THE 2015 general elections may undoubtedly rank as one of the most bitterly fought polls in the history of Nigeria. All across the country, stories abound of families and age-long relationships that were torn apart by political party affiliations. The elections would also be remembered for bringing out the creativity and ingenuity (though sometimes overtly mischievous) in many Nigerians, who turned to the social media platforms to express their feelings.

The comic cases, which brought a sort of comic relief to the tension and apprehensions to the elections, especially the hate campaign of the ruling now-turned-opposition party, were recorded across the country. From Badagry, where siblings kept faith with the old adage that blood is thicker than water despite belonging to different political camps, to other parts of the country, humour and odd scenes played out.

Residents of Badagry, Lagos State, woke up to a bright sunny day last Saturday, the day of the governorship and House of Assembly elections. With the cool breeze from the ocean, the residents were sure prepared to vote for candidates of their choice in the polls billed to start in a few hours time.

In midst of the activities, two siblings in opposing political parties, the All Progressives Congress(APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), prepared for the day’s battle in no other place than in the heart of their family house in Badagry.

The two candidates, Alhaja Safurat Layode Abdukareem, was the deputy governorship candidate of the PDP, while her brother, Hon. Olanrewaju Layode, was contesting to represent Badagry Constituency 1, in the Lagos State House of Assembly on the APC platform.  Though they didn’t contest for the same position, there was the need for them to protect the interests of their various parties.

With this, their language of communication, which had always been the same, instantly took a different turn like the biblical story of Tower of Babel where the people, who initially spoke one language and understood themselves, began to speak in different languages that were only known to the speakers.

So was the situation last weekend at the Layode’s compound when the contenstants spoke in the languages best understood by their party members instead of the one that the family would ordinarily use when they are together. Instead of Eegun, the language of the people of the area, everything that PDP and APC stood for became the new language of communication.

And eagerly, journalists, observers, security agents and other visitors to the area waited to see how this unfolding drama would play out, especially with the social media currently awash with stories of how a man allegedly beheaded his wife for belonging to another political party.

Shortly after the accreditation exercise began, the brother, in a chat with The Nation, fired the first salvo when he emphatically said his sister, Jimi Agbaje’s running mate, would lose. She lost gallantly here during the presidential and National Assembly elections and would equally lose today,” he said.

He didn’t stop there as he took another damning shot, saying that the sister’s days in the PDP were over.

But if you think you were about to witness a violent political war between siblings, you soon realised that you got it all wrong. Contrary to the fears of many that the election was going to tear the family apart, he emphatically said that there was no reason for him and his sister and their supporters to fight because of politics. “We are not vying for the same position, so why should we or our supporters fight?  Even if we are contesting for the same position, nothing on earth would ever tear us apart,” he said.

And perhaps to confirm what her brother had said, Alhaja Safurat also echoed his line of thought. She noted that being in a different political party from his brother should not bring about any quarrel, adding:” In my family, we were all given the freedom to belong to wherever we want; so, there shouldn’t be any reason to fight. We are one family.

“I am a Nigerian and a firm believer in the unity of the country. I cherish the peaceful co-existence and well being of the people and do not believe in fighting or making trouble over anything.  There is no reason for anybody to make trouble because of election, because there are only two options; it is either you win or you lose. My brother will always remain my brother. I don’t have control over whatever he wants to become in life and neither does he have over me.”

With their heartwarming statements, the mood was set that the election was going to be peaceful and carried out in a convivial atmosphere and so it was.

The exercise was actually a family affair without anybody attempting to harass or intimidate anybody. The usual hostility among party members and agents on election ground was totally absent.  They all related peacefully, ate and drank together as if they were feasting.   The patriarch of the family, Pa Salaam Layode, said it all: “Both of them are my children and I have to give both of them my support.”

And by the time voting ended, the brother and his APC came tops. Despite the loss, the sister never betrayed any sign of animosity towards her brother, maintaining that there was no winner and no vanquished. Alhaja Safurat urged everybody to take the outcome in good fate, saying that the election, from what she observed, was free and fair and needless for anybody to take to any form of protest or violence.

Her mien endeared her to everybody and she continued to relate humbly and mingled freely with almost everybody in the community, calling each of them by their names. Speaking with The Nation shortly after voting ended, the soft-spoken woman said: “I don’t have to become what I am not because I want the people to vote for me and my party.  I think I am just who I am.

“This is the way I am and I can never pretend to be what I am not. One thing you should realise is that our attitude is like smoke and you can never cover it. No matter how you try to cover your real attitude, it must certainly come to the fore at one point or the other.  These are my people and no matter who I am or what I become in life, all of them, irrespective of the status, are my people. “

In the convivial spirit that typified the election in the area, the brother teased her sister, saying: “My sister would soon quit the PDP to join the progressive party, APC. Our family has always belonged to progressive parties, but I guess she joined the PDP because of marriage. She would soon return to where she truly belongs.”

Responding, the sister said: “They have always joked about me defecting to the APC.  I have not done that for the past 12 years and I don’t think I want to do that. I am comfortable where I am.  It is their opinion that it was marriage that made me to join the PDP. My membership of the PDP has nothing to do with my family. That is my brother’s personal opinion.”

Humour is by far the most significant activity of the human brain. The validity of this statement significantly played out in the build-up to and during the general elections. The elections also brought out the creativity and ingenuity in most Nigerians, as young Nigerians seize the opportunity to offer a comic relief in order to douse the tensions generated in the course of the elections with witty ‘inventions’ in the form of annotated pictures and internet memes.

Interestingly, some of the pictures were created by computer whiz kids, using the graphics applications like Photoshop and other packages used in creating caricatures and life activities in pictures.

Another means employed by these young Nigerians is to source for pictures of the activities of the major contenders. A particular interesting comic was that of President Goodluck Jonathan hailing his supporters during a campaign in the South West. The comic voice said: “Fellow Nigerians, bye bye o, I don dey go to Otuoke be that o.  Make una cooperate with Gen Buhari, my successor. One nation, my people.”

These humour merchants are neither comedians or professional film makers but ordinary Nigerian youths empowered with nothing, but smart phones and laptops. With these tools, they create annotated pictures which are transferred as internet memes through the social media. The presidential election mostly witnessed these memes with lots of creations from the ludicrous, the mundane and the amusing, which could be easily taken to be the true account of the moment.

Every aspect of the presidential election, starting from the party primaries to the campaign, the scoring of cheap points with the defamation of character, the tensions of results collation, the Orubebe gaffe and other happenstances did not escape the knowledge of these computer nerds.  Some of the intrigues, actions and drama captured by these acts are captured below.

To capture the nature of the struggle for the presidency between the ruling PDP and the opposition APC, a picture showing two naked boys struggling for a tyre, captioned ’2015 Election,’ was made in the form of a drama, with the boy representing the PDP, saying “No it belongs to me o”, to which the other boy, the APC, replied, “but you have been playing with it for long. Don’t be selfish”.

Aware of the fact that job creation was a major issue used to canvass for votes by both parties, with the incumbent claiming to have created jobs, another smart humour merchant took to the computer to make mockery of the president’s claim by releasing a funny picture of two young men peeping from an opening of a tarmac by the side of the road with the caption, “Nigerians be like… We are looking for the 1.5 million jobs that GEJ said he created”.

It will be recalled that there was serious tension during the collation of results by INEC. As people waited with baited breath to hear the final declaration, some of these gifted Nigerians released pictures to capture the mood of Nigerians. A hilarious photo, which came into focus, was that of woman sitting in front of the TV carefully compiling results with different calculators, with the comment: “Before INEC calculator messes up”.

Not just satisfied with creating caricatures based on the mood of the moments, they went further to gauge the mood of the president as the election results continue to tickle in with Gen. Buhari leading.  The humourists created a picture of a doctor diagnosing GEJ with a blood temperature instrument, with the GEJ lamenting: “Sai Baba, you will not kill me o”.

Platforms for social engagement like Twitter and Facebook were not left out with funny tweets emanating from Nigerians. “You Rivers me, I kano you, you Enugu me, I Kaduna you. You Bayelsa me, I Jigawa you, you Abia me, I Katsina you, you Akwa Ibom me, I Borno you, you Ekiti me, I Kogi you…counter attack #nagodwin”, wrote a twitter user with the handle @iPoison.

In Oyo State, aside from the fact that five candidates were battling for the top office, elections in the state have always been known as a battle for the lion-hearted. On Election Day, as we stepped out in readiness to monitor the conduct of the election for the day, a colleague suddenly blurted out, “It is not by power, neither is it by might; it is all about wisdom and brain.”

His statement was of course a subtle advice for the media team to apply wisdom in their coverage of the election, bearing in mind the tension that had trailed the campaigns.

Interestingly, in place of the anticipated violence, scenes which have endeared the elections to many people, played out in different parts of the state.

At Iwo-Ate, in Ogo-Oluwa Local Government Area, a sleepy town with about 100 mud houses, aged women braved the elements to stay on the queue for hours just to cast their votes. A similar scenario was observed at Akanran in Ona-Ara Local Government Area of the state. Here, over 80 percent of the voters found on the queue were aged women in their late 80s.

An Octogenarian, Mrs Adunola Gbadamosi, said she was very happy to be part of the election process that would produce credible leaders in the state. This is what we have to do as long as we are still living, to lead the way for the younger generation to follow, even when we are no more. And we are happy to be out here to cast our votes as responsible members of the community.”

At Yemetu, Idi-Arere, Idi-kan , Inalende, Opoyosa, Popoyemoja,Mapo, Born-Foto and other local areas, generally regarded as crisis-prone areas of Ibadan,voting was done without any act of violence.

Everywhere visited in the state, voting was peaceful, with no fighting or bickering. All the eligible voters adhered to the instructions set out by INEC officials and the orderliness was impressive.

In Ondo State, poverty seemed to have played a prominent role in the conduct of the election. Beginning from the Wednesday preceding the Election Day, scores of residents of the capital city found a sudden succour in the provision of the now popular ‘stomach infrastructure’ by the state government. Not willing to be left out of the largesse, many residents rushed to the Alagbaka Government House to partake in the sharing of what they all agreed was their commonwealth.

And many believed that this tactics employed by the state government may have influenced the outcome of the state assembly elections. Money was freely distributed by agents of a particular party as voters queued to vote. You immediately became a beneficiary of the wads of crisp notes as soon as you showed proof that you had thumb-printed the space allocated to that particular party.

