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“Nigerians in Ireland Will Be Protected” New Ambassador Dr. Bolere Elizabeth Ketebu
From left to right: Abdul Yusuf, Amb. Dr. Bolere Elizabeth Ketebu and Koketso Mohotloane. Page
WHERE ARE THE THE FIVE RICHEST SEPARATE OR JOINT FRIENDS OF NIGERIA? PASTORS IN NIGERIA ACCOUNTS? www.africaworldnewspaper.com
THE FUTURE OF NIGERIA
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editorial EBOLA OUTBREAK SHOULD INSPIRE MEDICAL DEPARTMENTS IN AFRICAN UNIVERSITIES An early Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak was recorded to have started in Guinea in December 2013. Due to negligence, it is leading to an epidemic in parts of West Africa. The outbreak was not detected until March 2014 after which it spread to Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Africa’s most populous country Nigeria. The outbreak is caused by the Zaire ebolavirus, known simply as the Ebola virus (EBOV). Statistics show that the current impasse is the most severe outbreak of Ebola in terms of the number of human cases and fatalities since the discovery of the virus in 1976. However, this epidemic has shown that governments in developing countries, particularly West African sub-region, are not serious about governance. When I say governance, I mean the protection of their people from epidemics which can lead to pandemics. Why are governments collecting taxes? Why do we have universities and centres of research? It is disheartening that deaths and possibly more will occur out of gross negligence of those who call themselves leaders. This Ebola crisis should serve as a clarion call for African leaders to look inward for home-grown remedies and possibly be on red alert for outbreaks. The scourge of HIV is still there, let alone falling vulnerable to a more deadlier Ebola. To be forewarned is to be forearmed.
EDITOR IN CHIEF Ukachukwu Okorie
DIRECTOR Abdul Yusuf
DIRECTOR Dr. Prosper Obioha
Published by: Nguma Worldwide Ltd 46 Parnell Square (West), 3rd. floor Dublin 1 Republic of Ireland
Come inside, COLUMNIST Lisa Bamks
Uka
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AFRICA WORLD TV DIRECTOR Koketso Mohotloane
VIDEO EDITOR ART DIRECTOR Yongmin Kim Cristina Casabón
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opinion
WHERE ARE THE FRIENDS OF NIGERIA?
By Uche Wisdom Durueke The Ebola virus crisis should be an eye opener to our country, Nigeria that we are not getting it right in issues of development and foreign policy. The present situation is an ugly reminder of the devastating consequences of any developing nation, like us, abandoning local or indigenous expertise. The present situation is an ugly reminder of the devastating consequences of any developing nation As the giant of Africa, it would have been a thing of pride for us if there is an experimental drug in any of the laboratories in our numerous universities and research institutes. This is not possible because of our crude politics. Truly, politics has become a hindering demon in Nigeria. Unless, we get it right, our development is still far. Critical issues, like ASUU demands for research grants and equipping the laboratories and libraries of our univetsities, are politicized, and discussed in terms of Naira and Kobo. The result is that as a country, we have neglected or abandoned the development of local or indigenous expertise and scientific breakthroughs for foreign expertise and the finished products of Europe and America. Today, we are standing naked
in the cold. We are begging for drugs from unwilling nations! GOD Almighty will help us, no doubt, but we must bring the needed materials that will cause the manifestation of HIS divine help. This brings me to the issue of the need for our National Centre for Disease Control acting proactively. Also, the issue that the Centre should not be ran like a small office under the Ministry of Health but should be made to run professionally and independent. It should not be handed over to mediocres and corrupt persons based on ethno-political affiliations and considerations. The Centre is critical for a national heath revolution. It is interesting that the Federal Government has released nearly Two Billion Naira as intervention fund for the Ebola virus crisis. Dangote has donated about One Fifty Million Naira. I expect that the State Governments and all mega companies in the country, especially those that are exploiting our natural resources like Shell, Chevron, TotalFina etc are officially called upon to donate to this national emergency intervention fund. They are still in Nigeria and making billions of dollars from our natural resources, so they owe us the donation as their corporate social responsibility. We need money from them for research, not tons of condoms, which they supply in HIV/AIDS situation. Nigerians can undertake Ebola virus researches here.
Many of us have read that there is a yet to be concluded research by Prof. Maurice Iwu on a possible Ebola virus drug or vaccine Many of us have read that there is a yet to be concluded research by Prof. Maurice Iwu on a possible Ebola virus drug or vaccine. I was expecting that the Federal Government would have, for instance, requested Prof. Maurice Iwu to get back to his research and if possible fast-track it. They should have also made some fund available for this. You can never say, the breakthrough can come from here. Also, I had expected that the Federal Government would have assembled a team of Nigerian experts, in the relevant areas, to get to work on a possible drug or vaccine. This is important. I consider it a national embarrassment that ‘Nanosilver’ which our Federal Ministry of Health announced as a potential drug for treating Ebola patients in Nigeria is labelled pesticide by the US Food and Drugs Agency. Some don’t believe the US FDA. They think that the label is another conspiracy theory. Who knows? In all, however, there is need for informed caution on the matter. The Lagos State Government has rejected the drug: ‘Nanosilver’. It is insisting on ZMapp, but the American company has said that it would take months
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to produce some more doses and there is no promise that Nigeria would receive the doses. The remaining ‘two doses’ have been sent to Liberia, a former colony of America after a dose was sent to Spain. What do we do now as a country? The Canadian Government has sent One Thousand doses of experimental Ebola drug, there is none for Nigeria. Some doses of another experimental drug ‘Tekemira’ will be sent to West Africa? The question is: will Nigeria receive some doses for her infected citizens? I have some worries on the situation. The first worry is: why are they dribbling Nigeria? May be we are being mocked and subtly being told: go and take care of yourself, Nigeria. They know that our country is rich and endowed with vast human resources, but undermined by corruption and blind leadership over the years. My other worry is: does our country, Nigeria, have friends? Otherwise, why are we being shabbily treated now? The situation, to my mind, calls for a critical review and re-positioning of our foreign policy. In conclusion, I must state that it is in critical moments like this that any right thinking nation discovers itself. The situation should be taken as a wake-up call for us. The huge question is: is this possible with our country, Nigeria? I amm in tears for Nigeria. Page 3
“Nigerians in Ireland New Ambassador Dr. Bolere Elizabeth lands Environmental Protection Initiative (WEPI).
