Why our involvement matters

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One of the most poignant illustrations of how poverty contrasts sharply with prosperity is contained in the book, Why Nations Fail, by Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson.

In that seminal work on power, wealth and want, the authors mapped the origins of the three, their trajectory through history, in different countries or regions, and why so much inequality now pervades the entire world.

Their research took them to the sprawling city of Nogales, ordinarily or historically one abode of the same people, but now divided into two by a fence not more than a few inches thick.

To the north is Nogales, Arizona where the average family earns a decent income and lives a prosperous life. Infrastructure is first-rate, health-care delivery is superb and education is top-notch. Life expectancy, understandably, is very high and security of lives and property is one of the best in the world.

In Nogales, Arizona, the institutions of government work, law and order are preserved under a regime of perfect rule of law and the people have an inalienable say in who governs them at any level and at any given point in time.

Across the fence is the second part, Nogales, Sonora, in another country, Mexico. Though still relatively prosperous by Mexico’s standards, this other Nogales is a much poorer city than its northern half. Income is very low, education is fourth-rate and health-care delivery is junk. The roads are very bad and all public amenities advertise dilapidation in ways the word itself could not have envisaged. Chaos reigns, of course, in a place where order means little and to which law is alien. The politicians in Nogales, Sonora, are not only mindlessly corrupt, they are inept and live a life of too much impunity at the expense of the people.

Institutions of governance hardly work and deference to rules, without any enforcing system, is done largely in the breach. How could the two halves of the same city be so different when the people share almost everything, including geography, climate, culture and even ancestry? How could life be so prosperous in one and so harrowing in the other?

Of course the answer, as Robinson and Acemoglu found out, is simple: the people of Nogales in Arizona have access to the economic institutions of the United States of America which enable them to choose their own lives, acquire relevant education and skills, give expression to their creative instincts and liberate their innovative energy. They also have access to sound and long established political institutions which not only make the laws and policies that support the economic institutions but ones which allow the people to take part in the processes of governance.

The same cannot be said of Nogales to the south. No doubt, there are deep and long historical reasons for the two divergent routes both sides have taken, including colonisation but the main underlying reason is that the institutions on both sides are different. One builds, the other does not and cannot. More importantly, the people make that difference possible by being insistent on the right thing.

Societies where the political and economic institutions work are ones not only in which the political leaders choose to be servants but ones in which the citizens have not shirked their responsibility and have demanded service from their servants in whatever leadership positions. Without good political institutions, the economic institutions that will ensure economic prosperity are hardly possible. Not only is responsible leadership needed, therefore, it must be one that deliberately or consciously build strong, inclusive economic institutions. This means the leadership must create an environment, with laws, policies and infrastructure that enable the majority of the people to make the best use of their skills, talents, education and liberate their creative energies in an inclusive economic playing field.

There is no doubt, however, that all efforts especially by the current government notwithstanding, the supreme law of Nigeria today is a hindrance to the fulfillment of the people’s full potentials, the liberation of their energy and their inclusion in an economic level-playing field.

Hence, the cries for a properly structured federation may sound trite but it is the only way to genuine development in Nigeria.A constitution, experts say, is the autobiography of a nation. I am sure we all agree that our extant constitution is not a truthful autobiography of Nigeria. Indeed, it is not one since it was not authored by the people about themselves and it hardly reflects the true essence of Nigeria or its real character. Even as a biography, written by self-appointed authors, it is a poor account and the evidence of its poverty is in its disservice to its subject today.

Nigeria’s strength is her diversity of people and resources and her path to progress is already well laid: allowing the different peoples, large or small in numbers, till their rich land in healthy competition between each other and inevitable collaboration with one another.

Somehow, this huge strength is either being denied or even undermined. For one reason: laziness or convenience as well as dishonesty. This has, over the years, created the absurd mindset that an acknowledgment of our diversity, which would lead to restructuring the country and adopting economic plans that would ensure regional or even individual hard work, would undermine the nation’s unity! The result has been the poor governance and the economic stagnation under which the nation reels till today.

Of course, Nigeria as it is politically arranged now is incapable of engendering prosperity for the people, north, west, east or south. A system that shackles the people, builds a majority tribe of the extremely poor by caging creative and productive abilities cannot be right for any nation like Nigeria.

Meanwhile, let us even imagine that the unnecessary fear of Nigeria’s diversity as well as restructuring ends today and a federal system that befits the country is institutionalised, how prepared are we?

What is our educational system like?
Little learning, I can say boldly, appears to be taking place even at the foundational levels of primary and secondary education. The teachers are not there and the physical structures or equipment for learning are not available. For example, a charity to which I subscribe has had to buy mathematical sets in their thousands for many schools when I heard of their non-availability in those schools in my home state, moved as I was by the pain at the spectacle of a whole generation of innocent Nigerians not being able to study mathematics properly!

What are the skills being acquired by our young ones today?
To build the economic institutions that will make us the prosperous half of Robinson/Acemoglu’s Nogales, what manner of work force is being developed in our region by our tertiary institutions?

Or, firstly and more fundamentally, what kind of political institutions are we building and what kind of political leaders do we have? What is our leadership recruitment process like?
Who do we send to our councils as chairmen and councilors, when we are allowed by our almighty governors to do so at all? Who are in the Houses of Assembly and even in Government Houses? Certainly, the leadership recruitment process all over Nigeria has descended from being values-based to one in which only money is valued. No questions asked as we all bow at the feet of the one who has some money to spare, never minding that he is giving us crumbs from our patrimony!

It was not always so! Long before now, character (iwa) was the only currency with which the people’s respect or even vote was bought. Not anymore!
Not much store of iwa is set in our land today or little premium is placed on character before we choose our leaders. To change this, the good people must get involved.

