The Nation Newspaper

Tag: survival

  • We are concerned about the survival of KABAFEST

    Hadiza Isma El Rufai, wife of Kaduna State Governor EL Rufai is author of An Abundance of Scorpions. The book featured at the recently concluded Kaduna Book and Arts Festival (KABAFEST 2018). She speaks on how dear the festival is to her heart and why it must be sustained as legacy, Assistant Editor Arts OZOLUA UHAKHEME reports. 

     

    All through the festival you have always been around. How dear is the Kabafest to your heart?

    As you can see, I am here almost every day since the festival opened. With that, you should know that Kaduna Book and Arts Festival is very dear to my heart. In fact, it is something I enjoy to do, I love being in the midst of writers and other creative minds. I am the wife of the Governor and of course, I have to take on certain roles. Those roles are not necessarily the roles I enjoy performing. This is what I consider my primary constituency. I love the environment, I love Kabafest and since you have been here I’m sure you have been through some of the panels of discussions. You can see how vibrant and interesting the discussions have been.

    From the discussions so far at the festival, it is like the narrative is changing, Can we say it is coming relatively late especially on issues of gender equity and religion?

    It is said that it is better late than never. Yes, you can argue that it is late because some of the issues that are discussed should not be issues in the year 2018. But unfortunately they are still the issues. Even at that, it is a good thing because the starting point is to bring out the issues and discuss them openly. That is why we always say that in KABA Festival, what we say here is not for judgement.  People should be free to say what is on their minds and we should not judge each other.

    How do you feel joining the league of writers after the presentation of your book An abundance of Scorpions?

    Of course, I’m happy. I feel very great about it especially as a Northern Nigerian woman and I think we need our voices. We need more Northern Nigerian women to write so that other people will not write them for us. And if you don’t, others will tell your story for you the way they want. It is very important for us to keep writing our own story and I will like to encourage young women especially to try their hands in telling their stories.

    After An Abundance of Scorpions, what are we expecting?

    Well, I don’t want to say too much about it but it is going to be a sequel. You know how writing is, even if I say something now on what I’m writing, it might turn out to be something else. So, I will say I’m working on something at the moment.

    How early are we expecting it?

    I don’t have much time to write. I try to write but you know there are other duties that get in the way. I guess that is why writers go on writing retreat because when you go on a writing retreat you know that is why you are there. You leave your environment and you know you are there to write. So, like you rightly said, right now, I don’t have much time to write but I guess maybe after the election, I will go somewhere to do that.

    Abundance of Scorpion was inspired by your experiences at the orphanage. Can you share these with us?

    I started thinking about writing as a result of the work I did at the children’s home. Many a time, I will sit with the children and play with them and I often wondered about questions of identity and where are these children from. And I wondered how chance makes us who we are because people do adopt. That is also a factor of chance because when a person adopts a child, he or she will mould the child towards his own identity. So, I started thinking about that and decided to write about a child growing up in an orphanage and then of course one thing lead to another and An Abundance of scorpions came to be.

    How can the seeming gap between Hausa writers in the north and English writers be bridged for global appreciation?

    The two are important in different ways. Hausa literature is important, literature in English language about Hausa culture is also important. Hausa literature will get people to read. I think whatever makes people to read is a good thing. So, there is a vibrant book market especially in Kano. There are lot of people writing in Hausa language. Many of our women read these stories so much in Hausa language. It is very good because it is getting people to read and I’m sure they touch on social issues as well and it will make people to think about certain things. But, the point is that it is all well and good. Again, we should not forget that it is important for us to tell our stories to the world at large. The Hausa literature is targeted at a certain market which is Hausa speaking community. Literature from Nigeria that is known about Nigeria is usually from the perceptive of Southern Nigeria. Nigerians outside are much, so there is another huge population out there that are not attended to-a large population whose culture is ignored. We need to get it. So, the only way to do that is to write in English language because you can’t run away from it.

    Indigenes languages are important and we shouldn’t let them die but nobody can run away from the fact that in the whole world today English language is an important language of communication.

    Yasmin El-Rufai Foundation is so close to your heart.  How did it all start?

    Well as you can tell from the name of the foundation, I named it after my daughter I lost in 2011. She was very creative and I thought the best way to keep her memory alive is to set up a foundation in her name. So, what we do at the foundation is in two folds.  We have two key programmes: women literacy and creative writing.

    In the women literacy programme, we target women that have dropped out of secondary school. So, we train them to speak English language, get some basic numeric skills that will be useful in whatever trade they do. They need to know that two plus two is four. In the creative writing programme, we run workshops. We have already opened creative writing clubs in some schools and we carry out workshops for them.

    How many women have passed out of the foundation?

    The programme took off about a year ago and we have six centres in various schools in Kaduna. We have 25 women chosen in collaboration with the community.  We have run it for about a year now. But, none of them is at the stage of graduation. We will graduate them when they can stand up anywhere and be able to speak English language, explain their products and what they are selling.

    We did a review recently and it showed they have improved.  A lot of the women were so happy that they can now help their children with home-work. Honestly, I didn’t know that was an issue because we take things for granted. Also, they can fill bank tellers. They are improving but not yet to the stage that we can graduate them.

    What is your take on issue of Affirmative Action in terms of women representation in politics?

    I think it is important. You know sometimes when you talk of affirmative action or quota system people always see the bad side of it. When you have affirmative action or quota action it doesn’t mean you should lower your standard. For instance, in politics women have many reasons why they are not able to compete with men. So, I think it is a good thing if we say maybe in a certain position in politics certain numbers should be women. What that means is that for those roles or offices no man should vie for it. But it doesn’t mean we should pick one inconsequential woman and put her there. What it means is that women who are competent will come out and compete for the roles. I think because of our culture, unless we do that we are not likely to see many women in politics.

    Can we tie this to girl child education?

    There is that of cause because the girl child is already at a disadvantage. For example you enrol boys and girls 50/50 in a school, the boys will finish school while the girls dropped out. It is important to make sure that the girls continue and complete their education.

    A popular book festival went down after the tenure of a governor. Is this a worry for you?

    It is something we are worried of and that’s why we are trying to see before the tenure of Governor Rufai ends that we sort out how we get the buy in of the private sector. As you can see on the banner, we have sponsors so that even if you don’t get the support of next government, we can still hold it. What is important to one government might not be for another one.