INTERVIEW EXCERPTS
INTRODUCTION
AfricaWorld (AW): Your Excellency, what kind of a diplomat are you? A career diplomat or a political diplomat in profession?
AfricaWorld: Your excellency, welcome to Ireland. We are here to pay a courtesy call to you as you embark on your duties and also to reaffirm AfricaWorld News faith and commitment in Nigerian Embassy. We want to use this opportunity to ask for your utmost support and cooperation throughout the duration of your term in Ireland. From left to right: Abdul Yusuf, Amb. Dr. Bolere Elizabeth Ketebu and Koketso Mohotloane.
Ambassador Dr. Bolere Elizabeth Ketebu is a vocal, courageous and hard working community physician, who has served the Nigerian nation and humanity in various voluntary, governmental, academic and political capacities. She is a motivator of team members with a deep sense of responsibility to serve in humility. She began her career as a medical doctor in the Rivers State Ministry of Health, from there she proceeded to the University Of Port Harcourt, College Of Health Sciences where she rose to become honorary consultant before her resignation to veer into politics. In 1992, she contested and won a seat in the National Assembly representing Yenagoa constituency as an Honourable Member of the House of Representatives. In the assembly she served as Vice Chairman, House Committee on Environment. Her passion for ensuring that gender roles in Nigeria, and Africa are improved, found her serving as both the First Vice and National President of National Council of Women Societies Nigeria where she initiated and executed a micro-credit scheme for Nigerian rural women and the
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building of a women’s prison in Abia state, Nigeria. She also in this time, served on the board of the International Council of Women, and as Advisor, Habitat. She was also the Chairman, United Nations Status of Women ‘Project Five O’ On Girl Child Education. She has held various political offices to include Secretary To Bayelsa State Government, National Organising Secretary, National Centre Party of Nigeria (NCPN), Member, Presidential Inauguration Committee, Member, Goodluck/ Sambo Presidential Campaign Council, Member, Presidential Committee on United Nations Reforms, Member, Prisons Reform Committee, Member, Governing Board Niger Delta University, Member, NYSC Review Committee, Member, National Programme on Immunisation, Member, National Council of Intergovernmental Relations. Before her appointment as Nigeria’s ambassador to Ireland, she served as a Member on the Governing Council of the University of Lagos, Founder, Women, Peace and Development Initiatives (WPDI), International Coordinator, African Women Network for Peace and Development (AWNPD) and International President, Wet-
Our great online news and newsreel, which is widely acclaimed as one of the best in Ireland and other African countries, and AfricaWorld is the also one of the media company that has been growing in leaps and bounds in Ireland and the world in general. AfricaWorld Newspaper is an equal opportunity company and also a multicultural newspaper that is not aligned to any specific interests. It is a newspaper that is owned by a Nigerian and the company appointed different staff from different countries and ethnic backgrounds. AfricaWorld is very proud of her heritage and will never betray the trust that the majority of her members repose to her. The courtesy call took place on 05 August, 2014 and the meeting commenced with a formal introduction of the invited news crew which were in the person of Abdul Yusuf, Koketso Mohotloane, Nosa Joel from ‘Busy Brains Academy’ and during the process of the introduction, an apology was sincerely tendered on behalf of the Editor, Ukachuckwu Okorie who was absent at the time as he went on an official duty to Nigeria. She gave the crew her brief bio and work profile. Without much ado, the interview progressed and below are the following excerpts:
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Ambassador (A): I am a political Diplomat, medical doctor, former honorary consultant and Secretary to Beyalsa State Government. I was also a honourable member of the House of Reps, served as a Vice Chairman, House Committee on Environment. I am a serving member of both the First Vice and National President of National Council of Women Societies in Nigeria. I served on the Board of the International Council of Women, and as Advisor, Habitat. I am also the Chairman, United Nations Status of Women ‘Project Five O’ On Girl Child Education. AW: Your Excellency, do you have any portfolio that you brought along as you embark on your official duties? Your Excellency, If so, can you please briefly explain what portfolio you have on board? A: “I have just told you the whole portfolio that I have or brought with me.” The atmosphere later became hilarious when Nosa Joel from ‘Busy Brains Academy’ was asked of his origin and he mentioned that he was original from Edo State but born in Ondo State and the Ambassador was quick to chip-in to ask this... “after Edo State, you’re an Irish citizen. The fact remains that you’re a Nigeria. When you are asked where do you come from?... It is where your parents originated and it is not where you live or born. My parents... my father was Ijaw and mother was Benin but they gave birth to us in Igboland and I don’t have much business with Igbo. That’s how we are and it is only Nigeria that attach ethnicity to their place of birth or origin. I have not met any group of people like us. You are Edo and you are Edo and you can say now if you have Irish citizenship, you can now say where you come from.
