The Nation Newspaper

Tag: values

  • Gbam…unearthing probes cultural identity, values

    What will be your reaction if at your family or village meeting a young woman wearing a red cap breaks and shares kola nuts among old men? Is that in tandem with your cultural values or norms? This scenario is one of the images presented by Lex Ash, one of the six photographers at the ongoing group exhibition Gbam!Unearthing and Reclaiming, a New Becoming at Wheatbaker Hotel, Ikoyi, Lagos.

    It will run till September 15, and is supported by Louis Guntrum Wines and the Wheatbaker.

    Co-curated by Papa Omotayo of White Space Creative Agency and Sandra Mbanefo-Obiago of SMO Contemporary Art, the exhibition featuring no fewer than 25 photographs is a bold attempt at promoting fashion photography while interrogating issues of identity, culture and narratives from a millennia standpoint.

    The other five photographers are Daniel Obasi, Kadara Enyeansi, Kola Oshalusi, Noma Osula and Ola Ebiti. These young avant-garde fashion photographers explore who we are, and who we aspire to become as we exploreour collective GBAM!

    These bold, new-generation photographers through their works sift through Nigeria’s rich fashion, culture, traditions, narratives and symbols to challenge ‘our aesthetic identity as we project a renewed understanding of perfection from a millennial standpoint.’

    In his Race series, the photographer pricks viewers’ conscience on how they perceive people they consider different because of colour of skin or religion. To him, sustaining peace and harmony requires everyone to see each other as one. Also, Kadara’s Untitled series dwell on conflict of identity and reality of modern day Nigeria. Ola Ebiti’s works focus on cultural relevance of masqueraders such as Eyo in the social life of Lagosians, especially the adornment and use of white lace as new fabric of Eyo costumes.

    According to Ebiti, drawing inspiration from Eyo masquerade and a need for decoration, the Eyo’s white robes remind me of the Agbada. “The mystery behind the Eyo and the fear and curiosity it awakens in people inspired me to use transparent fabric as a symbol of the ghost figure that some believe Eyo could be. I consciously chose a boy with dark skin to contrast the material. The diamonds on his face and head touches on our need to decorate and our love for excess. The rich in Nigeria live so lavishly with ostentatious lifestyles and what better way to show it than having a face literally decorated with diamonds,” he said.

    But Noma Osula’s powerful portraits of perfectly chiseled tribal marks across his subject’s striking Bantu features are juxtaposed against fine pink fabric, whimsically wound around a stout physical presence. Osula explores traditional scarification and our concept of beauty and traditional symbolism against the interplay of striking whimsical adornment.

    Meanwhile, Kola Oshalusi’s documentary depiction of youth in Northern Nigeria present an emotional naiveté, a clustering of untainted stillness and repose within an arid, harsh landscape. His powerful black and white images present a lyrical expose of young adults, always in clusters, facing forward with resilience despite their stark surroundings.

    “GBAM! showcases the exciting diversity of images currently being created by a new generation of Nigerian visual artists. The works are fluid, referential, charged with self-reflection and steeped in the narrative and contradictions of modern contemporary African identity and style,” according to Omotayo.

    Mbanefo-Obiago described the exhibition as one that broadens the common perception of fashion photography as an art form, and spreads its tentacles wide to provide socio-economic critique as it questions perfection vis-à-vis identity, equality and traditional norms and expectations.

  • Where are our values?

    Some years ago, a prominent politician jailed for corruption was released from prison. If he had quietly gone home to reflect with his family, some Nigerians say they would’ve forgiven him. But not this politician; his boisterous nature made him close down the central business district of Lagos when he walked straight from prison to the church to “give thanks” to God. Nigerians were enraged; most wondered how we descended to this level. In all the condemnation that trailed that event, I particularly single out one as my best.

    Not knowing what means to best reach the mass of Nigerian youths, some concerned mothers tasked themselves, raised money and placed paid advertorial in some newspapers. Through the advert, they told their children, wards and Nigerian youths that what they witnessed – or read about – can never happen in a sane and forward looking society. They charged the youths not to look upon the politician and his ilk as their ideal role model but to hold on to the timeless values their hard working parents instilled in them.

    If we are honest with ourselves we’d mostly agree that all is not well with our nation and that the values we once held dear sadly belongs in another era. Stories that we have been inundated with almost daily about the massive looting of our treasury in the immediate past is mind boggling! As Nigerians, nothing seems to shock us anymore.

    Where are values like honesty, integrity, hard work, accountability, good neighbourliness, religious tolerance etc that once defined our society? Why are some citizens more interested in taking pictures of accident victims than helping them? Ten years ago, it would’ve been strange to hear of individuals stealing billions of naira. I am not saying there was no stealing in the past, there certainly was; it is the magnitude that bothers me. How can a sane individual loot funds that he may not be able to spend if he lives five generations over?

    Whatever also happened to being our brother’s keeper? Today, we’ve grown so numb and we’re no longer shocked when people are slaughtered in a senseless terror campaign by some deranged individuals. We now have internally displaced people in Nigeria. Their misery has no doubt opened another flank for corruption. Yet we carry on as if all is well. What can shock us out of our lethargy?

    Growing up, it wasn’t unusual seeing Christians and Moslems mingling together celebrating Christmas and Salah, but today bigotry reigns supreme. We perpetuate the worst kinds of ethnic chauvinism and bigotry you could ever think of. Armed herdsmen have been on an unchallenged rampage in some parts of the country leaving sorrow, tears and blood on their trail.

