Age, to renowned Nollywood actress, producer and talk show host, Monalisa Chinda, is just a number. “I don’t look or feel 50,” she said, jokingly. “I’m still as childish as ever.” But that’s not all her takes as she celebrates her birthday, reflecting on her career along the years. The beautiful mother of one, in a chat with Ferdinand Ekechukwu, shares how she feels about her new age. She also hints at exploring new ventures, taking on complex characters, exploring other aspects of the creative industry, and advises emerging talents looking up to her

Monalisa at 50, how do you feel?

At 50, as an actress, and a performer, I’ve come to realise that my worth goes far beyond my physical appearance or box office draw. I’ve lived a life of purpose, telling stories that resonate with people across my country, Africa and beyond. I’ve been through ups and downs, and through it all, I’ve grown more confident in my craft and myself. I have come to know life and to realise it won’t always be a party day. So, I take the sweet and sour sides of life with an equal mind and with unshaken faith in my destiny. No question, I’m proud of the woman I’ve become – I’m stronger, wiser, and with my incredible daughter always beside me, our journey has made me even more compassionate. I’ve learned to prioritise my well-being, set boundaries, and cherish meaningful relationships. With good relationships, I can fly. Yes! At 50, I feel a robust confidence. I feel like I’ve earned the right to be unapologetically myself and be intentional about doing the things that would edify my spirit body and soul.

What’s next for you in your creative ventures?

As I look ahead, I’m excited to explore new creative avenues, take on complex characters as an actor, explore other aspects of the creative industry, and theatre productions; and pray I can inspire a few of the emerging generation of actors. And to devote time now to pointing the way to go for my daughter, to use my Foundation (Arise Monalisa Foundation) to devote a good part of my time to the cause of compassion and importantly to enjoy myself. Yes, very important.

What has been your motivation?

Discipline is my watchword! I am not driven by motivation but by discipline! Given the climes we are in presently, believe me, discipline is what you need to survive and achieve every desired goal you set for yourself! The power of a secured mind, focusing on what will edify your life and your future Self-actualisation, and consolidating is the level that I am in right now.

As an actor, between talent and training, which do you believe is most needed to succeed in the movie industry?

Both talent and training are needed. One can’t do without the other. Once you have the talent you will be required to enhance it! That is a given! You must get the required skills to make that talent happen in every sense. With the training comes huge opportunities, limitless rewards, financial freedom, social security, and wealth.

What advice would you offer younger talents coming into the industry looking up to you?

Younger men and women should look unto God and connect with their source. Secondly, your mind must be secure. I am not a perfect person but I am driven by the desire to make a difference and change the narrative; understanding that every lover of arts, music, and theatre, work diligently with a sound mind.

Tosin Clegg

How else would several years of feud between superstar comedians, Basketmouth and AY have come to an end without fanfare? Earlier this week, Basketmouth clocked 46 and as usual, posted a picture of himself on his Instagram page which drew a lot of comments and praises.

But sequel to this post he had stirred a commotion earlier when he had posted a “supposed wedding” invite which later turned out to be a campaign for a new movie he titled, ‘A Ghetto Love Story.’ 

Back to his birthday post, a particular comment stood out of other comments that flooded his page and that was from Ace Comedian, AY which he wrote: ‘Happy birthday my bro. I wish you a fantastic birthday filled with joy and laughter! May your hard work and dedication continue to pay off. May this year bring you new adventures, exciting opportunities, and all the success you deserve. Enjoy your special day to the fullest. Eze gburugburu 1 for a reason.’

This single comment drew significant attention to both comedians, especially delighting their fans, who were pleased to see signs of reconciliation after a long period of avoidance and silence between them. In the comment section, Yomi Casual, AY’s younger brother, made a special request. Nothing prepared anyone for this as both acts more or less gave everyone a ray of hope that regardless of how several things went down, they have both sought to bring any form of the issue to an end. 

To complement the excitement, both acts went ahead to dialogue in a content that went viral almost immediately with almost a million views. The video features them in a dialogue about releasing movies and shows Basketmouth enquiring from AY on the key ingredients to making a movie a success.

Beyond doubts, AY has recorded several successful productions which have earned him a ground when it comes to film productions in Nigeria. One could take this content as a mild but intelligent way to promote their films as November 22nd 2024, would see Basketmouth debut with ‘A Ghetto Love Story,’ and December 20th, ‘The Waiter,’ is set to be released by AY.

Their joint collaborative effort to do something together has been welcomed and cheered by many who see this step as a long-awaited one. Also, it helps make an example of how regardless of differences, a compromise can help amend so much more and even serve as an encouragement to others. 

Both heavyweights are now following each other back on Instagram, marking a significant gesture of reconciliation. This has sparked widespread acclaim, with comedians, actors, fans, and the broader community all expressing their approval and excitement. The positive reaction underscores the impact of reconciliation as it not only bridges a gap between the two figures but also fosters a sense of unity and renewed collaboration in the entertainment industry. The public’s ongoing praise highlights the importance of this reconciliation and its hopeful implications for future interactions and partnerships.

Tosin Clegg

A few days ago, Ayodeji Balogun popularly known as Wizkid released a video teaser of a single off his highly anticipated album, Morayo. It features American R&B Singer, Brent Faiyaz who adds an exciting collaboration to the project. Due to how personal this album is to the superstar, this teaser serves as a template of what is to be expected from the entire board of work which is now more than ever highly anticipated by fans. It is beyond dispute that Morayo is dear to the heart of Wizkid as the album carries a deep personal meaning for him. 

With the teaser delivering a top-notch entry into the ears of fans, it gives a glimpse of the album’s direction serving as a preview of what should be expected of the sound, style, theme, composition, and energy embedded in the entire project. With Brent Faiyaz voice already making fans drool, the body of work has further fueled excitement among fans who had been eagerly waiting for the official release of the album. 

Wizkid’s vocal delivery on the song is also intriguing and just as the title of the song, ‘Piece of My Heart,’ he is definitely up to do this and more. 

His decision to share the teaser at this moment demonstrates his confidence in the project as he hints that Morayo might showcase or represent a new chapter in his musical evolution. From how much publicity has gone into this, we can only but expect an album that is more introspective and emotionally charged. 

Tosin Clegg

Since its inception, Coolwealth Award has played a prominent role in the acknowledgment and recognition of excellence in Africa’s music, football, films, entrepreneurship, and other slated categories through its awards. Recognised as one of the most prestigious awards in Nigeria, it has consistently honored outstanding achievements and contributions in these fields.

For the 8th edition, the organisers are excited to reveal a dynamic lineup of nominees who have made significant impacts in their respective careers and fields. This next edition as always, promises to be a testament to the incredible talent and creativity that defines different industries. 

Kizz Daniel and Ayra Star have come to lead the award categories cutting across nominations under the Artist of the Year, Song of the Year, Album of the Year and Collaboration of the Year categories. Burna Boy, Davido, Wizkid, Chike, Seyi Vibez, Shallipopi, Odumodublvck, Nasboi, and a few others also bagged nominations for other music categories reflecting the diverse and dynamic nature of the awards. Other fields to be recognised involve football, Nollywood, and political excellence and there would be special recognitions given to individuals who have achieved remarkable success in their respective careers. 

On January 5, 2025, guests can expect a star-studded evening filled with memorable performances, heartfelt speeches, and moments of triumph honoring the best of the best. Ahead of the awards organisers have released the nomination lists as voting is set to commence on the 1st of October 2024 as fans are encouraged to cast their votes for their favorite nominees by visiting the official website.

Rising Afrobeat sensation Stephoo has successfully launched his highly anticipated EP titled ‘Stephoo’ on September 20, 2024.

The six-track EP, which features hit singles such as Hustle, Bora Bora, Better Days, Smile, Feeling Good, and the 2023 release Soja, was unveiled to widespread excitement from fans and the music industry.

The launch event, held virtually and across social media platforms, included the premiere of the much-awaited music video for Soja, a song that has already cemented its place as an anthem of resilience. Known for his previous hit singles Ballin’ and Soja, Stephoo’s latest project further confirms his signature blend of Afrobeat rhythms and modern pop influences, with many tracks on the EP already gaining traction on various streaming platforms.

Just like his earlier releases, the songs in the “Stephoo” EP continue to echo the spirit of Nigeria’s vibrant youth, with their messages of hustle, love, and perseverance. Tracks like Better Days and Smile resonate not only with young listeners but with audiences of all age groups, affirming Stephoo’s wide-reaching appeal.

In a heartfelt message during the launch, Stephoo expressed his excitement and relief at the EP’s reception, addressing fans and media alike.

“This EP is a reflection of love, transition, and the everyday journeys of life. It’s a celebration of compassion, overcoming struggles, and finding joy even in difficult moments. For everyone who has faced challenges but continues to expect better days, this EP is for you,” Stephoo said.

The talented artist also took a moment to apologise for the delay in releasing both the EP and the Soja visuals, explaining that his academic commitments had caused a setback.

“I got caught up with my final year exams and graduation, and my parents insisted I focus on finishing strong academically. But I’m back now, no more restrictions. I’m ready to take things to the next level,” he added.

Produced by a talented team, including ShamBee Puzzle, SC Beats, and GHS Beats, and mixed and mastered by Marc ‘W3BZ’ Weber and Michael Synx, the EP reflects Stephoo’s commitment to creating quality music. All tracks were recorded at Silos Studio Sounds, adding a polished and professional touch to the entire project. With its dynamic beats and infectious rhythms, the EP is poised to become a staple in clubs and radio stations across Nigeria and beyond.

The Stephoo EP launch was met with positive reviews from fans and critics alike, who praised the EP’s deep lyrical content and vibrant sound. The visuals for Soja are also generating buzz, with fans eagerly discussing the powerful imagery and narrative.

As the momentum behind the ‘Stephoo’ EP continues to build, Stephoo remains focused on delivering more performances and promoting the project across Nigeria, Africa, and international markets. With his fresh sound and clear message of hope and determination, Stephoo is ready to make his mark on the global Afrobeat scene.

Ferdinand Ekechukwu

‘The Weekend,’ a psychological thriller directed by Daniel Oriahi, continues to record success, grossing over N18 million at the Nigerian box office. This comes after the thriller was selected to screen at the 68th edition of the BFI Film Festival in London and around the UK from 9 to 20th October 2024.

Following a successful premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York and nationwide release across cinemas, The Weekend stands out as the only Nigerian film selected for this year’s festival, further solidifying its significance on the global stage. This year’s BFI will feature 253 titles from 79 countries, showcasing a diverse array of 64 languages.

The varied lineup of the festival includes feature films, short films, series, and immersive works, highlighting its dedication to honouring global cinema. ‘The Weekend’ is expected to make an impressive showcase in the BFI (LFF) Cult Section alongside some of the most anticipated thrillers and horror films of the fall season.  

A production of Trino Motion Pictures, written by Egbemawei Dimiyei Sammy and produced by Uche Okocha, Vanessa Kanu, and Freddie O Anyaegbunam Jr. the film explores the complexities of family dynamics. It is a story about an orphan whose yearning for family and deeper connections leads to a weekend beyond her expectations.

Uche Okocha, the producer, in a statement prior the announcement of ‘The Weekend’ at The BFI London Film Festival, expressed his pride about it being the only Nigerian film to be shown at the festival.  

“The journey of The Weekend from Tribeca to Nigerian audiences has been remarkable, I am particularly proud we get to represent as the only Nigeria film and we are eager for it to engage new viewers in the UK.”

Nigeria’s premiere creative learning platform, The Phoenix Project, is thrilled to announce three exceptional young entrepreneurs who emerged as awardees of its annual pitch event– The Phoenix Den.

The list of awardees who were singled out for their exceptional work included Olukoya Benjamin -Founder of Shoggyben Visuals; Dawn Nketim-Rex – Founder of The Film Joint, and Eric Nwanso– Creator of an Online Platform for Indigenous Language and Culture for Nigerian Teens and Adults.

According to a statement, the awardees were selected from a group of 10 finalists who pitched their ideas to a panel of judges on the 4th of September, 2024 at the Access Bank Headquarters, Oniru, Lagos.

Each awardee would receive a generous grant of N1.5 million. In addition to the financial support, the awardees would receive mentorship and access to a network of industry experts to guide their business growth including working closely with The Emerging Business unit of Access Bank to receive all necessary support through their entrepreneurial journey.

“Some of the benefits available to them include access to reduced interest business loans, access to tailored advisory services and business consultations designed for micro, small and medium enterprises through the Access SME business clinic.

“The Phoenix Project, which launched in April 2022, provides training and support for individuals seeking to launch a business or career in the Nigerian creative industry. The three-tiered program includes the beginner (virtual), intermediate, and advanced levels (physical) in partnership with the School of Media and Communication of the Pan-Atlantic University, and a 3-month incubation program called the Phoenix Den at the Nest Innovation Tech Park.

