Idanre Hills – A backpacker’s dream

There is something spiritual and magical about Nigeria, her people, wildlife and landscapes. Mysterious shrines found in groves, caves or on hills conjure up feelings of otherworldliness, and the land is so close to indigenous people’s everyday lives and imaginations that caves are given names and thunder, water and mountains are still worshipped.

For the backpacker willing to stray off the beaten track, there’s much to explore in this mystical country – especially in the picturesque but little-known Idanre Hills, tucked away in Ondo state and just visible from the upper elevation of the nearby capital city of Akure.

Often described as one of the most awesome landscapes in the country, the extraordinary-looking isleberg hills surround the town of Idanre and dominate the life of the population. High up in one of the hills, you’ll find a fascinating abandoned ancient village.

Currently being considered for UNESCO World Heritage status, Oke Idanre is the original home of the Idanre people. The village was founded by early people crossing the Yoruba lands, and was fully populated and functioning right up until the 1920s, when its inhabitants were encouraged to come and settle in the valley below.

Records show that early Christians, converted by European colonists, came into conflict with people practising the traditional polytheistic religion at this time. So while the Christians chose to settle in an area eventually named Alade, those practicing ancestor worship created a new village called Odode closer to their old home.

Ancient footsteps

Though no longer inhabited, Oke Idanre’s red adobe-type structures and iron roofs are maintained by the families who still own the properties. While the families may now live in the valley below, they return for one week a year during the festival of Orosun in May to stay in their former homes and commune with their ancestors.

In the village you can see the Owa’s palace, reputed to have been built a millennium ago, and even a footprint from one of the ancient rulers in the village. Carved into rock, the footprint of Agboogun is said to fit the shape of every person’s foot – as long as they don’t practice witchcraft!

Settled on top of the flat hilltop you’ll also find the Ark of Noah, an ancient wooden structure worked into the form of a ship. The structure is regarded by the Idanre as the biblical Noah’s Ark, and they will readily swear on the god of iron (Ogun) that biblical accounts of the Ark resting on the Ararat Mountains are untrue.

A hiker’s paradise

Oke Idanre is perched on top of a peculiar hill known as an isleberg, and contains many shrines and intriguing caves where early people worshipped and lived. To reach the village you’ll need to climb a daunting 640 steps, with five welcome resting places along the way.

The iselbergs of the Idanre Hills are steep with rounded tops, and are a hiker’s dream or nightmare, depending on the level of challenge you are seeking. According to local guides, it takes between four days to a week to climb all of the hills. Ojimoba, the largest of the region’s iselbergs is even said to have spiritual powers.

If you’re really up for a physical challenge, visit the area in during the Mare mountain climbing festival and marathon. Established in 2009, it attracts as many as 7,000 international climbers.

Also found in this sprawling 900 km² area is Orosun Mountain. Standing at an impressive 3,018 metres above sea level, this imposing mountain is still worshipped by the local people today, and boasts its own festival every May.

Unique flora and flora

Once you make it to the top of the Idanre Hills you’re more than rewarded for your efforts. The flora and fauna are unique, and indigenous mammals, such as the tailless Hyrax, still populate the rocks. A species of unclassified monkey inhabits the forests around Orosun, and you’ll find many different species of bat. During the festival of Orosun, popular bat hunting expeditions take place in Owa, a particularly large cavern with guano–covered boulders. Other caves in the area worth exploring include Ojomu, Omi-Iwo and Olofin and Uwo-Akota, the cave of wasps.

You’ll find the Idanre Hills 24 km southwest of Akure, the State capital of Ondo.

By Lynn Houghton

http://www.fascinatingnigeriamagazine.com/2013/08/idanre-hills-a-backpackers-dream/

Nigerian Economy Remains Strong

•IMF Predicts 7.4% GDP growth in 2014

Notwithstanding the insecurity in the northern part of Nigeria and crude oil theft, which has negatively affected the nation's revenue base, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has rated the nation’s economy as still strong.

The IMF’s positive rating came only a day after the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, restated that Nigeria was not broke.

The minister’s defence was amid criticisms and claims that the country was broke.
The IMF, therefore, projected a real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth of 7.4 per cent for Nigeria in 2014, which is higher than its 6.2 per cent projection for the economy last year.

The Bretton Woods institution disclosed this in its World Economic Outlook (WEO) launched yesterday in Washington DC as part of the pre-meetings events of the 2013 IMF/World Bank annual meetings.