    Driven by greed and inordinate lust for the “good life,” some of us seek the shortest possible route to riches. We revere criminals and treasury looters as our “role models” bestowing upon them honourary degrees, chieftaincy titles or even “purchase” election forms for them.

    Nations often have constitutions used to establish the groundwork for their social, legal and ambitious future. It establishes the basic relationships between the citizens and their leaders. It defines rules for good and bad practices, laying down laws against taboos while preaching certain practices as essential. This generally is the means of identifying the nation’s values or value system.

    It is assumed that a nation’s value system is sacred and could extend beyond that nation’s boundaries. All nations are supposed to be proud of their value systems, just as a person is proud of his or her upbringing and character and would try to impress that behaviour and beliefs on others.

    Basic values are traditional and historic, reflecting aspects of the experience that each nation went through since its inception. The greatest part however used to be – and in some cases, still are – extracted from the main religious teachings of the nation. In fact a value system is based on averaging the total human experiences and producing a compromised version for all to follow. Religion is often present at the heart of a human value system.

    Our value system therefore is the sum total of our ideas and beliefs. It includes every opinion we hold about life. Each thing we like or dislike, and the importance each one has to us, merges to form our unique value system. Our value system develops through what we are taught and experience, combined with our reactions to them, forming our preferences and our unique perspective on life. Ultimately, every opinion we have in life is based on something in our value system.

    The quality of any society is therefore directly linked to the importance of the shared values. Two people may share a common interest in football, but if one thinks the other is a liar and a thief, they likely will not develop a deep friendship. On the other hand, if we have a mutual interest in keeping our neighborhood safe, our views on sports will not interfere with our working together for that common goal.

    Relationships grow over time as the citizens grow together in their values. When two people meet for the first time, they do not know very much about what the other person values. Each one makes assumptions about the other, some of which are true while others are false. Yet, over time, if they discover that they agree on their most important values, their relationship will deepen and grow stronger.

    This is also true regarding all family relationships. Parents usually seek to instill their values into their children. As a child grows, he forms his own unique value system from what he learns from his parents. The quality of the relationship the parent and child share is completely dependent on how much they agree on each other’s most significant values.

    Good neighbourliness is based on common values systems and we experience this truth every day. We want to be with those who share our interests and moral ideas. Likewise, we avoid people who do not share values similar to ours, whether in moral areas of life or simply in manners or interests. In fact, it is difficult to enjoy a relationship with someone who is substantially different from you.

    Of course, the true values that we hold are the ones by which we actually live. If we claim to value something, yet do the opposite of it, then we actually value something else. If I claim to value truth, yet lie, then there is something more important to me than telling the truth. My lies prove that I hold some other value more deeply than honesty.

    Our actions are the first indicators to ourselves and others about the values we hold because the values that we live by are connected to what is most important to us. However, we can sometimes have other desires in our hearts that differ from our actions. To be completely at peace within ourselves, there must be conformity between our deepest values and how we actually live. That is, you must be committed to your deepest values and seek to live according to them. Otherwise, you will experience inner conflict because you have not determined which values are most important to you, and every choice you make will not flow from a firmly held belief about that area of life.

    It is sad to note that some parents have abdicated the responsibility of instilling core positive values in their children and have left that to schools, nannies and the society to do. What such parents fail to realise is that schools don’t train children, parents do. My reference to children here is predicated on the fact that character and values are better instilled from the formative years of a child. What a school or society does is to guide, the onus is still on the parents to provide the moral foundation in which their children’s future would be firmly anchored.

    As I write, everything continues to go wrong as we forsake the values that ought to matter. The concept of integrity, equity, social justice, benevolence and more has all but disappeared from our lexicon. Am I on a fruitless search; is it too late to yearn for these and other values?

  • Leaders, values and expectations

    The  saying that bad news travel  fast has become an understatement in  this age of viral social  media  and fake news.  It  is   a  world where   hacking has become a  real and potent cyber  weapon  that  destroys democracies  and even  the companies  that  have  made  billions from the internet   through  mass  consumer  participation  and sheer  volume. This   has made data  mining a huge  wealth  spinning proposition  for internet  companies like  Face  Book  which  for   now  is fighting for its corporate  life because information  and data  have  become weaponised  and have been  pilfered  cheekily  under  its watch.  Such  data  is now said to have been  used  to get the President of the US  elected  and the world  is reeling from that development   which    both  British  PM Theresa May  and defeated US presidential  candidate Hillary   Clinton  had  earlier   warned  the world  about  but were ignored at the time.

    In  spite  of this development  however  bad  news will  still  remain  bad news and  it is in that light that I look  at  today’s topic. It  is my  contention here that in an  age of  fake news and cyber  hacking, leaders especially  of democracies  must be on their  toes  in living up to the expectations of  those who  elected them  as well as those  such  leaders lead  in any  aspect  of leadership  especially  the political and religious. To  illustrate  my views  today  I  will  look perfunctorily  at  events in Nigeria, Poland, China, and  the US  and the role of some political  and   religious   leaders  in those nations and draw  conclusions  and lessons  from  the events I  will  highlight.