“The 10 finalists at the event include Akintomide Aluko, Dawn Nketim-Rex, Deborah Ukpanah, Henry Owumi, Peace Monday, Eric Nwanso, Olukoya Benjamin, Tosin Jones, Temitope Mary Odo, and Laura Okpare,” the statement added.

Speaking on the project, the Chief Executive Officer, Accelerate, Colette Otusheso, stated that the Phoenix project remains a veritable platform to exhibit creative talents.

“The Phoenix Project has consistently provided a platform for creative talent to thrive in Nigeria. We are proud to continue this tradition and offer financial support to these brilliant entrepreneurs who are set to impact the industry.

“In addition to financial support, the Phoenix Project is dedicated to nurturing creative talent in Nigeria through targeted training, capacity-building programs, and fostering a strong sense of community. We believe that by investing in these areas, we can create a sustainable and vibrant creative industry,” she said.

In her remarks, Head of Non-Financial Services, Access Bank Plc, Chioma Ogwo, emphasised the importance of supporting the creative industry in Nigeria.

“At Access Bank, we believe in nurturing talent, especially those dedicated to the progress of Nigeria’s creative ecosystem. The Phoenix Project provides the perfect platform to realise that vision. We are thrilled to be a part of this movement by supporting small and medium-sized businesses. We provide access to finance, training, as well as a network of like-minded entrepreneurs for support,” she said.

Ferdinand Ekechukwu

Afrobeat virtuoso, Seun Kuti has released a captivating clip, ahead of his highly anticipated album, ‘Heavier Yet’, on his YouTube channel. The video, filmed and directed by Raphaël Frydman at Question de Son Studio in Paris, offers a glimpse into the creative process behind Seun’s latest masterpiece.

Set to drop on October 4th via Milan Independent Label Record Kicks, ‘Heavier Yet’ comes six years after Seun’s Grammy-nominated album ‘Black Times’. This new record marks a pivotal moment in Seun’s illustrious career, showcasing his evolution as an artist and activist.

‘Heavier Yet’ is produced by a dream team of top-tier producers, including superstar Lenny Kravitz (executive producer) and Fela Kuti and Egypt 80’s original producer Sodi Marciszewer (artistic producer). This collaborative effort showcases Seun’s expansion into diverse musical influences, from funk to reggae.

Seun Kuti expresses his gratitude for working with Lenny Kravitz, describing the experience as “magical.” “I learned from a master, shaping my future music.” This collaboration has not only enhanced Seun’s artistry but also forged a lasting impact on his career.

‘Heavier Yet (Lays The Crownless Head)’ will be available on all major streaming platforms, CD, and limited edition black and colored vinyl. Fans can expect an album that entertains, inspires, and ignites a spirit of activism and liberation.

Featuring a track list of six electrifying songs, each track on the upcoming ‘Heavier Yet’ embodies the spirit of resistance, resilience, and revolution. Each song talks about standing up against challenges and fighting for change.

Like the standalone singles ‘Dey’ feat reggae icon Damian Marley, described as “a song about embracing and championing who we are, regardless” and ‘Emi Aluta’, “a song about struggle that pays homage to all the great revolutionaries”, featuring Zambian artist, Sampa The Great.

Ebipere Clark

Emerging economies are discovering that a Whole of Government Approach (WOGA), coupled with a Country Platform for Climate Action (CPCA), can be the key to unlocking climate finance

On November 15, 2022, at the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Bali, in a move that turned heads in the global investment community, Indonesia secured $20 billion in climate finance through its Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP).

This wasn’t just about the money – it’s a testament to the power of a unified government approach to climate change and a well-structured platform for attracting investment.

As climate challenges intensify, countries are finding that traditional, siloed efforts fall short. Enter the Whole of Government Approach (WOGA) and the Country Platform for Climate Action (CPCA) – two interlinked strategies reshaping how emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs) tackle climate change and court international investors.

The WOGA recognises that climate change touches every aspect of governance, necessitating coordination across the “Four Corners” of climate policy: Foreign Affairs & Geopolitics, the Energy/Infrastructure & Industrial Sectors, the Environmental & Nature Sectors, and the Economy & Finance Sectors.

In Foreign Affairs, countries like Brazil are leveraging climate diplomacy to secure international support for Amazon preservation. On the Energy front, India’s ambitious solar projects demonstrate how cross-sector collaboration can drive renewable energy adoption. Environmental initiatives, such as Costa Rica’s Payments for Ecosystem Services program, showcase innovative approaches to conservation that require multi-ministry cooperation.

Meanwhile, in the economic sphere, Nigeria’s Sustainable Banking Principles – which are being updated at this moment – illustrate how domestic financial regulations can align with international climate goals to attract private sector investment.

The intersection of these corners is where the real magic happens. For instance, Vietnam’s recent success in attracting green investment stems from its ability to align diplomatic efforts, energy sector reforms, environmental commitments, and financial incentives into a coherent package.

This should come as no surprise. Developed economies have already demonstrated the power of WOGA in crafting transformative climate policies. The United States Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is a prime example, coordinating efforts across energy, finance, and environmental sectors. With $369 billion allocated for climate and clean energy initiatives, the IRA is projected to reduce US emissions by 40% by 2030. The European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) similarly showcases WOGA in action.

This policy, born from coordination between trade, environment, and industry sectors, aims to prevent carbon leakage and level the playing field for EU producers. As it’s phased in from 2023 to 2026, CBAM is set to reshape global trade patterns in carbon-intensive industries. China’s National VI-b Emission Standard for vehicles is another testament to WOGA’s effectiveness. This stringent standard, resulting from close collaboration between environmental regulators and the auto industry, is pushing Chinese manufacturers to the forefront of electric vehicle technology.

For EMDEs, the WOGA offers significant advantages. When a government is seen to speak with one voice on climate issues, it significantly reduces perceived risks. This coordinated approach can improve policy coherence and boost investor confidence, crucial for attracting much-needed climate finance.

However, a coordinated government approach alone isn’t enough. This is where the Country Platform for Climate Action comes in. Inspired by successful models like the JETPs, CPCAs serve as a focal point for climate investment, consolidating initiatives across sectors – from manufacturing to solid mineral mining – into an attractive package for investors.

South Africa’s experience with its JETP offers valuable lessons. By creating a unified platform that addresses everything from coal plant retirements to worker retraining programs, the country has been able to attract $8.5 billion in climate finance. “The idea is to create a partnership between the central government and a set of international development partners to jointly coordinate international public finance in support of common goals.” (ODI, 2024 section 1)

CPCAs can attract diverse forms of climate finance, from multilateral development bank loans, philanthropic catalytic capital, to private equity investments. By de-risking investments and improving the business environment, they can help EMDEs tap into the growing pool of global green capital.

Implementing WOGA and CPCA isn’t without challenges, particularly for resource-constrained economies. “Strong central government departments are needed to negotiate with donors and to support coordination across departments and agencies. The government will also need specific knowledge and capacity to engage with the private sector and develop an effective investment pipeline. The government may need to rapidly build these capabilities by developing new teams or contracting the necessary expertise.” (ODI, 2022 Conclusions)

Despite these hurdles, the potential benefits are too significant to ignore. For EMDEs looking to replicate these successes, the path forward involves clear administration will, robust inter-ministerial coordination mechanisms, developing clear long-term climate strategies, and creating well-structured CPCAs.

As global capital increasingly seeks out sustainable investments, EMDEs that adopt these approaches stand to gain a competitive edge. “The JETP, then, can be interpreted as a far-sighted effort to use international finance to smooth an inevitable energy transition” (ODI, 2024 section 6.3)

For policymakers in EMDEs, the message is clear: in the race to attract climate finance, a unified government approach coupled with a robust Country Platform for Climate Action could be the winning formula.

Moreover, a well-implemented WOGA and CPCA can provide EMDEs with the strategic flexibility to navigate the increasingly complex geopolitical landscape. As tensions rise between the US, EU, and China, and as groupings like the G7 and BRICS vie for influence, EMDEs with coherent climate strategies will be better positioned to balance competing interests and leverage opportunities across different blocs. This adaptability could prove crucial in securing diverse sources of climate finance and technology transfer. As the global community grapples with the climate crisis, those countries that can effectively coordinate their efforts, present compelling investment opportunities, and deftly maneuver through shifting geopolitical currents will be best positioned to lead in the green economy of the future.

Ebipere Clark is the Managing Partner, leads Frontier-Alpha LLP, a policy advisory firm specialising in infrastructure and financing, with the emphasis on sustainability, climate and digital solutions.

Sunday Ehigiator

The Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH), through the Society for Family Health (SFH) has revealed that Nigeria recorded 625,929 new contraceptive adopters among female adolescents as of September 2024

This was revealed by the SFH Managing Director Dr. Omokhudu Idogho, while speaking at the 2024 ‘A360 National Pause and Reflect Summit’, held recently in Lagos, with the theme, ‘Strengthening Government Action and Ownership for Sustainable Adolescent Sexual Reproductive Health Programming and Development in Nigeria.’

He said, “At SFH, we are in an ambitious era for health development with our strategic plan. Our strategy mandates us to support the government and partners in innovating to save many more millions of lives and improve health outcomes for our people.

“SFH’s 360 is playing a strategic role in addressing barriers to modern contraception among adolescent girls, working closely with our government partners to support Nigeria’s ambitious goal of achieving a 27 per cent Modern Contraceptive Prevalence Rate (mCPR) by 2030.

“The journey so far has yielded impressive gains; supporting the expansion of youth-focused service delivery to 1,717 PHCs representing 47 per cent of PHCs in focal states.

“Relatedly, A360 is strengthening human capacity for health with over 1,837 providers trained on Youth Friendly Health Services (YFHS), contraceptive technology and Counselling for Choice (C4C); a counselling strategy that has led to 625,929 new contraceptive adopters.

“But most importantly this strategy is proving a workable solution to discontinuation which is one of the main challenges of contraceptive use in the country.

“We have recorded approximately 264,626 continuous contraceptive users representing 42 per cent. Let me use this opportunity to congratulate the states driving the adoption of the C4C as its preferred counselling strategy, it is a demonstration of what we can achieve when we use evidence-based solutions to deal with public health challenges.

“We are transforming the concept of demand generation with male Interpersonal Communication Agents (IPCAs) at the centre of our community mobilisation strategies for ASRH with over 662,947 husbands of young married adolescents reached. This strategy is contributing significantly to the new adopters recorded in the intervention.

“The project continues to strive toward human capital development for adolescent girls and has improved human capital outcomes among 153,388 girls. There are opportunities to expand the scope of interventions that we can layer on what we have achieved so far towards the broader intentions of development for the adolescent girl.

“That is the reason why this P&R participation is conceptualised within a multi-stakeholder framework, to enable us to draw the linkages and aggregate the necessary resources to deliver comprehensive adolescent programmes for our states.

Obinna Chima

Since July 2013, when Justice Joseph Wowo, a Nigerian prosecutor, was unceremoniously dismissed from his high-ranking position of Chief Justice of The Gambia by former President Yahya Jammeh, he has maintained his cry for justice.

He is calling on President Bola Tinubu, who is the Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), to look into his plight and address what he described as the unjust treatment he received in The Gambia.

Delta State-born Wowo, claims that his ousting was a blatant violation of the concepts of justice and fairness.

Before he became a Chief Justice, he was employed as a Judge in the High Court of The Gambia, and from the High Court, he was elevated to the Gambian Court of Appeal. While at the Gambian Court of Appeal, he became the President, from where he was elevated to the Supreme Court shortly in 2013.

The University of Nigeria, Nsukka graduate joined The Gambian judiciary in 2000, and became the Chief Justice of the country in June 2013, at the age of 47, and was removed from office 29 days later by Yahya Jammeh, over an allegation of corruption.

Wowo, however, insisted that the allegations were all cooked-up charges, saying the allegations of corruption leveled against him were set up just to ease him out of the system.

He stressed that when he became Chief Justice, his goal was to clean the judiciary of corruption because “I had zero tolerance for corruption. I wanted everyone to know that you still have very decent Nigerians.” This, he claimed, was partly responsible for his ordeals.

Today, he is appealing to the Nigerian government, through the Presidency to look into the matter. According to him, a former Nigerian High Commissioner to The Gambia last year wrote several letters to the Gambian Foreign Affairs Ministry, but they ignored all her letters.

He said a top official in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in The Gambia reliably informed him that they don’t want to pay him his entitlements, which include a $200,000 awarded to him by the ECOWAS court, as well as his outstanding salaries and gratuities.

“President Tinubu can play a lot of role in this injustice. I am appealing to him to talk directly to The Gambian President so that they can pay me all my allowances and gratuities and the $200,000 from the ECOWAS court.

