Nigerian watch issue 055 by Health & Fitness Guru

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The campaign to get the acclaimed ‘black face in a white place’ movie screened – p8

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NIGERIAN WATCH the uK’s leading aFrican newsPaPer with the largest circulation

beFFta community newsPaPer oF the year 3 - 16 July 2015

Issue No 055

fortNIghtly

to Inspire, Inform and Entertain

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a royal day

british ‘til you’re 18

Nigeria’s young leaders receive Commonwealth awards from the Queen Page 15

the shocking legislation that labels school pupils ‘foreign’ – pages 2&3

abuja bound Date set for unprecedented clash of the Eaglets Page 23 Power, PeoPle, Planet Kofi annan issues a call to arms for africa to resolve the climate crisis – p8

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PM, do you recall the Festival of Life? chool children denied a university education that is their right. Nurses to be sent home, having come here on request to avert a crisis in the NhS. refugees abandoned in their hour of need. What happened to the traditions of tolerance and fair play that we recognise to be the hallmarks of this great nation? only a few weeks ago Pm David Cameron was saying his would be a government for the aspirational. let me spell it out for you mr Cameron; migrants are, by nature, aspirational. yet over the last two weeks his government has shown a nasty face. one it said it had forsaken. one that led mr Cameron to address the festival of life. I wonder if he recalled that evening when he used Britain’s opt-out to prevent any African refugees being allowed to come to the UK. It is of great concern. Wiser heads might just be able to rationalise the decisions taken. But to many in our community – and in a great many other diasporas – it seems and feels like a concerted attack. And we know more than we would like to about where ethnic conﬂict takes us. When the royal College of Nursing warns that the government’s actions are a threat to community cohesion, then the government should be alarmed. We need to be alert. maryanne Jemide, mD

Publisher tevin Jemide Publisher/managing director maryanne Jemide managing editor Jon hughes art editor Cathy Constable contributors obah Iyamu; harriet ogbeide; AJ James; Ayo Akinfe; funmi odegbami; Samuel Kasumu; Ngozi mbana; Ekanem robertson, Jessica onah, laura Adenuga; Edel meremikwu chief cartoonist harold ogbeide oﬃce address Nigerian Watch Chartwell house 292 hale lane Edgware middlesex hA8 8NP email editor@nigerianwatch.com marketing@nigerianwatch.com sales@nigerianwatch.com website www.nigerianwatch.com tel: 020 8588 9640 fax: 020 7160 5232 Nigerian Watch is a fortnightly newspaper owned by green World media ltd. Views expressed in this newspaper do not necessarily reﬂect the opinion of the publisher. All rights reserved. No part of the newspaper may be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the publisher.

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YOUNG, GIFTED raised in the uK, schooled in the uK, yet deemed an international student when they seek to do a degree International students have to pay astronomical fees to attend English universities, somewhere in the region of £14,000 a year – very often far more – with no access to student loans to soften the blow. They must also be able to sustain themselves during their degree course, which adds several thousand pounds to the costs. For an international student to consider pursuing a degree in the UK they will have to have in the region of £60,000 at their disposal. That you are facing such a prospect when the only real home you have known is London or some other English town or city is a real shock.

Caroline O'Dwyer/Just for kids law

NIGERIAN WATCH 3 - 16 July 2015

But that is the situation facing 600 students this year who have been denied a student loan on the basis that under new immigration rules they are deemed to be "international students". Twenty-one-year-old Nigerian, Dami Makinde is one of them. She has been oﬀered a place to study criminology and psychology at Royal Holloway, University of London. Like many others, however, despite being desperate to go she cannot aﬀord the fees.

On Wednesday (June 24) Dami joined scores of campaigners – including MPs Diane Abbot and David Lammy – outside the supreme court in Westminster where a challenge to the new immigration rules was being heard. It is the last chance for hundreds of schoolchildren who sit their A-levels only to discover they are not entitled to a university loan because of their immigration status. Makinde, who arrived in the UK with her family from Nigeria when she was eight,

has been given “limited leave to remain” by the Home Oﬃce. She lives in London, volunteers with charities and works. She has attended schools in Milton Keynes and London. For the past three years, however, her education has stalled, blighted by rule changes to the loan system introduced by the coalition government in 2011. Those with only limited or discretionary leave to remain in the UK are deemed ineligible for a student loan.

And NHS nurses fall foul of the new Thousands of NHS nurses are set to fall victim to the same legislation that deprives students of the opportunity to go to University. Under the new rules non-EU staﬀ earning less than £35,000 after six years working for the NHS are to be kicked out of the country. It is part of a concerted policy by the government to stop people who come to work in the UK remaining permanently – whether or not they have been actively recruited.

As the new rules were introduced in 2011, it means that in 2017 thousands of nurses from abroad could be sent packing. The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has declared it will cause chaos within the NHS, leaving hospitals with a critical shortage of nurses at a time when more and more will be needed to cope with an aging population and the devastating eﬀects of social care cuts. RCN Chief executive Dr Peter Carter said,

“The immigration rules for health care workers will cause chaos for the NHS and other care services. “At a time when demand is increasing, the UK is perversely making it harder to employ staff from overseas. Due to cuts to nurse training places, trusts are being forced into relying on overseas and temporary staff, just to provide safe levels. A cap on agency spending will make one of these options more difficult, and these

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AND BLOCKED FROM UNI “I went through British schools and took my A-levels when I was 18,” Dami said. “When I discovered I couldn’t go to university I was very upset. They said I would be considered an international student.” After achieving high grades at A level Dami was told she would be charged the fee for international students, which for her course is £13,000 a year. Neither she nor her family can raise that sort of money. “All my friends are graduating now. They’ve all

got good degrees. It’s heartbreaking. You feel you could be in the same position but you are being left behind and everyone else is moving on. I want to do criminology and psychology because I want to help kids who are risk of getting into trouble or joining gangs.” Dami says that despite not having been born in the UK, she feels British. “This is my home. It’s heartbreaking to be cheated of this. Unless the law changes I will have to wait until I’m 30 to get indeﬁnite leave to remain [the next

immigration category] and become entitled to a student loan.” The challenge to the rules being taken on behalf of the students is being supported by Just for Kids Law. The charity estimates that between 5-600 children a year take their A levels only to discover that despite good results they cannot get to university. Rachel Knowles, a solicitor with Just for Kids Law, said, “These aspirational young people are a credit to the British school system and have worked hard to obtain

offers to excellent universities, sometimes in difficult circumstances. It can’t be right that they are denied the opportunity to take up those places because they can’t access a loan due a change in regulations.” In one case, Imperial College London is charging a student in a similar situation international fees of £26,000 to study chemistry. He is trying to raise the money by working as a teaching assistant, playing in a salsa band and through other jobs. The standard student loan offer is £9,000 a year. Another young woman, who did not want to be named, is working at a bakery to pay off the debt after starting a course and realising she could not pay the fees. She said, “I feel as if my intelligence is going to waste, and I have been struggling in

ways that I never thought possible. The problem I have faced is that it has been unexpected and, if I had known about this before, I could have been better prepared.” Just for Kids Law pointed out that the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills itself had identified a raft of individual, financial and societal benefits associated with higher education including greater tax revenues, improved social cohesion and less crime. The test case has been brought by the Birmingham law firm Public Interest Lawyers (PIL) on behalf of a Zambian-born woman, Beaurish Tigere, 19, who came to the UK when she was six. She has been working at a supermarket checkout because she has been denied a loan and cannot afford to take up the place she was offered at

Hull University. Paul Heron, of PIL, said: “These are loans that will be paid back. It’s the foreign nationals who go back to Europe who don’t pay the

“All my friends are graduating now. It’s heartbreaking. You feel left behind”

loans back. We are talking about a relatively small amount of money. What is the alternative? Should they sign on as unemployed? These are people who want to gain skills and work.” The court is set to deliver its verdict in around one month.

immigration rules too immigration rules will limit the other. The UK will be sending away nurses who have contributed to the NHS for six years. “Losing their skills and knowledge and then having to start the cycle again and recruit to replace them is completely illogical. The NHS has spent millions hiring nurses from overseas to provide safe staffing levels. These rules will mean money has been thrown down the drain. Trusts are being asked to provide safe staffing with both hands tied behind their backs. “Without a change to these immigration rules the NHS will continue to pay millions to temporarily rent nurses from overseas.” Under previous immigration rules, there was no income threshold or time limit. The RCN estimates 90% of nurses hired by the NHS from outside Europe will not have hit £35,000 within six years. The cut-off date for the new rules was set at 2011, meaning the first batch of nurses earning less will be sent home in 2017. It costs £6,000 to recruit a nurse from outside Europe. The RCN said it is not certain how many are currently working in Britain. But it warned that if recruitment continues to rise, the number of those hit by the immigration law could reach 29,755. And it

will have cost the NHS £180million. Most foreign nurses start on Band 5, which pays £21,692-£28,180. On Band 6, they earn between £26,041 and £34,876, so still miss the threshold. Even on Band 7, they would have to be on the mid to high scale, as pay starts at £31,072. A Home Office spokesman said: “There are exemptions to the £35,000 threshold for occupations where the UK has a shortage. But the independent Migration Advisory Committee recommended against adding nurses to the list after taking evidence from groups including the Royal College of Nursing. Employers have had since 2011 to prepare for this.” But Dr Carter refuted this, saying, “The RCN submitted detailed and unambiguous evidence. This was not heeded, despite the evidence of a serious shortage of nurses. We repeat our call to add nursing to the list.” Those wishing to stay after six years and who do not earn £35,000 a year will have to start applying for indefinite leave after five years. Nurses who arrived before 2011 are not affected by the new law. The Home Office said: "We changed the settlement rules in 2011 to break the link between coming to work in the UK and staying here permanently."