As the late Czech writer and former president, Vaclav Havel, once said, politics is not essentially a disreputable business; and to the extent that it is, it is only disreputable people who make it so. Politics is not for liars, the vain and the vulgar; not for the corrupt and the despicable. It is for the honourable, the distinguished and the decent. So, as part of the preparation for making our land one in which all prosper, we cannot abdicate politics for those who have made it a career, even a commercially profitable enterprise.

Bad governance and the consequent poverty of the people is the creation of those heartless ones who invariably rely on the people’s passivity or unwitting, even ignorant connivance. Hence bad governance thrives where poverty reigns and poverty festers where bad people govern. Indeed, a bad elite consciously impoverishes the people so it can thrive in power.

So, let all the good people get involved. We cannot all be governors, senators, councillors or be in political offices, but we all occupy what some people have appropriately called the highest office in a democracy: the Office of the Citizen. That office, we must execute very well by getting involved and holding the ones we sent into offices accountable. Let us follow the Havelian ideal that change would not necessarily happen by occupying power or by simply replacing dishonourable people in power with honourable ones. That is okay, if we can do it. But real change will come from a deliberate and concerted work of mobilising the citizenry, from the bottom to the top, into action, with a view to making everyone part of the governing process. The people’s involvement is a duty, not only to affirm it but also to enrich the taste of democracy and good governance.

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2mBCdci

Team Surulere wins maiden Beach Olympics

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<img src="http://ift.tt/2mh4KjV&quot; alt="" width="1200" height="674" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-252506" srcset="http://ift.tt/2mh4KjV 1200w,http://ift.tt/2ne5hIv 640w,http://ift.tt/2mhbiiG 1062w,http://ift.tt/2ndYzSO 320w,http://ift.tt/2mh5DsQ 281w,http://ift.tt/2nea90g 562w,http://ift.tt/2mhbWg9 531w,http://ift.tt/2neaPT4 487w,http://ift.tt/2mh8UIA 974w,http://ift.tt/2ne7Nyg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"https://cdn.gdn.ng/, speed and strength sports, the Surulere Team topped the medals table with 13 gold, three silver, and two bronze medals.

In second position were Team Ikeja with four gold, five silver and two bronze medals, while Team Lagos Island placed third with two gold, four silver and seven bronze medals.

One of the highlights of the occasion was the invitational race for secondary schools where Air Force Secondary School came first in the 50 metres race in both the male and female categories. Awodi Ora Senior Secondary School was second while Iganmu Senior Secondary School placed third.

Other invited schools include Dowen College, St. Gregory’s College, Ojoku Senior High School, and Command Day Secondary School.Among the dignitaries invited for the occasion was the Managing Director of Discovery Brands Management, Mr. Uche Nwankwo, who had the honour of presenting medals to the invited schools.

Others were Mrs. Haddad; Consul General of Lebanon, who presented the 2017 Beach Summer Games trophy to the winning team. Nigeria’s first Olympic Gold Medalist, Chioma Ajunwa and Enefiok Udo-Obong and Brilla FM’s co-host Sean Amadi and Murphy Ijemba, were also present.

Teams at the end of events were awarded various cash prizes ranging from N1.5m for winners; N750,000 for runners up and N500,000 for third position respectively.

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2mgZRby

Mou’s book talks tough on African countries…Read full details

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This is a massive, paperback book from a seasoned technocrat. The author, Dr. Dan Mou is an expert on public policy analysis. He is worth being listened to by politicians and public servants.

National Security, Good Governance And Democracy In Africa, published by Author House Publishers of Bloomington in Indiana, United States in 2016 is a book worth reading by anyone passionate about Nigeria’s prosperity. The book demonstrates that National security and good governance are opposite sides of the same coin.

As good governance improves and develops society, national security also improves the well being of the people. The challenges to national security become lesser, as society grows prosperous and peaceful.

In this book, Dr. Mou avers that for most of Africa countries, security and good governance are not happening fast enough. He avows that poor governance is leading African youth into self-help, which includes, violence, kidnapping, militancy and migration. Which is why
many of them are migrating through the Mediterranean Sea to Europe and over land into more prosperous nations of Eastern and Southern Africa.

According to him, national security and good governance have become complicated by militancy, kidnapping and rural and urban migration.

The 24-chapter book is divided into four parts and has eight appendices and additional readings. With a bibliography running into 30 pages, the book has 860 pages.

Other issues covered by the book include human rights, social integration, international trade and foreign policy. Herewith is a repository of many workable schemes and suggestions masterminded by a research guru on public policy. Such schemes as the establishment of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Ministry of the Niger Delta Affairs and the Amnesty Programme for the development of the Niger Delta region.

The entire eight appendices comprising hundreds of pages contain the quantum of Mou’s suggestions. He shows that the problems of poor national security and bad governance in our democracy arise more in
the context of periods of weak leadership and weak institutions. All of these determine the posture and state of our national security, good governance and democracy.

Moreover, under harsh economic conditions, more challenges tend to surface. This is because a deepening economic crisis generates more social conflicts based on social cleavages.

The cleavages comprise divisions based on class, ethnicity, religion, language, race and gender. Each makes attempts to capture the state and use state authority and power to favour their exclusive interests. This affects the autonomy of the state, its policies and has negative impact on the people at large.

In concluding Mou’s take on economic revival, we shall then delve into his many memoranda on how to revamp the Nigerian economy. A memorandum on that was submitted to the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha in 1993. Among his suggestions to Abacha was the cancellation of Ibrahim Babangida’s Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP). Though SAP was not designed as a long-term economic plan, it was mistakenly allowed to outstay its welcome.

At that time, the Nigerian economy faced major distortions with unviable parastatals squandering scarce public resources on questionable projects. In domestic affairs, SAP promoted initiatives from private entrepreneurs and local sourcing of raw materials, but its political consequences was negative. The removal of subsidy on consumer goods increased poverty in the land. Which was why he proposed the abrogation of the programme and also the abrogation of foreign exchange as was managed by the Babangida-led administration.