“This judgement has been since 2019, and we have written so many letters. I have written to the Nigerians in the Diaspora Commission; their legal department wrote to The Gambian Government and still nothing came out of it. I wrote another letter to Nigeria’s ninth Senate in the last administration when Ovie Omo-Agege was the Deputy Senate President. They held a plenary session and nothing came out of it. So, it was like I was abandoned,” he said.

His Removal

Speaking in an interview with THISDAY, Wowo, whose voice trembled as tears welled up in his eyes narrated how on a Saturday morning, in July 2013, some security agencies came to his house to inform him that he had been removed as Chief Justice, “without any notice or to even inform me of my offense, because I was at work the previous day, which was a Friday, until the close of work.”

According to him, “It was later that I was made to understand that The Gambian Bar Association, which was then headed by Lookman Faraj and the Former Attorney General, Amie Joof, connived with the Secretary to the Government.

“They said they didn’t want a Nigerian to be their Chief Justice, that they wanted a Gambian to be the Chief Justice, that was the bone of contention. But instead of saying so, they went ahead and alleged corruption against me.

“But as a Nigerian, I wanted to clear my name, that was why I did not leave The Gambia immediately and also I decided to clear my country’s name. I stayed back in the country for about three months. I wrote a petition that I wanted to know the reason I was removed and they said they were investigating. “They investigated and found out that everything was a lie, but Yahya Jammeh was so ashamed to announce that all they alleged against me were lies.

“So, because he refused to announce, I held a press conference stating that at no time was I found wanting and at no time was I issued any query. I told the press that all were lies and that the President knew that, and that I needed an apology from the President of The Gambia and The Gambian Bar Association.”

Wowo, who insisted that at no time was he involved in corruption during his reign as Chief Justice, argued that another Nigerian, Justice Akomaye Agim, who was the first Chief Justice of The Gambia, was also treated poorly throughout his tenure in the West African country.

“I replaced Justice Agim and he can attest to what I am saying. They fought him because he was a Nigerian. I did not regret that I held that press conference where I stated clearly that everything was a lie and that President Yahya Jammeh should apologise to me.

“But instead of the President apologising to me, because of his ego, he declared publicly that he was going to destroy me and my career. To me, I felt you cannot do anything to somebody when there was no offense.

“Up till now, no criminal investigation stated that I did anything wrong and I was charged with a frivolous offense. As a lawyer and a judge, I know that a criminal case cannot commence or end without a criminal indictment from an investigation.

“They just formulated charges against me. Even the judgement I got from ECOWAS stated all that. To make matters worse, The Gambian government used a judge who was undergoing corruption charges under me to try the matter – one Justice Emmanuel Nkea.

“When the matter started, we told the Justice to recuse himself because he was not the only Judge in The Gambia, but they refused and at the end of the day, he said I was sentenced. I made efforts to appeal the judgment, but they frustrated every effort I made.

“After they said I was convicted on frivolous charges, one of which was that I was parading myself as the acting president of The Gambia. So, I moved the case to the ECOWAS court in 2019. I waited that long because I thought the Court of Appeal would do the right thing.

“We went to the Supreme Court, by then President Yahya Jammeh had been overthrown. I was told that the Ministry of Justice in The Gambia told the Supreme Court that Justice Wowo did not do anything wrong. The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) then happened to be a Nigerian, one Abubakar.

“He told The Gambian Supreme Court then that I did not do anything wrong and that they were not filing anything before the Supreme Court. But still, a set of persons in The Gambia refused, just because of that anti-Nigerian sentiment.”

Continuing, Wowo pointed out that “Because of pressure from the Nigerian High Commission then and the United States Government, they said they have granted me pardon. But again, I wasn’t happy because Mrs. Esther Audu, who was the High Commissioner in The Gambia in 2013, told me that they had already informed President Goodluck Jonathan, who was Nigeria’s President then, about the injustice being meted to me.

“I was surprised President Jonathan didn’t do anything about it. So, the moment the Supreme Court convicted me, I went straight to the ECOWAS court, because my rights were seriously violated. Firstly, there was no investigation into the case; secondly, the judge that tried the matter was someone that I commenced corruption charges against.

“How can you convict someone without any form of wrongdoing?  All these were just because President Yahya Jammeh felt I confronted him by holding a press conference after my removal and he vowed to destroy me.

“So, when we went to the ECOWAS court, the ECOWAS court was furious that someone could be convicted without any indictment or investigation and also that the judge who tried me was undergoing a corruption trial before me and they still allowed him to convict me.

“The ECOWAS Court first ruled that my removal was unlawful and that all that they did to me was unconstitutional and a violation of my right to a fair trial. The court then awarded me $200,000 and said they should assess the amount I spent on the case (all my transportation from the United States to the court throughout the trial), and pay me.

“Since 2019 when the ECOWAS gave the ruling, up till now they have not paid. But all The Gambians that had victory before the ECOWAS Court have been paid their money. Persons like Musa Saidykhan was paid on December 16, 2010; Ousainou Darboe, Kemmesseng Jammeh, Femi Peters, Lamin Dibba, Lamin Jatta, Yahyah Bah, Baboucarr Camara, and Fakeba Colley, were all paid on January 2020.

“Again, based on the fact that the ECOWAS Court said I was wrongfully removed, that I was entitled to all my salaries, allowances and gratuities, I wrote to The Gambian government, but they still refused to pay. I remember one of the Judges, Justice Naceesay Salla-Wadda, who was unlawfully removed when a new government came in, she wrote to them and was reinstalled and all her outstanding salaries and allowances were paid to her, just because she is a Gambian. But in my case that has a court order stating that my removal was unlawful, I have written to The Gambian government, but they still refused to pay me.”

Finally, he is appealing to ECOWAS and the Nigerian government to step into the matter and save his career, saying, I lost a job that I was supposed to get in Trinidad because they said I had been convicted. That was because they didn’t know the basis of it.”

  Dare Babarinsa reviews Nyaknno Osso’s  ‘Against All Odds, My Testimony,’  during the 70th birthday of the ace Librarian 

Nyaknno Osso’s life is an adventure in the search for knowledge.  

He grew up as an only child of his mother and then destiny seized him, and escorted him on a life journey that would take him to all the corners of the earth, dinning and wining with the high and mighty and ultimately leading him into self-discovery as a child of God who has been favoured in many special ways.  

Osso has revealed his true self in this enthralling autobiography, Against All Odds, My Testimony, published by Biographical Legacy and Research Foundation. In this 400-page book, you will discover that Osso is a long-distance runner who started from a truly humble beginning to become a man of global consequences.

Fate singled him out from the start. How can he be the only child that survived out of eight children if not the hand of a benevolent fate? His parents, afraid that he may suffer the same fate like his older siblings, gave him the name, NyaknnoAbasi, which means “I leave him in the hand of God”.  

It was a prophetic name that seem to have guided Osso in his life adventures. His uncle wanted him to be doctor. He wanted to be a soldier instead and he got his admission to the Nigeria Defence Academy through its commandant, the late Major-General Adeyinka Adebayo. God chose a different path for him and our country and humanity is richer for it.  

Osso is not a man to boast about his achievements and this book is written in the plain language of a seasoned journalist. There is no bombastic, no beating of the chest and no flourish. Just be ready to be entertained with facts and information.  

After working with journalists for many decades, Osso has imbibed the reporter’s skill of just plain reporting. It is the simplicity of this book that is so engaging and enthralling. You cannot put it down once you begin. It is an autobiography, but also a bit of our country’s interesting contemporary history, the sociology of his native people of Akwa-Ibom State and a classic exploration of the power-play in Nigeria with the ebullient and enigmatic General Olusegun Obasanjo at the centre of this narrative. 

As a young man in search of his future, Osso had been invited to Ibadan by his uncle, a university teacher, who wanted him to become a doctor, but Osso drifted into information science. He loves books and thus began a lifelong romance with the library.  

It was in Ibadan that he met many interesting people, learnt to become a disc jockey, like the unforgettable Tunji Marquis and Alex Conde, both of the Western Nigerian Broadcasting Service, (WNBS) Ibadan. He enjoyed the highlife. But then in 1975, he took a trip to Calabar on the promise that he would get a job in the library of the new University of Calabar, but instead got a job with the public library where the great Ray Ekpu, then editor of the Sunday Chronicle, happened on him one day.  

Osso was precocious, even daring. He accosted Ekpu and gave him an information that struck an unforgettable chord. “I know your girlfriend in Ibadan, Uyai,” he told Ekpu. “She says you are going to marry her.” Simple; straightforward. That is Osso in a single sentence.  

Thus began a lifelong friendship and mentorship. Ekpu was invited to join the federal government owned Daily Times by President Shehu Shagari on the recommendation of Governor Clement Isong of the then Cross River State. Ekpu became the editor of the highly-rated Sunday Times and from that pedestal, his sun shone across the land. He was cerebral, engaging, daring, informed and fearless. His Sunday column was a must-read and the circulation figure of the Sunday Times soared.  

But the owners of the paper were displeased and they decided to knock him off his high horse and he was posted to edit the staid Business Times. Even then, he resumed his irreverent column in the Business Times until he was forced to resign and took employment with the Concord Group of Newspapers where he served as the chairman of the editorial board. It was at the Concord that Ekpu teamed up with two other editors, Yakubu Mohammed of the National Concord and Dele Giwa of the Sunday Concord to start the pioneering news weekly, Newswatch, with Dan Agbese from the New Nigerian stable.      

With Newswatch in incubation in 1984, Ekpu told his colleagues that the man to make a difference was Osso. Giwa travelled to Calabar and brought him in tow insisting that Osso must start work immediately to build the best media library in Nigeria. Osso was the first staff employed by Newswatch and he was perhaps the best. He pioneered the practise of the library opening almost 24 hours daily, especially during production period. He would be the first in the office in the morning and the last to leave.  

Newswatch understood the critical position of accurate information to the success of the enterprise. Osso was sent to the best media houses in the world to learn more and bring the trophy home. It was during those tours that he met many media legends, including Lance Morrow of the Time magazine.

He had so many unforgettable moments in Newswatch. It was in Newswatch he produced and edited the great book, Newswatch Who is Who, that was to win him world-wide acclaim.  

One day in 1986. Osso had gone to the office and met Giwa who was in a morose mood. He had just returned from a disturbing interview with the State Security Service (SSS) at Awolowo Road, Ikoyi. “My brother, I don’t know why anyone would want to kill me,” Giwa lamented. The following day, Giwa was killed with a parcel bomb.

It was Newswatch that provided him with the opportunity to meet General Obasanjo, who had retired to his farm in Otta, Ogun State, after his service as Nigeria’s military Head of State. It was a meeting that was to change the course of Nigerian history and Osso’s odyssey. The general was surprised when Osso brought 20 files of information about him (Obasanjo) to his Otta during their first meeting. Osso’s fame was spreading rapidly as a first-class media librarian and it was not Obasanjo alone who courted his friendship.  

In 1991, he was invited to work with a Nigerian Head of State and was offered an initial payment of 10 million naira; a princely sum in those day. He was advised to return the money. He did not join the team. After General Sani Abacha seized power, Osso was invited to come and head the national library. “Please don’t go, “Obasanjo advised him. “They would frustrate you. They would reduce you to nothing!”

He declined the offer.

Then Abacha decided to reduce Obasanjo to nothing. It was a dark period for Nigeria and the author until Abacha died suddenly in 1998. Obasanjo rose from prison to become the landlord of Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja. Osso was with him throughout his eight years in power. It was then that the idea of the first Presidential Library in Africa took form. Today, the Olusegun Obasanjo President Library (OOP) is standing on many acres of land in Abeokuta, capital of Ogun State. It is s a lasting monument to Osso’s service to Nigeria and humanity. His ideas and efforts have made the library possible.  

The village boy from Ete has done good.

 Babarinsa is 

Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of Gaskia Media Ltd

 Tony Eluemunor pays tribute to Pastor Chi of the Pool of Redemption Assembly

The development-forsaken section of Area B, Last

Road Extension, Nyanya town, on the outskirt of Abuja in the Federal Capital Territory,

comes alive Tuesday and Saturday mornings. An influx of people rolls into

that luckless section between the high stretch of hills and a small

but a jagged outcrop of stones, a mile or two wide, for prayers at the Pool of Redemption Assembly, (PORA). On other days, an eerie silence engulfs the entire zone. When it rains, a torrent

cascades from those hills and rocks deluging the valley and erosion would wreak havoc on the dusty foot paths and byways which

pass for roads. The little stream which runs through easily overruns its banks, adding to the woes. Thus, while the other parts of

Nyanya are bustling with human activities, the hillside is bare except for the relic of a disused water works outfit, complete with a

picturesque reservoir grafted into the hills and a few but scattered houses erected by some obviously hardy hearts.

