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  • Xenophobic attacks: ‘I love the being you of Nigerians’

    South African poet, writer and cultural worker, Natalia Molebatsi, is the author of We Are, Sardo Dance and Elephant Woman Song. Her research interests are Pan Africanism, African and Black Feminist thought. However, she is unhappy with the xenophobic attacks and other forms of violence, especially against women and children in South Africa. At the recently-concluded Kaduna Books and Arts Festival (KABAFEST 2019) held in Kaduna, she spoke with Assistant Editor (Arts) OZOLUA UHAKHEME on the possible causes of xenophobic (Afrophobic) attacks in her country, how arts can be used to foster peaceful co-existence and her love for Nigeria, among other issues.

    How can arts be effectively used to fight ignorance, prejudice and hate in the society?

    Literature and arts in general can be used to address differences in every society. But literature as a space can be used to see another world that may have existed in the past, or another world that might exist in the future. In this way, people are drawing a picture of themselves and imagining what they want. I think it’s also a responsibility and duty of the artist to paint this world, the necessary world that we all need. Sometimes when artists write or paint, they don’t even know that the society needs them or uses their works in a way that mends scars from any kind of violence. But, it also brings joy that sometimes we don’t even know it exists. So, I find literature and the arts have ability to stretch when we don’t even know it is possible. With the way the arts is, the artistes are able to move things, navigate and stretch people’s mindsets, imaginations, people’s hearts and has always been their role. It is such a magical role because sometimes we don’t even know how it happens. It is such a delicate way of communicating and also giving communion.

     Can it break perceptions and people’s mindset?

    Arts can do that. In as much as it seems some Africans hate one another, they surely love music icons like the late Afrobeat legend, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, and Hugh Masakela, no matter where you are from. So, imagine setting up a musical concert with all of these icons and the likes of Angelic Kidjo and telling the people that you are all Africans or Pan Africanists, and that even if you don’t live on this continent, it all started on this continent. I have seen them do it. But, sometimes, the inertia becomes our leaders’, our politicians have got their own mindset and their own structural inertia that they don’t act as swiftly and as smoothly as they should. For example, it is somebody who brings a message of love, of hope, of unity to everybody in this world, somebody like that is someone who can quickly mediate but I don’t think that the people who are in power want that to happen or understand the power of that happening.

     There is a second narrative on this ongoing xenophobic attacks in South Africa. It is alleged that it is a deliberate arrangement by South African authority to distract public attention each time the people are pushing to hold government accountable on some critical issues. What is your take?

    What you are saying is so important because that’s exactly what I was thinking. I was thinking what could be the true matter that is happening? I don’t think xenophobic attack is at the core of the issue. I think the method of divide and rule is so alive. I think this violence is just a scape goat, something like a decoy. But, I tell you it works because  poor people will attack one another.

    I mean people working in low income areas. You don’t find that in media houses where people are working as journalists or the academia all over the continent.

    People who turn against one another are always the poor, people who are disposable in so many ways. This is because when such person dies, nobody is going to write about it. And the person won’t even matter, especially if the deceased is black.  That brings us to the global issue of racism where white people have always used us against each other.

     Why are you a writer?

    I’m a writer because, first of all, it’s a gift from my ancestors. I didn’t ask for it, they gave it to me. They also gave me the responsibility to marshal it. You know when you are born with a talent, you have the responsibility to stretch it and nurture it into something else. As they say, talent is overrated. Everyone has got one talent or the other, so, in a way, I started to read writers on the continent and elsewhere; and I began to understand the power of words as they were able to travel. I could travel before I was travelling physically and I could also travel with my words.

    I find myself being able to express myself and I come from a country where expression could lead you to jail or death as a black person and a woman. When I found the urgency or the currency of words, I saw I could use this to navigate emotions to share my pains and my joy. It was to me an incredible thing to find. And everyday, I keep learning what words can do and I still don’t know half of it.

     What is the strength and core of your performing poetry?

    I don’t know, but I get on stage sometimes and I don’t know what to say. I look around me and I feel and see energy that is so powerful because when you perform, as they say, life is a performance. If you live alone in this world, why would you wear clothes? And because you are alone, nobody sees you, but if you are around people, it means you are exchanging energy and so it’s important for me to stand there and say: what is the energy in this room? What is the energy looking for? Then, I’m able to engage. So, that’s what I do as a performer.

    Is it your first time in Nigeria?

    No! Nigeria is my favourite country on this continent and one of my favourite countries in the world. So, I come whenever I get a chance. But, it’s my first time in northern Nigeria though. I have been to Lagos and Abuja many times. I have been to Abeokuta and Ibadan. There is something very special about Nigeria.

     What is that special thing?

    The attraction is the brains and the intellectuals in this country that have been able to take all of us from Africa to the world- the amount of work that has been done. Obviously, there is more coming but the intensity of the work that comes out of Nigeria is incredible and it’s always a gift to immerse myself in this realm. And sometimes they say it borders on arrogance, but we need that to fight the racism that happens. Nigerians go into a space in Europe or America for instance, they take charge. Most times people get jealous, right? You could be a janitor or a professor but there is a level of confidence that is so attractive and for me to be able to breathe that energy, I love that!

    Is that Nigerians’ undoing in South Africa?

    I think Nigerians know how to make a living and sometimes people can be jealous. You know, southern and eastern Africa tend to be really quiet and reserved, not only as a cultural thing but also a thing imposed by colonialism. But, Nigerians go there and create space as it should be. Unfortunately, we have been so contained like you belong there and not here. But, somebody says I’m going to go out there and be me. It’s perceived like you are taking over, but actually you are just being you. I love the ‘being you’ of Nigerians because they challenge oppression and challenge the spaces that say “you are black, you can’t be in here, you are a woman, you can’t be in here.” Look at my sister, Bakare Yusuf and Lola Shoneyin. These women are taking over and you see they are doing what should be done in order to also outdo things around colonisation, patriarchy which by the way came with colonisation. It’s just those kind of things that I see and love.