“The [new] rules for health care workers will cause chaos for the NHS and other care services”

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Nigerian out to change the face of the BBC The BBC has handed Shell diversity boss Tunde Ogungbesan (right) a key role in ensuring greater representation of black and minority ethnic (BAME) people working for the BBC. Mr Ogungbesan has been appointed to lead the new Birmingham-based team as head of HR for diversity, inclusion and succession.

Ogungbesan, who led the diversity and inclusion initiative at Shell for five years, will report to HR director Valerie Hughes-D’Aeth and lead the BBC’s diversity and inclusion strategy for staff and onscreen portrayal. He is tasked with increasing the representation of black Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) individuals and disabled people on and offscreen and co-ordinating the

BBC’s contribution to diversity projects across the wider industry. “It is clear that the director general and everyone across the BBC I’ve met so far have a real commitment to diversity and inclusion,” he said. “I’m looking forward to working with them to make a diﬀerence.” l Meanwhile, mobile phone users in Nigeria can now tune in to BBC World Service radio in English and Hausa by dialling the local number 01 4405 222. BBC World Service is collaborating with ZenoRadio – a leading service that enables radio to be heard on the phone – to give ondemand access to BBC World Service’s audio streams in English (option 1) and Hausa (option 2). Users can listen to the broadcasts from any mobile network in Nigeria. English-language radio is streamed live around the clock. Programmes in Hausa are streamed live at 06.30, 15.00 and 20.30 Nigeria Time and then repeated until the next programme is broadcast. To hear the programmes, users can dial 01 4405 222 from any phone in Nigeria and choose the language they prefer from the audio menu. Calls are charged at a normal rate, according to network packages and tariﬀs.

Diaspora women unite behind pan-European campaign group NIGERIAN women in the diaspora attended the ﬁrst ever African Women in Europe (AWE) workshop in Switzerland over the weekend of June 20 during which they lent their voice to several of the unique challenges they face. In what was a showcase of the progress made by African women in Europe, a powerful

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delegation of Nigerian women attended the event in Geneva for a weekend brainstorming session. AWE organiser Wambui Njau, put together a workshop and dinner to discuss issues concerning the African woman in diaspora and at home, and to seek ideas and opinions on how to address them. Nigeria’s delegation to the workshop was led by the Nigerian Women in Diaspora Leadership Forum (NWIDLF) in the UK. NWIDLF president Jenny Chika Okafor, said they attended the event in order to advance the cause of the African woman all over the world and above all, tell the world that the African woman is ready for business. Among the NWIDLF members who attended the event were Ronke Udoﬁa; Agatha Ewruje; Yemisi Jenkins of Able UK; Priscilla Nwikpo and Ekanem Robertson, presenters of the Woman Show on Ben TV; Yemisi Akande, also on Ben

TV; and former Mayors Susan Fajana-Thomas and Kate Anolue. At the dinner, Councillor Fajana-Thomas was honoured for her commitment and contributions to women and community development in the UK. Ms Okafor told Nigerian Watch, “The day concluded with a dinner and award of excellence to many women who have made their marks in all areas of life including leadership, education, entertainment and others. NWIDLF excelled and were greatly honoured. “It was so endearing to note that many guests identiﬁed with Nigerian women and we shared views on how to work together as women of African extraction. “African women need to hold hands and stand shoulder to shoulder in ﬁghting many of the repugnant ills of society which have continued to bedevil the African woman.” Many other Nigerians

including Pastor Majorie and Coco Bassey were also honoured and the house erupted each time Nigeria was mentioned at the event. Ms Okafor used her speech at the event to call on the guests to form a new movement that will speak with one voice on issues concerning the African woman no matter where she is or comes from, to make the diﬀerence. In addition, Ms Okafor decried the unforgivable use of rape as a repressive tool against the African woman and said this is a cause that must be fought and won. She pointed out that this is necessary because until every woman is free to walk the streets without fear of being raped, no woman is safe. According to Ms Okafor, women can only achieve this important objective if they work together to complement each other “where we are strong or weak” and not allow ourselves to be riven by the myth of jealousy.

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Mayor Aminu’s gift will sew the seeds of change across Africa The former Mayor of Lambeth, Councillor Adedamola Aminu has presented a cheque for £7,820 to the African charity Girl Child Network Worldwide (GCNW) at a brief ceremony at the town hall in Brixton. During Councillor Aminu’s tenure as mayor during the 2014/15 year, he adopted the GCNW as his chosen charity, holding several charity dinners to raise funds for it. Established to help lift underprivileged girls out of poverty, GCNW has the motto “Empowering Girls, Powering Nations” and has educated thousands of poor girls across Africa. Betty Makoni, the founder and chief executive of GCNW, pointed out that the charity is here today for the unseen and vulnerable girls who have no voice. She

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added that many of these girls it supports have no access to education, use leaves as sanitary towels and have very few options in life. During the year, a number of events were organised through the former mayor’s fundraiser programmes, including the Christmas Charity Dinner held at the Oval Surrey Cricket Ground and a Valentine’s Cultural Event held at Lambeth Assembly Hall. Both events were sold out as members of the UK African diaspora came out in full force to support the mayor and his chosen charity. Now that his tenure has ended, Councillor Aminu presented the cheque of all the amounts raised during the year to the GCNW trustees at Lambeth Council 18:06

Chambers in Brixton. Among the GCNW trustees present to receive the cheque were Ms Makoni, Toyin Onagoruwa and Princess Deun AdedoyinSolarin, the chair of the board of trustees. Princess Adedoyin-Solarin thanked the former mayor and mayoress and their team for their unﬂinching support over the past year, adding that although Councillor Aminu had completed his tenure as mayor, GCNW looks forward to continuing working with him. She added that the monies raised will be distributed among GCNW beneﬁciaries to support all of its activities. “Each network will submit their own proposals for innovative projects, which demonstrate income-generating programmes within their communities. The idea is to give them seed money that enables them to fund a project of their choice. “The Girl Child Network chapter in Rwanda is new and as such they have requested for us to come and deliver our GCNW Unique Template training for them on Girls Empowerment that will provide them with the key tools and skills they need to run their project. Therefore we will also use part of the funds to impart skills and know-how for girls’ empowerment in Rwanda as we want girls to use little money for big impact,” Princess Adedoyin-Solarin added. Ms Makoni and Princess Adedoyin Solarin will travel to Rwanda to deliver training for the girls, to enable them start their own community-based projects. Apart from that, GCNW will use the rest of the funds raised to start a charity shop in the UK that will help to generate income and keep their African projects going.

morE BlACK PolICE NEEDED Police forces across England and Wales need to hire 17,000 black and minority ethnic (BME) officers in the next 10 years if they are to accurately represent society. A report by the College of Policing (CoP) has estimated that the BME population of England and Wales will be 16% by 2026, and that police forces will have to employ recruits from minority backgrounds at a higher rate if they are to reflect that trend. Previously released figures show that only 6,500 police officers currently serving come from an ethnic minority background. There are 130,000 officers across England and Wales. In its leadership review the CoP said, “The scale of the BME representation challenge facing policing is huge.” The findings follow comments by the head of the Metropolitan Police, Sir Bernard Hogan Howe, that the Met may be institutionally racist. The CoP has also said “insular attitudes” within forces are hampering innovation and the image of the police in the eyes of the public.

Labour out to woo black vote Shadow home secretary and Labour leadership candidate Yvette Cooper MP has pledged to double the number of black and minority ethnic (BAME) MPs in any future government. Currently the Labour party has 23 MPs from BAME backgrounds. If the party wins the next election, it will need to have 49 BAME MPs to be representative of society. Ms Cooper said, “Labour should set a goal to double the number of BAME MPs in a Labour majority Parliament. She continued, “With over a million ethnic minority voters choosing the Tories at the last election Labour cannot

be complacent. If Labour is not representative of our voters how can we hope to keep their support?” Ms Cooper has pledged to oversee a taskforce – which will engage with BAME MPs, councillors, NEC members and local party activists, to ensure a step change in support for BAME activists who want to be parliamentary candidates. “We need a development programme for BAME activists who want to be candidates, and candidates who want the support to win. We should look at how we ensure that shortlists are more representative,” she added.

NIGERIAN WATCH 3 - 16 July 2015

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Mixing music and fashion, with both male and female models of all shapes and sizes, the catwalk at Rip the Runway UK included ODF clothing (right), accompanied by Fuse ODG singing ‘Antenna’ bringing out dancers who worked the stage wearing his clothing line TINA (This Is the New Africa). Despite running later than billed at The Troxy Theatre in East London on Saturday (June 13), the audience enjoyed hosts, comedian Eddie Kadi and presenter Maya Jamma’s repartee and many talented musicians including; X-Factor contestants Rough Copy, Cherri Voncelle, Mark Asari, J Huss, Mr. Silva and up and coming fashion designers; Mobella Clothing, Nicole Veronique, Luvli Lounge, Dao London, Jo Benga and Mama’s Boutique.

DEAr WhItE PEoPlE CAmPAIgN to gEt movIE SEEN An unprecedented “pre-booking” campaign has been launched to get an award-winning, critically acclaimed movie screened in the UK. “Dear White People” is a satirical comedydrama ﬁlm set on a University campus, with the tag line “being a black face in a white space”. Last year the ﬁlm won the US Dramatic Special Jury Award for Breakthrough Talent at the Sundance Film Festival.

US critics have called it “a bracingly smart, incendiary satire”, “a thrillingly sharp-witted comedy” and “a fresh, lively and important”. But here in the UK the film cannot find a distributor and a major arthouse chain has turned down the opportunity to screen it despite saying it likes the film. The bottom line is a refrain that Nollywood will recognise - there is no audience for black movies.

