Look for the Best in Each Other (2) - Olajuwon Obalola

The remaining ‘Rs’  that will sustain both of you.

Romance

Romance is one of the greatest facilitators of a crisis free marriage; but this is where many Charismatics run into problems. When a home lacks romance, it starts suffering disintegration, as it is one of the vital reasons for setting up the home. Many marriage teachers may not agree with this, but this Bible, and I absolutely agree with the Bible which says

''Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. 1 Corinthians 7:1-2''

‘’To avoid fornication’’ is one of the reasons for marriage, and romance is God’s tool for preserving marriage. ‘’But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn’’ (Verse 9). Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.’’ The word ‘’have’’ there doesn’t mean just to marry; it also means let him enjoy his own wife.

Look for the Best in Each Other ~ Olajuwon Obalola

I once heard about a husband and wife who were so upset after a big argument that they refused to speak to each other. That night, not wanting to be the first to break the awkward silence, the man left a note on his wife’s side of the bed that read, “wake me up at 6 o’clock in the morning.”

The next morning, by the time the husband woke up, it was already 8 o’clock. Furious, he roared, “Where is she?” and was about to chew out his wife when he found a note on his side of the bed: “It’s six o’clock; wake up.”

Role of social media in war against insurgency. Oluwatosin.

The social media plays a pivotal role in the reportage of counterterrorism activities around the world. But this is not to say that the onus of nipping insurgency in the bud solely rests on its shoulders. Nigerian terrorist group, Boko-haram has gained increased media attention over the past few years. However, the efforts of our military troops in the north-east has been commendable and worthy of praise. The relationship between terrorism and social media has long been noted.

SKILL ACQUISITION; PARAMOUNT TO NATIONAL SECURITY - By 'Deji Adesogan

Guthrie (1952) defines skills as the ability to bring about some end result with maximum certainty and minimum outlays of ‎energy or of time and energy. Such abilities can be only be made possible through practice, it is the process of developing such abilities through consistent practice that is referred to as skill acquisition.

Introducing Overseas Admissions Made Simple

About FEBA EDUCATION 

FEBA Education Consult is a foreign admission facilitating organization; devoted to assisting prospective Nigerian students fulfill their academic dreams and aspirations.

We also function as study centers for universities and colleges abroad,while we now partner and manage educational institutions/facilities owned by foreign institutions here in Nigeria and abroad.It commenced operation on the 1st of June 2003, as a division of ROAG Commercial Trading Company.

Why You Need a Social Media Team

Social media companies go to great lengths to make their tools intuitive and user friendly. That’s wonderful for people just learning the ropes, but it can also give you the impression that managing professional social media accounts is a walk in the park. Anyone in the trenches can tell you it isn’t.

Olopade receives Franklin Roosevelt Award.

Nigerian Professor of Medicine and Human Genetics, Olufunmilayo Olopade, has received the Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Medal.

#GlobalGoalsLive

#GlobalGoalsLive

getting ready for the Solutions Summit Reception @UN HQ. Check out the welcome carpet.

Source: @FemiOke

Open letter to Dr Emmanuel Ibe Kachukwu, Group MD, NNPC

Sir, I am strongly compelled by recent de­velopments at the Nigerian National Pe­troleum Corporation (NNPC), particu­larly the recent appointment of Dr. Babatunde Victor Adeniran as Group Executive Director, (Commercial & Investment) of NNPC, to write you.

Clean 9: How you can loose your heavy weight in 9 DAYS

WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT OVER THE NEXT 9 DAYS?

YOU’LL LOOK BETTER AND FEEL BETTER. YOU’LL ALSO BEGIN TO FEEL LIGHTER AND MORE ENERGISED AS YOU PROVE YOU CAN TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR APPETITE AND SEE YOUR BODY BEGIN TO CHANGE.

FOLLOW THESE TIPS TO ACHIEVE YOUR BEST RESULTS

National Youth Summit (Pan African Edition 2015).

The National Youth Summit is all-inclusive. Anyone passionate about leadership, self-development,
entrepreneurship, social change, career advancement, national-building, national transformation, values reorientation and more is welcome to attend.

Twitter Opens Up Ad Platform to More Than 200 Regions

It’s been a long time coming, but today, Twitter has announced that access to their self-service ad platform has been expanded from 33 countries to more than 200 regions across the world.

 

From the official announcement:

“Today, we’re excited to expand our self-service ads platform from 33 countries to over 200 countries and territories. Now, small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) from Honduras to Hong Kong can more effectively reach their target audiences on Twitter in 15 languages.”

The 3 Cs of Social Selling Success

As the Social Selling revolution continues to captivate the sales industry, the most successful and forward-thinking professionals utilize social media to connect and capture more business than ever previously imagined.

But, how exactly is this accomplished? Here are three simple steps that describe the transformative process of “Social Selling,” or how to use social media to generate revenue:
  
Content

The buyer is, and should be, the primary focus of your Social Selling efforts. Any cursory listening exercise on LinkedIn, the epicenter of the Social Selling universe, will yield an undeniable conclusion: buyers crave information. Sales professionals must provide this valuable information to buyers in the form of appropriate content.

How to Advertise on Instagram

Instagram ads are finally here and live for the majority of advertisers. We've had access for a couple of days so wanted to share how to create Instagram ads and share some things to look out for.

How To Get Set Up
Below is a step by step guide for getting set up with Instagram ads:
Step 1: You'll need to connect your Instagram profile to your Facebook Business Manager account. To do this go to your Business Manager account, and hover on Business Settings as shown below. From here, you can choose 'Instagram Accounts'.

Women Networking: Is It Finally Kicking In? - Miriam Hara

A little over 25 years ago, my mentor who was a decade older than me, philosophized that with every passing decade, things would get easier for women in the future within the business marketplace. The challenges I faced climbing the proverbial corporate ladder were nothing compared to the obstacles she had faced. Although I remember thinking that regardless of the "degree of hardship" that women over the years faced, hardship is still hardship. Less pain, still implies pain.

Fast forward to 2015, getting ahead in the corporate environment is still challenging for women (albeit maybe less so than 25 years ago). However, we now see more and more women as entrepreneurs, mompreneurs and at the helm of small businesses that they had a hand in starting or growing.

How To Make It as a Freelance Social Media Marketer

So you’ve decided to go into business for yourself as a freelance social media marketer. There are some things you need to know. Beginning with: it ain’t gonna be easy. It is a tough gig to get, clients rarely appreciate the time it takes to sort out a solid social strategy for them, and the competition is fierce.

That said, there are things to keep in mind that will increase your chances for success.

Personality characteristics for success

All successful freelancers share certain characteristics, not everyone is cut out for this life. Among them:

Flexibility: This is not a 9-5 job; you will be working evenings and weekends, often without much notice. Clients are apt to change their requirements mid-stream. You must be able to roll with it and make adjustments, without getting rattled.

Confidence: You need to offer solid advice to clients in such a way that it is clear that you know what you are doing. You were not hired to offer vague generalities. They pay you to be the guide who is sure of the path forward; make sure you convey that impression.

Not easily discouraged: You will fail at some tasks. Some clients will not be happy with what you do. This is a tough market and things will certainly not always go your way. But no one set you on fire; you live to fight another day.

But characteristics alone aren’t enough to get you there. There are things a successful freelancer needs to do to be able to make it:

Be organized: You will be juggling several projects and clients at a time. You will need to know exactly where you are with each one and what needs to be done and when. Your clients are not paying you to let things slip through the cracks.

Have strong communication skills: You must be able to communicate with your clients in such a way that you get a clear understanding of their needs and you convey clearly what you can deliver and why. There is no room for misunderstandings in this business. If a client believes that they have not been listened to or that they have been misled, you will lose business and you will get the reputation for being an unreliable flake ball.

Be rigorously disciplined: One of the great appeals of being self-employed is that you can make your own schedule. That’s a wonderful thing, but without the fear of a boss over your shoulder often the temptation is to finish watching the Breaking Bad marathon. You must be harder on yourself than any boss ever was. Make a schedule and hold yourself to it.

Have a solid social presence to show you can do what you say. If you can’t find the time to “do social” for yourself, you can’t expect other people to believe that you can do it for them. Your online presence should convey stability and competence. What you do for yourself is what you are promising your clients you will do for them.

Tips for success

Once you do get off the ground, there are some tips you should keep in mind:

Avoid depending on very large clients. As attractive a proposition as the whale may be, you are better off with many smaller fish because if big one disappears, you’re screwed.Don’t work for free. There is a school of thought out there that you can make a name for yourself by doing freebies. That name is patsy. You are a professional and professionals get paid.Don’t spread yourself too thin, only commit to projects you know you can complete in a timely manner. If you miss deadlines you will destroy your carefully cultivated relationships and reputation.