According to Mou, printing Naira notes will cause a revaluation of the currency. He then called for the dissolution of the National Planning Commission and the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Economy.

With the continued poor performance of the economy up till date, it is difficult to say that the planning commission has lived up to its expectation of providing useful advice to the government on the economy.

In chapters 2, 3 and 4, Mou discussed human rights. But the locus of his thoughts is on the modernisation of the Nigerian civil service, waging war on corruption and deregulating the workforce as the lasting solution to the minimum wage debacle. In that regard, Mou has used the appendices as journal to record his suggestions to Nigeria’s heads of state from Babangida to Umaru Yar’Adua.

Mou borrowed his advice on deregulation from the Administration of President Franklin Roosevelt of the United States of America.

The policy started during the great depression in the U.S. There, the private and public sector workers could not be paid; their wages were not sustainable because of the depression. To tap the vast energies of the people, policy makers decided that workers should be fully deregulated such that any worker is free to have two or more jobs. It also allowed workers in their free time to do anything that is economically viable, provided it is legal, to earn money and improve their individual welfare. Thus, an individual’s job an individual holds is entirely dependent on his energy, marketability and his need for more income. This policy shifts the burden of family prosperity from government. It also reduces dependence on government.

Mou’s second memorandum to Obasanjo with input from Rose Abang Wushishi, a retired Assistant Inspector General of Police, produced the EFCC. The original proposal was titled: National Economic and Financial Crimes Enforcement Agency. In part three, Mou gave conditions of how to institutionalise and sustain democracy in Nigeria.

Methods of sustaining democracy through effective conflict resolution mechanism occupies chapter eight. He traces the sources of conflict over land, in the Federal Civil Service, in the Presidency and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Inherent in our society, he noted, are allocations by government, which tend to be unequal in the perception of the people –– whether real or imagined. Therefore, legitimacy is pursued in order to avoid conflict and disintegration in our society. This was why the Federal Character clause was inserted into the Nigerian Constitution. They provided provisions for resolving the issues of marginalization, pluralism and justice.

Marginalisation introduces such issues as true federalism, resource control and ethic domination. Accordingly, the 1991 Nigerian Population Census gave 53.19 per cent to Northern Nigeria and 46.80 per cent to Southern Nigeria. In terms of the Federal Character clause, it implies that every thing in Nigeria must be divided in like manner for justice and equity.

In other words, justice and fair play must prevail in order for peace to reign. Sadly, the causes of conflict were spawn by colonialism. Contact with the West started from the South. It took decades before it reached Northern Nigeria. This is why the South had a head start in Western education. At that time, the Hausa and the Fulani ethnic groups were in contact with Eastern and Arabic civilization. Had Arabic language been adopted as our lingua franca at independence, Southerners would today have been considered uneducated. The lesson, therefore, is not to trivialise the issue of marginalisation. The answer is to seek solutions to the prevailing inequality in the land.

Certainly Mou has contributed immensely to the development of Nigeria. He had his first degree in Political Science from the University of Ibadan. He had his Master’s and PhD from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, USA. He specialised in public policy analysis. After teaching politics briefly at the University of Jos, he joined the Presidency in 1989. After a stint as Director, Drug Control; Secretary, National Poverty Eradication Programme and Director, Ministry of Defence, he ended his service as adviser to the National Security Advisers to three consecutive Nigerian governments. He is married with children.

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There is no other way – Part 9

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Emeritus Prof. Mercy Olumide

Remission of sin
The day of atonement (Lev 16) is replete with symbolism, pointing to the mediatorial ministry and atoning death of Jesus Christ.

“For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” (Mat 26:28) “remission of sins.” Forgiveness is necessary, because we have all sinned, and sin has caused us to be alienated from God and subject to condemnation and His wrath (Eph 2:1-3). Forgiveness, made possible by Jesus’ death on the cross, is the means by which our relationship to God is restored (Rom 5:9-10; Eph 1:7; Col 2:13). (1) The Hebrew and Greek words for forgiveness denote the ideas of “to cover,” “to pardon,” “to cancel,” “to send away.” God’s forgiveness involves taking of no account the sin that has been committed (Mark 2:5; John 8:11), saving sinners from eternal punishment (Rom 5:9; 1 Thes 1:10), accepting them (Luke 15:20ff), delivering them from the dominion of sin and transferring them into Christ’s kingdom (Col 1:13), and renewing the whole person and promising eternal life (Luke 23:43; John 14:19b). (2) In order to receive forgiveness, there must be repentance, faith and confession of sin (Luke 17:3-4; Acts 2:38; 5:31; 20:21; 1 John 1:9). For God to be able to extend forgiveness, the shedding of blood was required (Heb 9:22). Thus, forgiveness is based on Jesus’ death on the cross (v. 28; John 1:29; 3:16; Rom 8:32). Divine forgiveness is an ongoing need for believers, so that we might maintain our saving relationship with God (6:12, 14-15; 1 John 1:9).

“Whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed.” (Rom 3:25). His blood. The NT emphasises several truths concerning Christ’s death. (1) It was a sacrifice, i.e., an offering of His blood, His life (cf. 1 Cor 5,7; Eph 5:2). (2) It was vicarious, i.e., he died not for His own sake, but for the sake of others (5:8; 8:32; Mark 10:45; Eph 5:2). (3) It was substitutionary, i.e. Christ suffered death as the penalty for our sin, as our substitute (6:23). (4) It was propitiatory, i.e. Christ’s death for sinners satisfied God’s righteous nature and His moral order, thereby removing His wrath against the repentant sinner.

