ODUDUWA

                                    Benin Empire bronze statue of Oduduwa

ODUDUWA is considered the founding king of the imperial age of the Yoruba that later became a divinity. He was born in the 8th-century bc as a Nok prince from what is now central Nigeria.

Before his arrival, the Yoruba had no actual king but were led by a council of babalawo (the Ogboni), headed by the head priest of Obatala. They were amongst the last people on Earth to never have engaged in war. While they lived a state of pure peace, Oduduwa understood the nature of war, something that was becoming increasingly present in Africa at the time stimulated by Asiatic invasions. He understood this because he was a great prince who had traveled across the continent seeking the joys of adventure.

When he traveled east to the Nok trading partner, Kush, due to his excellent skills in battle, he was conscripted by Pharaoh Piankhi to help him defend Africa. While the Black Carthaginians (called the 26th-Dynasty Meshwesh) had controlled Kemet for some time, their last king sought to ally with the Asiatics in exploiting Kemet. Oduduwa then joined Piankhi's army and they expelled the Asiatics and forced the Carthaginian Meshwesh princes to submit to Kushite leadership. This was the first time Oduduwa witness the ways of the Asiatics and the degree of blood-thirstiness in their war tactics. He then fled back to Nok to report what was happening at the gates of Africa.

He was then informed by the wise elders that the Asiatics are relentless and will eventually make their way through the gates of Africa in Kemet and march on to destroy the birthplace of wisdom, Ife, the holiest place on Earth.

Long before this could occur, Oduduwa set to establish a kingship in Ife that would maintain the first spiritual system of humankind but also involve the militaristic and political governance that could defend Ife when the time arrived.

Oduduwa successfully established Ife's first military and the beginnings of kingship in alliance with the priesthood were born. This became known as the Oduduwa Dynasty for his sons were assigned leadership of various city-states throughout Ancient Nigeria, even outside of Yorubaland. For instance, it was his son Oranmiyan who was sent to Benin City and left them an heir to rule in his place, Eweka. It is through Eweka that the Benin kings are linked to Oduduwa and the Yoruba culture as a whole.

Though the Yoruba had not known war, the establishment of a military government adjoined with the priesthood proved essential as the domino effect of war made it from West Asia to Yorubaland. For this, Oduduwa was deified and somewhat merged as a successor to Obatala's peace; a successor that understood the importance of a more militaristic reality than Obatala. The Yoruba fended off Islamic advancement for many centuries as well as European exploitation. However, war between African groups weakened the Yoruba and their empire collapsed, allowing for infiltration by Europeans.

Acknowledgement: IFA: Yoruba Scientific Spirituality

THE UNKNOWN NIGERIA

In its years of existence as a modern state, Nigeria has been portrayed as anything but normal through the media. The reality is, like any evolving society trying to take its rightful place among the comity of nations it would naturally experience developments both positive and other wise.

So while acknowledging our challenges, heart warming occurrences equally requires mentioning.
The main aim of 'The Unknown Nigeria' is to enlighten the public and its numerous audiences. We are not saddled with laundering an image rather 'The Unknown Nigeria' is more concerned with presenting facts and figures through well researched WORTHY News/ stories/ opportunities and services which have largely been ignored, under reported or out rightly buried.

The Group '1,000,000 Ambassadors of The Unknown Nigeria' is created to help propagate Nigeria's worthy news/stories/businesses/services that is hardly spoken about.

Membership of the group is open to Nigerians and Non-Nigerians alike.

Welcome to a different world of 'The Unknown Nigeria'!


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Nigeria Makes List Of 20 Fastest Growing Economies

A new report released by Bloomberg, a New York-based financial newswire service, has named Nigeria, the Philippines, China, Kenya, Indonesia and India as countries that would join the ranks of the 20 fastest growing economies in the world this year.

According to the report, Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy, is projected to expand at 4.9 per cent this year while Kenya is expected to by 6 per cent in 2015, even as unemployment and poverty remain stubbornly high with over 40 per cent of Kenyans living below the poverty line.

Nigeria was ranked sixth behind China (7 per cent), the Philippines (6.3 per cent), Kenya (6 per cent), India (5.5 per cent) and Indonesia (5.4 per cent).

Peru, Thailand, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kazakhstan, Colombia and Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Turkey, South Korea, Poland, Mexico, Ireland and Singapore also made the list in the global economic ranking.

“Emerging markets in Asia and Africa still reign supreme; they’re at the top of global growth projections over the next two years. The world is expected to grow 3.2 per cent in 2015 and 3.7 per cent next year after expanding 3.3 per cent in each of the past two years,” according to a Bloomberg survey of economists.

“China, the Philippines, Kenya, India and Indonesia, which together make up about 16 per cent of global gross domestic product, are all forecast to grow more than 5 per cent in 2015. By comparison, the United States (US) and United Kingdom (UK), which combined account for about a quarter of global growth, are expected to grow 3.1 and 2.6 per cent this year respectively, saidBloomberg.

“The euro area probably will expand just 1.2 per cent as European Central Bank president, Mario Draghi, deals with a fragile Greece and embarks on a bond-purchase programme to stimulate the region’s growth. China still remains the fastest-growing G-20 nation even though the Asian economy is no longer expanding at the pace it did a few years ago. China’s economy grew 7.3 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2014 from a year earlier, and is expected to slow to 7 per cent in 2015.

“To counter that slowdown, People’s Bank of China policy makers are boosting monetary stimulus. The central bank cut its benchmark interest rate in November for the first time since 2012.

This month officials lowered by 50 basis points the deposit reserve ratio which is the amount of reserves that banks need to keep on hand. US growth forecasts for 2015 are coalescing around 3 per cent even as the dollar soars to its highest level in more than a decade.

“As growth picks up, the Federal Reserve is weighing whether to raise interest rates for the first time since 2006. Their benchmark federal funds rate has remained near zero since December 2008,” the survey said.

http://leadership.ng/business/415309/nigeria-makes-list-of-20-fastest-growing-economies

The 30 Year-Old Nigerian Mobile Phone Entrepreneur Who Is Challenging Apple In Africa

 Micheal Akindele talks about his motivation, his vision, market value and so much more in this interview with Mfonobong Nsehe (Forbes)

                                         

                                                    *********************

Michael Akindele, a 30 year-old Nigerian, is a director and a co-founder of SOLO Phone, an experience-driven digital content and smartphone company focused on delivering the best content and services on the mobile platform to African consumers.

SOLO Phone, which was established in Nigeria in 2012, is an experience-driven mobile device manufacturer which aims to provide the best content and services to the African consumer at an affordable price. The company manufactures smartphones priced at $150, bundled with free music of up to 20 million songs licensed from Sony, Universal and Warner. SOLO also recently launched a Video-On-Demand App available to all Android devices in Nigeria which offers the latest Nollywood and Hollywood movies from global movie studios.

I recently had a chat with Akindele where he recounted his entrepreneurial journey and explained why he feels SOLO phones will give other smartphones a run for their money.

What’s your personal and professional background?

