doors are opened for progressive associations and unions which strive to add value and shore up the image of Nigeria. I welcome you to Cote D ‘ivoire and wish you a successful inauguration of the OPU in Abidjan,“she said.

    Welcoming the Oodua cultural revivalists to Sport  De Treichville, Abidjan, where a mass of gaily-dressed Yoruba and their friends had gathered for the inauguration of the OPU, Mr kareem Nasir  Adeolu, Coordinator, OPU and President Yoruba Community in Cote D’ivore, declared that: “This is one of our finest moments in the life of over 2.5 million Yoruba in Cote D ‘Ivoire. This is the first time in the history of our sojourning here when a Yoruba son will lead eminent Yoruba obas and dignitaries to address us not for political reason, but solely on cultural heritage and values . We are most grateful for this and we delightfully welcome Otunba Adams , his entourage and the OPU  wholeheartedly to our midst.”

    He commended Otunba Adams for “bringing to us a cultural association which will further cement and fasten the chord of brotherhood amongst the Yoruba in Cote D ‘Ivoire.”

    Otunba Adams, while inaugurating the OPU Cote D ‘Ivoire  on Saturday,  September 12, pointed out that: “This is a clarion call upon all of  you to remember, embrace, perpetuate and display  your cultural antecedent and value and ensured its passage to the next generations,  so that generations unborn will not lose their identity to foreigners.“

    He charged members of the OPU to “always keep in mind that you are the image of Yoruba. You are the light of the race and cultural ambassadors of Yoruba  whatever your conduct and traits here.”

    Mr Olumuyiwa Ogundeme, Consular  Officer ,Nigerian Embassy, Cote D ‘Ivoire, who  represented  Ambassador   Akabogu – Chinwuba,  while commending Otunba Adams said  that “ I am glad Otunba Adam is going all over  the world, singing it loud and clear to the ears of Yoruba people the need to  embrace  and revive their cultural values which constitute their identity at the comity of nations. I am also assuring you that the embassy is willing to support the OPU in its activities and others positive acts which will bring honour to the race and Nigeria.“

    The story was the same in Ghana where the team was warmly received by the Yoruba community with pomp and pageantry. The President of the Yoruba community in Ghana, Chief Musa Baba, hosted the group in his posh house in Accra to a memorable dinner.

    Chief Baba pointed out that: “We have also read a lot about the OPU and quite appreciate and understand what it stands for. You are the cultural messiah that the Yoruba has been waiting for. Like you did with the OPC, we are sure you will do more and you have started doing more than enough with the OPU. We are more than ready for this wonderful race-saving association.“

    Chief Baba, on behalf of the Yoruba community in Ghana, later presented a plaque to Otunba Adams.

    At the formal launch of the group, the Hall 2 of the National Arts Theatre, Liberia Road which was filled to capacity on Friday, September 18.

    Ghana-based Nigerian lecturer, Professor Raheem Kolawole, who teaches at the Winneba University, Ghana, was on hand to add colour to the show.

    The acting Co-ordinator of the OPU in Ghana, Mr Kayode Siyanbola, was full of praises for the visiting team. He said: “I thank you all, especially Otunba Adams, giving us the courage and the necessary support in bringing out the strength in us to promote our culture and heritage and in hosting you today. “

    In Togo, the Yoruba community refused to be outshined by their kinsmen in Ghana. And so, they turned out in large numbers at the beautifully-decorated hall at the Palaise De Congress De Lome, Republic of Togo, on Sunday, September 20 for the inauguration.

    The inauguration of the OPU in Togo was spearheaded by His Royal Majesty, Oba Alhaji Kareem Afolabi, Amoloko 1 of Togo, who is the paramount oba of Yoruba in Togo.

    The Nigerian ambassador in Togo, Mr Gilbert Nnaji, added colour to the inauguration and commended Adams for upholding and promoting the culture and tradition of Yoruba.

    Ambassador Nnaji, who was visibly elated by the inauguration of the OPU , said: “I am opportune to share the same table with  Otunba Adams, a great Nigerian and a Yoruba icon.”

    He congratulated the Yoruba community in Togo. “I congratulate you for having a purposeful union which is set to stoke the dying embers of the pristine Yoruba culture and tradition which  the race is not only identified, but which stands them out in any community.“

    Six-year-old Akinpelu  Seinat stole the show when she recited a popular poem to the admiration of the crowd.

