The Nation Newspaper

Tag: strategise

  • Malls strategise for Children’s Day

    Malls strategise for Children’s Day

    This year’s Children’s Day celebration promises to be exciting and rewarding, as major shopping malls and fun spots across the country strategise on how to latch on the annual ritual to host the leaders of tomorrow to increase sales. TONIA ‘DIYAN reports. 

    Children’s Day is four days away. May 27 is set aside by The United Nations (UN) to recognise children worldwide. Ahead of this year’s celebration, the tempo of activities in and around shopping malls and fun spots is high. This is an indication that the celebration will be exciting and rewarding to children, parents and retailers. With May 27 being a school holiday, the management of these fun centers and malls are leaving nothing to chance to ensure that parents spend quality time with their kids. They also hope to drive sales in the process.

    The shopping malls and fun centers are promising a fun-filled celebration for children and their parents, as special celebrations will be held for the kids such that they will always look forward to the annual event. For instance, some owners of fun centers and shopping malls, The Nation Shopping learnt, have concluded arrangements to organize workshops where children would learn wonderful crafts by themselves. Upscale shopping mall such as Adeniran Ogunsanya Mall in Surulere, Lagos, has made provision in this regard.

    The Public Relations Manager of Adeniran Ogunsanya Mall, Omolara Mumuni, said that on children’s day, kids who will be at the mall will be allowed to participate in different kinds of games.  ”We have made provisions for children to  paint, do photography, dance to  music, perform choreography, mime to their favourite songs, recite poems, current affairs and so on,” Omolara said, adding that children will also go home with gifts that will be useful to them at school.

    Others like SilverBird Galleria, Ozone Center, and Leisure Mall Cinemas are not left out, promising to make available educational and motivational films for the children. Also, the online and offline stores, as well as major markets within the Lagos metropolis are stocked with more gift items for children than during ordinary seasons. For them, the event is an opportunity to drive sales, which is why they won’t stop restocking to satisfy existing and prospective buyers from schools, government parastatals, orphanage homes, religious bodies as well as individuals.

    They also organise funfairs for kids while their parents do the shopping, even if they have to rent temporary equipment that would enhance fun for kids. They see children as their best marketing tools. They are therefore, encouraged to go the extra mile by providing children equipment like bouncy castle, train ride, merry-go-round and favourite mascots to entertain the children.

    On their part, parents are eager to buy choice gifts for their wards, the type that will keep lasting memories. Some parents make cartoon characters, toys, personalise gifts items or greeting cards choices for their kids. Monsurat Sanni, owner of Mo’ Bees Place- a kiddies shop in Lagos said: “It is important to make every May 27 special for children. After all, children will not only remember parents for the material things they provide, but for the feeling of being cherished and how they are taught to share love among their mates. She added that “Children are like precious gems, so parents should understand the significance of the only day set aside for them apart from their birthdays and make them happy.

    For  Stephany Nwanmah, Excutive Director of Tehilla Women and Youths Empowerment Foundation- a non- governmental Organisation (NGO), “Children are adorable; they are divine gifts that parents get from the almighty. Their eyes are full of innocence. They smile when they receive love and admiration; they cry when it is their first day at school away from their parents; they giggle when they mingle with their peers, and they signify nothing but pure and faithful love. They truly symbolise God, therefore, let us as parents and mothers play our roles on their special day.”

    Nwanmah added that childhood memories are the sweetest of all; they can be savoured for a lifetime and that the celebration is fun for the little ones and important for parents too. “Every parent must understand the importance of Children’s Day. Parents should be well aware about the little desires of their angels” she advised.

    The endorsement by parents and the elaborate preparations by fun centers are in sync with United Nations (UN) General Assembly, which about 60 years ago, recommended that all countries institute a universal children’s day to be observed as a day to celebrate children and draw attention to their problems. This was why Nigeria adopted May 27 of every year as its children’s day and has observed the day till date.