The hardiest of such hearts belongs to Pastor (Mrs) Chinyere Ifeanyi, (popularly called Pastor Chi) from Afikpo, Ebonyi State; married at Oha Ozara, Ugulangwu, also in Ebonyi State. Her Christian

ministry, the Pool of Redemption Assembly (PORA), sits there. If anything has injected life into that area, PORA did; and a

first time visitor will locate the place by asking any “Okada” rider for the “Blue Roof” church. It should not have been otherwise; PORA

injected life into the place, championed the construction and reconstruction of a concrete bridge over the small stream there, and

when that road was blocked recently, Pastor Chi spurred PORA members into

action; to reclaim a disused and denuded foot path. Within a week, vehicular traffic could dare that bone shaker, and as the days went

by, it became better under PORA’s diligent care. PORA members keep the place

alive!.

PORA is a place of inter-denominational prayer. Its prescription is

simple; come with a Bible and dress decently;

no trousers for women who must cover their hair, and no shorts for men.

Pastor Chi would often ask that different versions of a particular Bible passage be read aloud by various persons for the actual

context to sink in.

Saturday, 21 September 2024, PORA members will be there in full force;

for Pastor Chi’s birthday celebration, and for those who will remember, the 15th year celebration of PORA’s coming to that site. But

hey, the story jumps!

The ministry began fully in April 2010. Pastor Chi who was counselling

people at home said:  Firstly, I didn’t believe in having a ministry like this. I just wanted if you come I’ll pray for you. Sometimes I

used to take people to the mountain but as time progressed, people

were coming in greater numbers and I needed to have a place instead of

counselling them in my house. That was when God used a Pastor, oh, he

is late now, who gave me a place to use. Around April 20, 2010, which

was a Tuesday. That’s how we started”. One of the PORA workers told me

they came there in 2009 – 15 years ago.

Question: How did the counselling, the praying at home begin?

Answer: By the grace of God I was brought up in the Assemblies of God

Church. The gift came just naturally from God. Even from early

childhood, I usually saw things and told people what I saw.

It started just like that …and much later, I was ordained…and that

was how the

whole thing started. It was all by the grace of God. Actually before

then, I also worked in a couple of churches, then I decided, having

been instructed by the Holy Spirit, to be on my own. That was how and

when the counselling at home started fully. At first it was a partial

thing as people would come and go. Or I would take them to the church

where I was pastoring at that particular time. The ministry started fully in

my parlour …then in no time the number was becoming too much such that

people were sitting under the sun, and a day came…a man of God had

accommodation problems and had to drop his things in my house, so he

came by and said let me use this as a seed to God, and gave us a piece

of land. I built it because it was just an ordinary piece of land, open and empty.

By the grace of God we started our Saturday programme there, and we

started doing the deliverance which we usually used to go to the

mountain for. That is how the ministry started.  It was in that process that we got this piece of land. When they said we should leave

there, the Lord made a way and somebody told us that there was a piece

of land for sale here.

How does she feel when somebody deliberately disobeys a prophecy and

suffers a calamity?  She said: “Honestly, I usually feel bad  because

I know that if that person had listened, he wouldn’t have had anything

to regret, so…. (her words trailed off and

ended in a pregnant silence. She shook her head, as though she was

remembering some particular instances of such unfortunate

happenings…then slowly, she began to complete the answer; her voice

rising, gaining in decibels little by little) I have this soft heart

such that even if God had used me to warn you not to take a particular

action, and you disobeyed and reaped terrible consequences, I still

feel, oh God, this thing shouldn’t have happened.

Yes, I feel the pain. It hurts. You don’t want people you have come

across to suffer or for bad things to happen to them. I think it is

just a part of me that is somehow, I don’t know”. (Then she chuckled

as though she wanted to brighten up. Then a smile lit up her face

again and she added…) “It is well”.

It was obvious that the last question brought her painful memories. I

didn’t want to extend the torture that question caused her but I later

brought it up with someone who had been with her over the years and

he said that such reckless loss of life hurts her badly…and he

narrated the loss of a Department of State Security (DSS) operative

whom she had advised to shun any trip outside Abuja on a certain day.

Then the man came to her, with some money which he called “seed”,

saying he was sowing the seed to enable him act against the prophecy

because his boss had nominated him for a trip to the Northern part of

the country. Pastor Chi rejected the money, saying that God never told

her about the seed but that God instructed him not to travel during a

particular time. The man took back his money, went on that particular

trip and ran into an ambush and died..

In this modern era, many people doubt the existence of God. So, how

does she tell them that demons exist? She replied: “Demons exist and

Angels exist, too. If

people read the scriptures, they would know that there are demons. And

without an iota of doubt, God exists. He is the creator of all things.

He made the earth. But if you are not born again,

you will have that mentality that God doesn’t exist. And also, He

might delay answering their prayers and they will conclude that there

is no God. There is a God and there are demons”.

I asked if there has been any special event that stands out in her spiritual journey? Any special deliverance or message from

God?

Answer: “I see every day as special and I see every deliverance

as equally special for individuals are different. So, too, are their

needs or problems different and special. But I remember one or two

events that made me feel…. I remember that a deliverance was going on

here. The lady was manifesting but the brother was living in Malaysia

and he was having a mental problem. I was doing the deliverance on the sister and at the same time praying for him.

That young man received his instant healing as the madness left him

immediately. Now, this is the interesting part; I later talked to the

man on the phone, through the sister, he said he was walking aimlessly on

the streets of Malaysia, and saw a fair woman and as he was describing

that woman, it became obvious that he was describing me – height,

complexion, etc. He said the woman asked him to go back to his

apartment which he had abandoned for the streets, and he should go and

wear his clothes. He said that it was only when he got to his

apartment that he knew he was in boxer underwear. That was how the

mental problem left him. So, he now called his sister and narrated the

story about the woman she saw on the streets. The sister told him that

the description fitted Pastor Chi unerringly and narrated the deliverance session she experienced that day from Pastor Chi in

Nigeria. They were left with a shared experience they could not

explain.”

Pastor Chi added: “I don’t know how God did it”.

Author’s comment: Had the brother and sister been Catholics, they

could have heard of “bilocation” in the miracle stories of some saints

such as St. Anthony of Padua, St. (Padre) Pio of Pietrelcina, St.

Anthony-Mary Claret or Sister Mary of Agreda; the act of being in two

places at the same time, or a person’s

appearing in a distant place – without physically traveling there and

while remaining visible in his normal place of abode or work.

Pastor Chi recounts the second wonder: “One day before coming for

prayers, I had a revelation where oil was falling from heaven. Later,

during prayers, I made

a declaration that people should open their hands so that God would

pour oil on them. Suddenly, people were seeing oil on their hands. In

addition to that, I also told them that they should pray hard because

many would receive alert of money deposits on their phones.

Immediately the prayer session ended, many people saw alerts on their

phones. That was a special day. Such

things have not happened again. It is still

dazzles me despite the passage of time.  Some of the people who had

that wonderful experience are still here and can confirm it.

There is another incident; about a particular deliverance session. I

was particularly touched because a man had not only been killed but

those that killed him were about to kill the wife also. Moved with

extreme pity, I declared God’s judgment on those that killed the man.

I said, “Sir, wherever you are, I loose you from the grave and I

summon you to fight those behind your death”.

Physically, people were calling from the village that they saw him.

After three people had died in a particular house (I expressly asked

him to go and kill those that killed him), that was it for me because

I couldn’t explain it. So, I called the sister-in-law who was present

at that Saturday prayer session, and asked for the dead man’s name.

Then I called the man by name and said if I’m truly the one who roused

you from your grave, I send you back there. And truly, since that day,

nobody has seen him again. There are very many stranger than fiction

real wonders that God has performed here. We can’t list them all”.

Eluemunor is a Veteran Journalist

TIPS OF THE WEEK

Bennett  Oghifo

Water leakage from the bottom of your car can be a worrisome issue that, if left unaddressed, can lead to significant damage to your vehicle’s components. While it might seem like a minor inconvenience at first, it can escalate into serious problems affecting your car’s functionality and safety. Here’s a detailed guide on how to identify, address, and prevent water leakage from the bottom of your car. Facing water leakage issues under your car? 

Identifying the Source of Water Leakage

Before attempting to fix a water leak, it’s crucial to accurately identify the source. Water leaks can originate from various parts of your vehicle, and pinpointing the exact location can save you time and money. Here are some steps to help you identify the source:

Visual Inspection: Begin by visually inspecting the underside of your car. Look for any signs of moisture, rust, or wet spots. Check the undercarriage, the floor mats inside the car, and around the doors and windows.

Check the Cooling System: One of the common sources of water leakage is the cooling system. Inspect the radiator, hoses, and water pump for any signs of leaks. Coolant leaks can often be mistaken for water leaks, so ensure you differentiate between the two by checking the color of the fluid.

Air Conditioning System: The air conditioning system can also cause water to drip from your car, especially when it’s running. This is usually normal, but excessive leakage might indicate a problem with the drain tube.

Examine the Sunroof and Windows: If your car has a sunroof, check the drainage channels for blockages. Similarly, inspect the window seals for any gaps or cracks that could be letting water in.

Windshield and Door Seals: Over time, the seals around your windshield and doors can degrade, allowing water to seep in. Inspect these areas carefully and look for any signs of wear and tear.

Visit a Professional: If you’re unable to identify the source of the leak on your own, consider taking your car to a professional mechanic. They have the tools and expertise to diagnose the issue accurately.

Fixing Common Water Leaks

Once you’ve identified the source of the water leak, you can proceed with the appropriate fix. Here are some common causes of water leakage and how to address them:

Cooling System Leaks

If the leak is coming from the cooling system, it’s essential to act quickly to prevent engine damage. Here’s how to fix it:

Replace Damaged Hoses: Over time, radiator hoses can crack and leak. Inspect all hoses and replace any that show signs of wear.

Fix the Radiator: If the radiator itself is leaking, you might need to replace it. Some minor leaks can be temporarily fixed with a radiator sealant, but this is not a long-term solution.

Check the Water Pump: The water pump is a critical component of the cooling system. If it’s leaking, you’ll need to replace it promptly.

Air Conditioning System Leaks

Water dripping from the air conditioning system is usually due to condensation. However, if the leak is excessive, you might need to:

Clear the Drain Tube: The AC system has a drain tube that can get clogged. Locate the drain tube and ensure it’s clear of any obstructions.

Inspect the Evaporator Core: A leaking evaporator core can cause water to accumulate inside the car. If this is the case, you’ll need to have it repaired or replaced by a professional.

Sunroof and Window Seals

Water can enter through poorly sealed sunroofs and windows. Here’s how to fix these leaks:

Clean the Drain Channels: Sunroofs have drain channels that can become blocked with debris. Use a flexible wire or compressed air to clear any blockages.

Replace Weatherstripping: If the weatherstripping around your windows or sunroof is damaged, replace it to ensure a proper seal.

Apply Sealant: For minor leaks, you can apply a silicone-based sealant around the edges of the sunroof or windows to prevent water from entering.

Preventing Future Water Leaks

Preventing water leaks is easier than dealing with the consequences. Regular maintenance and timely repairs can help keep your car dry and functional. Here are some preventive measures:

Regular Inspections: Conduct regular inspections of your car’s undercarriage, cooling system, and seals. Look for signs of wear and address any issues promptly.

Keep Drain Channels Clear: Ensure that all drain channels, especially around the sunroof and AC system, are clear of debris.

Replace Old Seals: Over time, seals around your windows, doors, and sunroof will degrade. Replace them periodically to maintain a watertight seal.

Use a Car Cover: If you park your car outdoors, using a car cover can protect it from rain and snow, reducing the risk of water leaks.

Avoid Driving Through Deep Water: Driving through deep water can cause water to enter your car’s interior and damage the undercarriage. Avoid such situations whenever possible.

Professional Help and Advanced Solutions

While some water leaks can be fixed at home, others might require professional intervention. If you’re dealing with a persistent leak or if the source is difficult to identify, it’s best to seek professional help. Here’s what to expect from a professional service:

Diagnostic Testing: A professional mechanic will use advanced diagnostic tools to pinpoint the exact source of the leak.

Comprehensive Repairs: Professionals have the expertise to handle complex repairs, such as replacing the evaporator core or repairing the heater core, which might be beyond the scope of a DIY fix.

Warranty and Assurance: Professional repairs often come with a warranty, giving you peace of mind that the issue will be resolved correctly.

The Importance of Timely Repairs

Ignoring water leaks can lead to severe consequences, including:

Electrical Damage: Water can damage the electrical components in your car, leading to malfunctioning lights, sensors, and other critical systems.

Rust and Corrosion: Prolonged exposure to moisture can cause rust and corrosion, weakening the structural integrity of your vehicle.