The IMF explained that higher oil prices at the international market showed strong economic prospects for Nigeria despite the aforementioned challenges the country was facing.

"In Nigeria, still high oil prices underpinned strong growth, notwithstanding temporary downdrafts from security problems in the north and oil theft," it said.

Also, the IMF noted that growth in sub-Saharan Africa was robust between 2012 and 2013 and was expected to accelerate somewhat in 2014, reflecting strong domestic demand in most of the region.

It added: “Nevertheless, spillover from sluggish external demand, reversal of capital flows, and declines in commodity prices are contributing to somewhat weaker growth prospects in many countries relative to the April 2013 WEO. Policies should aim to rebuild room for policy manoeuvring where it has been eroded, and more broadly to mobilise revenue to address social and investment needs.”

In order to achieve sustainable and inclusive growth in the medium term, the IMF urged policy makers in African countries to deepen structural reforms and give priority to infrastructure investment and social spending.

“Activity in sub-Saharan Africa remained strong in the beginning of 2013, although marginally down from 2012, supported in most countries by domestic demand. Growth was particularly strong in low-income and fragile states, with the notable exceptions of Mali and Guinea-Bissau, which were affected by internal civil conflicts.

“Angola benefited from a recovery in oil production. In Ethiopia, declining coffee prices and supply bottlenecks slowed growth slightly from a very high level. However, South Africa’s growth slowed further, in large part due to tense industrial relations, anaemic private investment, and weaker consumption growth, the latter affected by slowing disposable income growth and weakening consumer confidence.

“With a few exceptions, inflation remained broadly stable in the region. Recent global financial market volatility has affected several economies in the region, although most low-income countries experienced little impact given their limited links with global financial markets. Among frontier markets, Nigeria’s currency weakened against the U.S. dollar at the peak of the volatility, although financial conditions have since stabilised,” it further explained

By Kunle Aderinokun in Washington DC

Bahia; Nigeria’s Hidden Treasure

 

To the average Nigerian, the name Bahia may sound strange at first sight. That is correct. It is contrived from the Portuguese language.So what does Portuguese influence have to do with Nigeria? It has to do with history. Nigeria contributed significantly to the slave trade through the supply of its people, sold and transported to the Americas and the Caribbean. Majority of the slaves were from the western part of Nigeria, the Yorubas to be exact. One of the ports of call on such voyages was Salvador which eventually metamorphosed into the state of Bahia in modern day Brazil. Bahia was the centre of sugar cane cultivation between the 16th to 18th centuries, thus its attraction of slaves. Most of the slaves that were taken to Brazil initially ended up in Bahia the major processing centre, before their dispersal to other parts of the country.

The slaves took with them their culture, religion and other practices to the new world and resumed life as it was in Yoruba land then, there. The ability or luck of preserving their identity has helped in bridging the gap between the descendants of the Yoruba race in the new world and their original homeland in Nigeria. What makes this odyssey interesting is the pride with which Nigerians in Bahia have held on to their DNA. Such pride in their identity is mirrored through religion, the traditional African religion that is. It is practised though in an adulterated form with emphasis on the meaning of such religion in the lives of the people. Adherent of some of the faiths adopt the names connected with such religions and the dress codes. So it’s not strange to see on the streets of Salvador the capital of the state with people bearing names such as‘’Ogunwale’’, ‘‘Ogunyemi’’, ‘‘Oya’’ etc. Apart from practising such religions, festivals also play a role in sustaining the cultural heritage of the people. Through such festivals the Yoruba community in Brazil has been able to link with the ancestral home and maintain the bond of brotherhood by reaching out to Yoruba institutions over the years, such as the Ooni of Ife and the Alaafin of Oyo. These Nigerians in the Diaspora value their true identity, which according to them does not allow them to wear the tag of a lost people or nation. Being able to hold to their ancient identity and practices has helped them in adapting well, from a social engineering perspective in a strange, Eurocentric and fast changing world.