I was born August 29, 1984 in Washington D.C., to Nigerian parents. At the age of 2 years old, my family moved to Nigeria and spent the next 10 years in Ibadan. At the age of 12, my family returned to the US where I continued my education in Alexandria, Virginia. After graduating from T.C. Williams High School, I attended George Mason University in Fairfax, VA where I received a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree from the Volgneau School of Engineering with a focus on Computer Science and Information Technology. I also received a minor in Business Administration from George Mason’s School of Management. While at George Mason I was a member of the Track & Field Team and competed in the hurdles and middle distance running events. Being an athlete on a Division I Track & Field team gave me the confidence I needed to take on events outside of sports and a chance to win. Two days after graduating from George Mason I began my career as a Technology Consultant with Accenture. I gained valuable professional experience from being a Technology Analyst with Accenture. While at Accenture, I started working on a project, which quickly progressed and birthed The Apprentice: Africa. A business partner and myself successfully licensed an American reality game show from Mark Burnett Productions for the Sub-Saharan media market, which featured real estate magnate, businessman and television personality Donald Trump. I returned to Nigeria January 2007 and was part of a team that developed, produced and distributed the African edition of an 18 week reality show titled The Apprentice: Africa that had a strong following in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

Walk me through your entrepreneurial journey so far. I know you worked as a Core Analyst at Accenture in the U.S, and then you returned to Nigeria to help produce the African edition of The Apprentice reality TV show. You were also involved in an animation studio before SOLO. Tell me about it.

While developing The Apprentice Africa, I gained hands on experience on producing TV content for the African market. I recognized the gaps and immediately started developing original content inspired by African culture, music and folklore. I recognized the media market was populated by an influx of content from Western markets with little commercial opportunities left for local content producers. We successfully produced a pilot for an original 3-D animated series titled The O Twins. However,we quickly learned the market for content distribution was very shallow. Outside of the cable TV market there is little to no room left for original content production. The cable TV market is limited to affluent consumers who can afford televisions at home. However, the majority of African consumers are unable to afford this luxury. This presented a challenge I was willing to take on. I knew if someone was able to successfully solve that problem it would create tremendous opportunities not only for the distributors but also for creative professionals across the continent. Today Sub-Saharan Africa is among the world’s fastest growing mobile market in the world, and is the biggest after Asia. The introduction of affordable smartphones, specifically designed for the African market, has improved the market scenario. Mobile broadband connections are now anticipated to quadruple from its 2012 figure to reach 160 million in 2016. This uptrend reflects the gradual change in consumer habits, as they gain their first Internet experience through a mobile device. This is the future of content distribution and value added services.

Tell me about SOLO. What prompted you to set up SOLO Mobile, and how where you initially funded? (How many employees does the company have?)

In 2010 I started a company called Fusion Mobile, which was short lived. We were unable to close funding needed to start a company singularly focused on driving Africa’s first mobile device manufacturing and content distribution company. However, in June 2013 I was approached by Adlevo Capital to partner with a group of experienced mobile telecommunications professional led by Tayo Ogundipe to start a company called SOLO. Tayo Ogundipe is an experienced finance executive with extensive background in the technology and telecommunications sectors working for companies like Ubiquitel, Sony Ericson and HTC. Thus the dream of SOLO was born. November 22, 2013 we successfully launched a mobile device company that provides experience-driven, end-to-end digital content and services to young adults and adults who are young at heart requiring a mobile device that provides convenient, affordable gateway to the widest range of digital content that is delivered on the go, every at blazing speed to the African consumer.

There are so many Smartphones in the market already. What is Solo doing differently from the others?

Companies simply compete today in the Smartphone market on hardware specifications. Prior to 2005, no one saw Apple coming. Today Apple consumes over 90% of the profit in the Smartphone market. However, to the average emerging market and African consumer an Apple device is out of reach due to its high cost. The emergence of an open OS driven by Google had brought commoditization to the mobile hardware market. SOLO is an emerging markets play. SOLO is an experience driven device manufacturer with a vision to provide the best content and services to the African and emerging markets consumer at an affordable price that not only delivers tremendous value for money but also enriches their lives. The foundation of SOLO is built on delivering key value added services in critical enterprise verticals such as education, healthcare and commerce, to mention a few. Today, SOLO offers affordable smartphones bundled with free music up to 20 million songs licensed from Sony, Universal and Warner. This innovation was possible because of partners that believe in the SOLO vision. We also recently launched a Video-On-Demand App available to all Android devices in Nigeria offering the latest Nollywood and Hollywood movies from global movie studios such as Disney, Universal Studios and Sony Pictures. Our go to market strategy was to offer download powered by SOLO HotSpots. This innovation offers consumers to download movies in 3 – 5 minutes. This by far is the best offering in today’s market populated by streaming services where data costs are still extremely high. SOLO innovates by putting the consumer first and that is the premise SOLO was founded on.

You launched in November 2013. How has the reception been so far?

Consumers have received our offerings relatively well. In our first year, we established strong distribution network across Nigeria by partnering with key smartphone retailers. Furthermore, we’ve also partnered with primary eCommerce platforms to drive adoption and sales of our device and services.

Founding a start-up like SOLO must have cost quite a bit of money. How did you raise the finance to set it up, before the January 2014 round of funding from Adlevo and Kuramo Capital?

The initial start costs for SOLO was funded by its founders who generously contributed to its vision. On December 24, 2013 we closed our Series A funding led by Adlevo Capital and Kuramo Capital.

SOLO seems to be focused mainly on Nigeria. Might you be looking elsewhere for growth, say the rest of Africa, or even Europe or North America?

The vision for SOLO is an emerging markets play. Our goal is to expand beyond Nigeria and establish SOLO as an Africa-wide brand offering consumers access to the best content and services on the mobile platform. Furthermore, we will expand to other emerging markets that compliment the SOLO vision.

Are your phones manufactured here in Africa or is manufacturing outsourced to China?

The economics for manufacturing our devices today in Africa isn’t possible yet. Today we produce our devices in Asia. In the mid-to-long term we will explore the possibilities of manufacturing our devices locally in Africa.

I read somewhere that SOLO phones offer owners free access to millions of songs from international, African and Nigerian songs. What are the details of your licensing agreements with the record labels and musicians?

Our commercial engagement with the music labels is confidential. However, we structured our agreement with the music labels to benefit local artists and content producers. Today SOLO Music compensates local music artists and their management companies with an opportunity to generate additional income based on music consumption through SOLO Music thus providing artists an opportunity to promote their music through SOLO Music to increase their earnings potential.

How has innovation changed the way you do business?

Innovation is everything at SOLO. We live and survive by it. Every day we ask ourselves: “how can we do what we do better?” Without that core premise we wouldn’t be where we are today. Speed and execution is a common phrase you will hear at SOLO daily.

What’s your motivation?

My motivation is driven by the need to create value for all stakeholders involved. This includes investors, management, content owners, partners and all SOLO employees. Today SOLO employs over 160 people with expertise in various disciplines from engineering to sales.

What has been your biggest challenge in running a successful business from Nigeria?

The opportunities we’ve created have far outweighs the challenges. We’ve successfully secured some key assets that provide SOLO key value differentiation in today’s market. However, we face the same challenges all companies face such as the increase in Dollar to Naira exchange and strikes at the port. In summary, we’ve been able to weather these challenges with a belief that staying power in a fast growing industry positions SOLO for success.

What’s next for SOLO?