    Otunba Adams, in his speech, pointed out that, “this  chapter makes the number of the OPU chapters 61._ I must commend you for your brilliance at planning and wonderful implementation which should be the benchmark for the OPU in Togo.“

  • Wanted: Educational renaissance

    Education is undoubtedly one of the basic needs of man. But in the Nigerian context, it is not education, but certificate. The craze for paper certificate has become so unutterable that even our ivory towers place more importance on the grades and certificates they award rather than on the knowledge they impart. Our education system has been modeled after grades and this is disturbing.
    There is much emphasis on grades than knowledge and skills. Paper certificates have taken the centre stage of the society’s value system and it has become a yardstick for measuring intellectual achievement and societal relevance. This could explain why Nigerian youths in their millions embark on a crazy chase for university admissions every year.
    In the same vein, it has become a do-or-die affair even for students in secondary schools who fight tooth and nail to acquire the almighty WAEC result. I am not advocating that students should disregard or neglect their exams. Not quite! It is just that the emphasis the certificate enjoys far outweighs the actual knowledge and skill gained or learned.
    This isn’t a problem with the secondary education alone. In fact, the outrageous situations are prevalent in our so-called higher institutions of learning. Over there, the quest for high cumulative grade point average has made most students to take passing exams as the ultimate. Again I am not encouraging students to fail, but the emphasis has been more on passing a course than understanding the course. I may not put all the blame on the students because the bulk of the blame is on the society who believes that the only person that can claim knowledgeable in a course is the one with a good grade and nothing less.

    To them, if you did not pass the course, you do not know the course, forgetting that many circumstances can lead to average performance in an examination.
    To show the extent the mentality of passing exams has eaten down the fabric of our intellectual growth; students seldom ask a practical question or a world problem question for broader understanding of a real life application of a topic during lectures. Some lecturers on their own parts also contribute to the complacency towards holistic learning.  One wonders: is education all about exams? Are certificates going to replace knowledge and skills? This is a question our education sector must answer, a question our society should address.
    It is not surprising anyway that some students don’t attend lectures but come for exams. And some lecturers don’t come for classes but set exams. Some schools are synonymous with the tradition of lecturers resuming their lectures two weeks to exams. And everybody is expected to write and pass. Who is fooling who?

    Once admitted into the university, an average Nigerian student’s focus shifts from garnering knowledge, contributing and adding values to the society, becoming a complete man, acquiring sustainable skills, to making good grades by all means and graduating as soon as possible. The tune of the music changes, as the only scent one can perceive in the school environment is social activities, exams, results and cumulative grade points.
    How can we explain a situation whereby an engineering student is not exposed to the practical use of the laboratory equipment, or where the technologist manning a laboratory is ignorant of the principles of operation of the machines and the theories guiding the practicals? How can we explain to a lay man that in some Nigerian teaching hospital, palpitation exercises  are carried out on women and young girls who are not pregnant, after a token have been given to them to be used in place of heavily expectant mothers.

    And this is used to give “palpitation of tummy lecture” to our great future medical practitioners. How would they know how to palpitate on pregnant women when the persons they used for practical were never pregnant? The ill is everywhere, not only in the engineering and medical professions. Or how can we explain for mass communication and English graduates who cannot write a simple formal letter and corps members who could not fill their forms in the orientation camp? One needs to be in our tertiary institutions during accreditations to appreciate the horrible hocus-pocus going on there by our school administrators.

    One would expect that the rate of unemployment in the country should abate owing to the increasing academic activities everywhere. But the reverse is implicitly the case, because we have paid more attention to certifications than knowledge and skill acquisition.
    Therefore, there is no gainsaying that we have to change our attitudes toward education in Nigeria. It should be regarded a knowledge oriented process rather than a certificate exercise. Our schools should stop being certificate printing houses, and actually epitomize true citadels of learning. Skill acquisition programs should be encouraged and people enrolled in such programs should be given incentives. Our institutions should be more equipped for adequate learning and not mere studying. And the knowledge and skill one acquires should determine his societal relevance and not a degree or diploma.
    However, the strength of the education system of any nation is not ascertained by how many certificates it issued but from the impact it has had on the societal growth and development. We need to have an educational revolution for a productive education system.  And to achieve this, a change of attitude towards education is inevitable.

    Kingsley just finished from Mechanical Engineering, UNN