The Nation Newspaper

Tag: REVOLUTION

  • Will Nigeria join world’s organic farming revolution?

    There is no doubt any longer that our food from our once natural farms are now being contaminated with killer poisons in the forms of pesticides and herbicides. And wow, the food still  grace our kitchens and dining tables in Nigeria. All the thanks for this go to agriculture practices from Europe and America. As we battle cancers and other degenerative diseases caused by these poisons, news of the fight against them can be exciting such was the news that, like some people in her generation, lawyer Olusola Owemimo has set up an organic farm in Nigeria where only natural forms of agriculture will be done. Recently, she attended a conference of organic farming in the United Kingdom.  Today, she shares her experiences with readers of this column… ‘My Experience At The 10th Organic Producer’s Conference January 27-28 2016’

    I went into organic farming as a choice because I have my personal ideals, one of which is to endeavour to eat healthy. I grew up with parents who ate healthy and we always had an edible garden at the back of every home we lived. I have therefore always preferred organic food where possible.

     

    You may ask why organic?

    Organically grown foods have no pesticides with chemicals or any toxic ingredients, and even the manure from cows and chickens cannot be used without curing. No cruelty is allowed to animals so a truly organic farm will allow its chickens to roam about as some of us knew when we were growing up.

    There are many researches that prove organic is more beneficial. For example, an international team led by Newcastle University has shown that organic crops are up to 69 percent  higher in a number of key antioxidants than conventionally-grown crops.

    Numerous studies have linked antioxidants to a reduced risk of chronic diseases, including cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases and certain cancers.

    The study found that a switch to eating organic fruit, vegetable and cereals – and food made from them – would provide additional antioxidants equivalent to eating between one to two extra portions of fruit and vegetables a day.

    Our mission statement at Ope Farms is to grow and supply organically grown foods from rich mineral soils that truly nourish the body for healthy lifestyles and our vision is to be a trusted foremost organic food producer for healthy living.

    When Ope Farms began operation a little over a year ago, I discovered that there is a non-governmental body in Nigeria known as Nigerian Organic Agriculture Network (NOAN). It is a non-governmental organisation created to serve as an umbrella body for all stakeholders involved in organic agriculture in Nigeria.The secretariat of NOAN is at the Department of Agronomy, University of Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.

    embership is drawn from scientists, farmers, processors, exporters, individuals, institutions, NGOs and organisations that are key players in the organic agriculture sector in Nigeria.NOAN also serves as a link body between organic agriculture stakeholders in Nigeria and international bodies interested in organic agriculture. They hosted the highly successful 3rd African Organic Agriculture conference last year October. The conference made us appreciate that organic agriculture is here to stay in Africa.

    I was therefore excited to stumble on the advertisement for the 10th Organic Producer’s Conference online. The conference was for producers. The two-day conference was attended by about 240 growers and it was held at Novotel. One of the major sponsors was Accor Hotels. I was highly impressed to learn of the many things Accor Hotels has been doing for agriculture in the UK. Accor Hotels supports innovative and sustainable agroforestry models, bringing many benefits to their ecosystems. It initiated a ‘Plant for the Planet in the U.K.’ Programme. Since 2012, it has planted 37,298 trees, invested £240,000 in agroforestry and supported 29 innovative farmers in all the country.

    In Accor Hotels, guests are invited to reuse their towels for more than one night so that 50 per cent of the laundry savings can then be used to fund restoration projects.

    Another sponsor was Triodos Bank which has been helping farmers grow their businesses for almost 30 years. For example, the bank helped Wheatland Farm in Devon purchase and install an 11kw turbine. Triodos supports another customer Jamie’s Farm in their family run-project that supports the development of vulnerable young people by providing opportunities for achievement and wellbeing in an agricultural setting. A Triodos loan helped Tom Mattyear and Mark Sparrow to buy Haddon Copse Farm, a 30 acre organic smallholding in the heart of Dorset.

    Some of the other supporters of the conference are Organic Growers Alliance, Soil Association, Ernest Cook Trust and Greenham Common Trust.

    The theme for the programme was ‘Common ground – Agroecology, food sovereignty and organic farming in practice’. There were presentations, discussions, Question and Answer Sessions.

    The theme for the first day was: A shared vision for future – bringing different traditions together. The discussion centre red on movement for change in Agriculture embraces a wide range of agroecological traditions, from integrated pest/crop management to permaculture, from organic farming to agroforestry and holistic management. The big question is ‘Are they really all uniquely different, or is the common ground they share, in terms of ideas and history, more important?

    Topics such as ‘Rejuvenating Our Landscape – The Allerton Approach by Phil Jarvis who shared his personal vision for the future of farming and food. One of which is ‘Innovation that combines well researched technology and sound agricultural husbandry, that can be transferred with the skills required, to our next generation of land managers and another of his visions is ‘A farming landscape that embraces the environment,rejuvenates our souls and continues to support our rural communities.

    Christine Gosling of Berkeley Farm, as an organic dairy farmer said her vision of the future of farming and food is one balance where:

    • everything that is borrowed or taken from nature is paid back or compensated for
    • every person is fed adequately with a balanced, nourishing diet, relieving the pressure on the earth to produce higher yields of resource
    • there is balance of respect for biodiversity and our need to produce food.

    Iyoti Fernandes(Land Workers’ Alliance and Organic Smallholder Fivepenny Farm, Dorset) said as a small-scale producer and representative of the Land Workers Alliance, their vision for the future of agriculture is:

    • A much higher percentage of land in the UK is farmed sustainably with a large proportion of food being produced on small and medium scale farms primarily for British markets to contribute towards greater food security
    • Research undertaken illustrates that it is possible to feed the projected population of the UK with small and medium scale farms using sustainable agriculture.
    • The alliance envisions that this model of agricultural development would have greater benefits to the UK in the long run than a food and farming strategy based on sustainable intensification of larger scale industrial agriculture and the export economy

    Jonty Brunyee of The Pasture-Fed Livestock Association and Cotsworld Organic Farmer said his vision for the future of farming is:

    • a farming system that provides nutritious food from high welfare ruminants, positive economic returns for farming families and environmental regeneration.
    • I believe that beef, sheep and diary systems based on a natural diet of 100 per cent pasture consisting of grasses, herbs and legumes offers a sustainable solution to many of the problems associated with the livestock industry today.
    • highlights the benefits of dropping the damaging inefficient grain habit and embracing the pasture for life ethos which rebuilds soil, soaks up rainwater, provides pollinator and farmland bird habitat, improving animal welfare and rearing livestock that produce great tasting meat and milk with enhanced nutritional profiles.
    • High outputs and reduced costs are possible and exciting opportunities exist for branding and added value sales. It’s a no grainier!

    The workshops included topics such as: Business tools and support for new entrants/converters. The session was chaired by Susan Padel of Organic Research Centre (ORC).. The aim is to ensure financial viability for new businesses and for those entering conversion. The tools available for planning and benchmarking and how the support mechanism can be used for business success.

    Phil Sumption of Organic Centre (ORC) spoke about Business tools for growers including horticultural costings.

    • making financial data, ‘fit for purpose’ for small growers was the mission they set for themselves as part of the Organic Centre Wales’s Better Organic Business Links (BOBL) project. There is an absence of tailored information on the viability and productivity of market gardens and small scale horticultural holding growing in Wales.

    The problem is exacerbated by lack of financial skills/kJonathan Storkey of Rothamsted Research spoke on why the world needs Weed Biologists.

