The Nation Newspaper

Tag: repositioning

  • Repositioning for change

    •New ministry could facilitate the emergence of a welfare state

    ONE of the more significant aspects of President Muhammadu Buhari’s 2019 Independence Day anniversary speech was his announcement that the Federal Government’s National Special Intervention Programmes (NSIPs) will be moved to the newly-created Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development.

    For an administration that has been widely criticised for a perceived lack of tactical flexibility and its glacial pace of policy implementation, the importance of this measure cannot be overstated. For the first time in Nigeria’s history, a purpose-built ministry now exists to address the vexed issues of social welfare, disaster relief and human development.

    There can be little doubt that the country is in dire need of such a ministry, given the depth, pervasiveness and complexity of the problems confronting it. Over a decade of militancy, insurgency, communal clashes and environmental disasters have created 1.8 million internally-displaced people (IDPs). Unemployment rates of 23.1 per cent, with over 30 per cent joblessness among the youth, have led to a toxic mix of increased crime, rising levels of violence and growing social distress.

    The new ministry could help to tackle this crisis by doing three things: properly coordinating the government response to disasters; ensuring that its various social welfare programmes complement and reinforce one another; effectively liaising with other ministries, agencies, parastatals and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) so that their efforts have maximum impact.

    In practical terms, this means that the ministry must ensure that its humanitarian and disaster relief programmes are more efficient and result-oriented than they are at present. Now that they have been incorporated into a single ministry, it should be possible to reduce redundancy, stem corruption and tackle waste. Similar goals must be set for the NSIPs, including the Social Housing, N-Power, Conditional Cash Transfers, National Home-Grown School Feeding, and Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programmes.

    However, the creation of a new ministry is only the first step in a long and difficult process. If it is to achieve its objectives, it is vital that its functions are clearly spelt out, properly defined, and comprehensively structured, with key performance indicators delineated by timelines and deadlines.

    The new ministry is all the more vital given the N500 billion proposed by the Federal Government for its social intervention programmes in the 2019 budget. This is by far the largest service-wide allocation in the budget, and now that it has been consolidated into a single ministry, it is crucial that these funds are managed transparently and competently. The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development must not become another cesspool of rampant corruption and blatant impunity.

    In spite of the criticism levelled at it, the Buhari administration is noteworthy for its laudable focus on social intervention programmes. It has expanded the school-feeding programme into a national project that has reached some 8.7 million children. Its Conditional Cash Transfer Programme gives N5,000 monthly to 297,973 households. N-Power has employed 500,000 youth graduates in education, health and agriculture.

    If they are sustained, these programmes can coalesce into the foundation of a viable welfare state in which the most vulnerable citizens are offered a safety net that enables them to live with purpose and dignity. The creation of the new ministry is the logical outcome of the Federal Government’s emphasis on succouring its poorest citizens.

    In this regard, it is surprising that these efforts do not seem to have received the publicity they so richly deserve. While government cannot be immune to criticism, it is well within its rights to trumpet its achievements, especially those in social intervention.

    The new ministry could resolve this anomaly by accelerating the institutionalisation of the National Social Intervention Programmes. In the hands of a capable minister and committed civil servants, they will become as well-known and as beneficial as the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme, which, in spite of its imperfections, remains a veritable tool for fostering national unity. We hope too that the new ministry will continue with the enthusiasm with which Vice President Yemi Osinbajo handled the social intervention programmes.

  • We’re repositioning at 100, says Apostolic Church

    The Apostolic Church Nigeria (TACN) said yesterday that its centenary anniversary was an opportunity to reposition and restrategise for greater harvest of souls.

    Its National Vice-President, Pastor Emmanuel Awojide, said the church would rejig its operational approaches towards meeting challenges of contemporary Christianity.

    He addressed reporters at the LAWNA Ketu-Olorunda, Lagos headquarters of the church during the 42nd LAWNA annual international convention, with the theme: “The imminence of His coming”.

    Awojide said: “This anniversary, for us, is a platform to review and appraise ourselves. We want to see what we have done so well and where we need to improve.

    “The running of a 21st century is different from what used to be in the 60s or 90s. The challenges of today are different from those of yesteryear.

    “We cannot afford to do things the way they used to be. We have to reform and reposition the church without changing the doctrines because revelation is progressive.

    “We want to win more souls and gain nations for God by letting down our nets with different strategies for a big catch.”

    He said the church had done so well in the last 100 years by winning millions of souls and making impact in the educational sector with the establishment of primary and secondary schools, as well as Samuel Adegboyega University, Ogwa Edo State.

    The cleric said establishment of seminaries, human capital development and dedication of a national temple reputed as the biggest apostolic temple in the world were some of the achievements of the church in 100 years.

    He said the church still has more to do for God and humanity.

    “We want to do more, being the first classical Pentecostal denomination in Nigeria. We want to win more souls, open more fields at home and abroad as well as contribute to national development.

    “We thank God we have come thus far. But we are poised to achieve more because there are more land to conquer,” Awojide said.

    He said the centenary thanksgiving service holds on Sunday with the launch of an historical book, unveiling of a commemorative plaque and public presentation of a documentary video and photo book.