  • 2019: Fears over Labour Party’s survival

    2019: Fears over Labour Party’s survival

    This week’s defection of Labour Party’s only House of Representatives lawmaker, Segun Ogunwuyi, to APC, has evoked fresh fear over LP’s survival as a national party, reports Associate Editor, Sam Egburonu 

    FOLLOWING continuous loss of its major elected officials there is fear over the dwindling fortunes of the Labour Party as political parties prepare for 2019 General Elections.

    Since the last general election in 2015, unending intrigues and leadership crisis, leading to defections, have continued to weaken Labour Party, considered once to be the second leading opposition party at the National Assembly.

    When the Labour Party (LP), in 2017, lost its only representative at the Red Chamber, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, to All Progressives Congress (APC), concerned observers blamed it on unnecessary leadership crisis, warning the party to put its house in order, if it hopes to be considered a serious participant in future general elections.

    The defection of the senator, from Delta Central Senatorial District, had, among others, helped the ruling APC then to raise the membership of its caucus to 65, giving it a more comfortable lead as the main opposition party, PDP, had 43 caucus members then. Between that historic defection last year and now, so much have happened to further affect the fortunes of LP in the forthcoming general elections in 2019.

    This week’s defection of the only House of Representatives member of the Labour Party (LP) also to APC may have further refracted the status of the party as a major player ahead 2019 elections.

    The lawmaker, Hon. Segun Ogunwuyi, representing Ogbomosho/North/ South/Orire Federal Constituency of Oyo State, like Omo-Agege, announced his defection in a grand style, ensuring that the defection letter was read on the floor of the House by the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Sulaimon Yusuf Lasun, himself.

    In the letter, Ogunwuyi said he left LP due to its factionalisation at the national level. “I wish to notify you and the entire House that I have defected to the All Progressive Congress (APC). This action and decision is as a result of the factionalisation in the Labour Party that sponsored my election into the House of Representatives.

    “Presently, there are two persons laying claim to the position of the National Chairman of the party with its attendant factional National Executive Committees (NEC).

    Also addressing the media after the plenary, Ogunwuyi clarified that his constituency asked him to dump the Labour Party and join the ruling party in order to attract more federal projects to the state, emphasizing that he was leaving the LP with all his supporters.

     

    LINGERING LEADERSHIP CRISIS:

    As Ogunwuyi pointed out in his letter, LP’s major albatross seems to have remained the unending leadership crisis both in the states where it has managed to make appreciable impact and at the national level.

    In Oyo State for example, leadership crisis led to the initial challenges against the election of Ogunwuyi at the House of Representatives. It would be recalled that shortly after his election, a faction of the party in the state challenged his eligibility notwistanding that he was the only one the party could boast of in the house.

    A factional chairman of the party then, Adeola Adepoju, had publicly disowned Ogunwuyi’s election to the federal legislative seat.

    Addressing a press conference in Ibadan, Adepoju alleged that the lawmaker “was not properly nominated to vie for the position.” According to him Ogunwuyi did not resign his membership of his former party, the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), before contesting the federal legislative election on the platform of LP.

    He also said: “Also, we use this medium to state that Hon. Wumi Ladeji, Kayode Akande, Joshua Olagunju Ojo, contesting for Ogbomoso North, Ogbomoso South, Oriire state constituencies, respectively, and all other candidates on the platform of LP for the April 11 election, are not known to our party in the instance of our constitution. Proof of this is the litigation in a Federal High Court, Abuja, challenging all those parading themselves as members, chieftains and candidates of the party in Oyo State.

    “It is bizarre and it is only in a Banana Republic that a person or persons would not join a party of his choice properly and be parading themselves as members, chieftains and candidates of a party.”

    During last year’s elections in Anambra State, the party also suffered as a result of factionalisation and leadership crisis.

    Just when it mattered most to be united, a faction of the state chapter of the party announced the immediate suspension of its Chairman Mr. Uche Ugwuoji for alleged anti party activities and seven other members for allegedly “collaborating” to endorse the candidature of Gov. Willie Obiano of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) in the governorship election.

    Eddy Okoye, the Publicity Secretary in the state, who announced the suspension at a news briefing in Awka described the action of the suspended members as “selfish, illegal and a demonstration of anti-party behaviour.”

    He said: “The Labour Party hereby dissociates itself from the purported endorsement of Gov. Willie Obiano by some people masquerading as the party’s executives in Anambra.

    “The affected members have been suspended immediately for insubordination, gross indiscipline and anti-party activities,” he said.

    Reacting, the suspended chairman said “The allegation is not true, we have our own candidate; how can we endorse another party’s candidate?

    “This is frivolous, baseless and handiwork of people who want to start up another crisis in Labour Party,” Ugwuoji said.

    Reacting to the intrigues that have continued to reduce the Labour Party, Dr. Tunde Olusegun, told The Nation last Friday that the party has suffered from the hands of “unserious elements masquerading as leaders. At every point, they have betrayed the party, sabotaged every effort of genuine members because of their selfish political interests. As you can see, the party today has no serious national representative. It is a shame given the enviable prospects of this great political association.”

    The misfortunes of the Labour Party can be traced back to 2014, when Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State finally dumped the party.

    It was a rude shock that Thursday in Abuja, when Mimiko formally announced his defection from Labour Party (LP) to the then ruling PDP. Labour has not fully recovered since then.

    Mimiko did not only move over to the ruling party then, but went with the state elected officials. “Since then, Labour Party has remained a pawn in the hands of the ruling political parties,” Dr. Olusegun lamented, even as he blamed leadership crisis and selfishness for the misfortunes.

    Even more than the states, the national leadership of the party has remained a major source of struggle.

    At a point, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, had to dispel reports of leadership change in the party, saying it recognised only Alhaji Abdulkadir Abdulsalam as the authentic National Chairman of the party. But as the House of Representative member said in his defection letter, that statement from INEC has failed to resolve the confusion.

    Just last month, Abdul salam in the statement said that Omotosho had been dismissed from the party for anti-party activities after the 2015 general elections. The Nation investigation shows that the toll on the states has been tremendous, leading to fears that before 2019 elections, Labour Party may account to little except something more concrete is done to reposition the party.