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In response fans of the film have set up an extraordinary campaign to pre-book the film into cinemas. If enough people pre-book the film will be distributed and promoted across the UK by New Black Film Collective (one of only two black film distribution companies in the UK). When recently lifting the prize for Best First Screenplay at 30th annual Independent Spirit Awards, Dear White People writer-director Justin Simien used his acceptance speech to call out the importance of having more diverse voices in Hollywood. “I started writing this movie some 10 years ago as an impulse because I didn’t really see my story out there in the culture,” Simien said. “I didn’t see myself reflected back at me in the films I love or the stories that resonated for me.” “I tried to put myself in the culture. That can be difficult when, along the way, there’s really

nothing there to tell you that you belong there,” Simien continued during his speech. “I’m very grateful. If you don’t see yourself in the culture, please put yourself there, because we need you. We need to see the world from your eyes.” To join the campaign visit the www.facebook.com/dearwhitepeopleuk and follow the links to both crowdfunding and book tickets.

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“Collective madness” to snub Soyinka for Oxford poetry chair, says publisher It seems we are to wait at least another four years before a black man is elected to be the Professor of Poetry at Oxford University – the most prestigious literary post after Poet Laureate. In 2009 Derek Walcott’s chances were scuppered when he was smeared, allegedly by rivals for the post, as a sex pest. This year, after being frontrunner to assume the role that was created in 1708, Nigeria’s Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka found himself at the sharp end of a smear campaign led by grand old man of broadcasting Lord Melvyn Bragg. Having initially supported Mr Soyinka Lord Bragg performed a dramatic U-turn and declared him “too old and too grand” and suggested he was unlikely to ever visit Oxford.

Subsequently Mr Soyinka lost out by 301 votes to former probation officer and self-taught Yorkshire poet Simon Armitage, who secured 1,221 votes. The vote has not ended the controversy. Andrew Franklin, the publisher and founder of Profile Books who has published Soyinka’s work, called the decision “collective madness” and said, “Why couldn’t Oxford have voted for its first ever black professor of poetry? Simon Armitage is good but this is a collective failure of imagination. It just would have been nice to see Oxford do something different. “Maybe Oxford is just full of dull old farts who only vote for the obvious. I don’t think they have anything to be proud of here.”

NIGERIAN WATCH 3 - 16 July 2015

Nigeria to be the focus of anti-slavery crackdown Hundreds of people from Nigeria are being illegally trafficked to the UK, where they face sexual exploitation or being forced into domestic servitude, says the UK’s newly appointed ‘anti-slavery’ commissioner, Kevin Hyland. He said tackling the flow of people from the country was one of his top priorities and promised to work with law enforcement agencies in Nigeria and Europe to get to grips with the problem. Official figures show that more than 2,000 potential trafficking victims were referred to the authorities in 2014 – 244 of whom were from Nigeria, a 31% increase from the previous year. The National Crime Agency statistics show the number of victims from Nigeria was second only to the total from Albania. Hyland told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, “I am extremely concerned about this. And we’re talking about several hundred every year. “This isn’t just a one-off – it’s continuous – so the treatment of these people, what they go through, is actually a very serious crime, so for me it’s a big problem. “But also I think the fact that there is a demand for this kind of exploitation in the United Kingdom

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really concerns me, that there are people who will want to buy sex, will want to exploit, will want to have children as what are current-day slaves, so that is a really serious problem.” Hyland said international action was needed to address the problem. “It’s about working with the law enforcement agencies in Nigeria – working with all those in the communities and telling them this could happen – and that’s never been brought together before, so it’s unique. “This is a new idea – Europol, Interpol, National Crime Agency, all must work together. It’s up to me to oversee this. This is not about a lack of resources but about using them effectively.” In December, the Home Office published figures estimating there are between 10,000 and 13,000 potential victims of slavery in the UK. They include women forced into prostitution, domestic staff and workers in fields, factories and on fishing boats. Earlier this month, Hyland warned that “Oliver Twist scenarios” are taking place on Britain’s streets as children are forced to engage in pickpocketing, shoplifting and begging. The former Metropolitan police detective was appointed in November to spearhead the government’s fight against modern slavery.

naijainthepark

Hundreds gathered for the ﬁrst ever Naija in the Park festival in Brockwell Park on Saturday (June 27), including Mayor of Lambeth, Councillor Anyanwu and Councillor Sade Etti (below centre) from Hackney, to see Ezra Jazz, Abi Mega Plus and many more.

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the United Kingdom, We can help you with your appeal 7 . Has your entry clearance application refused, we can help you with your appeal 8. Has your application for further leave to remain in the United Kingdom refused without a right of appeal. There have been changes in the Home Office policy on 20th October 2014. 9. Do you want to bring your wife or your child to join you in the UK? If yes we can help you 10. Are you currently detained and facing removal or deportation? If yes we may be able to help 11. If you are a businessman and want to invest a minimum of £200,000.00 (two hundred thousand pounds) in the UK, we can help you and your family to settle in the UK

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Letters to the Editor let us know what you think. Put pen to paper and send your letters to: The Editor, Nigerian Watch, Chartwell house, 292 hale lane, Edgware, middlesex hA8 8NP, or email us at: editor@nigerianwatch.com letters to be included in the next issue must be received by no later than July 26, 2015. Anonymous letters will not be published. Please include your full name, postal address and contact telephone number. Names and addresses can be withheld, if preferred. letters may be edited for publication.

We need to act to stop SDGs discriminating against the elderly Governments meeting in New York this week have a small window of opportunity to avoid discrimination being written into the Sustainable

Development Goals (SDGs) for the next 15 years. More than half of deaths from non-communicable diseases occur in people over

WAhAlA DoUBlE BIll; As the cartoon did not print correctly in the last eition, we reproduce it for your pleasure below. Plenty Wahala indeed

the age of 70 but as currently written the SDGs could exclude these people. The framework describes death before the age of 70 as being 'premature'. This deﬁnition leaves the door open for governments worldwide to deny prevention, cure or care to more than half the world's population suﬀering from heart disease, cancer, diabetes, lung disease and dementia. This also means the health of the 1.2 billion people aged 55 and over today would not be considered relevant by the time the SDGs come to a close in 2030. While the SDGs alone cannot solve decades of discrimination, the change of

Support our boys I was among the few who turned out to support our teams in the African Nations Cup UK (ANC UK) and endorse the question you asked, “Where were you?” (NW, 54). When our young men take the wrong path there is no shortage of people ready to turn out and comment about what they need. What is needed is support for them when they do the right thing – like represent their country with pride. The ANC UK is a glorious carnival of sport. I hope to see more Nigerians there next year. J Kale, via email

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a simple word can make a start. We ask the SDG negotiators to avoid unwittingly using the discriminatory language of 'premature' in Target 3.4 and use the word 'preventable' instead. This will send a clear signal that healthcare is a universal right and not a service determined by birth date, as well as help governments achieve what they surely are aspiring to under the SDG banner of 'leave no one behind'. SIgNAtorIES Academics: Professor Peter Lloyd-Sherlock, Professor of Social Policy and International Development, School for International Development, University of East Anglia Professor martin mcKee, Professor of European Public Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Professor luigi ferrucci, Scientiﬁc Director, National Institute of Ageing, USA Dr rachel Pruchno, Director of

Research, New Jersey Institute for Successful Ageing Professor Shah Ebrahim, Honorary Professor of Public Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Professor Desmond o’Neill, Director, Centre for Ageing, Neuroscience and the Humanities, Trinity College, Dublin organisations: toby Porter, Chief Executive, HelpAge International Caroline Abrahams, Charity Director, Age UK Chris roles, Director, Age International Baroness Sally greengross oBE, President/Chief Executive Oﬃcer International Longevity Centre-UK marc Wortmann, Chief Executive Alzheimers Disease International (ADI) Dr Jane Barratt, Secretary General, International Federation on Aging (IFA) Susan Somers JD, President, INPEA (International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse) Dr lia Daichman, President, ILCArgentina (International Longevity Center)

Keep it up, sisters I was ever so pleased to see Patti Boulaye recognised for her charity work in the Queen’s birthday honours, on the cover of the latest Nigerian Watch (NW, 54). I must admit I was somewhat staggered that it has taken so long for her to receive such recognition when her work has aﬀected so many lives, both here and in Africa. Hopefully it won’t take as long for Jenny Chika Okafor of the Nigerian Women in Diaspora Leadership Forum to be recognised for her campaigns supporting women and girls in Africa – I would particularly like to see her successfully engaging the Nigerian government with her intern proposals and her mentorship programme in developing women as the leaders of tomorrow. Another to deserve an honour is former Mayor Kate Anolue, particularly for her work encouraging other women to enter politics. Mrs C Balogun, via email

NIGERIAN WATCH 3 - 16 July 2015

EMBASSYwatch

News from the

NIGERIA HIGH COMMISSION London

thE INtErNAtIoNAl mArItImE orgANISAtIoN WElComES NIgErIA oN BoArD Nigeria's High Commissioner to the UK Dr Dalhatu Sarki Tafida, OFR, CFR, led a high-level delegation to the London HQ of the UN’s International Maritime Organisation (IMO) on Thursday June 18 to formally confirm Nigeria’s agreement to five treaties governing international shipping. The delegation, which included Nigeria’s permanent representative to the IMO Captain Ibrahim Adeboyega Olugbade and the Executive Director of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency Captain Bala Agba, was warmly received by the IMO’s Secretary-General Koji Sekimizu. The five treaties were signed by Goodluck Jonathan in one of his last acts as President on May 27. They not only commit Nigeria to international shipping standards but also strengthen the country's hand in tackling oil theft.