     Do you think that Nigerians are contributing to South Africa’s economy?

    I think all Africans are contributing because they don’t go there and look for work, rather they create work and they create skills. So, if you’re smart, you ask “can I work with you or for you so I can learn these skills”? Sometimes people’s ego make them turn their noses at it because instead of them to say “Hey, how did you manage to do that? I thought that’s the thing only white people do.

    You said the recent attack is  not  xenophobia but Afrophobia. How do you mean?

    Xenophobia is when you hate the French person or the English person. We have a number of white Americans who are in South Africa but nobody is gonna trouble them because they are white and they have got an American accent. It is Afrophobia. It is an internalised hatred and when you express that hatred, it can create a fire.

    There has been this allegation that foreigners in South Africa always end up taking girlfriends  and wives of South African men. You want to react to that?

    I don’t know where this interview is going but to be honest with you, when you look at the kind of violence that happens to the bodies of women in South Africa, and you look at who is making that violence, it is not Nigerians, not Somalians or Ugandans. But, the men in South Africa. So, we are scared and that is just the truth.  The two places that I fear the most for my life and body, is South Africa and US. I don’t fear Nigeria, even people in Nigeria know that you can’t just go off like that. I wouldn’t go into a park with someone who is a driver in South Africa because the things that are happening to us are very bad.

    Apart from writing, what else do you do?

    Well, I write not just poetry, I write anything. I do non-fiction, fiction and I’m still learning. Fiction is more difficult than content writing. I perform, sing with Jazz band and sometimes I dabble into photography wherever the spirit leads. But, mainly I do poetry and I organise as well. I produce poetry and jazz event because that’s an important part of not just being a writer or a performer but being able to create spaces where younger people would also grow and share their experiences.

    What is your advice to African leaders on issue of unity on the continent?

    They need to take us serious. When Notre Dame Church in Paris, France was razed down, African leaders ran there in solidarity. But they are not running to us when in crisis. They need to take us serious because we are paying for all of these- we pay taxes and everything that we consume. They need to love us because we matter.

    Have you won any award?

    A number of universities have offered me awards including the University of California, Los Angeles and the rest of others.

     

  • Much ado about MTN Board

    I came across a news item in one of Nigeria’s leading online medium-The Cable, in which a pressure group-Human and Environmental Development Agency (HEDA) requested that the Nigerian Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) must sack from the newly constituted MTN board, the chairman,. Ernest Ndukwe and the others, namely Mrs Mobolaji Johnson, Mrs Ifueko Omoigui-Okauru, Mr Andrew Alli and Mr Muhammad Ahmad. HEDA insisted that the request must be complied with within 14 days, failure which it would resort to legal action to enforce the demand.

    The grouse of HEDA in issuing the demand to SEC and their threat of pursuing legal enforcement if SEC failed to act, or turns down the request is that the enlistment of Ndukwe, Omobola Johnson and. Ifueko-Okauru in the telecom company’s board, was, in their opinion, a reward for the roles they allegedly played in shielding MTN from being severely punished during the period of its travails with the federal government which of course is now public knowledge.

    According to The Cable, HEDA in a petition signed by its chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju, said the appointments were an attempt, among other reasons, to “insulate MTN from adverse local political action given its recent history with the regulatory agency, the Nigerian Communications Commission and the office of the Attorney General of the Federation.”

    Let us take the issues one after another.

    First, HEDA has a right to hold an opinion on any matter. What I consider outrageous in this case for which HEDA is seeking redress,  is the notion that the appointment of these eminent Nigerians has anything to do with the board members (the accused), acquiescing to a wrong done by MTN for which it has been duly sanctioned.

    Take a look at the allegations from HEDA’s point of view: “It is a complete show of irony that Mr Ernest Ndukwe who was the Vice Chairman of Nigerian Communications Commission during the MTN infractions, the regulatory body solely responsible for the business activities of telecommunications and Mrs Mobolaji Johnson as the communication minister at the time of this infractions will be selected as the designate chairman and board member respectively by the telecommunication company, adding, “Mrs Okauru was chairman of FIRS when the allegations of MTN Nigeria’s tax evasion of over $2 billion relating to import duties, VAT, withholding tax on foreign import/payments were revealed and despite this, it was reported that tranches of transfers were discovered to have been made to companies in Dubai and Mauritius as reported by Satellite Times on the 8th October, 2018 and these allegations under the nose of the former chairman was consequent upon the failure of the FIRS to undertake diligent and effective supervision and no record of investigations to confirm the authenticity or otherwise while in office.”

    This is an admixture of truth and lie, or fiction at play. It’s an attempt to pull a wool over the face of the discerning public by HEDA. That Dr. Ndukwe and Mrs. Omobola held those positions is factual, but that they did at the period MTN was enmeshed in its fine crisis, is fiction. Add to that the other lie that   Mrs Okauru was chairman of FIRS when the allegations of MTN Nigeria’s tax evasion of over $2 billion and others were resonating. All of these contraptions fit into the web of calling a dog a bad name just to hang it.

    As HEDA alleged in its petition. “It is our firm belief that these persons who were once public office holders who ought to have acted against some activities and alleged infractions of this company but failed in their responsibilities and capacities are now being compensated with appointments into the board.”

    To put the records straight and not obfuscate the discerning public, Ndukwe (OFR) an Electronic/Electrical Engineer was Executive Vice Chairman, NCC from February 2000-March, 2010. To insinuate that Ndukwe is being rewarded (in the place of Professor Dambatta, if at all) who is calling the shots at NCC since the onset of the saga, is uncharitable. Ndukwe, who successfully raised the stakes at NCC and meritoriously saw to the vibrant growth of the telecommunications industry and now a faculty member at the Pan Atlantic University, would not have taken such a steep climb-down n reputation as to indulge in assisting MTN, or other firm in compromising the laws of the land.