Commercial drivers, who tried to play a fast one, had raw deals in the hands of security agents who manned the Igbara-Oke military check-point. Trailer drivers, numbering about 50, were left stranded for the duration of the poll.

Overall, the conduct of the governorship and state assembly elections in Plateau State was very peaceful. However, the peaceful conduct of the poll was tainted by a single act of violence allegedly instigated by a young man, who was later identified as Salim.

Said to be an agent of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Salim allegedly attacked some security agents, accusing them of insulting him. In anger, one of the security agents was said to have opened fire on the young man. The security agents accused him of attempting to snatch a ballot box.

The post Humour, ‘side attractions’ of governorship polls appeared first on The Nation.

Kente cloth is the traditional cloth of the Ghanaians it is loved all over the world.

The post Kente cloth appeared first on The Nation.

Chandelier earrings are long, gorgeous and ultra -glam.

It is one of the hottest jewellery trends used by divas who understand the word fashion.

You don’t have to spend a fortune to find a super looking pair of chandelier earrings (unless you want to).

CHANDELIER earrings

Chandelier earrings can be worn to any occasion of your choice. As a lover of chandelier earrings, you will be able to find a prefect pair for yourself or for someone special to you.  Chandelier earrings add finishing touch to your look and complete your fashion statement.

While the right earrings could add to the wearer’s beauty, the wrong one could mar it. In the past, there were different earrings for different occasions. But now, the scene has changed; all kinds of earrings are now worn to all kinds of occasions. The rules governing the use of earrings are not as rigid as they used to be. Chandelier earrings are the most popular and the most used jewellery in a woman’s jewellery box. They are meant to brighten the face and enhance its beauty.

The post Complete your look with chandelier earrings appeared first on The Nation.

• How ex-president’s men became victims

A core issue, which accounted for the strain in the relationship between President Goodluck Jonathan and his erstwhile political godfather, ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo was the alleged maltreatment of some loyalists of the former President in government and in the hierarchy of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). In this piece, YUSUF ALLI, Managing Editor, Northern Operation, examines the politics of the cold war and the ‘sacrificial lambs’. 

The nation’s presidential election has been won and lost but those who survived its intrigues knew that it was not an easy battle. The peak of the battle was the cold war between ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo and President Goodluck Jonathan. While the two leaders engaged in make-believe that all was well, they were firing at each other under the table. At a point, they spoke in parables for only the wise to decode. There were allusions to ‘motor-park’ touts.

But the war claimed its casualties too. All those associated with Obasanjo, who crossed the shooting range or strayed into the range, were fired.

The beginning of the intrigues

The crisis of confidence between Jonathan and Obasanjo started manifesting in 2011 but it reached a crescendo in 2013 with what a presidency source described as a “satanic” letter by the ex-President.  A reliable source said when the relationship was getting sour, Jonathan once summoned the courage to confront Obasanjo for allegedly undermining him. Jonathan had accused Obasanjo of allegedly being behind the rebellion of the G-7 governors in the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). But Obasanjo denied the allegation and assured Jonathan of support.

The source gave seven reasons on how the two leaders got to an ‘irreconciliable’ stage in their relationship.  The seven issues are:

• Rejection of some ministerial nominees and chief executives of departments and agencies from the South-West from Obasanjo

• Alleged refusal of Jonathan to consult Obasanjo on key policies and decisions of the government to sack some heads of parastatals linked with the ex-President from the South-West

• Disagreement on the leadership of PDP at the national level and in the South-West, especially the sack of Obasanjo’s loyalists like ex-Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola, ex-Governor Segun Oni, and Bode Mustapha

• The rise of G-7 and ultimate defection

• Obasanjo’s allegation of Jonathan’s administration of lack of direction, especially on anti-graft war.

• Use of international fora to write off the administration of Jonathan

• Second term aspiration of Jonathan.

The source added: “Obasanjo’s disagreement with Jonathan started from the ministerial nomination. The ex-President sought input into nominations from the South-West but Jonathan restricted him to Ogun State. He said Obasanjo cannot single-handedly nominate ministers from the South-West when there is PDP structure in place.

“The ex-President was also not happy that the Jonathan administration does not consult him on all policy issues, decisions of the government and strategic appointments. The ex-President felt the President had been hijacked by those he did not want in government.

“One of those who allegedly offended Obasanjo in the past was the outgoing Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim. His appointment was done on merit and without consultation with Obasanjo. Even at that,  Anyim personally went to meet Obasanjo and sought forgiveness in whatever manner he had offended the ex-President. And he said he had forgiven Anyim.

“But Anyim was said not to have changed as he allegedly bared his fangs on Obasanjo’s loyalists. For instance in removing Otunba Olusegun Runsewe as the Director-General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), the President was made to believe by the Office of the SGF that only an Executive Director was being replaced.

Although Jonathan has respect for Runsewe, he had approved his removal in error before he got to know what went wrong.

“The emergence of Bamanga Tukur as the National Chairman of PDP and the attendant crisis in the party deepened the crack in the relationship between the two leaders.

And the hijack of the South-West PDP structure from Obasanjo pained the ex-President. But with anti-second term campaign for Jonathan, it was strategically important for the PDP to restrict Obasanjo to his only vote at the PDP National Convention for presidential primaries than to allow him control the party structure and wreak havoc.

“Intelligence reports on Obasanjo’s remarks during public lectures or seminars at international fora, including some in the USA, upset the presidency.

The victims

When two elephants fight, the grass, they say,  suffers. Some of the victims of the cold war between Jonathan and Obasanjo were a former National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, ex-Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola, former National Vice Chairman(South-West) of PDP,  ex-Governor Segun Oni;  the party’s former National Auditor, Sen. Bode Mustapha; the immediate past Chairman of the of the Board of the Subsidy Re-investment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P), Lt. Gen. Martin Luther Agwai; ex- DG of NTDC, Otunba Olusegun Runsewe; ex-DG of the National Broadcasting Commission, Mr. Yomi Bolarinwa; and the immediate past Executive Secretary of PTDF, Dr. Oluwole Oluleye,  a son of Maj-Gen. J.J. Oluleye who was a former Federal Commissioner (Minister) of Finance.

Some of these party leaders and government functionaries were removed from office based on pettiness, the fear of the unknown, grand plan for Jonathan’s second term in office, sheer ethnic politics,  sycophancy, dummy security alarms and anti-Obasanjo’s hatred by some forces in the Presidency. A reliable source said: “Like the President said he was caged for 16 years, he realised the truth in some instances after such public officials had been sacked. Take the case of ex-DG of NBC, Yomi Bolarinwa, he was on top of the game before he was sacked for allegedly being disloyal. Unknown to the President, Bolarinwa’s successor, respected Emeka Mba, had served two-term tenure as the DG of the National Films and Censors Board. Bringing him to NBC would amount to third term in the same capacity.

“The hate advertisements and documentaries on the President-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, during the just-concluded campaign and the belated intervention of the NBC pointed to why the change in the commission was effected by the Office of the SGF.”

How did Obasanjo’s loyalists get into trouble?

Agwai

Born on November 8, 1948 in Kaduna State , Agwai was appointed  Chief of Army Staff by Obasanjo in 2003, and elevated to the rank of full-star general and Chief of Defence Staff in 2006. After retirement in 2009, he was engaged in a number of international assignments until he was appointed the Deputy Chairman of the Board of the Subsidy Re-investment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) by President Goodluck Jonathan in February 2012.  In November 2013, he became SURE-P Chairman following the “sudden” resignation of Chief Christopher Kolade. But Agwai ran into trouble when he delivered a “toxic” lecture at the 78th birthday of Obasanjo in Abeokuta.

In the lecture titled, “Imperatives of a national security framework for the development and progress of Nigeria”, Agwai warned against military’s involvement in politics and added a clincher that Nigeria needed a “change” of government when he knew the 2015 poll was a few months away. The same slogan

of “change” was the campaign gimmick of the then opposition party, the All Progressives Congress(APC). The presidency saw his lecture as the hand of Esau’s and the voice of Jacob. He was given the boot while abroad.

Otunba Segun Runsewe

Otunba Segun Runsewe was the Director General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC). He was removed by Jonathan under controversial circumstances while on official assignment in Dubai selling the tourism potential of Nigeria. A tourism ambassador par excellence, Runsewe carved a niche for the nation in the international community as he bestrode everywhere with a peculiar pan-Nigerian identity. The floating of the Nigerian Tourism Village during the 2010 World Cup in South Africa remains unequalled till today. Before the NTDC assignment, this Ijebu man was appointed a former Executive Director of the National Orientation Agency by Obasanjo. He was also saddled  with the responsibility of being the chairman of the Media Committee of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting(CHOGM) in 2003.

But some forces in the presidency were uncomfortable with what was described as his “increasing profile”. Loved by the President but his replacement was technically done as the forces in the Office of the SGF made Jonathan to realise that there was a vacancy for an Executive Director (ED) in NTDC as if the ED will work under Runsewe. Jonathan wielded the big stick without knowing he was firing a friend.

Dr. Oluwole Oluleye

A son of a former Federal Commissioner of Finance, Gen. J.J. Oluleye, who was a colleague and friend of Obasanjo in the military administration of Murtala-Obasanjo between 1975 and 1979, Dr. Oluwole Oluleye was the pioneer Executive Secretary of the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) in 2003. He was humiliated out of office because he resisted the cabal seeking to perpetrate fuel subsidy fraud. Some influential marketers wanted to be paid for fuel not imported and Oluleye allegedly refused to cooperate in spite of the glaring offer of bribery cuts for him by the fuel subsidy cabal. Apart from serving as a member/secretary of the Presidential Projects Assessment Committee in 2010, luck smiled on Oluleye again when he was appointed as Executive Secretary of the Petroleum Development Technology Fund (PTDF) on May 15, 2013. A source said he ran into an ethical trouble again in 2014 for rejecting plans to use part of PTDF funds to finance the governorship project of PDP, which led to the election of Governor Ayodele Fayose. There was also a phantom report on his alleged “closeness” to the former Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi of the APC. For standing aloof on Operation Conquer Ekiti by PDP, Oluleye was disengaged by the presidency.