In twenty first century Brazil, a modern state and an emerging world power, it is not uncommon for a Nigerian traveller or tourist to walk around neighbourhoods in Bahia hearing Yoruba language spoken in the pre-colonial format, while also catching a glimpse of the sale of fried bean cake fondly referred to as Akara also in the region. To ensure that the culture of the Yoruba people endures in the country there are many museums scattered around the state of Bahia, with the principal role of preserving history and a way of life.
The new Yoruba nation in Bahia and by extension throughout Brazil has helped as a catalyst of building,promoting and sustaining a formidable diplomatic relationship between that major power and Nigeria in the era of the newly emerging powers. Brazil is a member BRICS a powerful economic block, whose per capita overshadows the United States and the European Union combined. The leverage that the Yorubas have in Brazil has impacted positively on how Brazil views and relates with Nigeria and this has shown through the visits of the last two presidents of the South American country to Nigeria and the setting up of high level economic activities and increased trade and investments between the two nations. So the socio cultural activism of a community has helped in translating into economic benefits for all concerned.

Bearing in mind currently a situation where Yoruba language and culture has been touted to be under threat in the mother country, an irony may emerge that the Yorubas in Nigeria will soon start to learn of their past from their cousins in the new world.

Olugbenga Adebanjo writes in from the United Kingdom.

Nigeria On the Verge of Glory at FIFA U-17 World Cup

An exciting footballing crescendo is been expected today at the 2013 Finals of the FIFA U-17 football World tournament between Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets and Mexico.

The Golden Eaglets so far has proven beyond doubts that they are more than ready and capable to once again lift this Cup having won this same title in 1985,1993 and 2007.

An earlier encounter with Mexico at the opening stages of this year’s competition witnessed the Golden Eaglets thrashing Mexico, the current defending champions by 6-1.

However, Golden Eaglets coach, Manu Garba has expressed a caution saying that he expects the Mexicans to fight back this time around.

“Mexico would be looking for revenge but we are going to win this match because we want to set the record as the best team in the world at this level. We respect Mexico for what they have been able to do at this World Cup but our prayer is that God would crown our effort tomorrow” says coach Garba.

The Match is expected to be played at 5pm Nigerian time later today. 

Osun Airport To Have Longest Runway In Nigeria

By the time it is completed and delivered in May next year, the MKO International Airport, Ido Osun, in Osun State will emerge as the airport with the longest runway in the country.

With 3.5 kilometres runway, the airport under construction beats the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (3Km) and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (2.8Km).

Speaking during the governors inspection on Monday,the Project Supervisor of the company handling the project, Aeronautical Engineering and Technical Services, Eng. Abubakar Abuyaro said that largest part of the work on the airport is on the runway, which progress has been slowed by the heavy rain witnessed so far in the year.

According to Abuyaro, that majority of the excavation work that needed to be done could not be carried out during the rainy season in order to ensure a quality job.

“Fifty percent of the earthwork on the runway, which is the most important part of the job, has been achieved. Rainy season is gradually going to an end.

“As soon as rainfall subsides, work will definitely go at a high speed in the airport, which after completion, is going to be one of the best airports in the country,” Abuyari said.

The engineer explained that a solid base is needed for the 3.5 kilometres runway, which he said will be the longest in the country.

He disclosed that all the hydraulic structures, which form the drainages and culverts for the runway, are being constructed now in other to speed up the job.

He stated further that the form work for the precast drainages are already on ground and casting work is going on everyday so as to speed up job when the rain stops.

Engr. Abuyaro noted that when completed, the airport will be one of the best and one with the longest runway in the country, saying that the length of the runway of an airport determines the type of aircraft the airport can accommodate.

He said that the MKO International Airport is being built to accommodate the Boeing 737 aircraft series.

He assured government that the airport, which will also accommodate cargo air crafts, will be completed and delivered by May 2014.

The Obudu International Mountain Race

This is an annual 11.25 km mountain running competition that takes place in late November in Obudu, Cross River State, Nigeria. First held in 2005, it has the largest total prize-money available of any mountain race and is known as "the world's richest mountain race". The men's and women's competition winners receive US$50,000 each, and there is a total prize pot of around $250,000.

The combination of the distance of the race and the rewards on offer means that it attracts world-class road running athletes as well as mountain running athletes. It is an associate member race of the World Mountain Running Association (WMRA) and is also endorsed by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).

The race was created under the patronage of Donald Duke, a former Governor of Cross River State, who devised it as a means of raising awareness of Obudu Mountain Resort – a tourist resort. The course begins at a height of 800 m above sea level, and as it traces a path towards the summit of Mount Obudu it climbs a further 800 m, with the finishing point of the race being a total 1600 m above sea level.

The Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the 2013 Obudu International Mountain Race says “random in-competition doping control” will be employed during this 9th edition of the race coming up on the 23rd of November. This is to ensure a fair, smooth and healthy competition which has become one of the most anticipated events in the calendar of the world mountain running association.  

The LOC will cooperate with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) official in Nigeria who will customarily conduct the exercise.

It is worthy of note, that the race has not witnessed any major doping scandal since inception in 2005 and as such there is confidence that a clean race will be witnessed come November 23rd 2013. 

Acknowledgement: Cross Rivers State Government

Source: TUN Extra

Fela Durotoye- Moulding Leaders, Creating the Future, Building the Nation

I sat clearly transfixed amidst hundreds of other young people as I listened to the words that changed my life and spurred me on to pursue my dreams, they were not mere words of inspiration; you know, not the kind we have become accustomed to, that for many have become words of frustration as they have grown stale from constant use, reuse and overuse. These were different, and not in any way conventional. They were apt and extremely convincing. And the speaker? Oh! He was on point and spoke with so much eloquence and precision that kept me wondering. That day, I made an important decision, to be the best in what I have been called to do and today I am glad I took that decision.

Someone once said that success does not just happen to people, people make success happen. Oluwafeolami Durotoye has made success happen not just for himself but also for a lot of other people that have paid close attention and made the decision to take the step of courage like I did. Fela Durotoye or FDas most people love to call him was born on 12 may 1971 in Ibadan South-West Nigeria. A year later, his family moved to Ile-Ife where he grew up as one of the most active kids in the University environment where they lived at the time. Two years down the line, the little boy started his basic education at the University Staff Children’s School where he became a member of the boys scout and the school band until 1981. And then he proceeded to Moremi High School (1981- 1986), where he was also the lead vocalist and keyboardist in the youth band, “The Midwaves”; a regular feature on TV.

Fela moved onto the University for his Bachelors degree in Computer Science and Economics from 1986 to 1991, after which he went further to pursue an MBA in the same institution from 1995 to 1997. During this period, his entrepreneurial skills came alive and he started “The pool bar”, which became a hotspot and the major hang-out on campus at the time

For the young entrepreneur, business was booming but he was clearly unaware of the impending event destined to turn his life around. In April 1997 Fela had a one on one encounter with God, an experience he may never forget that  ushered him into the real life; a purposeful life.

Now with a clear understanding and clarity of vision, the young entrepreneur took a job with Phillips Consulting, a Management Consulting and Training outfit in Lagos; where he excelled greatly and rose in an exceptional career path to head the Customer Service Group. In this role, this determined man facilitated several customer service and personal training programmes and retreats. Based on his outstanding approach to facilitating, Fela became a highly respected figure in many organisations including Chartered Bank, Diamond Bank and Societe Generale Bank of Nigeria, where he managed several customer service programmes on behalf of Phillips Consulting. His immense contribution to the company was so glaring and impressive that his boss at the time, the executive chairman of Phillips Consulting could not help but testify in his favour, “I saw Fela preach the gospel of customer service according to the gospel of Saint Fela Durotoye and I watched in amazement as he converted all the souls of his listeners involved.”

In 1997 the unimaginable happened; in a prompt response to a divine instruction, the entrepreneurial guru quit his plum job, determined to fulfill his mandate of becoming a nation builder. This period was definitely not an easy one for him, it was more like a trying time, yet the action man did not relent on his decision as his mind was already made up; a  salary raise at the time was not even enough to woo him or make him change his mind.

A friend of mine once said that some people have thousands of reasons why they cannot do what they are supposed to do when all they need is one reason why they can. For Fela, that one reason is his mandate to build the nation. His decision to leave was a big challenge for him. According to him, “the most difficult aspect was leaving , having to detach myself from Phillips Consulting because I loved it with all my heart and had a personal drive to get to the top echelon. My vision was aligned to the growth of the company”.

In furtherance of his vision, Fela started a Christian Lifestyle and Entertainment Centre called EDEN, and at this time he barely had enough to sustain himself. He recounts, “For a period of time, I went from having a salary to having none.” In a bid to raise money to set up the Centre, Fela gave up everything he owned, “including my television set, fridge, air conditioners, radio, deep freezer and even light fittings. It was an incredibly challenging period.” He later went into consulting where he continues to excel.