We recently launched a co-branded affordable Smartphone with Airtel in Nigeria bundled with our music and movies offering. We will continue to deepen our relationship with Operator partners building on the premise of delivering the best content and services to consumers in emerging markets. The future of delivering these value added services is tremendous in a market where low income earning consumers can benefit on the access to these affordable solutions that enriches their lives. That is the future of SOLO

Acknowledgement; Forbes 

http://www.forbes.com/sites/mfonobongnsehe/2015/03/02/the-30-year-old-nigerian-mobile-phone-entrepreneur-who-is-challenging-apple-in-africa/4/

Three USA Based Nigerian Doctors Separate Conjoined Twins in Houston

The Siamese Twins were born in April 2014 to Elysse Mata, and her husband, John, and were conjoined at the chest almost face-to-face, linked at the abdomen and sharing a common liver.

The twins had 4 kidneys going into two bladders and they also shared major organs like diaphragm, pelvis, lungs intestines and lining of the heart. However, thankfully the twins had separate hearts.

10 months old conjoined twins, Knatalye Hope and Adeline Faith Mata were successfully separated on February 17th and 18th 2015 in a 26-hour long surgical separation in a Houston, Texas hospital

This operation was conducted by a medical team that included , two Nigerian female doctors and one male doctor, Professor Oluyinka Olutoye( a top surgeon ) among-st other members of the team (24 in total)

Professor Olutoye one of the top surgeons in the historic separation is a graduate of kings College Lagos and University of Ife. He is presently the Co-Director of the Texas Children's Fetal Center and Co-Program Director of Perinatal Surgery Fellowship Program of the well-known Baylor College of Medicine. He came to the U.S. in 1989 to pursue his post-doctoral studies and deciding to stay back.

The success of this surgery has once again brought to fore the ever increasing professional recognition and influence of the Nigerian doctors in United States of America.

Recently , the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on the Diaspora, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa stated during a presentation at the Federal Ministry of Health that about 77 per cent of black doctors practicing in the United States of America were Nigerians. She also talked about the possibility of the Nigerian State harnessing the vast human resources of Nigerian Doctors in the health sector that are abroad.

Hon. Dabiri-Erewa revealed that Nigerian professionals in the Diaspora were always willing to render assistance but observed that the hindrance had been lack of coordination.

As a result, The Federal Ministry of Health has recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Nigerian health professionals in the Diaspora and opened a Diaspora Unit to coordinate relations between the health practitioners and the ministry.


Acknowledgement ; The Guardian, Tun Samuel

Pastor Daniel Olukoya's Mountain Top University

One of the newly approved private universities in Nigeria is the Mountain Top University.

The proprietors of the university is the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM), a Christian, Evangelical, Pentecostal and inter-denominational missionary organization, which is a sub-set of the overall vision received in August 1977 by Dr. Daniel Kolawole Olukoya, the founder and General Overseer of MFM Ministries worldwide.

MFM began as a church in 1989 and is thus one of the youngest pentecostal churches in Nigeria to run/own a university.

When Dr.Olukoya was born , little did his parents know that they had taken delivery of an exceptional child ordained by God to fulfill a destiny that would in turn, positively affect the destiny of others. And in pursuit of that destiny, Dr. Olukoya laid down an academic blueprint whose pedigree remains outstanding. At Saint John’s CAC Primary School, Akure in Ondo State, and Saint Jude’s primary School, Ebute Metta, Lagos where he completed his primary education, excellence was his watch word. Rather than occupy himself with exuberance that was a common feature among the, youths, he developed a passion for God.

Dr. Daniel Olukoya’s academic profile took a leap while at Methodist Boys’ High School, Lagos , where he graduated with Grade One Distinction and was the best student in his set. Not one known to rest on his oars, he took his academic exploits to the prestigious University of Lagos and, as would be expected, the genius in him proved that all earlier outstanding academic results were no fluke, as he graduated with a first class honours degree. In fact it was the first from the department since the university was established in 1962.

Dr. Olukoya’s thirst for more academic laurels found expression at the University of Reading, UK, where, with a Commonwealth scholarship, he studied for a PhD in Molecular Genet­ics, which was completed in record time, making him probably the first Nigerian to obtain a Ph.D. in this subject area. With such an intimidating academic resume! it was only natural that opportunities would beckon. But not even the pressure to stay back in England could sway him from returning to Nigeria.

His first port of call on arrival was the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), Yaba. He was a lecturer as well as external examiner to a number of Nigerian universities, among them the University of Lagos , UNILAG and university of Benin, UNIBEN.

Dr. olukoya is on record as having been the first scientist to establish an indigenous Molecular Biology and Biotechnology laboratory in Nigeria. One important contribution by Dr. Olukoya to biotechnology and health care delivery is the creation of a new type of Pap (Ogi), named Dogik, a weaning food that has improved nutritional qualities that can control diarrhea. The laboratory also ranks among the first to done genes in Nigeria.

Dr. Olukoya has supervised over 20 Ph.D. students, most of whom are doing well in their chosen fields. As a researcher, he has over 80 scientific publications to his credit. Notwithstanding his exploits on the academic turf, he de­votes much of his time to God through preaching, delivering papers at seminars, singing etc.

That Dr. Olukoya would become a mighty tool in the hands of God to serve as a vehicle of deliverance for his generation manifested itself in 1989, when Mountain of Fire and Miracles Minis­tries was given birth to in his sitting room at Yaba, with 24 worshippers. And like the story of the acorn seed that metamorphosed into the great oak tree with several branches providing nests to all birds of varied proportions, MFM has thousands of branches spread across Nigeria , Africa and Asia . A huge percentage of branches are also located in the United States and Europe .

The Ministry is noted for its unique, powerful prayers that are fast redefining the major strategic input that puts the devil and his cohorts in the most bemused of confusion.

Absolute holiness is preached within and outside as spiritual prerequisite for heaven.

In addition to his over 80 scientific publications, Dr Olukoya has written more than double that number of spiritual books, 150 of them, most of which are bestsellers.

PRAYER RAIN, a prayer manual which has become a companion for many Christians across several denominations, has sold millions of copies. Besides, Dr. Olukoya has 70 Christian songs that he has composed.

Dr. Olukoya venturing into university education does not come as a surprise to many given his pedigree.

The Mountain Top University is located at the MFM Prayer City, Mowe, Ogun State along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. The facilities of the university have been ready for about 4 years while awaiting government approval which thankfully came a few days ago.

The Mountain Top University has elected to adopt the nomenclature "College" rather than “Faculty” as practiced in contemporary universities abroad as well as the newly established ones in Nigeria. 

At full capacity, MTU will have at least six (6) Undergraduate Colleges and a Postgraduate School.


Dr Olukoya is happily married to pastor Shade and both have a son.

Acknowledgement : Church gist , drolukoya's wordpress

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Nigeria Approves Nine New Private Universities

Nigeria has approved the issuance of operating licenses to nine new private universities .

The new private universities are; Augustine University, Ilara, Lagos State; Chrisland University, Owode, Ogun State; Christopher University, Mowe, Ogun State; Hallmark University, Ijebu Itele, Ogun State; Kings University, Ode Omu, Osun State; Michael and Cecilia Ibru University, Orode, Delta State; Mountain Top University, Ogun State, Ritman University, Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State and Summit University, Offa, Kwara State.

Nigeria has one of the oldest, biggest and most comprehensive university education system in Africa. Since 1948 when the first university was established till 1979, university education was on the exclusive list of the government, thereby leaving the establishment, funding and management in the hand of the federal government that has the exclusive right. However, in 1979, the constitution was amended and university education was now put on the concurrent list of the government, which means that both federal and state government can now establish and own its university. It was from this time that various states started signifying intention to establish their own state universities named after them. It later became evidently clearer to the federal government that, funding university education effectively may be difficult for the federal government alone.