God’s integrity required that sin be punished and propitiation be made for our sake. Through propitiation by Christ’s blood, God’s holiness remained uncompromised and He was able to justly reveal His grace and love in salvation. It must be emphasised that God Himself set forth Christ as propitiation. God did not need to be persuaded to show mercy and love, for already “God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself” (2 Cor 5:19, cf. John 3:16; Rom 5:8; 8:3, 32: 1 Cor 8:6; Eph 4:4-6). (5) It was expiatory, i.e., a sacrifice to atone or make reparation for sin. As expiation, the sacrifice is directed toward annulling guilt. By Christ’s death, the guilt and power of sin that separated God and the believers were annulled. (6) It was efficacious, i.e. His atoning death has within itself the power to produce the full desired effect of redemption when appropriated by faith. (7) It was victorious, i.e. on the cross; Christ fought against and was triumphant over the power of sin, of Satan and of his demonic host that held people captive. His death was the initial victory over the spiritual enemies of both God and humanity (8:3; John 12:31-32; Col 2:15). Thus, Christ’s death is redemptive.

Email:mercyolumide2004@yahoo.co.ukfacebook.com yetundemercyolumidewww.christiscomingsoon.netMobile: +234 803 344 6614; +234 808 123 7987.

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2n0JZcU

Of artists’ conspiracy, ghost-plagiarists…Read full details

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Irrespective of the context in which unauthorised ‘copying’ of art concept is defined, the mystery that shields identity of the forgers suggest that the plagiarists are some kind of spirits or ghost artists.

Clearly, these forgers are artists too – who dwell among their colleagues – but hardly get identified. Between artists who are victims of plagiarism and the gallery outlets, where such copied art pieces are exposed, there seems to be behind-the-scene ‘understanding’, after the storm that is made known to the public.

As much as the role of digital medium is no doubt culpable in aiding plagiarists’ skill, the internet, in recent years, has also been assisting in amplifying unathorised copy of artists’ works. In contemporary art appreciation and appropriation, digital medium has double edge roles in expanding an artist’s followership base and exposing the same artist to the hostile world of plagiarists.

Copying other people’s work, in Nigerian art landscape, is not exactly new. Quite a number of modernists such as Yusuf Grillo, Kolade Oshinowo, Muraina Oyelami, among others, have been victims of plagiarism in the 1990s through the last decade, when look-alike of their works were found at some galleries, or intercepted at the point of sale in other private and informal transactions. But in recent years, the digital outlets, such as Facebook and Instagram have been exposing a new generation of plagiarists.

Among the recent victims of such rape on creativity is Emeka Nwagbara, who recently used the social media to expose an unknown plagiarist. “I walked into an exhibition and found this shocking; a painting I made in 2011,” the Lagos-based artist posted on his Facebook page with two identical paintings attached. Again, like most similar cases, the identity of the artist, who copied Nwagbara’s work, would most likely remain a mystery forever.

Last year, sculptor, Bunmi Babatunde, alleged that his successful Possibilities series has been copied by an unknown artist. Recall that the original Possibilities sculpture series were among top sales at auctions in Lagos and London a few years ago. In fact, one of the sculptures gave Babatunde his world auction record at Bonhams sales in 2014. The work sold for sold for (£31,250).

And when the plagiarised copies of Possibilities were traced to a gallery based in Lagos Island (names withheld), the initial steam of legal action against the gallery d later evaporated.

Apparently, the plagiarists are ghost artists, who hide under the cover of art galleries. And for obvious reasons of not ‘offending’ the galleries, perhaps, most artists victims of copied works, according to investigations, either ‘negotiate” with the gallery for “settlement” or “forgive” if the plagiarist artist is a known friend or colleague.

At what point then does copying another artist’s work become a crime? “Copying other people’s works is part of the behind-the-scenes of art market,” a senior artist, who craved anonymity disclosed. This disclosure and similar revelations of the hidden deals confirm the unknown factors of the art market.

With the current trend of claiming of copied art flooding social media, it remains a mystery that little or nothing is known about the identity of the alleged plagiarists.

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How to attract fresh investments to technology sector, by IT experts

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With Nigeria ranking 169 out of 190 countries in the ease of doing business index, the Federal Government has been reminded of the need to urgently fix the economy if it must attract fresh investments to the technology sector.

Information technology (IT) experts gave this advice in Lagos yesterday at the third day of the Social Media Week (SMW), which is in its fifth year. They experts spoke as panelists on the topic “Creating an Enabling Environment For Tech Investments.”

Opening up the discussion, the founder and Vice Chairman, Signal Alliance, Collins Onuegbu, said it would be a bit difficult to attract investments into the economy at a time the economy is struggling.

Onuegbu, at the session, which was hosted by Harvard Business School Association of Nigeria (HBSAN), emphasised the need for the handlers of the economy to be educated on what is possible with technology and how the system can actually trigger investments. He stressed that there is investment money in Nigeria.

According to him, though most Nigeria technology companies are small, however, “there have not been much investment in the sector, but that is not to say the industry is not growing. Companies start small and grow big.”

For the Co-Managing Director, TechStarts, Atlanta, Tyler Scriven, investments in technology development in the USA was early and the reason for the various breakthroughs and growth being witnessed today.

Scriven, while advising startups to be consistent and creative, noted that if a firm delivers a solution that solves a particular problem 100 per cent, “it will be looked for.”

He revealed that US technology companies spend a lot on lobbying and regulations.

For the Country Director, Andela, Seni Sulyman, government should not look at regulating technology, “but they can work out how tech space can be coordinated, stressing that the market will pick winners.”

Sulyman called for collaboration among stakeholders to boost investments in technology.

In his contribution, Head, Leveraged Finance, Rand Merchant Bank, Ladi Williams, said investors are looking for a productive environment that will guarantee their investments.

Williams observed that the technology community in Nigeria became productive about four to six years ago, pushed by Angel investors.

Meanwhile, the Regional Product Marketing Manager, Facebook, Mathew Sedze, urged entrepreneurs to use Facebook’s applications to uplift their businesses.