Fela was the celebrated speaker in the 2003 ECOWAS Regional Youth Conference and thus received a mandate from the ECOWAS Secretariat to prepare a five year plan for youth empowerment and employment in the 15 member states. Also in 2004, he was one of the guest speakers at the Nigerian Professionals Forum (NIPRO) in the US, and also received an award for excellence in consulting.In 2012, Fela broke a record for signing 10,000 of his books “17 Secrets of High Flying Students” in 8 hours 49 minutes. Today, he is the Managing Partner of Visible Impact (VIP) Consulting Limited, a social enterprise set to tackle social and environmental challenges. The company assists clients to create visible improvement in their service delivery culture through required training and consultancy. Now the genius has this to say “I am in my place of obedience, I am committed to being the best in what I have been called to do”.He is also the founder of GEMSTONE, an organisation invested in moulding the leaders that will build Nigeria.

His advice to young professionals, “endeavor to build a reputation of expertise”. “Don’t just be a general practitioner, identify something that you can do better at, grow from being just a pursuer of business to being sought after”. About his wife, the proprietress of the renowned TARA Make-up Studio in Lagos Nigeria, he says “she is the greatest gift God has given me, and there is no other human being in this world closer to me than my wife. I love and admire her as a person”.This great man is not just a consultant; he is also an excellent entrepreneur, nation builder, husband, father and most of all a God lover. Fela’s love for God is clearly incontrovertible, he owes everything he is to God. He declares plainly, “God is not mocked, whatever a man sows he reaps in time. It is either you make things happen or watch things happen or wonder what’s happening. Be desperate for whatever you desire”.

Talking about the future, the man of wisdom says “The future I do not actively create will surprise me. My future must happen, it is either I make it happen or watch it happen. Nothing is at a standstill. Change is happening so fast that it looks like a constant. As long as I am breathing, my future has not come. And now I say, stand up and create the future you will love to see. You can do it. Remember, you have all that is required. See you at the top.

KOLA ALUKO - Raising the bar for motor racing in Nigeria

In December 2012 Nigerian businessman Kola Aluko stepped on to the podium at Rome’s Vallelunga circuit to celebrate third place in the Endurance Champions Cup. It was a defining moment in his motor racing career as he stood next to one of his idols, former F1 driver Giancarlo Fisichella.

“I never imagined it would happen,” he says in his office at Atlantic Energy, surrounded by silver-plated pistons and engine parts that reveal where his heart really lies. “It was one of the toughest races with a field several levels above us. But two of the teams made critical mistakes which shows that slow and steady wins the race.”

The race at Vallelunga was the fourth and final race of the Cup which was won by Fisichella and Italy’s AF Corse. Aluko’s Kessel Racing team, with co-pilots Thomas Kemenater and Maurizio Mediani, were consistent throughout the six-hour race which is as much a feat of endurance as of skill.

Aluko is one of a handful of black racing drivers driving change in the perceptions of a traditionally white and Asian sport. He is on the board of the Nigeria FIA and recently hosted FIA President Jean Todt as he made a two day visit to Nigeria to investigate the possibility of bringing motor racing to the country.

Firm in his belief that African manufacturing industries will soon be in a position to compete with major global suppliers to the sport he says: “We’ve already seen multinationals in other industries moving manufacturing operations from China to Africa, and I think that’s a trend that’s likely to continue as factory wages continue to rise throughout many parts of Asia.”

Aluko’s love of cars and racing was ingrained from an early age and has dominated the way he has approached both his businesses and his hobby.

“When you are in a race car you can’t think of anything else,” he says. “On a race track the difference between you and the next best driver is 0.5 seconds so you can imagine how precise you have to be. Driving is very technical and your mind is 100% focused on the task.”

Aluko owns Kessel Racing’s Ferrari 458 GT2 and has previously competed in the Winter Series GTOpen in Montmelo Catalonia, Spain.

“It is a way to take my mind off everything else,” he considers. “These days it is not so dangerous, unless you have a big shunt at high speed. There are a lot of passive safety features on the track and the cars and in fact I never drive quickly on ordinary roads as I know that road cars are not as safe. They only have single point seat belts that don’t restrain you as well, and the raw cages in the cars are not as sturdy. The windows are glass – all the inherent things that make a car not safe are more apparent to me because I drive on the racetrack. There are so many unpredictable factors on the road, but on the track most drivers are my standard. On the road the guy who got his licence yesterday is on the road with you.”