d Will Be Protected” h Ketebu tells Africa Woild Newspaper AW: About a year ago, AfricaWorld conducted a public interview with the Nigerian community in Ireland in order to give the community a chance to air their views on what they feel about the High Commission in Ireland. Your Excellency, 85% of the community complained about the Nigeria High Commission in Ireland disappointments to many of their citizens in Ireland. Most of the complainants maintained that they are not those citizens who seem to spend all their time waiting for something to complain about their Mission or looking for the next issue or personality to be negative about. However even as they have much to query about the smooth-running of the Nigerian Embassy in Ireland, there has been a combination of a lack of planning, lack of thinking and just simply lack of quality ideas, and this has reduced them to being totally underwhelmed about the administration and whatever plan the Nigerian High Commission has in mind towards them. Few of them also complained about the state of the sitting arrangement or reception at the visa/ consul section in the building. The reception is becoming deplorable. A great number of those interviewed suggested that the flooring of the visa section should be refurbished and either changed to wooden flooring or some other form of flooring that can be easily maintained. Using rugs for flooring such a premises that is being used by many is outdated. A: “I am aware of the condition of the visa reception area and will definitely look into that. Even those seats were not the seats that were suppose to be there. AW: Another of the most serious problems that plagued Nigerians living in Ireland as a people is the inability for the Nigerian High Commissioner to give support and to protect her citizens. There has previously been a spate of mass deportation of Nigerians from various parts of Ireland planned jointly between the British
and Irish authorities. Following a number of successful anti-deportation campaigns, the Irish and British governments are increasing resorting to the use of charter flights to deport Nigerians refused asylum, carefully shielding their actions from the public gaze. A: “Chartered flight? Chartered flights to deport Nigerians? Plane load!?” AW: It has always been mainly Nigerians that were being targeted for deportation over the past. There was a case of when the same chartered flight once deported few citizens from Ghana, the Ghanaian Government rejected them and they were subsequently returned back. A: “Nigeria will always accept their citizens and when you as a country reject your citizen, it does not tells well on you diplomatically. Your citizen is your citizen. If other people reject your citizen, it is your duty to accept them. The issue is for any host country to deport a citizen from Ireland, the Nigerian Embassy will have to give their consent. If they do not have the embassy’s consent, they cannot deport and if the deportees reach Nigeria soil, the country owes her citizens the responsibility to accept them. I don’t see how we will receive a notice for deportation of a plane load of Nigerians and we are giving that kind of consent. I reiterate that they need the embassy’s consent and if the Embassy refused to issue temporary travel certificates, deportation would be impossible. The consent is in issuing temporary travel certificate (TC) to enable them send them home. Since I came over to assume office, I have not seen who came to claim temporary travel certs. There is an officer whose responsibility it is to carry out interview of individual deportee to justify the fact that they are being sent home. As a norm, the Dept of Justice, Equality and Law Reform (DJLR) will write an official letter indicating the name, age etc and requests for a representative from the Embassy for a joint interview. There senior official, the Minister for Consular
Services whose responsibility it is to speak to me to confirm.” I promise that Nigerians in Ireland will be protected if the need arise. AW: What about paying regular visitation to Nigerian citizens that are still languishing behind bars across the country? A: “Yes, there is an outreach in place and I have already written for permission to do that. The time I wrote for the permission to do that was the time the former Justice Minister Alan Shatter vacated his position.” AW: What plans have you for the Nigerian or African Youths in general in Ireland? A: “On my arrival in Ireland, I can see that most of the youths here were born in Ireland. I am planning to organise a National Day Celebration for African youths and and to involve them in a programme of writing competition. I want to know what they know and what are their expectations? I am going to focus from the age of 5 to 10 and 11 to 16years. The African women that I approached disputed the 5years start age because they felt that 5years will be too young to start with. When you read a story written by an African child of about 5years that is born and raised in Africa cannot be compared with the same a 10year old that is born and raised abroad, one will be shocked of what they know and the kind of information they have access to because of the social media network etc. A group in Ireland wrote to me about African Heritage. I said to them that I want a programme specifically on heritage exhibition and interaction. They brought brought an interesting proposal and I picked one out of it and what is it? - ‘Photo Exhibition’. Photo exhibition by the youths in which participating youths will bring photos depicting their cultural heritage or region where they come from. For now, I don’t want to focus on specific educational programmes. The gap I see in their lives is their socio-cultural heritage. As AfricaWorld previously reiterated that “we have to tell our story”. I said
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to myself I want to see more Nigerian youths schooling here, exchange programmes, cultures and having summer schools etc. The youth platform forum will transform into a kind of Bazaar and this is the kind of youth platform that I am looking forward to achieve.” AW: Koketso Mohotloane sealed the interview when she suggested to the Ambassador that being that she came into Ireland when she was a child and she also spent most of her youth outside, it would be brilliant if AfricaWorld in conjunction with her office could set aside dates in doing certain exams for youths in general and her office can both reconnect with other embassies in Ireland to drive the programme through. “If you further need any of our assistance in whatever youth platform or forum you so wish to embark on, please feel very free to approach us and not only in your capacity as the Nigerian Ambassador but also as an African Ambassador respectively”, she concluded. AfricaWorld Final Statement and Recommondation... It has become a norm that most countries on the weight of the economic recession are working hard to rid mostly Nigerians from their country. Nigerians are worst hit in the wake of Ireland’s recession. Deportations are the most brutal form of state racism. Dreams are destroyed and often, families are separated. Nigerians as a people should not be blamed for Ireland’s economic woes. It would sure be in the best interest of the Nigerian Embassy and the community they serve for the High Commission to stand up to their responsibilities for their mutual benefit. There is so much more to be done, the Nigerian community in Ireland deserve more and Nigeria deserves better. And even if Nigerians don’t want to, Nigerians owe it to the world to introduce them to Nigeria. One Nigeria makes a meaningless Nigeria. Remember that in every national fora Nigerians always pledge to serve Nigeria with all their strength and uphold her honour and glory and to defend its unity.
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NEWS
South-East’s TAN Endorses Nigeria President Jonathan For 2015 The Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN) in the south-east has endorsed President Goodluck Jonathan as a candidate they will support in the 2015 presidential election, asking him to declare his interest to run. At a rally of the group held on Saturday in Awka, the capital of Anambra State, Senators, ministers, governors and other top government officials from the south-east states and the Federal Government gave their support to the President. Addressing the crowd at the rally, the Minister of Power, Professor Chinedu Nebo, listed the achievements of the President and said he deserved to be given the chance to continue his transformation agenda.
Ebola outbreak could take six months to control
The Ebola epidemic is moving faster than the authorities can handle and could take six months to bring under control, accordion to the medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières. The warning came a day after the World Health Organization said the scale of the epidemic had been vastly underestimated and that “extraordinary measures” were needed to contain the killer disease. The UN health agency said the death toll from the worst outbreak of Ebola in four decades had now climbed to 1,145 in the four afflicted West African countries — Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone.