     

  • Repositioning African airports for efficiency

    From prohibitive charges and levies to poor deployment of technology, managing airports in Africa is becoming a difficult undertaking. Experts say managers of airports in Africa, must take a critical look at facility modernisation; diversification beyond aeronautical sources of revenue; enforcement of global safety and security standards and other interventionist measures to make airports attractive to passengers and other users, KELVIN OSA OKUNBOR reports.

    A global alliance led by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and Airports Council International (ACI)   is building on how to ensure African airports are not only safe and secure, but are also fitted with modern facilities to  make them user-friendly.

    Besides modernisation of facilities, experts sayAfrican countries need to restrategise on how to make the airports attract revenue beyond primary sources – flights.

    Experts say better management of airports  in Africa could assume new dimensions, if their managers think out of the box by designing models that position them as mere   public service providers.

    They argue that African airports should be commercial enterprises that are efficiently managed to generate more revenue and subsequently declare profits.

    These issues were on the burner last week, when over 300 delegates from across the globe met at the 59th Airports Council International (ACI) Regional Conference and Exhibition in Lagos to fashion strategies for efficient management of airports.

    With member-states numbering over 176 countries having 1,940 airports, ACI as the voice of the world’s airports, has served as a  veritable platform for developing best practices in airports management.

    It has remained the key driver of policies in the industry since 1991.

    Presidential remark 

    ACI President Saleh Dunoma said the global body would continue to focus on how to improve on airport security through its  Airport Excellence in  Safety  Programme (APEX).

    Dunoma, who is also Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) Managing Director, said many African countries, including Nigeria, has benefited from ACI’s interventions with programmes tailored to achieve better management of airports.

    Dunoma said: “FAAN’s relationship with ACI Africa spans over a decade and it has been a worthwhile and mutually benefitting relationship.

    “AC1 Africa works with its members and also liaises with other International bodies like ACI World, ICAO  to ensure improved human capacity development by providing various standard and customised training in different skill areas to ensure safe, secure and efficiently managed airports.

    “Last year, Nigeria signed the agreement to become one of the ‘AC1 global training centers, to further advance the goal of human capacity development in FAAN and in Africa. The first training after the agreement was conducted in December 2017 where Nigeria received participants from other African countries.

    “ Over the years, ACI Africa had focused on safety as a priority leading to the initiation of the world wide acknowledged Airport Excellence (APEX) in safety programme. This has recorded great achievements as major airports continue to requests for this programme.

    “Nigeria has been in the forefront in striving to attain the highest levels of safety standards, hence with the assistance of the APEX in safety programme, we were able to achieve the certification of our  two  busiest airports.

    “Our goal is to certify all our international airports and we are working tirelessly to achieve that, them we have taken the bold step to carry out the APEX in safety programmes in our international airports.

    “ The APEX review for Kano and Port Harcourt were carried out in March while reviews for Enugu and Kaduna airports are scheduled for June.

    “The evolving nature of airport management demands a transformation of airports who mostly serve as public service providers and not commercial enterprises that are efficiently managed to generate more revenue and subsequently declare profits.

    Fed. Govt’s position 

    Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Gidado Mustapha said the government was not oblivious of the fact that there is an urgent need to intensify efforts to improve aviation infrastructure.

    Describing airports as a catalyst for Africa’s economic development, he said the government should consider as urgent facilities upgrade, improve operations, service delivery as ell as security and airspace safety.

    He said: “To transform aviation business in Africa, countries would be expected to continue to attain and maintain global safety standards, strive to achieve competitiveness and user friendliness,  install infrastructure and navigational aids to maximise aircraft utilisation for passenger and cargo movement   in addition to achieving  costs competitiveness.”

    Other steps to be taken, according to Mustapha, were that African countries should develop integrated multi-modal transport system around the airports as well as diversify revenue lines.

    Said he: “For sustainable development of African airports, new strategies must also evolve. These strategies include holistic planning for defined development targets; effective and efficient financing plan and successful implementation. The role of partnership with the private sector cannot be over-emphasised.

    ‘’All these would be complemented by a reliable legal, institutional and regulatory framework to institutionalise policy.”

    ICAO’s Intervention 

    In his presentation, President , International Civil Aviation Organisation ( ICAO) Council, Dr Bernard Olumuyiwa Aliu said the global aviation regulator continues to work with African countries  on how to plug gaps militating against effective airports management in Africa.

    With aviation becoming  a catalyst for sustainable social, economic and human development,  supporting 6.8 million jobs and generating $72.5 billion in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Africa, Aliu said the global body would continue to support the sector.

    He said: “ The efforts being undertaken to reposition air transport in Africa, and ensure its sustainability, are in clear acknowledgment of the fact that regional air traffic is still forecast to grow at roughly 3.8 per cent annually through 2032.

    “ I will like to reiterate that this rapidly-expanding air traffic can only be sustained and optimised through the continued development at modernisation of local aviation infrastructure, particularly at airports.

    “This is a key reason ICAO’s Global Plans are helping to establish globally-harmonised objectives and requirements in support of the worldwide modernisation of our sector which is now underway.

    “Our related goal is to ensure there are “no constraints of infastructure capacity, technology and financial resources for aviation development.