    Mrs. Omobola ansd Mrs. Ifueko-Okauru hold no less a reputation. The former was a commissioner in Lagos State before ascending to being a minister of the Federal Republic and the latter, a foremosdt player in the success story that the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), is today. It’s important that when one makes allegations, especially against individuals with track records, that enough proof, or evidence be provided so that such accusations can be verified so they can stand the test of time.

    For the records, the allegations stated in the story, to say the least are false in their entirety based on the fact that Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta was and still is the Executive Vice Chairman of Nigerian Communications Commission when the fine was issued and not Ernest Ndukwe. Also, Adebayo Shittu was the Communications Minister and not Omobola Johnson; Ifueko Okauru who was mentioned to be chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) at the period, was actually in office from May 2004 to April 2012!

    I am not in a position to advocate for MTN, but if the telecoms firm’s selection of these eminent Nigerians as its board members is anything to go by, I would surmise that it is so that the mistakes of the past are not repeated, or allowed to remain, or to fester. The combination of Ndukwe, Mrs Johnson, Mrs Omoigui-Okauru, Andrew Alli and Ahmad in any firm’s board will no doubt elicit envy either in the competition and among stakeholders, so this issue, which to me is contrived, should not be an exception.

    It is heartwarming to note that the Non Governmental Organisation has sought SEC’s intervention on the matter, a body created by law to adjudicate on such matters, and finally the courts, the final arbiter on all matters. It is expected that while the waiting game is on, all parties will defer to the respective authorities and allow the due process run its course.

     

    • Samuel, a public affairs commentator, writes from Lagos.

  • ARG cautions on zoning

    Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG) has urged politicians to desist from comments capable of undermining peace and stability in the country.

    Its National Publicity Secretary, Kunle Famoriyo, said in a statement that comments by some Northern All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders on zoning were an invitation to anarchy.

    The group said it was unthinkable to change the goal-post in the middle of a match. ARG warned such comments amounted to an attempt to deny the South the legitimate right to produce the next president in 2023.

    The group said: “What is good for the goose is also good for the gander, what we are interested in is fairness, equity and justice for the south and the north that co-jointly formed the country, with no undue favour for one against the other.”

    ARG wondered why politicians  always failed to learn from political history.

    The group recalled how political leaders took insensitive decision on the June 12, 1993 p[residential election won by the late Chief Moshood Abiola that plunged the country into deep crises.

    ARG said that, in the face of the fragile unity in which the country has found itself and the threat of break-up, zoning of political offices is the only force that can preserve the unity.

    It added that undermining zoning was an indirect attempt to undermine the fragile unity, warning that the outcome would not benefit any region.

     

  • ‘Revamping culture in Ekiti is a priority’

    When Ekiti State Government appointed Wale Ojo-Lanre as new Director General, Ekiti State Council for Arts and Culture, many agreed that the governor had chosen a round peg for a round hole. Ojo-Lanre has what it takes to re-engineer arts and culture in the state. In this interview with PAUL UKPABIO, he speaks on the challenges and the journey so far.

    What did you meet on ground as new DG?

    I can say that without any hesitation, I met nothing on ground. For the past four years during the tenure of Dr Kayode Fayemi’s successor, it was the Bureau For Tourism, Arts and Culture. I called its media officer to let me see all his works, what he has  been able to do, and if there are documentations. He told me that for four years he only wrote one story. Within three weeks that I have resumed office I asked him how many stories he has written.  He said he has been able to write over 68 stories with most published. So, until now the place was dead. The place was stagnated.

    I met a horde of civil servants who are professionals, fantastic, pro-active, educated and ready to work and learn. Well, all my directors are professionals, my permanent secretary graduated from Theatre Arts Department, University of Ibadan. The directors are professionals in tourism, journalism and law. The director of Art and Monument is a graduate of Education Anthropology. So, I have a coterie of brilliant civil servants that when they saw my enthusiasm they said they were ready to identify with me. And since I resumed we have turned most of our challenges to opportunities because we never allowed them to deter us.

     How are the people responding?

    When a righteous person reigns, people are happy. A man who thinks is different from a man who dreams. A man who sees a vision is different from a man who thinks. A man who dreams would have been able to philosophies on what his people want and what their cravings are. The first thing I did was to talk to the staff, charge them up and we always discuss on every item. We always have a conference. We subject it to analysis like information gathering. There is no supremacy of ideas and we give in to superior argument. Once we have decided on something, we go for it.

    I told them it is no longer business as usual but it is going to be business unusual. I do not wait for funds. If we have an idea, we do it and then wait to collect the refund when the money is ready. I have talked to the staff about this and they have agreed and are committed.

    Another thing we have also done was to trace the culture and tradition to the paramount rulers. We visited the Ewi of Ado, the paramount ruler of Ado-Ekiti and we explained our vision. I also addressed the council of traditional rulers, that is, the Oba’s council. Apart from that we identified the stakeholders in the society such as the professionals. We paid visit to the State College of Education, where they have established one of the best departments of arts, culture, dance and music. We discussed with them and we have established a relationship. Very soon, we are going to hold EKITIFEST a replica of NAFEST where we will show the fundamentals of Ekiti culture and hospitality.

      Tell us about your background.

    My background is in journalism, education and law. I’ve spent the better part of my life in journalism, particularly in travel and tourism, hospitality, culture and art. This has given me a robust perception and fecund understanding of the job terrain. When I was appointed, I didn’t assume I knew all. I consulted wide, visited states in the Southwest to compare notes and see how things are being done. I believe in apprenticeship and understudy, no matter how short it is, it always produce results.

    These days I noticed you are not wearing suit as much again

    Yes, I used to wear suit a lot but now in the council we wear native dresses and clothes on two out of five days of the week. And that is Wednesday and Fridays. We have four meetings during the week and two of those meetings are conductd in native language.

    Is it all of you that can speak Ekiti language?

    Yes, except of course the youth corps member. We also encourage them to learn the language. Yes, it’s for identification, I am from Ekiti and I am a Yoruba man. It shows I’m a cultural person and I have pride in my culture.

     How do you feel coming back to government?