Even with all of this, odds still aren’t in your favor – they aren’t in any freelancer’s favor. Success, if it comes, will not come quickly or easily. It is essential that you plan to put time in and build your business base slowly.

So go ahead and take your shot, just make sure that your eyes are clear and your toolbox is full.

Source: socialmediatoday.com

RE: BAMISILE SET TO DECAMP TO PDP

Gentlemen of the Press,
PREAMBLE:
I am humbled to have your audience today in respect of the widely publicized tales from some fifth columnist, who are threatened by our activities in providing an alternative government and a credible voice in opposition to the present situation we have found ourselves in Ekiti.

My attention was drawn to the above story online, via my twitter handle that some media homes publicized that I, Rt. Hon. Richard Olufemi Bamisile (BAFEM) is set to decamp to PDP, as a result of a meeting held in Pathfinder having in attendance four (4) Paramount Traditional Kings of Ekiti State. Before I forget, let me expressly say that the four kings (as published) (all from my Local Government) are those whom I respect so much with highest regards.

Permit me to give a little brief of myself before I do justice to the issue at hand, while I also appreciate the fact that this medium shall serve me an opportunity to expunge the fears of the unsuspecting public who have been calling me since yesterday, up till this present moment. I have received not less than a thousand phone calls from Ekiti people at home and Diaspora.

For the records, I am prominently addressed as Rt. (Hon) Richard Olufemi Bamisile, but for the sake of this issue at hand, I will have to inform you gentlemen of the Press that I am also a Prince of Omuo Kingdom. My Late Father, Mr. Bamisile was the Elekota of Kota-Omuo (The traditional leader of Kota-Omuo, now Kota-Ekiti) who is also next in command to the Olomuo-in-Council in the whole of Ekiti East Local Government. So, it is not an understatement to say that I can fraternize with Kabiyesis of Ekiti Extraction, let alone those of my Local Government on issues that bothers on the development of my town, local government, if my attention is called upon.

THE MEETING:
I was called upon at exactly 3.30pm by my most distinguished traditional fathers a closed door meeting, which ordinarily was not the first time, whenever issues of utmost importance is needed towards the development of my town. I thought it was in relations to my situation office that was destroyed by the popular ‘Osoko boys’ or a proposed programme aimed towards the development of my town. To the glory of God and the ancestors of the Omuo kingdom, I have been a good son of the soil, who don’t disrespect or joke with the interest of the town; such was my expectation. The meeting was indeed fixed to be held at an Hotel along EKSU road, in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State Capital.

Indeed, the meeting was aimed at bringing me back to the Peoples’ Democratic Party, where I had been opportune to serve as a member of the House of Assembly, the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Chairman of various committees/caucuses and lastly as the State Deputy Chairman.

I met the Paramount Traditional Rulers in a Room at the hotel and they told me that I should return to the PDP, also trying to resolve all issues I may have with the Governor. While I was trying to inform them of why the Traditional Rulers should not be involved in partisan politics, most especially when it has no inference on the socio-cultural development of their respective towns, we got a knock at the door and Governor Fayose entered the hotel room and saying “Femi, You are giving me problems” “I will give you the Governorship Ticket of PDP come 2018 if you can decamp” “Politics is a Game, Let’s Forget the Past” and so on and so forth.

Governor Fayose was practically begging me with the PDP Governorship Ticket. I snubbed him and left immediately!

For the avoidance of doubts, I know Governor Fayose very well, more than anybody left in the PDP. I know his leopard cannot change his skin. I know when he’s feeling heat, when he is been emotionally disturbed and troubled. I assume the Governor is disturbed with my activities within the rank and file of the All Progressives Congress. He held my legs and told all the traditional rulers to be begging me that he knows that I don’t joke with the Crown.

It was at this juncture that I left and expressly told the Kabiyesis (with all courtesies) and the Governor (Mr. Fayose) that his request was dead on arrival. I told my team when I joined them at my situation office all that transpired. I also told them that Mr. Fayose would publish it on the pages of the newsprint majorly to cause distrust within my 35 LGs & LCDAs, 177 Wards, 2195 Polling Units and organization coordinating teams within the APC. I told them he (Governor Fayose) would also go on the State owned media homes (EKTV and BSES) to aggressively announce it, so that he won’t look defeated. Most unfortunately, he would either temporarily empower all the Kings in my LGA (so as to kill the story) or victimize them (for failing to mount enough pressure on me to pull back).

Much as I will continue to respect the all Traditional Rulers in Ekiti State, most especially from the Omuo Extraction, I want to affirmatively say that it wasn’t in the interest of the three kings to discuss such with me. They were coarsed! The Kabiyesis are well loved in the community, who are project focused and well respected. I only wished it never happened. I still hold them in high esteemed and will forever be annoyed with Mr. Fayose for dragging my revered Kabiyesis to the political rings.

CAN I LEAVE APC, WHAT IS LEFT IN THE PDP?
I laughed over the stories as published by bloggers and online sites of major Nigerian Newspapers yesterday (Sunday) before laying my hands on them today (Monday). Or is it not laughable?

I make bold to say this: There is no PDP in Ekiti State! What they only have is Fayose Party where he doubles as the Governor of the State and the Leader. Maybe my poser will guide you, is there any executive of the party that conducted the 2014 primaries left in the party? If yes, are they still holding same positions they held then? Where is TKO (the Ex-Secretary) and others? I left as the Deputy Chairman of the Party on the 19th of June 2014 (that was two days prior the gubernatorial election) and my candidate, HE Dr. Kayode Fayemi lost. I make bold to say that TKO and my humble self, made him the candidate of the party with our structures and goodwill within the party (PDP) then. But when I realized earlier that he was a fraud, I pulled out and good I was vindicated with all he is doing therein now.

When I told you gentlemen of the fourth estate of the realm, that eight (8) members of the State Working Committee were set to join the APC, the Chairman of the Fayose Party started pointing accusing fingers at some individuals and deliberately balkanized the PDP, so that the Fayose Party will be formidable, therefore sacked the State executives and set up another structure. Unfortunately for him now and his party, I am authoritatively affirming again that I have contacted personally not less than fifteen (15) members of the Ekiti House of Assembly and are on the same page with me and the APC. Furthermore, not less than 9 local governments of the PDP structure have their youth leaders, women leaders and secretaries also working with us. So what is left in the PDP? A party that has lost HE Asiwaju Segun Oni, Chief Ropo Adesanya, Hon. Kingsley Ogunbolude, Mrs. Omotunde Fajuyi, Comrade Bunmi Ojo, Erelu Babatunde, etc and expelled Dr. Tope Aluko and a host of others? A party that is impoverished while only the members of the Ayo Fayose Movement are the beneficiaries?

Are you talking of a party that is no longer in the Federal Seat? That has lost her intimidation weapon of the Police & Military? There is nothing left in the PDP, just as the party did not leave a legacy in the heart of Nigerians in her parting years.

WHY THE ATTACK ON BAMISILE?
Gentlemen of the Press, I know it will interest you to know why this attack and blackmail was targeted at me, Rt. Hon. Richard Olufemi Bamisile. It is simply because, by the grace of the almighty God, I shall become the next Governor of Ekiti State, under the platform of the All Progressives Congress come the immediate future (on or before 16th October 2018).

This situation office where we are was attacked by ‘Osoko Boys’ few hours before the meeting just as my INTELs report read. I have made an official report to the police in respect of that and I have told my people that I repose confidence in the Nigeria police under our new CHANGE Government. Any person fingered shall not go unpunished!

It is no news that Ekiti APC is back on her track, having learnt from her lessons in governance and politics of Ekiti State. I had offered myself as the biblical Nehemiah, who rebuilt the fallen walls of Jerusalem.

Without being immodest and with the utmost regards for all leaders of the party (former Governors, Party Executives from State to Wards, and Heads of various caucuses) I am the symbol of the party, as it is today, I am re-invigorating the party. I am providing the required engine oil to the party wheels, so that the weakened spirit of party faithful will not eventually knock down the whole system. I understand that Mr. Fayose would want to stop this new tempo. So a stage-managed attack on me would plant a seed of distrust and cacophony in the APC. He has failed; he has failed and has failed again!

Most importantly, the Governor and his media team are attacking me because they know that I KNOW GOVERNOR FAYOSE like the A B C D alphabets.