Sedze said business owners needed to build their brands, so as to grow their businesses and make profits.

According to him, the centre of branding building in a mobile world is connection, hence, entrepreneurs have to be digitally connected.

‘’Mobile is an evolution of communication, and Facebook holds the technology to enable communication and mobile. Our mission is to give people the power to share and make the world more open and connected. We are helping entrepreneurs create valuable, meaningful connections between people and businesses,’’ he said.

Sedze said that Facebook had ‘Audience Network,’ which is a collection of applications that the social network platform used to reach people.

He said that businesses should leverage on the audience network to reach their customers, as people consume content differently on social media.

According to him, businesses should connect with people where they spend their time. ‘’Facebook has 1.7 billion active people who spend their time on the platform. In Nigeria, 18 million people access Facebook every month, while 8.6 million or 48 per cent of monthly active people return everyday.

‘’People’s time and attention are on mobile. Tap into the mobile discovery mindset,’’ he counselled.

The Small & Medium Enterprise (SME) Account Manager, Africa, Facebook, Hicham Zaraket, said that when trying to create an advertisement, using the video applications that the platform had, the business owner should start with a major idea.

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2lYwf3j

NASSI charges government on enabling environment

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The inability of the small-scale businesses to provide massive jobs has been hinged on absence of enabling environment.

The Chairman of the National Association of Small Scale Industrialists (NASSI), Lagos Island Chapter, Femi Kuti-George, stated this recently at the launch of the chapter in Lagos.

He argued that NASSI is capable of providing employment to unemployed youths only if government would provide enabling environment for small business to grow.

Kuti-George said further submitted that the Association has the capacity to reduce poverty and create employment opportunities for the teeming graduates churned out yearly by several academic institutions.

“In spite of our enormous resources, Nigeria has no business in poverty, if we do the right thing”, he said.

He argued that Nigeria cannot develop if government continue to pay lip service to science and technology from which the small scale industrialist draw strength.

He explained that the purpose of the launching of the association was to establish contact with government, its institutions and other non-governmental organisations for the advancement and promotion of the small industries.

In his speech, the Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Lagos State, Babatunde Durosimi, said small businesses are the engine room of the economy, stressing that one of the major challenges facing the small business is lack of fund.

He restated the State’s commitment to creating enabling environment and access to fund to boost small business.

“We intend to work with small business owners in order to absorb graduates who are unemployed as internship. Government would be paying them monthly stipend. Youths need to be employable before you can become entrepreneurs.

“We are aware that it is the activities of the small scale industrialists that sustain every economy. That is why I have come here today to chart the way forward to move SMEs forward”, Durosimi said.

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2lVOHv5

United We Stand raises awareness on intellectual property, piracy

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Oke Maduewesi (CEO Zaron Cosmetics), Hajia Aisha Abubakar (Hon. Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment), Tara Fela Durotoye (CEO, House of Tara International) and Obi Asika (CEO, Storm 360) at the stakeholder meeting last Friday.

On Friday, February 24, the United We Stand campaign collectively hosted a stakeholder meeting to raise awareness about the rampant issue of counterfeiting, intellectual property theft and piracy in Nigeria.

The stakeholder meeting brought together many who have dealt with and continue to deal with this issue that not only chips away at their revenue, but also at the purity and integrity of their hard work in creating their products; whether art, literature, music, film, clothing or other consumer goods.

The Hon. Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Hajiya Aisha Abubakar delivered the key note address. She commended the organisers of the meeting, saying “it is a step in the right direction towards creating awareness among stakeholders, a platform for dialogue, for evolving effective IP framework, for the strengthening, protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights”.

She stressed the importance of synergy among regulatory and enforcement agencies of government to curb the menace of intellectual property rights infringement and abuse.

On the part of our Ministry, the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, she stressed that they “shall continue to provide institutional support to strengthen the capacities of agencies and departments under the Ministry to deliver on their mandates which includes the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights in collaboration with all relevant stakeholders”.

The stakeholder meeting also included two panel sessions with experts from various fields sharing insight on how to address issues of counterfeiting, intellectual property theft and piracy. The health and social impact panel speakers included Dr. Vivian Oputa (Medical Director, Derma Care), Mr. Obafemi Abaga (Partner and Head of Brand protection, Jackson, Etti & Edu) and Babatunde Adenaike (Product Manager, Flour Mills).

Obi Asika (CEO Storm 360 and Co-founder of Social Media Week, Lagos), Oke Maduewesi (CEO, Zaron Cosmetics) and Okechuku Ofili (Founder, Okada Books) led the Creative and Economic Impact panel. Both panels were moderated by Ada Iwugo (Commercial Director, House of Tara International)
The United we stand campaign collective include Tara Fela-Durotoye (CEO, House of Tara International) Oke Maduewesi (Zaron Cosmetics), Funke Akindele-Bello (Scene One TV), Temitayo Eyitayo (Founder, 24 Apparel) Uzo Uzeoke (Executive Director, Emzor Pharmaceuticals) and Chude Jideonwo (Managing Partner, RED Media Africa).

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2lYDWX5

Robbers kill one policeman, shoot another, collect AK-47 rifle

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Nigeria Police

It was tragedy on Tuesday night at Nkpor in Idemili North Local Council of Anambra State, when dare- devil armed robbers attacked a police sand bag team, killing one and shoot another in his leg before collecting one Ak-47riffle from them.

The armed robbers numbering about nine and riding on three motorcycles, stormed the police team at Nkpor Market located under the fly-over along the Onitsha/Enugu Expressway, around 8.30p.m.

Eye -witness said on arrival, the robbers positioned themselves before taking the police team by surprise as they were not aware of the presence of the men of the underworld.

He said the robbers approached the police vehicle parked nearby and shot sporadically. That was when one policeman (sergeant Matthew Julius) was killed and his Ak-47 service rifle taken away.