    ‘’ The discipline of weed biology has suffered a steady decline in funding and support over the past three decades beginning with the closure of the Weed Research Organisation in 1985.

    ’’Part of the reason for the decline has been the efficacy of modern herbicides in conventional systems, as long as you can read pesticide labels, weeds can easily be controlled.

    ‘’ The loss of active ingredients due to European Legislation and the evolution of herbicide resistance have highlighted the need for integrated weed management that relies on knowledge of weed biology and the response of different species to alternative management scenarios

    ‘’ In addition, increasing recognition of the positive role weeds play in the agro- ecosystem as a food source for invertebrates and birds has further highlighted the need to understand weed biology.

    From personal experience, I say many of what we call weeds are medicinal. I have a firsthand experience when someone who knows a lot about herbs visited our farm and could not contain her excitement at seeing what we thought were weeds as herbs, calling them by their names. We had decided from start up that we were not going to disturb the ecosystem drastically and this decision has been a blessing.

    The UK has recently invested £1million in a large project to improve the control of herbicide resistant black-grass. The current activity at Rothamsted will be reviewed with an emphasis on how the tools being developed are relevant to organic systems.

    At the Customer satisfaction workshop, how to ensure that there is consistent supply and quality organic produce was discussed. The take home for me was, as farmers, we must ensure we plan cropping schedules for continuity and variety, get the basics of soil fertility and agronomy right and storing and we ought to pack and present for optimal freshness and appearance while also minimising waste.

    Alan Schofield of Growining with Nature, in his presentaion, ‘Variety is the spice of life’ spoke about how since1992, they have been supplying organically grown vegetables direct to people’s homes. They work with 4 other organic growers planning crop timings and sharing out the growing of crops for the box scheme which he runs from his own holding they shared the production between growers in a fair and an amicable manner. They undertake cleaning and processing by themselves and then undertake germination to ensure viability. Their long term plan is to reverse the decline of seed production in UK providing a resilient base on which to build a sustainable farming future.

    Roger Hutchings of RHMH consulting spoke of the importance of the soil for consistent quality production. He showed different types of soil to enable farmer appreciate that their crops need soil that can deliver the required level of fertility and manageability year in, year out for the business to survive for the long term. He emphasised the fundamental organic techniques of rotation, fertility crops, on-farm composting, careful cultivation etc are key to getting the best from soils considered to be marginal.

    here were more talks on energy, soil carbon and tree planting. Carlo Leifert spoke on the effects of organic farming practices on food composition and human health. From recent meta-analysis of published data on the nutritional crops and livestock products have identified substantial and nutritionally relevant differences between organic and conventional crops and livestock production. Organic crops have a higher concentration of a wide range of antioxidants, 50% lower concentration of the toxic metal cadmium and pesticide residues more than 4 times more frequently found in conventional compared to organic crops. Organic Milk and beef were shown to have higher concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids and organic milk also contained higher levels of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and certain antioxidants/vitamins (carotenoids, vitamin E). From a 4 human cohort study, focused on the health of mothers and newborn children or infants, it was reported that organic vegetable and/or dairy consumption is associated with a reduced incidence in male genital deformationat birth, eczema in infants and/or pre-eclampsia in mothers.

    Bennan Tong spoke on the subject: Is Organic Better? For some positively-rated substances seem to show higher levels than conventional food. The evaluation of well over 300 comparative studies (Baransky et al 2014) revealed an increase of up to 69% in the content of certain antioxidants like polyphenols in organic crops antioxidants could have a positive impact on health. It has been proved antioxidants could have a positive impact on health, Organic products need to be authentic and processed with care. Therefore, only essential additives and processing aids are allowed and the number and extent of the interventions are reduced to a practical minimum.

    The programme rounded up with a presentation about Canaan model for a sustainable crop value chain approach in Palestine by Dr Samer Jarrar and The UN Ten Year Framework of programmes on sustainable consumption andproduction by Charles Arden-Clarke (UNEP)

    Tea breaks had options of organic fruits and pastries while lunch was organic food from organic farms.

    There was something that completely surprised me; I learnt that Organic Farming came from Africa. At the conference, I met Dr. Phillip Conford, a Historian of Organic Agriculture who when I showed surprise at his profession and also asked him about his work, he told me that an English man, Sir Richard St Barbe Baker, a forester, environmental activist and author, who contributed greatly to worldwide reforestation efforts. As a leader, he founded an organization called Men of the Trees which is still active today. He was aforerunner of organic agriculture havinglived in Kenya. Thereafter Sir Albert Howard influenced Asia and India on soil improvement and also developed a certain composting for them.

    From the lessons from this conference, I believe organic has come to stay and it is definitely the new present!

  • Artisans hold key to industrial revolution

    The Executive President, Lagos State Council of Tradesmen and Artisans, Chief Bola Sanusi   says manpower development is crucial to industrialising the economy and creating employment.

    Speaking with The Nation, on the sidelines of recycling day organised by United Waste Recycling and Suppliers Association in Lagos, Sanusi said artisans are an integral component of the economy, and are recognised as drivers of economic growth as well as major contributors to sustainable livelihoods and the wellness of women and families.

    For this reason, he maintained that artisanal development is critical for both industrialisation, boosting employment and ensuring the availability of  services are available across the economy.

    He called for further support to enable to members create jobs, improve income generation for families.

    He reiterated the commitment of the council to elevate the power and potential of the artisan sector to create jobs.

    According to him, Nigeria is still far from exhausting the growth possibilities that accompany having a citizenry that is at least functionally skilled with specific technical capabilities.

    He noted that the nation needs better skilled leather workers, beauticians, loom operators, plumbers, machine operators and factory workers trained in a standardized set of industry-linked capabilities.

    Currently, he noted that the Lagos artisan sector is composed of hundreds of thousands of artisans’ organisations, buyers, and market intermediaries.

    He however, praised the Lagos State government for taking steps to boost vocational skills development and to encourage entrepreneurship.

    He urged schools to help youngsters make a successful transition from education to self employment.

    With youth unemployment increasing, he  believe schools need to do more to help young people transition into self employment by ensuring that their students have the preparation that businesses truly value.

  • Broom revolution in Bayelsa

    Broom revolution in Bayelsa

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) is enlarging its coast in Bayelsa State. Ahead of the governorship election, prominent Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftains have defected to the opposition party. Will the APC displace the PDP at the poll? Correspondent MIKE ODIEGWU examines the implications of the gale of defections for the parties.

    It was the mother of all rallies. The Bayelsa State All Progressive Congress (APC) make a point at the rally in Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa State. Indeed, it was unprecedented in the history of the state. Not even last year’s campaign visit of President Muhammadu Buhari, who was the presidential candidate of APC, could be compared to the carnival-like event that was held at the Samson Siasia Sports Complex, Yenagoa.

    The complex and its surroundings were congested with party faithful. People shoved and elbowed one another to catch a glimpse of the event. In fact, there was no space. It was as if residents were bitten by the bug of change. They trekked some kilometers to the venue.

    The enthusiasm was, no doubt, high. Broom, the symbol of the APC, was not in short supply.

    Without fear of intimidation, the onlookers and party members freely echoed change, the slogan of the party. The crowd said Dickson should go on December 5 when the governorship election takes place.