    “It has become increasingly difficult however, for many states and airport operators to mobilise the significant and dependable funding and investments required for high quality aviation infrastructure.

    “ The very limited volume of official development assistance (ODA) and Southsouth cooperation funding available for our sector’s infrastructure projects is a big part of this challenge, as are the constraints being faced with respect to public financing more generally.

    “Another key concern is the risk associated with a lack of sufficient institutional, legal and regulatory enabling frameworks in many African states, something which makes it very difficult for financial institutions to invest in airport projects.

    He charged African countries see airports as being more than mere terminal buildings, requiring that attention be paid to air side safety

    Aliu said: “More attention must continue to be paid to the airside safety priorities at Africa’s airports, including international airport perimeter fencing, taxiway and runway safety and effective fire services and wildlife management.

    “ICAO remains particularly concerned that many African airports  are accepting international flights without requisite certifications. To address this significant deficiency, the AFI Plan includes a specific project championed by the ICAO Dakar and Nairobi-Regional Offices to assist African states in Aerodrome Certification in compliance with the Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) contained in Annex 14 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation.

    “It is also important to remember that airports are very much at the ‘front lines’ where aviation security and passenger facilitation are concerned, and that they are the source of many travellers’ first impressions of the country they will visit. Airports also play a very important role in our efforts to check the spread of communicable diseases through air transport.

    “ Conscious of these challenges, ICAO has been working with ACI and other stakeholders to assist states in securing resources and capacities to develop and modernise their aviation infrastructure.“

    Angela Gitten’s  position 

    In her presentation, ACI World President, Angela Gittens, said ICAO and ACI had formed a synergy to improve airport facilities in Africa.

    She said the two global bodies were working to modernise and expand airport infrastructure.

    Gittens noted that this had become imperative because of the projected growth of passenger traffic on the continent, as some countries in the region were witnessing or would soon witness rapid economic growth that would make more demand on air transport.

    She  highlighted some of the challenges confronting African airports growth. They include protectionism and competition, saying Africa often described as a sleeping giant has enough potential to develop and become a leading part of the global economy.

    Gittens said  African airports managers should ensure that they meet the need for passenger growth by  contributing significantly to the development of aviation globally.

  • Makarfi and burden of repositioning PDP

    Makarfi and burden of repositioning PDP

    The Ahmed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been mandated to reposition the crisis-ridden opposition party. Assistant Editor GBADE OGUNWALE examines the  task before the committee.

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has begun the process of reconciliation. During its recent non – elective convention, the tenure of the Ahmed Makarfi – led National Caretaker Committee was extended till December. Having risen from the ashes of a 14-month leadership crisis that shook the party to its  foundation, the PDP may have learnt its lessons. Makarfi and his team are now confronting the challenge of rebuilding and repositioning the party. The team has been given a mandate to put in place a new National Working Committee (NWC). The setting up of the caretaker committee was a product of sound reasoning and deliberate planning. The members of the committee are known for their firmness and conviction, with no visible political baggage that could affect their objectivity and sense of judgment. To avoid conflict of interests, the Caretaker Committee has barred its members from seeking elective offices into the NWC. With the Anambra State governorship election in November, the first task before the party is to ensure the emergence of a credible candidate for the election. The Anambra chapter has the ugly reputation of being one of the most problematic among the state chapters. The state has been producing two parallel candidates at every election, with candidates emerging from two or three parallel primary elections. The last of the crisis in the chapter followed divisions among key stakeholders that lined up behind opposing camps controlled by the Uba brothers, Chris and Andy.

    But, tension appears to have simmered, following the defection of Senator Andy Uba to the All Progressives Congress (APC) a few months ago. Andy went to the APC with his loyalists. His brother, Chris, had teamed up with the Ali Modu Sheriff faction against the Makarfi group. The July 12 judgment of the Supreme Court that sacked Sheriff has put the Chris Uba faction in disarray, forcing some of his loyalists to seek accommodation in the Makarfi-led leadership. With the Osun State governorship election coming up next year, shortly after the Ekiti poll, the state executive is also not in proper shape. With the mandate of the convention, the Makarfi team is to ensure the emergence of a credible executive committee for the state. The same goes for the Adamawa, Kebbi, Borno, Kwara, Lagos and Ogun State chapters where Sheriff succeeded in erecting parallel executive committees. This is to prevent a repeat of the Ondo scenario where the Sheriff camp threw spanners in the works by presenting a parallel candidate, Mr. Jimoh Ibrahim. The party’s authentic candidate, Mr. Eyitayo Jegede, suffered grievous political injury from the Sheriff camp, until the Supreme Court finally cleared him for the race at the eleventh hour. By this time, the PDP had lost rhythm in the campaign and the rest is history. The party is still sulking over the loss. To lay a solid foundation for repositioning the PDP, Makarfi and his men must  effect some fundamental reforms with a clear cut template in place. To ensure the supremacy of the party and the independence of its leadership, the position of “leader of the party” must be clearly defined. In democracies, the party’s national chairman is the recognised leader of the party. However, in the case of the PDP, former President Olusegun Obasanjo arrogated the position to himself, obviously to enable him control the party leadership. Chairmen of state chapters have continued to function as mere errand boys of the governors. The aberration continued with Umaru Yar ‘Adua through the Goodluck Jonathan years. This reduced the party chairman to a mere appendage of the President. And when the PDP lost the 2015 presidential election, the party was left without a “leader”, leading to conflict of interests among the members of the NWC. The then Deputy National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, became Acting Chairman after the exit of Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu, who was forced out of office after the 2015 elections .