Engr. Yomi Bolarinwa

Engr. Yomi Bolarinwa was appointed Director General of the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC) in March 2007 and held the position till May 2013. He was sacked by President Goodluck Jonathan in hazy circumstances, which no one has explained to him today. But sources said Bolarinwa’s exit, eight months to the expiration of his tenure, followed alleged issuance of TV licence to the opposition, which led to the birth of TVC.  Bolarinwa was also allegedly removed due to the conspiracy that the South-West has had enough of its days in NBC. But the presidency might have given him the boot to hijack the agency for the bitter campaign, which dotted the 2015 poll.

Oyinlola

Following consensus by PDP governors, ex-Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola was elected as  the National Secretary of the party at its  National Convention in 2012 but because of his closeness to Obasanjo, some bigwigs in the party, especially ex-National chairman of PDP, Alh. Bamanga Tukur, were uncomfortable with him. As an Obasanjo man, some loyalists of the President felt Oyinlola might be an obstacle to the second term aspiration of Jonathan. These forces took undue advantage of the law and ensured that Oyinlola was sacked by the Federal High Court, Abuja in January 2013 for being improperly elected to the position.  Rather than take the laws into his hand, Oyinlola appealed the judgment  of the lower court and won. But all attempts to reinstate him into office were frustrated by Bamanga Tukur, who in turn was forced to step aside in 2014. He later followed the honourable path by defecting to the All Progressives Congress(APC).

Imbued with courage, Oyinlola does not pretend as a die-hard loyalist of Obasanjo. In a letter to President Goodluck Jonathan, he made it known that he has no other name than loyalty. He said: “I wish to respectfully state that I do not go back on my words, just like I don’t abandon my friends, associates and leaders, no matter how hard the situation might be. That explains why as a state governor, I remained very loyal to my boss, former President Ibrahim Babangida, GCFR, even when he had some issues with the government of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.  I wish to respectfully recall very respectfully, that Chief Obasanjo never made any attempt to move against me on account of these differences.

The same spirit today drives me as I maintain my loyalty to former President Obasanjo, who may, or who may not have any relationship with your government. It was that same spirit that made me insist on your approval of my candidature, in your capacity as national leader of the party and president, before I agreed with my brother-governors request in 2012, to contest for the position of PDP National Secretary. I should like to state that I am not a fair-weather fellow. To my friends, the spirit is very similar to marital vow.”

Segun Oni 

An anointed political son of Obasanjo from the way he emerged as the elected Governor of Ekiti State in April 2007, after losing his mandate in October 2010, Oni remained a committed party man until  March 2012 when he was elected the National Vice Chairman South-West of the PDP. However in line with a grand plot to relegate Obasanjo to the background in the PDP in the South-West, Oni was removed from office by the Bamanga Tukur-led National Working Committee of the PDP as a result of a court ruling that nullified the party congress that led to the emergence of Oni. Instead of allowing the judicial process to run its full course to the Supreme Court, the Bamanga Tukur team employed impunity to its fullest.  Oni had no choice than to leave  the PDP for APC where he was elected as the  Deputy National Chairman (South) of the APC.

Chief Bode Mustapha

A former National Auditor of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Bode Mustapha lost his seat in the National Working Committee of the party following a court ruling that his election was improper. The National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Olisah Metuh, who tried to justify Mustapha’s removal, said:  “Report of the Decision of PDP NWC on Ogun State Exco & South West Zone Exco; Following protracted dispute on the Ogun State and South West Zonal Exco of the Party, a series of suits were filed on the matter, which include FHC/L/CS/1248/2011, FHC/L/CS/282/2012 and FHC/L/CS/347/2012.

“The Peoples Democratic Party is to rectify its records by deleting the name of Chief Bode Mustapha as National Auditor and replacing the same with Alhaji Fatai Adewole Adeyanju.

“The National working Committee of the party met on 14th February 2013 and gave careful consideration to the issues and decided that, in line with respect to the rule of law which is a cardinal principle of the present administration, the PDP as a law abiding party, will immediately comply with the said judgment. This is all the more so that same has not been set aside or reversed by any superior court.”

Mustapha later defected to the APC alongside other Obasanjo’s loyalists.

Reaping the benefits of anti-Obasanjo’s agenda

Although some strategists of President Goodluck Jonathan might disagree, the gradual alienation of the South-West and the removal of public functionaries from the zone from public office created a political liability for the President during the general election. Out of about 50 choice appointments, the South-West had only two or three. At a stage, Jonathan took his destiny in his hands by embarking on shuttles to traditional rulers in Yorubaland, but it was too late as the Yoruba were not ready to condone his explanation for sidelining the principle of Federal Character in the 1999 Constitution. The APC latched on the costly mistake of Jonathan’s administration and the rest is history today.

 What becomes of these Obasanjo’s men?

Now that a new government is in place, the question, is what becomes of these Obasanjo’s men. They were part of the sacrifices made to effect the sweeping change now in the country. Some of them were harassed out of office, displaced, and even subjected to deprivation for no fault of theirs.

Conquering fixation

letes. How do you engage the car in the reverse gear yet expect the vehicle to move forward. We have refused to change the administrators with their warp ideas.

Coaches and players now hobnob with the Presidency; a distasteful development that has made impossible a smooth transition in the Eagles, with the NFF going against its wish for the team. I digress!

Today, Taiwo Awoniyi is the hottest striker in the country. Awoniyi was a marvel to watch at the last U-17 World Cup, which Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets won. He has taken his prolific goal-scoring act to the flying Eagles, scoring goals with aplomb, in the absence of Kelechi Iheanacho.

Rather than draft Awoniyi to the Dream Team VI after completing the Flying Eagles assignment, such mundane talk of him being over-used were proposed by our coaches and their ilk without asking Awoniyi if he could cope with both roles.

Those who advanced that argument must cover their heads in shame because it has taken Awoniyi’s profound scoring skills to hand Nigeria the qualification ticket for the All Africa Games. Awoniyi reminds me of Henry Nwosu. His knack for scoring goals brings back memories of the late Rashidi Yekini.

Iker Casilas was here in Lagos for the 1999 World U-20 Youth Championship, which Spain won by beating Japan, then handled by the White Witch Doctor, Phillipe Troussier 2-0, inside the mainbowl of the National Stadium in Lagos. Casilas is still Spain’s goalkeeper, 16 years after breaking into the team as a 20-year old.

The advantage of playing outstanding players, such as Awoniyi, Kelechi Iheanacho and Chidera Eze, in the senior category is that they will remain there for a longer time. Besides, others at the grassroots would be buoyed to give their best, knowing that they too could be like them, if they improve on their game.

The argument of former internationals, such as Victor Ikpeba, that Awoniyi would be ripe for the Eagles in two years time is bunkum. This is why Ikpeba didn’t leave the Eagles with a testimonial game, in spite of his remarkable contributions, including winning the Africa Footballer of the Year award in 1999.

Players get the impetus to live their dreams in a football team through their skills, not age, especially the gifted ones. We must strive to reduce the average age of the Super Eagles from its unacceptable 32 to what others have – between 21 and 28. The game is now being played by young and enterprising players, who are hungry for glory. Little wonder the avalanche of new players that come into prominence after every big competition.

Need I waste space to list boys who hit it big time as teens, not forgetting the king of soccer, Pele? Whenever I watch Manchester United play with De Gea in goal, I cry. Why? In 2007, a Nigerian ‘kid’ Dele Ajiboye, was adjudged the best goalkeeper at the U-17 World Cup which Nigeria beat Spain 2-0.

It would be ludicrous for any bookmaker to draw a comparison between Ajiboye and De Gea today, more than eight years after. Do you see my pain?

Who blinks first?

By the time you are reading this column today (baring any last minute changes) , Stephen Okechukwu Keshi would have returned to his Super Eagles job at humbling terms. Keshi’s return has been controversial, with the NFF chiefs’ body language not favourably disposed towards working with him.

This cat-and-rat setting may be the Eagles’ biggest problem, if Keshi plays the ostrich. Unfortunately, NFF men are not ready to tell us the terms of reference in Keshi’s deal, based on a certain clause which forbids either party to make such disclosure.

But, I’m damn sure the wall of secrecy will eventually collapse and details of the contract, will be subject of beer parlour talks – when the coach fails to get his salaries and entitlements promptly. NFF men must tell us the dos and don’ts in Keshi’s contract now not when he infringes on any. Nigerians deserve to know what would happen to the coach if the Eagles fail to fly.

I don’t see how an all-knowing Keshi will allow his list to be vetted, yet he refuses to carry the can when the team fails. I also don’t see how Keshi will work with any document given to him by the technical study group and the technical department and yet we expect him to take the credit for victories arising from such group initiatives. Keshi isn’t a team player.

I also don’t see how Keshi will stop John Mikel Obi from playing for the Eagles even when he is a bench warmer at Chelsea? Will Keshi forgive Sunday Mba et al to give the Eagles the desired fillip to fly higher? Will Keshi swallow his pride and play the functional 4-4-2 or 4-5-1 or even 4-3-3 to bring out the best of our players who shine in their European teams which play these formations?

Does the NFF have a plan B when Keshi’s tantrums begin, especially if, the federation fails to pay the coach promptly. Would the NFF be right to sanction a man whose fees they haven’t settled, irrespective of the reasons given for the delay?

I pray that Keshi becomes a team player in this new dispensation. He must do away with those busybodies around him who run their mouths in the media. They are the ones who told us that seven countries were chasing the Big Boss to train their teams. Where are those teams today? These lickspittles shouldn’t tell us in the future how certain powerful men in the fading government begged the coach to stay.

Keshi has been jobless. Countries touted to be chasing him picked others even though he denied applying for those jobs. Keshi signed a contract he tagged ‘slavish’. I hope he remains humble because he thrives in having power without control mechanism. This NFF board has provided such control mechanisms. I hope the Big Boss can submit himself to control.

The post Seven reasons Jonathan, Obasanjo fell apart appeared first on The Nation.

Hello Harriet, your last week article came at the right time, and after reading it, I must confess that in spite of my feeling of betrayal and pain it gave me, it gave me a better understanding of infidelity. Please, advise me on the way forward. Thanks.

Mrs. Ndidi, Lagos.

There is no simple answer to why someone becomes unfaithful. It could be a symptom of other problems in the marriage. It could also relate to something in your spouse’s past. You may never truly know why it happened.

Knowing the type of infidelity we mentioned in our previous edition makes understanding it easier. You must ask questions like: Was it a one-night stand due to a mid-life or life crisis or sexual addiction? Could it be an act of retaliation or entangled affair? What is the motive behind the act? Did the cheating occur to end the marriage?