As a specialized agency of the United Nations, IMO is the global standard-setting authority for the safety, security and environmental performance of international shipping. The ﬁve treaties – known as instruments of accession - cover Safety of Life at Sea, Load Lines, Prevention of Pollution from Ships, the Suppression of Unlawful Acts

against the Safety of Fixed Platforms Located on the Continental Shelf, and Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Maritime Navigation (SUA 2005). Under this last protocol Nigeria will be allowed to challenge any ship entering its waters, which, Captain Agaba said, will strengthen the country’s ability to challenge shipping involved in the illegal oil trade.

The business leader who gave the diaspora yam hailed as the right man to boost Nigeria-UK trade Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the UK Dr Dalhatu Sarki Taﬁda, OFR, CFR, inaugurated an advisory board to the Nigerian British Chamber of Commerce (NBCC) on June 18, established to enhance and diversify trade between the two countries. His Excellency observed the need for the Chamber to deliver had never been greater, with the ongoing collapse in oil price threatening Nigeria’s position as Africa’s largest economy. But he said in James Houston, chairman of the new advisory board, the Chamber had appointed someone who can deliver.

“I know Mr Houston well,” Dr Taﬁda said. “He is a man who did business with Nigeria when no one else would and he did well for us and he did well for himself. We in the diaspora have him to thank for giving us yam. He is a man who will make it happen.” On the new advisory board with Mr Houston are Henrietta Abraham, chairwoman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation; Simon Singer, head of international trade First Bank Nigeria UK; and Minister M Hassan, head of the Industry, Trade and Investment section at the High Commission. “These are four very talented people,” Dr Taﬁda

NBCC – thE fUtUrE The Chairman of the Nigeria British Chamber of Commerce James houston told the meeting that the organisation would be pursuing a ﬁve year development plan, which will be sector focused in its missions from now. It would also seek to strengthen its regional network, highlighting opportunities and interest in doing business with Nigeria in both the west midlands and liverpool. There will be improved communications and closer collaboration with stakeholders including the UKtI and regional chambers. he said the new structure of the NBBC meant that the organisation saw itself as a “unitary body with two oﬃces in two countries”. “We want to engage more with the diaspora to better communicate the opportunities for investment in Nigeria,” he said. A recognition award was presented to the NBBC’s outgoing President Price Adeyemi Adefulu. he is to be replaced by his current

noted. Their mission is to enhance trade and broaden links with Chambers across the UK, to facilitate the much-needed diversification in trade, which until now has been characterised by the export of oil and gas to the UK and the latter exporting mainly manufactured goods to Nigeria. “The global downturn in oil price and revenue has taken a toll on our economy, increasing the impetus for diversification,” Dr Tafida said at the dinner hosted in honour of the annual NBCC trade delegation from Nigeria. “Nigeria may no longer be able to sustain its status as Africa’s largest economy if profound attention is not given to the development and promotion of non-oil sectors.” He observed that barriers to growth for both countries were being impeded by UK and EU red tape. “It is pertinent to observe that the efforts of Nigeria’s public institutions and private sector are being slowed by rather stringent requirements in the UK and EU.” The strict regulations in the UK as regards standardisation, processing and packaging of agricultural produce – an issue that is often complained about by UK farmers, as it lays waste to

perfectly good food stuffs – and high tariffs have, Dr Tafida said, largely hindered non-oil exports to the UK. On top of which the delay in concluding a harmonisation of trade laws between the African, Caribbean and Pacific countries and the EU was exacerbating the problem, further preventing increased bi-lateral trade between Nigeria and UK. However, His Excellency informed the gathering that Nigeria through numerous agencies and ministries was being proactive in creating an enabling environment for its farmers to meet the current EU regulations.

“Local capacities are being improved to ensure that agricultural produce and other non-oil exports to the UK meet the required standards,” he said. Consequently, he revealed, two state of the art laboratories have been completed and are being managed by the Standard Organisation of Nigeria and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control to test and certify products to global standards. Similarly, Nigerian oﬃcials have also undertaken study tours to the UK in order to update their knowledge on the requirements of standardisation and quality

control. Dr Taﬁda concluded, “Despite the eﬀorts of government at various levels to promote non-oil exports to the UK, the vital role of the private sector is required to achieve the desired result. Thus the role of the NBCC is highly commendable. “The Chamber has purposefully reformed its operational structure and programmes to improve service delivery. The establishment of an Export section and the advisory board are eloquent testimonies to the desire of the chamber to apply 21st century solutions to 21st century challenges.”

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The Master’s student led a team of ﬁve law students from The Dickson Poon School of Law at King’s College London to victory in the gruelling competition hosted by the Université Paris X Nanterre. The international ‘Day of Crisis’ competition requires teams to respond to a series of ‘real life’ real-time events during an intense 24 hour period. This year the team had to advise on a ﬁctional outbreak

Dr taﬁda to deliver Chatham house speech

Legal eagle wins top law prize Brilliant law student Omar Nwoko was presented with a letter of commendation by Nigeria’s Ambassador to the UK Dr Dalhatu Sarki Taﬁda, OFR, CFR, in recognition of his winning a prestigious international law and diplomacy competition.

NIGERIAN WATCH 3 - 16 July 2015

NEWSwatch

of raccoon ﬂu originating in China and spreading to Myanmar, Laos, and Vietnam. The crisis involved China using a US patent without permission, triggering a trade war. At the same time, the team was faced with a crisis in Syria, a cyber attack on India from a privately-owned weaponised satellite, and bombings in Qatar and Pakistan. The King’s team worked non-stop for 24 hours, culminating in a mock session of the Security Council. They had to produce over a

dozen pieces of written legal advice, conduct multiple negotiations, engage in a press interview and make a ﬁnal presentation. In addition to winning the entire competition, Omar was awarded second place for the Security Council Intervention Speech. Studying International Business and Financial Law, Omar has just completed his exams, which started two days after the competition ended. Dr Taﬁda told him, “We are proud of you and your achievement. We are very

happy to meet people who have done us good in this country.” And he exhorted the young man to qualify to pursue a legal career in Nigeria. “It is only when people like you return that Nigeria will fulﬁl its potential.” Omar was accompanied to the High Commission by his mother Lillian and grandfather Akunwata RSC Megafu, who assured Nigeria’s High Commissioner that “he’s promised to go on to achieve remarkable things for Nigeria.”

Nigeria’s high Commissioner to the UK, Dr Dalhatu Sarki tafida, ofr, Cfr, has been invited to address the world renowned foreign affairs think-tank, Chatham house. his Excellency will deliver his appraisal on relations between the two countries under the title, “reflections on NigeriaUK Engagements”. Attendance to hear the speech, to be delivered on July 9, is by invitation only. Chatham house is hosting the event in the wake of the 2015 elections in both countries, as

“the UK and Nigeria share extensive and complex cultural and business links. After the elections, engagements will continue to deepen, particularly with shared priorities in tackling the Boko haram crisis, improving economic prospects of both countries and tackling corruption”. In his speech, Dr taﬁda, high Commissioner to the UK since 2008, will reﬂect on his time in london to assess the future of the strategic partnership and prospects for political, economic and security cooperation.

Six Appeal Court Judges including the Chief Justice to the Court Aloma Mariam Mukhtar paid a courtesy call on Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the UK, Dr Dalhatu Sarki Taﬁda, OFR, CFR, recently, while on a fact-ﬁnding mission focused on systems for the digital storage of court records.

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formEr UN gENErAl SECrEtAry KofI ANNAN ISSUES A ClImAtE ChANgE CAll to ArmS thE ClImAtE CoNUNDrUm Can the world prevent catastrophic climate change while building the energy systems needed to sustain growth, create jobs and lift millions of people out of poverty? That is the climate conundrum that goes to the heart of the deďŹ ning development challenges of the 21st century, and is the focus of this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Africa Progress Panel report. It is a most urgent and vital question for Africa. No region has done less to contribute to the climate crisis, but no region will pay a higher price for failure to tackle it. And no region will pay a higher price for failing to deliver power to their people. left unchecked, climate change will reduce agricultural productivity, create conditions for mass hunger and reverse human development. Without power the continent will remain mired in poverty. And that will have a devastating knock-on eďŹ&#x20AC;ect for the post-2008 economic crash developed world, which is staking its future on an African middle class emerging. here KoďŹ Annan and former US Secretary of State robert rubin of the Africa Progress Panel make the case for change. (The report of the APP can be read in full at www.africaprogresspanel.org) The Africa Progress Panel (APP) consists of 10 distinguished individuals from the private and public sector who advocate for equitable and sustainable development for Africa. mr KoďŹ Annan, former Secretary-general of the United Nations and Nobel laureate, chairs the APP.

POWER TO THE PEOPLE Climate change is the threat facing greatest humanity today. To avoid catastrophe, we must dramatically reduce the carbon intensity of our modern energy systems, which have set us on a collision course with our planetary boundaries. This is the challenge leading up to three key international events this year: a July summit on ďŹ nancing for new global development goals , another in September to settle on those goals and â&#x20AC;&#x201D; crucially â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a global meeting in December to frame an agreement and set meaningful targets on climate change. But focusing on ambitious global climate goals can mask the existence of real impacts on the ground. Nowhere is this truer than in sub-Saharan Africa. No region has done less to cause climate change, yet subSaharan Africa is experiencing some of the earliest, most severe and most damaging eďŹ&#x20AC;ects. As a result, Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leaders have every reason to support international eďŹ&#x20AC;orts to address climate change. But these leaders also have to deal urgently with the disturbing reality behind Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tiny carbon footprint: a crushing lack of modern energy.