Mold and Mildew: Water accumulation inside the car can lead to mold and mildew growth, causing unpleasant odors and potential health hazards.

Addressing water leaks promptly not only preserves the condition of your car but also ensures your safety on the road.

DIY vs. Professional Repairs

Deciding whether to tackle the repair yourself or seek professional help depends on the complexity of the leak and your comfort level with automotive repairs. Here are some considerations:

DIY Repairs: Suitable for minor leaks, such as replacing weatherstripping or clearing drain channels. Ensure you have the necessary tools and follow proper safety precautions.

Professional Repairs: Recommended for complex issues, such as radiator or evaporator core leaks. Professionals have the expertise and equipment to handle intricate repairs safely and effectively.

Conclusion

Water leakage from the bottom of your car is a problem that should not be ignored. By identifying the source, addressing the issue promptly, and taking preventive measures, you can protect your vehicle from potential damage and ensure it remains in good working condition. Regular maintenance, vigilant inspections, and timely repairs are key to preventing water leaks and maintaining the longevity of your car. Whether you choose to tackle the repairs yourself or seek professional help, addressing water leaks early on is crucial for the safety and reliability of your vehicle.

Road Safety

Radar guns, breathalyzers, body cameras, red light enforcement, automated number plate and drivers’ license verification and law enforcement interactions with the public are all examples of contemporary strategies towards strengthening capacity for road safety management in Nigeria. Speed limit signs indicate safe bounds for drivers to stay within while driving, in addition to other road signs and flashing lights which indicate when extraordinary caution is needed on the road. Even in other climes such as the USA and UK, the positive impact of digital solutions in road safety management, cannot be overemphasized.

It is therefore most worrisome that in the face of these measures and other innovative strategies put in place by the FRSC to address reckless driving and improper road use, road crashes and fatalities related to unsafe driving and poor road infrastructure seem to be on the increase on Nigerian roads.

Since 20th May 2024 when President Bola Tinubu approved the appointment of Mallam Shehu Mohammed as the 8th Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC and the 3rd to be appointed from the ranks, the Corps Marshal has not left anyone in doubt about his intent and proposed road map towards repositioning the FRSC as the nation’s lead agency on road safety management and traffic administration.

Buoyed by the wide jubilation borne out of the long expectations of the people that a competent officer with full understanding of the vision and mission of the organization has come on board, Mallam Shehu immediately hit the ground running with definite assurances to effect a new paradigm shift that will positively change the narrative and commitment of the Corps with the mandate to bequeath safer driving culture to Nigerian road users. 

Interestingly, the Corps Marshal had in his maiden address, stated that his leadership will focus on five major principles which are to upscale digitalisation of its procedures, training and retraining of staff to enhance professionalism, improve the presence and visibility of the Corps across the nation’s highways, promoting strategic partnership for collective responsibility, entrenching discipline in line with ethics of regimentation and improving staff welfare for efficient service Delivery, all encapsulated under the principle of People, Process and Technology (PPT). 

Driven by these commitments, his first point of call was the visits to national driver’s license processing Centers in Wuse, Federal Secretariat and the Print Farm in Kado as well as the vehicle number plate production Plant in Gwagwalada in the Federal Capital Territory. In his words, “the visits were necessitated by the need to carry out physical assessment and address lingering challenges associated with the drivers’ license occasioned by infrastructural technical issues and noticeable gaps in managing the motor vehicle administration mechanism of the Corps.”

Commendably, this strategic intervention resulted in the production of about 74,000 licenses in two weeks which led to the clearing of the backlog of drivers’ licenses at various Centers across the country. Presently, Nigerians can attest to the fact of a seamless process in obtaining their drivers’ license. Besides a gradual restoration of the integrity of the Nigerian drivers’ license, the Corps Marshal has replicated similar strategies by strengthening the production capacity of vehicle number plate Plants thus culminating in the availability of vehicle number plates.

The adoption of an improved digital method of operation is not merely a nod to modernity but a fundamental shift that addresses the growing complexities of road safety management in Nigeria. Under his watch, the FRSC has begun implementing advanced data management systems to monitor and analyze traffic patterns, accident reports, and enforcement activities. The Corps Marshal has also initiated comprehensive training programs aimed at equipping personnel with hands-on skills and knowledge in road safety management, law enforcement, and customer service. These programs are designed not only to improve the technical competence of FRSC officers and men but also to foster a culture of discipline, integrity, and excellence within the Corps. 

As an Officer with over 30 years cognate experience in road safety management and administration and driven by the passion to properly re-align the FRSC to live up to public expectation, under Mallam Shehu’s watch within 100 days in office, the Corps has raised the bar on its operational front after the 2024 special patrols usually initiated to ensure seamless flow of vehicular and human traffic in addition to road crash reduction during the festive seasons. 

Aside from achieving 41% in the number of passengers rescued without injuries, there was also corresponding reduction of 51% in road traffic crashes, 38% downward slide in the number of people involved, 35% reduction in number of people killed and 35% decrease in the number of injured persons within this period. This underscores the Corps Marshal’s disposition towards safer roads and fuller lives for the Nigerian motoring public. 

In keeping with his words on assumption of duty to raise the bar on digitised operations in the FRSC in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, the Corps Marshal scored another master stroke last week through the formal launch of a Mobile App and a National Crash Reporting Information System (NACRIS) designed to raise awareness and sensitize both drivers and passengers on the potential causative factors of road traffic crashes and to break new grounds in the Corps’ sustained efforts to create safer motoring environment in Nigeria and digital transformation of the FRSC to further boost the nation’s economic growth.

In his words, “the FRSC Mobile App is a software application that can be used on our phones to alert us on sensitive road safety issues through programmed features such as excessive speeding, dangerous driving, verifying our vehicle documents amongst others. The proper application of these features is expected to drastically reduce injuries and fatalities resulting from road traffic crashes. In this era of technological advancement, FRSC cannot afford to lag behind. It is in this light that the Corps has decided to adapt and evolve its operations into the global network service system”.

As an interactive digital tool, the mobile App will usher Nigerians into a new horizon on road safety management through the following: Emergency reporting by road users on road traffic crashes, patrol misconduct, traffic gridlock and customer satisfaction as well as speed detector feature that beeps on any phone the application is installed on when a driver moves above prescribed speed limit on specified roads and vehicle category.

There is also Black spot (crash prone locations on the highways) indicator as a crash prevention tool that prompts road users at 2km to an identified crash prone area as well as verification or confirmation of the validity of some of the Corps’ services such as the National Drivers’ License, Vehicle Number Plate, etc.

Integration of National Vehicle Identification Scheme, National Drivers’ License, Driving School Standardisation Programme, Road Transport Safety Standardisation Scheme and the Speed Limit Device online services for easy accessibility without unnecessary human interface is also contained in the app.

Provision of regular relevant news update on road traffic in the country,help and learning interface on frequently Asked Questions on road safety,reminder interface for vehicle tyre replacement, oil change & amp; services, vehicle paper, Driver’s Licence, fire extinguisher replacement and customized reminder for users in addition to emergency contact numbers on road emergencies and other security outfits and ability to report stolen vehicle to the Corps for tracking/recovery.

Aside from being optimized to run on various digital systems at most efficient rate, the Mobile App is also designed to promote road user’s safety and promote a culture of inclusivity in road safety prioritisation in Nigeria.

On the other hand, the NACRIS is designed to promote a multi-sectoral approach to crash reporting and data storage. Taking cognizance of data as a veritable tool for planning and allocation of resources, the NACRIS approach is designed to ensure that collated data is utilized for effective implementation of policies that would impact positively on road safety administration.  

NACRIS underscores the Corps’ efforts demonstrated over the years to generate information about road traffic crashes such as the inauguration of Road Traffic Crash Information System in 2014 and the harmonized reporting format of Road Traffic Crash to align with contemporary global best practice. 

It is a web application that allows the Corps to analyze the economic, health and other burdens that road traffic crashes leaves on the shoulders of our nation, as well as helps in intelligence sharing with relevant stakeholders such as the Nigerian Police, National Emergency Management Agency, National Bureau of Statistic, National Population Commission, Ministries of Works and Transport, etc.

Taking into cognizance of Road transportation as the most widely used means of transportation in all countries including Nigeria, there is no doubt that with unfettered public buy-in and seamless government support through improved funding, rehabilitation of roads, installation of appropriate road signs and markings, the FRSC Mobile App and the National Crash Reporting Information System will further strengthen the FRSC under the present Corps Marshal to deliver on its mandate of entrenching safer road culture on Nigerian highways.

*Ohaeri Osondu, is a Deputy Corps Commander at the FRSC National Headquarters and a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations

Expression By Ebere Wabara

LET’S do business: “NNPC Ltd, TotalEnergies kick-off (kick off) $550 Ubeta upstream gas project” Phrasal verbs do not admit hyphenation.

“SARS returns in (to) Anambra…Tension as suspect die (dies) during torture”

“FG assures of boosting domestic airlines’ operation” Who did the federal government assure? ’Assure’ is not a stand-alone verb!  

Daily Trust of August 23 seconds this week with a few inaccuracies: “Police arrest car-laden (car laden) with 3,500 cartridges” The police arrested the car owner/driver—not the vehicle! Commonsense tells us that once the person behind such a toxic contraption is apprehended, the car ends up in the police station. Collocation demands thinking! With regard to vehicular application, police can seize, take away, whisk away/off a car, among other expressions—but certainly not ‘arrest’!

“…it has failed woefully (abysmally), no doubt.”

“UNIJOS inaugurates new Governing Council” Education Today: it could not have been an old council! Yet another headline faux pas: “Katsina to send more student (why?)….”

“Chinua Achebe: The end of an epoch making (epoch-making) writer (1930-2013)”

Now all the facts, all the sides as we take the last contribution from the back page of Daily Trust under focus: “But honours that the good professor would have rejected in his lifetime should not be hanged on his tomb as a mark of magnanimity from the state.” The past tense/past participle of ‘hang’ is ‘hung’; ‘hanged’ is only used when the context is ‘kill/be killed.’

Leadership of August 22 committed an offence: “…theirs remains one of the riskiest and least rewarding job (jobs) in the land.”

“Should we not rather give kudos to these policemen who risk lifes (lives) and limbs daily to see that society does not grind to a halt?”

 “Living in this crime-infested and thriving community that is disgusting and demeaning…and doing nothing to stop or arrest the situation amount (amounts) to….”

“…is not only hypocritical but out-rightly (sic) mischievous.” Get it right: outright mischief. 

“…is castigating same (the same) for saving the lives of the unarmed.”

“Umar Manko should be spared unnecessary distraction (is there a necessary one?) from those who want to make omelets without breaking eggs.” Fixed (idiomatic) expression: (you can’t) make an omelette without breaking eggs. Note that ‘omelet’ is American English, while ‘omelette’ is British English. 

“Chief Tony Chigbo, a public affairs commentator (another comma) writes from Abuja.” The foregoing is the recompense and karmic nemesis for sycophantic tomfoolery!

“Taking the message of FOIA to the grassroot” (Leadership, August 22) Hallmark of leadership: grassroots

Vanguard of August 22 goofed: “We are trusting in the Lord that you are not alone and He shall also not leave us alone even as we grief (grieve).”

The Guardian front page of August 21, among other pages, nurtured grammatical errors: “Reps (Reps’) panel threatens arrest of bank chiefs over (for or in connection with) tax remittance”

“…Alli, yesterday said that there will (would) be no hiding place for the insurgents, assuring that the military was battle ready to crush terrorists.” Who did he assure? Again, ‘assure,’ a transitive verb, must take an object.

“…Yobe State yesterday relaxed the curfew imposed in (on) the state by two hours daily.”

“…the 120 terrorists were arrested when they converged in (on) Maiduguri to….”

Still on THE GUARDIAN: “Govt allays fears (fear) as aviation workers end strike”

“He said that the troops are (were) already interacting with locals and citizens….” Are locals foreigners? Where is thy conscience?

“He said that troops were to be deployed to (in) the black spots….”

“Fidelity Pharmacists Support Facility (FPSF)” (Full-page advertisement by Fidelity Bank PLC) My own prescription: Pharmacists’ Support. Technical: possessiveness in grammar. Let us keep our word because we’re Fidelity.

“UNIBEN alumni lauds (laud) govt action to solve security problems” This should not be news at all!

Now THE GUARDIAN BUSINESS Page: “Flying revenue collection intensifies (intensified) in Abia” Is the revenue collecting itself?! Sub-editors should not be afraid to use past tenses in headlines occasionally when it becomes inevitable like the above case.

Yet another full-page advertisement slip-up: “It’s another ground breaking CSR initiative from 9Mobile to further enhance (sic) and empower the telecoms industry.” Let us talk correctly: ground-breaking CSR initiative…and ‘enhancement’ does not require ‘furtherance’ even if it is serial.