Remember that your marriage has changed. You will need to grieve that loss.

The stages of death and dying (denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance) are part of the grieving process. It doesn’t mean your marriage can’t be renewed and strengthened because it can. But it will be different.

You just realise that your spouse has been unfaithful to you. The news of the infidelity has hit you like bricks. As a counsellor, I am to treat both spouses with respect in order to give honest positive and negative feedback  to enable the spouse align effectively.

I cannot say giving him or her flowers or gifts at this stage is not proper because this stage is like slapping a bandage on a fresh, infected wound. Although some will say as a woman, this is the time for you to make your demands. It might feel like help in the short term, but in reality, it is just covering over deeper problems that will only get worse.

You have hope that your marriage can survive your spouse cheating on you. But you still fill sick inside when you think about the affair. Here is what you can do to get beyond the hurt.

You need to understand the type of affair your spouse is involved in. Questions like is it a one-night stand, an entangled affair, or an addiction? Note the solutions to these affairs are different.

Sexual addiction: There are some steps to be taken. The person  involved in this act of infidelity must admit to himself or herself that there is a problem and  that  there is need to help. Self-realization is a great thing.

Change of mind set: To guard his or her mind, avoid books, pictures, magazines and videos. Avoid fantasies that stimulate wrong desires.

Keep away from friends or companies that can lead to this desire.

Think not of the moment, but rather focus on the future.

Forgive your unfaithful spouse to save your marriage.

Difficulty: Time, they say, heals all wounds. The spouse involved will have to work extra hard to gain back the lost trust.

What has happened has happened. Let’s face it. Give a second chance. Not that the act is right, but if the person is really sorry, forgive, so that you can have a sound mind as well.

Time Required: It’s going to take a long time for the wound to heal. It is natural to go through the healing process slowly.

Here’s how: Men and women should understand that they took a vow before God and man to be faithful when getting married, so there is no justification for infidelity. It is wrong and cannot be right, no matter how common it is in the society.

Polygamy is a different issue. We are addressing those who took a vow before God and man to be one till death do them part.

Don’t make any major decision about ending your marriage now just because your spouse has been unfaithful. This is the time to do some reflection on your marriage to see what other issues, other than infidelity, need to be recognized and dealt with. If you move out of the house, you are giving room for the person to move in. You have swapped places.

You are now the one out, while the other person is now the one in.

Feelings are neither right nor wrong. Accept that your feelings of rage, uncertainty, shock, agitation, fear, pain, depression and confusion about having an unfaithful spouse are normal. To be continued

Harriet Ogbobine is a counselor and a motivational speaker. Send your questions and suggestions to her on bineharriet@gmail.com or txt message only 08023058805. You can also follow her on twitter; @bineharriet.

The post How to overcome trauma of infidelity appeared first on The Nation.

International tourism receipts increased by US$ 48 billion in 2014 to reach a record US$ 1,245 billion. An additional US$ 221 billion was generated from international passenger transport, bringing total exports from international tourism up to US$ 1.5 trillion.

Receipts from international visitors spending on accommodation, food and drink, entertainment, shopping and other services and goods reached an estimated US$ 1,245 billion (euro 937 billion) in 2014, an increase of 3.7 per cent in real terms (taking into account exchange rate fluctuations and inflation). International tourist arrivals increased by 4.4 pr cent in 2014, reaching a total 1,135 million, up from 1,087 million in 2013.

Aside from international tourism receipts (the travel item of the Balance of Payment), tourism also generates export earnings through international passenger transport services (rendered to non-residents). The latter amounted to an estimated US$ 221 billion in 2014, bringing total exports from international tourism up to US$ 1.5 trillion, or US$ 4 billion a day on average.

“International tourism is an increasingly significant component of international trade as seen in export earnings from international tourism and passenger transport, which reached US$ 1.5 trillion in 2014” said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai.

“In a scenario with decreasing commodity prices, spending on international tourism grew significantly in 2014, proving the sector’s capacity to stimulate economic growth, boost exports and create jobs”, he added.

International tourism (travel and passenger transport) represents 30 per cent of the world’s exports of services and 6% of overall exports of goods and services. As a worldwide export category, tourism ranks fourth after fuels, chemicals and food, ranking first in many developing countries.

UNWTO also forecast that international tourism will grow in each region. Europe, which accounts for 41 per cent of worldwide international tourism receipts, saw an increase in tourism earnings in absolute terms of US$ 17 billion to US$ 509 billion (euro 383 billion).

Asia and the Pacific (30 per cent share) saw an increase of US$ 16 billion, reaching US$ 377 billion (euro 284 bn).

In the Americas, (22 per cent share), receipts increased by US$ 10 billion to a total of US$ 274 billion (euro 206 bn).

In the Middle East (4% share), tourism receipts increased by an estimated US$ 4 billion to US$ 49 billion (euro 37 bn) and in Africa (three per cent share) by US$ 1 billion to US$ 36 billion (euro 27 bn).

In the top ten ranking by tourism earnings, China climbed from 5th to 3rd place following a 10% increase in earnings to US$ 57 billion in 2014.

The United States (US$ 177 billion) and Spain (US$ 65 billion) maintained first and second positions in the ranking.

The United Kingdom (US$ 45 billion) moved up two positions to 7th, boosted by the lasting effects of the Olympics and the appreciation of the UK pound (increasing receipts calculated in US dollar terms).

France, Macao (China) and Italy occupy the 4th to 6th positions respectively, while Germany, Thailand and Hong Kong (China) complete the top ten.

The post International tourism exports rise to US$ 1.5 trillion appeared first on The Nation.

Adamu Kotorkoshi is the Executive Director of the Centre for Community Excellence, a Zamfara State-based NGO championing the cause of victims of lead poisoning. He expresses his disappointment regarding how the federal and state governments have responded to the lead poisoning crisis, saying the villages are not yet rid of hazardous artisanal mining activities. Assistant Editor ADEKUNLE YUSUF met him in Gusau, Zamfara State.

How will you describe the magnitude or scale of lead poisoning in Zamfara villages?

The magnitude of lead poisoning in Zamfara villages is very high and beyond any ordinary human imagination. In fact, it is an unprecedented disaster. It was a situation whereby about 38 communities were contaminated and over 700 children lost their lives, while hundreds of children, if not thousands are still battling with the problem of lead poisoning. Many pregnant women suffered miscarriages. Some of the men have poor erection or impotency. Therefore, the magnitude of lead poisoning in Zamfara villages is so far the worst in the history of lead poisoning disasters globally.

Are you satisfied with the response of government to the problem?

To be candid with you, I must say it without any reservation or apology to anybody or any government agency, that I am not satisfied with the response of government to the problem. In fact, I am highly disappointed with the way and manner both the federal and state governments handled the problem when it surfaced in 2010. It is so disheartening that a government claiming to be democratic in nature is playing to the gallery with the lives of its citizens during disasters. The government of Nigeria has completely failed to discharge its constitutional responsibility of protecting the lives of Zamfara State mining communities.

How could you describe the government that deliberately refused to come to the aid of the victims of the lead poisoning that began in 2010 until 2013? It was in the year 2013 that the Federal Government released the so-called fund for remediation of the top soil, safer mining and heath component. But unfortunately, as I speak to you right now, it was only 8 communities that were remediated in about 38 communities that require urgent attention. One of the major challenges that contributed to the government failure in addressing the problem was the so-called administrative bottlenecks, as well as poor working relationship among the stakeholders. The Federal Government, Zamfara State Government as well as the three relevant ministries at the Federal level have poor coordination mechanism, which has hindered the affected communities to feel the impact of government intervention. In communities where there is abject poverty, illiteracy and complete government neglect in providing basic amenities, the people have no alternative than to indulge in unsafe mining for survival.

What can you say about the mode of mining in the state now, whether it is safer now or not?

Well the Federal Government through the Ministry for Mining and Steel Development made some effort in the area of sensitization on safer mining, workshops on safer mining as well as procurement of 3 Igoli machines and some wet milling machines for safer mining. But to be candid, it is just like a drop of water in the ocean. The major challenge was all the programmes and interventions were designed at Abuja without due consultation of relevant stakeholders that have a clear picture of the real happenings on the ground. Millions of naira was wasted in order to satisfy the will and need of some selfish elements at the expense of the affected communities.  Therefore, I am not satisfied with the safer mining programme put in place by the government. The mode of mining in Zamfara State is not safer. It is business as usual. The truth is, unsafe mining activities are currently taking place in various communities in Zamfara State.

How true is the rumor that there is a resurgence of lead poisoning cases in some villages?

It was not a rumor. As I told you earlier, re are about 38 communities affected by lead poisoning in Zamfara State, but it was only eight communities that were remediated. So basically there are about 30 contaminated communities that are yet to be remediated. And there is no any concrete measure in place as far as prevention of re-occurrence of lead poisoning in Zamfara state is concerned. The government came and spent the money allocated for the intervention, but I can only score government fifteen per cent. All the vehicles, machines and tools bought with the money have been taken to Abuja, when they are desperately needed here in Zamfara State. What are they doing with the equipment and vehicles bought for Zamfara lead poisoning disaster at Abuja? As I speak to you, there is no single machine (detector) left in Zamfara state.  So the resurgence of lead poisoning in Zamfara state is inevitable if adequate, necessary and timely measures are not put in place.

The post ‘Unsafe mining activities still taking place in the state’ appeared first on The Nation.

Five years after a lead-poisoning epidemic that ravaged some villages in Zamfara State, echoes of the monumental disaster, which led to the death of hundreds of children and miscarriages among women, still linger on. After visiting these gold-rich villages and some mining sites, Assistant Editor ADEKUNLE YUSUF reports that the contamination crisis is an ongoing tragedy because artisanal gold mining that triggered the recent calamity is still an important source of livelihood for many poverty-stricken locals.

It is barely 11am on a school day, but scores of children are surprisingly not in school. At a time their peers in other climes are busy getting set for the journey of life, these children are engrossed in their usual pastimes  chasing one another all over the dusty compounds, taking turns in rehearsing pretend plays, and climbing shrub trees that sparsely dot Bagega, a squalid community in Zamfara State. As if in a trance, one of the truant playmates peeps from the narrow entrance of her father’s mud house, gazing into a future that may not belong to her. Later, perhaps due to her pristine innocence, the little girl bursts into inexplicable smiles, seemingly unaware of the wrenching implications of not being prepared for a future that beckons.