    For example, there is still disquiet within the ranks of the Labour Party (LP) in Delta State, no thanks to the leadership tussle threatening to tear the chapter apart.

    It would be recalled that factional leaders, Chief Tony Ezeagwu and Emeka Nwaola, had been in court over the rightful person to lead the party.

    So, as political parties prepare for the 2019 General Elections, observers are worried over defection of major elected officials of the party at the centre and the unending internal quarrels in the party’s state charpters. The question today is, who will save the Labour Party?

  • Linkage offers survival for SMEs

    Underwriting firm, Linkage Assurance Plc, is committed to helping small and medium enterprises survive business challenges and grow into the future, its Managing Director, Dr. Pius Apere, has said.

    He made this known while speaking with newsmen in Lagos. According to him, the company through one of its newest products, ‘SMEComprehensive Insurance Plan’, provides financial protection to small and medium sized businesses against array of insurable risks in order to ensure their business continuity.

    SME comprehensive insurance, he said,  allows business owners to run their companies without having to worry about unexpected events that can slow them down or bring them to a complete halt.

    Apere said the cover provides for water damage from leaking pipes, money lost in transit, theft, fire incidence at warehouse, among other kinds of liabilities, stressing that these are liabilities that cannot always be anticipated. The company, he added, provides business owners the confidence they need to keep moving with the knowledge that their assets are covered from loss and other legal liabilities.

    He said: “The Plan is available with five different optional section and flexible enough to cater for the insurance needs of SMEs across diverse sectors of the market.

    “At Linkage, we understand that Nigerian SME businesses operate in a tough, rough and often fast changing harsh economic environment. SME businesses are still held to the same standards of corporate governance, employee welfare and liability as the larger companies and they often have to manage their risks with fewer resources and less time to spare on distresses other than those relating to day to day business.

    “SMEs, therefore, require an affordable, well packaged insurance policy, which will protect their assets, liabilities and employees from the risks associated with operating a business. Our comprehensive plan covers a wide spectrum of SME customers from a small single office premises for self-employed business owners to a multi-dimensional retail companies with a material damage/business interruption exposure spread across multiple locations.

    “The cover is for hotels, hospitals, water bottlers, publishers/printers, drycleaners, haulage, furniture, logistics and cottage manufacturers, among others.”

    Features of the plan listed include damage to buildings as a result of fire; theft of contents, with the following options to cover; occupier’s liability; personal accident for employees; professional indemnity and motor, including own goods.

  • Sickle cell: ‘Our stories of survival’

    Sickle cell: ‘Our stories of survival’

    With Nigeria carrying the burden of African country with the highest annual sickle cell death rate of 100,000, a huge chunk of them children under five; the disorder definitely deserves a renewed attention and combat; Adeola Ogunlade, who spent time with two young people living with the disorder, relives their stories of despair, battle for survival and hope.

     

    ABAYOMI Oyelami,  ‘We don’t need pity’

    32-year-old Abayomi Oyelami’s life is one of inspiration despite the sickle cell cross he has to carry. A graduate of Bio-Chemistry, Oyelami teaches at Dayfield High School, not too far from his home in Agege. As he trekked to school on this day, this reporter, who had met him at home as early as 5.30 in the morning, noticed his limp; but he explained it away as one of the challenges of his situation.

    “I have a leg ulcer. It is peculiar with people living with the disorder. My skin is very sensitive and any little wound, if not well attended to, could develop into ulcer.”

    His situation is made worse by a motorcycle accident he had on his way to his former place of work, which affected his hip. “The nurse who was treating me died last year; if not, the bones would have been placed back in its normal position.”

    Because of his situation, Oyelami could not stand straight for long, but his passion for his job was unmistakable. For some reasons, he chose this occasion to reveal his health status to his class of about 15, and for a moment, they went quiet in shock.

    To renew their hope and get the class going, he quickly added that Sickle Cell Anaemia is not a death sentence and that people suffering from the disease can live a normal life. He explained though that couples with the AS-AS genes should not contemplate marriage, as it could be hell on earth for their children; and for them too, as there is hardly any parent who’d like to see their children go through the pain the sickle cell disease put their sufferers through.

    Nonetheless, the pupils have positive stories to tell about their teacher. Tinubu Esther, who admitted noticing Oyelami’s yellowish eyes and the fact that he looks different, said, “We enjoy his class because he teaches well.”

    Afred Oseh said “Our teacher is good but I’ve noticed that he is sometimes weak and has to lean on something;” while Mercy Kisusa confessed that “His movement and the injury on his leg makes me worry. He also does not like stressing himself in class, but give it to him, he is good at his job.”
    His school principal, Mr. Gbenga Adeniyi said he wasn’t aware of Oyelami’s condition when he was employed, although he has noticed that he goes for medical check-up once a month.” The school also has another teacher, a victim of an accident, who also goes for regular check-up, hence, Oyelami’s case is not out of place.

    Besides, Adeniyi said the young man is up to the task.  “He prepares his lesson notes regularly and teaches the children well.”
    Oyelami said his parents did not realise his SS status until he was about 5, when he ” was always falling ill and my parents were concerned.”

    One scenario he cannot forget was when, in Primary Six, his dad had to carry him on his back to school to write his exams.

    In JSS I, he missed classes, which temporarily affected his grades, but he quickly bounced back and still emerged overall best that academic year.

    Growing up
    “Growing up was tough, but you tend to know more about yourself, as you grow up. I never had any form of stigma issue. My strength actually drew friends closer to me. I did all the playing during the day and in the night, I felt the pain. I also played street soccer.”
    As a first child, he did home chores, but his parents stopped him at a point. “I stopped fetching water because we were living in a three story building at that time, but I ironed my cloths. My mother still helps me to wash my clothes though.”
    Yet, Oyelami would love to be a role model to his younger ones. “I am not lazy; they know I’m strong and courageous and trying my best.”

     

    His LAUTECH days
    “My survival strategy in the university was to have friends in different departments. Daddy retired from civil service when I was in 200 level, so I had financial issues and had to rough it through. The only thing that brought my mother from Lagos was when I fell ill at 400 level. My exams were near and the social worker taking care of me requested to see my mother. She paid my bill and even supported me in paying my last school fee.
    Managing his crisis
    “Wherever I go, I always have a doctor friend. I once had to go through blood transfusion. I had travelled to ljebu-Ode to meet with one of my cousins but had serious crisis and was admitted to the university hospital. It was the longest time I’ve spent in a hospital.”