    Secondus was to act for a period of six months within which the party was to produce a candidate from the North East geopolitical zone to replace Mu’azu. But, personal ambition took the better part of Secondus and his fellow NWC members at the time. While Secondus was scheming to become the substantive chairman, his colleagues in the NWC were also plotting to grab other positions by working hard to ensure that their choice positions were zoned to their respective geo-political zones. The musical circus was still playing when a former presidential adviser, Ahmed Gulak, leading a handful of associates, stormed the party secretariat and declared himself the new party chairman. That was what jerked the PDP out of its slumber, leading to a flurry of missteps that produced Ali Modu Sheriff as chairman that almost took the party to the undertakers. Similarly, the Caretaker Committee is also mandated to effect amendment to the party’s constitutional with the view to check frivolous litigations by members against the party. The proposed amendment, will be tabled for ratification at the next convention in December. Distractions arising from such litigations have reminded one of the party’s main headaches at the national and state levels.

    The interim PDP leaders are also to tinker with the party’s constitution in respect of waivers. This is to allow flexibility to accommodate defector to the PDP, particularly the high profile members that defected to the ruling APC before the 2015 elections. There are indications that some of these former members who are holding top elective and appointive positions in the present government, may have been signaling their intention to rejoin the PDP. Some of these high profile politicians are not in good terms with the government in which they serve, while a few of them are locked in bitter feuds with their various governors.

    Much is expected of the Caretaker Committee in charting a new direction for the party. It is left to Makarfi and his team to demonstrate leadership by example with the conduct of the December elective national convention. Like other political parties, the history of the PDP has been that of impunity and imposition of candidates. This was partly responsible for the loss of the Presidency and many states in the 2015 general elections.

    Apparently, the first test for Makarfi and his team will come with the conduct of the elective national convention. To make the task easier, the various elective positions in the NWC have been zoned to the geo-political zones, with the position of chairman zoned to the South West. The remaining 15 elective positions have similarly been zoned, thereby saving Makarfi and his team the burden of sweating to zone the positions. The task of deciding which state picks what position has been left to the various leaderships at the zonal level. But since they are going to superintend the exercise, it is expected that Caretaker Committee will demonstrate the required disinterestedness in the conduct of the convention. They will also have to ensure that the zonal leadership are not given undue latitude to impose candidates. Curbing the excesses of the governors may pose the greatest challenge to Makarfi and his men. Being the ones paying the pipers, the governors will certainly want to dictate the tune. Their preferences are usually at variance with popular choices. The governors are known for their uncanny penchant for impunity, typified by imposition of candidates at party, local and  general elections. It is left for the committee to seek ways of expanding the sources of party funding with the relevant mechanism put in place for aggressive revenue generation through membership dues and other legitimate sources. The PDP has no visible revenue generating sources that the party could draw from at short notices. Going cap in hand to the governors and other wealthy chieftains for funds has eroded the independence of the leadership to take critical decisions when occasion demands. Makarfi is expected to lay a solid foundation in this regard. To lessen its burden, the committee has excused itself from the task of disciplining errant members, as the job has been assigned to a newly created Disciplinary Committee, chaired by Chief Tom Ikimi. Shortly after the Supreme Court judgement, Makarfi had declared amnesty for Sheriff and his loyalists, but he was quick to add that any other intransigence against the party after the apex court’s judgment will attract sanctions. Also in place is a reconciliation committee which is headed by Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State. He is expected to be the arrow head of the party’s efforts to reconcile aggrieved members and to woo those that defected to other political parties back to the fold. The future stability of the PDP will largely depend on how Makarfi and his team handle the assignment on their hands. For now, the team enjoys a great deal of goodwill and support from  critical organs and prominent party chieftains in the various quarters across the federation. Going by the prevailing sober mood in the party, the committee is receiving the required cooperation from the generality of  members.

    In June, the PDP contested and won the Osun West senatorial bye election while the party was still undergoing tumult. This has obviously buoyed the party’s determination to make impressive showing at the next election. It may also serve as rejuvenating tonic for the Caretaker Committee and give it the required fillip.

    The Makarfi team parades a good number of individuals that have demonstrated a great deal of commitment and restraint. The chances of making the much needed difference will depend on the ability of the leadership and members of the team stick by the books. On the other hand, it also depends on the willingness of the various power blocs to submit themselves to the rules. It’s too early to tell how far Makarfi and his team can go in putting the PDP on sound footing.

  • Repositioning Nigerian museums

    Repositioning Nigerian museums

    Though the workshop for museum professionals may have come and gone, the memories and experiences will still remain green in the minds of participants who are now well equipped in collection and storage management.

    The workshop could not have come at a better time than now as many museums across Nigeria are faced with lack of proper storage facilities.