    Musicians kept them busy. The Odi-born artiste, Timaya, led Maleke, Face and other singers to the arena. There was no dull moment. Campaign materials of the APC littered the sports complex. Youths seized the opportunity to drum support for their preferred governorship aspirants. In fact, different political groups were on parade.

    It was not just an ordinary rally. It was a mega defection carnival designed to welcome heavyweights from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC.

    The party held two rallies to receive members of the PDP. First was the event organised to welcome Chief Dikivie Ikiogha, a former Chief of Staff in Dickson’s administration and an associate of former President Goodluck Jonathan. The rally, which took place at Opolo, was the first APC event that rattled the PDP. Ikiogha and his supporters declared for the APC.

    Shortly after Ikiogha’s defection, a two-time member of the House of Assembly, Mr. Warman Ogoriba, also radiated the PDP. Ogoriba decimated the PDP, taking along with him some founding members and past political office holders to the APC.

    But, last Saturday’s rally shook the foundation of the PDP. It was, undoubtedly, a mass exodus from a ruling party to the opposition.

    To underscore the importance of the event, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC relocated to Yenagoa to receive the defectors. The National Chairman, Chief John Odigie Oyegun, led other members of the NWC to the rally. The Deputy National Chairman, Dr. Chief Olusegun Oni, the party’s vice-chairmen, South-South, South-East and North-East; the National Deputy Publicity Secretary, Mr. Timi Frank, and the National Organising Secretary, Osita Ozinaso, witnessed the ceremony.

    Former Governor Chief Timipre Sylva and members of the State Working Committee (SWC), led by the Chairman, Chief Tiwe Oruminighe, were at the event.

    PDP stalwarts, who led other members of their old party to APC are Timi Alaibe, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, former acting governors, Chief Werinipre Sebarugu and Chief Nestor Binabo; Senator John Brambraifa, Maj. Andrew Oputa (retd), Christopher Milky, Alex Ekiotene, Christopher Enai, Dr. Stella Dorgu and Mathew Karimu.

     

    PDP chair defects to APC

    The most thrilling aspect of the mega rally was the defection of the state Chairman of the PDP to the APC. It was gathered that Inokoba made up his mind to dump a party he chaired for over three years after the leader of the APC, Sylva, led a powerful delegation of APC members to his residence in Yenagoa.

    The decision of Inokoba to join the broom party was an indication that the crisis in the PDP has deepened, despite efforts by its National Working Committee and  former President Goodluck Jonathan to resolve it.

    The crisis rocking the party worsened when the State Working Committee and politicians loyal to Governor Dickson suspended Inokoba over allegations that he diverted N40million donated for the Presidential campaign of the party.

    Despite the explanations by Inokoba, the SWC insisted that Inokoba must go and asked Chief Serena Dokubo to act as the chairman, a move that was rejected by the NWC.

    The party was further thrown into chaos when the PDP suspended and expelled some leaders of anti-party activities, an action that was described by aggrieved members of the party as illegal.

    The PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) mediated in the dispute on August 1 during a meeting held at Jonathan’s courtyard in Otuoke, Ogbia. It lifted  the suspension and expulsion of some members and ordered the party to revert to status quo.

    But, after the parley, the peace move crumbled, following the insistence of a group loyal to Dickson that Inokoba was not among the persons reinstated by the BoT. The anti-Inokoba forces were said to have mounted pressure on the chairman to resign, a development that further led to the formation of the PDP Unity Group by members loyal to Inokoba.

    Inokoba was fed up with the illegality. The former PDP chairman described the rally as a day of decision when defectors decided to take their destiny into their hands. He said they were compelled to take the decision because the governor has completely abandoned the tenets of good governance.

    He said they were driven by the spirit of patriotism, adding that the labour of their founding fathers should not be in vain. Calling for change in the state, he said: “Today, Bayelsa, the glory of all lands, has now become Fuji House of Commotion. The government of restoration has now become a government of retrogression and stagnation.

    “Virtually, in all sectors of our economy. It is unacceptable and of course, ridiculous to have dictatorship being practised in a democratic dispensation in Bayelsa. Instead of the dividends of democracy, we now have the fruits of retrogression, deceit, retardation, lies, corruption, selfishness, hatred, wickedness, disrespect for elders, complete disregard to the rule of law.

    “Our action today is premised on the philosophy to sustain the legacy of our founding fathers for the good of our future generations. Our economy is badly weakened due to corruption, irresponsibility of the present leadership. The spread of abandoned projects, in the face of borrowing by the government has plunged our state into huge debt.

    “They think they own the government, but today, we are here to take over. Since their vision now is lost, time for sentiment in politics is over. We must move to the mainstream, and we must embrace this change. APC is here to heal the wound of Bayelsa and Bayelsans in general. APC will no doubt present a credible, popular and sensible candidate with high leadership pedigree to take Bayelsa to her Eldorado.

    “My people in the 105 Ward in Bayelsa State are crossing over with me to sail afloat. PDP, in Bayelsa today, is bedeviled by  intra-party crises, intimidation, mismanagement, manipulation of the party structure by the leader of the state, and lack of internal democracy.”

    Inokoba went further to list nine reasons why while their dumping PDP was inevitable. He named them as total failure of PDP to deliver its promises and dividends of democracy; primitive and undemocratic ways of piloting the affairs of the party; insensitivity to the plight of its members and government officials and apparent injustice and impunity in the party.

    Others, according to him, are failure of the party leadership to resolve issues in the party promptly and democratically; our desire to associate with fellow nationals and those who have the interest of the nation at heart; our belief in the change commitment, and our desire to change Bayelsa for good; our love for Bayelsa state, to rescue them from their cries and agonies perpetrated by PDP bad governance and our desire to see Bayelsans happy, lift the glory of all lands to her position in the country.

    Inokoba, unconsciously, shouted the PDP slogan, but was immediately corrected. He then, shouted the change slogan in what was referred to as an induction ceremony for him.

     

    Commonsense revolution

    The former Managing Director, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Chief Timi Alaibe, made the event colorful. Alaibe, the pioneer Coordinator Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) and Presidential Adviser on Niger Delta Matters led hundreds of his supporters to declare for the APC.

    The event united Sylva and Alaibe, who hitherto were seen as arch political enemies. Alaibe’s popularity as the candidate of Labour Party for the 2011 general elections was partly the reason why Sylva, the former governor of Bayelsa State, made a costly political mistake of seeking tenure elongation along with other four governors. Their temporary victory at the lower court was botched by the Supreme Court judgment, which sacked them and caused Sylva his reelection.

    The grand rally for the first time in a long while brought the two “Timis” together. Alaibe fondly referred to Sylva as the stage leader of APC. Adopting the words of the National Leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, he described the event of the day as a commonsense revolution. He declared that change has come to Bayelsa.

    But, he said: “When you say change, it is not because you want to change for the sake of it. People say change is constant, but, it is not for the sake of it. We are changing from poverty to prosperity. We are hanging from intimidation, deceit, manipulation, ‘wayo’.

    “A state as strong as Bayelsa State, an oil-producing state, cannot tolerate poverty. Poverty is not our portion. But, all around the streets of Yenagoa and Bayelsa is poverty. ‘Abi dem curse us?’ How can we produce oil and not benefit from the proceeds by way of good schools, scholarship? Our children are abroad, scholarships are not made available. ‘Abi I talk lie?’ Children in schools have no desk ad benches. ‘Na so we take give them power before?’