Please note that ‘turn or stand something on its head’ is correct as against last week’s inadvertent declaration that ruled out ‘turn’!

Vanguard of August 29 ended the month on a lexical sour note beginning from its Views Page, as usual: “The gap between the rich and the poor is constantly widening as there is no concerted efforts (effort) by the powers that be (powers-that-be) to….”

“This explains the incidents of rural-urban drifts that have worsen (worsened) the security challenges in the cities.”

From Vanguard schoolboy blunders we move over to The Guardian of September 9 which nurtured two falsehoods: “Our committee has the responsibility to oversight (oversee) BPP….”

“…it is not to intimidate or witch-hunt them but to rub minds (dialogue, exchange ideas, discuss, talk, converse—not ‘rub minds’!) and enlighten….” How do you even ‘rub minds’?

THISDAY of September 6 grappled with basic grammar: “…the debate had far progressed beyond the introductory stage to the question and answer (question-and-answer) session.

“But the minister seems to have swam (swum) into troubled waters recently with allegations ranging from insensitivity to abuse of office….”

“Voters apathy mars election” News: Voter apathy…

“The presidency, also aware of its interests, may do same (the same).”

“…takes a look at the fallouts, recent studies and how women are coping.” New WOMAN: ‘fallout’ is uncountable.

“Snoop Dogg, others join the EMA’s bandwagon” Entertainment plus: climb/jump (not join) on the bandwagon

“Rep debunks report of decamping (defection) to APC”

…As Gov. Oyebanji, others hail initiative

Raheem Akingbolu

In an unprecedented development, 200 Ekiti people, comprising 100 youths, 70 teachers and 30 others, on Friday participated in an empowerment training on data management and computer application, sponsored by the Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Parliamentary Affairs (House of Representatives), Hon. Ibrahim Kunle Olarewaju.

The programme which attracted participants across the state took place at Moba Local Government Secretariat, Otun Ekiti. However, while youths, women and a selected stakeholders had their own training in the morning, teachers had theirs in the afternoon.

The participants, who were taking through the rudiments of data privacy ,identify theft and other data security techniques, were also gifted a brand new laptop each and cash gift to equip them and enhance the training.

Speaking at the event, Hon. Olarewaju, said his decision to facilitate the training, which targeted youths, women and teachers was to prepare the participants for the 24 century work place. To this end, he urged the participants to see the laptops as an enabler and tools for transformation.

Olarewaju, who represented Ekiti North Federal Constituency 1 in the 9th National Assembly, said the initiative was in line with the vision of President Tinubu and Governor Abiodun Abayomi Oyebanji, who have both indicated their passions to engage and empower the youths to be productive.

He said, “The future of Ekiti and Nigeria economy at large is in technology and the future is now. Knowing well the place of digital in emerging technological world, these laptops and importantly, the training given today are necessary to equip our youths, women and teachers to become self reliant and fit in to the future workplace. What I’m doing here today are in line with the renewed hope initiative of Tinubu administration, which our amiable governor in Ekiti has keyed into. No doubt, today’s intervention will positively impact our people and prepare them for the global current digital revolution,”

Also speaking at the event, Ekiti State Commissioner for Youths Development, Hon. Gold Adedayo, who delivered a goodwill message on behalf of Governor Oyebanji said the governor was impressed with the training and sent his good wishes to both the initiator and the participants. The commissioner added that what Hon. Olarewaju did was a life-long opportunity for the participants to change their worlds.

“What Hon. Olarewaju has demonstrated today with the training and the laptops has further stood him out as a serious-minded politician who believes in pragmatic approach to leadership. With this, Hon. Olarewaju is telling the participants to go out there and conquer the world because what the participants have learnt is the future and the future is now. Mr. Governor believes so much in youth and women empowerment and that’s why he’s so happy with this initiative by Hon. Olarewaju. I hereby call on the participants to see this as an opportunity to excell and make a difference in life. Obviously, in today’s work place, there’s no work that can be done without having computer knowledge.”

A special guest of honour at the programme, Alhaji Dauda Lawal, (Adl), who described the program as a ‘pathway to success’ called on participants to rise up and explore the world with the knowledge provided.

According to Adl, “What Hon. Olarewaju did today has shown that he’s determined to show his constituents how to fish and not to give them fish. While I’m commending our Honourable for this, I’m charging the participants to see this as equipment to explore the world.”

A participant from Ijero, Ayodele Alofe, said even though he is computer literate, what he leant about data privacy and security has opened his eyes to fresh knowledge and opportunities in the digital world.

“Data Privacy and Protection has opened my eyes to understanding how to protect my data against breaches from any where, the training is indeed an eye opener for me and would love to extend the experience to learning more in the nearest future” he said.

Another participant, Mrs. Taiwo Bamigbola from Ekiti West said the training had prepared her better as a teacher, not only to teach her pupils but to look for opportunities beyond her immediate environment through digital knowledge acquisition.

Whether he is supporting the achievement of Africa’s Renaissance through the promotion of democracy, good governance, human rights and regional integration through his non-governmental organisation, the Thabo Mbeki Foundation or he is shaping the continent’s political landscape one country at a time, Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki is known as one of the fathers of Pan-Africanism. The second democratic president of South Africa and an African Icon, recently played host to the third cohort of the MTN-sponsored Media Innovation Programme, who were on a study tour to South Africa.

He fielded questions from Chiemelie Ezeobi and some other fellows on need for seamless African borders; insecurity and coups in West Africa, as well as the role of the media in projecting the continent better 

Undoubtedly, the third cohort of the MTN-sponsored Media Innovation Programme (MIP) had a carefully curated itinerary during their recent study tour to South Africa. From certificate workshops at the University of Johannesburg to visits to the South African Broadcasting Station; South African International Affairs; tour of MTN Group head office and the innovation laboratory, the goal to foster media innovation and development was actualised. 

However, one particular meeting stood out for them. They had an hour of interface with the revered African icon and one of the fathers of Pan-Africanism, Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki, the second democratic president of South Africa, at his foundation in Johannesburg. Sandwiched between Mr. Maz Boqwana and Mr. Lukhanyo Neer, the CEO and COO of the Thabo Mbeki Foundation, respectively, he fielded questions from the fellows whose visit was one of the criteria of the six-month long programme sponsored by MTN to foster innovation and development, as well as transform and empower media practitioners to better tell stories that needed to be told.

The MIP fellows were led by the quartet of Dominic Khumalo, Senior Manager for Strategic Public Affairs at MTN South Africa; Senior Manager, External Relations, MTN Nigeria, Funso Aina; Dr. Lakinbofa Goodluck, Public Relations Manager at MTN Nigeria; and Director of Professional Education at School of Media and Communication, Pan-Atlantic University, Chief Isaac Ogugua-Ezechukwu, with support from PAU’s Samsideen Akano. 

Need for Seamless Border for the African Continent 

In response to this reporter’s question on the difficulty in ensuring movement of persons and services through a seamless border in the African continent, despite the offerings of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement, he said part of the problem is a  decline in commitment to Pan-Africanism in the continent.  

“The sense of a strong Pan-Africanism among the political leadership has receded. So when you raise the matter about the matter of movement of Africans amongst themselves, you are talking to people who no longer have that sense of Pan-Africanism or common belonging. It’s a problem.”

He said it’s a battle to convince people to adopt a system which encourages in-direction among the Africans, not to exclude people, but to include.

“Politically, what happened on the continent is a regression from the kind of pan-Africanist commitment that we had with other earlier leaders on the continent, and the weakening of that resolve has negative consequences like this one of people tightening visa regulations so that it becomes very difficult to cross borders. It’s a larger political problem and how you address it is to address the larger political problems. 

“The point that was being made earlier about the relationship among the artists, Nigerian, South African artists (an earlier conversation of how Nigerian and South African artists have been collaborating), and what they are able to do, was correct. In a sense, we need to look at that to say, I know the Nigerian business people for many years have been very keen to have established a similar relationship with South African business, and have not been terribly successful in exciting sufficiency in South Africa, apart from MTN and these others, sufficient of the South African view among the business community to respond to the kind of enthusiasm that was on the Nigerian side about this. 

” I think if you went from sector to sector, it would be the same. And maybe that’s what we need to do, if these various communities in both countries engage each other in the way that artists are saying artists have engaged one another. Maybe that might help to make it easier for people to communicate and move because they’ve established a particular kind of relationship. 

“It’s really difficult about getting people to understand that the matter about movement- that the freer the movement among the Africans, the better for everybody. It’s easier to market these ideas not that these ones are coming to take our jobs, so keep them out.”

Managing Identity Differences and Diversity

On how he managed the identity differences and diversity of South Africa when he was president and his advice for leaders of today, he gave instructive examples including that of Tanzania that eliminated the language divide and brought its citizens under one identity.

Noting that it was a very political thing in management of diversity, he said it’s because it’s central to the survival of all of the African states. “There is no African state which is not characterised by the diversity of its population now. And so if you want to keep this country together, this is one country, one nation, as it were, so it’s got to be a conscious political decision.

“For instance, the one outstanding example in this regard is Tanzania. Because before we got to Tanzania, when it was Tanganyika, they took very important decisions under Julius Nyerere. One of them was about language that everybody must speak Kiswahili. So everybody speaks Kiswahili. So it doesn’t matter whatever your language, your own mother tongue is, the second is the second language. 

“The second thing the abolition of the institution of chieftainship. So there’s no chief of this tribe. Nyerere knew to build one nation out of these tanganyigans, two things you must do- no loyalty to a tribal chief, and no separation among us because of language, and it’s worked.”

He noted that even though some politicians had tried to resurrect this matter about tribal identity in order to advance their political futures, he said fortunately, the notion that they were all Tanzanians and not identified by any other thing was strong enough to defeat that motive. 

“That’s why I’m saying it’s a political decision here. South Africa is very fortunate in that respect, because you know the diamonds were first discovered in the 19th century and right from its beginning, attracted people from Southern Africa, from as far as field, as Angola did come here, and so on. And then, of course, gold mining comes a bit later. The consequence of that is that even domestically, you have a lot of movement of people, the way the social economic development results”.

Still on South Africa, he said the formation of the African National Congress in 1912 had one of its principal slogans to bury the demon of tribalism. So since the beginning of the 20th century, they had a political organisation whose task was to make sure that all of this algorithm come together.

 He said it got to a point where in the  African community, their national leader was always the  president of the ANC and this applied to even those who were not members of the ANC. “What I am trying to say to you is that the way this country developed was such that diversity didn’t serve as a point of division. But that’s a peculiar South African experience, but elsewhere on the continent, it requires a political decision, to say we are this diverse society.

“How to make sure that the unity in diversity becomes important, that’s a political decision. So that’s a challenge. We all have to make sure that at least that kind of understanding on the continent persists. If it doesn’t, then you are faced all the time with weak states that are in conflict.”

African Reconnaissance 

Speaking on African Reconnaissance, his inaugural chair at the African Union and what the next decade will be for the African vision, he said even though there were initial contention about the location and name for the AU, the sentiments for its establishment remain unchanged.

Lamenting that there has been regression with regards to those programs they had earlier instituted, he said it was because of the distancing of people from this notion and vision of Pan-Africanism, which was fed also by this weakness. 

“We’re talking about the AU Commission, which should have been the body institution on the continent, which would be driving this perspective of African Unity every day, full time, but they are not doing that. The programs are still there, but I think weakened, and we need to revisit them, to reinvent, reinvigorate, but I think in the context of a strengthened commitment to The African perspective.”

Coups and Insecurity in West Africa

On insecurity and increasing cases of coups in West Africa, Mbeki recalled that when they were tasked by the AU to engage Cote D’Ivoire, one of the things that stood out was the bad agreement with France, which was having a French military base in Abidjan manned by a French commander with a mandate to look after the national security interests of both of Cote d’Ivoire and France.

He said the consequence was that the  commander of the French troops would always take over the radio and television without recourse to the president or the independence agreement of the country whenever he felt that his national security interest was under threat.

He said such actions are what these young soldiers in Francophone West Africa are rebelling against. Citing the case of Thomas Sankara as a hero, he said they are rebelling against  continuing the colonial relations that continue to exist so that they can genuinely say this country is truly independent.

Mbeki said part of what happens is that when a president is elected in some countries, it’s very much in the pockets of the French. “So the soldiers in rebelling against Neo colonialism, they will also rebel against this political representative of French colonialism in their country. So you get your military coups, and you might protest democracy, but me, I would applaud an anti-colonial stance by the soldiers, that’s what is happening in West Africa. It’s a political rebellion against an old France African relationship.”