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Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s energy gap is considerable. The average American uses 10,900 kilowatt hours of electricity a year; the average sub-Saharan African, just 500. And behind the average consumption ďŹ gures lies an even starker reality. Two out of three sub-Saharan Africans â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 600 million people â&#x20AC;&#x201D; have no access to electricity at all. Cut oďŹ&#x20AC; from the grid, the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s poorest people also pay the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s highest power prices, as they depend for lighting on costly, ineďŹ&#x192;cient kerosene. Someone in a rural village in northern Nigeria spends 60 to 80 times more per unit of energy than a resident of New York. This glaring energy gap demands attention. Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leaders have no choice but to act: at stake are the chances of millions of ever escaping the poverty trap. These leaders have a choice, though, about how to bridge the energy gap. They have an amazing opportunity, in fact, to show the rest of the world the way to a sustainable future. As is demonstrated in the recently published Africa Progress Report 2015, the ďŹ&#x201A;agship publication of the 10member Africa Progress Panel, on which we both serve, Africa can break the link between energy and emissions by leapfrogging over the damaging,

carbon-intensive energy practices that have brought the world to the brink of catastrophe. Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s energy challenges are immense. Energy sector bottlenecks and power shortages cost the region 2-4 percent of gross domestic product annually, undermining eďŹ&#x20AC;orts to promote sustainable economic growth, create jobs, reduce poverty and boost investment. The problems serve to deepen the disadvantage experienced by the poor, women and those who live in rural areas. But once strong global development goals are in place, backed by smart

Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s clean energy potential can drive growth and create jobs. Africa can grow and show the way for the rest of the world by gradually replacing fossil fuels with renewable sources and embracing a judicious, dynamic energy mix. For that to happen, though, Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leaders must seize the climate moment. For too long, Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leaders have been content to oversee highly centralised energy systems that beneďŹ t the rich and bypass many of the poor. Power utilities have been centers of corruption. The time has come to

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Put Africa on a path towards an inclusive, low-carbon future â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and the world on a path to avoid climate catastropheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; ďŹ nancing and a fair climate deal, Africa will be positioned to turn that situation upside down. Switching to low-carbon energy strategies immediately isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t possible because doing so could undermine economic progress. But Africa has enormous potential for cleaner energy â&#x20AC;&#x201D; hydro, solar, wind and geothermal power, as well as natural gas. Unlocking

revamp Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s creaking energy infrastructure, while riding the wave of low-carbon innovation that is transforming energy systems around the world. Actions taken by African leaders are essential. So is international cooperation. The 2015 development and climate summits provide platforms for deepening international cooperation and

providing a down payment on measures with the potential to put Africa on a path toward an inclusive, low-carbon energy future â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and the world on a path to avoid climate catastrophe. Unlocking Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s energy potential and putting in place the foundation for a climateresilient, low-carbon future will require ambitious, eďŹ&#x192;cient and properly ďŹ nanced multilateral cooperation. As we show in our report, the current global climate ďŹ nance architecture fails these tests. In particular, we strongly urge governments in the major emitting countries to act now by ending the billions they spend to subsidize fossil fuel exploration, a policy that encourages greater carbon emissions, not fewer. Instead of subsidizing emissions, developed countries need to accurately price them, through carbon taxes or other means. These two policy shifts, combined with strong development goals in low-emitting countries in Africa, would go a long way toward leveling the global climate playing ďŹ eld. Unlocking Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s energy potential and putting in place the foundations for a climateresilient, low-carbon future will require ambitious, eďŹ&#x192;cient and properly ďŹ nanced multilateral cooperation. As we show in the APP report, â&#x20AC;&#x153;People, Power, Planetâ&#x20AC;?, the current global climate ďŹ nance architecture fails each of these credibility tests. The window of opportunity for avoiding climate catastrophe is closing fast. The only promises that matter at the Paris climate summit are those that are kept. Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leaders must rise to the challenge. They are the voice of their citizens in the climate talks â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and that voice must be heard. Social movements, business leaders, religious leaders of all faiths and the leaders of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cities can join governments and create an irresistible force for change to win the war against poverty and avert climate catastrophe. Future generations will surely judge this generation of leaders not by principles they set out in communiqueĚ s but by what they actually do to eradicate poverty, build shared prosperity and protect our children and their children from climate disaster. Let us act now and act together.

NEWSwatch

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NIGERIAN WATCH 3 - 16 July 2015

Queens Young Leaders

Queenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Young Leaders at the Palace The Queen hosted a star-studded reception at Buckingham Palace on June 22 to celebrate the ďŹ rst ever winners of her Young Leaders programme.

from l to r: Kelvin Ogholi, Isaiah Owolabi and Nkechikwu Azinge receiving their awards and Oladipupo Ajiroba who was unable to attend.

Nigerians were among the guests at the Palace; Nkechikwu Azinge, 26; Kelvin Ogholi, 24; and Isaiah Owolabi, 27. A fourth winner, Oladipupo Ajiroba, aged 28, was unable to attend and will receive his award next year. Ms Nkechikwu, pictured below with David Beckham, received her award for setting up the Sickle Cell Aid Foundation, to encourage people lEft; Nkechikwu Azinge and David Beckham

BEloW; Outside 10 Downing Street

to get tested to know their haemoglobin genotype, and has set up sickle cell clubs in schools to inform and educate young people about the condition. (Find out more about The Sickle Cell Aid Foundation at: www.scaf.org.ng) Kelvin Ogholi received his award for services to farmers in rural Nigeria, establishing the social enterprise (UNFIRE) to create poultry feed from organic waste, which cuts costs by 50%. (Find out more about UNFIRE at: www.unďŹ reng.com) Meanwhile, Isaiah Owolabi was recognised for launching the HACEY

multi-media exhibition to celebrate African music

michaeltubi.photography

Footballer David Beckham, comedians John Bishop and David Walliams and former Prime Minister Sir John Major attended the ceremony, which recognised the contribution of 60 young people from across the Commonwealth for their work in local communities. Mr Beckham told the Commonwealth Young Leaders, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am honoured to be here this evening. With people like you I know the world will become a better place.â&#x20AC;? The awards are part of a ďŹ ve year programme established by The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust in partnership with Comic Relief and the Royal Commonwealth Society to honour the Queenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Diamond Jubilee, which fell in 2012. Under the Queenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Young Leaders programme 60 winners will be chosen each year, one winner for each year the Queen had served as head of the Commonwealth. Three amazingly resourceful

An exciting exhibition where you can go on a musical journey into the heart of Africa is to premier at the mernier gallery in london. The brainchild of Nigerian Watchâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s resident photographer michael tubes, it will feature exclusive access-all-areas images of many of Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading musicians and allow people to hear their music simultaneously. tubes explained the rationale behind the show. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The African continent is the second largest in the world, home to about one 10th of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s population and where one thousand indigenous languages are spoken,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;music is essential in representing this strong African her-

itage and expressing and sharing the continent's rich culture.â&#x20AC;? he hopes the exhibition will allow audiences to access countless talents that have taken the African music scene by storm but remain under the radar to many. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This exhibition will allow these new audiences to experience the variety and richness of the contemporary sounds of African music from a range of artists that have helped African music become the phenomenon that it is today,â&#x20AC;? explained tubes. The exhibition is at the mernier gallery, 51 Southwark Street, london SE1 1rU, from August 25 until August 30.

Health Initiative, which helps disadvantaged women and children to lead healthy lives. The Queenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Young Leaders Award will help HACEY develop its Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Health and Productivity project, ensuring women in rural areas have access to health services and training. (Find out more at www.hacey.org).

Aside from meeting the Queen, the award winners spent the week networking with experts during a visit to Cambridge University and dined with business leaders and mentors at the Telecom Tower restaurant. They also visited 10 Downing Street and the Commonwealth Institute.

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PoP-UP ShoP ShoWS yoUNgStErS mEAN BUSINESS Young entrepreneurs staged a fantastic pop-up cafe and ‘department store’ featuring their own businesses on Saturday (June 27) at the Link in Thamesmead. The event was organised by the primary school-aged children themselves and proved to be a riproaring success. The budding business owners attend the LPF Kiddies Club CIC - an out of school club and Saturday school based in Abbey Wood – which over the half term ran an “entrepreneurs club” to teach the children ﬁnancial literacy skills, saving habits, and what it means to run a business. They then embraced the Virgin

Money Fiver Challenge, which asks “what would you do with £5” then sets a series of challenges designed to guide the children through the process of starting a business for proﬁt, giving each child £5 start up capital. The children produced all manner of products from cakes and bakes to jewellery and wallets. There was much “up cycling” on view, showing the children’s green credentials. Abiola, who used ankara fabrics scraps and recycled cardboard to upcycle gift boxes told Nigerian Watch, “It is important that we recycle in order to reduce waste and

limit the negative eﬀects on the environment and so she used only recycled materials to make her products.” Carmel Britto CEO and Founder of LPF Kiddies Club CIC said: “ We set out to equip our clubs children with knowledge and skills that would enable them to grow up to make

sound ﬁnancial decision and we feel that with the help of the ﬁver challenge we have succeeded in empowering the children with enterprising skills, while equipping them with the knowledge that their ideas could become successful business plans in the future. It has been a joy to watch these children see

their businesses go from being just an idea on a piece of paper to a reality and to witness their realisation that they too can become entrepreneurs.” For more information about LPF Kiddies Club and the work that they do please contact Carmel Britto on 07426868190

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Mobile phone giant makes dramatic entry into diaspora entertainment market Mobile phone giant Lebara has made a dramatic entry into the live-streaming and satellite TV markets – offering a multi-platform TV, video on demand and film service designed specifically to meet the needs of multi-cultural Britain. Known as Lebara Play, the new service has already caused a stir among the African diaspora in Britain, impressed by both its cost and the fact it bundles together in one place free and premium, fully licensed content. Programming combines live TV entertainment, VOD, access to more than 150 TV channels and over 3,000 popular movie titles, delivered in both HD and SD quality to mobile phone, computer and tablet, or via set-top box on a TV set. Subscription packages start from £9.99 a month for web, tablet and smartphone packages. The set top box special introductory price of £149 (standard price £199) includes a year’s unlimited viewing of one subscription package. “Serving the migrant community is at the core of everything we do at Lebara. While the need to call loved ones is never

far away, as new locations become home for our customers, diﬀerent needs such as ﬁnancial services and entertainment become more important,” said Yoganathan Ratheesan, chairman and CEO of Lebara Group, “Lebara Play is an unrivalled service designed for an under-served community; and the launch proves that we’re delivering on our plans to disrupt the existing entertainment landscape and diversify our communications business. “We’ve built relationships with some of the leading content companies worldwide, and in the coming months we’ll be announcing further deals to deliver customers even more of the TV and movies they love in their own language,” added Aditya Thakur, CEO of Lebara Play. “Lebara Play provides a huge range of content – blending the best of video on demand movies and live TV programming – with a simple and intuitive user experience, at a competitive price.”