    He is thus of the opinion that more education needs to be put out there, to prevent people, who out of cheer ignorance or sentiment, still get married to the wrong genotype partners.

    “Sometimes, I ask singles how they would feel to see their child/children rolling on the floor for days in pain. Sometimes, SS children could curse their parents for bringing them to the world to suffer such pain.” He reasoned.

    Oyelami is an avid writer, passionate about Africa. He has a book about kids in Africa, which he published with his NYSC year’s savings.

    “I have approached the Lagos State Ministry of Education to get the book into schools, and I’m optimistic of a positive response.”

    He is a young man full of ambition and like Myles Monroe, wants to die empty.
     

    Temidayo Oredola, ‘I lost a brother to sickle cell’

     

    Temidayo Oredola made a first-class in Mass Communications from the University of Ghana and currently works as a journalist with one of Nigeria’s national dailies. She was born with the sickle cell disorder 30 years ago in the former Gold Coast and has had to struggle with the pain all his life.

    Oredola is the eldest of three siblings; two of whom turned out to be sickle cell carriers. “At a tender age, my younger brother, who died three years ago, and I were diagnosed of sickle cell disorder, following incessant illness and exhibition of symptoms of the disorder.” She reflected.

    Her parents were aware of the danger of their union but went ahead, she revealed.

    Curiously, she was initially diagnosed as an AS , but after continually exhibiting the symptoms, her parents were forced to put her through another test, which revealed her true genotype.

    Growing up

    “As a young girl in Ghana, I was very active and expressive. Mother was there to guide and support us. I played in the rain with friends, though not to the extreme. Usually I’d have pains all over thereafter. My close friends would always remind me of my health conditions, but I turned them down because I just wanted to play and have fun.

    “Sometimes, we would be taken from school to the hospital. Our parents were very vigilant and as borders, we had call cards to call home whenever crisis set in because secondary school was located in Ashanti Region, about 10 hours’ drive from home. Our parents paid for special food to be prepared for us; yet I was not satisfied and still sneaked out of school to nearby restaurants for normal food whenever I had money.”

    One incident that however made her sick and lose hope was when her 25-year-old brother doing his masters died at 25.

    Coping as a journalist
    Coping as a journalist is a big but surmountable task, she said. “I work on the Health Desk and I go out to report events like every other journalist. Sometimes, I do my stories on the road to the office to beat deadline and many of my colleagues didn’t know of my SS status until much later. My editor who understands my situation is however, always there to help.

    While living with her mom in Kwara State, she had a special room, but that luxury is lacking in Lagos, she revealed. “When I’m in pains, I sometimes need to put bandages on my hands. I also make frequent movements on the bed, which affect my sleep.  Most times, the pains I have affect my hands and legs. I don’t move when I have pains and I use hot water with towel. I need the heat to make the blood flow. The pain killers also help. An SS can spend 3 to 4 days in the hospital when the crises has gone beyond what an individual can manage.”

    “Most times, during my menstrual cycle, I have serious pain. But since I began to uses Ozeza seed or Iyere, the pain has reduced. The only time I feel pain is when I don’t eat well. I want to live a normal life regardless of my situation. I can do any home chores. My mummy tells us that in life, there is nothing we cannot do. I even hawked up to my 200 level. I also assist my aunt, who is into catering. I left home when I was 14 years, so I can manage all on my own. Dad left us when I was 16 to marry another woman and that has taught me a lot of independence. As first aid, I always have paracetamol and folic acid in my bag.”


    ‘Bone Marrow Transplant remains the only permanent cure’

    Consultant haematologist and stem cell transplant physician at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, (LUTH), Idi-Araba, Lagos, Dr Olushola Olowoselu provides an in-depth perspective into the sickle cell scourge.

     

    Early signs and symptoms

    Sickle Cell Anaemia was formerly thought to be “Ogbanje” or “Abiku” traditionally in Nigeria until its biological basis was revealed.  Sickle Cell Anaemia, which is prevalent in Africa, is an inherited haemoglobin disorder that is characterised by homozygosity of haemoglobin S (HbSS). Hence, individuals with these homozygote HbSS genes are popularly referred to as “SS.” This disease arises when an individual inherits the abnormal haemoglobin S (HbS) gene from both parents. However, there is a group of individuals who are referred to as carriers of the sickle cell trait by virtue of inheritance of haemoglobin S gene from one parent. Carriers of the sickle cell trait do not present with clinical features –commonly called crisis that are associated with the disease.

    The hereditary nature of the disease makes it present at birth, even though the onset only becomes evident 5 – 6 months later. Swelling of the hand, especially around the wrist, is the initial sign that is usually observed; then painful crisis episodes set in as aging occurs. Low blood level and yellowness of the eyes are also common features. Some individuals with Sickle Cell Anaemia develop acute chest syndrome, stroke, or painful penis erection at puberty. Parents should look out for the early signs, to seek appropriate management and/or cure.

    What triggers crisis?

    Episodes of painful crisis have been reported to be triggered by environmental and psychological factors. These predisposing factors including stress, dehydration, travelling at high altitude, exposure to extreme temperature (cold or hot), and all forms of infections, make individuals with Sickle Cell Anaemia susceptible to crisis.

    I have seen a sickle cell patient who underwent labour pain and attested that labour pain is milder than the pain that arises due to sickle cell.

    The Bone Marrow Transplantation treatment, BMT remains the permanent cure for Sickle Cell Anaemia, especially in children under 18, could you explain this?

    Bone Marrow Transplantation (BMT), which is also known more recently as Haematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant (HSCT), as it has been revealed that stem cells (unspecialised cells that have the ability to mature into blood cells) do not arise only from the bone marrow but also peripheral blood (blood drawn through the vein) and umbilical cord blood of a newborn. Bone marrow transplantation is a complex procedure in which infusion of Haematopoietic stem cells are given to an individual in order to normalise blood formation. Allogeneic, autologous or syngeneic are three types of Bone Marrow Transplantation. This classification is based on the donor or source of the stem cell. It is allogeneic when the stem cell donation is trans-individual (from one individual to another individual). It is autologous when stem cells donor is the same individual that would receive it.  It is syngeneic when the stem cells are obtained from identical twins.