    It is about service. I was doing my medical report for the Law School when I was called and told about my new appointment. I had to abandon the Law School for the call to service.

      Where did the passion for journalism set in?

    The passion started with my dad. We were staying at No 3 Station Road in Osogbo. Opposite our house, the newspaper agents used to drop Daily Times for sale and my father used to pick a copy. I started developing interest in journalism because journalists were usually well respected. I started praying that I should be a journalist, a policeman or someone in espionage because then I used to watche lots of films. But when I finished school I stayed with my uncle in Festac who was working in the bank. He was the foreign exchange manager at UBA then. Most people in our family were co-opted into banking. He secured a job for me in First Interstate Merchant Bank. I was given appointment with a fat salary, I refused. He later took me to oil and gas where I was given a fat salary too but I refused. But in 1981, I went to Tribune newspaper, where I was given an appointment and told to start on a salary of N6000. And I accepted. When I got home, nobody prayed for me at home. Later my uncle’s wife had to call and ask why? My mum even called me useless and asked me to come home and work for her so she’ll pay me even more. In my house, when you get a job, you were assisted with starter pack such as mattress, stove sand basically everything you’ll need to furnish the house, none of them gave me that. They didn’t even blink at me!

    I was living comfortably in my brother’s boys’ quarters in Festac town but when the newspaper asked where I wanted to be posted to, I opted for Ibadan and that even annoyed my family again. But, I found a place in Ibadan where I stayed.

     You are known to have traveled far and wide. How many countries have you been to?

    I have been to 86 countries of the world. I cannot quantify the wealth of knowledge that I have been able to gain from these travels. Sometimes I develop new brain waves and the people working with me will just be looking amazed. Meanwhile some of those ideas are sometimes things that I saw somewhere else. For instance, I have been to Halloween, what people will refer to as a festival of the witches and wizards. I was once in a ship during my travels and the ship got stalked and stopped on the sea! We were just there not moving. Libations had to be poured in a ceremony before the ship continued on the journey.

     Where was that?

    That was in Barcelona.

  • ‘African countries should diversify investment’

    South Africa-based Nigerian George Beke has harped on the need to apply business-proven approaches to grow Africa’s creative industry.

    The founder and CEO of Geobek Entertainment, a pan-African entertainment and music consulting company, revealed this in Gaborone, Botswana, at the weekend. It was  at a two-day conference hosted by Showbiz Entertainment Africa (SEA BW), an organisation which seeks to educate, empower and epitomise talent as a business.

    Beke, who spoke at the conference which had in attendance Botswana’s Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development, also advised African countries to consider diversifying their investment portfolios through their creative industries.

    The film, TV productions and communications graduate from the University of Johannesburg also said there was room for growth in Botswana’s creative industry if everyone in the entertainment business was exposed to business-proven approaches, trends, market disruptions and other strategic challenges.

    “The best way to make it out there, is to stick to the originality of your content do not try to copy anyone,” Beke said.

    “One can also benchmark to people who are already in the industry and ask for help. Being able to look at yourself and the market objectively and understand how you fit into the market in order to be able to push yourself forward.”

    According to him, Botswana’s entertainment and creative industry has potential to significantly contribute to the national economic growth, thus taking advantage of such industry developments was vital at this stage.

    Beke also noted that constant training, mentorship, affiliation, policies and funding from relevant stakeholders were all necessary ingredients to boost Botswana’s promising industry, adding that such had been proven right in countries like Nigeria, Tanzania, Ghana and South Africa.

    “Creative minds crave to showcase their ideas but they are challenged by insufficient resources to turn these ideas in to content for the already existing global market,” he said.

    “One might argue that this is not only an issue to be addressed by government, but also an opportunity for Botswana’s business sector to consider in diversifying their investment portfolios.”

  • From street trading to agriculture

    To overcome poverty, Ogbomoso-based entrepreneur, Debo Thomas, went from selling matches to building a successful cashew business. He is one of the young Nigerians who has found agribusiness lucrative, despite the many challenges of living in the rural area, DANIEL ESSIET, reports.

    Ogbomoso, Oyo State-based agro entrepreneur, Debo Thomas, can best be described as the flower that blooms in adversity. His is a quintessential rags-to-riches story, a compelling tale encapsulating struggle, hard work and undying optimism that led the man to where he is.

    His life is a tale of perseverance and survival. If you look at Thomas, you would find it hard to believe that, as a little boy, he sold matches in the market. This is a man whose picture at every point signifies heart-breaking struggles he went through. But he is thankful that they made him what he is. If that were the end of the story, it would be pretty depressing.

    Born to a financially-strapped family, his parents could only afford him a secondary education. The idea of doing business sparked only after he realised his parents did not have the funds to sponsor his education when he gained admission.

    He decided to fight his battle. With the N14,000 they gave him, which he realised would not pay for his first semester, Thomas decided he would put the money into multilevel marketing business.

    The multilevel business turned out a success. He made a lot of money; thereafter, he went into poultry business.  He started with 5,000 birds. As he had no prior experience, within days, all the birds were dead. He had to start from the scratch.  He learnt the way of dealing with life in a hard way. The hardship taught him the value of perseverance and made him think beyond the situation. He started selling used computers, travelling to Lagos to replenish his stock. His motivation: He saw a market need that wasn’t being filled.

    With nothing, he went into agri- land brokerage. He was selling acres/hectares of land.

    From the commission realised from sale of farm land, he started planting cashew on a few acres. He   proceeded into cashew-cassava cultivation, yam planting, cattle rearing, and then agro-advisory services. He had to learn everything from tilling the land to sowing the seeds.

    Wanting to waste no time in laying the foundation of his business, he bought more land over the next few years and hired labourers.  After five years, he has built a cashew farm enterprise on 500 acres, adding value while creating jobs and boosting the income of farmers and the community. The business has grown and become profitable. The business is known as Hastom Foods and Farms.