    Re-org Nigeria, launched at the National Museum, Jos, was held in partnership with the International Centre for the Study of Preservation and Conservation of Cultural Property (ICCROM), National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM) and Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria.

    The re-org workshop, which was funded by the US Ambassadors Funds for cultural preservation, had one participant from the University of Ibadan, four participants from the ABU, and 18 participants from 18 museums from across the country.

    The objectives are to tackle challenges of size and variety of collections, space limitation and lack of storage within the museums.

    The Re-Org tools and guidance developed by a team of 15 professionals from five continents are series of self-teaching didactic tools intended for smaller museums (under 10,000 objects) who do not have access to outside expertise and whose collections in storage are at risk due to incomplete documentation systems and growing problems related to over-crowding and difficulties in access.

    The holistic approach of Re-Org in storage and reorganisation are classified into four components namely, management, collection, building and space as well as furniture and small equipment.

    The NCMM is fortunate to have a pragmatic and proactive Director- General, Mallam Yusuf Abdallah Usman, who supported the proposal by a Nigerian, Dr. Abubakar Sule of Department of Archaeology, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, who attended a similar workshop in China in 2015 for the re-org programme.

    Perhaps one of the gains of the Re-org workshop to the museum professionals is that they are now well equipped with the experience to handle storage issues of whatever kind.

    The knowledge gained by the museum professionals at the training workshop has also exposed them to the dangers of putting objects on the floor which are likely to damage easily or can be attacked by rodents.

    Before now, the storage facilities in the stores are obsolete and in bad shape. With the new storage facilities put in place, the stores are now well organised.

    The difficulties experienced while trying to locate an object in the past has been addressed. An object can now be identified easily without hitch. The storage areas have now been expanded to accommodate more objects that were on the floor or have just arrived.

    To a museum professional, the Re-org workshop created a wider knowledge on how to store museum collections as to know the number of objects in the storage as well as doing simple things to get greater results.

    Equally, lucky are the participants from the (18) museums in the country that met the requirement to participate in the 14-day energy sapping training workshop, having been equipped with the right training to overcome some major challenges bedeviling most museums in developing countries.

    The selected museums for the workshop should form a nucleus for the implementation of the programme at the local level,  while staff that were privileged to participate should hold seminars for their colleagues and transmit the knowledge acquired, as it will go a long way in opening the museum to the outside world.

    With the National Museum as a pilot scheme for the Re-Org workshop, the museum stores are now wearing a new look indicating the massive successes, recorded in storage management. The stores are now properly organised and much better than it used to be.

    When other museums follow suit in the management of storage collections, it will make it easier for objects to be identified and proper documentation made on them.

    One of the main objectives of the organisers of Re-Org Nigeria is building a team that can work together to achieve the desired goal. Such a team should be with one idea and one vision. This will enable the museum professionals to work with ease and understanding for greater productivity.

    Motivation in workspace is one way of making workers put in their best and perform their jobs with passion. The museum professionals will continue to put in the best by participating in both local and foreign trainings.

    The lead teacher of the Re-org Nigeria and his team, De Guichen, a retired staff of ICCROM and now a consultant, Catherine Anthormachi, Director of collections unit at ICCROM and Mr. Terry Little who was the representative of the US Ambassador’s funds for cultural preservation. These resource persons through commitment and hard work have imparted their expertise on the participants who have been exposed to the management of storage collections in a professional way.

    The Re-org Nigeria workshop also had some mentors, namely; Mr.Peter Odey, the Director of Museums Department, Mr. Uzoma Nwosu, a retired staff member of the NCMM, Mrs. Annah Dunkrah, Assistant Director, Museums Department, Dr. Abu Edet, a lecturer at the University of Calabar and Dr. Abubakar Sule, a Lecturer at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

    The mentors were in charge of five teams that were created during the programme with the task to work in the stores. In the near future, the mentors will supervise home projects of the selected museums to ensure they carry out their own Re-org effectively.

    To keep record of the fifteen days training workshop, certificates for the participants were signed by the partners, ICCROM, NCMM and ABU.

    With the foregoing, it can be stated here that the participants after this training and with the kind of exposure they have received on collections and storage management, they can be compared with other museum professionals around the world. The Re-org experience will no doubt showcase the Nigerian museums and bring them to lime light.

    The successes recorded in the re-org workshop as manifested at the closing ceremony is an indication that our

     

    • Bakari is Public Relations Officer (PRO), National Museum, Abuja

  • Repositioning Nigeria’s grassroots politics

    SIR: Many may have wondered why politics at the grassroots level in Nigeria is seemingly dead; only coming alive during election time. The answer is simple- we do not have a culture of grassroots political participation in the country. A quick flashback to pre-colonial times and the clamour for independence attests to this. Most of the recorded agitations by the nationalists played out on the national stage. Perhaps this was the fault of the so-called “nationalists”, a set of people bent on scoring their own political points while engendering their political ambitions/interests instead of carrying the people along.

    Now fast-forward to post-independence Nigeria. The ill effects of the absence of effective grassroots political foundation are glaring. We have a large percentage of the population who have no idea of the monumental political power they could wield. This has made it possible for our corrupt politicians to do their worst without the fear of having to answer to the very people that give them mandate. It has to stop.