Sadly, not having their wards enrolled in school also surprisingly appears low on the priority radar of parents in Bagega, a bucolic community, which holds the unenviable record as the epicenter of the “world’s worst lead-poisoning disaster” in recorded history, as global human rights/medical community has dubbed the recent spate of deaths and contamination arising from artisanal gold mining activities in that part of the country. But poor school enrolment  as worrisome at it is  is not limited to Bagega; it is a statewide affliction that troubles children with relentless ferocity in all the villages in the state. According to Kabiru Garba, a social worker who knows the nooks and crannies of the state like the back of his own palm, only three of every ten Zamfara children enroll in  school, thus worsening the plight of children in a country that is home to an estimated 10.5 million out-of-school children (UNESCO’s latest statistics).

The deplorable situation was what set the stage for an unprecedented tragedy that befell several communities where a lucrative gold rush turned awry in the state five years ago. Since most children are not in school, their parents – many of who have abandoned subsistence farming for a more lucrative but dangerous gold hunting – have found in them a ready pool of free labour during the time of processing the gold ore in the homes. Despite several awareness seminars, campaigns, and town-hall meetings to educate the locals about the dangerous aspects of their vocation, many are yet to quit gold mining.  Up till now, early in the morning, miners still crawl into huge craters with axes and shovels in their hands, salivating at the prospect of making good money as they fill the jerry cans with gold-laced rock properties.

And after scooping the preferred particles, other tasks take place under awnings made of sticks, usually under scary weather conditions as miners toil to crush the valued rocks with heavy hammers or mills that are powered by miniature generators. Unknown to these seekers of easy bucks, trouble usually starts when the rocks laden with lead and gold are broken into pebbles, as dust billows off the hammers and out of the milling machines, which invariably ends up in the atmosphere as the ore is crushed. As lead is released into the air, it ultimately leaves toxic particles that cling to clothing, building and infiltrate water supplies from the streams  all causing brain, liver, kidney, nerve, and stomach damage as well as permanent developmental disabilities to children, say medical experts. That was what gave birth to a disaster that literally stole global headlines in 2010.

A heavy price  children, women poisoned by gold

At the emergency behest of Nigeria, a high-powered team of medical personnel  from the American-based Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Federal Ministry of Health, Nigerian Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme, WHO, United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), and other international bodies and Medicins Sans Frontieres (MSF), otherwise known as Doctors Without Borders  carried out an investigation in the affected villages, where higher-than-expected numbers of children died between May, 2009 and May, 2010. They tested the blood of surviving children, took soil samples from family compounds and questioned parents about their dead children’s symptoms. By the time result of blood and soil tests were made public, it was a rebuke on the quality of leadership available in the country. Among other things, it showed that eighty-one per cent of the children who died in the villages had suffered seizures, a sign medical experts attribute to acute lead poisoning. And of the surviving children who were tested, the report said “all blood samples indicated lead poisoning,” while 97 per cent needed immediate therapy to lower those levels.

Although the report said mercury levels were lower in the children, it was excessive  four to eight times higher than the average American child. Regarding the soil samples, 85 per cent of the samples taken from the family compounds exceeded the health standard for lead permitted by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). It is so bad that water taken from a well in one of the villages had 90 times more lead than the EPA’s action level for drinking water. Of the 118 households where children under the age of 5 had died, crude ore processing occurred inside the family compounds in 84 of them. Children, especially toddlers are most vulnerable to lead poisoning because they crawl or play on the contaminated ground and they have developing nervous systems.

But it was a heavy price borne mainly by children and their mothers. Though there is no accurate figure on adult victims, field workers said miscarriages were rampant in affected communities. According to Dr. Nasiru Umar-Tsafe, a researcher and expert on lead poisoning who has played helped in containing the spread of lead poisoning in the state, at least 734 children below the age of five, out of 5,393 kids within the age bracket, were confirmed killed by lead poisoning between 2010 and March 2013 alone. He added that children within the 10-24 months age group are repeatedly identified as the most vulnerable, due to frequent soil-to-mouth activity exposed to during ore processing in residential quarters. In an epidemiological review of the contamination crisis, Dr Henry Akpan of the Federal Ministry of Health, wrote that lead can interfere with the nervous system development, adding that it can also cause permanent learning and behaviour disorders in children. There is also the plight of women, which many of them still suffer from in terms of miscarriages and infertility. He noted further that having unwholesome amount of lead in the body can cause miscarriages in pregnant women as well as trigger reduced sperm production in men. But the harm done by lead poisoning does not seem to end there. Medical professionals say beyond killing, lead poisoning or any other heavy metal contamination can also leave the spared ones with life-long impairments, including a worse danger of living with contamination of their water, plants, livestock, and earth where they grow their crops for food.

Confirming that there is possible  re-contamination, Alhaji Shehu Muhammad Anka, Director of Pollution Control in the Zamfara State Environmental Sanitation Agency (ZESA), who was also in the 27-member team that cleared lead contamination in Zamfara villages, said his team members were also exposed to lead during the removal of unclean soil and other waster materials in 8 villages. “After we finished the remediation work, our staff members were exposed to lead. When they were tested by MSF, they have higher blood lead levels. They need treatment. We wrote several letters to the Federal Ministry of Environment to pay the field workers. Up till now, the Federal Ministry of Health is unable to pay our staff. Our money is N17 million to take care of treatment. Many of them, their wives had miscarriages. The women too had miscarriages. They cannot function very well sexually. That is the problem,” he said.

Only 8 out of 38 affected villages remediated

On July 28, 2013, the Federal Government announced with fanfare that it had concluded the environmental remediation of lead-poisoned sites in Zamfara State. N837million was spent for the environmental remediation, safer mining activities, and sustainable health  all to alleviate the effect of lead poisoning in the state, said the former Minister of the Environment, Mrs. Hadiza Mailafia. She disclosed further that the fund was shared among the Ministry of Health, which took care of the medical aspect; the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, which was in charge of safer mining techniques; and the Ministry of the Environment, for environmental remediation.

“This is to clarify the seeming complacency of the Federal Government towards the welfare of the children in Zamfara State affected by lead poisoning. The exercise spanned over a number of years, but today, we have kept our promise. We are glad that we have been able to successfully carry out environmental remediation of lead contaminated sites and this has brought succour to residents in the affected communities,” she boasted. However, when The Nation visited Bagega and other communities that were said to have been remediated, the minister’s boast turned out to be a near empty one. This is so because out of 38 communities recommended for emergency remediation therapy, only 8 had been remediated: Bagega, Abare, Dareta, Duza, Sunke, Tungar Daji, Tungar Duru and Yargalma. Dr. Umar-Tsaf stressed that 199 villages were actually surveyed, but 38 required emergency response  remediation and chelation therapy.

In an interview with The Nation, Dr Michelle Chouinard, Head of Mission/Country Representative of MSF, revealed that more than 5000 children have been screened and more than 2, 000 treated for lead poisoning by her organization in the 8 villages since the outbreak of lead poisoning crisis in 2010. She disclosed that 1,361 children currently remain under treatment with MSF, while 3 clinics of the original 8 villages have now been closed as the medical emergency continues to provide treatment and follow-up in the 5 remaining villages. “MSF has been involved in the 8 villages from the original lead poisoning crisis of 2010 due to acute mortality and morbidity related to lead poisoning.  To date, MSF has screened 5,224 children and treated 2,698 children with chelation therapy. Currently 1,361 children remain under treatment with MSF. Three clinics of the original 8 villages have now been closed as all children have completed their treatment for lead poisoning. We continue to provide treatment and follow-up in the 5 remaining villages. Treatment began in 2010 following the acute outbreak and high mortality rate at that time,” Dr Chouinard said.

She added that MSF focuses on children, being the most vulnerable groups in any population.

“As children under the age of 5 have not yet finished developing, they are at most risk of disease in general and also of contamination by lead poisoning.  This is why we have focused on children under five in our program. MSF completely funds the chelation treatment and all the other project related activities such as health education and promotion, outreach activities in the 5 remaining villages where MSF is providing treatment for lead poisoning,” MSF Head of Mission/Country Representative stressed.

Unfortunately, while the residents of eight villages have had smiles return to their faces (remediation being a condition that has to be met before treatment can start), thousands of people in 30 villages are not that lucky (see the table). Yet, the MSF, which treats victims (only children under five years) of lead poisoning in all the eight communities that have been cleaned up, said it cannot administer treatment in un-remediated environments, since victims face the risk of re-contamination. An official of MSF said environmental remediation, involving removal of lead-poisoned soil and replacing same with clean one, is said to be the most expensive and time-consuming process, since it is mandatory it comes first before medical treatment can be administered  in order not to leave room for re-contamination. Even at that, only residential areas in the eight villages were remediated, leaving the farmlands and other areas unattended to. In essence, what this means is that thousands of children, women and others living in the 30 communities yet to be remediated are still in danger! “MSF has been involved in the 8 villages from the original lead poisoning crisis of 2010 due to acute mortality and morbidity related to lead poisoning. As an emergency medical organization, MSF focuses on the emergency situations.  MSF has lobbied the Ministry of Health to follow-up on the suspected contamination in 30 other villages by doing assessments and action planning in confirmed contaminated villages.  However, as far as we are aware, only one village has been assessed by the Ministry of Health but no action taken,” Dr Chouinard lamented.

Even there are issues with the Igoli processing plants and  Wet Milling  Machines (crushers), which were procured at an undisclosed amount,   for  the  Safer  Mining  Programme and   installed  in three  mineral  processing  centers in the state:  Anka,  Bukkuyum  and  Maru  Local  Government  Areas. A good idea, the wet milling machines are to eliminate dust generation during gold ore processing, while the Igoli machines can enhance gold extraction without the application of mercury.  However, more than a year after the imported machines have been installed, crude and unsafe artisanal gold mining and processing still go on unabated in the villages. When this correspondent visited the sites where Igoli machines were said to have been installed, not only was the so-called facilities not in use; the sites, which are meant to serve hundreds of villagers whose primary means of livelihood is tied to digging deep for gold and processing same through hazardous methods, were covered with grasses.

“Except for the remediation of our community, which they did by digging the surface of our soil and scrapping the walls of our houses, nothing else has changed. We still mine and process it the same way. They gave boots and other kits to some of our members, but these did not reach many of our people. Anyway, we hardly use their kits. Though we have tried by not bringing the rocks into our homes to process, we still mine the same way,” said Adamu Rabiu, chairman of Bagega Miners’ Association, who said he has been in the mining business for about 17 years.