US-Africa Relations: Nigeria Is Looking At Other Areas Of Exports
The United States has been a major trading partner of Nigeria, and was the leading importer of Nigeria’s crude oil for several years. Nigeria for a long time had the balance of payments in its favour when dealing with America, because of the outflow of exports, but with the decline in US oil imports from Nigeria given the continuous rise in the price of crude oil that balance has changed now. Nigeria and America are conscious of that, and on both sides are pushing to see that this change in the dynamics does not imperil their long-lasting trade relationship. Sam Ohuabunwa, National President of the Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce (NACC) says that “this is an opportunity for Nigeria to revamp the [access] offered by the US through the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), to take advantage of that that preferential opportunity to export agriculture-related products: leather, garments, textile products.“ Page 6
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NEWS
Africa boycott the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA)
‘Africa is not embracing the EPAs because of fears that bigger EU companies could flood the continent with cheaper products, destroying nascent local industries’ Although the leaders from African and European countries converged last March in Brussels to discuss mutual relations, democracy, regional integration, immigration, and development assistance, the elephant in the room was the flagging trade relations between Africa and Europe. After the meeting, African ministers of trade and experts in trade and regional integration met in a special session on 27th April, in Addis Abeba, and agreed to boycott the EPA.
Chadian soldiers ‘rescue 85 Nigerians from Boko Haram’ Reports are emerging of the rescue by Chadian troops of some 85 Nigerian villagers abducted earlier this week by suspected Boko Haram militants. A Nigerian security official told AFP that they had intercepted a convoy of buses transporting gunmen and the villagers in a routine security check. Neither the Nigerian or Chadian militaries have confirmed the reports. Boko Haram is accused of kidnapping hundreds of people in the north-east of Nigeria, and neighbouring Cameroon.
Food Security Alarm for East, Central Africa
Some 20 million people are facing acute food insecurity in eastern and central Africa, with most of them being at “crisis” and “emergency” levels, according to aid agencies. This figure compares unfavorably with 15.8 million people in July 2013. The affected countries include Somalia, Uganda, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Central Africa Republic (CAR), Sudan, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Tanzania. The overall nutrition situation in the region has deteriorated precipitously and, according to survey results, the Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) levels are higher than 20 percent, exceeding the emergency threshold of 15 percent, especially in parts of South Sudan, CAR, Somalia and northern Kenya www.africaworldnewspaper.com
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NEWS
Experts are predicting a famine in South Sudan. At the beginning of this year, NGOs began to caution that South Sudan faced a famine. Fears became more substantial in May, when local farmers were forced to flee their homes due to fighting between Dinka and Nuer ethnic groups at a time when they would usually have tilled their fields. At the beginning of August, the United Nations Security Council expressed “grave concern” about the situation and described it as “currently ... the worst [food insecurity situation] in the world.” Some 50,000 children could die, the U.N. warned, and more than one third of South Sudan’s population is dangerously threatened.
Gambia Women Demand Seat At Political Table
The countdown to the Gambia’s 2016 general elections has begun with a rare move to bring together female politicians from across the divided political spectrum to ensure increased female representation. This week, local women’s rights NGO Gambia Committee on Traditional Practices Affecting the Health of Women and Children (Gamcotrap) launched a campaign calling for political reforms to ensure the effective participation of women in all positions of political leadership.
US-Africa Summit: ‘It’s Up To You African Leaders’ The recent summit at which African leaders engaged America in charting a way forward for the continent provided a great opportunity for President Barack Obama to demonstrate that he shares the positive yearnings and aspirations of the African people for better life. His message at the summit has gone down as probably the frankest admonition to African leaders from a sitting American president. Away from unctuous diplomatese, Obama admonished them to do the right thing at home if they wanted the limited help from abroad to achieve the desired impact. He said foreign aid had made some impact in the past but has now reached its limits.
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NEWS
The Women Vendors Exhibition and Forum (WVEF) is the flagship event of the Global Platform for Action on Sourcing from Women Vendors
The International Trade Centre and partners are delighted to announce that the Women Vendors Exhibition and Forum 2014 (WVEF 2014) will take place 16-17 September in Kigali Rwanda in parallel with ITC’s World Export Development Forum (WEDF). This year the event will feature two sectors; coffee and services. Rwanda, an excellent gateway for doing business in the East African region and beyond, is an emerging services and outsourcing hub. It has been ranked by the World Economic Forum Global Competitive Index Report 2013/2014 as the most competitive country in East Africa.
South Africa: Mining Sector in Crisis
The mining sector needs to acknowledge it has a crisis on its hands, Chamber of Mines state intervention in the minerals sector (Sims) committee chairman Andile Sangqu said on Wednesday. “The tensions in mining right now means the stakes are high and the need for resolution is urgent,” he said at the mining lekgotla in Midrand. “This quite frankly is very serious.” the industry needed to get serious about revitalising the existing engagement structures and secondly, not to shy away from discussing economic growth and developing practical steps.
Freedom of Expression Under Siege in Swaziland
A new piece of research by a Masters student at the University of Pretoria says Swazi “citizens cannot freely express themselves on issues involving the government and the monarchy because of fear of being harassed by the authorities”. Kudzani Ndlovu, who is studying at the University’s centre for human rights, completed the study after months of research, including ‘on the ground’ interviews in Swaziland. His report, titled ‘Freedom of expression under siege: an investigation into the state of freedom of expression in Swaziland’, concludes that the “clampdown on the media is a clear indication authorities are unwilling to tolerate dissent”.
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business
The Five Richest God is good, especially if you’re a Nigerian pastor with some business savy.