    “All that must stop, because change has come to Bayelsa state. I want to make it clear today that, all the leaders gathered here today signify the grassroot politics of Bayelsa state; the politics of Bayelsa state is changing to the APC under leadership of Chief Timipre Sylva, who is the leader of the state.

    “We believe that February 28 is a forgotten story. So, Creek Haven is our portion. We will sweep them away. Sweep PDP away”.

     

    December 5 as judgment day

    Senator Heineken Lokpobiri was known as one of the loudest voices of the Southsouth in the Senate. A grassroot politician, Lokpobiri’s dream to return to the National Assembly as a ranking senator was frustrated by the PDP.

    He aligned himself with the remarks of Inokoba. But he added that the PDP in the state was dead and its burial date fixed for December 5, 2015. His forceful speech was interrupted by cheers from the crowd.

    He said: “I want to say that the immediate chairman of PDP who just defected, his tenure and office just ended two minutes ago when he decamped here from PDP to APC. His speech contained everything anybody could say here.

    “But, I want to say that PDP is dead today. And, the burial date is 5th of December 2015. Let me make this point very clear: it is individuals that make a party, not a party making individuals. We that are defecting today are those who made the PDP, and today we have killed the PDP, and we have also fixed the burial date which is the 5th of December.

    “When somebody dies, he does not wake up; only Christ that died and rose up again. When somebody dies, he is buried. PDP is dead today; we have bought the coffin; we have fixed the burial date, we will dance ‘Owugiri’ on the 5th, and bury PDP finally, so that Bayelsa can be part of the change that is going on generally”.

     

    Grievances

    Chief Lionel Jonathan Omo, an industrialist and close associate of Sylva also led his supporters to declare for the APC. He accused the Dickson-led administration of lacking vision. He said Dickson and his PDP have o idea of how to take the people of the state to Paradise.

    “If today, Bayelsa state is in the throes of poverty, economic stagnation and neglect, it is because the leadership is bereft of vision. They don’t know how to carry the people into the Promised Land. That is why poverty is looming large; that is why you are not employed. It is because the man at the head does not have a vision that he will package our contract and give it to Hausa contractors.

    “Where are the contractors of Bayelsa origin? And when you are led by a people without vision, you are bound to perish. But before you perish, you have the capacity to liberate yourself. You can only liberate yourself by voting out this present administration.

    “As I was coming, I looked up two words in the dictionary. One is ‘kakistocracy’, which means, ‘a government of the worst’. The other word is ‘kleptocracy’, which means, ‘a government by thieves’. The PDP government is a manifestation of kleptocracy and Kakistocracy.

    “In the middle of all these, there is hope. When Sylva began this movement, people thought that it will not work. But the poet said, ‘God moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform; He plants His footstep on the sea, and rises upon the storm’.”

     

    No room for emperor in Bayelsa

    Chief Nestor Binabo is one of the pillars of the PDP. He was the Speaker of the House of Assembly and the acting Governor. As the acting governor, he handed over power to Dickson, who incidentally hails from his local government area in Sagbama.

    Binabo recalled how he handed over power to Dickson with the aspiration that Bayelsa would be administered to the benefit of all.

    He said: “But, today, we have not got one dividend of democracy from Seriake Dickson. He decided to make himself an emperor. He has refused to listen. He has refused to be part of us. And today, because he has refused to work together with the Bayelsa people, those who handed government to him, have decided to come over to where Bayelsans will have succour.

    “Today, on behalf of the Sagbama people, we started the move for the death of PDP. We formed the Bayelsa West Political Front, and from that, it metamorphosed to what you see today.

    “We are telling Bayelsans that those of us, the strong politicians who define what happened in Sagbama local government and Ekeremor, mandated me to tell you people that the PDP is no more in Bayelsa West. We will go further to say that PDP is dead today, and wait till when PDP shall be buried in December.”

     

    No going back to PDP

    Surprisingly, Dorgu was among the PDP heavyweights that joined the APC. Dorgu was at the vanguard of the 2011 campaign for Dickson’s re-election. She formed a house-to-house campaign project known as Keme-to-keme that sold the candidacy of Dickson to the people.

    In recognition of her contributions, the governor supported Dorgu for the House of Representatives to fill the seat he abandoned to become the governor. But, the relationship was said to have gone sour after Dickson frustrated her from getting the PDP ticket to return to the National Assembly.

    Addressing the crowd, she said: “I only want you to take this home this little phrase, that is, what we are doing here today represents a paradigm shift in development and growth of Bayelsa state.

    “And, I can tell everybody, the world over that, there will be no summersaulting to the PDP. We have made up our minds; we have come to a place where like minds are operating, and so it is APC forever”.

     

    ‘APC’s prospects’

    The former governor is the foundation of the APC in the state. He was perhaps the only prominent voice of the party during the era of former President Goodluck Jonathan when other voices were subdued out of tribal and regional sentiments. He is no doubt an indisputable leader of the APC in he state.

    So, when he was invited to the stage to address the crowd, the people roared in excitement and addressed him in his fondest titles of Opuabadi and piggaton. Sylva said his joy  was full adding that he was excited to see his brothers and sisters come back to him.

    He said: “Today the APC in Bayelsa state is complete. We have had too many divisions in Bayelsa state, engendered by people who are completely parochial. Today, the time for the unity and peace of Bayelsa has come; we should try to make sure that as we come to this party, we foster peace not only in this party, but in the state.

    “Bayelsa has seen enough acrimony discord and death, and even blood. Under this administration, there have been too many political killings. The deputy clerk of the bayelsa state House of Assembly was murdered brutally. Today we have not heard anything from the investigators.

    “The secretary of the Bayelsa State Electoral Commission was brutally murdered; nothing has been done about it: blood on their hands. The creeks of Bayelsa has become impassable, because sea piracy has taken over our creeks.  Nobody can move around again in our waterways.

    “Bayelsa people love the APC. The prosperity for Bayelsa people has finally come. The time of poverty will go away very soon on December 5. In Abuja, the PDP government has been decapitated at the top. So, the PDP is already dead without a head. In December, we will bury that PDP in Bayelsa State, and then, you will see all the good things that will happen to you.

    “The Brass LNG that was not brought to us by our son will be brought to us; development that was not brought to us will be brought to us; the east/west road that was not completed by our son will be completed.

    “If PDP wants Bayelsa to vote for them, let them, please, point out to me, one road that was constructed in Bayelsa state by the outgone PDP government- the federal government. If they can’t show me one, let them show me half; if they cannot show me one or half road, then tell me, why you and I will support the PDP. That is why you should support APC”

    He thanked the PDP chairman, Alaibe, Chief Werinipre Seibarugu, Binabo, Lokpobiri, Dorgu and many other PDP heavyweights who took the decision to join him in the APC.

    The highpoint of the event was the presentation of brooms, the party’s symbol to some  of the PDP stalwarts who led other members of their old party to APC. Inokoba, Alaibe, Lokpobiri, former acting governors, Chief Sebarugu and Chief Binabo; Senator John Brambraifa, Maj. Andrew Oputa (retd), Christopher Milky, Alex Ekiotene, Christopher Enai, Dr. Stella Dorgu and Mathew Karimu, each received the APC symbol.

     

    Level playing ground

    Oyegun, who was elated at what he described as an earthquake, paid tribute to Sylva through whom he said the ship of APC berthed not just in the state but also in the country. He told the people that they had made history adding that among all the defection rallies he had attended the event of the state was second to none.