    On  Nigeria   I  wish  to  discuss  Nigerian  issues  on a comparative  basis with  Poland  not because  the Eagles  are playing with Poland in   a  friendly  soccer match this weekend  but because  of the issues  of patriotism,  and   national pride inherent  in the events   I  want   to discuss about  the two  nations. All   the events  look  like bad  news  but in the light  of expectations of leadership involved in them one  can still  see that all  hope for improvement  is not lost . In  Nigeria the news  that over  a hundred  of  the Nigerian  girls  seized  by Boko  Haram  had  been  returned  by their abductors  is good  news  but the abduction  and the   negligence   involved  in their being taken  and returned  by their captors is  dangerously  bad  news indeed. Where  is the power  and authority of the sovereign state, in the hands of the government  of the day, in all  these?  It  obviously  took  a   nap  while Nigerian  girls  were  taken  away by insurgents  that were  said to have been  defeated   but  who  resurrected  to show  their staying power  with  disdain  and impunity. As if to say  they can always  abduct  and return  Nigerian  citizens in their nation and there is nothing the Nigerian  government can  do  about it.  That  is bad news indeed  and certainly  worse  than the cyber  hacking   blamed on  Russia  and threatening western  democracies as  we  know  them  today. It  is poor  consolation  to assert  that the  DSS  negotiated  their return  and that  they will  be received in Abuja  by the president.  This  is because   the   DSS  and  government should  have  prevented  the abduction  in the first  instance  and giving  them  audience  in  Abuja is like giving  an  award  to   Boko  Haram for its   invincibility,  terrorist insolence  and murderous intents  and actions that have killed many  Nigerian with impunity in recent  times.  This  is  indeed  a very  sad  development  in our  fight against  Boko  Haram  insurgency.

    Similarly, a priest  in  Poland   recently  said  he hoped the present  Catholic  Pope  should  just  die  and go and meet  his father in heaven  because  he  asked Christians in Europe  to  accept  Muslim  migrants. The  priest  has been  admonished by  his superiors  in the Catholic  hierarchy  but  what  he has said seem  to  be the policy  of the government  of  Poland.  This is because  Poland, Hungary, Czech  and Slovak  Republics, all  members of the EU  have refused  to take their quota  of  migrants allotted  them   by the EU. Even  in the face  of threats  by the German Chancellor Angela  Merkel  that their structural  funds  for development from  the EU  will  depend on their readiness  to  accommodate migrants,  these four elected  governments who  have branded  themselves  as’ illiberal  democracies ‘ have refused to take in  Muslim  migrants  claiming  they will  undermine  their  security  and that  of  Europe at large.

    I  want  to compare  the frustration or  fallen  expectation of the Polish  priest with  the leadership  of the  Catholic  Pontiff   with  a worrying development  in the Anglican  Communion in Nigeria with  regard  to the election of a new Bishop of  Lagos whose   seat  is in the illustrious  Cathedral  on the Marina in  Lagos. Some  key  members of the Cathedral  had made  allegations   of bribery  in the election  of the new  Bishop    who  I understand  is a committed   prelate  in his own  right   and have  accused the outgoing Bishop   who  also is an Archbishop of railroading his succession   and taking the diocese  through  unnecessary  and extravagant  farewell  benefits and send  off  events. What  bothered  me however in a letter sent  to me on Whats App  was  the reply  to the accusations   of abuse  of office  and power  against  the outgoing prelate. The  man  of God  retorted  with  flourish    that  even  if  he was  being given  a 200m naira farewell  handshake  it  was not peculiar  to  him  because two  former  prelates  of his calibre  had  taken  50m naira  more  before  him.  In  addition  he wrote  that  the Chancellor  inspired  the benevolence  and there  was  nothing to it as  far  as he was concerned.  This was his reply on the social  media to a query  from the  spiritual  leader of the Anglican  Communion in  Nigeria.

    This  reply  in circulation in the social  media reminded  me of the arrogant  but unconvincing answer of former French  President Valery Giscard  d ‘Estang  to allegations that  he received  gifts from  former    blood   thirsty   dictator  Jean Bedel Bokassa of the Central African  Republic. Giscard    imperiously  replied  then  – ‘I issue  a categorical  denial  and a contemptuous one ‘.  

    But no one  believed him. Similarly  the prelate  on the Marina has a credibility problem  on his response.  This is not difficult  to see, given  the fact that  he did  not  accept   or see  that 200m  naira  is a lot  of money  to give  to  an outgoing priest  no  matter  his rank  or  the investments he made  for the progress  of the diocese  during his tenure. Indeed  to  see a   religious  legacy strictly  in terms of material  achievements  is a sign  of potent ecclesiastical   impoverishment and  lack  of  spiritual  commitment  and  leadership . Definitely  a 200m  naira  mansion  on earth   makes  it  extremely  difficult   for  a rich  man  to  seek  heaven  in   any hurry. Just  as the bible says it is easy   for  a camel  to pass through  the eye  of   a needle   than    for  a poor  man  to enter  the kingdom  of heaven. Surely  in this instance the hood  has not made  the monk   and the  probleam of  the laity  in the Cathedral  on  the Marina  is  clearly  understandable  in terms of  concern  over   failure  of leadership  by example, this time on the   spiritual   than the material  plain.