    To him, everything was a challenge. He had no clue about farming, but wanted to be in a position  to support Nigerians who are interested in absentee agro business. We are the pioneer of absentee farming in Nigeria, giving people the ability to invest in agriculture in the comfort of their homes while getting records of the progress of their properly-managed farms.“

    He believes the agric sector has a huge opportunity, and is about start-ups’preparedness to take risks.

    Thomas shares some characteristics with successful agro entrepreneurs: a passion for farming and an understanding that there is no substitute for hard work. He said: “I have learnt to identify opportunities and build on them.”

    For him, the future belongs to the rural areas. Harnessing this potential, according to him,  has become all the more urgent given that Nigeria still spends billions of naira on food imports.

    He is campaigning that agriculture and rural development become priority by transforming rural areas into economically-prosperous areas. He says the focus is agric entrepreneurship.

    His message to aspiring entrepreneurs, is: “Don’t stop dreaming big or taking risks.” He continues to see opportunities just about everywhere, and is bullish on the entrepreneurial climate in Nigeria. In what sectors does he see the greatest opportunity? He thinks cashew processing is a huge industry for entrepreneurs.

    He has an incredible vision for his business and hopes to grow his farm. For him, the journey to impact has just started and he encourages others who have chosen the path of entrepreneurship not give up. “No matter how long the road might seem, if you persevere, it will all work out,”he said.

    He believes that there is a reason behind the peaks and valleys in life.

    His belief in turning every situation into an opportunity has brought him to where he is.

  • Foundation seeks protection of endangered wildlife

    By Jane Frances Chibuzor

    Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), under the Egyptian Vulture New Life Project, joined the rest of the world in celebrating this year’s International Vulture Awareness Day (IVAD).

    The event was organised to increase awareness about vultures as being vulnerable, threatened and an endangered species.

    NCF Director-General Muhtari Aminu-Kano, represented by NCF Head of Communications Oladipo Soneye, described vultures as a group of large birds that provide free cleaning service, thus, saving people lots of money that would have been spent on caring for the environment. Aminu-Kano recalled that in October, last year, the Egyptian Vultures Team surveyed over eight local government areas in Yobe State, covering more than 1,436 kilometres, without sighting a single Egyptian vulture.  This, he added, would negatively affect the society as “we will no longer enjoy free ecological vultures and dead animals will pollute the water.”

    First Saturday in September of every year, though, has been set aside by the global body to mark IVAD.

    IVAD was marked across Nigeria, specifically at four vulture hotspots including Enugu, Jalingo, Sokoto and Ibadan.

    At Sokoto, the event which kicked off with a seminar, featured 300 participants drawn from Department of Forestry and Wildlife, Sokoto State Ministry of Environment; Veterinary Department, Ministry of Agriculture; Environmental Sanitation and Protection Agency; Pharmaceutical Association of Nigeria, Sokoto Chapter; Department of Forestry and Wildlife, Usman Danfodio University among others.

    A drama performance was also staged to drive home the importance of the message. School Conservation Club was inaugurated in the Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, Usman Danfodio University, Sokoto. Mr. Abubakar Ringim, lecturer Department of  Sciences, Federal University, Dutse, Jigawa State,  delivered a lecture on threats and conservation/protection of Egyptian/other species of Vultures in Northern Nigeria in English and Hausa languages.  Meanwhile, the second day experienced a market rally to Sokoto Central Market. Key participants in the rally were 300 local natural resource users drawn from Associations of Hunters, Traditional Medicine Practitioners, Wildlife Traders and Crop Farmers within Sokoto and its environs.

    People’s response was positive and it was a good turnout as the event attracted about 450 persons.

    For Jalingo stakeholders meeting held at the Emir of Garba Chede Palace, the people were sensitised on the importance and need to conserve vultures in their locality.

    Also present at the meeting were Emirate Council, Chief slaughter (Sarki Pawa), District Head, representatives of the Fulani group, security agencies and youth groups.

    In Enugu, the IVAD was celebrated with two major activities-workshop and roadshow. The workshop which took place at Fidelma Hotel, Enugu, Enugu State had participants  enlightened on the species of vultures that can be found in Nigeria. There was a presentation of facts and figures about vultures, status of vulture population in Nigeria, causes of their decline as well as the implications, with emphasis on the Egyptian Vulture. The implication of the recent incident in Eke-Ihe Market causing the death of over 50 vultures due to poisoning was used to drive home the message. The event, which attracted over 150 stakeholders from related fields ended with a roadshow to artisan market. Mr. Paddy Ezeala, Dr. Stanley Ilechukwu and Mrs. Abidemi Balogun delivered the talks.

    Ibadan community started with visit to Iyalaje Eleweomo of Ibadan Land, Alhaja Asiri Amoo, who is also the president, Wildlife Traders in Ibadan – a major wildlife market hub. She reminded the market elders about the planned sensitisation workshop and to rally support for the success of their activities within the market.

     

  • Making fortune from forex

    Patrick Ogagbor is an ex- banker-turned fulltime foreign exchange (forex) trader. He also coaches aspiring forex traders.

    While working in the bank, Ogagbor looked into ways to make extra money.

    After many months of researching, he decided to take the leap of faith by focusing on forex.

    His attraction is the $5.1 billion-a-day global foreign exchange market.

    The primary reason is that he gets to choose the time and place he wants to trade. Since he started, he only needed few minutes to look for setups and enter a trade. All he needs is an internet connection and a laptop.

    After making a success, Ogagbor now equips people with trading and investment strategies that help them navigate the complex financial markets. He has trained many Nigerians who get at least 20 per cent return of their investment in six months. Others gain 10 per cent of their capital monthly.

    His goal is to train traders to make profits relatively quickly by using their skills to take advantage of the price volatility in financial instruments that they buy and sell. He wants to see Nigerians trading forex, leveraging their trading positions to increase their exposure, and hence potential returns.

    Because trading is considered riskier, Ogagbor said the market requires skills and that there are good returns for successful traders.

    He explained that being a successful trader is not easy and that a person needs to be knowledgeable in the instrument(s) that they are trading, and to be familiar with the markets they are in. They also need to have the right attitude towards trading.