As a result of this, in 1999, when a new democratically elected government (President Olusegun Obasanjo) was sworn in after a prolonged military rule of 16 years, the federal government immediately vested the power to receive and treat applications of establishment of private universities to the National University Commission (NUC) who will thereafter make recommendation for approval to the federal government- NUC is the highest regulatory body of universities in Nigeria. 

Out of forty (40) applications received in 1999, only 3 of them met the NUC requirement and were granted operating license. They could be referred to as the pioneer of private universities in Nigeria. They are: Igbinedion University, Okada, Edo State, Babcock University, Ilisan Remo, Ogun State, and Madonna University, Okija, Anambra State.

Presently, with this latest approval, the number of private universities in Nigeria totals 60.

FASHOLA LAUNCHES 100 NEW AIR-CONDITIONED BUSES

Over 1500 new jobs created, passengers to enjoy WIFI Internet Connection in new buses

Lagos State Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola, SAN on Tuesday formally flagged off the operation of a fleet of 100 new Air-conditioned buses made possible by the partnership of the LAGBUS Asset Management Limited and one of its franchisees Metro Bus, reiterating the administration’s commitment to build a reliable and sustainable multi- modal transport system that is driven by the private sector.

The Governor who spoke at the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) Yard, Oshodi added that the purpose of the vision is clear but its ultimate goal is prosperity for the generality of the people which can only be delivered in a structured partnership with the private sector.

He added that it is only by creating opportunity for private sector to take ownership and employ people, provide services that government can really deliver the prosperity of her dreams.

While reinforcing the multi- modal objective of the state government that is boosted with the increased bus fleet, Fashola gave a status update on the various transport related projects, informing that the jetties and the terminals in Mile 2, Badore, Osborne, Ipakodo, Ibeshe are being concluded.

He stated that from just 150,000 passengers per month in 2007, the State is moving over 1.6million people every month with about 200 ferries already licensed and owned by the private sector, adding that more is yet to come.

“So what we are doing on land today is already taking place on water and what we expect to see when all of the jetties are commissioned, is extension, bigger capacity ferries financed by banks and owned by individuals and small companies and then our job really would have been done”.

“For now, there are a lot of water taxis carrying 16 to 24 passengers and there are almost 200 of them and everywhere you look on our waterways up to Ijegun- Egba you would see them. People are moving on a daily basis and a lot of employment is going on there”, he stressed.

The Governor also informed that he has approved the concessioning of the fuel supply system to all the terminals in an open and transparent manner were adverts were placed for bids and the winners shortlisted.

He added that the ferry terminals would become destination points with banking halls and all of such facilities, adding that the same facilities that would be seen at the ferry terminals when they are opened would also be seen at the rail terminals, four of which have been completed now.

“We have completed Mile 2, Orile, Alaba and Costain stations for the rail. We are heading to the fifth station in Marina and if you are driving on the Marina you would see that we are driving pillar by pillar, we are on our way, so that you can come by water, join a bus and continue your journey from Marina and may be into Victoria Island when that one starts”.

“There are seven lines for the whole of Lagos so the Master plan is ready and one by one we would connect this together. That is what is in the 2012-2025 Development Plan that we have just unveiled”, he added.

He explained that the BRT system was all about empowering private sector and that the first partners were the road transport unions who owned the old buses on Lagos roads, adding that the government convinced them that if they could change their buses the face of transportation in Lagos would be changed.

“They agreed and bought the first set of buses. They took loans, paid off the loans, recapitalized but again the environment in which they invested then has changed substantially”.

Tracing the origin of the first set of BRT buses, the Governor said it was the positive spin-off of a partnership with the private sector.

“Government did not own the BRT buses; it was private sector that owned them. Our job was to build the roads, the bus shelters to maintain and manage them while they ran their buses but that environment at the time they were borrowing money at One Dollar at 118 Naira and interest rate at 10 percent has changed completely”, he added.

Fashola explained that when people see ageing buses that are not being replaced on the roads, it is not because government is not efficient but because the private sector is being incapacitated by financial regulations and economic policies of the Federal Government that are not helping them to grow.

“That is the reality because we expect them to now borrow money at N210 to One Dollar at 25 percent and we expect them to buy buses and keep them at the same prices. What kind of economy is that?”

“The Federal Government has also announced that it will increase tariff for the buses, so this is the environment in which the bus operators do business. And it is an environment we must begin to pay attention to if we must see growth in this industry”, he emphasized.

He explained that the administration in Lagos also felt that it had a role to play and that role was in setting up a government owned company, LAGBUS whose role was to provide support in the less commercially viable routes because government did not want to compete with its investors so that people who live in those areas will have some kind of support because the private sector is in business for profit.

He said as a government that was always reviewing strategies, it thought the LAGBUS company itself was going to grind to a halt if all that it did was to run on unviable routes.

“So we expanded its width and this is where the bus franchising model came to life. And we said instead of you operating this now, sell all of these routes under franchises to private investors who would bring their buses but they would brand them in your colours, put their names on it and this is the model that has thrived in many parts of the world”.

“So we would see Metro Bus which is a franchisee of LAGBUS and we would see a Diamond Bus and so many others under one franchise operating on minimum standards below which the bus system should not fall. It is a minimum of 20 buses to get a franchise because we didn’t want individual one bus owners. The Metro buses have come now with 100 buses and they say they would do more”, he explained.

The Governor who also spoke on efforts to provide road infrastructure stated that as the roads are being built, expanding the road networks, the road construction process is providing employment for numerous thousands of people from engineering companies, quantity surveying companies, quarry operators, the rocks suppliers, those who provide gravel, granite, cement, iron rod and the people who do the real hard work on a daily basis.

“Of course the banks would tell you how much they make from our borrowings every year and in that way they maintain profitability and as I have always said if Lagos State Government stops borrowing many banks would give up because I know how much is involved…and this is how an economy should function and that is why it is worrisome that lending by banks now is no longer a commercial activity based on commercial viability as the Federal Government is interfering and telling banks who they can lend to and who they cannot”.

“I don’t know what kind of economic management policies these are because slowly but gradually they are squeezing the life out of this economy taking the independence away. Why should a bank need a minister to lend to a customer if the customer’s credit is good? But that is what is happening today”.

“It is becoming difficult to get foreign exchange and to transact business. We are supposed to have remitted money now to pay for our trains but there is no foreign exchange backing for it. The foreign exchange bid transaction we used to take for granted is now wait for your turn in order to pay for legitimate international transactions and it may yet get to school fees of children”, the Governor explained.

Governor Fashola saluted the courage of the investors for venturing to dare in spite of the difficulties of the market, adding that the new investment will offer 1500 new jobs as well as provision of WIFI internet connection on board the air-conditioned buses.

In terms of facilities for maintaining the buses, the Governor stated that the State Government currently has a maintenance yard at Cappa and Bolade and is looking at the possibility of entering a structured partnership towards building a bigger maintenance yard that can service everybody’s investment and provide an opportunity.

He urged all residents of the State who have not collected their Permanent Voters Cards to go and do so and ensure that they vote rightly to ensure the continuity of policies in Lagos that brought about the new high capacity buses adding that the level of development in the State should not be entrusted to an inexperienced candidate being paraded by the opposition party.