    Finally  let  me take both  the US  and  China  together  on  leadership,  values  and expectations  on  drugs  and intellectual  property  which  were  the issues  very  much  in the public  domain  this week.  On  drugs,  US  President Donald  Trump  has advocated  the death  penalty  and he  really  meant it  and I give  him  kudos for  that  even  though  he has gone on to link that  with his anti  migration policy   by stressing that drug  pushers come from the nations he wants their  citizens  kept  out of the US and build border  walls  against.  But   he is   behind China  in his death penalty stance  because China  has long ago prescribed the death penalty  for  corruption.  But    in  announcing a huge  tariff  against  Chinese  goods  on intellectual  property I  commend  the US president   because  China is the piracy  capital of the world  and there is no book, good or service that the  Chinese  cannot copy  and sell  globally   with   impunity   in  violation of international law.  China  may  bristle or   even  threaten  retaliation. That is the truth  and the Chinese    need   to  put  their  house in order  and respect copy rights and other intellectual  property  requirements  to  make the world  a civilized place  for all  of us to live in. Again   Long  live the Federal  Republic  of  Nigeria.

  • ‘Pay attention to our values’

    Value is fast eroding in our society and if there is no corrective action, the society will continue to go down.”  These were the words of Dr. Greg Okey Nwamadi.

    Dr. Nwamadi is author of two new books, Legend of the lost and Lush Garden in an Arid Land. The books were presented in Lagos

    At the event, he stated that a corrective action to address the problem of information and value in our society needs to be taken by every member of society instead of complaining about the situation

    According to him, value is at the  centre of human conduct and it is fast diminishing in the society ” I didn’t understand it until when I saw a young man embarrassing an old woman”.He added that what he has done is taking a step to correct the situation because everybody is complaining and not taking action.

    He stated that it was this action that led to the establishment of Faith and Value Development Initiative (FVDI) where value and target  it at future leaders is being taught. He said the book, the Lush Garden in an Arid Land, is a product of the seminars with the young ones,  with  the aim of imbibing values, commitment, diligence, hardwork and communication  because people no longer respect  them.

    Nwamadi said  that there is a big gap in communication, and that is why FVDI is planning to pull together people from all spheres of life and enlighten them  about the organisation by charging the young people and getting them more excited about value.

    He added that the advent of technology has made things change which is why his group is trying to maneuver youths all around the society without missing out what value is and also encourage them to make proper use of the technology rather than abusing it.

    Also at the occasion, the Senior Special Adviser to the President on Agriculture and Real Sector, Mr Dolapo, noted that family value as well as other values are lacking in our society which is why the society is so much relying and criticises the government.

    According to him, it is the family value that can make the country stronger, “we are losing the family value which we  are supposed to have and the church is not supporting it and if we don’t have it, our country will not be what we want it to be irrespective of the party”.

    Dolapo urged Nigerians to join hands with the reorientation moves of government, saying: “People should imbibe the habit of individual value rather than criticising the government. People have so much relied on the government and failed to work towards building their individual values”.

    While reviewing the book, Prof. Adedun Emmanuel stated that the book presents the world that paradoxically features modernity and traditionality, science and religion, preservation and destruction , good and bad, truthful and olderliness. According to him, Legend of the Lost is instructive and prophetic ,it is a synchronisation of science and spirituality, a story in the hours of the days in the year 3035

    He added that, Legend of the Lost is like George Howell’s 1984 that prophesised ahead of the time of publication. the book prophesised the likely event that might take place in 3035 by presenting  smart world where people are inserting Chips on their head and modernity and tradition are interwoven

    According to him, the books present an overview of 3035 events with a prophetic forecast of Africa becoming a United Nation and Nigeria as the headquarter.

     

  • Two books on faith, values for launch

    Two books on faith, values for launch

    Two books Legend of the Lost and Lush Garden in an Arid Land by Executive Director Family Values Development Initiative (FVDI) Okey Nwamadi will be presented on March 10 in Ikoyi, Lagos.

    A keynote on Technology and Values for Future Leaders will be presented by the Institute of Information Management President/Governing Council Chairman, Ambassador Oyedokun Oyewole, while special guest of honour is Senior Special Assistant to the President on Agriculture and the Real-sector Mr Dolapo Bright.

    Legend of the Lost is a fiction that looks into contemporary events that will eventually lead to the end of times saga. The plot builds up to reveal how environmental crisis and technology will play critical roles in the apocalypse. Both books will appeal to different categories of readers and help them make right decisions in their day to day life.

    Lush Garden in an Arid Land is a collection of poems on essential values for social development. The publication is a response to FVDI’s periodic youth programmestagged Values for Future Leaders.The book targets different categories of young people, and the poems are specific to various values that form character and eventually challenge the emergence of a better society.

    At a pre-launch session, Nwamadi said FVDI’s campaigns were geared towards restoring faith in the family system through supporting education and enterprise.

    “The values that bind families are what make the family the bedrock of any society,” he said.

    He noted that the society with its traditional family structures is going through enormous changes and that stress within the family has brought about these changes that threaten family values.

    “Maybe at the centre of this disconnection is our society’s inability to read, learn and assimilate adequate knowledge with which to combat the marauding changes that face families. The decline of reading comes at a time of increasing media saturation. Simply put, just because people are not reading does not mean they are not being informed. They’re watching movies, television, listening to music and podcasts. Regrettably, all channels of information are not created equal. Someone reading a book and someone watching the movie adaptation, in fact, think differently,” he added.

    Continuing, he said: “The difference is the level of assimilation. Promoting a good reading culture amongst our youth is therefore one of our cardinal agendas.

    ‘’Reading helps our children to grasp concepts and think logically. At FVDI, we have assumed the moral responsibility of ensuring that the values that are the mainstay of traditional family systems are sustained.