Chris Oyakhilome
Bishop David Oyedep
Temitope Joshua
These days, millions of souls, desperate for financial breakthroughs, miracles and healing, all rush to the church He is the founder and David Oyedepo is Nige- Nigeria’s most controfor redemption. lead pastor of the Christ ria’s wealthiest preacher. versial clergyman is also And while the bible expressly states that salvation is free, at times it comes with a cost: offerings,tithes, gifts to spiritual leaders, and a directive to buy literature and other products created by men of God. Pastors are no longer solely interested in getting people to Heaven; they’ve devised intelligent ways to make good money while reaching out to souls.
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Embassy, a thriving congregation with branches in Nigeria, South Africa, London, Canada and the United States. His publishing company, Loveworld Publications, publishes ‘Rhapsody of Realities,’ a monthly devotional he co-authors with his wife. It sells over two million copies every month at $1 apiece. He also owns television stations, newspapers, magazines, a hotel, a fast-food chain, and more. Sometime ago,the preacher was at center of a $35 million money laundering case in which he was accused of siphoning funds from his church to foreign banks. Pastor Chris pleaded no wrongdoing and the case was eventually dismissed.
Ever since he founded the Living Faith World Outreach Ministry in 1981, it has grown to become one of Africa’s largest congregations. The Faith Tabernacle, where he hosts three services every Sunday, is Africa’s largest worship center, with a seating capacity of 50,000. Oyedepo owns four private jets and homes in London and the United States. He also owns Dominion Publishing House, a thriving publishing company that publishes all his books (which are often centered on prosperity). He founded and owns Covenant University, one of Nigeria’s leading tertiary institutions, and Faith Academy, an elite high school.
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one of its richest and most philanthropic. T.B Joshua heads the Synagogue Church of all Nations (SCOAN), a congregation he founded in 1987, which accommodates over 15,000 worshippers on Sundays. The Pastor has remained controversial for several years for his inexplicable powers to heal all sorts of incurable diseases, including HIV/AIDS, cancer and paralysis. For miracle-craving worshippers, it’s the perfect seduction. The church currently has branches in Ghana, the United Kingdom, South Africa, and Greece. In the past three years, he has given over $20 million to causes in education, healthcare and rehabilitation programs for former Niger Delta militants.
business
Pastors In Nigeria Matthew Ashimolowo
Chris Okotie
In 1992, Foursquare Gospel Church, a Nigerian church, sent Ashimolowo to open a satellite branch in London. But Pastor Matthew had other ideas and decided to set up his own church instead. Today, his Kingsway International Christian Center is reportedly the largest Pentecostal church in the United Kingdom. In 2009, the church posted profits of close to $10 million and assets worth $40 million. He earns an annual salary of $200,000, but his real wealth comes from varied business interests including his media company, Matthew Ashimolowo media, which churns out Christian literature and documentaries.
Pastor Okotie made his first success as a popular pop musician in the 80s. He found the light, embraced the bible and set up the Household of God Church, one of Nigeria’s most flamboyant congregations. His 5,000 member church consists predominantly of Nollywood celebrities, musicians, and society people. He contested and lost Nigerian presidential elections for the third time this year under the Fresh Party, a political party he founded and funds. An automobile lover, he owns a Mercedes S600, Hummer and Porsche among several others.
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business
Separate or Jo Ability to handle tensions that arise from financial issues vary from one couple to the other and newlyweds should know their ability before deciding the account type they want to operate.
By ABDUL YUSUF
s
mly that “you are no longer two but one”, I feel that couples have specific needs and require some breathing space to operate. Separate accounts (without prejudice to joint accounts) give them the much needed space.
hould couples have joint or separate bank accounts? This is a question I get asked often. I know some couples who operate joint bank accounts smoothly and they seem to Also spouses come from have mastered the act. varying backgrounds with peculiar needs and I do not have joint ac- they should, if they agree counts with my wife, to, be able to sort out their although we have ac- extended families without cess to each other’s necessarily involving money, including their spouses, provided it ATM and debit cards. is not to the detriment of their immediate families. Even though I believe firPage 12
recently, the husband went to demand the wife’s entitlements while she was still alive though in a critical condition. She eventually died. Was he responsible for the wife’s death?
I do not know. I also have a friend who keeps sealed lips when he “hammers” (makes a lot of money). What I consider “My wife can go through a most important ton of dollars in a twinkle in family finan- of an eye”, he says. ces is cooperation, openness So, if you are in the and sincerity. shoes of all the above, Once these ele- what will you do? Will ments are pre- you be open? My final sent, account take here is that couples type becomes should do what suits their s u p e r f l u o u s . circumstances, but their actions should be devoid But this openness I am of malice and selfishness. championing here is like common sense that Newly-weds should, is not really common. of necessity, designate a next of kin in imporThere is a multinatio- tant financial transacnal company where the tions and investments. members of staff are Unless circumstances told, unofficially, not to necessitate otherwidisclose to their spouses se, one’s next of kin (next of kin) how much should be one’s spouse. they stand to get should they die in service. The financial power Why? The amount is of newly-weds mind-boggling and their increases when spouses might be temp- they pull resources ted to eliminate them. together as against when it was just the In another company, guy or the lady
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business
oint Accounts? Delaying Gratification: All things being equal, the financial power of newly-weds increases when they pull resources together as against when it was just the guy or the lady. So what do you do with this your newfound financial strength? You might decide to upgrade your accommodation, means of transportation, go on vacations, habitually eat out in expensive restaurants or generally embrace a hedonistic lifestyle. This is called instant gratification. On the other hand, you can maintain the status quo and use your new financial strength to lay a foundation for the future. This can be in the form of investments in property, money market instruments, expanding your existing business or going into new businesses. It is called you delayed gratification. Remember marriage is a marathon, not a sprint. It is an open secret that every rich man watches his expenditure
Watch your expenditure: It is an open secret that every rich man watches his expenditure, no matter how much he spends. Otherwise, he will go bankrupt no matter how rich he is. Newly-weds, too, must watch their expenditure. Here are some of the ways you can do it.
Rather you save loads of cash on the long run. In addition, do not fritter your money away. I am not suggesting you become a slave to money, but learn to value money.