    No democracy anywhere in the world can be “useful” if the people at the local levels do not get to participate in the political process as they should. I do not refer to the type that obtains here during election times whereby unscrupulous politicians successfully mobilize the electorates and buy their votes in exchange for foodstuff. I am [indeed] talking about a situation whereby the people at the grassroots levels realize the power they have in the national polity and actually wield said power both during and after election times.

    It is therefore time we all take up the task/responsibility of mobilizing Nigerians at the grassroots for democratic effectiveness. I put this responsibility on every Nigerian youth. Who could best be vested with the responsibility of repairing the broken foundations of our national polity other than the very youths who will inherit it?

    It is time we stop bemoaning the national exclusion we currently face (no thanks to gerontocracy) and actually take action towards building the future Nigeria and the very conducive political atmosphere we all wish to have. There is a huge opportunity available for us all to make impact and we should take it. Remember that politics is not all about the scramble to occupy the highest elective posts in the land.

    The question then is about how the youths could possibly influence politics at the local levels. This is an imperative question considering how the old politicians tend to strongly dominate these local places too. But then inasmuch as this is somewhat the case, it is important to also bear in mind that the kind of influence they have at the grassroots level is different from the impact and eventual influence the youths could have if they take collection action today towards changing the status quo for the better. Take for instance- the old politicians only remember the grassroots when election is three months away. They come to campaign for votes, albeit through very corrupt means. Their purpose is therefore never to expose the people to the immense political influence they could have in the polity of our nation. Instead, their purpose is to use the people as means to their own ends. This is the major difference between their agenda and the agenda I am setting for us all. Using our youthful vibrancy and all the resources readily available to us, we can permeate every nook and cranny of our localities and teach the people basic political knowledge while empowering them all the same. This does not have to be a resource-consuming agenda. It is as simple as interacting with the people within your immediate vicinity. More so, for those of us who are social media, take out time to engage your audience in political matters. It is high time the Nigerian youth desist from being politically docile. We too have a stake in Nigerian politics and must start contributing towards making it better than it is.

     

    • Emmanuel Abara Benson,

    eabarabenson@gmail.com

  • Repositioning Fuji music

    Repositioning Fuji music

    Once a fad among the Yoruba, Fuji music has lost its appeal in the last decade. However, at a roundtable organised by Nigerian Breweries’ Goldberg in Lagos, stakeholders in the music industry pushed for a revival of this brand of music through creativity, writes ADEDEJI ADEMIGBUJI.

    Is Fuji music dying? Stakeholders and lovers of this brand of Yoruba music said the music genre, which ruled the airwaves and at parties in the good old days, is almost going into extinction. They claimed that one hardly hears of its many exponents nowadays. One of the second generation Fuji musicians, Mr. Adewale Ayuba,  attested to the near-extinction of this brand of music.

    Ayuba is one of the younger generations, who promoted Fuji as a special brand of music, making it appeal to the youth, especially when the industry was almost plagued by violence, drugs and rivalry, among other vices.

    He identified the inability to market Fuji music to the global audience as a result of poor production and the dwindling allure of Fuji music. The allure, Ayuba said, seems to have simmered. This, it was gathered, was after the death of a Fuji maestro, Dr. Sikiru Ayinde Barrister, and the un-confirmed retirment of his ageing arch rival, Kolawole Ayinla, popularly known as Kollington.

    “And if this is the case, we cannot complain that our brand of music is not being aired. Fuji is not digitalised so, it cannot be played in disco halls. The second issue is that it is too long. In this era, you cannot have a piece of music playing for 17 minutes. We need to get back to tracking,” said Ayuba.

    Saddened, a Fuji artist, Alabi Pasuma, just veered into Hip Hop music to promote Fuji and take it to the next level in a market where Hip Hop sensationals – D’Banj, Davido, Olamide and others – seem to have knocked out Fuji music because of lack of appeal to new generation of music lovers.

    “Diversity is very important to one’s life. That you are a Fuji musician does not mean you can’t do something else. People still see me as a Fuji artiste but they see it that this guy really knows what he is doing and that he can do something nice. That is why we diversified,” Pasuma said.

    Against this backdrop, stakeholders at a recent Goldberg roundtable on Fuji said there was a need to reposition the genre to appeal to global and local audience.

    At the event sponsored by Goldberg Lager Beer from the stable of Nigerian Breweries Plc, participants described Fuji as the only Nigerian music brand devoid of foreign contamination.

    The Chairman, National Project Committee, Fuji Musicians Association of Nigeria, Sikiru Ayinde Agboola; Akogun Gani Balogun; the Genaral Manager, K1 De Ultimate Band, Olasoju Adebayo and Olawale Obadeyi, a Fuji analyst, said despite the challenges, Fuji music has contributed to the socio-cultural development of the Yoruba.

    Obadeyi traced the origin of the music to when Were, the local brand of music, was in vogue among Muslim faithful. He said the music has grown, featuring various artistes who have contributed to its development.

    He said the innovations brought into Fuji by those artistes have deepened.