While stressing that such coups can be avoided, he however posited that it’s a correct thing to rebel against French Neo colonialism. “How the the matter of the restoration of democracy is handled is something that indeed can be discussed. I don’t think those soldiers are instinctively anti-democratic, but they are addressing a different problem, and it’s a real problem”.

Role of the Media in Pan-Africanism 

Speaking to the heart of the matter -the reason why MTN sponsored the MIP experience for media practitioners, Mbeki said: “I would imagine that before we become media people, we are Africans first. I think generally the African people across the continent have certain objectives upon themselves, the notion of African Unity. We are one people, maybe different languages and so on, but we say we shared the common a common destiny.

“So let’s work together. What does the media do to encourage that sentiment? And I think it’s related to how do we report ourselves to ourselves? I think your visit is important. The African media needs to know Africa, not to be informed about Africa by somebody else in order to report accurately about the continent- the bad and the good. I mean, when we talk about the renaissance of the continent, that will resonate across borders, a rebirth of our continent, so they know a new continent, born afresh, no longer conflict, no longer poverty, no longer any of these negative things. 

Stressing that the media has a very important role to develop that kind of consciousness in the continent, he however said the continent needs to move forward with regard to these matters, free movement of people, better cooperation. “If we want to develop, we can’t develop on our own. It must be mutual, and I can only develop because you are also developing. So how do we cooperate? The media has the possibility and the strength to encourage this common sentiment, common consciousness across our border, so that at least the population, the people, this billion and a half, however many we are, are in a common direction, broadly. It becomes possible then to resolve the issues of interstate relations.”

Shaping the Political Landscape through the Thabo Mbeki Foundation

Like the axiom would say, “retired but not tired”, this cliche firmly represents Mbeki’s life at the moment. Asides the role he plays in shaping the political landscape in Africa, he has through his non-governmental organisation, The Thabo Mbeki Foundation, been supporting the achievement of Africa’s Renaissance through the promotion of democracy, good governance, human rights and regional integration. 

Established in 2010, the foundation seeks to foster a culture of critical thinking and intellectual engagement among African leaders, scholars and citizens on issues of continental and global importance.

When the MIP fellows finally managed to let him go for another engagement, it wasn’t because they had a choice. As was succinctly captured by Dr. Lakinbofa, “if it were possible, we would stay here and listen to you till daybreak”. It was an assertion that resonated across the room as the inspiring conversations had stirred up the quest for a better Africa in the fellows as the African Icon relieved some of the battles they fought for the continent. 

In the face of the global climate crises, a new report has shown that 40 million more children will suffer from hunger’s worst effects by 2050 if immediate action is not taken to mitigate it by boosting health and spurring economic growth. Chiemelie Ezeobi writes that the eight annual Goalkeepers report  

titled, “A Race to Nourish a Warming World” is a clarion call to scale up solutions 

 In its eighth annual Goalkeepers report released today, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation urged world leaders to increase global health spending where it is  needed most in order to boost children’s health and nutrition, especially in the face of the global climate crisis.

The Goalkeepers report, “A Race to Nourish a Warming World,” projects that without immediate global action, climate change will condemn an additional 40 million children to stunting and 28 million more to wasting between 2024 and 2050. Scaling up solutions now can avoid this outcome, while also building resilience to climate change and spurring much-needed economic growth.

The report also shines a light on the catastrophic economic costs of malnutrition and highlights solutions that can help mitigate them. According to the World Bank, the cost of undernutrition is US$3 trillion in productivity loss every year, because malnutrition stunts people’s physical and cognitive abilities. In low-income countries, that loss ranges from 3% to 16% (or more) of GDP, which amounts to a permanent 2008-level global recession every year.

Malnutrition as World’s Worst Child Health Crisis

In 2023, the World Health Organisation estimated that 148 million children experienced stunting, a condition where children don’t grow to their full potential mentally or physically, and 45 million children experienced wasting, a condition where children become weak and emaciated, leaving them at much greater risk of developmental delays and death. These are the most severe and irreversible forms of chronic and acute malnutrition.

 At the same time, as global challenges intensify, the total share of foreign aid going to Africa has decreased. In 2010, 40% of foreign aid went to African countries. But that number is now down to just 25%—the lowest percentage in 20 years—despite more than half of all child deaths occurring in sub-Saharan Africa. 

This trend leaves hundreds of millions of children at serious risk of dying or suffering from preventable diseases and threatens the unprecedented progress the world made in global health across Africa between 2000 and 2020.

“Today, the world is contending with more challenges than at any point in my adult life:inflation, debt, new wars. Unfortunately, aid isn’t keeping pace with these needs, particularly in the places that need it the most,” writes report author Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. “I think we can give global health a second act—even in a world where competing challenges require governments to stretch their budgets.”

According to Gates, malnutrition is “the world’s worst child health crisis,” and climate change is only making it worse. Amidst this crisis, Gates calls for maintaining global health funding; immediately addressing the growing threat of child malnutrition by supporting the Child Nutrition Fund, a new platform that coordinates donor financing for nutrition; and governments fully funding the established institutions that have proven effective at protecting millions of liveseach year. 

“These institutions include Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, which is due to hold its next funding replenishment in 2025; and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, which is expected to also hold its replenishment next year.

 “If we do these three things, we won’t just usher in a new global health boom and save millions of lives—we’ll also prove that humanity can still rise to meet our greatest challenges,” Gates writes.

Proven Tools Exist Today

“The best way to fight the impacts of climate change is by investing in nutrition…Malnutrition makes every forward step our species wants to take heavier and harder,” Gates writes. “But the inverse is also true. If we solve malnutrition, we make it easier to solve every other problem. We solve extreme poverty. Vaccines are more effective. And deadly diseases like malaria and pneumonia become far less fatal.”

The report highlights proven tools that are helping solve malnutrition, building people’s resilience to the worst impacts of climate change, and further driving down childhood deaths. They include:      New agricultural technologies that are producing up to two to three times more milk and safer milk, which can prevent millions of cases of child stunting by 2050.  Modeling shows that in India, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, and Tanzania, these technologies can prevent 109 million cases of child stunting by 2050.

Efforts to scale up new ways of fortifying pantry staples, such as salt and bouillon cubes, can reduce millions of cases of anemia and prevent deaths due to neural tube defects. In Ethiopia, a new process to fortify salt with iodine and folic acid could lead to a 4% reduction in anemia and could eliminate up to 75% of all deaths and stillbirths due to neural tube defects. In Nigeria, fortifying bouillon cubes with iron, folic acid, zinc, and vitamin B12 could avert up to 16.6 million cases of anemia and up to 11,000 deaths from neural tube defects.

Efforts to provide a high-quality prenatal vitamin for pregnant women could save almost half a million lives and improve birth outcomes for 25 million babies by 2040.  Adopting multiple micronutrient supplements (MMS) costs as little as $2.60 for an entire pregnancy in all low- and middle-income countries.

Highlights on New Research 

The report also highlights how promising new research into the microbiome can improve people’s health. Studies indicate that better gut health can help children absorb nutrients, develop strong immune systems, and grow as they should to thrive. A deeper understanding of gut health, Gates writes, has the potential to change not just how the world treats malnutrition but also overnutrition, which impacts wealthy countries.

This year’s report also features essays from farmers and experts on the frontlines of the malnutrition crisis, who explain the impacts these tools are making in their communities.

Sushama Das, a dairy farmer in Astaranga, in the Indian state of Odisha, writes about the Livestock Enhancement and Advancement Programme: “Today, we have eight cows, and they are producing 60 liters of milk every day…The subsidies and training schemes have helped our family earn more money—our monthly income is now five times as much as it used to be.”

Coletta Kemboi, a dairy farmer in Maili Nne, Kenya, who participated in a training with MoreMilk, writes, “Before, there were some traces of unclean milk, but since I went through the training, they [inspectors] have come to our shop around three times and their tests are proof that our milk is good…The extra money we are earning goes to the farm…We are able to pay my three children’s school fees.”

Ladidi Bako-Aiyegbusi, director of nutrition at the Nigerian Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and leader of a large-scale effort to fortify bouillon cubes, writes, “Without access to the essential nutrients that children under 5 years need to grow, thrive, and lead healthy lives, they are being robbed of their future.”

Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana, Rwandan minister of health and leader of efforts to ensure all Rwandan women have access to MMS, writes, “Prenatal vitamins save lives. That’s why you can find them on grocery store shelves in wealthy nations. But for women in low- and middle-income countries, like Rwanda, they are at once more essential and harder to find.” To date, more than 50,000 Rwandan women have received MMS through a program in seven districts with the highest rates of stunted growth.

Dr. Víctor Aguayo, director of child nutrition and development at UNICEF, writes, “The Child Nutrition Fund could be a game changer. It holds the potential to address the child malnutrition crisis and transform philanthropy for maternal and child nutrition.”

About the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, it focuses on improving people’s health and giving them the chance to lift themselves out of hunger and extreme poverty. In the United States, it seeks to ensure that all people—especially those with the fewest resources—have access to the opportunities they need to succeed in school and life.

Based in Seattle, Washington, the foundation is led by CEO Mark Suzman, under the direction of Co-Chairs Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates and the board of trustees.

About Goalkeepers

Goalkeepers is the foundation’s campaign to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable

Development Goals (Global Goals). By sharing stories and data behind the Global Goals through an annual report, the Gates Foundation hopes to inspire a new generation of leaders—

Goalkeepers who raise awareness of progress, hold their leaders accountable, and drive action to achieve the Global Goals.

About the Global Goals

On September 25, 2015, at the United Nations headquarters in New York, 193 world leaders committed to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (Global Goals). These are a series of ambitious objectives and targets to achieve three extraordinary things by 2030: end poverty, fight inequality and injustice, and fix climate change.

Chiemelie Ezeobi

The Thabo Mbeki Foundation (TMF) is set to launch its inaugural Annual Peace and Security Dialogue (APSD), on October 4–6, 2024, in Gauteng, South Africa.

The dialogue, which was organised with the Institute for Global Dialogue, the Human Sciences Research Council, and the UN Development Programme (UNDP) will gather 150 African leaders, scholars, and policymakers.

Themed “Towards a Peaceful and Secure Africa: Challenges and Opportunities,” the APSD will address the critical peace and security challenges facing the continent and provide a platform to proffer practical solutions to peace and security challenges in Africa. 

According to former South African President and TMF Patron, Thabo Mbeki, the dialogue aims to enhance leadership capacity, foster cooperation, and inspire action on these pressing issues with special focus on regions like the Sahel and the Horn of Africa. 

THISDAY gathered that it would also explore African-led solutions to internal conflicts, terrorism, and organised crime, while promoting collaboration between regional and international partners.

Mbeki said: “Africa faces numerous peace and security challenges that have undermined our efforts to achieve development goals and eroded trust in leaders and institutions.

“While many countries on the continent still wrestle with economic hurdles, conflict, and governance issues, the APSD will seek to address these issues by enhancing the capacity of African leaders, fostering a culture of dialogue and co-operation, and harnessing the TMF’s convening power to catlayse action.”

 The APSD will feature keynote speeches, panel discussions, and invitation-only roundtable sessions with participation from African country leaders, policymakers, scholars, business and civil society organisations.

Also, there will be a special focus on the Sahel and the Horn of Africa, regions that have experienced some of the most complex and protracted conflicts in recent years.

In the kitty too is the exploration of current peace and security challenges, including internal conflicts, terrorism and transnational organised crime; and discussion of African-led solutions and the role of regional and international partners.

According to the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, addressing the root causes of conflict and crisis requires a comprehensive and holistic approach that encompasses political, security, humanitarian, human rights and development dimensions. 

Thus, the APSD will provide an opportunity for the participants to examine the various factors and dynamics that contribute to conflicts and insecurity in Africa, such as poverty, inequality, exclusion, marginalisation, governance deficits, human rights violations, environmental degradation, climate change, and external interference.

 In a release by Syreeta van Rooyen, Senior Consultant ByDesign Communications, TMF said the APSD will also enable participants to explore the existing and potential tools and instruments for addressing these factors and dynamics, such as the African Peace and Security Architecture, the African Governance Architecture, the African Continental Free Trade Area, the African Peer Review Mechanism, and the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance.

“The APSD is expected to generate practical solutions, promote collaboration among African stakeholders, and raise awareness about the impact of ongoing peace and security challenges on Africa’s economic, political, and cultural environment,” they added. 

The Thabo Mbeki Foundation is a non-governmental organisation that aims to support the achievement of Africa’s Renaissance through the promotion of democracy, good governance, human rights and regional integration. 

Established in 2010 by former President Thabo Mbeki, the foundation seeks to foster a culture of critical thinking and intellectual engagement among African leaders, scholars and citizens on issues of continental and global importance.

As the new school year begins, Lawyer and businessman, Azeez Oladapo Yusuf, popularly known as Ninolowo, has taken a commendable step in supporting education in his community of Agege in Lagos.