    We support our work through publications and events, by promoting literary materials targeted at different categories of young people.”

  • Senators decry poor delivery of values to Nigerians

    Senators decry poor delivery of values to Nigerians

    Senators under the aegis of Christian Legislative Fellowship (CLF) Wednesday lamented the poor delivery of public values to Nigerians.

    The lawmakers at a press conference in Abuja as part of activities to mark the 8th National Prayer Breakfast 2017 decried the situation where delivery of public values has ceased to be the essence of governance in the country.

    Most Nigerians, they said, can barely access basic necessities.

    The unhealthy situation, the senators said, has shaken the very foundation of Nigerians’ faith in leadership.

    President of CLF, Senator Barnabas Gemade, who read the statement of the group, noted that in the last seven years the political and socio-economic landscape of the country has been characterized by threats which have regional and international implications.

    Gemade said, “May I seize this opportunity to remind us that, since the past seven years, our political and socio – economic landscape has been characterized by threats which have both regional and international implications.

    “To Nigerians, those years could have seen our dear country emerge stronger from the shocks and effects of the global economic crisis.

    “We have, however, weathered these storms; we are still at present, a reflection of a country at the brinks. Recently, hate speech, divisive and secessionist quests raise their ugly heads, but we fortunately overcame.

    “The delivery of public values has ceased to be the essence of governance as our fellow countrymen can barely access basic social necessities. These challenges have shaken the very foundation of the Nigerian people’s faith in leadership.”

    He noted that by virtue of the 8th National Prayer Breakfast therefore, “it behaves on all of us to not just lead by the principles of Parliamentary practice, but by Godly virtues already inherent in all of us; moral forthrightness which is only attainable when we ask for leadership directions from whom we all acknowledge as our creator the all-knowing God.”

    Gemade said that for the past seven years, the Christian Legislators’ Fellowship of the Nigeria National Assembly has hosted the National Prayer Breakfast, a spiritual exercise that marked a water-shed in the history of our dear country.

    He noted that the aim of the epoch making event which holds significantly in the month of October, seeks to convene people of all faith, tribe and creed to appeal to God for righteousness and Godliness in leadership.

    He said, “The Nigerian Prayer Breakfast took its cue from the American Prayer Breakfast which President Dwight Eisenhower began in 1953. Eisenhower had stated after his election in 1952 that America needed spiritual renewal. For Eisenhower, faith, patriotism and free enterprise were the fundamentals of a strong nation. But of the three, faith comes first.

    “In the same vein, the Nigerian Prayer Breakfast is regarded as an opportunity to seek the Lord’s guidance and re-dedication of Nigeria and her people in re-alignment with Gods purposes.

    “God willing, on Thursday 26th October this year, the National Prayer Breakfast would be at its 8th year running.

    Gemade said that the theme of this year’s Breakfast is “Reconciliation: Gods Power and the New Pathway to National Unity”.

    He said that the event is being organized both to commemorate the 57th independence anniversary of Nigeria’s nationhood as a “regular Christian Parliamentary responsibility of  reminding ourselves, leaders of Nigeria and from many other countries, that we need Gods blessing and auction in everything we do and in accordance with international parliamentary tradition.”

    The keynote address at the event will be delivered by the Vice President, Excellency, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, Gemade said.

  • Whither our values?

    •Something must be wrong for people to make a mockery of ex-LG chair trekking after tenure

    As the debate for political and economic restructuring of Nigeria rages on, some have opined that a change in values may well be more crucial and most urgent. They posit that the Nigerian of today is devoid of any positive trait or distinguishing persona.

    Many therefore argue that to set the country aright once again, we must first interrogate what represents the Nigerian personality, his character and his ethos. What for instance does an average Nigerian consider to be the standard behaviour and guiding principles? What are the irreducible minimum codes of personal values he holds dear?

    This need for introspection has been triggered by an interview in which Dr. Ferdinand Anikwe, director-general, Centre for Black African Arts and Civilization (CBAAC) noted how people mocked him for not owning a car after serving as a local government chairman. According to him, it did not matter that he was adjudged the most outstanding chairman in the country during his time.

    “I came out trekking after serving as local government chairman. I couldn’t afford a car. They were paying me N800.00 and it was not possible for me to buy a car with it. That was the position… I was trekking, I was boarding public transport; people were making jest of me.

    “They knew I did well. The people who were laughing were saying, ‘Look at this man, are you the only man on earth? You think you will change the society?”

    This is the story of Dr. Anikwe as recounted by him and it is the sorry tale of Nigeria. Over the years, public service which ought to be largely selfless and a patriotic call to duty has become the ‘best’ and the most ‘lucrative’ job in the land. It has come to be an accepted norm in the country that everyone elected or appointed into public office is assumed to have become instantly well to do.

    The higher up the job, the more feverish the expectation of plenty; and indeed the ‘richer the public official gets, the more he is applauded. Though no one is in doubt about the source of the sudden wealth, all seems fair even when it concerns the pillage of public treasury.

    Conscience has dulled if not completely faded in these climes it seems; that holy umbrage and sense of righteous indignation no longer exist. People in government are hardly held to account; they too do not care about transparency while instruments of checks and balances have been breached to a state of ineffectuality. Thus in Nigeria all the guards have been let down and the man in public office is at liberty to help himself most copiously to the common wealth. What he therefore makes away with would depend on his craving and rapacity.