Aluko has had one major crash in a race car, but he walked away with just a mild concussion. “It made me a bit slower,” he laughs as he admits he finds racing exhilarating.

“A lot of people like to play chess because they feel it hones their strategy thinking, but for me racing is like a fast version of living and is mentally challenging. Everything in life you can apply to racing – strategy, skill, preparation. On a race weekend I prepare every corner mentally. You have to memorise the track within one practice session. When I first started I was racing against people who had raced it before and I couldn’t just cruise round!”

To prepare he watches videos and plays PS games based on the circuits. “When you are driving you have to push the limits without going over the limits, because they are long races – Abu Dhabi 12 hours, Villalonga six hours. I have three other drivers and we do two-hour stints. They design the track to challenge your skills as much as possible.”

He currently races out of his base in Lugano Switzerland, where Kessel Racing is also located. There he stores his collection of race cars and classic cars. They include classic cars from the 1960s like a California Spider and a 250 Luso, a Ferrari Dino and others like the Aston Martin DB5, thoroughbred Ferraris like the 2GO, the F40, the F50 and the Enzo.

“Obviously I can’t drive all the cars but the guys who look after them are professionals,” he says. “My cars are my passion and an investment, mostly they go up in value but I do drive them.

“The Maserati MC12 racing car was one of only nine built and has won championships in the past. I have the F1 car from 2008 driven by Kimi Raikonnen and tested by Michael Schumacher, a Goldwing SL from the 60s. They are better investments than a lot of other things.”

But it’s not enough for Aluko to push the boundaries in racing. He takes the lessons he learns and applies them to his global business interests which range from energy to private aviation to his Made In Africa Foundation that funds feasibility studies for major infrastructure projects.

“If you look inwards and try to focus on the best you can do; if you are the sort of person who always challenges himself, then you are so far ahead of the others and the game. You can only do as best as you can. That is something I have got from racing.”

And no doubt Kola Aluko will always be ahead of the game, no matter which car he is driving.

Acknowledgement: TUN Extra, Fascinating Nigeria

The Kofar Mata dye pits of Kano

To any student in Nigeria studying between the 1960s to the mid 1980s, social studies was one of the pivotal areas of second school academic experience. Its two main components were history and geography.  Breaking it down further, contemporary and ancient history made the subject very interesting to students, so also was the study of geography, which had both the physical and the human aspect to it.

The human geography component of social studies brings to the fore one very interesting feature.  It’s the dying pits of Kano, popularly referred to as the Kofar Mata Communal Dye Pits.  These dyeing pits which have their origin going back to 1498 gave birth to the city’s famous textile industry. 

A day in the life of the dyeing pit shows that the dying process has not changed in centuries: water and ash, to give the dye a glaze, is mixed with potassium, to fix the colour. Finally, dried indigo twigs are added and the whole mixture is fermented in a six-meter deep pit for four weeks.

The garments are then dipped in the dye for between 30 minutes and six hours, depending on the depth of colour desired. Every minute, they must be taken out so that oxygen can aid the colouring process.

‘‘On a good day, one of the sixty dyers who work here could earn 2,000 naira ($15) dying five garments -- a good wage in a country where most of the 140 million people live on much less than a dollar a day. These days, the workers also have chemical dyes to produce different colours such as red, orange and brown’’.

Once an indigo pit has been exhausted, the sludgy residue at the bottom is dredged out and burned: the ashes are used to alleviate pregnancy pains and make other traditional remedies.

The dying pits have not evolved with the times as the techniques of dying of clothes and other textiles still reflects old technology and practices.  As such the art faces the risk of dying out in an ever fast evolving environment.  Somehow there seems to be a lack of passing on the skills or modernising the skills to attract the younger generation.

The result of the lack of evolution which once saw ‘‘ The purple cotton of Kano’’ as ‘‘famous throughout Africa's arid Sahel belt, in the days when the Nigerian emirate was a centre of trans-Saharan trade in salt and gold, rivalling the fabled riches of Timbuktu’’ has now led to what could be termed as a near sorry state, where ‘‘more than 100 pits have fallen into disrepair and many of them are clogged with refuse and stones’’.