    “This is the first time a party is totally decapitated. The chairman of the PDP who represents the head of the party has left and the PDP is now headless. Anybody that is headless cannot survive.

    “We now have former deputy governors, former National Assembly members, former commissioners, former this and former that. Who is left in the PDP? Nobody. The People in Bayelsa is making history for the South South zone”, he said.

    He said the lost of the Presidency was a blessing in disguise because it opened the eyes of the people to see underdevelopment, hunger, poverty, suffering, bad roads and other vices.

    He described the South-South as the powerhouse of the country and said the region could not afford to be left behind in the mainstream politics.

    He said after the December 5 governorship election, the APC will produce more progressive governors  in the region.

    He said with Bayelsa joining mainstream politics, the people will have more roads, more dividends of democracy.

    “The PDP members, who have left to join us today, have found a new home. There is no fear of use and dump,” he said adding that the APC is not a party of share the money but a platform to create prosperity for everybody.

  • ‘Nigeria’s blue revolution capable of reducing N125b fish import’

    Professor of Fisheries, Martins Antekhai  has said the fisheries sector is heading for a complete turnover with the blue revolution plan as multinational companies respond to  government’s call to join  the campaign to reduce the N125 billion annual fish import bill.

    Antekhai, who is of the Department of Fisheries, Lagos State University,  said  the decision of fisheries multinationals to cut down on imports and embrace aquaculture will play a big role in increasing national fish production, thereby creating  more jobs for Nigerians.

    He said a lot of investors are going to tap into the vast unutilised land and inland water resources to address the shortage of quality fish seeds, adding that it will give a boost to the sector.

    While the approach is going to deliver increased profitability in the long run, the don said reducing importation on the other hand will lead to the development of a virile fish export industry.

    Already, Antekhai added that the level of fish consumption is big enough to support aquaculture.

    In tandem with the Agriculture Transformation Agenda, Triton Aqua Africa Limited commenced its local harvest at Iwo, Osun State.

    Its Director of Production, Mr. Yashpal Jain said the firm is going into local production in a bid to reduce fish imports for which the company has been involved.

    Jain said the pilot phase of the project is located in Iwo, where it already had a poultry project in the past, but added that for the aquaculture scheme, additional 25 acres of land had to be secured.

    The pilot stage at Iwo, Jain explained, is growing the African catfish of the Clarias Gariepinus species in ponds as big as two standard plots of land for one.

    Overall, two large earthen ponds with the dimension of 100m x 80m, six of 100m x 40m and four nursing ponds of 80m x 25m are expected when the pilot fish farm infrastructure is completed.

    For Tilapia, he said though cages in which they are kept are expensive and usually imported, the company would source and fabricate locally such number as would be needed in the course of establishing the farms.

    From the existing ponds, 40 tonnes of catfish is expected at this instance; however, Jain explained that 2.2 cropping can be done in a year and would amount to 88 tonnes of full capacity at this stage.

    Chief Executive Officer, Raju Santani said Triton Group, which came into business in the country in 1995 owns a two-million catfish fingerling capacity hatchery in Ikeja, Lagos State from where it sourced the stock for the Iwo project.

    Santani said about $65million is planned for investment in catfish and tilapia production in the next five years to complement efforts of government to grow the local fisheries sector and create more job opportunities in Nigeria.

    He said the plan is to establish fish farms for both tilapia and catfish in different parts of the country. For this reason, various state governments were approached to partner with the company to grow fish, provide jobs and boost the economy.

    For instance, Oyo, Ogun, Kwara and Ekiti states have been approached with applications, for working relationship that would release water bodies like in the various Water Basins and dams for fisheries activities.

    The Tilapia to be farmed is specially improved breed, the Genetically Improved Farmed Tilapia (GIFT), which he said are getting wider acceptability worldwide.

  • MASSOB: A revolution betrayed

    The reported MASSOB anti-Jega demonstrations in key towns across the five southeast states on Friday March 13, 2015, left a sour taste in the mouth.

    Ten days before the demonstrations MASSOB leader Barr. Ralph Uwazuruikehad called on INEC Chairman  Professor  Attahiru Jega to resign. What has happened to MASSOB? Has Uwazuruike of late allowed rascals and ragamuffins in MASSOB to drive the movement? This action of MASSOB defies logic. It is curious theatre of the absurd.

    In their desperate effort to find an excuse for their quixotic action, MASSOB said that they “are not hiding the fact that we are supporting Jonathan because of the honour he accorded our leader, Dim Odumegwu Ojukwu”. The honour they were referring to was Jonathan’s personal attendance in Nnewi at the burial of Ojukwu. The group started on a wrong premise when they claimed that Ojukwu was their leader. The fact is that Ojukwu was never the leader of MASSOB and he never claimed to be so. Infact he described MASSOB as “Biafra of the mind” Uwazuruike is clearly and unmistakably the leader of MASSOB.

    It is unfortunate that a group of zealous young Igbo (sic “Biafra”) irredentists who have assigned to themselves the responsibility of championing total separation from Nigeria in preference for a Biafran State, suddenly found it convenient to dabble into the affairs of Nigeria such as election matters! One had expected, as they are won’t to do, that they should be calling on all Igbos to boycott the election since Igbos (as they claim) are not Nigerians but Biafrans! This act of irresponsible and incomprehensible youthful exuberance is totally antithetical to the antecedent of this self-appointed freedom fighters under the banner of Movement for the Actualisation of the sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB).

    This ill-advised action raises a number of issues and questions. First is the movement now being compromised for bread-and butter-food-on-the-table? Or have some overzealous empty headed charlatans taken over the movement? MASSOB said it endorsed President Jonathanfor the presidential election ostensibly on behalf of Ndigbo and went on to call on Ndigbo to vote Jonathan. It claimed that it was acting in the best interest of Ndigbo. Haba-a!

    Here again MASSOB goofed. Since when has it become the concern of MASSOB to champion the interest of Ndigbo through collaboration with the Federal Government which MASSOB sees as the principal malefactor, the monster that stands in-between them and their actualisation of sovereign Biafra? This posturing is ridiculous and childish in the extreme.

    At first, one thought that a splinter group was springing up within MASSOB. But when the leader himself started to sing the same song, one was compelled to believe that something was wrong somewhere. The question that immediately came to mind was: Could Uwazuruike, a seasoned lawyer, be part of this charade? How could a man who had all along been championing a separatist cause suddenly wake up and shoot himself on the foot? Or is he bewitched? By pitching his tent with the head of state of the same country which Uwazuruike and his MASSOB say is the enemy of their people, the man and his MASSOB have committed hara-kiri! They have put logic upside down. Their action defies rhyme and reason.

    Let us flash back on the antecedents of MASSOB. On the day Uwazuruike hoisted the Biafra flag and proclaimed the Republic of Baifra at Aba, 21st May, 2000, he clearly stated the goal of MASSOB thus: “Our mission is sovereign Biafra. Our duty is to ensure that the struggle does not die”. Unknown to the Nigerian authorities, MASSOB was using a weapon more devastating than guns – peaceful resistance- war by other means. Government searched for evidence of violence-guns, bombs, grenades, knives, ammunition and other offensive weapons – and found none. Government then thought that MASSOB must be a hoax.