    In Sickle Cell Anaemia, autologous BMT is not practicable; allogeneic BMT is however obtainable presently. Eligible donor must be matched genetically with the sickle cell patient, to ensure full compatibility. This is very important as the degree of compatibility must be high, though not necessarily 100%. Thereafter, chemotherapeutic drugs would be used to wipe out the patient’s stem cell, so as to ensure removal of defective cells from the patient’s body and create space inside the bone marrow wherein normal stem cells infusion is being introduced just like blood transfusion. This is usually done in a pressure controlled isolated room. The patient’s immune system is being monitored to ensure there is no complication of infection.

    Bone marrow transplant is usually indicated as treatment option for sickle cell patients within age 2 -16 years. However, this does not apply to other age groups because of vulnerability to increased complications due to high possibility of organ damage in adult sickle cell patients, which impacts negatively on the overall success rate of BMT. Efforts are been made to circumvent this limitation though, as some centres are carrying out the procedure for sickle cell patients 40 years and above. However, this is still at clinical trial stage.

     

     

     

  • Survival (and investment) tips for these times

    Survival (and investment) tips for these times

    These are busy times for financial analysts and investment consultants. Oil prices keep tumbling. The capital market is battling to retrieve its reputation as a sure haven for investment. Budgets are being battered by the reality of the day. The rich are grumbling and the poor are crying. The Wall Street’s wall has indeed fallen flat.

    The wealthy and mighty get tight-fisted. They even fire their employees in a desperate and deft cost cutting move. Yet there are those who will be seeking new havens into which they can pump their fortune.

    In such an uncertain situation, the field becomes an open arena of hyenas and all manner of gangsters, tricksters and pranksters posing as financial engineers. Trust “Editorial Notebook” to weigh in at such perilous times. Here, therefore, are some survival and investment tips. It is all in line with this column’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and in the true spirit of good citizenship. Let’s get cracking.

    There have been reports of some of our compatriots acquiring large expanse of land in Abuja and other places, ostensibly for farming in response to the huge admonition to join the battle for diversification of the economy. Farming, we have been told, is in such cases a mere subterfuge. The real motive, we have learnt from a top source, is to build deep down in the heart of the farm a huge vault in which hard currencies are stashed away, away from the ever-prying eyes of Ibrahim Magu’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and lily-livered bankers who can’t keep a secret.

    Yes, banks don’t keep secrets. You deposit just a few billions and before you sign the teller they have leaked the small transaction to the EFCC, which expects you to be able and willing to explain how you came about the cash as if it is some forbidden substance, such as heroin.

    You don’t have to bury your hard earned money in the farm; that is crude. Neither do you need to build shopping malls and filling stations in your wife’s name. No.

    Britain seems to have buried its lofty idea of building a world class prison in Nigeria where our compatriots who have fallen foul of that country’s law could be brought back home to serve their term. The plan is to have such a facility in a quiet area. It will be air-conditioned, with sporting areas as well as food canteens that can compete with the best hotels in town, its chefs certified by some of the best hands in the trade. There will be giant television sets so that interested inmates do not miss the premiership and other shows, including the latest Nollywood movies. Clinics will be well stocked with good drugs, not the expired stuff you encounter all over the place. There will be doctors. That was the glamorous picture they painted for us.

    Why not invest in such a facility and turn it over to the government, which will most likely cry out soon that it cannot cope with the huge army of would-be convicts that are likely to arise after the conclusion of the numerous corruption cases that are in court? It is called Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT).

    The government, I can bet, will jump at such a plan, which will free its dwindling funds for other critical areas, such as the bad roads and unsightly airports.

    The Prisons will no longer need to hire vehicles to convey suspects to the courts. A little bird tells me that should plea bargaining fail to resolve many of the corruption cases in the courts, it will be time to concession the prisons – just as we have done with some of our key roads.

    An investment in a world class hospital won’t be a bad idea. Since the renewed anti-corruption war, there have been many complaints by some prominent suspects who claim to be suffering from one condition or the other. The ailments go by some esoteric names, such as sinus bradycadia. Incidentally, many of them were not diagnosed here in Nigeria where the facilities are lacking.

    Should plea bargaining become a hard bargain, many of our Awaiting Trial (AT) big men may decide to check into hospitals for a long rest, believing that time will strip the anti-corruption war of its bite. They will pay a fortune for such facilities that are comparable to the five-star hotels to which their lives have been conditioned. Sure they will.

    If the Dr Goodluck Jonathan administration had not been truncated by popular will, one of its key projects would have by now become a favourite of every household. Besides, it would have saved the treasury so much in foreign exchange. Will somebody invest in cassava bread?

    Many Nigerians seem to have suddenly realised that there is no need rushing overseas for summer holidays. The exchange rate has dampened the enthusiasm of many for the yearly ritual of summer travels. But airlines need not fret over the seeming low patronage. They can deploy their small  and old aircraft, create an artificial shortage of seats on their flights, offer some nebulous discount and, thereby, lure as many as possible to take to the sky again.

    As the wealthy need investment tips, so do the poor need survival tips. What with the failure of “stomach infrastructure” as state policy and potent weapon for votes harvesting. We have seen through it all, some people seem to be saying now as they sneer at those who lulled them to sleep with chicken and rice while they stuffed their vaults with the people’s cash.

    It is not compulsory to eat three times a day. Besides the fact that it is economical to cut down on food, we are told it is healthy. Reduce meat, especially beef. No more cow leg, roundabout and such tantalising stuff. Drink more (pure) water at the local buka.

    When you are done, don’t forget to grab an extra toothpick. Put it away in your pocket. When you step out of the canteen, pull the little stick out, put it in your mouth, strike it gently with your teeth and bite it intermittently. That way you announce the fact that you still feed well despite these hard times.

    With little hope that the electricity situation will improve – attacks on gas pipelines, controversial billing systems and all that – you can set up a mobile phone charging centre. Get a small power generating set, the type derisively called I beta pass my neighbour. It is cheap to fuel. No need for a shop. Just go to places where the power crisis is at its worse. Put the machine on your head. Without saying a word, a crowd of eager telephone users will mob you. You can then charge appropriate rates and smile all the way home.