EKITI STATE, APC and THE INCUMBENT GOVERNMENT
I have promised not to engage in any campaign of calumny, rather will be constructive in my criticisms and offer myself to advise the government on necessary policy directions that will develop the State. As it stands today, Ekiti State receives a 200% of what the Dr. Fayemi regime earns as at June 2015 (from N2.4b to N4.2b) without recourse to the Local Government Allocation which is about N3b. On behalf of the good people of Ekiti State, I will advise the governor to pay outstanding salaries and arrears of civil servants instead of him reducing himself to a blackmailer via his media parrots to engage in destructive campaigns. He should embark on Job Creation as a priority for the unemployed army of youth in the state at a geometric percentage of 67.3%.

The Government should stop witch-hunting perceived oppositions in the State, in the interest of peace and development of the State.

The Governor should revisit the Social Security Scheme for the elderly which was passed into law by the immediate past administration. Even members of his party are waiting to be beneficiaries. You don’t stop good deeds because they weren’t devised by you. Government is a continuum.

Instead of attacking Bamisile, I advises that Mr. Governor, should consider the lives and means of livelihood of marketers (old and young) who would be sent packing from the Oja Oba to God knows where, and lift his ban on the Awedele Market that the marketers were building themselves. He shouldn’t politicize market activities! Likewise, he should provide soft loans for marketers and assist those whose shops were burnt by his arsonists.

Ekiti to me is bigger than everybody, Mr. Governor should pay statutory subventions (not reduce) and release funds for capital projects to tertiary institutions in the State and not making Ekiti a jester State within the comity of States. We are the Land of Honour!

Gentlemen of the Press, Much as I wouldn’t have mentioned what we have done so far in the APC, I can’t but say that with the help of God and leaders of the party, I have expressed my interest to contest as the next Governor of Ekiti State and have thus visited all the leaders of the 16 LGAs. I have embarked on a 16-month ward visit to all the 177wards of Ekiti State. I have also embarked on some Special Intervention projects like the Monthly Free Fuel for Motorcyclists, Professional Short Courses for Undergraduates/Graduates and Postgraduates in partnership with the School of Management and Consultancy, Nigeria. In conjunction with the leaders of the party, all party caucuses are focused now on winning the State back for the APC and by God’s grace victory is ours.

CONCLUSION:
Gentlemen of the Press, it is universally acknowledged that a free conscience fears no accusation. There is no iota of truth to the effect that I was in a “secret meeting” with Governor Fayose, neither is there any shred of truth to the fact that I want to retrace my steps back to the PDP, especially now that its umbrella is torn beyond remedy. It is mind boggling that a leopard does not change its spots.
The fact is that I voluntarily quit PDP in 2014 on my principled opposition to its way and style of playing politics. I couldn’t reconcile myself to the reality that remaining in the same party with Fayose whose antics and antecedence are known and needs no repetition here would serve me any good purpose. Without any form of inducements, I led my supporters and admirers out of the PDP to the APC and have remained committed to its ideals and visions. I have never waivered, not in the past, not now and even in the future, as we prepare to wrestle our State out of the grip of a most vicious, kleptomaniac and none performing leadership. Let no one make mistake about my resolute commitment to partnering with all progressives to see a new dawn in Ekitiland within the shortest possible time.

The present unedifying political order where showmanship with little or no tangible programme across the length and breadth of the State. Let it be announced on the mountain top of our most beloved State and beyond that I WILL NEVER RETURN TO MY VOMIT-NEVER.

I am under no illusion of what Fayose’s grand objective which is: The First is to create confusion and doubt in the hearts of my supporters and admirers and as well as portray me as a man of shady character who cannot be trusted with the task of leading the APC to electoral triumph against the PDP in 2018. On both, he has FAILED

The beauty of democracy is that an ill-prepared government which continues to grapple from crisis as a daily staple can be STOPPED by the electorate. My dear elders, leaders, brothers and sisters, and youths, do not be discouraged-take heart because our progenitors have imbibed in us a noble heritage of holding ourselves to a peer review mechanism. I have practiced politics long enough to know that where tyranny exists, just few band of patriots committed to freedom can roll it back. In the face of depression, manipulation and peddling of outright lies- a resolute and vigilant citizenry committed to the end of darkness is attainable. DARKNESS WILL ALWAYS BOW TO LIGHT.

Ekitiland shall know freedom AGAIN! The task of guiding the rampaging bull from the China shop requires vigilance, continuous mobilization and a guide tour hearts from the piercing and corrosive effect of his LIES. It is not unlikely that for a soul whose unashamed notion of life is embedded in all forms of dishonesty would stop at nothing in his delusional impression of himself for what he is not and cannot be. Ladies and Gentlemen, it is one thing to be a Governor of a State; it is another thing to know how to meet the yearnings and aspirations of the generality of the people. His showmanship and his band of supporters may continue to delude themselves to an arrogated sense of self importance but we are relentless in ensuring that by 2018 our dear State will be recovered.

I remain committed to the APC as a member and more resolute in the pursuit to serve as Governor with my entire God given talents and abilities come 2018.
Thank You Gentlemen of the Press for your time!

Rt. Hon. Richard Olufemi BAMISILE (BAFEM)
Speaker, Ekiti House of Assembly (3rd Parliament) & Governorship Hopeful ‘Immediate Future’

Nigeria’s first women radio station hits airwaves

The stage is set for Nigeria’s first ever radio station exclusively for women folk and the family to hit the air­waves as the National Broad­casting Commission (NBC) recently issued licence to St. Ives Communications.

Christened WFM 91.7, it’s the brainchild of Dr. Wale, Chief Medical Director, St. Ives Specialist Hospital, Lagos, and veteran broadcast journalist, Toun Okewale Sonaiya, a Director of St. Ives Communications.

WFM 91.7 will formally com­mence operations in preparation for its test transmission after it wraps up its selection process for OAPs.

According to Sonaiya: “Though we are licensed for women, WFM 91.7 will also cater for the men and the family by engaging on issues of local, national and inter­national importance for all. It will operate 24 hours of talk and less music. The station will address everyday issues for women and their families. It will be a reliable, leading and trusted source for all related news, information and matters of interests for women and their families.”

On his part, Dr. Wale said that he believed that the initiative will improve the lot of Nigerian women as the radio station will provide a platform to engage on issues of local, national and inter­national importance for Nigerian women, and its programming will be targeted towards the advance­ment and the social wealth of Nigerian women and their families and provide the womenfolk access to a quality, informative and enter­taining programming that will cut across business, politics, sports, news and entertainment from the perspective of women.

NIGERIANS DID NOT VOTE "A HOLY PRESIDENT" ~Demola Obanise

I was enjoying the dialogue among Femi Okurohunmu, Dino Melaye and another whose name I can't remember now on Channels Television; Politics Today, until our Senator; Dino Melaye dropped the ball by referring to President Buhari as "Our Holy President" to the jiggle of Seun Okinbaloye who could not but noticed the appalling eulogies from our loquacious Melaye.

I get confused and saddened whenever I hear statements like this, especially when they are coming from highly placed personalities in a venerated Party like the APC. And the reason for this, often time, is not far fetched, when you are legendary for playing to the gallery as a self acclaimed speaker, you would say gibberish. APC as a Party that rode to power with a stern promise to champion a course of CHANGE from the putrefaction of yesterday can't  afford to be caught, exhibiting symptoms of oral diarrhea like this in her desperate bid to project PMB's probity, especially on National Television !

Again, the way Senator Melaye, a Parliamentarian and Megaphone of the upper Chamber of the Nigerian Legislature, praises the Executive head to heavens these days, one would expect him to be cautioned and reminded of his critical role and stop struggling for space in the media with the likes of Lai Mohammed, Femi Adesina and sheu Garba who are doing well in their public projection of APC and President Buhari respectively. When you begin to defend the one you are expected to act as a watchdog over, saying Buhari is so holy (No one holly pass my brother🎼), then that lack of understanding of your role as Senator would've cost us the democratic benefits of separation of Powers.

Oga face your job, you are the spokesman for the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria not Buhari ! Nigerians are contented with the admired description of Mr. President as; "Incorruptible President". Don't put unbearable burden of titles on a hard working fragile President who's fixing the delicate Economy bequeathed to us by your former Party, the Peoples Democratic Party . This is our APC with an incorruptible PMB we voted for !

This is how you guys praised 'Goodluck' out of Oga President Jonathan so much his greatly flaunted political luck (with no commensurate competence) deserted him when needed most. Even the one you tagged 'Mama Peace' must have now lost her 'Patience' for those unending hypocritical praises.