    Slowly but steadily, MASSOB started to draw attention of Nigeria with its “sit-at-home order” to Ndigbo wherever they lived in Nigeria. The response by Ndigbo was spontaneous. The result was that business and commercial activities were paralysed across the country on the first and subsequent days of the sit-at-home order. Government was compelled to take note and series of arrests, detentions, court actions and even extrajudicial killings of MASSOB members became the order of the day. Uwazuruike himself became regular victim of police and DSS detention. Inspite of all this MASSOB continued to forge ahead. At one time they tried to stop Ndigbo from participating in national census, arguing that Ndigbo are not part of Nigeria! They are Biafrans! The rest of the story is now history.

    What has really “transformed” MASSOB to the extent of being so much concerned with  Nigeria’s affair as to bother about how Nigerian election is conducted, and to the extent of staging demonstrations across Igbo land?

    It may be painful, but one is compelled to draw one of two conclusions about MASSOB. It is either MASSOB has been bought over by forces working for Jonathan or the “revolution” has lost its steam and bearing. According to MASSOB, their endorsement of Jonathan is in appreciation of his showing up at Ojukwu’s burial. These boys must be told that Ndigbo have long passed the stage of being teased and caricatured by mere tokenism or symbolism such as attendance at burials. They should be told that what Ndigbo want in Nigeria today, as always, is justice and equity in an environment that guarantees them security of life and properly – no more no less.

    By this careless and badly thought out action, MASSOB has robed itself of whatever semblance of sympathy they hitherto might have enjoyed among some Igbos. Uwazuruike should take note that he has himself to blame if he turns his MASSOB into “food is ready” organisation. The spirit of MASSOB died the day it decided to wade into the murky waters of Nigerian politics. By so doing, MASSOB has betrayed its own “revolution” as a separatist movement.

    •Asogwa, a lawyer and social commentator, sent this piece from Enugu

     

  • ‘Gas revolution is inevitable in Nigeria’

    ‘Gas revolution is inevitable in Nigeria’

    Dada Thomas is founder and Chief Executive Officer of Frontier Oil Limited, operator of Uquo Marginal Field, the first marginal gas field in Nigeria with over 37 years of experience in the oil and gas industry. Thomas has managed a variety of increasingly complex engineering projects and general management roles in both Nigeria and Holland before setting up shop. In this interview with Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf and Ambrose Nnaji, he speaks on the pros and cons of attaining a gas revolution in Nigeria. Excerpts: 

    Much has been said about Nigeria’s enormous gas reserves. Is this a fact or fiction?

    I believe that Nigeria should understand that gas revolution has started slowly but from now it will begin to gather momentum.  I think in the next 10-15 years, you will see a major improvement in the way gas is being harnessed and used in Nigeria to ensure that you can grow the Nigeria economy. It means improvement in the quality of life for Nigerians. For instance, if you turn gas into power, it means that the hair dresser can do her business properly; the welder can do his work properly. It means that the factories can produce goods, it means that people can be employed locally to generate wealth and that can only be well for the Nigerian nation. It means that when you finish your work, you can go to your house and turn the same power for you to cook, on your air conditioner, television set and relax before you go back to work the next day. It means a major improvement in the quality of life of every individual in the country.

    Your company won the contract for the first marginal gas field. What has happened after then?

    Yes, 24 marginal fields were awarded in 2003 and as today, eight or nine are in production. We became the 8th, when we commenced production in January 2014. I think the fact that we are successfully producing today is due to our belief in what we are doing; a belief in the Nigerian economy and system, and a belief that what was supposed to be an oil project turned out to be a gas project, but we did not run away – we did not abandon it, which is what most people have done in the past. We saw that there is a potential for gas to unleash the Nigerian economy if gas became a viable thing to do. We persevere; we took a chance and along the journey, gas pricing improved.

    In 2010, the Minister of Petroleum Resources and this current regime increased gas pricing from the $0.5 per thousand standard cubic feet to $1.5. So, that made our budget more hopeful but that was not enough. We persevered and we were able to sell gas on the willing-buyer-willing -seller agreement, first of all, with the Ibom Power Plant and then secondly, with Calabar National Integrated Power Project (NIPP). That allowed us to progress the project on the basis, which is not hugely profitable but, at least, can see some light at the end of the tunnel. I think that the fact that the Minister of Petroleum Resources has again announced an increase in price from $1.5 to $2.5 per thousand cubic feet – you guys should not keep on mixing the units. MSCF is a thousand standard cubic feet; MMCF is million.

    That success tells you the fact that yourself and our partners persevered in what we believed in. We managed to secure the gas contracts and our partners managed to raise the money because their job is to raise the money for this project; our job is to operate. The success of that dream and that perseverance paid off on August 14, 2014, when President Goodluck Jonathan himself came to formally inaugurate the Uquo Gas project and the gas plant. We are truly thankful to God that we have achieved something, which really nobody else in Nigeria has achieved; which is to successfully bring on stream the largest non-associated gas project in sub-Sahara Africa and, of course, Nigeria. We are proud of that. It is the first marginal gas field; every other marginal field has been oil. This is the first marginal gas field development; this is the first gas-to-power project by an indigenous group; this is the first development of a gas supply value chain in the south east Niger Delta – completely brand new. All those are the major firsts, which this project has recorded and we are very proud of that.

    I believe there is a future for gas in Nigeria. As for Frontier Oil, we have been in the forefront to develop gas for domestic use and we also want to develop oil as well. As an integrated oil and gas company, we believe in doing the work professionally with integrity because that is the only way to truly grow in the gas field in Nigeria.

    I can tell you that the other marginal fields’ operators that are not producing will know what will be their fate in 2015 when the government will decide whether or not to revoke their licences. My prayer is that the government will look at each case individually or on its own merit. By the end of March, we will know which marginal fields’ company retained what and which one has not lost their licences. I think they should increase their efforts to bring the fields into production. This has shown that marginal fields can contribute to the development of oil and gas industry in the country.

    Considering the onerous task of managing the kind of assets you have, how has Frontier Oil been able to cope thus far?

    Frontier was formed with a very clear vision. The vision was to build a Nigerian E & P company that would have the demonstrated capacity and ethical approach to developing an oil and gas business entity. So, we have always been very focused; we are not rent seekers; we did not form our company to be rent seekers. We formed our company to grow from a little income into a mighty oak. Frontier was formed by a group of like-minded people; I am the founding Chief Executive Officer. The Chairman is Chief Odoliyi Lolomari, who is a former Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in the 1980s and represented Nigeria at the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). There are also ex-directors of Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) – professionals with considerable oil industry experience and non-oil industry experts to broaden the capability of the board. We have a diverse board but mostly oil industry experts and we formed Frontier Oil to grow from a little company to a regional company, making use of Nigerian expertise, knowhow, capability and, of course, you mix that with international knowhow because that is the nature of the oil and gas industry. That is our objective. We were formed in 2001 to participate in the first marginal field round and we won it in 2003 in the most competitive marginal field round. We came out on top and we are very proud of that. As I said before, we won it 100 per cent – some of the fields have two or three people joined together but only Frontier Oil won this field. As at today, we have a very broad-based shareholding. There are more than 30 shareholders in Frontier Oil and they are all Nigerians. We are 100 per cent owned and managed Nigerian company. We have grown from staff strength of only me in 2001 to over 130 Nigerians as at today. There is no single expatriate in Frontier Oil. The Uquo Gas Processing Facility was inaugurated and is being operated by 100 per cent Nigerian Frontier personnel. There is no single expatriate in Frontier Oil or in that plant. So, we are very proud that our vision of 2001 is still valid. What we want to do now is that having brought Uquo to life, we want to grow the business- we want to grow the company because our vision is to become a regional company that will be listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange and possibly, either London or Toronto, or whichever other bourse suits our objective.