Other rights violations

As a matter of fact, rights infractions festering in the bowels of these poor villages have attracted the attention of environmental activists and other social workers, who are livid that government is complicit in the lead poisoning disaster that ravaged the communities. In a petition brimming with vitriol, governments at all levels were pointedly accused of “endangering the lives of citizens.” Written by six Zamfara State-based leading non-governmental organizations, and submitted to the National Human Rights Commission on July 3, 2013, the petition said various agencies of government condoned too many atrocities, stressing that the “presence of children at mine sites also points to child labour violations which have been overlooked by the government.” The petitioners, including the Center for Community Excellence, Community Enlightenment and Development Initiative, Community Advancement Project, and Adolescent Health Center, also requested the NHRC to investigate all the weighty issues with a view to compensating all persons affected by the disaster.

Also confirming various happenings that constitute huge threats to vulnerable children and women in the gold-rich villages, Global Rights (GR), an international human rights capacity-building non-governmental organization, flayed Nigerian powers that be for letting down the embattled villagers. Apart from child rights abuses, GR, in its own “fact note on the human rights and governance failure in the gold mining disaster,” also documented other infractions being committed against the villagers, including non-protection of socioeconomic rights of gold miners/host communities, violation of right to life, overlooking of dangerous practices in the gold-rich villages, and failure to take corrective actions when aware of these dangers. “When a government fails to enforce or protect the rights of its citizens when they are being violated by private persons or entities, (and the government has a duty to act to prevent such violations) then that government has breached the rights of citizens through its passive acquiescence of unlawful actions. Therefore, where government neglects its duty to actively regulate mining and implement existing mining laws to protect the rights of host communities, it amounts to the violation of individual and collective rights of these communities by government itself,” the human rights group said.

And why is the situation still deplorable? The GR, in another assessment report, has an answer: lack of awareness on mining laws and policies on the part of host communities, failure to comply with mining laws on the part of mining companies and artisanal miners, and failure to effectively regulate the sector on the part of government. Consequently, the following challenges still stare the embattled communities in the face: loss of lives and livelihood, air and dust pollution, environmental/topographical degradation, land and water grabbing, socio-economic imbalances, and loss of self-determination. Besides the fact that “lack of cohesion and synergy between stakeholders further perpetuates underdevelopment and poverty in mining communities,” Global Rights lamented that there is a “palpable disconnect between host communities and the government on the one hand and between agencies and institutions relevant to the mining sector on the other hand.”

As unsafe mining continues, lead exposures persist

Although there is a glad tiding that some miners have stopped processing the ore in their homes, which exposes children to dangerous dust whenever they lend a helping hand to their parents, it is not yet uhuru in Zamfara villages. Here, it is an open secret that artisanal gold mining, despite its hazardous consequences, is still a lucrative business among indigent locals, who have since ditched their traditional subsistence farming, which is increasingly less attractive as prices of gold soar in the global market. According to miners who spoke with this reporter while he was crisscrossing affected villages and some mining sites in the state, gold mining is their only hope in their desperate struggle to wriggle out of poverty conundrum stymieing their lives.

Despite a great hue and cry about lead poisoning in recent times, gold mining goes on without any molestation in all the villages, including in all the eight villages already remediated.  and 30 that are still awaiting remediation efforts.

Going by the result of an epidemiological review of the lead poisoning disaster in the state, which was carried out by a team of experts in November 2013, “overall situation (in Zamfara villages) still remains an emergency.” And while it is true that the wave of lead contamination that hit several Zamfara villages in 2010 may not be happening with the same monstrosity that stole global headlines recently, lead poisoning is still an ongoing tragedy in all the afore-mentioned villages. In a capsule, the destruction of thousands of innocent lives as a result artisanal gold mining activities is still taking place on a slow but steady scale. Who will save this vulnerable segment of the population from the hazards of a lucrative but dangerous gold business that is silently ruining lives?

The post Children, women as endangered species in the ‘world’s worst lead-poisoning disaster’ appeared first on The Nation.

Even men who are not fashionable know that the T-shirt is a must-have. You can’t just afford not to have one in your wardrobe. The T-shirt is an important part of a man’s outfits. With a well- designed and quality T- shirt, you can look good and smart for any occasion. It is a wardrobe essential that is great on any day of the week.

T-shirts come in a variety of fabrics and designs. They have great versatility and they are one fashion item that has remained constant. And they are likely to remain like that for ages to come.

Most T-shirts are tailored to fit and there is always something nice for all sizes and ages. They are a wardrobe staple and their artworks are of different varieties, styles and hues. You can’t go wrong with a tee shirt when you want to be comfortable. Along with an accompanying trousers or blue jeans, it can determine just how hot a guy is. The wardrobe staple comes as diverse as the millions who wear it.

Classic T-shirt

The basic, form-fitting T-shirt can be dressed up or down, tucked into trousers or worn with a sleek blazer to the office. Go with a neckline that suits your personal taste, whether a V-neck or a high crew.

Vintage-inspired T-shirt

Style stars like Lynxxx appear effortlessly cool in pieces that look plucked from the depths of a chic vintage store.

The post T-shirts on the red carpet appeared first on The Nation.

The Executive Chief of Southern Sun Ikoyi Hotel, Chef Alex Mwaura, has described Nigeria as country blessed with great culture and rich in cuisines.

Alex made this observation during an interactive session with travel journalists. He was talking about the efforts of the Southern Sun Ikoyi Hotel (formerly Ikoyi Hotel) in popularizing and improving Nigeria’s indigenous cuisines.

Alex, a Kenyan, is the head of the Kitchen Department of the hotel. He has been with the hotel since inception in 2009.

He said: “ This my 27th or 28th year in the industry. In Southern Sun Ikoyi, we had a straight focus of what we wanted to do in Lagos when we started. We saw what was on offer and decided that we were going to offer the best that we were capable of doing. We had already evaluated what other people were offering. We set that goal, and that is what we are doing, even up till date.

“We have one of the best culinary offers in Lagos. We have had a consistent Sunday brunch which brings people here every Sunday. For the last four years, we have been averaging over 280 people every Sunday. The strongest part of it is that we are very consistent with our meals, and we are very consistent with what we cook.”

He talked about the Nigerian cuisines. “When we arrived here, we had a serious cultural shock. We had over hundreds of meals out of the Nigerian food. Whatever we were seeing was completely new. We had to make sure that we first of all understood the culture, then the food. The best way we thought we could go on was to do  proper research on Nigerian food.

“So we went about looking for elderly people who understood meals from different perspectives because really the younger generation with us were so much into buying ready-made food than doing the art of cooking. So, we decided to go to people who understood the real cooking.

“That way, we ended up having real, original recipes. Those recipes have helped us to be consistent, and we have been developing them as time goes on. Like you find out that the oil that was being used originally, was far more better than the one  being used now. So we dug deep to look for the original oil, so that we would have original meals that we want to put on our table.

“The other thing that we looked at was presentation. The other thing we found out was that in most places, for example, pounded yam was just put in a plate and every body came fighting with the spoon. We thought we could do better. We started packaging it in a smaller quantity. The meat parts were often chunky to us. Then, we decided to go into smaller cuts which will be easy for one to eat, knowing that you can have as much food as you want. It is not that we are restricting somebody to have one chunk of meat. We went down on the cut of meat and we have seen people appreciating it.”

He also talked about Nigerian eating habit and how foreigners see Nigeria’s spicy food offering: “I think we are one of the hotels where we have chefs inside the restaurant. My own way of running a kitchen is that a kitchen becomes interactive with the clients and you are able to get direct feedback from them.

“In this, you are also able to introduce new dishes and give them a trial. One of the things that we have been doing is that we have a buffet. We will make a few dishes out of our continental food and pass around as tasting. This has also paid dividend because people come back to ask for the dish when they come back. It has boosted our clientele”.

He talked on Kenyan food. “Kenyans don’t eat pepper. It is an additive used in very small quantity. The pepper that we know is the green chilies, and rarely find anybody having one piece in a meal.

“Mostly it comes as a big shock for a Kenyan when he visits Nigeria. You will find most of them eating chicken and chips. Later, after awhile, you find them taking other meals like the pepper soup, bitter leaf soup and so on. But one of the most popular meals that any Kenyan will come here and enjoy is suya. Kenyans have a culture of eating meat any time, breakfast, lunch and dinner.

“To them, suya is much more closer to what they are used to having. From the North, we also have Tuwon Masa, which is a stable food in Kenya. It is called ugali, it is an every day meal with meat in Kenya.”

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Amah couldn’t close her mouth as she looked at Amin in amazement!” I wish I have a bicycle like this “she said till starring at him.”  Do you mean it can go anywhere you command it?” Amin smiled at her and said” Try it! “Amah thought of somewhere she could go….”O.k! Take us to Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum!” she commanded. In less than a minute they were standing in front a big and great looking building!

“This is the last resting place of Kwame Nkrumah!”Amah told Amin as he admired the magnificent building!  “who is Kwame Nkrumah?” Amin turned to ask her.” he was the first President of Ghana and he was buried here. ”

They left the bicycle beside a wall and went into the Mausoleum. As they entered into the main way they saw springs on either sides of the walkway. Each spring has 7 statuettes (small statues ) of flut2 blowers as if welcoming them! A man in a fine designed Kente top welcomed them with a smile .He ushered the children in and showed many pictures on the wall. There were pictures of Late President Nkrumah with world leaders. The man in Kente top explained to them that the Mausoleum is designed to represent swords turned upside down meaning peace that no one should fight!

They waved the guide goodbye as they walked down the road.

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Last year April, Port Harcourt defeated other cities across the world to emerge as UNESCO World Book Capital 2014. Founder, Rainbow Book Club, Mrs Koko Kalango, described the one-year reign of Port Harcourt as world book capital as exciting and full of discoveries, OZOLUA UHAKHEME reports. 

Representative of Port Harcourt World Book Capital 2014, Mrs Koko Kalango has said that despite the many challenges faced by Nigeria and South Korea in the last one year, book has continued to stand out and brought the two countries together as a family. She noted that book as repository of written words enables mankind to pass on information and knowledge from generation to generation.