    You will, in no time, discover that this is better than football betting, the Baba Ijebu type in which many have, strangely, found some succour. Now that commercial motorcycles (okada) are becoming endangered – no thanks to criminals who deploy them in their nefarious activities – it is time you learnt how to walk. Doctors say it is healthy. Those guys who trekked several kilometres to Abuja to mark President Muhammadu Buhari’s victory in the April election sure know their strategy. They will never feel the impact of the high petrol price. Besides, don’t doctors say it is healthy to walk?

    A cheeky fellow was asking the other day if people would still like to trek and scream Sai Baba! Will they?

    Feel free to use these success tips. They are free. You only need to acknowledge the fact that you got them from here when you hit it big. Best.

     

    Turkey’s future

    It is sad that Turkey’s political situation has snowballed into a major crisis. The world has united behind Turkey not because Tayyip Erdogan has been such a wonderful man – some insist he is a budding dictator – but there is a global revulsion against soldiers running governments.

    Erdogan has hastily blamed it all on the respected moderate Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen, who is on self-exile in the United States. Gulen, who denounced the failed attempt and reiterated his belief in democracy, thinks Erdogan may have plotted it all as a trap to smash the opposition.

    Most of the soldiers deployed in the so-called coup were merely told that they were going on a military exercise. As of the last count, Erdogan has sacked more than 8000 across government institutions. More than 7,500 have been arrested and 15,200 fired in the Education ministry. That is not all. In the Judiciary, 2,700 have been given the push; 140 Supreme Court members arrested and 1,577 deans of private and public universities asked to resign. There are more casualties.

    The death penalty is being considered for the soldiers who are suspected to have been part of the failed coup.

    The world should keep an eye on Turkey to ensure that Erdogan, who has taken over newspapers and jailed journalists, does not use this bloody chance to kill the opposition and become a true dictator.

  • ‘Effective healthcare crucial to survival of mothers, babies’

    A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), MamaYe, has called for effective healthcare planning to save the lives of mothers and babies.

    Its country director Dr Tunde Segun called for evidence-based plan of action to ensure good health for mothers and their babies in Nigeria and Africa.

    Speaking during a  training organised by MamaYe on investigative reporting of maternal newborn health (MNH) for reporters in Kadunna, Dr Segun said the public and private sector should put maternal and newborns’ health on the spotlight.

    He said maternal and newborn health (MNH) scorecards can be used to influence health strategies and planning during health sector review meetings.

    For him, budgetary allocation to health should be increased to strengthen mother and newborn health.

    “However, the little allocated should be well accounted for and properly utilised,” Segun said.

    He said there was need for the strengthening of maternal death reviews (MDRs), in facilities or in communities focused on action-oriented responses.

    Segun said promoting transparency through publicly accessible mother and newborn health (MNH) evidence, news, success stories, government commitments is a measure for knowing the state of mother and baby.

    He said  accountability mechanisms should be strengthened, that is, for broader inclusiveness, at national and sub-national levels to track progress and improve quality of care.

    He said: “Evidence for action (E4A) advocacy and accountability was delivered through a campaign known as MamaYe, through which E4A will build and join together a coalition of supporters to achieve a shared goal of saving the lives of mothers and babies in Nigeria and regionally”.

    The campaign, he said, was a public call to action encouraging everyone to play their role in the survival of mothers and babies.

    The focus, he said, should be on survival than mortality, adding that people’s expectations should be raised on the issue.

    Besides, evidence should be used to celebrate success, spur action and promote accountability.

    He said it was possible to protect the life of mother and baby.

    Segun said more women and newborns now survive childbirth than ever because they are accessing treatment at safe facilities, which deliver higher quality of care due to adequate and equitably distributed human resources, drugs, supplies and equipment.

  • Okpodu sure of Ikorodu Utd’s survival

    Okpodu sure of Ikorodu Utd’s survival

    Ikorodu United head coach, Sam Okpodu, still  believes that the Lagos club will not be relegated to the second tier of league football  at the end of this season.

    The former Nigeria women’s national team trainer said the Oga Boys “need to win three consecutive games” to beat the drop.

    Though Okpodu did not state which of the three successive fixtures in which he hopes to mastermind three straight wins, supersport.com’s check on the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) calendar for this season shows that Ikorodu United’s next three games are against Lobi Stars (away), Enyimba (home) and the derby with MFM (away).

    “We are not going to be relegated. We need to win three consecutive games to escape relegation,” said Okpodu.

    Ikorodu United have been unable to win consecutive games this season. Their best back-to-back results in the top tier remains taking four points from their opening two games this season in the 1-1 draw with Abia Warriors and 1-0 win over Lobi Stars, both home matches at the Onikan Stadium.

    The Oga Boys are currently in 19th place in the NPFL standings with 15 points from 21 matches.

  • How not to engage history: Lamido Sanusi and the survival of Nigeria

    Abstract

    In November 2015, I wrote an article published on the backpage of the “Nation” focusing on the relevance of the past to the present especially in Nigeria.  In that write-up, I tried as much as possible to express my disappointment and frustrations about the poor attitude of our educational policy makers to history as a subject.  This is with a special emphasis on the removal of history from the secondary schools’ syllabus.  My frustrations derive from the fact that historical consciousness cannot be neatly separated from the emergence of a materially and spiritually robust society anywhere within the global village.  The two must necessarily dance together.

    However, there was a gap in that article.  That vacuum will hopefully be filled by this new piece.  First, there is need to remind ourselves about what history is and why we study and narrate it.  History simply put, is an intellectual engagement about past events or important activities that have occurred in relation to an individual concept, perception, person, socio-cultural and political institution, geopolity or ethnicity.  This means that all historical narratives have to be logically rigorous and constructed so as to reduce fallacies, misconceptions, misapplications and misjudgements to the barest minimum.  Therefore, history coupled with its teaching (formally or informally) can never and should never be handled by anybody who is not prepared to embrace the principles of thoroughness or meticulousness.  In this regard, the narrator of history has to create an enormous space for openness, unfettered personal integrity and uncommon intellectual rigour.  This scenario enables him to navigate the often stormy waterways of the past with relative ease.

    In other words, the narrator must go beyond the domain of description as he dives into the past on the wings of indigenous epistemologies.  This entails the application of a wide range of explanatory models and/or networked paradigms so as to determine the causes and effects of certain socio-economic and political events, their trajectories and mode(s) of change in people’s behaviour or thinking.