However, another policeman, Sergeant David Alex, escaped death by the whiskers as he fought back but received bullet wound on the leg.

It was learnt that two other Ak-47 rifles that were kept in the police vehicles when the robbers struck were recovered by the police personnel.

The Ogidi Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Mr. Hassan Musa, who confirmed the incident, said, the dead and the injured were taken to Borromeo Hospital, Nkpor.

He said: “We are still at the scene and investigation is on-going to arrest the fleeing robbers.”

He assured that the robbers would be arrested.

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2lVWMzX

Valentine groove

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Osas Ighodaro-Ajibade

My Queen B,
I like to tell our story but there are many things I can never explain.
I can say how we met as teenagers, but I still don’t understand how even then, we both knew this was forever. And when I can’t describe how our journey, though miraculous, has rarely been smooth, I just smile and say we’ve loved each other for 23 years and counting.

You know me better than anyone. You’ve seen me – mask off, feet of clay – and incredibly, you have loved me more, far more than I deserve. You make me a better, funnier, man. You’re my right hand and my home. You’re perfect, B. Many times, I can’t quite find the words for these things and more – so I just say, you’re beautiful.

I like to tell our story. Hopefully, one day, I’ll find all the right words and the magic to tell it as it should be told. Till then, I love you, and always will.

Lawyer and Acclaimed Novelist Chimeka Garricks for his beloved Biyai Garricks
My Darling Funke,
From the start I told you I’m the one that will marry you, you laughed at me but guess who’s having the last laugh. I pray laughter will never depart from our home. Never doubt my love for you because you’re the only constant thought throughout my day, the one who knows how to make me smile in bad times, the only person that can affect my mood and emotion with a little action.

You say you love me, and I always reply saying I love you more, I mean it and proven it by making you my wife. You’re now blood of my blood and flesh of my flesh, let’s love passionately, fight gently, forgive quickly, hug & kiss frequently, talk honestly and through the good and bad days remember forever and ever YOU ARE NOT ALONE, I AM HERE WITH YOU.

Celebrated Hip-Hop Artist, Director and Producer JJC Skillz Abdul Bello for his beloved Funke Akindele-Bello
My Darling,
How do I begin to express what I truly feel in my heart for you? Do I tell a story, write a book or narrate a poem? Surely words will not do you justice so I will stick to a simple letter. I am told there is a day set aside for lovers, that one day in the year when one is expected to put all else aside and focus on the one person they love, shower them with roses, serenade them with love songs, spoil them over dinner and woo them with breathtaking gifts.

That day, I suppose, is meant to make up for all the times one fell short, to cover the days where an argument broke out, to soothe over the tears from a hurt heart and to remind each other that love still abides. I find it strange to understand for even now my heart is shocked it still has the capacity to expand its ability to love you anymore.

I had thought years ago, that with the way you completely stole my heart, and returned it filled to the brim with love for you, I’d never find any room to absorb any more of loving you. Alas how wrong I was. Alone at home tonight, you are thousands of miles away and I am missing you more deeply than I ever did before. The bed still carries the sweet fragrance of your essence, the home filled with your touch and style, the garden blossoms from the care of you and my entire being longs to have you in sweet embrace.

What I would give to have you in my arms right now, to feel your lips upon mine and your breath so warm against my cheek. How I crave to whisper sweet words of adoration into your ears, knowing how well they settle in your heart and how each syllable causes your heart to beat just that bit slightly faster and how your eyes shut ever so gently as our love overwhelms your every cell. Loving you has been a journey of discovery, a beautiful rose that opens to the rising sun and releases its total beauty when caressed with tender care. I can’t simply dedicate one day in a year to show you how much I love you. It would simply be a shame to waste the other 364 days without serenading you with a dozen ways of saying “I love you”.

My beloved, my sweet heart, my best and most gorgeous Lolita, my eternally glorious rib, I can never leave your presence without a kiss, can never walk away without a hug, will never go to sleep without an embrace and will never set eyes on you without falling madly in love anew. Our love is deep, it is true, it is free, it is passionate, it is erotic, it is blissful, it is blessed, it is unashamed, it is unapologetic, it is trustworthy and it is holy. You were made for me and I for you. The perfect creation specifically and specially crafted with each other in mind. I know every bit of your body just as you know mine.

Your touch is electric and sends shivers all over me just as mine is enough to set your body on fire. Together we make each other complete and whenever we come together, it is a bonding that is crafted in heaven, a pleasure with no earthly definition and a renewal of a sacred covenant that causes our hearts to explode in pure ecstasy. Many will celebrate this day as the day for lovers, seeking their valentines, some would have secret admirers and other would be declaring their love for either the first or the tenth time, but as for you and I, it’s already the 45th day of intensely loving you this year and I am looking forward to the remaining 320 days where, God giving us life, I will have a new day, every day, to say “I Love You”. Hurry back into my open and outstretched arms my love so I can declare just how special you are to me and how blessed I am to have you as the wife of my youth.

Happy Valentine’s Day Your one and only, Tonye
Co-Founder and Group Executive Director of Sahara Group, Tonye Cole for his beloved Sylvia Cole.

Our Blessings
They say to never regret and to always count your blessings… sometimes with the hustle and bustle of life… one can tend to forget… I promise to never overlook the God given gifts with you…

Blessings of our Love….
Blessings of our life together Blessings of lessons learned Blessings of laughter…Blessings of joy…Blessings of our Love….
Blessings of me and you.
Blessings of our faith in HIM. Blessings of a kiss and a hug. Blessings of praying together. Blessings of our Love….
Blessings of our dreams coming true Blessings of being the love of my life Blessings of a growing family Blessings of our little Princess Blessings of more Blessings to come Blessings of our Love…
Our love makes us stronger, our tears and laughter makes us one. Our love will always get us through and I will never forget or stop counting my blessings with you…
Happy Valentine’s Day Love of my life.
Actress Osas Ighodaro-Ajibade to her beloved Gbenro Ajibade.
Compiled by Beeta Universal Arts Foundation http://ift.tt/2lgfhNh

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2ltm3lk

Weekly political notes

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Babatunde Raji Fashola, Minister of Works, Power and Housing.