So, Oga Dino, start making laws not mouth  !

Demola Obanise

Entrepreneurship as option for Nigerian graduates ~ Oluwashola Jimmy

Nigerian graduates are trained to be job seekers in their various academic pursuits. This is the reason why lots of graduates, upon graduating from their various institutions, embark on job hunt without second thoughts. Yes, it is good to finally become independent, after all, our parents have done their part by training us to university level. At this point, we have to face the harsh reality: there are a lot of graduates but a little available job offers.

Thank God that we have a new government which knows the plight of young Nigerians, and which is willing to listen to options, suggestions and advice from the public. The unfortunate thing is the reality that our youths graduate in geometric progression but the available job opportunities is in arithmetic progression. Lots of individuals are laying complaints about youths wasting away, without proffering solutions to these predicaments. Thank God for successful entrepreneurs like Tony Elumelu, who through his foundation, is looking at training a lot of youth to be self-sufficient through their focused entrepreneurship programs. Other NGOs like the Posh9ja Youth Initiative, also have embarked on the gospel of entrepreneurship through mentoring and vocational training/ skill aquisition. Instead of growing interest in this, lots of our youths have become up and coming artistes, looking for talents that aren’t there.I do not ascribe blames to them because they have to survive. In the journey of survival, some venture into internet fraud; others ditch their degree for menial jobs like okada riding, bus conductors/drivers, cobblers, corporate begging, e.t.c, all in a bid to make ends meet.

As the clamour for entrepreneurship grows, the government should think it wise to bat the eyelid in this direction. Prof Pat Utomi, in one of his lectures at the Centre for Values and Leadership, explains entrepreneurs as individuals who see a problem and take punitive measures to create solution to these problems while entrepreneurship is the process of starting up a business or an organization. The entrepreneur is solely responsible for its conceptualization as well as its success or failure.The problem about our youth today is that they all aren’t ready to labour, they just want to start the business today and make profit immediately. We are all conversant with the stories of AlhajiAlikoDangote, who spent over 30 years in business before becoming the richest man in Africa. Also, Chief Mike Adenuga worked as a taxi driver in the USA before finding his foot in business. Nigerian youths just believe it is a day’s job of training, and money starts to spin by the next day.

Entrepreneurship takes patience, grooming, under-studying, perseverance, finance and lots of encouragement. Business men who venture into this without the needed tools end up closing shop when the challenges gets too enormous. The big question now arises: how can one become an entrepreneur? What does it take?

The first step is the dream and determination. The popular saying goes that ‘if you do not dream, you will eventually work for someone who dreams’. Having a dream isn’t just basically sleeping and wishing. It is what keeps you awake while everyone is asleep. Growing and nurturing the dream in view of every brickwall is what makes an entrepreneur. Once the idea has been conceptualized, the next thing required is to develop a step-by-step plan in actualizing the dream. Thank God we have internet available all around the country, and google isn’t keeping malice with anyone. There are tons of information available on the internet. Whatever business idea you might have, take a little bit of time to research on the internet. Its challenges, profitability, financial implication and even examples of people who have been in the business and have made considerable impact in it. If what you see does not encourage you, it is better to back out before becoming a failure. Research isn’t just about sitting behind the system and reading about it, it involves going for a course to understudy the idea. Having a form of internship or picking a mentor in the field will also go a long way in actualizing your dream. There are a lot of vocational centres across the country for those having the business ideas in fashion, baking, computer engineering and website development, e.t.c. If your idea is of a more complex nature, thorough research will be a plus. There is no knowledge as helpful as the knowledge gained on the field hence, the need to have good experience in whatever venture. After all research is done, test the waters with your services and possibly, execute your projects as the cheapest available in the industry. The standard you project will go a long way in categorizing you amongst either the best, average or worst.

The government should really look at entrepreneurship as a means of creating jobs for the teeming youthful population. Not just in the creation of those jobs but also, proper verification as well as provision of enabling environment. Thank God that electricity has gradually improved since the take-over of President MuhammaduBuhari. While some individuals might be interested in being business owners, capital is one of the major drawbacks affecting many local businesses. During the previous administration by President Goodluck Jonathan, a scheme called YouWin was established to provide capital for would-be entrepreneurs. This really worked as lots of business ideas were birthed. Making this YouWin project a continuous one will go a long way in assisting these young ones in balancing their foot. There are some industries that are over-saturated while some are really in need of intellectuals to grow. While most graduates feel that agriculture is demeaning and degrading, they overlook the business part of that industry, forgetting that a commodity that never goes out of fashion is a commodity that is required for the daily living of humans.

Also, entrepreneurship should be included in the curriculum of university students, irrespective of the course of study. We are in a society that everyone hustles for available jobs irrespective of the course of study. That is why we have Geologists working in Audit firms, Engineers working as teachers in primary schools and Biochemists as bankers.Our society is one that allows an individual employment as long as he passes the aptitude test. Corporate organisations should also step-up their CSR not just by maintaining and gardening round-abouts, but invest in human capacity building, especially the youth.

Lastly, a country that engages its youths will not only clear out idle hands, but will also increase its revenue when these ones start to pay tax and employ people to grow their brands. The government should put special attention to the youth and entrepreneurship/ mentoring. If this is in place, a new set of billionaires will be groomed and in another 10 years, we will be glad we conceptualized such idea.

Oluwashola Jimmy Ayinde Idiagbon, President, SIJ Foundation/ CEO, SIJ Global Group.

Universities of indiscretion

There is a damning report, published in the Punch onThursday, 13 August 2015, that documented a culture of sexual harassment, fraud, academic dishonesty, and plagiarism that have undermined the image of Nigerian universities as centres of high quality teaching, research, and learning. The issues raised in the report, even though they are well known, have blemished our tertiary education institutions and destroyed the notion of academic integrity.  

Universities are established to advance teaching, learning and research, and to assist in community service.

These objectives can never be achieved when academic staff turn their institutions into centres of corruption, human rights abuses, criminality, and militancy — all of which contribute to disrupt attainment of the core objectives of the universities. The quality of teaching and research in universities can never be improved under the current environment in which corruption and sexual abuse of students are widespread. 

Professor Peter Okebukola, a former executive secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), outlined the unflattering range of accusations that have become the butt of cynical jokes about the quality of teaching, research, and learning in to universities.

He said: “The large proportion of forged certificates and transcripts paraded by supposed graduates from our universities; spurious data reported by some researchers in the system in papers submitted to international journals; instability of academic calendar; high incidence of examination malpractice; and the number of degree mills (unapproved universities/programmes), form the basis for this accusation. If we pluck out these blights, our global rating in academic integrity will be elevated.”

I regard university academics and researchers as professional colleagues. However, when it comes to abuse of academic integrity, a line has to be drawn so that colleagues who cross that critical line should be punished severely because they bring disrepute not only to their institutions but to their innocent colleagues who work in the universities.  

Universities are not set up to trade in fraudulent practices, to exploit and harass their female students, or to train sexual predators who seek out female students arbitrarily for sexual abuse. The long-held notion that male university staff use female students as a means of satisfying their lewd and indecent sexual obsessions has been elevated unfortunately from that rarefied realm of tittle-tattle to the plane of actuality. That is disgusting. The point has to be made that female university students deserve respect and are entitled to their fundamental human rights not to be held hostage by the universities in which they are expected to receive moral lessons as part of their knowledge acquisition. No student should ever be turned into a university lecturer’s fodder for sexual gratification.

Senior university administrators, regardless of whether or not their own universities were implicated in previous investigations, should be ashamed to be associated with a higher education institution that has deviated from its core objectives.   Anyone who has not read the report published in the Punch edition of Thursday last week should endeavour to do so. When I read the report, it felt like my entire being had been violated. Something drastic has to be done urgently to restore honour to our universities.

It is not only Nigerian universities that are guilty of these sleazy practices. Polytechnics, colleges of education, and even secondary schools have all contributed to the decomposition in academic standards. However, my focus is on universities. The other institutions will be scrutinised at a later date.  The breakdown in quality university education is being facilitated by a persisting culture of widespread fraud, corruption, and intellectual property theft (plagiarism) that has become institutionalised ways of living and doing business in tertiary education institutions. Sadly, these despicable practices were not the grounds for which Nigerian universities were widely respected across the world five or more decades ago.