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ND PRIZE 3 course Dinner for 4 at a Top Nigerian Restaurant in London

RD PRICE 4 Nollywood Movie Tickets.

Send your PROOF OF PURCHASE with your name, postal address and email address to PO Box 88, Orpington, Kent or email: info@sbhf.com TERMS AND CONDITIONS: Proof of Purchase can be: Till receipt, small cut off from bag, or photo of bag. Entries limited to 10 bags per address. Open to UK residents only. Purchase not necessary to enter prize draw. We reserve the right to reject a claim if the proof of purchase is not sufficient or if we suspect any fraud. Purchases must be made between June – August 2015 and all entries must be received by 30th August 2015. Winners must arrange their own transport, Dinner is from a selected menu and does not include drinks. Promotion is limited to domestic and restaurant consumers, wholesalers may not apply.

NIGERIAN WATCH 3 - 16 July 2015

Fortnight

DElE SoSImI QUArtEt at The African Summer - See Box opposite.

thEAtrE Don giovanni

The infamous story of Don Giovanni is combined with storytelling in modern English and Afrikaans by the South African company The Darling Music Experience, performing with seven soloists and a piano. Debuting in the UK, after touring rural South Africa, with this production, which aims to make experiencing opera possible and accessible to everyone, anywhere. 6th – 11th Jul, Mon – Sat at 7.30pm with Sat Matinee 3pm, Tickets from £12. Tricycle Theatre,269 Kilburn High Rd, NW6 www.tricycle.co.uk

fIlm Shades of true Within the space of three short months in 1994, a million people were murdered in the genocide in Rwanda.

Populated by two irreconcilable tribes — the Tutsis and the majority Hutus — the country had long been

LEISUREwatch

steeped in a divisive antagonism. Hutu women, as well as men, took up arms, violently killing their neighbours and taking commanding roles within armed groups. In Shades of True eight female perpetrators who have been imprisoned for their involvement in the genocide recount their experiences with clarity and self-scrutiny. Immaculée admits to being an “animal” and undeserving of her traumatised son Jérôme’s forgiveness. He laments, “What is dirty will never regain its purity.” Filmmakers Violaine Baraduc and Alexandre Westphal guide us through some of the darkest atrocities of war by way of the women’s memories — and by the impossible love between a mother and her son. This screening will be followed by a Q&A with director Alexandre Westphal. 3rd Jul, 7:00pm Tickets £10 The Frontline Club 13 Norfolk Place, W2 www.frontlineclub.com

Staying Power: Black Britain on Screen Celebrating the cinema of Black identities on the British screen with a capsule collection of iconic snapshots; this time-traveller’s journey from the 1950s to 2015, reﬂects black culture’s evolving space in Britain’s landscape and beyond.

EASt END fIlm fEStIvAl originally founded in 2000 as a platform for filmmakers living and working in East london, the EEff has since expanded to represent and showcase the very best in both British and international cinema whilst retaining its commitment to one of the world’s most vibrant filmmaking communities. Now one of the UK’s largest film festivals with a multi-platform festival, presenting a rich and diverse programme of international premieres, industry masterclasses, free pop-up screenings and immersive live events. The EEff’s mission is to discover, support, and exhibit pioneering work by global and local independent filmmakers, and to introduce viewers to innovative and challenging cinematic experiences. highlights include;

Elephant’s Dream Kristof Bilsen’s ﬁrst feature-length

WhAt to SEE AND Do ovEr thE NExt

14 DAyS...

This season of critically acclaimed feature ﬁlms, rarely seen shorts, documentaries and dynamic live British Cultural Archive salon debates invite you to explore and challenge: A Question of Belonging, LOVE?; Black Genius, Revolt & Revolution; Soul Cinema: Mirroring The Black Atlantic; and what it means to be Black In The Digital Age. Ongoing until 25th Jul Ritzy Picturehouse, Brixton Oval, Coldharbour Lane, SW2 www.picturehouses.com

Enchained Nollywood comes to the UK. In Enchained, Ryan tries to escape his wayward past in London where he falls in love with Shanti, have a child together, but his lies, jealousy, cheating and violence chip away at the foundation of their family and eventually she ﬁnds the courage to leave him. Ryan cannot cope with the loss and rejection of her love and his family. He becomes consumed with paranoia, jealousy and hate and goes in search of her. 10th Jul, 8:00pm, 11th Jul 1:00am. Tickets from £20.00 Odeon Cinema Greenwich, Bugsby Way, SE10 abigailventureproductions.com

DANCE Dotdotdot Dance Company in No frills Three dancers, one voice, one guitar and one

documentary is a poetic portrait of people working in the state-run post oﬃce, railway station and ﬁre department in Kinshasa, the third largest city in Africa. Serenely composed and slightly ironic, it provides an essential insight into the Democratic republic of Congo’s bureaucratic machinery, expertly attuned to said nation’s pace of life. 4th Jul, 4:00pm, Genesis Cinema

Estate, A reverie The passing of hackney’s haggerston Estate after 70 years is given poetic expression in A reverie. Andrea luka Zimmerman’s film explores the death of a utopian dream, the reconfiguration of East london’s landscape, and a group of people who refuse to be defined by economic or social brackets, even acting out stories from the past to keep the spirit alive. 4th Jul, 1:00pm, Hackney Picturehouse

INAlA Witness the fusing of South African and Western cultures music and dance. Blending intricate rhythms and infectious harmonies of native musical roots with live percussion, piano and strings, and Mark Baldwin’s richly visceral choreography uniting Zulu traditions with classical ballet and contemporary dance, performed by an exceptional company of 18 dancers and singers. 7th - 11th Jul, Tue - Sat at 7.30pm, Sat Mat at 2.30pm. From £12 Sadler's Wells, Rosebery Avenue, EC1R www.sadlerswells.com

percussion box. Flamenco stripped down to its bare essence. Dancers Noemi Luz, Magdalena Mannion and Yinka Esi Graves, seamlessly interweave

their individual styles creating a shared ﬂamenco language which is accompanied by Ana Colom’s evocative singing.

lee Scratch Perry’s vision of Paradise This is the ultimate portrait of one of the icons of contemporary music. Shooting over 15 years, volker Schaner had unprecedented access to the man who can lay claim to be a godfather of both reggae and dub. lee ‘Scratch’ Perry’s vision of Paradise is funny, poetic and frequently mind-blowing. 4th Jul, 7:00pm, Genesis Cinema

Chameleon The so-called ‘James Bond of ghanaian journalism’ Anas is a name synonymous with justice in West Africa, and yet no one has seen his face. he has previously gone undercover to break a sex-traﬃcking ring, and exposed the deplorable conditions in Accra’s psychiatric hospital. Chameleon follows his tiger Eye Investigations Bureau’s latest mission against a suspect religious sect. 8th Jul, 6:30pm. Rich Mix Book at cinemas listed or visit www.eastendfilmfestival.com

8th Jul, 7:45 pm,| £8.00 Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, WC1R www.conwayhall.org.uk

mUSIC Critical mass Sola Akingbola, percussionist band member of the phenomenally successful acid jazz funk group Jamiroquai, launches his own live band, Critical Mass. Inspired by the satirical political style of legendary afrobeat musician Fela Kuti, the percussive heavy grooves of afro-Cuba, with the rare groove sound of Black America, Sola has concocted a deep, funky roots sound; mixing tasteful percussion, twisted guitars and synths, with a contemporary edge, deeply set in the rich philosophical poems of the Yoruba people of Nigeria and the diaspora. 11th Jul, 7:30 pm. Tickets £11.00 The Forge, 3-7 Delancey Street Camden NW1

www.forgevenue.org

funmi olawumi Funmi Olawumi, singer and founder of the Yoruba Women Choir, brings together all the infectious rhythms of afrobeat, hi-life, juju and fuji to create hypnotic and uplifting dance music. 20 Jul, 7.45pm Tickets? Purcell Room, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre, SE1 www.southbankcentre.co.uk

fEStIvAlS The 3rd Annual Igbo festival of Arts & Culture 2015 Enjoy the cultural and traditional heritage of the Igbo people with dance and drama, masquerades, traditional dances, traditional artists, art exhibitions of contemporary Igbo conceptual painting, sculpture, carving and craft,

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displays of historical and traditional artefacts. 11th July, 12:00 pm - 7:00 pm. FREE Jubilee Park, Galliard Road Edmondton, N9 www.congressoﬁgboleaders.org