Speaking earlier, the State Commissioner for Transportation, Mr Kayode Opeifa described the launch of the new high capacity buses as another firm demonstration of the readiness of the present administration to implement the multi- modal transportation system.

Speaking at the event, the Managing Director of the LAGBUS Asset Management Limited, Mr Babatunde Disu said the buses will start operation soon, servicing main routes namely Sango-Oshodi-Obalende- Ikorodu-Island –Epe.

He added that the 100 new Air Conditioned buses have been made possible by the partnership with a private concern called Metro Bus and would eventually have a total of 1800 buses servicing 47 routes to bring about comfort and safety as well as reduce congestion.

Mr Disu said ridership has increased by 31 per cent as 64.5 million passengers have been moved by Lagbus from 2012 to December 2015.

Also speaking, the Managing Director of the Metro Bus, Mr Niyi Oguntoyinbo said parts of the innovative facilities available on the buses are access through preloaded cards that would generate 5000 jobs for mobile agents for the pre-loaded cards.

He added that passengers can also send SMS to a number to know when the bus will arrive at their bus stop because it has been realized that a lot of people wait at bus stops in vain and that the buses have been equipped with facilities that will enable the operators see the buses in real time and switch buses from one route to another to gain efficiency.

”There would be security camera on board to ensure safety of passengers. The live feeds from the cameras will be made available to security agencies to be able to track any mishap. Customers can also use WIFI on the buses as well as enjoy videos and music on the go”, he said.

Kevin Olusola Distinguishes Self By Winning Grammy Award

Kevin Olusola, a Nigerian/American cellist, beat-boxer, saxophonist, songwriter, producer, and singer is the Nigerian of the moment!

Olusola picked up his very first Grammy award along with his Accapela group 'Pentatonix' during the 57th Annual Grammy Awards Premiere Ceremony.

The talented five member group was recognized for the arrangement of the song 'Daft Punk'.

The song, a medley of hit songs by pop duo Daft Punk, mashes up several of their tracks, including "One More Time," "Get Lucky" and "Digital Love," among several others.

Interestingly, this arrangement of 'Daft Punk' by Pentatonix was recorded in a bedroom closet and the video was filmed in a kitchen.

In 2011, Pentatonix won the popular NBC Acappella reality competition show "The Sing-Off." which encouraged the group to release 5 albums which all charted in the top 20 of the Billboard 200 charts and sold over 500,000 records as well as amassed more than 600 million views on their YouTube channel

Kevin Olusola attended Owensboro High School, graduated from Yale University with a degree in East Asian studies and attended the Kentucky Center Governor's School for the Arts in the summer of 2004

Olusola has also been identified as developing the art of “celloboxing” (playing cello and beatboxing simultaneously). His celloboxing version of Mark Summer‘s “Julie-O” went viral in April 2011, which led him to become involved with Pentatonix.

Olusola has performed at prestigious classical musical festivals such as the Amsterdam Cello Biennale and the Kronberg Academy Festival, opened the TED Conference in Vancouver, and was chosen by Quincy Jones to represent him in concert at the 2012 Montreux Jazz Festival on the same program as Bobby McFerrin and Chick Corea. Olusola is fluent in Mandarin.

Not only does he have an amazing voice, he can make interesting harmonious sounds with his mouth and throat that blends so well with other members of the group.


Kevin Olusola becomes the first Nigerian to win a Grammy in the group category.

Acknowledgement: Gold Myne TV

Chimamanda Adichie Nominated For Grammy Award

Award-winning writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has been nominated for a Grammy Award.

The nomination is hinged on her collaboration with the American singer Beyonce on the song “Flawless”, which has become an iconic song for women around the world and which has also become the most popular song on Beyonce’s recent album everywhere across the globe.

Beyoncé’s recent self titled album, which includes “Flawless”, is in the running for Album Of The Year at the Grammy Awards, and all major participants on the album are nominated, as is the practice.

Beyonce has spoken out about how much Chimamanda’s speech in TEDx on why ''We Should All Be Feminist'' inspired her and why she just had to sample it in her song.

Chimamanda Adichie, by virtue of this nomination, becomes the first Nigerian writer to be a Grammy nominee.

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie grew up in Nigeria and her work has been translated into thirty languages and has appeared in various publications, including The New Yorker, Granta, The O. Henry Prize Stories, the Financial Times, and Zoetrope.

She is the author of the novels Purple Hibiscus, which won the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize and the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award, and Half of a Yellow Sun, which won the Orange Prize and was a National Book Critics Circle Award Finalist, a New York Times Notable Book, and a People and Black Issues Book Review Best Book of the Year; and the story collection The Thing Around Your Neck.

Her latest novel Americanah, was published around the world in 2013, and has received numerous accolades, including winning the National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction and The Chicago Tribune Heartland Prize for Fiction; and being named one of The New York Times Ten Best Books of the Year.

A recipient of a MacArthur Foundation Fellowship, she divides her time between the United States and Nigeria.

The Grammy Award will hold on February 8th in America and whether Beyonce's album wins or not, the nomination is already a milestone for a Nigerian writer.

The Grammy Award - one of the world’s most prestigious Music Award is organized by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS) of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry.

Former Mayor of Enfield To Contest For UK Parliament

The former Mayor of the London Borough of Enfield, Nigerian born Kate Anolue is to contest for the UK Parliamentry elections under the banner of the Labour Party.

The former midwife who is from Nanka in Anambra State, Nigeria, followed her father’s desire for her to become a nurse and moved to Edmonton more than 20 years ago, starting her training in May 1972, eventually qualifying as a midwife.

She has delivered thousands of babies since becoming a midwifery sister at North Middlesex Hospital in 1984.

Kate became Mayor of Enfield in 2012 after being a Councillor for 10 years.

In April 2007, Councillor Kate Anolue was conferred with an honorary Freedom of the Borough in Enfield, the highest tribute that can be bestowed upon someone who has rendered eminent services to the community. 

A statement released by Jenny Okafor, the President of Nigerian Women in the Diaspora UK says " lets make it happen for this phenomenal unstoppable woman. She is one of us. Support her efforts and help put more women on the map"

The final selection for Parliamentary candidates takes place at the end of February 2015.

Nigeria Launches Online Company Registration Portal

Nigeria has launched a new company registration portal that would enable prospective business owners to register their businesses or companies with ease and at affordable costs.

Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Olusegun Aganda, who launched the Corporate Affairs Commission[CAC] on-line registration platform in Abuja, said the portal would significantly reduce the time and cost for business registration in Nigeria.

It would take an average of one month to register a business in the country, but with the new portal business registration would henceforth be done within some hours, he said.

According to him, “Nigeria ranks 129 out of 189 countries with ease of starting a business. With this platform which we are launching today, Nigeria will now emerge as one of the jurisdictions with fastest business registration points in the world''.

''It is gratifying to note that the new software is robust enough to accommodate all e-payment platforms such as inter-switch, e-transact, visa card, master card, verve card, American express and other forms of electronic payment.With the new application, customers can access and pay for the Commission’s services on-line. Also, Customers other than accredited agents/professionals can carry out their own transactions directly with the Commission. Nigerians will no longer have to incur other extra costs and inconveniences to travel to the Commission’s office to register and wait for a long period before they register their businesses''.