Stakeholders in the higher education sector, including the National Universities Commission, and the Federal Ministry of Education must rise to stem the growing outlandish behaviour of university staff. It does not matter whether only a handful of university academic staff are involved in the criminal behaviour. It does not matter whether junior staff are the only ones incriminated in these grubby, crooked, and immoral practices.   What is bad is iniquitous. These practices must be condemned and eliminated from higher education institutions, in particular universities that are perceived as places of knowledge development. Whether it is university staff engaging in exploitation of their students through sexual harassment, whether university teachers overreach themselves by selling their lecture notes and compelling every student to buy the commercialised lecture material, whether it is university students violating the rules of fair conduct of examinations, whether students engage in certificate forgery in collaboration with their teachers, these reprehensible practices are inexcusable, unjustifiable, appalling, and have contributed to sully the image of Nigerian universities.

Our system is too rotten, too debased, too morally sloppy, too wasteful, and too inept. It is a system that operates on a tradition of mateship in which culprits are overlooked and rewarded while victims are made to feel guilty, abnormal, and showing characteristics of paranoia. Owing to that system that tolerates corruption, fraud, and sexual exploitation, many students have died many times in silence because they believe it is better to absorb injustice than to complain and be found guilty of “false allegations” against academic staff.

This is precisely why it has become difficult to identify, punish, and eradicate elements in the university system who believe they are above the law and have the licence to behave anyway they like. For how long shall parents, students, guardians, sponsors, higher education regulators, and the government tolerate a situation in which the quality of university education continues to plummet in tandem with the standard of morality among academic staff?

I have often wondered whether Nigerian universities are conscious of the disreputable image they emit in the public sphere. Vice-Chancellors and senior administrators of universities ought to be worried by the despicable behaviour of their staff. Corrupt staff constitute not only an embarrassment to their institutions, they also pose serious threats to academic integrity. When people speak ill of universities, it tends to rob off on the character of the good and bad staff.  Following allegations of unparalleled levels of corruption in universities, the Federal Government moved in 2012 to intervene in order to stop the rot. Whether the intervention of the government made any difference is highly contested. In February 2012, the Federal Government published its response or “white paper” with regard to the reports of the visitation panels that investigated 26 federal universities.

The visitation panels uncovered extensive abuses of the university system which included evidence that universities often supervised programmes in which they had absolutely no convincing expertise.

Government response to the visitation panels’ reports picked out Vice-Chancellors as the inventors of the widespread exploitation of the system. The report showed the Vice-Chancellors randomly set up spurious offices and single-handedly nominated their mates to supervise the positions. That was a clear case of senior university administrators giving special treatment or preference to their friends. The chaotic style of selecting staff to head non-existent departments or units infringed on the universities’ policies and procedures. It undermined the selection of qualified staff and privileged the elevation of poor quality staff who cannot oversee effective management of the departments and units into which they have been appointed.
While I admit some universities have adopted zero tolerance for academic dishonesty, many others look the other way when complaints are brought to the attention of senior university management. One university and certainly not the only one that has shown zero tolerance for academic dishonesty is the University of Calabar (UNICAL). In 2013 the governing council of the university imposed severe penalties on 15 academic staff who were found guilty of academic deception.   The university dismissed four staff members for perpetrating plagiarism. One academic staff member was expelled for financial fraud. A report in The Guardian of Saturday, 16 March 2013, noted that 10 staff members were downgraded because they published “their works in fake or cloned journals and proceeded to submit same and obtained promotion in the process”.

On a general level, many universities are known to breach rules that guide appraisal of academic staff. There is no way that fairness in performance evaluation of staff can be achieved in a university system that allows some staff members to cheat or to mount frivolous claims in order to rise in the institution. When academic fraud and corrupt behaviour are not punished severely, hardworking and law-abiding staff members get the message that such dreadful behaviour is probably acceptable to senior management.
There is something fraudulent when the elevation of academic staff is based on false, unproven, and deceptive achievements in innovative teaching, scholarly research, and outstanding service to the community.  The Federal Government and the National Universities Commission must pay close attention to how vice-chancellors and their senior officials are administering universities in the country. Too many cases of academic dishonesty, sexual abuse of students, staff compelling students to buy their lecture notes or fail their courses, examination malpractices, and certificate forgery underscore the urgent need to reform the rotten university system. These abuses are growing and they have to be stopped.

This article was first published by The Sun newspaper.

My legacy is being destroyed in Ekiti ~Kayode Fayemi.

What efforts are leaders making to resolve the division in the Ekiti APC?

I don’t see what is going on as a division. It is not uncommon in politics to have tendencies within the broad spectrum within a party, provided they are dedicated to strengthening the party to deliver its
agenda. What should be the agenda in Ekiti? It should be the retrieval of the state from the irresponsible leadership that is currently in office there. For us, as
leaders of the party, we speak with one voice. The former governors who constitute the leadership are Mr.
Segun Oni, Otunba Niyi Adebayo and myself. We are fully on the same page with the party leadership; the party executive; on how to reorganise the party in the aftermath of the June 21, 2014 governorship election and the recent general elections. So, we are building a
process that will bring everyone who is genuinely interested in the party to work within the house. Those who choose to do otherwise clearly are not interested in
the APC in Ekiti. For me, the reality is that as party processes move towards another election, interests will appear and people will want to pursue the interest in the
manner they deem fit. And in doing that, it generates tension within the party. They will push the frontiers of the debate. They will want to push the position and
interest they represent. But, what is clear to those of us in the core leadership of the party is that we need a large tent to accommodate everybody, who may have one perspective or the other. As long as they do that within the ambit of the party, it is allowed. So, I do not see any division. It is artificial. Once the leadership is not
divided, it is easy to bring these tendencies back into the fold.

Your former Commissioner for Education, Dr. Enroll Ajayi, said on a television programme in Lagos today that what you did as governor was gradually being
destroyed by your successor. What is your comment?

I don’t like to comment on my successor, if I can avoid it. This is not out of disrespect to the public interest
because people want to know what is going on. My heart ache anytime I am in Ekiti and see the degeneration some of the projects and institutions have suffered. I spent the last weekend in Ekiti. It is a source of concern that the efforts that we made, which should bear fruits, in terms of the fundamental restructuring of the Ekiti economy, are now being threatened by the seeming lack of direction that the current administration there exhibits. It is a source of worry to me when Ekiti is now seen as a the kidnapping capital of the Southwest.
That is a major security challenge we never witnessed in the four years I was in office. Even, when we had a few
worrisome armed robbery incident, we quickly took steps to nip it in the bud by working closely with the security agents and supporting them materially and financially to be able to deliver on the task of protecting the people of Ekiti. This dovetailed to other areas. The Ikogosi Warm Spring Resort which we spent a huge sum of money on to bring about has been abandoned. The private initiative
has been abandoned. There is no management there. There is nobody doing anything there. In less than a year
I left the government, it is a shadow of itself. This is an area the private investor was already complementing what the state was able to do. We had already
concessioned it to a private organisation to run before we left office. I was told the new governor has reversed it. Thankfully, Ire Blocks Industry is back after 23 years.
The clay factory is working now. I hope they will allow it to be run as a private entity in a professional manner.
Anywhere you go in Ekiti, all you see is the structure that we put in place; the road we constructed, the schools we build, the hospitals that were done under us, and the
university projects. We hoped that the new government will build on those things. I know they cancelled the traffic management agency that we set up. He cancelled the social security benefits for the elderly. He  cancelled the youth empowerment scheme, the youth-in-
commercial agriculture development. All these things contributed to the reduction of poverty in the state.
People hardly stay in the hotel in Ekiti State now.  When I was governor, eight brand new standard hotels sprang
up in Ekiti State-Delight, Midals, Prosperous. If you go to Fountain Hotel now, hardly can you get 10 customers
staying there. This is applicable to other hotels that used to be full when I was governor. The correlation can be
analysed. If you have a conducive environment, people want to come. They want to use their own creative talents to make things happen. But, those that are Ekiti people are running away now because of the threat of being kidnapped or insecurity. Party chieftains are
shooting at each other in the same fold and all manner of uncertainties. So, my commissioner was not wrong when she said that the good works were being
destroyed. But, I hope good judgment will prevail. I hope that those who are non-partisan and leaders in Ekiti will
find it within themselves to talk to him, if he will listen, to thread the path of building, instead of destroying. It is very easy to destroy, but it is very difficult to build. But,
if he doesn’t, history repeats itself. One thing that is certain is change. It is something that is constant.
Although he has cancelled social security, the same social security is what has become a national initiative in
our manifesto now that we are about to deliver to the people by paying N5,000 each to indigent elderly people.
I know that these are programmes that will be enduring.
All the communities that have benefitted from our initiatives cannot say that they did not benefit. They benefitted from our ten kilometres per local government.
They thank me when they see me. The good roads we have in Ekiti are courtesy of what I and some of my predecessors also did. I am sad about it. But, that confirms the reality of politics.