I am your neighbour Ovalhouse Theatre will be moving to Brixton in 2017, to celebrate they are hosting a weeklong performance and arts festival as a taster of what is to come. The festival combines performance, spoken word, theatre, music and expert workshops, by young and old, from I am a Promise, theatre performance devised by 1318s, to Come Dine with Us, an evening spent with the Stockwell Good Neighbours elders group - something for everyone! Book in advance-see website for details. 13th-18th Jul, times and prices vary. Locations across Brixton. www.ovalhouse.com/

Art & ExhIBItIoNS lgBtI in Africa Photos of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people in Cameroon, Kenya, South

NIGERIAN WATCH 3 - 16 July 2015

LEISUREwatch Africa and Uganda, From 1st Jul, 10:00am 5:00pm, FREE Amnesty UK, 25 New Inn Yard, EC2 www.amnesty.org.uk

tunde Akinniranye: retrospective ceramic pieces Edmonton-based ceramicist Tunde Akinniranye unveils an exhibition of striking ceramic pieces, including new works inspired by Forty Hall. 2nd Jul - 26th Jul, Tues – Fri; 11.00 am – 5.00 pm. Sat - Sun; 12 noon – 5.00 pm, FREE Forty Hall & Estate, Forty Hill, Enﬁeld, EN2 www.fortyhallestate.co.uk

‘No Colour Bar: Black British Art in Action 1960-1990’ A purpose-built, multimedia, interactive exhibition and events programme commemorating the life works of Eric and Jessica Huntley and the Bogle L’Ouverture Press, (a publishing house as well as a pioneering black bookshop and cultural hub they founded in 1968), with a recreation of the bookshop itself.

thE AfrICAN SUmmEr This summer The Horniman Museum is celebrating Africa with a programme of FREE music, dance, theatre, street arts and more, from July 5th to August 30th. July highlights include; Explore Africa for families: African Animals Africa is home to some to some of the world’s best loved and fascinating animals, Join Jo Hatton, our Keeper of Natural History to ﬁnd out more about the animals of Africa. Jul 21st, 2:00 Africa Dance! Celebrating the diversity of styles rooted from the Africa. Performances include;

Immerse yourself in a stunning multi-sensory, multi-visual experience with works of art, sculpture, photographs, paintings, letters and other artefacts from more than 25 prominent Black artists from 1969-1990. 10th Jul - 24th Jan, 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. FREE. Guildhall Art Gallery, City of London www.nocolourbar.london

Who taught you? Nubian Nights Out Who Taught You? takes inspiration from the late Malcolm X’s infamous speech Who Taught You To Hate Yourself? and is a platform for reclaiming black

tavaziva Dance performing When King Gogo met the Chameleon: a magical story inspired by traditional African tales. freddie opoku-Addaie's Show of Hands. Ballet Nimba: Sewa Fare - ‘Dance for Joy’ celebrating Africa’s happiness, energy and dynamism. Jul 5th, 12:00pm - 5:00pm Jazz Picnics. Watch a jazz concert at sunset in a deck chair with a drink and view over London, listening to the mesmerising sounds of African jazz, from Afro blues to Afrobeat. Upcoming dates include; minnjiaraby, a Senegalese blues outﬁt drawing from the rich Fula tradition

beauty. The exhibition will showcase black women in a light each subject feels she should be represented in. She owns her image. She owns

her conﬁdence. She loves and embraces herself on her own terms – not one set for her by a eurocentric standard of beauty. 24th Jul, 10:00am. Tickets £3.83 The Gallery on the Conor 155 Battersea Park Road, SW8

interwoven with Rumba, Mbalax, AfroLatin and deep blues. Jul 9th, 6:30pm. Dele Sosimi Quartet, a blend of complex funk grooves, Nigerian traditional music (including hi-life), African percussion, and rhythmical singing, grab your dancing shoes… Jul 30th , 6:30pm African Short film festival A trip to Burkina Faso, Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa all within a day through contemporary short ﬁlms and documentaries. Jul 19th, 12:00pm Horniman Museum & Gardens, 100 London Rd, SE23 www.horniman.ac.uk

www.meetup.com/NubianNights-Out

othEr EvENtS Paceworking 10th Anniversary Dinner & Dance Marking a decade of providing Paceworking events, with a Fashion Show, Entertainment, Dinner and Dance. Proceeds of this event will go towards supporting the Downs Syndrome Foundation Nigeria and Methodist Girls’ High School, Lagos, Nigeria. 11th Jul, 6.00pm – Midnight. From £60 Kensington Close Hotel, Wrights Lane, W8 www.paceworkingconsultanc y.co.uk

Africa, Africans and World War I. Annual Conference of SColmA (UK libraries and Archives group on Africa) The first shot fired for Britain in the First World War was from the rifle of an African soldier in West Africa. The last German troops to surrender did so on African soil, in today’s Zambia. This conference will consider the role of scholars, libraries, archives and information sources in documenting and interpreting the African experience of World War I. 17th Jul, 9.15am - 5.00pm. £30 The British Library, 96 Euston Road, NW1 www.scolma.org

NIGERIAN WATCH 3 - 16 July 2015

EDUCATIONwatch

Announcing The Nigerian Watch Story Writing Competition for Children aged 7-11

Write here.

SEE YOUR STORY (poetry or prose) published in a fantastic compilation.

WrItE NoW!

Published authors will be special guests at the glittering book launch.

All published authors will have their story illustrated by a professional artist and you will get a framed copy of the picture and a certificate.

The top author at each age (7, 8, 9, 10, & 11) will receive special first prizes

STORY IDEAS

WHAT I WANT TO BE WHEN I GROW UP

I will never eat another … YOU HAVE GOT TO BELIEVE ME!

Suddenly …

OR A MAGIC DOOR Under my bed

WRITE ABOUT I WAS LOST

An adventure in the kitchen

IT HAPPENED TO ME

A DAY AT THE PET SHOP

A memorable day

My best friend

A PRESENT

thE NIgErIAN WAtCh StoryWrItINg ComPEtItIoN IS NoW oPEN for ENtrIES Entries close on July 22. Submit your story via email to bookcomp@nigerianwatch.com or post to Nigerian Watch Book Competition, Chartwell House, 292 Hale Lane, Edgware, Middlesex, HA8 8NP.

Entries can be any length but no longer than 500 words and have “a beginning, middle and end”. All prize winners will be featured in Nigerian Watch newspaper and all published authors will be invited to the glittering book

launch. A panel of judges including published authors will select the winning entries. The judges decision is ﬁnal. For full terms and conditions visit www.nigerianwatch.com/bookcomp

EDUCATIONwatch

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NIGERIAN WATCH 3 - 16 July 2015

All you need to know before results day What do I do if I don't get the grades I need? how do I retake an exam? read on… This year, GCSE results will be released on Thursday August 20. What to do if you don’t get the grades you need

For most sixth forms or Further Education colleges you will be required to get specific grades in order to gain a place there. Some sixth forms and colleges also have a grade boundary for particular subjects so always check with the criteria that you are expected to meet. If you just miss out on a grade, you can speak to the sixth form or FE college to see if they will still accommodate you with the lower grades, or they may offer you a place but on a different subject or course. Alternatively, you could try another sixth form or college as each centre could have different requirements. What to do if you just miss out on a grade

If you don’t get the grades you were hoping for, be at your school on the day the GCSE results come out to get the best help from your

teachers. If you have just missed out on a grade, or you feel strongly that your grade doesn’t reﬂect your ability, you can ask for your paper to be remarked. This can be set up through your school, but you will have to pay a fee which is only reimbursed if there is a grade change.

courses, you may be able to start your A-levels in the meantime. Each sixth form and college will be able to advise you. What else can I do?

retaking an exam

You might decide that you don’t want to study Alevels, but there are other types of qualiﬁcations that are available.

If you need to resit GCSE maths, English, or English language, these exams are available in November. However, GCSE’s are changing and the new (reformed) GCSEs, taught from September 2015 with ﬁrst exams in June 2017, will mean any student who sits an exam in the November must have reached the age of 16 on or before 31 August in that calendar year. This will be the ﬁrst time that an age restriction applies and the November series will be restricted to entries for English Language and Maths. If you need to resit several subjects, you may have to wait until the following June. If the resit isn’t a subject that is required for your chosen

BtECs A vocational qualification which gives students the skills they need to enter higher education or employment. The skills are obtained through practical, workrelated activities, allowing the students to apply what they have learned. City & guilds A range of vocational and technical qualifications and apprenticeships, helping students to develop their skills for career progression. City & Guilds provide services to training providers, employers, and trainees across a variety of sectors to meet the needs of today’s workplace. Apprenticeships Apprenticeships combine practical training in a job with study to achieve a qualification. You will be working alongside experienced staff in a real working environment, and will be paid during your apprenticeship. .

WhEN ArE A-lEvEl rESUltS oUt? This year, A-level results are released on Thursday August 13. What do I do if I don’t meet my ﬁrm oﬀer?

If you’ve just missed out on your firm offer, check your UCAS Track online or contact the university direct as they may already still offer you a place. If your UCAS Track says conditional, contact the university and check whether you have been accepted. This may also give you a chance to sell yourself and mention the subjects you have done well in, your extra AS grades and any other information which could help your application progress. If your UCAS Track says unsuccessful, unfortunately you have not been accepted and should enter Clearing. What do I do if I meet the insurance offer?

You don’t need to do anything if you have been successful in getting your insurance offer. You just need to wait for your AS12 letter to arrive through the post. I’ve missed my firm offer and my insurance offer, but the university have offered me a place on another course

You will then have ﬁve days to respond to the university and tell them whether you will be accepting the changed course. What happens if I want to defer my oﬀer?

If you get a place at the university of your choice but decide that you want to defer your oﬀer, you must contact the university directly as soon as possible. What is Clearing?