If you are the type who always carries only N1000 or N500 denominations, chances are you You should plan frittering away money, and have a budget— because when you purweekly, monthly or chase items you really yearly- whatever is need and the seller has no convenient for you change, you will forgo the balance of your money. Having a budget is not enough, you should Some people mistake work with it. That is fis- such frittering away of cal discipline and inclu- money for charity. Chades avoiding impulse rity is planned, systemabuying; that is, buying tic giving and it is good; without prior planning. frittering is wasteful, purposeless and dangerous I often advise my marria- when it becomes habitual. ge class participants that the only impulse buying Newly-weds need to get they should engage in are their priorities right. Thelow-involvement items re is no sense in spenlike sweets, small packs ding tons of money on of biscuits, razor blades your child’s first birthday and others that cost less when the child does not than N50. These will not have a children’s bank do damage to any good account or an educatioeconomy, especially if nal endowment insuranit is not habitual. Once ce policy. These should items come in thousands come first and all the of naira or more, plan cash the baby got at birth and put them in a budget. should go into his bank account or insurance poliAlso become a bargain cy as premium payments. hunter. It does not hurt. www.africaworldnewspaper.com
Also, be wary of buying on credit. Whether you are paying in August or September, the bottom line is that you will pay someday In secondary school, we studied about “needs” and “wants” in economics; stick to your needs. Be fashionable, but also be wary of fashion trends, because they can dig a big hole in your pocket. Also, be wary of buying on credit. Whether you are paying in August or September, the bottom line is that you will pay someday. Finally, do not develop habits you cannot sustain financially. Sometimes, we get a windfall and “levels” change. We conveniently forget that windfalls are not regular income but occasional occurrences. Your regular income, not windfalls, should determine your “levels”. Financial matters have ruined many marriages; handle your finances with care.
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opinion
Biafra, June 12, Boko Haram By Chido Onumah
N
igeria’s celebrated novelist, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, is an interviewer ’sdelight, whether she is talking about Nigeria, novels, feminism or hair. A few weeks ago, she was a guest of Stephen Sackur’s HARDtalk on BBC where shetalked about Biafra, ethnicity in Nigeria, the Nigeria-Biafra Civil War and the censorship of the movie version ofher novel about the civil war, Half of a Yellow Sun.
“Nigeria as a country has never really engaged with Biafra,” “Nigeria as a country has never really engaged with Biafra,” Ms Adichie said in response to Stephen Sackur’s question about whether today’s Nigerians had learned enough about the important lessons of the war. “There is a lot that is unresolved about that period of our history”. I agree with Ms. Adichie. Nigeria has not engaged with Biafra and there is a lot that is still unresolved about the civil war. But it’s not just Biafra and that tumultuous period of our history. There is a lot that is unresolved about Nigeria as a whole and many aspects of our existence as a country. Nigeria has not engaged with June 12, just as we have not engaged with Boko Haram, to mention only two of the more recent episodic convulsions that threaten the very foundation of the country. In a sense, the Biafra experience could be a metaphor for Page 14
the many unresolved problems that confront us as a country, whether we are talking about agitations by minority ethnic nationalities, the upsurge in militancy across the country, the quest for the balkanization of the country by fringe groups that go by all sorts of absurd names or the infernal resolve of a group to impose a religious code on an otherwise secular country.
the regrettable civil war of 1967-1970 or the other tragic events that occurred before that war. We have also not learned from the dreadful upheavals that have taken place after the war; events that have shaken the very foundation of our existence as a country.
“How should we make sense of Nigeria’s 21st century identity?”. Stephen Sackurhad asked in the introduction to his programme. Interestingly, around the time of that interview, there were rallies, amongst other troubling occurrences in Nigeria,in London and a few cities around the world in support of the Biafra renaissance.
Nations are not built on mere wishful thinking. No country that is run the way Nigeria is being run survives for too long. The hard truth is that there is nothing sacrosanct about Nigeria. A nation is neitheran eternal nor a divinely ordained construct as is often delusively proclaimed, in the case of Nigeria, by our exceptionally depraved ruling class and their sympathisers.It comes into being at a historical juncture – through a combination of factors and forces – and can cease to be by the same logic.
A week earlier, some Biafra protagonists were arrested after a failed attempt to take over a radio station in the eastern city of Enugu and declare, or perhaps revive, the Republic of Biafra. It was in the same city that pro-Biafra “forces” were arrestedfor a daring attempt to take over the Enugu State Government House. Enugu was the first and one of the three capitals of Biafra while the secession lasted. How do we make sense of all this? There are those who think that what we are witnessing is anecessary and passing phase in the attempt to build a nation. It may well be! But, it may also spell doom for a country that has had more than five decades to forge a “perfect union”, but hassquandered each opportunity. Clearly, as a country, we haven’t learned anything about
Nigeria will disintegrate unless we collectively do something about it
Nigeria was an arbitrary creation of British colonialists who coupled disparate ethnic nationalities for economic and other reasons. Of course, many countries around the world were created through the same process and for the same reasons. The problem in the case of Nigeria, however, was that there were no attempts, at independence and subsequently, by Nigerians, the new inheritors of the contraption the British left behind, to remake the country in the image of a people who had broken the shackles of colonialism and had to build an egalitarian society; a nation of equity, social justice, the rule of law and all the fundamentals of a modern state. How then do we move forward
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from the boiling cauldron – the outcome of aforced and dubious amalgam of different ethnicities, religions and cultural beliefs –to a nation of equal opportunity, shared vision and common future when we fail to learn from our history and allow primordial interests and short-term gains to stand in the way of a collective need for national survival? Just as the colonialists inten-