What are the lessons which you think the APC as a ruling party at the centre shower from protracted National Assembly crisis?

I do think that we have to be careful. I know the leadership of the party feels about it. The leadership of the party is now wrong to want its own members to be
the elected leaders of the National Assembly. But, you know, I have been involved in a similar situation. When
we had the era of 13-13 in the Ekiti State House of Assembly, it was obvious to Governor Segun Oni and myself that none was going to be dominant. Although we
were opposed to one another, we had to work out a way to have the Speaker in one camp and the Deputy Speaker in the other camp and to share the various portfolios in the House of Assembly. When I became the governor, in my first six months in office, I worked with the PDP Speaker. I worked quite amicably with Hon. Tunji
Odeyemi, who was the one in charge. For me, I don’t think the issue is the fact that the minority PDP has somebody there. It is the manner of his coming that is the problem. That is what our party objects to. It is the manner of his coming that the party leadership objects to. Clearly, the party leadership cannot object to Senator
Saraki because he is a leading member of our party and he was active in mobilising members of his own faction of the PDP into coming to join us and work assiduously for the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari. To that extent, he has the right to express an interest in a
position in the National Assembly. However, once the party has taken a position on some of these core party
issues in the National Assembly, I think we have found a way to balance the equation. No President, no Governor wants the Majority Leader-the Leader of Government
Business-imposed on him. You can accommodate other things. But, the Leader of Government Business is
supposed to be one of the closest people to the executive branch because he is the one who presents the Executive Bills and pilots the bills through the National Assembly. We have to accommodate the view of the party in that regard. But, i am realistic enough to know that, in a Senate that has 49 PDP members, they are not minute. There is nothing we can do that requires two-third majority that will not require some of them supporting us because we do not have the majority that
is overwhelming. And this is practical politics. We have to sit and discuss certain things with them to get our way through on the important views that the President and our party want implemented in the National Assembly. So, to that extent, I don’t think we can take a monolithic
view of how this matter should be resolved. Negotiation becomes important. There is need particularly, for negotiation skills. That was what the National Chairman of our party told journalists, that we are working on it and it is our expectation that this thing will be resolved.
We also know that the President has taken a view that, for him, party supremacy is important, but he does not want to be drawn into matters that are exclusively
legislative. So, it is striking the right balance. I think, so far, the President and the party have done reasonably well on that. We just have to ensure some pragmatic resolutions of the issues are further encouraged.

The President has told the nation that he will release the list of ministerial nominees next month.  What are your expectations about the quality of those what should be on the list?

Well, it is the President’s expectation. It is the President that was elected by Nigerians and we have ceded some
aspects of our rights to him by the vote given to him. We also repose confidence in his ability to determine what is good and in the ultimate best interest if the country.
What he has said, which is not in doubt, is that it is about integrity, competence, commitment and character, He has also told us that those are not the qualities that
necessarily reside within the political party alone. As seen in the appointment of service chiefs and the Group Managing Director of the NNPC, the President has
demonstrated his stuff by making the right choices; round peg in round hole; that would be able to carry the agenda forward. So, I could not expect any less in the
appointment of cabinet members and other relevant officials that will come on board.
The President is thorough. He cannot be intimidated. He cannot be stampeded. He does not pander to media pressure. He is very confident in his commitment to
Nigeria and ensuring that the agenda of change is delivered. So, we must be patient. We must trust in his judgment. Nigerians must repose the confidence in the President that he will do what he has promised the nation.
There are three challenges-the shortfall in revenue, corruption and insecurity. 

What is your advice to the President on these three issues?

I had the privilege of working with the President on some of these issues and leading the Policy Directorate of the
party. On many of these things, we have come up with ideas and proposals. The President has also put together a transition committee that advises him and offers a range of recommendations. We are already seeing some results, even in these early days. They are already
winning converts to him and showing people the direction that change will come from.
On anti-corruption, the President’s body language is clear. I think that body language is even doing the magic. But, we need more than body language. We need
an institutional framework to address corruption. That institutional framework will come as things unfold, in terms of punishment, incentives and judicial processes that will be put in place to stamp out this ill wind that blows no one any good in the country.
On the revenue shortfall, clearly, the President is not unfamiliar with this. He was in this situation 30 years ago and he was able to navigate his way out of it up to a point before he was unfortunately removed. But, the reality that we are confronting now is that the President
is determined to reduce the cost of governance. A lot of leakages will be blocked. The new Managing Director of
NNPC has just reduced the number of executive directors from nine to four. That will also go down in other aspects of the administration. In that regard, we don’t know the number of ministries that will emerge from the presidential consideration of the recommendation of the transition committee. But, these
are areas I suspect we will see significant changes in what the President does.
On insecurity, the step is taking far more public steps.
He is taking more steps in private that people are not even aware of. The results are also showing. We can see
the quality of the leadership of security services now, which many believe will be able to address the misfortune we are witnessing in the Northeast. We can
also see the very aggressive courting of our neighbours.
This speaks about the President’s foreign policy of concentric circle, in which our immediate neighbours are the number one priorities. He has visited Benin,
Cameroun, Chad. He has engaged them in a manner the Nigerian government has not done in the last five years.
The multi-national joint task force is being re-invigorated. The support also coming from Nigeria is also unprecedented. Look at his visits abroad. They have largely concentrated on security. His G-7 visit to
Germany, his visit to United States. Security has featured very strongly on the agenda of the meetings. Nigerians
should be patient with the President. he will deliver on his agenda of change.

This interview was first published by the Nation Newspaper on 19-08-2015.

President Buhari’s Jobs Search” By Garba Shehu

The ongoing ministerial briefing of the President at the State House, Abuja, put a spotlight on an important sector long neglected by previous administrations, yet one that can create millions of jobs.

The first briefing of a President by the Ministry of Science and Technology and its parastatal organization, the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure, NASENI, over a period of many years showcased opportunities and the enormous achievements made in the invention, fabrication and assembly of capital products for the sustainable industrialization of the country.

A matter for serious concern for President Muhammadu Buhari, who campaigned on a promise to create jobs is the paucity of investments in industry, without which there can be no new jobs or incomes.

Experts have warned a long time ago that Nigeria has been frittering away its demographic dividend.

Sixty-five per cent (65%) of the country’s population is made up of youth, and a majority of whom are said to be jobless. The President has been quick to see the danger which he describes as the next most potent for the nation after Boko Haram.

In fairness to them, it is not as if past governments hadn’t seen this problem coming.

The difference President Buahari wants to make can only succeed by moving away from past measures with only palliative effect on youth unemployment.

President Buhari has often spoken about agriculture, public works, IT, industry and mining as capable of delivering the quick wins.

Past agricultural practices have had the effect of constricting the definition of farming.

For agriculture to deliver jobs on the scale the President is looking at, it has to go beyond cropping and cereal production. The whole concept has to change.

It is for this reason that the new administration is seeking to boost livestock, fisheries, horticulture; geese, duck and bee farming and all that. In the neighboring Cameroon, export of fresh flowers is a key flank of their foreign exchange earnings.

Those who patronize Chinese restaurants know the value of ducks. It is so high in export value that the few who have tried taking it abroad say it is a money spinner.

In addition, there is also what they call medical agriculture. Organic plants are grown and exported such as the moringa that have herbal and medicinal value with ready markets everywhere. After listening to the presentation on this sector, the President’s parting shot, having realized the challenges was “I’m going to give you a tough Minister.”

The President has also been speaking about public works projects, subject to improvement in the earnings of the government. But he is not oblivious of the limitations of this line of job-creation. Its absorptive capacity is limited largely to labour and low in capacity in dealing with skilled manpower.

When NASENI and the Ministry of Science and Technology came calling, they broached an important issue dear to the President.

They made presentations to him on home-initiated and home-sustained industrialization processes through the development of relevant processes, appropriate local machine designs and machine-building capacities for capital goods and equipment manufacture that can lead to job-creation, economic well-being and national development.

The President was much excited seeing this. He wondered aloud why the industry was not lapping up these local inventions. It was equally clear that the problems on the part of these important agencies of government is the lack of capital infusion to move prototypes to capital and industrial goods. He asked for a one-on-one meeting with the NASENI Executive Vice Chairman for further briefing.