APC Sets Up Reconciliation Committee
The National Working Committee, (NWC) of the governing All Progressives Congress, APC, has set up a peace and reconciliation committee to intervene in the crisis affecting some of its chapters across the 36 states.

The party said it is disturbed by the internal crises in its state chapters.“Concerned by this ugly trend and as part of preparation for its non-elective National Convention which is expected to hold not later than April 2017, the NWC has decided to set up the committees to resolve all outstanding issues in order for the party to have a united front going to the convention,” APC said in a statement by its spokesperson, Bolaji Abdullahi, on Monday.

Even though, the reconciliation committee is long overdue, considering the internal bickering in the APC since it took over government, the timing is suspicious and an afterthought. Why the move for it, just few days after the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) announced planned merger with other parties to defeat the APC in 2019?

Of what need is the committee, when the APC national leadership has for long played the ostrich over crises rocking the party at the national and state levels? It seems the party leadership is putting the cart before the horse. Why not a committee to resolve the crises at the national level and among its national leaders, before looking into the state chapters?

Is the party leadership saying that all is well with it at the national level, despite the verbal war between it’s national chairman, Chief John Oyegun and one of the party’s prominent leaders and former governor of Lagos, Senator Bola Tinubu sometime last year? The party leadership should be mindful of the fact that any peace move without adequate consultations and inclusiveness from the top could amount to treating symptoms of a disease, instead of it’s root cause.

Fashola Disowns N2bn In Ministry’s Budget
Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, on Wednesday disowned N2 billion in the budget of his ministry, saying that it was inserted by the officials of the Ministry of Finance. He said this during budget defence before the Senate Committee on Lands, Housing and Urban Development. 

Chairman of the Committee, Senator Barnabas Gemade has queried the provision of N2b in the budget of Housing Ministry for “Regional Housing Scheme.”  The project is tagged FMOWP99934089. 

Gemade asked: “What is this provision of N2billion for?  What is regional housing scheme? Where is it taking place? What is happening? Have you seen it on Page 18?” 

Responding, Fashola said: “It is not our project. It is a Ministry of Finance initiative. They said that they want to do what they called … It is not from us.”

In his reaction, Gemade said: “But you are here to defend this budget in totality.Fashola then said: “That is what has come. I am explaining to you now, sir, on how it comes into our budget. That is not what we submitted. We didn’t submit that proposal.”

While Nigerians await Adeosun’s explanation, Fashola’s response is a clear confirmation of lack of synergy in President Buhari government. This is not the first time something like this will happen and may not be the last. So Nigerians are surprised, but will like to know in clear terms what the inserted N2bn is meant for.

Whether it is a continuation of the budget padding tactics in a different version or a move to raise and conceal money for 2019 general elections, it is over to Madam Finance, Adeosun. Fashola has washed his hands off it like Pointus Pilate.

But one wonders how Finance Ministry gets involved in this, when it is neither that of National Planning nor Budget Planning. Or did the Finance Ministry at any point usurped the powers of the other ministries to introduce sums in their budgets?

The challenge now is how far the NASS committees can go to ensure that other ministries’ budgets do not carry injected sum like theN2bn found in Fashola’s ministry.

Anenih To PDP: Forget Presidency
Until After Buhari’s Tenure
Former Chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Tony Anenih, on Tuesday counseled the PDP to forget about the presidency until after President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure.

Speaking when the leadership of the Jerry Gana Strategy Review and Inter-party Affairs Committee visited him in Abuja, Anenih said it was very shameful for members of the party to be struggling for the presidency and other elective positions, when the party was not yet in order.

Commenting on the challenges, Anenih said reorganisation of the PDP should be the main focus.
“When Buhari’s tenure finishes, we will know who takes over from him. When he finishes his tenure, there will be more conventions on both sides and God will lead us to choose somebody who will help Nigeria,” he said.

Anenih said selfish interest landed PDP where it is at the moment and advised the party leaders to organise a convention that would lead to the emergence of credible leaders who can offer constructive criticism to the APC.

“PDP should have been in power now, but everybody wants to be a presidential candidate, national chairman… It is never done.”Not many incurable optimists and power mongers in the PDP will agree with Chief Anenih’s narrative, considering that anything is possible in Nigerian politics. But Anenih’s position is informed by his political experience, exploits and sagacity that cannot be wished away by anybody.

Again, there is no doubt that having been a very influential PDP leader in the last 16 years, Anenih understands the party and its challenges better than the present party leaders. But unfortunately, Anenih is a major contributor to the PDP problems with his introduction of all kinds of undemocratic practices into the party affairs, especially in the conduct of party primaries and general elections. It is not surprising that he is now a solution provider, offering tips on how to move the party forward. What a repentant “Mr Fix It” that can no longer fix a fallen party.

It is now left for the present PDP leaders to take and implement Anenih’s fatherly advice, by commencing immediately the reorganisation and repositioning of the party with good ethos and people-oriented manifesto, whose provisions must be strictly adhered to by all members.

Enugu: Ugwuanyi Floors Ayogu
Eze At Appeal Court
The Court of Appeal in Abuja, on Wednesday dismissed the appeal by the former governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2015 general elections in Enugu State, Senator Ayogu Eze, seeking to upturn the emergence of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi as the candidate of the party nominated at the December 4, 2014 primary election in the state.

The court in a judgment delivered by Justice Peter Ige, dismissed the appeal for lack of merit as well as lack of locus standi by Eze, whom the court said, admitted in his affidavit, that he did not participate in the primary election conducted by the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the PDP.