The online portal is live and can be accessed via http://services.cac.gov.ng/

Lagos Mainland Hospital, Yaba: The untold story behind defeating the Ebola Viral Disease in Nigeria

The outbreak of Ebola Viral Disease (EVD) in Nigeria was an enormous public health challenge in 2014. One of the important factors that ensured the successful treatment of infected persons and ultimate elimination of the EVD in Nigeria was the availability of a facility in Mainland Hospital, Yaba, Lagos State. Established in 2012 by the Lagos State Government with funding support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and technical assistance from Family Health International (FHI 360) under the TBCARE project, the facility is an ultra-modern multi-drug resistance tuberculosis (MDR-TB) treatment center. It is a 40 bedded admission facility with 2 wards of 14 beds each for males, and a ward of 12 beds for females and children.

At the early hours of Friday, July 25, 2014, millions of Nigerians woke up to the shocking realization that EVD was indeed truly in-country and anybody irrespective of age, tribe, creed or gender was at risk of being infected. The fear of infection, as well as death from EVD, touched on the very core of people’s existence as individuals, families, communities and the entire nation. Everyone residing in Nigeria could no longer take for granted the simplest gesture of basic human relationships such as shaking hands, caring for loved ones and burying the dead in line with cultural norms. Nigeria had its fair share of the crisis, recording 21 cases of the disease and 9 deaths before being declared Ebola-free. Nigeria’s effort and ability to curtail further spread of the virus received international acclaim with the United States Center for Disease Control (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) calling on other countries battling the disease or at risk of an outbreak to replicate the actions and public health measures implemented in Nigeria.

With rising cases of EVD in Nigeria, the Government of Nigeria considered the MDR-TB treatment center in Lagos Mainland Hospital suitable for the containment and treatment of EVD, both in design and spatial alignment. Although originally designed for the highly infectious airborne MDR-TB disease, the facility played a positive role in the treatment and containment of the EVD spread. Whether the original design features of the facility had a significant impact on the EVD transmission rate or prognosis of the disease is beyond the scope of this article. This writeup therefore limits itself to exposing the ‘as built’ architectural features of the MDR-TB treatment center where all confirmed EVD cases in Lagos State were admitted and treated. The responsibility for determining any relationship between the design features of the facility and the successes recorded on EVD elimination from Nigeria is left to the reader.

The infection prevention and control (IPAC) enabled MDR-TB treatment center was purposely designed to ensure efficient and sustainable maintenance of maximum air exchange at an internationally acceptable rate per hour. This was achieved partly due to the IPAC principles introduced to the design of this center. The head rooms of the building were purposively designed to be above average height while windows were made large, evenly distributed and closely spaced throughout the building. The windows begin from as low as 750mm above the finished floor level of the building and goes as high as 2100mm, aligned with the prevailing dominant wind direction. Artificial cooling was purposefully not provided. This was based on assumptions that patients (and healthcare workers alike) may close the windows to achieve better cooling, thereby, preventing the evacuation of contaminated air from the wards/rooms.

Additionally, the ward design purposively excluded artificial ventilation systems (AVS) in order to minimize the need for constant uninterrupted power supply which is usually not tenable in a low income country like Nigeria; thereby, keeping the cost of maintenance low. Thus, only natural ventilation was ensured through averagely high head rooms and multiple, large windows; thereby, improving safety of patients and healthcare workers, management efficiency as well as sustainability of patient care in the facility and ultimately achieving maximum air exchange rate necessary for the treatment of highly infectious airborne diseases such MDR-TB. The floors are made of seamless sheets of linoleum, with upturns at the edges, to ease cleaning and prevent trapping dirt and infectious organisms. The walls have seamless finishes, coated with washable paints. Waste water (sewage) from the wards are channeled through closed system of drainages into large, properly sealed septic tanks and soak-away right within the treatment facility, to prevent infection spread. The structural arrangements also facilitate ward decontamination and make the ward environment non-conducive for microorganisms to thrive.

The spatial arrangement of the treatment center also took into consideration the satisfaction, safety and security of both patients and health care workers. The treatment center is highly secured within a perimeter fence, with a security checkpoint at the entrance gate. Entrance into each of the wards is restricted with automatic control buttons located at the Nurses’ station, to allow for only unidirectional access to the wards. Main access door from the Nurses’ station to the main wards have fixed glass windows that allow the nurses to directly observe their patients even while on their desks. The facility features allows for only authorized persons to be allowed in or out of the facility at any given time. There is a designated area with controlled access and barrier for patient relatives to wait and/or talk to their loved ones who are patients on admission in the facility.

The entire MDR-TB facility is well lighted, with backup power supply from the national grid, as well as a stand-by generator (powered occasionally, whenever necessary). The facility is well landscaped, creating a green and serene environment with beautiful waves of walkways. Recreational facilities such as table tennis and assorted indoor games are provided in the lawn and the beautifully made gazebos to create a home-like environment that facilitate longer term patient stay. Multiple hand washing bays with automatic controls are available both within the wards, lawns and the recreation areas, to promote hand washing practices by both healthcare workers and patients. Each of the wards are also equipped with modern toilet and bathroom suites, serving an average of 3 patients to a convenience. Healthcare workers’ stations are also equipped with similar sanitary facilities, for their maximum comfort, safety and security. The center has its own consulting rooms, state of the art digital X-ray facility, pharmacy unit and a well-furnished healthcare workers’ lounge.

The MDR-TB treatment center located at the Lagos Mainland Hospital remains one of the game changers in the celebrated successes of the Government of Nigeria and her international collaborators to wrestle down EVD in Nigeria. Establishing these type of centers in each state of the federation will go a long way in not only addressing the rising cases of MDR-TB in Nigeria, but will serve as a readily available facility for the containment of any complex infectious disease outbreak in any given state. Other MDR-TB treatment centers of similar capacity in Nigeria, established with funding from USAID and technical assistance from FHI 360 include Dr. Lawrence Henshaw Memorial Hospital, Calabar in Cross River State; Infectious Disease Hospital, Kano in Kano State and the Federal Medical Centre, Yola in Adamawa State.



Website: http://www.fhi360.org/countries/nigeria
F: facebook.com/insideng
T: https://twitter.com/insideng

The Beauty Of Hausaland

The Hausa, numbering more than 20 million, are the largest ethnic group in West Africa. They are widely distributed geographically and have intermingled with many different peoples.

Islam arrived in the area by the 14th Century. By the 15th Century, there were a number of independent Hausa city-states. They competed with each other for control of trade across the Sahara Desert, slaves and natural resources. In the 19th Century, the region was unified by a ‘Jihad’ (Islamic holy war) and became known as Hausaland. The British arrived and colonised the area in about 1900. Even during colonial times, the city-states and their leaders maintained some autonomy. Many Hausa traditions were preserved until late in the 20th Century.

Location

The Hausa people are concentrated mainly in North-western Nigeria and in adjoining Southern Niger. This area is mostly semi-arid grassland or savannah, dotted with cities surrounded by farming communities. The cities of this region — Kano, Sokoto, Zaria and Katsina, for example — are among the greatest commercial centres of sub-Saharan Africa (Africa south of the Sahara Desert). Hausas are also found living in other countries of West Africa (Cameroon, Togo, Chad, Benin, Burkina Faso and Ghana).