    The International Oil Companies (IOCs) are not keen in investing in domestic gas because they said that the price is not economic to justify the investment. How are you coping with the current price of $2.5?

    I think you have to look at the context of everybody. The IOCs are very different from indigenous companies. The reason that they exit marginal fields in the first place is that within the portfolios of the IOCs, those fields are not just economic to develop because their cost structure, their overheads, is just too large to make such fields profitable. In any business, you have to look at cost-benefits ratio. If the benefit is low compared to the cost, you will leave it. So, you don’t blame them based on their own criteria for not wanting to do certain things.

    Remember, they have one thing they call choice. They are sitting in The Hague or London or in New York on San Ramon or wherever it is with a $10 billion and they have the whole world to look at. If the cost per unit of operation is X there and 2X there and 3X in the other place, you will naturally go for X. So, the IOCs have the power of choice to make a decision because they have global reach.

    If Nigeria continues to make itself unattractive, we will continue to lose investments. Small players like ourselves – our cost structure and overheads – are completely different. That is why we can make marginal fields successful. That is why there are nine marginal fields producing today, from fields the IOCs would have never produce. But coming to gas – why are we able to make a success of it? We are not in the heaven yet with Uquo. The Managing Director of Total spoke in your paper recently, saying that they have spent $900 million to build gas pipeline from Oil Mining Lease (OML) 58 to supply Alaoji Power Station and that the current gas price will not make the project economic, despite the fact that they have done it and that to make sure that the project is economic, they need between $5 and $7 per thousand standard cubic feet of gas. I fully agree with her. The current increase from $1.5 to $2.5 per thousand standard cubic feet is very good but we are not yet near where we ought to be. We are still well below world market price. What it means for us is that it is encouraging that slowly, instead of digging ourselves into 50 feet grave, may be, we are in a 23 feet grave and with time, things will change that will allow our project to become totally economic.

    We need to get gas pricing domestically as attractive as may be, Henry Hub in the United States; I am not saying as in Korea because in Korea, that is the highest gas price paid in the entire world. Henry Hub is about $5, $6 or $7 right now in the United States and that is in spite of Shale gas. We need to get gas pricing moving in that region in Nigeria for you to have absolutely no reason to beg anybody to invest in gas. They will invest so much in gas; you will have so much gas that we won’t know what to do with it. This current price of $2.5 per thousand standard cubic feet is nice but is not going to have people screaming to invest in gas. There is another impediment, which is the infrastructure for distributing gas and transmitting gas. It is expensive to build pipelines and there is not enough gas grid to make it attractive for people to just be developing the infrastructure. The fiscal regime for gas in Nigeria is under threat as we sit here now. What do I mean by that? Here is an industry you want to grow and my simple-minded concept is that to grow an industry, you should incentivise it. Instead, in the proposed Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), they propose to increase gas taxation from 30 per cent Company Income Tax (CITA) to 80 per cent. How does that incentivise an industry? So, you are going to nearly triple the tax and yet you think people and going to run and put their money in that. Secondly, royalty on gas is steep. Why do you want to put additional royalty on top of the proposed 80 per cent taxation? You have royalties on gas. Those policies do not seem sensible to me. To me, what I would expect is to incentivise people to bring their money and put it into gas, which is a long term investment. It is not like oil where people expect to make their returns in two years. Gas is a long term investment. Therefore, you need to incentivise people – either decrease or retain the current tax rate, which is 30 per cent; you need to make the royalty regime far less stringent. Relax it, okay. Thirdly, I think you should give people tax break on gas development. This is what any sensible nation that wants to incentivise a sector to grow by people bringing their money and putting it in that sector. I don’t think we should be increasing their taxation on gas. I don’t think we should have stringent royalty on gas. I think we should have tax holidays. Why shouldn’t we? Remember that when Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) was being built, they got massive tax break; massive tax holidays. When Chevron was building, the Escravos project, which has just produced its first liquid, they were given massive tax break. Why is it now that indigenous operators like us, who are going to provide all your new gas in the next five years – ourselves, Niger Delta, Seplat – those are the new gas that will come on stream in this country, not from the IOCs. Why are we facing penalties rather than incentives? If you could incentivise IOCs for Bonny LNG; for Chevron’s Escravos, why are you not incentivising us, your home-grown players? It does not make sense to me. I will call upon the government to truly look at incentivising gas by reducing or retaining current tax; relaxing royalties; giving tax break and giving gas access to people like us, who have proven that we are not jokers and that we are real. Total came; Shell came – Shell used to own the entire country. When they come, they have may be, only one field but over the years, they have 20 or 30 fields.

  • Who are the Children of the revolution?

    Who are the Children of the revolution?

    Last month’s book-of-the month discussion and drama organised by the Port Harcourt World Book Capital (PHWBC) was held at the Hotel Presidential, Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The book in focus was Children of the Revolution, the first novel by Ethiopian/American author Dinaw Mengestu. The discussion was moderated by Azubuike Wokocha (OAP 93.7 Rhythm FM) while Milliscent Nnwoka (OAP Nigeria Info FM) and Mrs. Judy Nwanodi (Rainbow Book Club Trustee) were discussants on the panel.

    Children of the Revolution, is the story of African immigrants living in America and their struggle to adapt, while trying to keep their individual identities. Sepha, the main character, appears unable to embrace the American lifestyle and as such he misses out on opportunities that come his way. He also let slip by him a promising relationship with Judith, his American neighbour, whose incorrigible daughter he was very fond of. His statement that “A man stuck between two worlds, lives and dies alone,” aptly summarises his lonely existence.

    Expectedly, participants expressed divergent views on the immigration issue with some supporting while others were against wondering which country could possibly be better than Nigeria. It was observed that the title of the book was misleading as the reader would be expecting some sort of war or conflict but author Ifeanyi Ajaegbo argued that all Africans can rightful be referred to as Children of the Revolution in one way or the other, as ‘we are all involved in the struggles for life.’

    The novel leaves participants with few lessons; for instance ‘how our past shapes our future and it also teaches us to take advantage of opportunities.’ The interaction was not all about book reading as the University of Port Harcourt Institute of Arts and Culture performed EXODUS, a play written by Omar Omara and directed by Dan Kpodoh.

    This month, the Port Harcourt World Book Capital programme will feature its 12th and last book. The book in focus will be The Virtuous Woman by Zaynab Alkali and will be read on Sunday March15; and the venue remains Atlantic Hall, Hotel Presidential, Port Harcourt. The reading will be followed by a stage adaption of the book. The author, Prof. Zaynab Alkali, will be in attendance.

  • My music will herald a revolution

    Veezyblaze is a final year student of economics at the University of Jos. Real name, Ulu Vincent Chijioke, the 26-year-old musician and actor reveals he is hungry to herald a revolution in the music industry where he wants to hit the entertainment industry from ground level. He spoke with SALIHU ISAH.

    YOU are a final year economics student at the University of Jos; what is the experience like being a student and an entertainer?

    It has been very tough actually, because of the course I am reading. It’s not been easy as I have to travel a lot to push my career in entertainment and at the same time return back to face my study. However, most times I have had to skip lectures and atimes test, but I never miss examinations. In the overall context, God has been there for me and to him I give the glory.

    Besides your education, let’s know a little about your background?