Out of the ashes and flipping the other side of the coin over, this experience reveals yet an untapped ‘‘tourism Mecca’’ which needs to be exploited to the maximum.  Kano state and indeed Nigeria can expand its tourism industry by harnessing the opportunities which this unique community offers.  It is a tourist attraction for visitors from different parts of Nigeria and for visitors from other parts of the world. This community is a vehicle for vocational training in print dying and other ancillary activities where people who have an interest in prints /clothes dying, clothes making or textiles business administration can be offered first hand skills, with rapid employment generation.

In the long term the industry will survive as it offers an exotic service to its numerous customers.  In the era of industrialisation and the influx of cheap cotton prints, quality and originality are two major factors which will continue to provide oxygen to the existence of the kofar Mata Dye pits of Kano.

Olugbenga Adebanjo writes in from the United Kingdom. He is the founder and lead consultant of Beacon 6619 Media Solutions. Additional material by Reuters/ Daniel Flynn

Acknowledment:TUN Extra

Nigerian Community Where Trade By Barter Still Thrives

They come from far and nearby riverine communities in Cross River and Akwa Ibom states to buy and sell under a typical village market setting. But there is a unique feature that makes the market different from others; goods are exchanged for goods. Trade by barter is the hallmark of traders who come to buy and sell in this typical village market.

Esuk Mba Market is located in Esuk Mba clan in Akpabuyo Local Government Area of Cross River State. It is about 30 kilometres away from Calabar metropolis by road. The community itself is usually agog with business activities every Saturday morning as traders from neighbouring communities from within and Akwa Ibom State throng the market with their goods to buy and sell and above all, engage one another in trade by barter as survival instinct.

Literally defined as trading of goods or services without the exchange of money, the ancient practice which is no longer common in most climes, appears to have found a long stay in the Esuk Mba Market.

The tranquil Esuk Mba community is usually ignited every Saturday by the business consciousness of the farmers who are seen with loads of farm produce heading for the market to observe their only market day.

The market begins at 6.30am and starts winding down from 12noon.Traders from creek communities such as Ewang, Ibaka, Oron, among others in Akwa Ibom State and others from Bakassi and sometimes Cameroun whose major occupation is fishing, find their way to the Esuk Mba Market with loads of smoked fish, periwinkles and crayfish. These creek dwellers do not have fertile land to cultivate food crops, so they depend on Esuk Mba farmers whose major occupation is farming for such rare items. Esuk Mba farmers produce large quantity of cassava tubers, palm products, vegetable and fruits like oranges, pineapple and coconut, among others.

On a typical market day, the fishing people from the creeks travel several distances on canoes and flying boats, berth in a body of water stretching from the sea behind the market and drag their items through a narrow hill into the market square for the business transactions.

The usual practice is for a farmer with her harvest to move round the market in search of a particular sea food she is interested in. When she sees someone that has what she wants, she stops and presents her items to the person. Agreement to exchange is reached when the second party accepts the harvest with her hands. If the sea food seller shows signs of rejection, the farmer keeps going round the market until she finds a willing person. The willing sea food seller assesses the quantity of the harvest and determines the quantity of fish commensurate with it. The fish seller appears to be superior as she sets the values of the exchanged items.

But the farmer may bargain for more items of sea food if she is not satisfied. The deal is sealed and the parties gather their items and continue with other transactions. On arrival at the market, the creek dwellers simply take their conspicuous positions in various thatched stalls and wait for the farmers to bring their food items.

A 65-year-old trader from one of the Akwa Ibom creeks, Mrs. Ekwo Effiong, who claimed to have been in the business for over 40 years, said the trade by barter is the only way to get food back home at the end of normal trading involving cash.

She explains, “We bring in smoked fish, periwinkles and crayfish to the market. We normally sell most of the things that we bring in exchange for money. But we also reserve a portion to exchange with farm produce so that we can have food to take back home.

“For instance today, I brought fish and sold much of it for money. I only reserved some fish with which I used to exchange for cassava.”

Effiong, however, lamented that traders from the creeks face difficulty in transportation. She said only a few boats are interested in plying the route and as a result of this, they charge exorbitant fares as much as N1,500 per trip of 30km on waterway.

Besides, at the close of business, creek traders have no choice than to patiently wait for hours in order to allow the river bank to get filled with water before their boats could move.

“Apart from the high fare of N1,500 that we pay, we also need to sit down and wait for the water to flow back to the river bank before we move. When we come in the morning, the river bank is usually filled with water but it starts drying up as from 9 am and gets full again as from 4pm,” she said.