Language

Hausa is the most widely spoken language in West Africa. It is spoken by an estimated 22 million people. Another 17 million people speak Hausa as a second language. Hausa is written in Arabic characters and about one-fourth of Hausa words come from Arabic. Many Hausas can read and write Arabic while a number of them can speak either French or English.

Folklore

According to tradition, Bayajidda, the mythical ancestor of the Hausas, migrated from Baghdad in the 9th or 10th century AD . After stopping at the Kingdom of Bornu, he fled west and helped the king of Daura slay a dangerous snake. As a reward, he was given the Queen of Daura in marriage. Bayajidda’s son, Bawo, founded the city of Biram. He had six sons who became the rulers of other Hausa city-states. Collectively, these are known as the Hausa bokwai (Hausa seven).

Hausa folklore includes ‘tatsunya’— stories that usually have a moral. They involve animals, young men and maidens, as well as heroes and villains. Many include proverbs and riddles.

Religion

Most Hausas are devout Muslims who believe in Allah and in Muhammad as his prophet. They pray five times each day, read the Koran (holy scriptures), fast during the month of ‘Ramadan’, give alms to the poor and aspire to make the pilgrimage (Hajj) to the Muslim holy land in Mecca. Islam affects nearly all aspects of Hausa behaviour (dressing, art, housing, rites of passage and laws). In the rural areas, there are communities of people who do not follow Islam. These people are called ‘Maguzawa’. They worship nature spirits known as ‘bori’ or ‘iskoki’.

Major Holidays

The Hausa observe the holy days of the Islamic calendar. ‘Eid’ (Muslim feast days) celebrate the end of ‘Ramadan (month of fasting), follow a ‘Hajj’ (pilgrimage to Mecca) and celebrate the birthday of the prophet Muhammad. On ‘Eid al-Adha’, Muslims sacrifice an animal to re-enact the time Abraham was willing to sacrifice his son to God. Families also slaughter an animal in their own homes. This may be a male ram or bull. People then celebrate with their relatives and friends and give each other gifts.

Rites Of Passage

About a week after a child is born, it is given a name during an Islamic naming ceremony. Boys are usually circumcised at around the age of seven, but there is no special rite associated with this.

In their mid-to-late teens, young men and women may become engaged. The marriage ceremony may take as long as several days. Celebrations begin among the bride and her family and friends as she is prepared for marriage. Male representatives of the bride and the groom’s families sign the marriage contract according to Islamic law, usually at the mosque. Shortly thereafter, the couple is brought together.

Following a death, Islamic burial principles are always followed. The deceased is washed, wrapped in a shroud and buried facing eastward — toward the holy land of Mecca. Prayers are recited and family members receive condolences. Wives mourn their deceased husbands for about three months.

Relationships

Hausas tend to be quiet and reserved. When they interact with outsiders, they generally do not show emotion. There are also some customs that govern interaction with one’s relatives. For example, it is considered a sign of respect not to say the name of one’s spouse or parents. By contrast, relaxed, playful relations are the norm with certain relatives, such as younger siblings, grandparents and cousins.

From an early age, children develop friendships with their neighbours that may last a lifetime. In some towns, young people may form associations whose members socialise together until they marry.

Living Conditions

In rural villages, Hausas usually live in large households (‘gida’) that include a man, his wives, his sons, as well as their wives and children. In large cities, such as Kano or Katsina, Hausas live either in the old sections of town or in newer quarters built for civil servants. Hausa housing ranges from traditional family compounds in rural areas to modern, single-family houses in new sections of cities.

Family Life

Relatives cooperate in activities such as farming and trade in rural areas and business activities in urban areas. Relatives hope to live near each other to socialise and support each other. Families arrange marriages for their young people. Marriages between relatives, such as cousins, are preferred. Under Islamic law, a man may marry up to four wives.

Following Islamic custom, most married Hausa women live in seclusion. They stay in the home and only go out for ceremonies or to seek medical treatment. When they do leave their homes, women wear veils and are often accompanied by their children.

Clothing

Hausa men are recognisable by their elaborate dress. Many wear large, flowing gowns (gare or babban riga), with elaborate embroidery around the neck. They also wear colourful embroidered caps (hula). Hausa women wear a wrap-around robe made of colourful cloth with a matching blouse, head tie and shawl.

Food

Staple foods include grains (sorghum, millet, or rice) and maize, which are ground into flour for a variety of foods. Breakfast often consists of porridge. Sometimes it includes cakes made of fried beans (kosai) or wheat flour (funkaso). Lunch and dinner usually include a heavy porridge (tuwo). It is served with a soup or stew (miya). Most soups are made with ground or chopped tomatoes, onions and peppers. To this are added spices and other vegetables such as spinach, pumpkin and okra. Small amounts of meat are eaten. Beans, peanuts and milk also add protein to Hausa diets.

Education

From about the age of six, Hausa children attend Koranic schools (schools where teaching is based on the Islamic holy scripture, the Koran). They learn to recite the scriptures and learn about the practices, teachings, and morals of Islam. By the time they reach adulthood, many achieve high levels of Islamic scholarship.

Since Nigeria gained her independence in 1960, the government has built many schools and universities. A majority of Hausa children, especially in urban areas, are now able to attend school, at least at the primary level.

Cultural Heritage

Music and art play important roles in everyday life. From a young age, Hausa children participate in dances, which are held in meeting places such as the market. Work songs often accompany activities in the rural areas and in the markets. Praise-singers sing about community histories, leaders and other prominent individuals. Story-telling, local dramas and musical performances are also common forms of traditional entertainment.

Employment

Hausa society has a strong division of labour according to age and sex. The main activity in the towns is trade; in rural areas, it is agriculture. Many Hausa men have more than one occupation. In the towns and cities, they may have formal jobs, such as teaching or government work and engage in trade on the side. In rural areas, they farm and also engage in trade or crafts. Some Hausas are full-time traders with shops or market stalls. Many Hausas are full-time Islamic scholars.

Hausa women earn money by processing, cooking and selling food. They also sell cloth scraps, pots, medicines, vegetable oils and other small items. Since women are generally secluded according to Islamic law, their children or servants go to other houses or the market on their behalf.

Sports

Both wrestling (‘koko’) and boxing (‘dambe’) are popular traditional sports among the Hausas. Matches take place in arenas or markets, often during religious holidays. Music, particularly drumming, accompanies the competition. Opponents wrestle until one is thrown to the ground. Boxers fight until one is either brought to his knees or falls flat on the ground.

Soccer is the most popular modern competitive sport and is considered the national sport of the nation.

Recreation

Musicians perform at weddings, naming ceremonies, and parties, as well as during Islamic holidays. Today, Western forms of entertainment are popular. Hausas listen to Western music, including rap and reggae, and view American and British television programmes. Many have stereos, televisions, VCRs and digital electronics in their homes.

Crafts, Hobbies

Hausas are well known for their craftsmanship. There are leather tanners and leather-workers, weavers, carvers and sculptors, ironworkers and blacksmiths, silver workers, potters, dyers, tailors, and embroiderers. Their wares are sold in markets throughout West Africa.

Acknowledgment: Leadership Newspaper

Source: www.everyculture.com via Leadership Newpaper

Looking Forward From Davos: A New Framework For A New Age By Tony Elumelu

Last week Tony O. Elumelu and a delegation from his pan-African investment vehicle, Heirs Holdings Group, travelled to Switzerland to attend the World Economic Forum in Davos. As a representative of the African perspective on global business, Mr. Elumelu was invited to express his views and give multiple interviews.