    I am from a family of five, four boys and a girl and I’m the third in the family. My mum is late. She was trader who was always there for us. My dad is a retired military officer who served the Nigerian Army faithfully. Today, he is a practicing engineer who is on his own. My parents are from Owerri West Local Government Area of Imo State. So, this makes me a full-fledged Igbo boy, Igbo kwenu. That is what I am.

    You released a single, Slow Down recently, how is it doing in the market?

    The single is having a massive download right now on the internet. But I am planning the video shoot which I hope to release as soon as it is concluded. Let me say so far so good. Slow Down is well accepted by fans and music lovers.

    Why is this so?

    Maybe because of the message I tried to pass with it. It talks about someone who is joyous or should I say carried away with the positive occurrences around her and believing that in the process of over celebrating she could be inviting something bad; because too much of everything as they say is bad.

    What is your philosophy in life?

    My philosophy is to live my life the best I think is good for me and humanity. I won’t live to impress anyone but me. Just like to be me.

    What are you to music and what is music to you?

    Music is my life. Music is my life, body and soul.

    Can you recall your first time on stage?

    Obviously, I can’t ever forget that fateful day. It was way back in Katsina 2009 where I was slated to perform alongside my good brother and fellow entertainer, Benjamin Ukejeh, popularly known as MC Musa. We were invited by the Katsina State government when it hosted the youth corpers posted to the state for their national service.

    The performance was actually after they rounded up their orientation before they began their mandatory service. The day was awesome, because after the initial stage fright, I got myself together to give one of my best performances ever. The corpers actually made me feel at home which in effect helped my composure. Since then, I have been there on stage over and over again. I cannot forget that day because it coincided with the year I got admission to study at the University of Jos.

    Do you play any musical instrument?

    Yes, I play the drums, especially these rolling drums kind off. I am very good with the drum.

    The Plateau State capital, Jos is synonymous with creative arts especially music through which it has produced internationally recognized stars like P-Square, TuFace Idibia, Ice Prince etc. How do you connect with the Tin City?

    I have this special affinity with Jos, the Tin City. Entertainment wise, there are several of these internationally recognised stars that have blown up from this wonderful city. They include P-Square, TuFace Idibia, Ice Prince Zamani, Kelvin Pam, late MC Longs, Jeremiah Gyang, Pernen Percy Paul, Ruby Gyang, Lindsey, Christine Ben Ameh and even, Jim Iyke. They all trace their history to Jos.

    Even in the area of sports; the likes of Mikel Obi is there to be counted. So Jos has a huge, huge tradition of superstars. There is a new kid on the block who just exploded recently, his name is Charass. These are some of the guys I want to emulate in order to keep the tradition of those I want to refer to as the ‘Tin City Squad’. And this tradition will linger for a long, long time.

    What inspires your kind of music?

    My kind of genre musically speaking is Afro pop, sometime I spice up with a little of R nd B as well as soul and reggae stuff. I draw my inspiration from the happenings around me mainly, current and past situations in the country as well as the love that permeates inside of the human being especially those close to me. All these I put together as lyrics which I compose mainly at the middle of the night.

    How many singles have you dropped and how many albums as well?

    You know I am under a group name, Blaze Empire Entertainment which I own. However, I have been able to release about four tracks all of which have enjoyed numerous airplays; but no albums yet.

    Why is this so? Why have you not released an album?

    I am bidding my time and time they say; will tell. You see, I am not in a hurry to release an album yet because I want to put certain things in order. There is also that problem of sponsors and promoters which I am trying to secure. I want to use this medium to call on promoters to try and discover new arts like us with a view to invest because some of us are coming up with something entirely different that is capable of heralding a whole lot of revolution in the music industry; not just in Nigeria but globally. The sponsors inlude the foreign investors as well.

    As an actor, how do you combine this with your music career?

    Well combining both is very simple for me. These two aspects of creative arts go side by side. They complement each other and so for me it has not been a problem combining them. What you love you do with ease. This is how it rolls. In the make-belief industry, I am also one of those recognized scriptwriters who like to pass messages in contemporary, epic and comedy form.

    What is your relationship with the Hausa entertainment genre?

    Currently, I have a cordial relationship with some of its practitioners and we have something in the offing very soon in the form of a collabo. This venture will definitely be mind blowing by the time we drop it into the market.

    Who are your role models in the industry?

    R-Kelly, Antonio Bandarass, JCole and Jack Bauer are my foreign inspiration. In Nigeria, I have the likes of Fela Anikulapo Kuti, Tuface Idibia, Jim Iyke and Sam Dede as role models.

  • ‘Agric revolution in Africa could increase global carbon emissions’

    Productivity-boosting agricultural innovations in Africa could lead to an increase in global deforestation rates and carbon emissions, a Purdue University study finds.

    Historically, improvements in agricultural technology have conserved land and decreased carbon emissions at the global level: Gaining better yields in one area lessens the need to clear other areas for crops, sidestepping a land conversion process that can significantly raise the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere.

    Agricultural advances in Africa, however, could have the reverse effect, increasing globally the amount of undeveloped land converted to cropland and raising greenhouse gas emissions, said Thomas Hertel, a distinguished professor of agricultural economics.

    “Increasing productivity in Africa – a carbon-rich region with low agricultural yields – could have negative effects on the environment, especially if agricultural markets are highly integrated,” he said. “This study highlights the importance of understanding the interplay between globalization and the environmental impacts of agricultural technology. They are deeply intertwined.”

    Debate surrounds the effects of agricultural innovation on the environment, Hertel noted. Some researchers suggest that increasing the profitability of farming will amplify its negative environmental effects, raising greenhouse gas emissions and accelerating tropical deforestation. Others argue that intensifying agricultural production is better for the environment overall because more land can be spared for nature if the same amount of crops can be produced using less land.

    “We set out to determine who was right,” Hertel said.

  • IBEDC: Harbinger of revolution?

    SIR: The famous Arab spring which swept away many governments in the Arab world in 2012 and caused the raging war in Syria began as a child play when a Tunisian vendor set himself ablaze in protest against police brutality. We need to recollect that French revolution of 1789, which led to the fall of the monarchy in France was caused by scarcity of bread at that time. To say that Nigeria is rife for revolution is to say the obvious. Revolution in this context means change which can be forceful or peaceful. The socio-economic and political crisis engulfing the nation which have led to high cost of living, hyper-inflation, unemployment and under-employment, insurgency, violent armed robbery, kidnapping, rigging of elections, assaults on high court judges, and abject poverty are all pointers to the fact that Nigeria needs changes.

    The activities of the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC), particularly as relates to outrageous billing regime could trigger revolution in Nigeria. This may sound an exaggeration, but the examples in history mentioned above show that it may be real. The protest by some electricity users in Ogbomoso few weeks ago, over what they termed crazy bills is the basis of my assertion hence I am using this avenue to appeal to the organization to watch its activities and not set the nation on fire because of its desire to meet exploitative targets. The protesters embarked on a series of protests from September 15 through Wednesday September 17, to denounce the excesses of the IBEDC. The protesters went as far as dumping their crazy bills at the Divisional Police Officer (DPO’s) office at Owode, Ogbomoso. This was followed by protest to the palace of the monarch, Oba Jimoh Oladunni Oyewumi, Ajagungbade III.

    To forestall such ugly scenario in future, the government must caution private organizations in service industries to stop exploitation of the people.

     

    • Adewuyi Adegbite.

    Apake, Ogbomoso.