    To become a profitable trader, he said one must master a strategy, the psychology and the risk factor. In addition, he said a trader must put in the time and effort to gain the experience and knowledge in a strategy.

    According to him, new traders are lured by the success stories they hear in the marketplace. He noted that for every success story, there are dozens of heartbreak stories they do not hear. He added that some traders think they can be profitable by just watching a few videos online or reading some books. He said forex trading is a professional endeavour. To succeed, he said starters should get a good mentor and hav a good trading system.

    Instead of focusing on making money, Ogagbor advised traders to focus on the process and routine, and then refine their strategy along the way according to their personality.

    He added that a common mistake is hopping from one trading strategy to the next after a few losing trades. The cycle, according to him, keeps one in an endless race to find a perfect system, which doesn’t exist. Instead, he advised   new traders to find an approach that suits their personality and their goals.

    What are the services he provides? “We run signals service, copy trade, fund management and online courses. Signals service is subscribed for on monthly bases, with entry point, stop loss and take profit target.

    Many are on this service at the moment. Copy trade is a remote trading technology, that allow us to take trade via this technology on a master trading account and it will copy automatically on your computer or laptop without you lifting a figure. It does not matter if your computer is on or off. Trades will be running while you’re sleeping. We do all the trades while you bank the profit.  No profit-sharing formula here. All you need to do is subscribe. “Fund Management service is also subscribed to, here there is profit sharing and risk on trade and account must be agreed upon and an MOU signed with term and condition applied. You will need the power of attorney, before we can start trading on your account. This is for very busy executives, informed investor etc.

  • Business conference for China

    Abusiness matching investment conference and exhibition aimed at boosting trade relations between Nigeria and Asia  will hold in Beijing, China from  October 12 in China.

    The five-day conference and exhibition is organised being organised by Asian–African Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ACCI).

    About 50 small medium enterprises (SMEs) from Nigeria will meet their counterparts across Asian continent.

    A member of the board of ACCI Nigerian chapter, Mr Arinle Adekunle Ahmed, said the SMEs, which are members of ACCI in Nigeria, will engage with the China Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (CASME).

    Arinle said: “It’s a conference where we will be bringing people across different sectors-textile, engineering, farm produce, construction, and fashion,  among others, in both Nigerian and China, match them together to look at each country’s comparative advantage.’’

    Through that, we hope to generate an agreement whereby those in Asia will also come down to Nigeria where the two parties can now engage in joint business,” said Arinle who is also the Chief Executive, Rinllandded Nigerian Limited.

    “What we hope to achieve through that is to boost foreign reserves in Nigeria. Usually, what we have is investors coming to set up business in Nigeria, make profit, but plough it back to their countries of origin. However, through this matchmaking, everything remains in Nigeria. We are starting with 50 SMEs this year, we hope we can double that figure next year and make more progress in subsequent years,” Arinle added.

    According to him, one of the major problems affecting the survival of SMEs is poor power supply. To this end, Arinle said ACCI is currently in talks with some of its partners to set up  incubator zones across the nation’s six geo-political zones.

    “We are talking with some of the state governments to set up industrial incubator zones,” Arinle said.

    He continued: “The idea is that when government provides land, we shop for investors that will provide solar or hydro power energy at the various incubator zones. Once we have that, we encourage SMEs to move to those zones since they will enjoy consistence power supply.  Overall, this will generate more jobs, increase production capacity, while the process of goods produced at such zones will be relatively lower .”

  • Unveiling Akande’s phenomenon

    Chief Adebisi Akande is one of Nigeria’s most prominent and highly revered politicians.  He has been Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Governor of the State of Osun and at different times Chairman of four different political parties notably the Alliance for Democracy (AD), Action Congress (AC), Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    He has also been a councilor in his local government area and as far back as 1977, got elected into the Constituent Assembly.  Although he was governor for just one term, his tenure in office has remained a reference point in purposeful governance not just in the Southwest but in the country at large.

    The book aptly titled, The Bisi Akande Phenomenon? chronicles the monumental achievements recorded by this great man within a short spell of time.

    This book edited by Prof Lai Olurode of the University of Lagos and Associate Prof Dhikhrullah Yagboyaju of the University of Ibadan is indeed a data-bank of the records of the innovative and impactful changes that Chief Bisi Akande brought into the political and administrative landscape of Osun.

    What is of greater significance in the book is not just the richness of its content, but also the fluidity of the presentations put together in 10 chapters.  The seven scholars that contributed chapters to the book present us with an X-ray of the unusual governance style of Chief Bisi Akande who in Chapter 8 has been rightly described as a “rebel” in Government House.

    Although Chief Akande is a politician, he belongs to a different breed of Nigeria’s political class that sees politics not as an end in itself but a means of bringing the greatest good to the greater number of people in the society.  His unusual type of politics has even earned him the label of an “Accidental Politician” (see p.188).

    A transparent and unbelievably honest individual, Bisi Akande according to the authors, is no attention-seeker or political opportunist, but a dyed-in-the-wool Awoist who believes in pragmatic and visionary leadership as well as using politics to provide service to humanity.

    His exemplary performance in office has been recommended to the nation’s politicians as a typical demonstration that in Nigeria, it is possible for politicians to place society above self.

    The book divided into 10 chapters opens with a foreword written by Prof. Olu R. Aina. Prof. Aina in the foreword details his relationship with Chief Akande and how Chief Akande was drafted by his party, Alliance for Democracy (AD), to become the Governor of Osun State, highlighting once again his selflessness and simplicity.

    Chapter 1 written by Prof. Olurode introduces readers to the book and sets the pace for more interesting contributions that adorn subsequent chapters.  In this chapter, Prof. Olurode takes us through the journey of how the idea of the book was conceived with the intention of throwing a spotlight on what appears like an isolated case of excellence in governance archetype by the uncommon achievements of Chief Bisi Akande in government.  Prof. Olurode and Dr. Yagboyaju assembled other scholars to look for a “success” story rather than the usual tales of failure that abound in our political environment

    Chapter 2 written by the same author provides the theoretical framework that guides our understanding of the concept “phenomenon” and explicates the policies and actions of Chief Bisi Akande in government that make him truly phenomenal.