The court also held that the High Court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the suit ab initio, since Eze did not qualify as an aspirant and was therefore not entitled to challenge the outcome of the primary election as provided in Section 87 (9) of the Electoral Act.

He explained that in line with the Electoral Act “the aspirant must be an insider, somebody who participated in the primary authorised by the party. 
“The appellant admitted he was aware that another primary was conducted by Asara Asara, but that he did not participate.”

The judgment is no doubt a big relief for Governor Ugwuanyi, who is also Ayogu’s kinsman from Enugu North zone. Coming at a time all entreaties to Ayogu to let go the legal tussle in the interest of peace, unity and development of the state fell on deaf ear, it is now left for Ayogu to decide whether to proceed to the Supreme Court or listen to the voice of reason.

This is especially, when it is obvious that with the judgment of the Appeal Court, nothing different may emanate from the Apex Court if approached on the matter. But it is often said in political parlance that it is not yet over, until it is over. Besides, Nigerian politicians are die-hard optimists, especially when it has to do with election matter.

The choice of action on this matter now is solely that of Ayogu. Whatever decision he takes, will determine where history will place him.

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2lg8fIz

The one thing you do that’s damaging your skin

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There’s a popular saying that ‘less is more’ and believe me when it comes to skincare, less really is more. Before beginning any skincare regimen or routine, you have to understand two things, your skin-type, and your skin-color. Knowing your skin-type helps you choose the right products with the right active-ingredients to treat the skin ailment at hand. In simple terms, you have to know your skin-type in order to choose the right product. Furthermore, with skin of color or African skin, its important to know your ‘skin-colour’. Why? Well because knowing your skin-color helps you choose the right skincare techniques, methods and procedures.

Now that you understand your skin-type and skin-colour, lets find out what it is you do often that prevents you from achieving flawless skin. In hotter climates like Africa, we seem to have a never ending battle with dull, uneven skin tone and also dry ashy skin. It is in the quest to treat these two issues that a lot of women turn to the one thing that actually does more harm than good, ‘exfoliating’ or ‘scrubbing’.

*common exfoliating tools
Exfoliation and scrubbing includes; sugar or salt scrubs, face scrubs, hammam scrubs, body polishing, chemical peels, overuse of serums or creams with AHAs or BHAs, and strong or harsh bath sponges, brushes or gloves.

*exfoliating scrub
The term ‘exfoliate’ in the skincare industry has been touted as some magic treatment to smoother, brighter, younger looking skin. Exfoliation is meant to remove dead skin or the top layer of skin. However while exfoliation is great for some skin-types and colors (pale, caucasian, mahogany, dark chocolate or mature skin), most skin of color would experience dryness, redness and skin darkening due to frequent exfoliation or scrubbing.

If you are of African descent with fair to brown skin, over scrubbing will cause your skin to become sensitive as well as darker due to micro-scratches you can’t see.

So, when exfoliated skin is exposed to sun, heat, pollution or harsh ingredients it easily, burns, drys out, gets rough and hyper-pigments because there is not enough top-layer skin to protect it from the sun, heat or other irritants. Let’s make this easy to understand, your skin is the largest organ in the body which protects your internal organs. Your skin is made of up three layers, the outer most layer which protects toxins and environmental pollutants from harming the body. You need the top layer of the skin to better withstand sun damage, heat, wind and irritation. However, if you take off the top layer too frequently, your skin becomes thin and would burn and bruise easily like a baby’s skin. Furthermore, skin of color; African, Asian and Hispanic is biological designed to protect itself from irritation and the sun by producing more melanin, hence tanning, darkening or hyper-pigmentation occurs. Therefore, if sunburn, tanning or uneven skin-tone and hyper-pigmentation are the man problems you have you must protect and repair your skin with the right products.

Think you may have damage caused from frequent exfoliating or scrubbing? Look for products that contain natural sunscreen SPF30 or SPF50. The best sunblocks would have zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. These will help protect your skin from tanning, sun burn and further damage. Also if exfoliating has left your face darker or patchy or rough, simply add a lightweight antioxidant protecting serum to your morning skincare routine. And at night, the best time to heal, repair and treat your skin, try a night cream that rejuvenates and repairs skin.

Leslie Okoye is the founder of CookieSkin, a skin care line designed for women of colour to maintain a healthy flawless skin and complexion without using harsh ingredients. Her products aim to give you your best skin, promoting the notions that beauty is confidence and that good skin is not about color, but about the health, freshness and feel of the skin. As a certified holistic health coach with the Institute of Integrative Nutrition in New York, Mrs. Okoye is the go to weight-loss expert. Specializing in guaranteed personalized weight-loss programs, post-pregnancy weight-loss, meal delivery and weight-loss consultations, the mother of two guarantees her clients up to 2kg weekly weight-loss on her programs. She’s the chosen skin care expert and health coach to many Nigerian and Ghanian celebrities. For more on Leslie Okoye and her practice follow her on Instagram @CookieSkin and Twitter @CookieSkin To read more of her articles sign-up on her blog http://ift.tt/1xZRb89 for more skincare and wellness tips. To book a consultation, email customerservice@cookieskin.com

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2ltvXDP

Lagos Egungun Festival 2017 holds…Read full details

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The eight edition of Lagos State Egungun Festival 2017, under the leadership of Chief Tajudeen Muili, comes up on Saturday, February 25, 2017 at 3, Muili Street, Oluyole bus stop, Oregun, Lagos State. A statement by the Alapinni-Oje, Alagbado Tomia, Lagos State, High Chief Jimoh Balogun, said eminent personalities will attend the ceremony from across the globe, including traditional rulers, Awori obas and baales, political office holders, top government functionaries, business executives, among others.

Vía Uzomedia http://ift.tt/2kvuSXi