Another trader from Oron, Mary Bassey, said, “We mostly buy cassava and process it into garri and fufu. We sometimes sell to those who cannot come to the market. I determine the number of tubers of cassava that will go for a particular quantity of fish. The higher the number, the more fish a person gets. But sometimes, you can disagree and demand for more fish.”

While the creek dwellers assemble their tubers to take home and process into garri and fufu for their personal consumption and for sale, the farmers simply pack their fish and take home to prepare soup and other food types.

A 30-year-old food crop farmer from Esuk Mba, Rosemary Ita, explains, “We come here every Saturday to exchange what we have with what we don’t have. Here we produce cassava, fruits, palm oil, vegetables and banana but we don’t have fish to prepare our food. So, we come here to exchange these food items with fish, periwinkle and others. Whatever we buy today will sustain us till the following Saturday.

“We like the market. It is not as if we cannot buy these things with money, but most of us don’t have enough money and most times, they will be pricing your items very low. So, we prefer it the way it is.”

However, the origin of the market may be difficult to be established. Most of the elderly people appear to be oblivious of when the market was established. Those who attempted to trace the origin succeeded in giving conflicting accounts. But one of the community leaders, Okon Bassey, traced the inception of the market to the early colonial era when a Briton simply identified as Doe set up the market in a residential apartment which was later relocated to the permanent market around 1947.

http://www.punchng.com/feature/super-saturday/nigerian-community-where-trade-by-barter-still-thrives/

I DREAM OF AFRICA BECOMING BREADBASKET OF THE WORLD - AGRICULTURE MINISTER

Minister of Agriculture, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, has disclosed that his vision is that soon, Africa, and by extension, Nigeria, will become food basket from which the world will source its foods.The minister said this while delivering a keynote address at the 2013 World Food Prize ceremony in Iowa, United States of America, on Friday.

He said: “During my studies here, I saw first-hand how the US transformed its agriculture, linking research and development, private sector and farmers, turning the nation into the largest producer and exporter of food and agricultural commodities. I dreamed that one day, Africa would become a breadbasket for the world. After all, 60 per cent of all the available uncultivated arable land in the world is in Africa.”

He added that Africa, like America, must utilise biotechnology, research, science and available resources to become feeders of the world by linking these to field practices and making them work.

Feeding the world with more nutritious food, while depending less on chemicals, he said, was important, saying though biotechnology, bio-fortified crops such as orange-flesh sweet potatoes, Pro-vitamin A cassava, drought tolerant maize and Bt cotton now hold great promise for feeding Africa, it must not miss out on the gene revolution.

“Others must not make decisions for us. We must make them ourselves. Africa should accelerate the pace of use of biotechnology and put in place appropriate bi-safety regulations.

“The American Midwest is the dynamic breadbasket that feeds not only the United States, but also provides a rich bounty for others around the globe. It holds a special importance to me, personally. Because much of what I do as Minister of Agriculture in Nigeria today is rooted in the world-class training I received near here, as a Ph.D student at Purdue University in the early 1980s,” Adesina added.

The minister said as he dreamed, providence brought him in touch with Dr Norman Borlaug, Nobel Peace Prize winner for agriculture, and the man who fed the world.  

“He became my mentor. Several years ago, we were walking together to a conference in New York City. We were discussing the need for Africa to develop and nurture its own green revolution.

“I told him that Africa had the resources to do that – the land, water and the people to grow more food – but there was a lack of confidence to make it happen. He asked me if I was a fan of soccer. I said yes. He told me that in the game of soccer, scoring the first goal can give a team the confidence it needs to lead them to victory. ‘Just score the first goal for agriculture in Africa,’ he told me. ‘Great things will result from that’,” he said.

He pointed out that Africa must achieve success at the scale of millions of farmers, and for that to happen, “we must change the lenses with which we view agriculture. For decades, Africa has looked at agriculture through the wrong lenses, seeing agriculture as a development programme run by governments. We see challenges, we see poverty - and we devise solutions for managing poverty. Poverty cannot be the comparative advantage of Africa. We need to see the enormous opportunities and rapidly unlock the potential for creating wealth through agriculture.”

He said agriculture was Africa’s past and in agriculture - as a business - lied Africa’s greater future.

http://www.agrinews.com.ng/index.php/news/item/324-i-dream-of-africa-becoming-breadbasket-of-the-world-agric-minister#.UnOOJFLifOU.facebook