    “Each Fuji artiste, evidently, is pushing the limits of creativity. The horizon of Fuji music has been astoundingly widened,” he said.

    Obadeyi noted that Goldberg appropriated Fuji music as a platform through which cultural values could be used to validate the essence of the Yoruba.

    Agboola advised Fuji musicians and other stakeholders to take the music to the next level. According to him, it is the only surviving genre of music that has its origin in Nigeria and deserves concerted efforts from stakeholders to proffer possible ways through which it would be more developed. His words: “It is the duty of all stakeholders to take the music to the next level.”

    Agboola, therefore, commended Goldberg Lager Beer for the support it gives to the music. He said this was second to none and should be emulated by other firms.

    Meanwhile, Balogun said the late Barrister invested heavily in Fuji music, took it to international market and provided a platform for Fuji musicians and other stakeholders to prosper.

    Balogun advised every beneficiary to ensure the music is given due support every time.

     

    Why Goldberg supports Fuji

    In an era where the Federal Government is driving local content as the key to sustainable growth in the economy, most brands have continued to support various local ideas to achieve that goal as against dependence on foreign contents. While various local contents are dying as a result of lack of support from corporate organisations, the Portfolio Manager, Mainstream Lager and Stout brands, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Mr. Emmanuel Agu said the importance of music to any country cannot be over-emphasised. According to him, the role of music in nation building is monumental as it fuels the mind and the creativity of listeners.

    His words: “Music transcends all boundaries of communication. Music and its rhythm define our humanity considering the universality and essentiality beyond language barrier. I believe it is important for one to have an open mind in order to be in touch with that sense of understanding. Music cannot be separated from our socio-cultural life and as such it is a social connector which has the power to suggest circumstances, moods, and moments. It has general appeal to human senses.”

    Agu said Fuji music exerts a strong influence on the social life of the Yoruba. He stated that through the music foreigners can easily feel and connect with the culture of the Yoruba people. The influence that Fuji music exerts on the social life of the Yorubas is therefore very strong irrespective of their locations.

    Agu said the company strives to champion, promote and associate with the culture of its host communities. His words: “This is what Goldberg has been doing with its initiative of Fuji t’o Bam since 2012 when it inaugurated the concept. We respect people’s cultures and values.”

    He said the Goldberg Fuji t’o Bam initiative has brought to life the twin socio-cultural tradition of companionship and celebration. “The initiative readily identifies and celebrates the rich musical tradition of sustaining the cultural values of the people in the region. The indigenous musical platform, which is currently in its fourth edition, had in the last three editions led to the discovery of budding Fuji talents and artists. I have strong conviction that our gathering here today would in no small way help in contributing ideas to the development of the Fuji music and the culture of the Yoruba people,” he stated.

    Recently, the brand also signed Flavour, an Hip Hop artists as brand ambassador for its Life Beer brand to support contents from the East using exploits in the use of Igbo languages to convey his message.

     

    Background

    Fuji is a popular Nigerian musical genre. It arose from the improvisational Ajisari/Were music tradition, which is performed to wake up Muslims before dawn during the Ramadan season. Were music/Ajisari was made popular by the late Barrister

  • Repositioning Lagos APC

    SIR: I write to congratulate our visionary and bold leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu on his 64th birthday and also draw his attention to some of the lapses we encounter in respect of the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State.

    As a leader, there is no doubt that he has done extremely well at both the state as well as the national level especially judging by the crucial role he played to bring about the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari in last year’s elections.

    His brilliant performance as Lagos State governor for eight years is there for everyone to see. Not only this, his successor, Babatunde Raji Fashola continued in the same spirit. Today, Akinwumi Ambode is also doing well.

    I implore Asiwaju to bring this spirit of effective succession plan into the Lagos APC so as to give room for a dynamic leadership in the party. A situation where party leaders are made to overstay in positions does not augur well for the growth and development of the polity.

    The beauty of democracy is for its dividends to spread to as many people as possible. The leadership of APC should be extended to more capable hands.

    The idea of keeping a person for too long in a position should be discouraged. In the mid 1990’s when I was made chairman of a statutory agency in the Ministry of Health, I told people at that time I would spend four years. At the end of four years, I resigned because I thought I could not add value to it again as my mission had been accomplished.

    The time to reposition APC in Lagos is now and there is no other person better suited to do so than the Asiwaju himself.

               

    • Dr. Charles Esan,

    Apapa, Lagos.

  • APGA repositioning for the future

    APGA repositioning for the future

    Last week, All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) held a national retreat where representatives engaged in a rare self assessment of the party in the past 13 years, setting out new strategies to move the party forward. Yinusa Ibrahim in Lafia reports

    For three days running, about 100 executive members of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), drawn from the 36 states of the country and Federal Capital Territory FCT, converged in Abuja at the weekend, for the first retreat of the party since the change of guards in the APGA hierarchy, barely a month ago after its inauguration.

    The excitement knew no bounds as the purpose of the retreat, as profusely encapsulated by the National Chairman, Dr Victor Ikechukwu Oye, is to afford members opportunity for frank appraisal of the journey so far, the new heights they would envisage APGA to attain; what are the merits of such assemblage in terms of their individual contribution at the retreat for the propagation of the ideals of the party and also what roles have been played individually or corporately in the growth and development of the party?