Recognizing the importance of providing students with the necessary tools for learning, Oladapo distributed a variety of educative materials to pupils in need.
This initiative aims to alleviate the financial burden on parents and ensure that every child has access to essential school supplies. By providing items such as notebooks, pens, bags, and other learning aids, Oladapo is helping to create a more equitable educational environment.

Oladapo’s efforts are not just about handing out supplies; they are about empowering the next generation. He believes that education is the key to unlocking potential and creating opportunities for a brigh1§ter future. His dedication to this cause is evident in the thoughtful selection of materials and the personal involvement in their distribution.

The impact of this initiative is already being felt. Students are returning to school with renewed enthusiasm and confidence, ready to tackle the challenges of the new academic year. Teachers have also expressed their gratitude, noting that having the right materials can significantly enhance the learning experience.

In a world where access to quality education is still a challenge for many, Azeez Oladapo Yusuf’s initiative stands out as a beacon of hope. His commitment to supporting education and empowering young minds is truly inspiring

Nigeria’s Plan A is to make Nigeria work, contends JOSHUA J. OMOJUWA

The Council of Young African Leaders (CYAL) founded by Divine Muragijimana and Okenfe Lebarty invited me to speak at their annual City University of New York Young African Leadership Symposium in 2012. At that meeting, a speaker told the audience that they had to leave the U.S. and return to Africa. It was a call to patriotism, or so he thought. I thought the speaker meant well, but I felt they were wrong.

I told the audience that patriotism could not be limited by national borders. I said, “borders are artificial because when the world was created, there were no borders”. I went on to tell them that they must stay committed to home; starting businesses with people they could trust, making donations to projects and programmes and even starting their own projects.

Okenfe recently opened the Lebarty American Leadership Academy in Benin, Nigeria. I remember also saying that if perhaps after several years things were not working for anyone in the audience, it was not a bad idea to return home, to see if they could be luckier. My point was that going home just for the sake of going home was not a good idea. Send money home, I said. People back home will appreciate the person abroad who sends them money than the ones they see every day that can’t change their economic conditions.

That was over a decade ago when, even though like the many years before it, migration was a normal thing. It is far off from these days of japa and the perception that it is a new reality. The ubiquity of social media often biases us into thinking some things are new or more prevalent than they used to be. Then and now, I still believe that those who prefer to explore opportunities abroad are doing the right thing for themselves and their family. Patriotism is sweeter when you are successful.

It takes a lot of faith and sacrifice to leave one’s home land. I experienced something in London days ago that further emphasised to me why I’d never live abroad, outside of short visits, and other long visit commitments. This Caucasian lady and a girl who appeared to be her daughter were in the lift. She was going to press their floor but decided not to when I entered. I could see her hand dilly-dally over the keys. I understood the situation. I simply pressed my floor anyway.

It turned out we were going to the same floor because she didn’t press any key again. When we arrived, I normally would let others step out first, but this time I knew I had to go out before them, otherwise things could get even creepier. Now, it could just be that they’d have expressed the same fear if I was a white male. I don’t know that. It’s also possible that the fear they expressed had nothing to do with me. But I am never going to be in such situations and not think it’s because I am a Black man.

In July, I had another weird experience in D.C. of all places. I do not have enough space to narrate that. I am always thinking, maybe it’s just me overthinking things. I put that down to all the shootings and killings in America. But I am also always aware these things happen when I am outside Africa. I am fine with these experiences when I am traveling. I certainly don’t want to live a life where I am constantly negotiating my right to be in ordinary spaces. I don’t take any of it personal.

People aren’t inherently wicked or trying to other you. We’ve been fed so much unwholesome stuff; we see things that aren’t sometimes there. That includes me. I just can’t imagine that my everyday life would be to stay conscious of being othered by others. That’s why I find comfort in living in Africa. Because that part of my consciousness never gets triggered. As much as these things don’t matter, they matter.

This is one of the reasons why I respect those who must navigate and endure these experiences. I saw a video of a woman saying if someone handed her 20,000 pounds, she’d make her way back to Nigeria. It is a pointer to the fact that the economic opportunities may not even measure up to the inconvenience for some people.

This really is why whilst leaving the country may be an individual’s Plan B, Nigeria’s Plan A is to make Nigeria work. Nigeria’s plan B is to ensure Plan A is a reality. We cannot as a country build a world where our people feel like they have no other choice but to live abroad. The ultra-patriotic say things like, “if abroad no work make dem come back home,” but the truth is, we haven’t made home a viable option.

In a world where many cannot hold more than one truth in their heads, this could be seen as one thing rather than a simple explanation of some nuances surrounding the japa phenomenon. Life is hard at home, it is not easy abroad but amidst all the racism and its other elements, there are indeed more opportunities in the countries preferred by most Nigerian migrants. We need not live in denial of that.

Once we see things for what they are, we can start addressing them. A good place to start is a sense of intentionality. If we are committed to the traveling experience of most visitors to Nigeria — a lot of them, Nigerian first-time visitors to their homeland and returning citizens — we will address the anomalies at our airports. Addressing insecurity may be complex, but what quadratic equation is required to align our entry and exit protocols with what obtains elsewhere? These little things are what makes one wonder; if we can’t address the things that don’t require budgetary allocation, why should one believe if we had money, we would fix the ones that need these allocations? Money ain’t (always) a thing.

 Omojuwa is chief strategist, Alpha Reach/BGX Publishing

True to form, Nigeria continues to flail and fumble at a crime that is fast evolving, striking branch and stem while leaving the roots firmly tucked in the ground.

Operatives of the Benin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), recently arrested 46 suspects over alleged involvement in internet-related fraud in Delta State. The suspects popularly called yahoo boys were arrested in Warri, Ubeji and Jeddo communities in Delta State on September 8. About 13 exotic cars, laptops and mobile phones were also recovered from them.

Now, in the face of yet more arrests of young Nigerians for internet-related fraud, the natural reaction is to flinch and rail at the process and proceeds of a crime which consists in impersonating White people on the internet and mining such impersonation to milk the unsuspecting but ultimately gullible among them of their money.

This crime which is as widespread as it is lucrative on its way to become the crime of choice among Nigeria’s young people,  many of whom have improbably found a way out of grinding poverty by ripping off White people. It is also proving to be a nightmare for Nigerian authorities.

It may be argued that those going into ‘yahoo yahoo’ are doing so as a matter of choice, but even a cursory scratch at the surface of a financial crime gaining ferocious popularity would yield a choice-less conundrum.

How much crueler can conditions get in a country where families exert themselves, exhaust their resources, sell off ancestral lands to put their children through school only to be confronted with debilitating unemployment at the end of the day?

In a country where soaring cost of living, spiraling insecurity and deepening despair  are conspiring to extinguish the light at the end of the tunnel for many young Nigerians, it is difficult to brand anything that puts food on the table as a crime. It becomes impossible when one considers that while relentless hunger convulses the land, a   vicious gang of kleptocrats continues to assault the national treasury.

The truth is that with rampant unemployment, Nigeria is leaving an entire generation without choice, and the consequences are as gripping as they are sobering. It is also providing dangerous justification for the kind of immorality that scalds the soul of a country.

Churches and mosques litter every nook and cranny of the country, yet they fail to lit up the corridors of power.

Government officials lecture on morality only when convenient while assiduously refusing to practice what they preach.

What’s the difference, if any, between the moral bankruptcy of the ‘yahoo boy’ who fleeces unsuspecting White people of their money, and the corrupt security personnel who systematically enriches themselves by exploiting the ‘yahoo boy’?

Since systemic immiseration became the lot of an entire generation, morality also became a luxury, such that it has even become immoral to ask the poor not to survive, or take measuring lines to the morality of the enterprises they embark upon.

Now that the government has also taken to systemically seed fear in those who would speak up, what hope remains, what light flickers still, even if faintly, at the end of the tunnel?

But the government which considers itself cunning in the chess game of state intimidation is one which continues to misjudge the calculus of survival. As long as Nigeria’s young people remain with neither options nor opinions about decent, dignified living within a state that prefers to  dissemble before it discerns, ‘criminals’ and their crimes of survival will continue to reach for survival, no matter how far it is placed beyond their reach.

The solution Is a simple as it is complicated. No matter how dead a conscience is, it often  retains a spark of morality. No matter how hardened those knee-deep in internet crimes are, there is a tale of desperation that simmers just beyond the surface.

What options are available? Former President Muhammadu Buhari may have ill-advisedly described Nigerian youths as ‘lazy’ in 2018, but it is beyond doubt that the country has some of the most enterprising young people in the world. What options  exist for these young people brimming with ideas who want to earn honest living? What are the alternatives to crime in a country where nothing really works but crime? Unless these questions are honestly and completely answered, and options provided, Nigeria will remain a country whose young people are sacrificed to the gods of financial and economic promiscuity and impropriety  because there are no other plans for them.

The reality Is that the wildly dysfunctional, but prolific machine of the Nigerian state is steadily churning out a stream of cunning and crafty internet thieves who are dragging Nigeria’s name through international slime. It is only a matter of time before they drag out the entrails of the Nigerian state and splay same on the barbed wires of international opprobrium.

Kene Obiezu,

keneobiezu@gmail.com 

Nollywood comedian actor cum gospel singer, Longinus Anokwute popularly known as Chief Imo who is currently in the United Kingdom has dropped his latest song titled, ‘Ndi Papa’ .

The song is to appreciate and encourage fathers for their role in taking care of their families.

The music video which was shot in UK is among top five gospel songs the artist has released in two years which has elevated him as one of the high profile gospel singers

Commenting on the new song, Chief Imo said he received criticisms from men after he released a song praising mothers.

“After I released “Nneoma” which I sang to appreciate mothers , there were criticisms from the male counterparts who accused us of only praising mothers and forgetting the fathers.”

He added that the new song was not because of criticism but passion to sing about fathers too.

In his words: “The new song is not premised on the critics because I always had it in mind to sing for the fathers too, but I kept the plans on the back burner. This song is not about an underlying competition between fathers and mothers, because fathers are the head and do not need much praise. All the happiness and praise the fathers needs is reflected on the family and he gets acknowledged and appreciated when the family is doing well.”

Speaking further on the theme or message of the song, Chief Imo stressed that “I found it pertinent that we acknowledge the efforts of the men no matter how little. So I went to the studio earlier this year and composed a very special song for the fathers too.’

“The song which I sang In Igbo says that every father that knows what is required from them, things shall be well with them day and night. They will go out and come in unharmed and death won’t come for them untimely.

It is a prayer for all the fathers so that God will continue to strengthen them and give them all good health, and grace not to die young but live to eat the fruit of their labour.”

In the song , Imo advised mothers to ‘also help the fathers because what they are carrying is plenty, so they should work together to achieve a goal. Fathers are the pillars and the mothers are the spice making the home sweet.’

Emphasizing the importance of fathers and mothers working together, Chief Imo noted in the song that ‘what is good for the pregnant woman is also good for the man that got her pregnant. ‘

“It can seem like it’s just mothers, mothers, mothers but mothers and fathers are one and the same. After all, when two are joined together by God in matrimony, they become one. I see that in most cases, when Father’s Day is celebrated in churches, there doesn’t seem to be a special song for them that makes the occasion ceremonious. So I decided to put down the song, because men out there can really be toiling,” he said.

The song commended fathers for working hard to take care of their families.

“We are out there every minute of the day working hard and suffering to make sure that we put food on tables but at the end of it all, no one praises us. We have to be the ones to praise ourselves. This song is for all the men out there who are doing well, making sure that their family is in good shape,” he said

No fewer than 2,000 participants participated at the 2024 “Forward Live with REO” Global Leadership Conference organised by Reostan Group.
The conference themed, “Game Changers for Global Impact,” attracted a diverse audience, including youth leaders, corporate professionals, top executives, business leaders, and students.

Group Chief Executive of Reostan Group, Rotiba Emmanuel, said this year’s conference stood out as one of Nigeria’s largest leadership and transformation gatherings.
He said that one of the objectives of the conference was to inspire emerging business and thought leaders by providing actionable insights to help them achieve greatness and unlock their full potential.

According to him, “Transformative leadership is the mantra of Forward Live with REO, with the goal of turning good leaders into great leaders.”
Emmanuel pointed out that forward-thinking strategies and leadership values are essential for lasting success.
He underscored the critical role of leadership in personal and national development, highlighting the importance of mastering key life principles.

Emmanuel states: “Leadership is the heartbeat of growth, both for individuals and nations. We must embrace productive leadership principles to thrive. This conference delivers those strategies, with top-tier industry leaders as speakers,” he said”
He urged participants to embrace their roles as future leaders, saying, “It’s time to lead, inspire, and make a difference in the world.”