ded, we have managed neGirls who escaped from their Boko Haram captors a ver to miss an opportunity to highlight the fault lines that have kept us perpetually at war with one another. And just like the colonialists, our rapacious and thieving ruling class, military and civilian, from across the country – emphasizing our fault lines– have succeeded in not only misruling us but also dividing us. Take the simple and harmless matter of honouring the winner of the June 12, 1993,presidential election, Chief MKO Abiola, by the ongoing National Conference. That election was annulled by Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, colluding with some of the vile creatu-
opinion
m and the future of Nigeria res who today are the drivers of our so-called democracy. Babangida and company have yet to explain the reason for that criminal complicity. That election showed that Nigerians could rise above ethnic and religious divisions given a purposeful and selfless leadership. Of course, it also showed that Nigeria’s ruling elite are not interested in the unity of this country beyond what they can get from it; ne-
mind that are always arrive at thever presidential villa inthey Abuja. / Reuters
proclaiming that “The unity of Nigeria is not negotiable”. June 12, 2014, marked the 21st anniversary of that election. Sadly, when a motion, seeking to pay tribute and give national recognition to Chief Abiola and hundreds of Nigerians who died protesting the annulment, was moved at the National Conference by Orok Duke from Cross River State, delegates were reportedly “divided along regional lines as those from southern Nigeria favoured the motion while those from the North rejected it”. And this fierce rejection of a legitimate quest for justice is recorded in a 21st century Nigeria; ironically,
in a gathering consecrated to banish inequity and injustice and the multiple handmaids of Nigeria’s stillbirth. This was an election in which the masses of the “North” ensured that Chief Abiola from Ogun State in “southern Nigeria” beat his opponent, Alhaji Bashir Tofa from Kano State in “northern Nigeria”; an election in which Abiola and his running mate, Babagana Kingibe, both Muslims, won across the length and breadth of the country. It is heartbreaking that a representative of civil society at the National Conference that aims to address the many flashpoints of our distorted nationhood, Mallam Nasir Kura, from Kano State, was reported to have led the chorus of voices from the “North” that opposed any attempt to remember June 12, Abiola and Nigerians from all walks of life who paid the supreme sacrifice during that upheaval. For Kura and company, June 12, like its unfortunate victims, is “dead and buried”.
For a people in search of a meaningful national identity, I worry when we miss any opportunity to solidify the bonds of nationhood Make no mistake, while that rowdy session over honouring Abiola which attracted the attention of security operatives and was going to turn the confab into a WWE arena may have looked like an attempt to promote an “ethnic agenda”, accusing people of being ethnic jingoists for that action does not tell the whole story. Afterall, Olusegun Obasanjo, former president, chief beneficiary of the
June 12 debacle and Abiola’s kinsman was – until his recent conversion, like Paul on his way to Damascus – one of the most trenchant traducers of Abiola and June 12. I feel personally disappointed by the role of my long-time comrade and friend, Nasir Kura, but I do not despair. Clearly, those who have appropriated political power as well as those who have had the privilege of overseeing the affairs of the country have been our greatest undoing. Some of us held out hope – the visible shortcomings notwithstanding– that the National Conference would offer an opportunity to focus on the fundamental defects of Nigeria. That optimism was based on the belief that if we took away the other options – descent into anarchy and perhaps another civil war or a revolutionary upheaval – a “peaceful” national dialogue was the way to go. As it turns out, we may have to look beyond the current National Conference. Clearly, the conference has lost focus, relegating its fundamental task which is to define (indeed, redefine is the word) the terms of our corporate existence – terms that would then be passed to Nigerians to finally decide on. Once there is collective understanding and agreement on what our co-existence entails (the structure of the country, including what the federating units should be, the structure of governance and power as well as fiscal relations between the units) other things– health and educational structure, corruption, rule of law, etc –can then follow. Why is it that we are unwi-
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lling to address the fundamental question of our existence as a country, considering our history and the seeming lack of agreement on what the future should look like? It seems, for us in Nigeria, that we want tomake omelette without breaking eggs.
If we can’t agree on how to co-exist peacefully, then we must find an amicable way to “dissolve” this union. Truth is that if we don’t, and allow these crises to fester, Nigeria will sooner or later dissolve like sugar in a tea cup and the consequences will be grave for all parties. There have been many flashpoints in the turbulent history of Nigeria. I think, however, that three issues – without attempting to downplay others like the Tiv Riots of 1960 and 1964, the 12-Day Revolution of Isaac Adaka Boro in 1966, the murder of the Ogoni 9 by the Nigerian state in 1995– stand out: the civil war, the June 12 crisis and the current on slaught by Boko Haram. And each time we think we have laid the threat to rest, it rears its ugly head. Yet, we hide our heads in the sand like the proverbial ostrich, hoping against hope that somehow our fault linesand the tension they generate will vanish overnight. There were reasons for Biafra, even if there are disagreements about what precipitated the internecine civil war that followed and how the crisis and its aftermath were managed. There were reasons for the annulment of the presidential election of June 12, 1993, no matter how unconscionable we Page 15
opinion
think the annulment was. There are reasons for the actions of Boko Haram, even if we find its activities loath some. Part of the narrative of the Nigerian tragedy is economic. The near collapse of the Nigerian state and its structures, particularly security and law enforcement – a phenomenon rooted in many years of bad leadership and corruption – has not only bred poverty, alienation and disillusionment of the masses across the country, it has turned the country into a carcass and a veritable meal for vultures of every hue. And each day, there are new vultures ready to feast on this carcass. But, if we focus on the preceding, we miss the big picture. For me, the underlying reason for the flashpoints in Nigeria is that we have not come to a collective agreement about what Nigeria is or what it should be. And until we do, we will not be able to make progress as a country.