    This modus operandi has grown on the citizenry over the years and they have largely become so inured that many do not know the right and proper conducts anymore. In fact, as showcased above in Anikwe’s encounter, a public official is held in utmost disdain should he fail to enrich himself while in public office.

    His family members, friends and associates also expect him to share the cake with them as generously as he can. It does not matter that as a public official he is on fixed salary and allowances, almost everyone who knows him would track him down and make all manner of financial demands on him as if the national treasury were his personal property.

    This is one of the tragedies of modern Nigeria and it is a major reason why development has been perpetually stumped. We surmise that we must consciously change our values and orientation as regards public office and expectations from public officials. In other climes, any public official living above his means is immediately put under the searchlights. We must elect to start doing likewise here too.

     

  • Group stresses values, culture at anniversary

    Group stresses values, culture at anniversary

    At a time when the economy is in recession, prompting looking inwards, a group, Adorable Social Club, has appropriately marked its fifth anniversary making a case for the Igbo culture, values and philanthropy.

    Members of the all-women group founded on the imperatives of celebrating the Igbo culture as well as helping the needy, turned out in commanding native wear, comprising double wrappers topped off with the colourful, multi-layered headgear called gele. There was also an elaborate session of kola nut breaking relished by members and invitees. The event took place Amuwo-Odofin, Lagos.

    In her opening speech, Princess Ada Okeke-Amam said the core objectives of the organisation in adding values to the society have been met, though she added that the journey has not been easy.

    “Adorable Social Club was established by me five years ago,” she said. “It was to help those in need and bridge the gap between the rich and the poor. What we started then to project the core indigenous values of Igbo race here in Lagos has grown to an international level. We have branches all over Nigeria and we are spreading to the West African coast. We even have a programme in Ghana soonest. We really thank God for his blessings.

    ”Team work was the reason for calling a few of my friends together then, and we thank God that what we started on a small note has become a gigantic project in the areas of creating positive and better values to the society.

    “In the Southeast, we are very well known; same anywhere we have our presence. We have wiped many tears, fed the poor and are still feeding them, given shelter to those in need and even secured legal services to those in core need of them, so that they don’t suffer for what they didn’t  do. Truly, there is need to thank God. But I must confess the journey has not all that been easy, but with sheer dedication and determination, and the glory of God Almighty in us, we have played laudable roles in the society. I want others out there to do likewise.”

    Guests hailed Okeke-Amam for her vision and enjoined her to keep the good work, especially in rendeing positive service to the masses. The members were also commended for sharing same vision with their leader.

    There were raffle draws in which winners were rewarded with mobile phones, DVDs and power banks, among other prizes.

    Established five years ago, Adorable Social Club has birthed Adorable Foundation International, an NGO dedicated to charity work in Nigeria and West Africa. They have also campaigned against drug abuse, created awareness on societal ills, and visited various orphanages.

    Some guests at the event included Chief G.U.Y Ikoku, a legal practitioner and a representative of Chief Mrs. Modupe Jemibewon of Jemibewon International Schools, among several others.

  • Values, history and leadership

    I   read  on the internet  his  week  that  the man who  introduced queuing  into Nigeria is now  trying  to  clean up  the same nation. That  man  or leader of  course is our current  Head  of State President  Muhammadu  Buhari. This time around  however,  according  to  the  report,  he   was  trying to  change Nigeria or tell  Nigerians    to  change, by  trying to  change themselves by inculcating  the values  of honesty, integrity  and  transparency in  their daily  lives.

    On  the surface  and at  face value,  this is a very direct  political    and  moral, appeal.  But  in the context  of  world  politics,  and the topsy  tturvy  terrain   of  Nigerian  history   and  development, it  is  certainly   not  original.   To  me it  is  not  only   diversionary  it  is begging  the question  on the president’s   electoral  mandate  of   change     on which  he secured  the  presidency  of  Nigeria in the 2015  presidential  elections. It  is like telling  Nigerians the buck  does  not stop  on    his  table   but    it  is a collective  responsibility  of  Nigerians   to  change    in  terms  of the way  and manner    in  which      they  apply  the   tenets  of  honesty, integrity,  and   transparency to   their   work   and overall  way  of  life.

    Unfortunately    that  really  is not  the point   and  is indeed  a painful leadership  fallacy in  the context  of  Nigerian  politics,  given   the all  pervasive  culture of corruption  and   poor   leadership  that  have   brought  us to  our  knees  in terms  of  poverty  and    economic   deprivation  as a nation.  That  was  what  the war  on  corruption  was  supposed  to  be about and the pivot  or  Commander  in  Chief    of  the    war  was  supposed  to  be this  president.   So    what    happened that  all  of us  are  being  asked  to  take  the  bull  by  the horn when  we don’t have the means and  cannot  even  recognize  the  bull  in  the first  instance? It is like  asking  Nigerians to  commit  mass  suicide and  this is just  not   right  as  Nigerians  put the mantle of  change on this presidency when  they  booted out the   Jonathan  presidency and  chose  the APC and  President  Buhari in the 2015 presidential  elections. The  dog  should  wag  the tail  in the war against  corruption  and in  the  instilling of honest  and  progressive values in  any  society  including  Nigeria. The tail  should  not  wag  the dog as the slogan  that change starts  with  Nigerians clearly demands. That  is the issue  for  discussion today.