    The belief is that the once-a-year celebration is capable of lightening children’s dreams, which is why the fun centers and malls are now wearing new looks in form of cartoon walls. Since last week, some of them have also been creating colourful fairyland and balloon castle to come out with a perfect ambience to celebrate children.

    According to Mrs. Chidinma Nwosu, a parent, “With arrangements like this, I can only spend little to treat my kids and make them happy. Because I understand via hand bills and advertisements by these shopping malls that the whole exercise will be free. So, I love to be part of it.” This perhaps, explains why for children, the event, which comes up Tuesday next week, is the perfect time to make requests from their parents. And their parents usually and immediately oblige them in the spirit of the celebration.

    As Professor Wole Soyinka, Nobel Laureate put it: “Children decide the future of any country. Therefore, if the children of a particular country are provided with adequate security, proper foundation and development opportunities, they can uplift the nation towards greater prosperity. On the other hand, failure to protect, feed and educate the children ruins all the expectations of any nation.”

    That thought-provoking quote by Prof. Soyinka is food for thought that beyond the razzmatazz of this year’s Children’s Day celebration, government and parents should take a critical look at the plight of the Nigerian child. Will the day serve as a reminder to all concerned to renew their commitment to the welfare of children, protect them and teach them to live by good standards and example? Time, they say, will tell.

  • Tornadoes strategise ahead Sokoto clash

    Tornadoes strategise ahead Sokoto clash

    National league campaigners, Niger Tornadoes are intensifying training ahead of their clash against visiting Sokoto United in Minna on Saturday. The former premier league side, who failed in their bid to checkmate Kwara United last weekend, believe claiming the maximum point at the expense of the visitors is a task that must be done. The Minna Landlords are yet to register an away victory but remain optimistic that the miracle will come. Coach of the side Hamza Abdulazzez who blamed the 2-0 defeat in Ilorin to ill luck, has already charged his side to put the defeat behind and forge ahead. “Our game plan was to win, but you know football, we lost it”, he regretted

    Despite the loss, however, Abdulazzez gave thumbs up to the centre referee for putting professionalism above selfish interest

    Coming from the coach of a side who lost a game, some followers of the national league say it is an indication that the era of constantly blaming the referee each time a match is lost may be on its way out of the system.

  • Senate, Service Chiefs strategise on security

    Senate, Service Chiefs strategise on security

    The Senate yesterday mandated Service Chiefs to tackle security challenges threatening Nigeria’s unity.

    The matching order was handed down to the Service Chiefs at a marathon meeting the lawmakers held with head of security organisations.

    The meeting held in the Senate Chamber lasted over six hours.

    Chief of Defence Staff Admiral Sa’ad Ola Ibrahim led the Service Chiefs to the meeting, which was attended by Chief of Army Staff Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika, Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Dele Ezeoba and Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Alex Barde.

    Inspector General of Police Mohammed Abubakar was represented by the Deputy Inspector-General (DIG), Administration, Suleiman Fakai.

    Security Service (SSS) Director-General Ita Ekpeyong also attended the secret meeting.

    The Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters, Senator Joy Emodi, led the Service Chiefs into the Senate chamber after the Senate had adopted a motion to admit them.

    The Service Chiefs, who were also led out of the Senate chamber by Senator Emodi, declined comments on the session.

    Reporters who targeted the Service Chief as they approched their cars were prevented from talking to them by their aides.

    Our correspondents gathered that the lawmakers referred the Service Chiefs to the civil war and urged them to do their all to prevent a recurrence of such an ugly incident.

    It was also learnt that Senators recalled the recent arrest of some suspected terrorist in parts of Lagos State and sought to know to what extent such people have penetrated the country.

    The session was said to have been convened to appraise the security situation.

    It was said to have been informed by the desire of the Senate leadership to formulate a template that could be forwarded to President Goodluck Jonathan as “ways and means to address the worsening security problems in the country”.