After exploring the other options, you may ﬁnd that the Clearing system is your best step forward. Clearing is a service provided by UCAS which allows you to see what courses have

15112-15

WhEN ArE gCSE rESUltS oUt?

places remaining. On results day, all Clearing vacancies will be available on their search tool , and you’ll know you’ve started the Clearing process as it will tell you or say ‘you are in Clearing’. You will then search for a course against the subject you are interested in or the university that you want to study at. Try contacting the universities directly with your Clearing number and see if they will accept you. You can get a number of informal oﬀers over the phone this way. What is new for the Clearing service this year?

UCAS have introduced a new service for Clearing 2015, If you’re eligible for clearing, UCAS will have sent you an email asking if you want to use the service. The service is entirely optional. If you sign up, a maximum of ﬁve unis and colleges can phone you from 13 August - 4 September if you're eligible for Clearing and they have a relevant course for you. If you sign up you can still go through Clearing in the same way as previous years.

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SPORTSwatch

The big time beckons for hot-shot Chuba Nigerian hot-shot Chuba Akpom has been named in Arsenal’s ﬁrst team squad for the coming season. Chuba was an integral part of the youth set-up last season, scoring 15 times in his 23 appearances for the academy sides. The England youth international also completed short loan spells at Brentford and Coventry City in the second half of the campaign. Chuba made two appearances for the ﬁrst team last season and scored a penalty in the shoot-out win against West Bromwich Albion in the Capital One Cup. He produced impressive showings in the Uefa Youth League and the FA Youth Cup with a combined tally of nine goals in the two cup competitions. Meanwhile, Super Eagle Victor Moses is being pursued by a host of Premier League Clubs. On loan at Stoke City last season, Arsenal’s north London rivals Tottenham are leading the raise to secure his signature. Spurs see the tricky winger as the key to unlocking goals for Harry Kane this season.

thE ClASh of thE EAglEtS IS oN In what will be the first of its kind, a friendly match has been organised between Team Nigeria UK, a British based side made up of youngsters of Nigerian heritage and the reigning World Under-17 Champions Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets. The game, scheduled to be played in July 30 at the National Stadium, Abuja, is the culmination of months of negotiations between the management team of the UK’s ‘Soaring Eaglets’ and the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF). Team Nigeria UK was founded two years ago by David Doherty, a Lagos born former professional player. Having witnessed many aspiring young footballers of Nigerian origin fall by the wayside due to lack of guidance and turbulent personal lives, and the players with true potential going on to represent the national sides of their host countries in Europe, Mr Doherty swung into action to give these raw young talents a platform and hopefully persuade them to represent Nigeria should they make it to the top. A search began, with Mr Doherty taking time to visit various academies, schools and youth teams in the UK looking for players with prodigious talent, of Nigerian background. He quickly managed to pull together a large pool of player’s ready and eager to wear the green, white, green, thus signalling the beginning of Team Nigeria UK. Numerous trials took place to select the standing team, with the final selection process taking place at the world famous St George’s Park, home of the England national football team, with over 800 teenagers in attendance Since their creation, Team Nigeria UK, made up of boys between the ages of 14-17 have gone on to face a series of UK based professional academies, including the likes of Birmingham City, QPR, Bristol City, Bury and Millwall FC. The team crowned their transformation by winning the maiden edition of the African Nations Cup UK Tournament (Junior’s Category) in June 2014 and retained the championship in the recently concluded 2015 competition. (www.africannationscupuk.com). With the confidence and momentum of the team growing, the management of Team Nigeria UK felt the opportunity was ripe to contact the NFF and request a chance of playing the much revered and highly regarded Golden Eaglets, the most successful under-17 team in FIFA

Flying from Eagle to Seagull: a graduate and star of the Super Eaglets UK, David Ajiboye, 16, has signed up to join the academy at Championship side Brighton FC – frequent promotion challengers over the last few seasons and renowned for getting the ball down and playing football. He is just one of many who under the guidance of David Doherty has gone on to take the ﬁrst step towards becoming a professional footballer.

competition history. The NFF, realising the symbolic importance of a match of such magnitude and continuing with their policy of active youth engagement, readily agreed to the proposal and offered the use of the 65,000-seater Abuja National Stadium as the venue of the match, thus officially flagging off what is being dubbed the ‘Clash of the Eaglets’ The Golden Eaglets are managed by former Barcelona Star and Nigeria National Team player, Emmanuel Amuneke, a mercurial winger from the golden era of the Super Eagles. The Eaglets will be looking towards defending their U-17 world title in October at the 16th edition of the Under-17 World Cup, taking place in Chile, and view the match against their UK counterparts as a vital piece of preparation in the run up to the tournament. The game gives Amuneke the chance to see the best Nigeria has to offer at that age range in the UK – meaning some of the UK players might catch the coach’s eye and graduate from the ‘Soaring Eaglets’ to the ‘Golden Eaglets’. The trip will also afford the players of Team Nigeria UK the opportunity to visit orphanages and some selected local football teams to support them with football kits and other gift items. This

is in line with Team Nigeria UK’s values of enriching the lives of underprivileged children through the power of football and sports in general. The match is a watershed moment for Nigerian youth football and is being supported by an array of eminent personalities including the Nigerian High Commissioner to the UK ,HE Dr Dalhatu Sarki Tafida, OFR, CFR, and NFF President Amuju Pinnick alongside corporate bodies such as Tasty African, Guaranty Trust Bank, CANUK and British Airways. The team will also be hosted before their departure by the Nigerian High Commissioner to UK on the July 22 as a send-off for the team along with their ambassadors which include Former Nigerian internationals, Seyi Olofinjana, Ade Akinbiyi and Daniel Uchechi; Nigerian track and field athlete Super Blessing Okagbare; Nigerian- born singer and daughter of famous Nigerian football legend Segun Odegbami, May7ven; comedian Lateef Lovejoy, and Tijani Zayyad. The match is scheduled for July 30 and the team will be travelling with a contingent of 22 players and 8 officials and for many, it will be the first time visiting their parent’s country.

NIGERIAN WATCH 3 - 16 July 2015

BAmE CoAChES From page 24 himself on the challenges faced by the NFL before the introduction of the Rule named after him in 2003 and its subsequent impact. Rooney also welcomed The Football League’s proposals and urged clubs to give them their support. The League will now engage in dialogue with clubs and stakeholder organisations with the aim of ﬁnalising the proposals in time for a formal vote at their 2016 Annual General Meeting ahead of potential implementation in 2016/17. Following a review of all matters relating to the underrepresentation of BAME managers and coaches that began in October 2014, Clarke presented the following recommendations.

thE footBAll lEAgUE ShoUlD: Introduce mandatory new recruitment practices in Academy football that would make it compulsory for clubs to interview at least one BAME candidate (where an application has been received) for all youth development roles requiring a minimum of a UEFA B coaching licence. The League should also set a target of between 10-20% (to be agreed in due course) of these positions being filled by BAME coaches by 2019. Adopt a voluntary recruitment Code for first-team football under which clubs would commit to interview a BAME candidate (where an application has been received) for any managerial or coaching position except in the specific instance of an individual being recruited from another club on terms agreed between the two parties. It is anticipated this would be piloted by five to 10 clubs during 2016/17 ahead of wider adoption. Work with relevant stakeholders to introduce processes aimed at identifying current BAmE coaches and players with the potential and aspiration to coach in professional football. This would include the creation of a ‘ready-list’ of qualified candidates to be used by clubs when recruiting. Cooperate with stakeholders to upskill potential candidates and provide suitable networking opportunities with club decision makers.

Football League Chairman Mr Clarke said, “I would like to thank our clubs for giving me a mandate to continue this important work. I’m also grateful to Dan Rooney and the NFL, as well as other well- informed and -intentioned stakeholders for the support they have given us during this review. “It is important that The Football League takes the lead in this area as our 72 clubs will provide the majority of employment opportunities and that football’s other stakeholders support our initiative. “I am in no doubt, whatsoever, that our clubs make employment decisions for managerial and coaching positions on the basis of merit alone. They do so because they believe the relevant individuals are the right people to take their club forward. “However, it is also apparent that this is an industry that places great value on previous experience and personal relationships which can sometimes act as a barrier to those that are less able to get a foot in the door. These proposals are intended to try and address such issues, which seem to disproportionately aﬀect those from a BAME background, while at the same time leaving employment decisions solely in the hands of clubs, as it should always be for them to decide who they wish to employ.” Mr Rooney said, “I am encouraged to see The Football League taking inspiration from the work of the NFL while creating a programme of measures that are tailored to the speciﬁc challenges facing English soccer. “I hope these proposals make the same impact in England that the Rooney Rule has in the NFL.”

NIGERIAN WATCH 3 - 16 July 2015

INSIDE

Date set for unprecedented clash of the Eaglets

SportsWATCH Football league votes to adoPt its own ‘rooney rule’

Following a unanimous recommendation from the Football League Board, League clubs have given their support to recommendations from their Chairman Greg Clarke aimed at increasing employment opportunities for managers and coaches from a Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) background by promoting open and transparent recruitment practices.

The recommendations were developed after a sixmonth process of engagement with sports and inclusion campaign organisations in the UK and abroad including the Football Association, Premier League, Professional Footballer’s Association, League Managers Association, Kick it Out, Jason Roberts’ Sports People’s Think Tank and the American National Football League (NFL). The League’s proposals have also received the backing of Dan Rooney, the Chairman of the Pittsburgh Steelers and the architect of the NFL’s 'Rooney Rule’ – which requires a black candidate to be interviewed for all top coaching and management jobs. During Mr Clarke’s presentation at the recent Football League Owners’ and Executives’ Conference 2015, clubs heard from Mr Rooney Turn to page 23

CAtAlySt: Jason Roberts’ Sports People’s Think Tank report identiﬁed the problem and sparked the action being taken by the Football League

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