The underlying reason for the flashpoints in Nigeria is that we have not come to a collective agreement about what Nigeria is or what it should be. And until we do, we will not be able to make progress as a country Nigerians did not create Nigeria. So, if we want to make it work, if we want to counter the different centrifugal forces that seek to rip it at the seams, we must go back to fundamentals. We were handed an unjust and skewed state. Our first task ought to be how to fix the distortion. Page 16
Nobody could have put this dilemma better than the former attorney-general of the federation, late Chief Bola Ige, who noted in his 1998 speech titled Towards the Beckoning Gloryof the 21st Century that “There are two basic questions that must be answered by all of us Nigerians.One, do we want to remain as one country? Two, if the answer is yes, under what conditions?”. There is no need for equivocation. Like Chief Ige, I believe strongly that we have to answer these questions. Except that for me, in the 21 century, after 100 years of amalgamation and 54 years of independence, the “we” do not necessarily have to be the “we” that existed before 1914, but the “we” that have called Nigeria the Motherland in the last 100 years. I have argued repeatedly that we can build civic nationalities where ethnic nationalities currently exist. All it takes is sacrifice and willingness to make it work. There are those who assume, wrongly, that the first part of the question is taken for
granted; that after 100 years of marriage and 54 years of raising a family there is no need to question the sanctity of a marriage whether it is working for the partners or not. Unfortunately, while we can make the analogy, we must face the reality thatthe amalgamation of Nigeria is different in many ways from a marriage between two lovers. In the case of Nigeria, it was a forced marriage as is the practice amongst some families in the country; the lovers had no say or the opportunity to understand each other, much less appreciate and love each other. While it works in some cases, in our own case, it hasn’t worked and like manyforced marriages, the parents (the colonialists) got their desire while the couples (Nigerians) are left with the hope that their problems and disagreements will sort themselves out. Perhaps, if the citizens of the different federating units in 1914 were involved in the creation of Nigeria, they would have decided the terms of
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their co-existence and would have long gotten used to their obligations in the union. The fallouts of this seeming lack of accountability are Biafra, June 12 and Boko Haram,amongst others; each event leading to further disaffectionand division in the country. Like Chief Ige, “I do not belong to the group of Nigerians deluding themselves that we can keep Nigeria forever as it is.”If we can’t and do not want to live together as a people, we should be open and honest enough to sit at a table for an open discussion on the way forward. I don’t wish for a national conference that is convoked – usually by a foreign power or “the international community”– when parties to a conflict have exhausted every bloody option, but that is the road Nigeria is travelling currently; a road of “mutually assured destruction”.
MUSIC
WAJE – ONYE ft. TIWA SAVAGE We start with a video that is pretty fun: Onye. This is a collaboration between two great Nigerian artists, Waje and Tiwa Savage. The first name is an acronym formed from the initials of Words Aren´t Just Enough and for a long time she collaborated with P-Square, which helped to launch her career. Tiwa released her first album in 2013 and since then her success has been spectacular.
FUSE ODG - DANGEROUS LOVE Fuse ODG is a Ghanaian singer and composer, resident in the UK and pioneer of Azonto, a dance and music genre originating from Ghana. In this new single, Dangerous Love, he collaborates with the Jamaican artist Sean Paul. Dangerous love has had great expectations before its launch and we believe that the wait was worth it.
TOUR 2 GARDE - MAKASSA Tour 2 Garde, a great duo from Ivory Coast composed by Thura and Jimmy James. Although their real names are Arthur Koya and Koné Adama Diarra. Originally, the group also had the assistance of a third member, Kilheur, who decided to leave. They come from Koumassi. These rap artists have been performing for a long time and now they have released a new single titled Makassa which is an invitation to dance. IYANYA - UR WAIST Iyanya is a Nigerian recording artist. His second album, Iyanya vs. Desire, contains the single “Ur Waist”, which featured Triple MG’s first lady, Emma Nyra. Iyanya was nominated for “Best International Performance” at the 2013 Soul Train Music Awards for “Ur Waist”
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PEOPLE
OWERRI PROGRESSIVE ASSOCIATION IRELAND ENJOYS A PICNIC
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COLUMN
A CANADIAN ABROAD usually is. For now it was, why is everyone so obsessed with blackcurrant? Who puts sweet corn on their pizza? And why can I never seem to find any cookie dough in the fridge and freezer section?
Hello and welcome, I’m Lisa Banks, a young, adventurous Canadian currently living in lovely Ireland and excited to be working with Africa World. My heart has always been set on travelling and living abroad, and once I had completed my University studies I knew that the time was right and I purchased a one-way ticket to Dublin. Although I’ve been settled here for a year now, it wasn’t always easy and still comes with its challenges. In the first weeks of arrival I used the luck of the Irish to land myself a full-time bartending job. Although it has nothing to do with my future career goals, the job has funded some
Even the Irish cities suggest that life is more about the people. As a major city, Dublin houses no skyscrapers or ten-lane motorways in and out of the centre, which is a norm is most North American metropolises. The streets are also narrower which means like it or not, I’m in a much closer proximity with everyone else than I would be in cities with larger open spaces and walking paths.
I also find myself choosing synonyms for words in my day to day talk to suit the environment I’m in. ‘Grocery store’ is now ‘supermarket’; ‘gas’ has become ‘petrol’; and I European holidays, given still get grief for calling me access to a network of it the ‘sidewalk’ rafriends, and most impor- ther than the ‘footpath.’ I look forward to tantly paid the bills so I learning and wrican continue to live here. Perhaps though, the biting more about ggest observation is that my discoveries, Ireland is a nation of local events, and It was certainly a great social relationships Dublin and Irish shift in perspec- and interaction. Now life don’t get me wrong, Cative to suddenly find fascination in nada is known for being the difference in one of the friendliest As time has gone on culture and things countries going, but the- though, these differenre are some fundamental that one may find ces as well as others differences in customs. have become much less mundane at home noticeable, and just part In Canada, a wedof my life in Dublin. ding is a mid-afterWhile I did move from noon-evening affair, one English speaking but in Ireland the party Unfortunately, no matcountry to another, it can go on all weekend. ter how far away from home you move, evenwas certainly a shift in perspective to sudden- I find the placement of tually you settle into ly find fascination in the washing machine in your new city and it the difference in culture the kitchen odd as well. too becomes routine. and things that one may While I am used to it find mundane at home. having its own small I look forward to learning and writing more about room in the house, sudFor example, a trip to the denly I find myself ha- my discoveries, local supermarket became an ving a chat to the person events, and Dublin and hour of discovery rather cooking dinner while Irish life in Africa World. than the boring chore it I’m doing my washing. www.africaworldnewspaper.com
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