    Senators were particularly said to have been alarmed that despite the huge monetary vote to address security challenges, “much success has not been recorded especially in the area of addressing the Boko Haram insurgency”.

    A source confided in one of our reporters that the leadership of the Senate was disturbed that security agencies seemed to be on top of the situation.

    He noted that some senators felt that security agencies were losing grip of security challenges, “thereby exposing Nigerians to danger”.

    The source went on: “We wanted to know the challenges of the security agencies.

    “We also wanted to know why despite huge appropriation of funds, insecurity and wanton destruction of lives and property continue every day.

    “We had frank and fruitful interaction and in the days ahead, we expect some positive changes.”

    After the meeting, Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba, moved that Senate President David Mark should report the progress.

    The motion was promptly seconded by the Deputy Minority Leader, Senator Ganiyu Solomon.

    Mark simply said that the Senate was briefed on the security situation by Service Chiefs.

    He added that after the briefing, the Service Chiefs took questions from Senators.

    Mark asked whether what he reported was a true reflection of what transpired at the closed door meeting.

    The Senators chorused “yes”.

    The Chairman, Senate Committee on Information, Media and Public Affairs, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe who was mandated by Mark to brief the press on what transpired at the meeting, said: “The Senate today devoted the entire plenary session and few other hours, a total of about six hours, to an interaction with the Service Chiefs and heads of other security agencies.

    “The intention was to be able to find out what the problems are and also to be able to work with the security agencies to bring the very serious security problems we have to a possible resolution.

    “We are satisfied with the level of interaction and the commitment of the security agencies to making Nigeria a far safer nation.

    “We are also calling on all Nigerians to cooperate with the security agencies in order to help us to resolve the issue.

    “We promised that we will continue to have regular interactions with security agencies. This is one of those interactions.”

    Asked whether they reached some resolutions with the security agencies, Abaribe said that what they had was briefing from different security agencies without any resolutions reached.

    He said it was not in the place of Senate agencies to reach resolutions with security agencies.

    “But we are satisfied with the level of interaction we had with the security agencies,” he said.

    On whether they discussed policy changes, such as amnesty and change of tactics, the Senate spokesman said what they got was a briefing.

    He insisted that any other option is a policy decision that should be made by the Presidency.

    Abaribe noted that policy decisions are not made at briefing sessions.

    On the lengthy session, he said it was informed by the issues involved.

    He said the interaction was aimed at ensuring that at the “shortest possible time the security challenges facing the country would be resolved”.

    The Senate adjourned plenary till April 16.

  • Residents, police strategise on security

    No fewer than 500 hoodlums were arrested in Orile -Iganmu, a Lagos suburb, last year before peace was restored in the area, Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Trade Fair Police Station, Robinson Eregare, a Superintendent (SP), has said.

    Eregare, who was DPO of Sari-Iganmu Police Station, urged residents to corporate with the police to ensure security of life and property.

    He spoke at a seminar on community policing, organised by the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC), themed: “Securing our environment.”

    Security, he said, was everybody’s business because the police could not do it alone, adding that collaboration would make the community safer as it was when he was DPO there.

    Community policing, he said, was necessary because policemen are humans and cannot be everywhere at the same time. “The police need useful information and a clear assistance from the community to arrest criminals,” he added.

    Eregare urged residents not to entertain fear as information given to the police would not be leaked to unauthorised persons, adding that the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Mohammed Abubakar had mandated his men to respond quickly to distress calls.

    He identified poor road, lack of good education or upbringing, unemployment and bad parenting as some of the factors encouraging crime.

    The community and the police, he said must collaborate to rid the community of criminals.

    A landlord in the community, Reverend Zedekiah Omoregha, said crime rose in the area in recent times because of socio-economic reasons. “The robbers don’t come at night again they come at 6:00 or 7:00pm with all kinds of weapons to rob from one house to another and in the process creating unnecessary panic,” he said.