“Today the book has brought us together as a family, united by a shared thirst for knowledge, linked by the common desire to advance the written word for benefit of the individual, the society and our world,” she said. Kalango who spoke at the opening ceremony and handing over to Incheon (South Korea) as UNESCO World Book Capital City 2015 recalled that Port Harcourt emerged World Book Capital amidst mixed feelings of joy and grief especially the abduction of over 200 Chibok girls in Borno State by Boko Haram, an Islamist extremist group that believes western education is evil.

She however noted that book was brought to focus against the backdrop of a retrogressive and dangerous movement directly opposed to the ideals of the World Book Capital initiative. Such tragedy, she said, if anything should ‘challenge us to continue to work to rescue our society from the grip of those who stand against the progress and liberty education brings.’

According to her, the plight of the missing school girls was given prominence by Nigeria’s Nobel Laureate Prof Wole Soyinka in his keynote address at the Port Harcourt World Book Capital opening ceremony last year where he called on the Nigerian government to ‘bring back the pupils’. His alarm, she said, triggered off the now worldwide campaign with the slogan ‘bring back our girls’. She noted that Soyinka’s call for the return of the school girls has been echoed by thousands around the world including Malala, (the girl-child education activist), and Michelle Obama.

Kalango described the one year of Port Harcourt as World Book Capital as exciting full of new discoveries and possibilities. “We had a rich and varied array of programmes for a wide reach and maximum impact. There were programmes for children and youth, arts and culture, library and community development and deliberate plans for sustainability beyond the World Book Capital year. The support of our local, national and international partners was critical in enabling us actualise our objectives. Indeed, today, we can see change taking place  Rivers of possibilities, rippling from the city of Port Harcourt, through the country Nigeria to the continent of Africa,” she added.

She urged the new capital to form an environment where all citizens may read books without difficulty and access the source of wisdom and information at any time.

On the selection of Incheon as this year’s World Book Capital, she said: “I agree with the World Book Capital Selection Committee that the quality of programmes you have proposed for the year promises to have ‘impact on improving the promotion of books and reading by all stakeholders involved in the publishing sector, as well as access to printed and digital publishing for the citizens of Incheon and the Korean Peninsula…”.

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Do you like school? Or are you just going because your parents want you to?

When you love what you are doing, you automatically do well at it. If you look forward to school as you dress up daily, it will show in your school work, homework and tests.

A few Tips to make your school term exciting;

1. Always begin your day with prayers to God.

2. Make sure all you need for school is ready before you go to bed the night before.

3. Do all your homework when you get home from school without delay.

4. Think of a way to help your teacher daily.

5. Don’t play all day or watch cartoons after school.

6. Read at least one story book in a week.

7. Always tell your parents about your experiences in school daily.

(fix picture of Shepherd Heritage Academy School Makurdi Benue state. Band boys welcoming fellow pupils back to school)

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Dubai has announced that it will establish a new court to deal with cases, involving tourists who have committed petty offences.

New tourists’ court will begin operations later this year, according to officials speaking at the launch of Dubai Courts annual report.

Mohammad Abdul Rahman, a director of Dubai Courts, said the new tourists’ court will handle petty crimes which are common occurrences in the city.

“Tourists come to Dubai every day and sometimes they are involved in minor problems, such as consuming alcohol, drink-driving or bouncing cheques,” he said.

“We don’t want to make them stay on because of that. So we will have a specialised court for tourists facing minor cases. This will speed up the procedure.”

The misdemeanours’ court will similarly speed up the process for residents in the emirate.

The three Primary, Appeal and Cassation courts in Dubai recorded a combined number of 118,077 cases in 2014, an increase of 14 per cent over 103,847 cases in 2013.

The number of civil cases registered in the Dubai Courts rose 13 per cent and the number of criminal cases registered in the Dubai Courts increased 15 per cent.

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A DATE is exciting. But one of the biggest issues for a date is deciding what to wear.

Getting the right dress for a date can put a lot of pressure on you. Here are some tips to help you decide how to dress as well as to make up for different types of dates.

Black is the easiest and safest of colours, and this season we have a lot of hues to experiment with such as olive green, pink, seductive purple and grey or harsh.

Patent is a finishing touch that needs to take  a centre stage, so keep the rest of your outfit simple. It pulls an outfit together in a way that makes it look effortlessly stylish and very classy.

For daytime: Consider wearing something a little more casual. Often times daytime dates are meant to alleviate some degree of anxiety.

I recommend a subtle bag with jeans and shirt dress or a cute skirt with a nice top as well as some accessories to top it up. For a date that involves a lot of walking, go for flat shoes that will keep your feet snug when walking long distances. Light make-up will do.

For evening time: This calls for something a little bit dressier than your daytime garb; go for a classic cut LBD or better still a pair of flirty pants or a skirt; a sleek clutch purse and sexy metallic pump or patent heels would be perfect. Faint make-up with some shimmering effects is a great option for elegant dining. Add drooping earrings like chandeliers to sexify you.

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The 2015 Lagos Black Heritage Festival was the last by the current Lagos State administration.

It was another opportunity for the people of Lagos to celebrate their culture, creativity and generally have fun. The event has become permanent in the annual calendar of tourism events in the state and has begun to draw tourists both locally and internationally.

Key events were held in an old colonial prison now transformed into a place for the celebration of creativity- Freedom Park, Marina.

This year’s creative activities  focused on drama as the central theme. Outside the Freedom Park were activities that attracted the interest of many people.

The Miss Carnival Beauty Pageant (Agbeke Eko) was an exciting, keenly contested event at the Glover Hall, Marina. It was an event that required both knowledge of tradition, brilliance and beauty. At the end of the contest,  Damilola Edwards emerged the winner of the pageant. She was distinct in her choice of costume. That is the the costume of Yeye Osun. She also had stage presence and carriage. She won the Carnival Queen for 2015 and went home with a cash price of 1.5m naira and a brand new car.

The first runner-up was Tobi Philips and the second runner-up was Akinrimade Opemipo.

This year’s Lagos Boat Regatta was fun filled and exciting. Being the sixth edition, it was a specially packaged annual water-based festival and the valedictory session for Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola.

The event is a cultural, sporting and recreation activity to exhibit the diverse functions of the boat as put in use from community to community.

Colourful boats were on parade to the delight of the guests. It was fun all the way, watching boats of various sizes, shapes, colours and types on the waterways.

All the floats consisted of large fishing boats, yatches, ferries and other marine vehicles adorned to depict cultural, social and folklores as well as the occupational aspects of the people of Lagos.

Different clubs, men of the Nigeria Police Force,  organisations, associations and local governments took turns to show off their skills. They rode on creeks around, Victoria Island, Ikoyi and the Lagos Island.

Various acrobatic displays by members of the Jet Ski Club became the high point of the event when their ski divers pulled a stunt. They were pushed above by a gush of water. It was spectacular and everyone fought to have a glimpse of the show. It was an occasion many had looked forward to and they came in their numbers to watch the displays by various groups.

There was also the paddled canoe racing competition and male and female competitions.

Parents who came with their children were  assured that their kids would be taken care of. A portion of the venue was turned into a mini-amusement park where they played different games according to their age groups. Exciting games and comedies kept the children occupied.

The most decorated boat won the competition and went home with the grand trophy and other gifts.

Chairman of the occasion, Otunba Jawando, said the event was scheduled to hold on Easter Sunday as is done annually, but was rescheduled due to the recent elections.

He said the event was to celebrate the aquatic splendour of Lagos State in recognition of Lagos being surrounded by the ocean and lagoon and the beautiful role water plays in the socio-economic lives of the people of Lagos.

With the participation of other West African states of Togo and Ghana in this year’s competition, the Lagos Water Regatta is gaining international and national recognition.

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This story was shared by one of my mentors. I read it over and over again and couldn’t help it as I took a deep breath after each reading session.

To you, my dear ardent readers, always remember to appreciate what you have: your husband, wife, fiancée or fiancé. We all need to value our relationships because honestly, we don’t know the number of people out there dying of envy, wanting to be in your shoes. And they might do anything to achieve their evil intentions.

There are always chances and room for improvement, change and learning. One man is an island of knowledge.

Love is always best when it is returned in double folds. I love and I also love being loved.

This week’s article is all about a letter a man wrote to his girlfriend, calling off their relationship. While reading this, at a point, I felt like crying.  Please read along with me and learn some big lessons of life.

“My dearest Jessica,

I don’t love you any more. You may find these words hard to believe. And I really don’t care if you believe me because I have always told you how much I love you. It’s the way I feel about you after three years of living together in this loveless relationship. By the time you get home from your high priced job, I would have gone. It has been a privilege and a pleasure loving you these years. It is the best decision for you and me to go our separate ways. I need to stop lying to myself and keep holding on that you would someday change your ways and love me back. I was in love with you. Sadly you didn’t appreciate my love for you. You were blinded by your beauty and the attention bestowed upon you by flirty males. You always told me that every male in this universe wanted a slice of your virtues. So why bother falling in love with me when you are an empress. You could get whatever you wanted in a world flowing with handsome single studs.

In a relationship, some gave all. I gave you everything. But you never seemed to appreciate the true love that I showered on you. My love was real, so real the world almost felt it. Stella, you were the only person that did not feel this love. You always told me that you could get any man you wished. You constantly reminded me of how men chased you every day at work and other places. It was easy to get any man that you desired. I felt trapped then because I was deeply in love with you. I was afraid and scared of losing you to any man. I felt that you were the most beautiful royalty God gave to me. I was in love, so divine and so committed to you.

You occasionally played with my heart and I would foolishly believe you. You expressed love passively, but actively, I knew the expressions were not from your heart. I endured this torture through the years, hoping against hopes that someday, you would tell me that you truly cared. Time is not on my side. Sometimes waiting for love may be a risky business. I can’t keep waiting and holding on to love for that may not be there. I don’t trust you anymore. Hence I am stepping aside and moving on so that you may go and be with any man that you desired from the flocks wanting you. I just wondered which of these men would stay forever and tolerate your weaknesses and arrogance. Which of these men would cook for you and serve you lunch at work?

I served as your lover and housekeeper in love. I picked your laundry every weekend, and affectionately washed them. I encouraged you to go back to school and worked hardest while you earned your MBA. I left work every evening, ran home to care for your son, while you went to classes after work. While you were gone to school, I made dinner to await you on your return. Every morning, I prepared breakfast and served you in bed because I loved you. I bought you a vehicle and filled it with gas weekly. I paid all the bills and bought groceries. I asked you to spend your money on yourself. I cared very much for you. I threw the biggest parties for you on your birthdays, decorated your days with endless gifts, red roses and tulip flowers.