    It follows from the above, that history though painfully, a barbarised area of human life and living in Nigeria, is a sensitive subject.  History has the capacity to build or destroy a system, region or nation depending on the calibre of the narrator vis-à-vis his motive as well as targetted audience.

    The formal or informal teacher of history must necessarily take cognisance of these fundamentals in order not to set a nation or region ablaze.  History teaches a lot of lessons including the capacity to engender a fine-grained appreciation and understanding of humanity across time and space.  This is a pre-condition for wisdom.  Wisdom is the pillar upon which the edifice of Nigeria rests.  Nigeria can easily collapse when this pillar is removed either by design or accident.  In the African world-view, elders are a repository of history and by extension, wisdom.  I believe that this is even a bio-social universal.  However, the sensitive nature of the position a person holds in society can be used to categorise him as an elder even if he is relatively young.

    The Emir of Kano  Alhaji Lamido Sanusi is a highly respected and celebrated person and above all, a foremost traditional king in Nigeria.  This eminent citizen of Nigeria has an enviable, long pedigree that has naturally made him an elder.  Consequently, his public utterances must be well measured at all times in order not to worsen the already very unfriendly socio-economic and political atmosphere of our dear country.  The learned emir of one of the greatest African metropolises should always remember that his statements carry a lot of weight within and without Nigeria.  This is not to suggest that he should not be free to express his views on burning national issues as a Nigerian that also doubles as a socio-cultural leader of monumental stature.  As a matter of fact, Nigerians need such cerebral natural rulers/leaders more than ever before.  This gains its relevance against the background of the fact, that Nigeria at this crucial period of our collective existence as a nation, is at a crossroads.  Therefore, all major stakeholders in the Nigerian project must realise that moderation is of the essence!

    Alhaji Lamido Sanusi’s historical analysis or narrative a few days ago, where he lambasted the Yoruba ethnicity and its leadership right from the eve of Nigeria’s political independence is most unacceptable.  It is a hate campaign against the Yoruba and it cannot do anybody any good, especially at this period when the country is navigating a complex, stormy network of problems ranging from weak economy to feelings of gloom and despondency among the Nigerian masses, Boko Haram insurgency and the menace of the rampaging Fulani herdsmen.  This is in addition, to the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) otherwise known as Shiite Islamic Sect.

    The many reported cases of Fulani herdsmen attacks in Plateau and Benue states.  The near-genocide case of the Agatu community in Benue State recently as well as the subsequent killing of several Fulani herdsmen and their cattle in Nassarawa state in reprisal by certain Agatu boys.  Nigeria is now gaining in popularity as a bloodthirsty nation where the sanctity of human life has disappeared from our vocabularies of popular discourse.  This is a terrible, barbaric image we have to jointly erase from our consciousness as a people.  From Agatuland in central Nigeria to the south, the Fulani herdsmen are maiming and killing innocent people in their homes.  Farms are being destroyed at Oke-Ogun in Oyo state, Akure in Ondo state and recently in Enugu.  Are we in the Stone Age period?  Although the Nigerian security agents are trying, they need to do much more to arrest this ugly situation.  Are we a savage people?  Are we saying that Nigerians cannot manage their affairs without resorting to savage attacks?  Are we a bunch of sub-human beings?  Definitely this country is sitting on a keg of gun powder.

    However, it is gratifying to note that the National Chairman, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders’ Association, Alhaji Kiruwa Zuru and some key leaders of the group are supporting the federal government to find lasting solutions to these problems.

    As a prominent/senior Nigerian citizen, the above problems and their solutions should worry Alhaji Lamido Sanusi.  He should leave historical engagements or narration to the gurus in the field in order not to cause more havoc to the already highly traumatised/irritable Nigerian people.  Innocent Nigerians who are being harassed for nothing in their fatherland need food, electricity, jobs and security as opposed to a hate history.  Nigerians regardless of their ethnic backgrounds are free to work and/or live anywhere in the country within the ambit of the constitution of our land, but no Nigerian is free to commit crime(s) without facing the full wrath of the law.  Cattle herding should not entail destroying people’s farms at will.  This reality underscores the reason why the president of Nigeria as our overall leader needs to work harder and faster as the clock ticks.  Nigeria cannot afford to have another civil war!

    The historical narrative of AlhajiLamidoSanusi was ill-timed and he did not examine critically the issue of causality.  The first “coup” in 1962 according to him was the brain child of the Yoruba and the January 15, 1966 one (coup) led by Major Kaduna Nzeogwu was also due to the riots in the West.  This is laughable!  It was a divisive approach to serious Nigerian problems.  All Nigerians today have to focus on things that are capable of promoting national unity and/or integration as well as sustainable peace.  An average Nigerian does not need this kind of politicking.  Therefore, politicians, natural rulers and their business associates should desist from insulting our collective intelligence understandably because the Nigerian masses (from Kano to Lagos through to Enugu and Maiduguri) have a common agenda  liberation from the bondage of economic and political oppression, repression and exploitation.  It is a pity that the Nigerian leadership class continues to use circumstantialism of ethnicity and/or religion in order to maintain the status-quo.  The Nigerian masses must wake up from their slumber so as to identify their real enemies with a view to liberating themselves from the shackles of material poverty and insecurity.  I submit here that most of the Nigerian problems and challenges today are enshrined in the sphere of smelly politics by our abusers.  They (our abusers) merely use the circumstantialism of ethnicity and/or religion to deceive the impoverished and traumatised Nigerian masses.

    • Professor Ogundele is of the Department of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.

  • ASCON plots survival amid economic hardship

    Participants at the retreat of the Top Management Committee (TOMAC) of the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON), Topo, Badagry in Lagos hoped that the gathering would afford the institution the opportunity to restrategise amid the economic hardship, as well as extend its human development capacity mandate to other African countries and beyond.

    The four-day exercise, which began on Tuesday, last week at the college premises, afforded the Director-General Mr Ajibade Peters the opportunity to present his stewardship in the last eight years to participants, having enjoyed two consecutive terms which expire in June.

    Participants also expressed concern about the fate of the 44-year-old institution in the face of the zero allocation that befell it last year, and its shoddy preparation to defend this year’s allocation before the national budget was passed.