Successful economies such as the United Kingdom, Japan and the United States got to where they are today because they did just this. They encouraged inventions and adaptations through business incubation and the availability of venture capital.

The President spoke about his enthusiasm for energizing local manufacturing of goods using indigenous technology as against the wholesale importation of goods and services as is the current practice.

In response to this concern came the overwhelming as well as disturbing impression that Nigeria’s industrialization and growth are being held back by an industrial sector dominated by foreign interests that are keener on maintaining home ties than in keying into local patent. For this reason, private investment using the local patent has remained in the doldrums.

To change the unwanted situation, government, according to some experts, has to put its own house in order and look at policies that will drive up the capacity of industry to employ enmasse. Some even argue for trade barriers and subsidies since everyone is doing the same.

Government at the center may consider a national industrial plan in accordance with national plan objectives and party principles or manifesto. Many think this is necessary to define priorities and give budget benchmarks because state government are not always run in a serious or objective manner.

When he saw what NASENI and the other agencies in the science and tech sector were doing, the President’s question, obviously was of interest and concern: have you ever made this type of presentation to the states? The answer was that only Bauchi and Nassarawa have so far shown a measure of seriousness.
For such a central plan to succeed, it must take into account the peculiarities and endowment of the states.

In addition, it should be a “must-implement” for APC states and optional for those in the hands of the opposition. By this, APC states can become model states in job creation through innovation and industrial production. In addition to giving the party relevance, this plan imposition may have the effect of synergism in national development efforts.

With his expressed commitment to supporting the science and technology sector, along with agriculture, mining, IT and industry through invention and local manufacture, the President has taken a major step towards fulfilling a key campaign promise, which is to address the failure of the economy to create jobs.

By Malam Garba Shehu, SSA Media & Publicity to President Muhammadu Buhari

Still On The Proposed Privatisation Of Our Health Sector

Unarguably, our health sector remains the only sector with the highest number of industrial actions. Many lives have been lost in avoidable situations   owing to these incessant crises in the sector .In view of this, the current administration recently revealed its willingness to nip this intractable problem in the bud through privatisation of the Sector.

But some cabals benefitting from the pitiable  state of our  health sector have once again raised an alarm against such move by  the government.

I am aware that Satan will be surprised at some of the things happening in our country. Consider, for an instance, just recently it was reported that street beggars in Kaduna state were threatening to drag the state government to court for banning street begging and it was also reported that a fake doctor had the temerity of working, not even at the local or state government level but at the federal level in a country where qualified medical doctors stay many months at home before securing jobs.  Will the beggars not use the money they will use to brief their lawyers, to go and start petty businesses or are they born to beg hence they should not be deprived of their inalienable rights to begging? Our former first lady under these circumstances would shout,’ There is God ooo.’

Coming back to our topic, the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU), Assembly of Healthcare Professional Associations (AHPA) and their sister organisations recently opposed the proposed privatisation of the sector. As I read their joint communiqué, I remembered a song in pidgin English that says,’ No be you say you be oga, na why e dey run.’ By this their recent communiqué, it means that this group wants our health sector to remain in its present pitiable state. Is it not pathetic that surgeons in conjunction with the physicians will manage an unstable surgical patient and when the patient is stable to withstand surgical stress, one group will embark on a strike, so that after the strike, the patient will either be resting in the grave or be in the mortuary in preparation for the final burial?

Is it not preposterous that the same people that were shouting and quoting ‘International best practices ‘ are still the same people that are now opposing privatisation which is the foundation of the International best practices in any health sector? Top hospitals and universities in the world today are either privately owned or are run by public-private partnership. All the medical tourisms by Nigerians abroad end up in these hospitals run by public private partnership. Why are they afraid of public private partnership and why is Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) supporting the proposed privatisation of the sector by the  current government?

The answer is simple, under public private partnership, each of the professionals in the sector will be paid according to their inputs/skills and not according to their ability to either draw media attention by issuing communiqué or ultimatum on daily basis or form more unions in the sector.

Once the sector is privatised, all these unions will die a natural death, everybody will return to his duty post and face his assigned duty. At that point, we will see if an entrepreneur will agree to employ a consultant generator operator, cleaner, mortuary attendant etc and pay him/her consultancy allowances. At that point, we will see if pharmacists in our tertiary hospitals will continue being drug counters while more than 98% of the drugs used in our hospitals are imported and even those requiring reconstitution are done by private firms outside the hospitals. At that time, we will see if pharmacists in our public hospitals when embarking on any strike will lock up all the drugs in the pharmacy shops such that when they resume after the strike, majority of the drugs must have expired. Also, at that time we will know if medical laboratory scientists will collect samples from patients and later in the same day will embark on a strike, abandoning the collected samples.

Why are they afraid of public private partnership? They should accept the fact that people are supposed to be paid according to their skills and not according to their abilities to make noises in an organisation. Under public private partnership, I will like to see how a nurse that has direct contact with the patients in most of the times will earn lower than a drug counter in the pharmacy unit. They are aware that with this newly proposed arrangement, everybody in the sector will work out his/her salary. Until then, let me see a good entrepreneur that will appoint people without the requisite qualifications and experiences as the chief medical directors (CMD) because the post, as JOHESU will always argue, is purely  administrative .In our private enterprises we employ competent hands because we know that the quality of  our services determines our output and Revenue but in our government hospitals we want a cleaner, mortuary attendant etc  with O’level certificates, first degree or OND/HND  to head our tertiary  hospitals  in the presence of medical consultants  under the incessantly- abused ‘international best practices’ . I don’t need to remind the government on the need to retire senior army officers when their junior is appointed as the Chief of Army Staff.

I look forward to a day when clerical staff and other workers like accountants in the ministry of justice will be appointed as Attorney -General or Commissioner for Justice because as my JOHESU friends will argue, the posts are purely administrative and the sector is muti-disciplinary. Also, I will like professors of paralegal studies to come and head our ministry of justice as paramedical workers are advocating in the health sector. More so, the appointment of paramilitary officers from the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, Federal Road Safety Commission, Nigerian Customs Service etc as Chief of Defence staff will help to assuage my aggrieved mind after all, the post of the chief of defence should also be purely administrative as my JOHESU may also argue.

I know if I surf the internet I will definitely get few countries where civilians like me can be chief of defence staff, hence I will now parochially argue that such anomaly forms the fulcrum of our international best practices. I even wonder why a group has not come up to call for legalisation of same sex marriage in Nigeria under ‘international best practices’ since any anomaly observed in few countries abroad forms our international best practices. Meanwhile, as they called for international best practices, I advise them to openly accept this privatisation in good faith because that is the foundation of the much-touted international best practices.

Dr Paul John, a medical practitioner based in  Port Harcourt,  Rivers state, examines the rot in the Nigerian health sector and gives reasons why privatisation of the sector is the best option.

This article was first published by Daily Independent.

NUPENGASSAN Flays Gale Of Sacks At NNPC

Workers, under the aegis of Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers and Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (NUPENGASSAN), have challenged the new GMD of NNPC, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, to recover the stolen trillions of Naira in the oil and gas sector rather than retiring and sacking innocent workers.

The workers claimed that the fight against corruption should not be turned against workers whom government have sworn to protect

NUPENGASSAN, in a statement signed by the NUPENG President, Comrade Igwe Achese, and his PENGASSAN counterpart, Comrade Francis Johnson, in Lagos, at the weekend, said the two unions in the oil and gas sector have reservations about the approach of government to the reform programme in the oil and gas industry without carrying the two unions along in the process.

Part of the statement read: “We dare the new GMD of NNPC, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, to recover the stolen trillions of Naira in the sector than retiring and sacking of innocent workers. We see the action as an act of cover up.

“While we are fully in support of the fight against corruption, the fight itself should not be turned against workers whom government swore to protect. The ongoing exercise portends a great danger in the oil and sector, if workers are meant to bear the brunt of government current action where the fight of corruption is now used as an act of vindictiveness against workers.

FAAN issues seven – day final notice to debtors

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has given all its debtors a seven-day final demand notice to settle their indebtedness on or before Aug. 24.

FAAN warned that at the expiration of this notice, the Authority would take all necessary measures to recover these debts in line with a Presidential directive.

This is contained in a statement signed by its General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Mr Yakubu Dati, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday in Abuja.

The statement said that all the debtors had earlier been communicated with details of their indebtedness to the aviation Authority.

It advised affected debtors who were in doubt to reach the relevant credit control office at its headquarters to reconcile their accounts.