    In each of the chapters, the contributors to this book employed research questions and appropriate theoretical tools for their analyses and carried out survey that provided data used to draw empirical conclusions.  Chapter 2 gives practical reasons to explain the Bisi Akande Phenomenon in government.  These include his creation of what amounted to “pockets of efficiency in the midst of daunting decay” or” a pocket of ethical island in a sea of scoundrels” (Olurode, 2009).

    Unlike many politicians in our clime, Chief Akande evinces the belief that governance is far more serious than politics.  He was not one to abandon a policy because of second-term considerations, neither was he given to an ostentatious lifestyle in or outside government.  He did not give recognition to the office of the first lady because of his belief that it is unconstitutional and quite uncharacteristic of our governments, he maintained a surplus budget throughout his tenure. Indeed, he managed the state’s resources so prudently that at the close of 2002, the state recorded a budget surplus of N510 million.(p.27).

    Chapter 3 written by Dr. Yagboyaju discusses Governance and Politics under the Akande administration.It further reinforces the opinion that what stands Chief Akande out is the prioritisation of governance over politics as earlier suggested in Chapter 2.The chapter also discusses in detail Chief Akande’s political philosophy which is drawn from Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s “democratic socialism”.  The environment in which Chief Akande was born dictated the greatness that he now symbolizes.  Born of poor parentage and trained first as a teacher and later an accountant, he was imbued with the principle of honesty and love for the poor.

    His philosophy is “encapsulated in the principles of humanism – others before self and progressive politics” (Oyeweso, 2011). Part of his philosophy is to dispense justice, be fair to all and do what is right at all times. According to him, in taking critical decisions he always asked himself the question “Kiloto” ( meaning what is right) and “Kilogba” ( meaning what is expedient). He said he often chose to be on the side of “kiloto”. (What is right). Chief Akande’s philosophy has inculcated in him a frugal life-style that he brought to bear on the administration of the state of Osun between 1999 and 2003.  He implemented the 4 cardinal programmes of his party, the Alliance for Democracy (AD) without borrowing a dime throughout his tenure.  It was prudent spending that made him to implement successfully his party’s programmes of free and qualitative education at all levels, free medical services for all, maximum and integrated rural development and full and gainful employment for all.

    When Chief Akande assumed office, he inherited a debt of over N2 billion but left no debt for his successor.  Within the first two years of his administration, he built classrooms, established new science schools and several technical colleges.  This very book has documented the numerous achievements of Chief Akande in government which stand him out as an indomitable spirit, a bold and courageous leader and above all a humanist per excellence. By the end of his tenure, the administration had completed and commissioned over 2,000 projects which included roads, hospitals, schools, rural housing as well as electricity and water supply.(p.26). He taught us a lesson in prudence during his tenure as Governor when he reportedly received the sum of N1.5million from the Federal Government through the Universal Basic Education Commission to construct one classroom while Chief Akande chose to use the same amount to construct three classrooms without mortgaging standards. Another typical example is the case of the Ede water project which some of Chief Akande’s predecessors in office had earmarked for repairs (precisely desilting) at a staggering cost of $300million. Chief Akande at the end of the day completed the same repairs with a total sum of N74million which was less than $1million at the time.

    The Akande administration within its first 2years established science secondary schools across the state, built 40 classrooms and rehabilitated many others. By the end of the 4th year, six schools of science had been established in addition to the existing 3, three Unity schools were also established in Osogbo, Ejigbo and Ikire, while 7 technical colleges were established in addition to the existing two. In the health sector, essential drugs were provided in all government- owned hospitals across the state at a cost of N8million per month. By August 2001, the administration had established hospitals in Ikire, Ora, Ilobu, Esa Oke, Iragberi, Kuta and Ile-Ife while the hospital in Osogbo was upgraded from a 20-bed to a 60-bed hospital. Between 1999 and 2003, attendance of patients at the hospitals increased from 96,695 to 660,000. In the area of rural development, moribund water projects across the state were resuscitated while 90 deep wells and 276 boreholes were sunk. The government also completed the National Water Rehabilitation Projects at Ikirun/ Eko-Ende and the new Ede waterworks water project.

    Chief Bisi Akande has shown us all that man’s legacy to mankind should not be in terms of what he is able to acquire in a material sense for himself but what you can give to your people and country.  Chief Akande’s legendary prudence has been attested to by no less a personality than Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu who once said:

    Two traits marked out Chief Akande as Governor: frugality with government funds and putting others before self.  This twin-quality came under his ascetic nature, which gives little or no room for waste or flagrant display of opulence (cited in Oyeweso, (2011)

    The Jagaban is in a position to know. Chief Bisi Akande’s integrity and bluntness became so legendary that he was given several appellations by the people. The Late Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Ashiru Tadese named him “Aiyekooto” (people hate the truth) while some others named him “Otitokoro” ( meaning the truth is bitter).

    Chapters 4 & 5 written by Ify Igbokwe and Adeniyi S. Basiru respectively, highlight the non-discriminatory nature of Chief Akande’s policies and programmes in the way they affected indigenes and non-indigenes in his state.  At no time were non- Osun indigenes discriminated against in the implementation of all of his emancipatory policies and programmes.  The book focuses on his welfare programmes in chapter 5 showing that he embarked on the construction of rural houses for workers, teachers, health workers, etc. (building about 126 units in less than 4 years) while completing more than 300 kilometers of roads within the same period. Within four years, the Bisi Akande-led administration in Osun completed the construction of a state secretariat complex of 33 blocks at Abere in the state capital as well as a new Governor’s office named after Late Chief Bola Ige.  The Governor’s office, one of the best of its kind at the time, occupies about 97,600 square metres of land, with 560 office spaces and 167 toilets. The administration encouraged the use of local materials and largely used local contractors for virtually all the jobs it gave out. The new government secretariat was constructed at a relatively low cost of N3billion while the Governor’s office was built at a cost of less than N2billion. The construction of the secretariat made it possible for the state workforce to have offices they could call their own and also helped in saving for government about N400milion which it annually expended on rent paid by government agencies. In a bid to curb the usual sharp practices in contract awards, Chief Akande ensured that contracts were awarded to contractors without paying them any mobilisation fees. This unique form of executing contracts enabled government to pay only for jobs that had been satisfactorily done.