    I intend  to  illustrate  my  position    with  the  history  of  a social   club which  is  the   oldest  indigenous  club    in Nigeria  and which   celebrated  its  90th  anniversary  this week.   That  club  is  the Yoruba  Tennis Club   founded  on  September  15  1926. The  club  in  90  years  has  weathered  the  political  storm and uncertainties of first,  colonial  rule, independence, military  rule and  a pervasive  culture  of  corruption in  a nation that is  now  engaged  in  a war  on  corruption . Yet,  the Yoruba  Tennis Club  has never  in its  chequered    history    been  found  wanting in the values  of honesty,  integrity  and above  all   sheer human  courage.

    The   Yoruba Tennis   Club  celebrated  its 90th  Anniversary  with  a long  programme  that  included  several  events  including an anniversary lecture  by  the Vice  President   Professor  Yemi  Osinbajo,  yesterday and  ends   with  a Gala Dance  today. The  Vice  President’s  Lecture  provided a  genuine menu  of  change  that  the government promised  in  sharp  distinction  from the diversion of  asking  Nigerians to  change  themselves  and their  morals  in an environment  reeking from inescapable and  avoidable  corruption  and  poverty. indeed  the VP ‘s  analysis  of  the challenges  facing the nation in this recession goes  to  the point in making  Nigerians  know  that  government  is not sleeping on  change  and that  Nigerians can  expect  some  succour  from  their  sufferings  and economic  woes  sooner  than  later. Most  appropriately  the lecture  has  the title –  Revitalising  the Nigerian  Economy, the  Challenges  and  Opportunities.

    As   pointed  out during  the lecture,  the VP  noted  that  the club, the  YTC,  was  founded  by men  of  integrity and  courage  90  years  ago as  a protest  against  the racial  discrimination of  the colonial  masters who  barred  them  from  membership  of the  now Lagos  Lawn  Tennis  Club  whose  first  Chairman  was  Lord  Lugard,  Nigeria’s  first  colonial  governor. Ironically  and   rather   fortuitously,  the  present  president  of  the Lagos  Lawn  Tennis  Club, a  young  Nigerian   supervised  the  cutting of  the  cake of  the  90th  anniversary  of  the YTC  which  was  founded   on  September  15, 1926  by  bold Nigerians of  integrity  and honesty    who   resented  the  racial  discrimination  of  the colonial  governors  who did  not  allow  them   to  socialize  with  them.  Which    means     that  in  terms  of  social  and  political  change,  Nigerians   need no new  teachings or  masters  on  their  manners  and  values    and  only  expect  government  to  live  up  to  its  responsibilities in  2016, a year  after  the promised  change  of the election  victory  of  2015.

    The VP elucidated professorially on the  solutions  being  put in place  to revitalize  the  Nigerian  economy. He said  government putting in place fiscal  prudence to  curtail  costs; an Efficiency Unit is in  place to ensure  swift  service  delivery;  the  TSA  is  being  used  to  monitor  diversion  of  funds and  fraudulent  collusion between  government  officials and bank  managers; a  flexible  exchange  rate structure is being  put in place while  the Downstream  oil  sector  is being  deregulated.

    More  importantly,  the  VP said  government will  ensure  that salaries  of government  workers   at  state and federal  level  will  be paid  as and when  due. As    government   knows  now that the  states  cannot  meet  their  needs as they rely on government  allocation  which  has  dwindled as a result of  falling oil  prices in a mono  product economy.  He  said  paying  salaries  of  workers  would stimulate  consumer  spending and  confidence  and chase  away  recession  which  he admits is  peculiar  to each  economy in terms  of  causes  and  effect . Government  is planning  direct  creation of  jobs  for  about 500,000  graduates  to  get  jobs  by  September as  well as a Micro Credit Scheme  for 2m  market  women  and traders. In addition  government  is planning   a  500km  pipeline    to  be  embedded  in  the high seas to  stem  pipeline  vandalisation   and its   negative  effects  on  the economy  and  power  supply. Government  is stepping up on diversifying  the economy   and  is  funding  alternative  sources  of  power  while also working  earnestly  on  solar  energy  power  supply. Indeed  one  can  say  that  government  has woken up on its change sleep  and has put its  hands  to  the plow  to  save  the Nigerian  economy.

    Again,  on  the issue  of  morals,  the VP  commended the Chairman  of  the YTC, Mr  Dele  Martins, lawyer, as  a man  of integrity that the VP said  he  wanted  to recruit as a judge  when the  VP was the Attorney  General  of   Lagos  State. In addition, a Trustee  of the YTC, Alhaji Femi  Okunnu SAN, in his contribution demonstrated  the virtues of boldness and courage which  are  the hall  mark  of  the leadership  that  founded  the YTC.  He  said  government  must  cut  the cost  of governance at the legislative  and  executive  levels  to  improve  the economy.  He  said  the judiciary  has  not reflected  the federal  character in judicial appointments  from around  1978. He  asked  government  to  work  hard on  social  housing.  More  importantly  he said that the insurrection in the  Niger  Delta  will persist as  long  as  the issue  of Resource  Control, which is not the making  of the present Administration is  not  judiciously  resolved  and  urgently  too.