    Nonetheless,stakeholders at TOMAC are optimistic that the college would wriggle out of stormy waters going by participants’ rich contributions , which they believe, would result into communiqué that are ‘practical, complete and also implementable,’ said Olatunji Daoudu, a participant and Executive Secretary, West African Management Development Institution Network.

    Earlier, Peters noted that unlike the previous editions, TOMAC, this year, came a bit late owing to stakeholders’ desire to have a holistic approach into the activities of the institution under his regime.

    Said Peters: “This retreat is to look back to see what we have been doing in the previous years and to also plan  for the coming year. The retreat is a bit late this year because we have been looking at what we have done in the last eight years. I’ve been DG of this college since June 2008 and I shall be bowing out by June 2016. Though I’ve been rendering annual report, but this time we want to collectively have a holist view of our activities over the last eight years collectively, and use it as a springboard for leaping ahead and preparing the way for my successor.

    “I have spent my entire career here. I joined ASCON in 1981 and I cannot just say bye-bye or forget the job that trained me as a trainer, researcher and consultant.”

    “When the Head of Service of the Federation visited us few weeks ago, I reminded her that this year’s budget has been passed and we went to defend the budget we did not quite prepare for. Unfortunately, the 60 bedroom accommodation was also not there. I also told her the mandate of this college transcends Nigeria to other African countries and there is a need to pay more attention to that,” Peters added.

    Daoudu said deliberations would also veer toward using the college to strengthen government institutions.

    “We need a strong institutions and ASCON needs to help the government rebuild those weak instructions,’’ he said.

    Another participant Dr Modupe Anjorin, is also upbeat.”Yearly, we do this retreat and we make sure we carry out the communiqué we arrive at which has aided our progress. This year, we hope the communiqué we shall develop will move the college to greater height and ASCON shall survive despite harsh economic condition and eventually adapt to the change mantra of the current administration,” he added.

     

  • ‘Our survival a mystery’

    ‘Our survival a mystery’

    • Victims of girls’ school gutted by fire tell their story

    Survivors of the fire  that razed Government Girls’ Secondary School, Kano, have every reason to thank their stars. Seven of their roommates did not live to tell their story.  Some of the surviving victims recount  their ordeal to KOLADE ADEYEMI, on their hospital beds. 

    SOME 25 surviving schoolgirls now recuperating at the Murtala Muhammed Specialist Hospital in Kano, believe they have gone through “the valley of the shadow of death.” The memory of the mysterious inferno that gutted their dormitory at the Government Girls’ Secondary School, Jogana, Gezawa Local Government Area of Kano State on November 29, will linger for a very long time. Seven of their colleagues, who were not so lucky, died in the late-night fire.

    They have recounted how they survived the inferno that ravaged the biggest domitory – the Alhaji Sani Yaro Ahmed hostel in the school- on the fateful day as pupils prepared their homework for the following day. The state government and security agencies are still investigating the incident.

    Lectures have been disrupted following the closure of the 40-year-old school by the authorities. The incident inflicted pains on the 25 pupils, who sustained first degree burns. It also left scars on many home.

    Barely three days after the incident, the hostels in Government Boys’ Secondary School, Kwankwaso in Madobi Local Government of the state was razed.

    The fire started at about 8am while the pupils were in their classrooms. The school lost eight rooms and the belongings of 350 pupils

    Amina Ibrahim, 15-year-old Junior Secondary School III (JSS III) pupil, who sustained a first degree burns at the girls hostel, relived her ordeal. She spoke with The Nation on her sick bed at the Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital.

    “On that fateful day”, she went on, “we have had our dinner and retired to our dormitory. Those of us in JSS 3 were running through the assignments given to us by one of our teachers. Others were reading their books and we suddenly heard the screaming of other students from the other apartment. They were screaming: “Fire outbreak! Fire outbreak! The screaming caught our attention and everybody started running helter-skelter, looking for a way to escape. At that point, almost everybody was moving towards one direction and that caused a stampede.

    “There was confusion everywhere; people were crying, wailing and calling for help as we rushed  towards the entrance. I attempted to jump out through the window, because at that point, the inferno had spread and thick smoke was billowing. In fact, I couldn’t remember or explain how I escaped. I only regained consciousness in this hospital.”

    Senior Secondary School I (SSI) pupil, 15-year-old Mariam Yahaya Liman,  also recounted her ordeal. She narrated what transpired on the ‘dark Sunday’.

    She said: “I was told by one of my classmates that on Monday, we were going to write a test. So, I took my books and started reading after the dinner. A roommate of mine had borrowed my lantern to look for something as there was power outage.

    “All of a sudden, I heard some girls screaming in Hausa: “Gobara! Gobara!” Meaning: ‘Fire!, Fire!’ I immediately rushed out and stood by the door, trying to escape when I noticed that something strange was pushing us forth and back, blocking our ways. We attempted to force our way out from the burning hostel but we couldn’t as the strange force kept dragging on us.

    “At that point, we have been choked and there was a stampede. The entire hostel was taken over by the fire as the embers from the roofs started pouring on us and we screamed for help. It was hell! Many of our colleagues were on the floor as we marched on one another, looking for an escape route. Many of us – including myself – escaped through the Room 7 gate where I headed and found myself outside.

    “At this point, I was exhausted but was revived by my classmates who poured water on me. That was when the school authority brought a car and took some us to the hospital. What else do I have to say than to thank God for His mercies and I also thank our Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, for showing us love and compassion in this time of grief and trials. May Allah bless him. I thank the Almighty Allah for saving my life and those of others. For my friends who could not make it, May Allah grant unto them eternal rest.

    Asma’u Abubakar Lamido, a Senior Secondary School III (SSSIII) pupil, who also survived the fire incident,   said: “On that Sunday, we were all in the hostel seated on our various beds because there was no power outage. We were using touch lights or rechargeable lanterns to illuminate the hostel. All we heard was ‘wuta, wuta,’ meaning, ‘fire, fire’. At that point, the whole hostel was in flames. I tried coming out in an attempt to jump out through the window but I had to retreat because it was difficult.

    “There was a stampede and people stepped on one another in our bid to escape. It was at this point that a Good Samaritan pulled me up from the floor. I believe it was the school authorities that finally brought us to the hospital. I thank Almighty Allah for saving my life. So, my praises and thanks will also go to Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje for taking good care of us.”