Despite these, you violently abused me and scarred my body with any instrument within your reach during your periods of rage over a simple domestic misunderstandings and musings. I have bite marks all over my body from your sudden stupid rage. You physically and mentally abused me. I stayed in this sometimes reckless relationship and absorbed your domestic violence towards me because I was stupidly in love. Stella today is a new day and I just found a new me. I want to be free. And I am going to be free from your lies.

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Mr. Emin Godek  is the Managing Director of  Aydinlar Educational Consultancy Company, Abuja. In this interview with Assistant Editor, GBADE OGUNWALE, he speaks on how Aydinlar is facilitating admission of Nigerian students  into internationally recognised universities abroad. He also speaks on how the  Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Aydinlar and a United States (US)-based Study and Travel Agency has provided more opportunities for Nigerians to study in the US. 

Can you throw more light on the services your organisation renders to Nigerians seeking university placements abroad?

Aydinlar Education Consultancy is an education company operating here in Nigeria and based in Abuja. We promote students with opportunities to study abroad. We cover countries like Turkey, United Kingdom (UK), United States, Canada, Cyprus, among others. Beside university placements, we also organise other programmes like summer schools, SAT and TOEFEL programmes. We also have certificate programmes, teachers training and we even work with state governments in Nigeria and private sector operators that want to train their staff, depending on the package they want. They give us the proposal and we organise programmes according to their wish. We just signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Study and Travel based in Chicago, United States. So, there is going to be more opportunities for Nigerian students and different companies to enjoy study opportunities in America and other countries.

When was  Aydinlar Educational Consulting Company  established in Nigeria?

The company was established in 2011 but I have been into this programme since 2006.

What is the difference between your company and other admission agencies?

I am an educationist. I don’t call my company  an agent because there is a great difference between Aydinlar Educational Consultancy and other companies. Why? For example, when we send students to Turkey, we don’t just send them like that. We organise them for the best education anyone can get. We also facilitate their guardians to travel to Turkey; they stay there for one week to assist them obtain resident permit and other relevant issues like accommodation and documentation with the ministry of education.

In 2014, I organised excursion for parents to visit their children. From the airport  to accommodation, we assisted them. We have office in Istanbul, in Ankara. So our representatives there watch, follow and guide them. And we also get timely reports from the universities and share with their parents. If there is any problem, our office will assist them. If they get any other problems outside, we directly communicate with them. And we organise trips for parents too. We also have organisations that work with us in the US and we send our students there too. Though we were established in 2011, Aydinlar Educational Consultancy is now well known in Nigeria. Presently, we work with about seven states in Nigeria and they send students abroad through us.

How many branches do you have in Nigeria?

Our main office is in Abuja, but we have offices in Ogun, Lagos, Kano and Kaduna states.

There are growing concerns that most Nigerian students abroad are not studying in good universities. How true is that?

The universities we send students to are internationally recognised in Turkey, US and the UK. We signed MoU with Oxford Vision based in London and we can send students to any university in the UK for a foundation programme  and in America, we have now signed an MoU with the Chicago- based Study and Travel.

What are the basic requirements for your organisation to facilitate admission for students who may want to study abroad?

Such students can apply with five credits in the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC), Mathematics and English Language inclusive. But if the students want to study Medicine, Pharmacy or top Engineering courses, the universities always insist on B and A (distinctions). Application can also be made with the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) scores of 180 and above.  We also have scholarship for students if they have 250  and above in JAMB and  5 As  (distinction in five subjects)  in WAEC. But academic performance is not enough for me. I also interview students for moral character. There are  good students from Nigeria but for example, if we have 100 students abroad from  Nigeria and three are involved in negative activities, the three could soil Nigeria’s reputation. So we screen intending students. We don’t send too many students to a single university.

Talking about Nigerian students in Turkey, I prefer qualified students from Nigeria so that they can be good friends of Turkey and in the future there will be a bridge between Nigeria and Turkey. I want Nigerians who can work for organisations in Turkey in the future. People who can represent Turkey. Nowadays, Nigeria-Turkey relation is growing. So, many companies are coming from Turkey to Nigeria and some others from Nigeria to Turkey. Those companies from Turkey will look  for engineers and staff who can assist them with little Turkish, who know the Turkish culture. Actually, what we are doing is helping Nigeria and Turkey build enduring friendship.

Do you work with any government agencies in Nigeria?

We work with Kaduna,  Yobe, Kano, Katsina, Gombe and Lagos states. These states give scholarships to hundreds of their students and we help them to place the students in good schools. So far, we don’t have any problems with the students and we hope to improve on the number of states we are working with.

The post ‘Nigerian students now have brighter chances to study in US’ appeared first on The Nation.

Dear Aunty Rita,

I saw on television that some people steal ballot papers, please I want to know what ballot papers are and why some people steal them.

Thank you.

Bala M 11years old.

Dear Bala,

Thanks for writing in it’s great to know that children also watch the News on Television and not only cartoons.

Ballot papers are paper slips with names of different parties contesting in an election. The voter uses to show his choice by signing, ticking or thumbing on the space for the party of his/her choice.

Some people steal the box containing the ballot papers sometimes when they feel that their candidate is not having much votes and they just want to disrupt the whole electoral process.

I hope I was able to answer your questions.

Yours Truly,

Aunty Rita

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Dear Reader, I welcome you to another time of insight in God’s presence. By the special grace of God, all through this month, I shall be discussing on Accepting Responsibility in Building Your Home. For this week, I shall discuss one of the vital keys you will need for the effective building of your home, which is wisdom.

What is Wisdom?

Wisdom is hearing the sayings of our Lord Jesus Christ and doing them. It is the correct application of knowledge. Therefore, wisdom demands that you take steps in applying correctly all that you will learn from God this month concerning your home. Only then, will you begin to reap the fruits of a sweet and a successful home. The Bible says: Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock (Matthew 7:24).

The place of wisdom in building a successful home cannot be overemphasized. The Word of God says: Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding (Proverbs 4:7).

Wisdom is the principal thing on which all other things rest. A home is meant to be built in order for it to be successful. The Bible says: Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established (Proverbs 24:3). Therefore, to build a successful home, wisdom is required. A wise man once said, “Courtship brings out the best, marriage brings out the rest.” That is why you need the God-given wisdom to know your spouse, adapt to him or her, and bring out the best that God has designed for your home.

You are the builder of your home. Therefore, accept responsibilities and stop wishing. Work on making your home a success, and you will reap the fruits of your labour. Expectation, as often said, is the mother of manifestation. Therefore, what do you expect your home to be? Success or failure; stressful or stress-free; full of troubles or peace?

If you expect success in your home, then get down to work by applying the wisdom of God. Be a doer of the Word. Do whatever God tells you to do; that is wisdom. When you do your part, God is committed to making your home a success. He can never fail.

In addition, the Bible instructs all husbands to dwell with their wives according to knowledge (1 Peter 3:7). This means that you should understand her nature. When a man understands the nature of his wife and works according to that understanding, problems are less likely to arise in that home. You must realise that she is a wife, mother and homemaker all at once, and these place demands on her. Therefore, be considerate towards her and be available to minister to her needs. Don’t wait for her to play her part first; live by example. Wives are not to be treated as slaves or inferior human beings. Rather, they should be held in respect. This is the wisdom of God! Men, who beat their wives, exhibit folly and sin against God.

Woman! God has placed the building of the home into your hands. That is why the Bible says: Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands (Proverbs 14:1).

Therefore, don’t pluck down your home; operate in the wisdom of God. Don’t operate in foolishness; abide with God’s instructions; they are not grievous (1 john 5: 3). Even if you happen to be married to a man whose level of understanding is lower than yours, remember Abigail. Through her wisdom and understanding, she saved her home even though she had a foolish husband (1 Samuel 25:1-27).

Identify your husband’s weaknesses and help him to work on them. Learn to appreciate his good points and always point out his mistakes in a kind and loving manner. This is God’s wisdom; embrace it. If you abide by God’s instruction, it will make your home precious before God and before men. Remember, as husband and wife, you are the builders of your home.

Moreover, marriage can be likened to a physical house and as such, it does not just happen; it is consciously built. For instance, you don’t just wake up one day and see a physical house grow up somewhere. It takes conscious effort and input to make it happen.  In the same manner and even much more, a good marriage doesn’t just happen; it is consciously made to happen. The Word of God says: Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established (Proverbs 24:3).

You have the duty to build your home the way you want it to be. Therefore, stop shifting your responsibilities to God. As my husband would always say, “Any faith that makes God absolutely responsible for the happenings of your life is an irresponsible faith.” The act of building is your responsibility.  You must fulfill your own part before God would fulfill His.

Here is the testimony of a sister who wisely applied God’s Word as she was taught and obtained a positive result:

“Throughout the last Breakthrough Seminar, My husband did not attend any of the programme. I did not know what was wrong, so I put it in prayers. When the Bishop asked us to write a list of what we don’t want to reoccur in our lives, I wrote that my husband would return and give his life fully to Christ. He used to attend services before but suddenly, he stopped. He also stopped participating in the prayers we held at home.

I knew I am more than conquerors.  So, I said, ‘You this devil, you must get out of this home. There is no room for you here’. I also believed God to grant all my desire. Miraculously, the following day being a Sunday, my husband came to church. Since then, he is the one that wakes us up for prayers!”

-Okorie, T.

I see God giving you your own testimony!

You need wisdom to build your home and God is the source of that wisdom. In case you are born again and you need the wisdom of God to build your home, God is no respecter of persons; He will give you.

If you are not yet born again and you want to do so, you have to surrender your life to God by confessing your sins. You also need to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour. Just say this prayer of faith and you shall be born again: “Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner.  Forgive me of my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood.  Deliver me from sin and Satan to serve the living God.  I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom.”

If you prayed this simple prayer, you are now a child of God. He loves you and will never leave you. Read your Bible daily, obey God’s Word and seek Christian fellowship (John 14:21).

Congratulations! You are now born again! All-round rest and peace are guaranteed you, in Jesus’ Name. Call or write, and share your testimonies with me through contact@faithoyedepo.org; OR 07026385437 and 08141320204.

For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work, Building A Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-Authored)

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