    Earlier  on at the anniversary,  the reviewer  of  the  Club  History,  Dr.  Femi  Olugbile,  commented on  several  aspects  of  the YTC 90  year  old  history.  As  a member  myself I  wish  to  highlight the part of  the club’s  history  that  says the Chairman  of  the club  can  do  no wrong. While  this  may  sound unrealistic and  impossible  at  once,  it  has  been  a   strong   catalyst   for orderliness and  control.  Especially   in   a  club made  up of professors, lawyers and eggheads  in various  professions  as well as captains of industry  and  business. It  is a salutation  that I  have personally  discovered makes for smooth  flow of obedience  from  members  to  tradition and  customs  of  the club as  well as   total  recognition of  the responsible  authority   of  the YTC   Chairman. It  is indeed  a  good  recipe  for political  stability in any  environment  and  not  only a social one   such  as  the  YTC  and is  highly  recommended.  Once   again,  long live  the Federal  Republic  of  Nigeria.

  • Industrialist bemoans loss of societal values

    Industrialist bemoans loss of societal values

    Life National Vice-Chairman of the Nigerian Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Chief Adebowale Omotoso, has said criminality and culture of sabotage are significantly reduced in any nation that treats its nationals as humankinds, with self-respect, dignity and whose needs and interests are jealously protected.

    Omotoso stated this in an exclusive interview at Awe Town, Oyo State. He noted that Nigerians are not inherent criminals but have capacities for self-determination and self-direction in good and noble things.

    He added that due to corrupt leadership, things have continued to fall apart, while the centre cannot hold.

    “Education should increase the consciousness level of Nigerian youths and socialise them into the national culture.  But what do we find today, education without morals due to lack of power monitoring and clear-cut policies devoid of political sentiments in regulating education or meaningful development.

    “Ideally, politics influences education through the policies and decisions that are made by the political leadership to ensure the realisation of national, state and party objectives. As a result of these  notions, there are many political problems that jeopardise educational management in the country,” he said.

    Advising the youth to make accountability, righteousness and justice their watchword, as prescription for nation-building, the industrialist pointed out that “the society has degenerated from a community of people with high moral values and dignity to a state of near madness, collapse of moral values and tolerance of immorality.’

    Continuing, he said: “Dignity has been thrown to the wind by both the young and the old. Our society now embraces immorality, just as sexual sin is freely committed without any sense  of shame. Indecent dressing mostly among ladies is now the order of the day. Many young ladies; even the mothers, dress to reveal their bodies. It is extremely indecent and very shameful for ladies to flaunt their breasts or expose other parts of their bodies in the name of fashion.”

    He also advised parents and guardians to inculcate in their children and wards the right type of values and attitudes for their survival, and the society.

    “Proper upbringing will not only foster respect for the worth and dignity of the children, but as well ensure the right moral and spiritual values in inter-personal and human relations. Parents should give their children the opportunity to develop whatever talents they are endowed within the context of the aims of their society.

    “Such opportunity does not come cheap and it is building on all responsible, including the societies, to make whatever sacrifices required, ensuring that their children and citizens have access to sound education.”

    Education, the Asiwaju of Afijio pointed out, is a very personal thing, and the benefit of it flows first to the individual before it can be of any benefit to the society.

    These benefits, he said, are indirect proportion to the level of education attained by each individual.

    Omotoso, a renowned Pharmacist, also described counterfeiting of medicines as one of the greatest atrocities of our time and the worst aspect of corruption which affects life directly.

    He noted that the evil of fake drugs is worse than the combined scourge of malaria, HIV and AIDS, robbery and illicit drugs.

    He said: “Fake drugs led to treatment failures, development of drug resistance and death of many people. Drug resistance occurs mainly in the areas of infectious diseases and malaria.

    “Before the 70’s, malaria was regarded as flu in Nigeria because of the efficacy of chloroquine. By the early 90’s, due to the development of resistant strains of malaria parasites partly induced by substandard anti-malarial drugs, we started shifting to second line drugs such as Fansidar and lately Artemisimin Combination Therapy (ACT).

    “The question now is if drug counterfeiters succeed with ACT, where do we go from there?”

    Omotoso,  who also expressed dismay at the general poor or total lack of record-keeping of health-related activities in various health establishments, wondered why the National Agency for Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has no data on drug use from hospitals and universities that do not carry out enough research in the area of drug use and treatment failures.

    “Due to this dearth of information, it is difficult to estimate, on annual basis, the death toll from fake drugs in Nigeria.”

    Attributing weak laws hampered by abuse of judicial process, granting of inordinate injunctions to counterfeiters, long delays of trials and other handicaps to some of the challenges facing food and drug regulation, he said that in most countries, laws against drug counterfeiting are very weak and consequently, criminals are shifting from gun-running and cocaine pushing to drug counterfeiting because it is financially lucrative but of relatively lower risk.

    “The rate at which drugs are either abused or misused by our people is alarming and disturbing. They no longer consult with qualified Pharmacists for whatever ailments they have, but rather patronise roadside medicine sellers and quacks to buy drugs without considering the attendant implications.”

    While stressing the need to develop, improve and adapt vaccines, drugs and diagnostic reagents locally, he also called for the establishment and maintenance of National Reference Centres, for pathogenic viruses and bacterial parasites.

    “It is also necessary to develop new techniques and strategies for the control of communicable diseases, especially malaria, measles, poliomyelitis, trypanosomiasis, hepatitis and onchocerciasis in order to improve health care system.’’

    Continuing, he said: “Government must also increase productivity in the local drug industry, by developing medicines and other new biological products, through a combination of genetic engineering, microbial fermentation and chemical engineering.

    “Also, the three-tiers of government must develop appropriate and effective health educational programmes, aimed at checking prevalence of drug abuse and misuse, as well as environmental filthiness.’’