FAAN said that the debt recovery drive was to enable the Authority to meet its responsibilities, within the burden of these huge debts, as a self-sustaining organization.

Ekiti PDP crisis: Faction threatens Fayose-backed men over ‘contempt’

The estranged State Working Committee (SWC) members of the Ekiti State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have accused the faction loyal to Governor Ayo Fayose of contempt of court.

They threatened to jail the chairman of the faction backed by Fayose, Idowu Faleye, for allegedly spearheading the purported expulsion of four of them.

The embattled SWC added that the action eroded the integrity of the court of law, where its members filed a suit against any punitive measure against them.

The Chairman of the 11 SWC members, Tunde Olatunde, whose expulsion was announced by Faleye and three other state exco members, maintained that they would explore available legal and constitutional means to seek redress and ensure that those holding court in contempt were committed to prison.

Others, who were expelled by the Faleye-led faction, were PDP State Secretary, Tope Aluko; Women Leader Mrs. Busola Oyebode and Auditor Tunji Olanrewaju. They were expelled for alleged anti-party activities.

Olatunde, who spoke with reporters at the wedding of Aluko’s daughter at the weekend in Ado-Ekiti, said the faction loyal to Fayose knew that a suit had been filed at the Ekiti State High Court challenging their suspension and seeking leave of the court to restrain the party from taking further action against them.

He said for Faleye and other loyalists of Fayose to go ahead and expel them in view of the pending court process, was tantamount to contempt of court, abuse of the rule of law and an attempt to foist a fait accompli on the court.

Olatunde said: “Shortly after we were suspended, we went to court to challenge our suspension and also asked the court to restrain the party from taking further decision pending the time the reconciliation committee to be constituted by the NWC arrives in Ekiti.

“What really marvelled us was that the Faleye and his ilk were duly served with all the court processes. But we decided to stay action in the pursuit of the case because of the respect we have for the NWC, which had indicated interest to resolve the matter.

“But out of desperation, they went and trampled on the integrity of the court. We would have expected that status quo be maintained while awaiting what the court and NWC would say on the matter.

“We are assuring that we will use every legal means to ensure that Faleye and his collaborators are jailed for contempt. Though we are not ruling out the reconciliation being proposed by NWC, we are ready to embrace it. But if they failed, then we will resort to legal means.”

But the spokesman of the Faleye-led faction, Jackson Adebayo, insisted that the expulsion was in order.

He added that the quartet had been expelled before they went to court to seek protection against disciplinary action.

Adebayo said: “There was no contempt of court in anything that the party’s state executive committee did because the expulsion was done before the aggrieved went to court.

“I don’t think they understand the meaning of contempt of court. If they understand it, they will not be going to court for injunction after an action had been taken.”

This story was first published by the Nation Newspaper.

All African Games: Nigerian Table Tennis Federation hires German coach

To strengthen the technical crew for the 2015 African Games, the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) has engaged the services of former German national coach, Martin Adomeit as its technical adviser.

The hiring of the coach was made possible through the financial support of the National Sports Commission (NSC).

The German tactician guided Nigeria’s Aruna Quadri to the quarter-final of the 2014 ITTF World Cup in Dusseldorf, Germany and he is expected to arrive Nigeria this week to start working with the team in readiness for the games.

From 1978 to 1980 Martin Adomeit worked at youth level of clubs with Germany-based Soest TV and TuS Ampen. In 1981 he joined the TuS Jahn Soest and was part of the technical crew of the team’s female team in the Bundesliga League and in 1984, he took over as coach of the women’s team of the club. He also served from 1988 to 1997 as honourary coach of the West German Table Tennis Association (WTTA).

In 1996, he was appointed as an assistant coach by the German Table Tennis Association DTTB and in 1997 he ended all previous activities at club levels and took over the post of national coach of the German female team.

Quadri Aruna hugs Martin Adomeit

Under his tutelage, the German women’s team won three consecutive times the European League as well as winner of the 1998 and 1999 European Ladies Team Championship while in 2000, the team won silver.

For this feat, the Association of German Table Tennis Coaches named Adomeit as the coach of the year in 1999.

But after a poor outing by the German team at the 2000 ITTF World Cup, Adomeit stepped down and was replaced by Richard Prause. Adomeit now assumed responsibility for the female junior team.

From August 2004 to April 2007, Adomeit worked as coach and sporting director in Luxembourg while he also handled the Belgium national team from 2008 to 2010.

In 2010, he began working as an independent coach in camps for players and coaches for the European Table Tennis Union (ETTU) and ITTF as well as German Organising Committee (OC), coach education in Germany. He also worked with top tennis players across the globe.

The 51-year old Dortmund-born tactician is an A-licensed coach, who studied at the German Sport University in Cologne.

Arsenal beat Crystal Palace to pick first points of campaign

Arsenal recovered from their opening-day defeat by West Ham to record a hard-fought victory at Crystal Palace.

Alexis Sanchez had three shots blocked as the Gunners began aggressively before Olivier Giroud got the opener.

The Frenchman’s superb scissor kick put away a Mesut Ozil cross but the lead lasted 12 minutes until Joel Ward’s driven shot drew Palace level.

Connor Wickham hit the post on his home debut before Damian Delaney sliced a Sanchez header into his own net.

Jordon Mutch almost inadvertently grabbed a late equaliser when the ball struck his head and went over from a corner, while Petr Cech held a Ward header in a frantic finish.

But despite Palace’s combative display, Arsene Wenger’s side ultimately deserved the three points for the quality of their movement and resilience in defence.

Man City thrash Chelsea 3-0 to go top of EPL

Manchester City went top of the Premier League table with a dominant victory over reigning champions Chelsea.

Sergio Aguero was denied three times by Chelsea keeper Asmir Begovic before he marked his first game of the season with a goal after Yaya Toure’s pass.

City were dominant, Eden Hazard forcing Joe Hart into his only serious save.

Vincent Kompany made it 2-0 with a header from David Silva’s corner before Fernandinho fired home from 18 yards.

Here is what Mourinho said on Sky Sports that set twitter agog: “The best team in the first half won the game. The best team in the second half was Chelsea for sure. We had a difficult first half, we didn’t create a lot and our goalkeeper made a few important saves.

“Second half everything was different. If the 1-0 was a doubtful result at minute 70, 3-0 is completely fake. At 1-0 Chelsea were the best team for the whole second half.

“They make a change because they feel 1-0 is in danger and we concede a second goal. If 1-1 a different story, their team is in trouble.”

Fayose to Buhari: I can’t be intimidated

Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose

Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose has urged President Mohammadu
Buhari to tread cautiously and be mindful of the body language of those hailing him today, saying; “the president should be cautious enough to know that the former Head of State, General Abdulsalami
Abubakar led National Peace Committee tactically told him to tread cautiously and be mindful of the fact that he is not heading a military government.”

The governor, who said he was not unaware of the sinister plot to destabilise his government because of his strong and truthful stands on national issues, vowed not to be cowed by threat from any quarter.

According to a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, the governor said: “opposition is one of the roots on which democracy stands and any President or Governor that does not want opposition will eventually
become a dictator.

“I want to state without fear or favour that I will continue to speak the truth no matter whose ox is gored.

“Nigeria belongs to all of us and no one can intimidate me or the good people of Ekiti State who freely and overwhelmingly gave me their mandate.

“Democracy as a form of government thrives on our ability to ask questions and get answers from leaders,” he said.

He urged the President to listen to wise counsel from the General Abdulsalami Abubakar-led National Peace Committee saying, “the Peace Committee has reminded the president that he is not heading a military government and with the calibre of Nigerians in the Committee, their wise counsel should not be ignored.

“These are Nigerians who don’t need personal favours from the President and he should get the message very clearly that he is being told not to act as a dictator.”

Governor Fayose said the President should also know that Nigerians are
not interested in any honeymoon, but their well-being.

His words: “rather than concentrate and make a difference within his 100 days in office, the president’s greatest achievement so far is harassment of PDP leaders, appointment of his in-law and kinsmen into sensitive positions, selective fight against corruption and arrest and
detention of INEC officials who worked in States won by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).”

While declaring support for the fight against corruption, Governor Fayose however said “fighting corruption should not be synonymous with convicting Nigerians on pages of newspapers. Rather, the judiciary and other relevant agencies should be allowed to do their
jobs without any direct or indirect interference from the President
and his party.

“Corruption must be fought in accordance with the laws of the land because going against the laws of the land and the oath taken by the President to respect the constitution in itself is corruption.”