    Oye urged the representatives at the retreat, which included members of the National Working Committee, six zonal and 36 state branch chairmen, to be frank as ever and provide sincere answers to these burning questions. Applauding APGA for taking the lead, the National Chairman commended the party saying: ‘This is the first time any registered political party in Nigeria is staging a retreat for this category of party executive members.”

    His opening and welcome address highlighted the essence of the retreat which would among other things build the desired harmony and synergies for the advancement of the cause of the party.

    The brainstorming, sharing of conviviality and breaking into working groups in addition to incisive lectures by academics and top party officials, were all meant to change the face of APGA from a regional party to a more acceptable national party as the top brass of the party left the retreat hall agreeing to work assiduously and without rancour on how to reposition the party to enable it play its deserved role in Nigeria’s democratic firmament.

    As they went into close sessions, the words of the National Chairman became the binding voice as his in-depth presentation became adopted and was the lever of the retreat. Nothing could best express the mood at the retreat than the assurances that ‘the era of division and in-fighting in our party is gone forever. We are in a new era, where love will prevail and hatred banished, resourcefulness and had work will be richly rewarded, party discipline entrenched as a creed, and constant interaction and capacity building sustained as ethos.

    ‘We are, therefore, challenged at this retreat to eschew bickering, malignant and tendentious outbursts, bad blood, festering and nagging. We must see one another as brother and sister’s keepers, ever ready to put the past behind us and look forward to a more promising future. We must come up with strategies on how to sustain and surpass the successes we achieved in the past 13 years and see how we can deploy our talents and even, resources to the development of the party.’

    Perhaps more than ever are the three-prong approaches of the new executive of the party, which according to Mr. Labaran Maku, former Minister of Information and Defence and the APGA Gubernatorial Candidate in Nasarawa State and now the APGA National Secretary, includes the issue of a revalidation of new membership cards and new part registers. As a matter of fact, the National Chairman displayed to the excitement of the delegates copies of the cards and the new registers.  He admonished every card carrying member of the party to re-register with just a N100. Members are also to renew their membership dues monthly as that was the surest methodology to keep their party afloat so that the party could meet its numerous responsibilities. The party has printed about a million cards and hopes to generate funds from the issuance of the cards to party members across the country. The party now also has in its kitty a million Membership Registers which would be coordinated by party state chairmen. A note of warning of severe punishment and disciplinary measures awaited anyone that would defraud the party in the exercise which is commencing almost immediately.

    Once a party is solvent, it would build its structures and be answerable to the people and not the whims and caprices of individuals. There is a major leap in relocating the party headquarters to a more befitting edifice that will epitomise the real APGA, not in the obscure decrepit office that now houses the party’s National Secretariat.

    Oye was upbeat and disclosed that a gigantic six-storey structure is on the card, capable of providing adequate offices, including guest houses for members of APGA visiting Abuja instead of going to hotels to pay exorbitant hotel bills for accommodation. In between applause, he said a member of the party, an architect, has volunteered to do the architectural designs free of charge including producing a master piece of sculptural engraved work of the real symbol of APGA -the Cock.

    APGA is also working on an effective and comprehensive data base that would be installed at the headquarters. The IT organisation handling this major IT networking is executing this lofty project with the Guarantee Trust Bank. When completed, all information on APGA would, at the touch of a botton, become easily accessible by all, including party members worldwide.

    Said Oye: ‘ We are building a very strong portal about APGA and the online platform with Nigerians in Diaspora- the USA, UK and South Africa, to name a few. We are in touch with our members in the 51 states in the US and our desire is for APGA to become a global brand.’

    The National Chairman is optimistic that the party’s governorship candidate, Mr. Labaran Maku, now pursuing his case at the Governorship Election Tribunal in Nasarawa, would eventually be declared winner of the last elections in that state. He was also hopeful that APGA governorship candidate for Abia State, Dr Alex Otti, would also be declared winner at the tribunal in Umuahia.

    The National Chairman expressed the party’s sincere appreciation to the National Leader and Chairman, Board of Trustees (BOT), Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano (Akpokuodike), for his practical love and support for APGA.

    He said the party was also doing tremendously well in Kogi and Bayelsa states and members were warming up to the governorship elections coming up on October 21 and December this year. Ditto, Edo State, with assurances given that Edo North had witnessed massive defection of politicians from the ruling party, APC, to APGA, a positive development that APGA’s Cock was going to crow in Edo State soonest in subsequent elections especially the Local Government Elections slated for early next year in Edo State.

    With the new face of APGA, which has like minds from all over the country and also with astute politician, Barrister Ifeatu Obi-Okoye as the party’s Chief Spokesperson (National Publicity Secretary) and the helmsmen of the duo of frontline journalists, Dr Victor Oye as National Chairman and Mr. Labaran Maku as National Secretary, it seems a new dawn may have broken for APGA. They have an uphill task to show a difference and present an alternative to Nigerian electorate and international community, that APGA has become the emergent Nigeria party waiting on the wings to contest power in 2019.