    Amidu T. Raheem in Chapter 6 titled “Bisi Akande and the Limits of Ethical Governance” X-rays one of the legacies of Chief Akande which is the Civil Service Reform.  It was a conscious attempt to rebrand the Osun State Civil Service by creating new value system and work ethics, improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the Civil Servants in service delivery and reduce corruption by blocking all sources through which such sharp practices occur. (p. 134).  Chief Akande himself diagnosed the afflictions of the Civil Service that he inherited as follows:

    “Instead of the traditional commitment to hard work and dedication to duty, Civil Servants have become desperate favour seekers, unrepentant petition writers and blackmailers.  The oath of secrecy is thrown to the winds and photocopies of sensitive, classified documents can be seen in the hands of groundnut sellers. (p. 137)”

    Consequently, Chief Akande decided to right-size the workforce and restructure the Civil Service.  In all, over 3,000 workers lost their jobs in a gale of retrenchment that earned Chief Akande more enemies than friends.  Although the book provides justification for this step in the light of the state’s dwindling resources and the bloated workforce, the jury is still out on whether the step taken was the best option available in the circumstance.

    Clearly, this shows that Chief Bisi Akande in spite of his phenomenal achievements, legendary courage, simplicity, asceticism, frugality and transparency is human after all and is therefore not infallible.

    Chapter 7 written by Aituaje I. Pogoson and Moses U. Saleh discusses Gender Issues and Governance in Osun State, 1999 – 2003.  It raises theoretical posers about gender issues and democratic governance.  It states that democracy that fails to address gender concerns is but an empty shell.  The authors insist that women representation in the Akande-led administration was grossly inadequate, with only one female Commissioner in a cabinet of 10 members.  They also linked the non-recognition of the office of the first lady to lack of sufficient gender sensitivity.  However, the authors hold the view that government policies and programmes were non-discriminatory and benefited all citizens regardless of gender.

    Chapter 8 presents Chief Bisi Akande as “a rebel in Government House”.  It situates its analysis within the context of Nigerian politics characterized by what Peter Ekeh describes as the “two publics” as well as Richard Joseph’s “Prebendalism”.  The authors, Azeez Olaniyan and Akeem Bello see Chief Akande as being a Nigerian politician of a different kind.  He is presented as a man who did not play politics of expediency (even when second term election loomed).  They identify what characterizes him as a rebel,5 to be : personal simplicity, straight talk and bluntness, abolition of the office of the first lady, rightsizing and downsizing of workforce, direct labour system, confrontation with the labour unions and traditional rulers and insistence on accountability and due process, refusal to favour his kinsmen and religious groups and insistence on party supremacy. (p. 181).

    Chapters 9 & 10 written by the co-editors represent a befitting conclusion to this very seminal and highly readable book.  The Chapters reveal that Chief Akande is a man more sinned against than a sinner.  They revealed that his loyalty to his party and his belief in party supremacy was what made the composition of his cabinet so lopsided in terms of women representation.

    The authors of the chapters reiterate Chief Akande’s glowing qualities – his humane and courteous disposition, his zero tolerance for opaqueness, his humility and personal distaste for abuse of trust.  However, in chapter 10, the authors raised concerns about Chief Akande’s neutrality in the intra-party crisis that preceded the Governorship election in Osun in 2019, his unexplained silence on the crisis that trailed the July 2017 senatorial election within his party in the state, as well as his seeming “sommersault” on the vexed-issue of restructuring about which he had even written a book in the past.

    As earlier stated in the foreword by Prof. Aina, the story in this book is not about a man who is infallible.  It is about a man “who was willing to take responsibility for what he believed in and who worked hard to lead the kind of life that would make Osun State a better state than he met it” (p. x).  Chief Akande may not be a perfect man, but he has emerged from this book as someone who having no need to fear man, has through an unflinching devotion to duty and translucent love of country, fostered happiness and the good life among his people.

    The lesson for us all as the book clearly depicts, lies in the memorable words of Henry Longfellow who wrote in “The Reaper and the Flowers” that: ‘Lives of great men remind us all we can make our lives sublime, And, departing, leave behind us footprints on the sands of time.’

    This book of ten well-written chapters is a must-read for all those interested in the study of Nigeria’s history, politics and governance especially in the 4th republic. It should be a companion for our politicians who will need to emulate Chief Akande’s modesty both in and out of office.  They must strive to learn lessons about loyalty to party, loyalty to ideology and loyalty to the people.

    Governors in particular, must learn from his belief in party supremacy as the best way to guarantee political stability.  If the appropriate lessons are learnt, our politicians of the moment, cutting across political parties, must begin to revive the party system such that every individual, from the President to the Governor, would be subordinated to the authority of the party.

    The structure for administering the political parties such as the National Executive Committees, National Working Committees and the Boards of Trustees must be given a kiss of life.  It is only in this context that our democracy can survive.

    Finally, I wish to propose that some of the chapters in the book should be merged to make the book more compact and avoid overlap.  A situation where more than 3 chapters reproduce basically the same data on Chief Akande’s achievements, as presented on pages 90-92 and pages108-113, should be avoided.

    There is no doubt that this is a well-researched and well-written book that showcases a Nigerian with a difference, a phenomenal politician, a man of ebullient and impeccable character, a man of modesty, a man whose word is his honour, Chief Adebisi Akande.

    It is my hope that scholars, politicians, administrators and journalists would ultimately find this book to be a useful companion in their search for the Nigerian of our dream.