Hear from Mr Elumelu: 

This week world leaders from the public and private sectors, civil society, and academia, will convene at Davos to discuss the “new global context”—the theme of the World Economic Forum’s 2015 annual meeting. In this new context, the WEF fears that profound transformations (social, economic, political and technological) are hastening the end of “economic integration and international partnership.”

Indeed, the Davos agenda sounds like a daunting catch-all of global crises, from unemployment and income inequality, to global monetary policy, to clashing values systems, to sustainability and management of the world’s common resources. The WEF argues these and other pressures are deepening social and geopolitical fault lines around the world. Given recent headlines one can hardly disagree— the terror attacks in France and northern Nigeria; a major cyber attack attributed to North Korea; the bombing of an NAACP office in the U.S.; and the rise of extremist political parties in Europe; to name just a few. The fault lines are very real, and increasingly dangerous.

There is no doubt that we must accept the premise that this “new context” creates new challenges, but we must also recognise that the world, and the African continent in particular, is not short of solutions that can be used to address them.

I believe that these solutions must have four primary goals: First, must be sustainability, or we risk returning to Davos years and even decades from now, bedevilled by the same challenges and threats. Second, no solution will be sustainable if it is not inclusive. Our political, social, environmental and economic solutions must create value for all stakeholders—because fault lines are exacerbated when broad value creation is not driving the agenda. Third, sustainable solutions are integrated: the issues cited by the WEF cannot be treated in isolation from each other. They are, in fact, all interrelated and interdependent. Finally, we must have the disciplined focus to deliver a simple framework that is designed to prioritise the potential for implementation. The WEF agenda is so broad as to almost defy redress. Focusing on three key linchpin issues—unemployment, entrepreneurship, and resource management—will ease collaboration and lead us to an actionable programme and improved outcomes across a broad spectrum of issues.

In Africa we are developing and applying these solutions in a programme we call Africapitalism. Nowhere in the world do we stand to lose and gain more from the disruptive forces facing us than here. That’s why we are taking action that focuses on delivering true tangible outcomes within these specific focus areas, and seeking to deliver local value creation and social wealth.

We are going far beyond the established norm of working hand in hand with policymakers, legislators and NGOs to craft policies that expand entrepreneurship and trade—we are intervening directly. Whether through our US$100 million programme to identify, train, mentor and fund 1,000 entrepreneurs per year for the next decade, or our establishment of an index that will track the level of local value creation in African markets; we must go beyond the rhetoric to establish a clear and precise measure of our continent’s ability to retain value.

I would propose that we use these examples and others like them to build specific policy proposals in three key areas: entrepreneurship, trade, and resource management. Entrepreneurs, and the small- to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) they run, are engines of employment and economic growth—much more so than large global institutions. We need direct policy, investment, educational and infrastructure support for the SME sector in both the developed and developing world. Such an effort would re-energise our economies from the bottom up while stimulating the creation of the jobs we must create in order to ensure sustainability.

In trade, rather than focusing merely on the largest of global business, we need to take advantage of all our new technological and communications tools to expand the trade possibilities for entrepreneurs of all sizes. For example, new regional commodities exchanges in Africa are opening new markets and stabilizing prices for smallholder farmers all over Africa. E-commerce and mobile based transactions are also linking African entrepreneurs to consumers in ways that were not previously possible. Further, trade policy should pay special attention to intra-regional trade, as this type of trade includes a much higher share of manufactured goods: another level of support for local entrepreneurs and wealth creation. Greater intra-regional trade by definition requires closer integration and cooperation, and, therefore, less conflict.

Finally, we need to develop some common principles to guide resource management, but from the perspective of the nation’s providing the resources. Can those who own the resources (mostly in emerging nations) get a fair share in the process? We must come away from Davos with at least the beginnings of some core principles that regulate natural resource exploitation but that also obligate some level of local value addition of natural resources. This is important not just to avoid disputes, resource grabs, and potentially even resource wars, but beyond this to ensure that the resource owners can achieve sustainable and inclusive development.

As an entrepreneur who has launched and grown several multi-national companies, I believe strongly in the power of the private sector to solve problems, and 2015 can be a pivotal year, for good or ill, depending on how bold and decisive we are. So, as we arrive at Davos, let us focus not just on “raising awareness” about problems. It is our responsibility to leverage this important event and come away from Davos with concrete solutions that can contribute towards pulling the world back from the brink, toward a new era of economic cooperation, integration and growth.


Tony Elumelu is a Nigerian economist, banker, investor, and philanthropist.

This article was originally published on the Financial Times Blog

Photo Choice: Tun Images

Former international, John Fashanu Regrets Not Playing For Nigeria

Former International , John Fashanu has expressed his regret for not playing football for Nigeria during his professional career.

He lamented how a few people from time to time try to rub his non-appearance for Nigeria to his face in public.

John noted that he came home on three occasions but he was told by the teams technical adviser that he was not comfortable with his British style of playing football which was at variance with the teams style at that time and so he was not used on those occasions.

He insisted that it was the way he was treated that made him keep his distance from the green eagles squad which eventually led him to the English national team where he made two appearances.

Presently, Fashanu is fully back in Nigeria and has founded a world class sporting academy in Abuja, estimated to cost 10 billion Naira which he has since acquired 10 hectares of land for the purpose.

This project would be commissioned in march 2015 by President Goodluck Jonathan and it would be called 'Goodluck/Fashanu International Sports Academy'.

The Tennis department of this academy would be headed by Serena Williams; similarly,  Kanu Nwankwo, Jay Jay Okocha and Fashanu would be heading the football department.

Re: Buhari V Jonathan: Beyond The Election By Dr. Kayode Fayemi

We commend Professor Chukwuma Soludo’s for his insightful and incisive article published on January 26th in the Vanguard Newspaper, The Nation Newspaper and major online news platforms under the above title. We agree with Professor Soludo that if the political parties, including ours, must justify the overwhelming enthusiasm of Nigerians about the 2015 elections we must remain focused on the issues that matter most to them, which is the progress of our country and the well being of our people. Indeed, this has been the driving conviction of our party and our campaign all along.

While we accept his critical comments on our party, more for the intentions than for the letters, we believe some clarifications would be quite necessary. We wish to emphasise that our party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), presents a real option to Nigerians. Professor Soludo expressed the sentiments of most Nigerians when he spoke about the incalculable damage that the PDP under President Jonathan has done to the Nigerian economy and the unprecedented hardship that his six years of the locust has brought upon Nigerians.

However, the APC does not intend to ride into power on a mere rhetoric of 'change'. The change that we propose is fundamental in many ways as it is critical to the very survival of our country. This in itself presents a major distinction between our party and the PDP. Perhaps, the most compelling argument against the People's Democratic Party today is that its government and leadership does not even see that Nigeria is in trouble. While majority of our people wallow in abject poverty, and the gap in inequality gets ever wider by the day, yet PDP has basked in self-celebration of imagined accomplishments. How can a party or a government even begin to solve a problem that it does not believe exist? Like in all things, PDP is stuck in denial.

APC does not promise Eldorado. Neither our candidate nor our manifesto has made such promise. Our programs are based on the critical awareness of the difficult task ahead, while holding out a ray of hope to our people. The promises that we make reflect our innermost belief that the people must be at the centre of development. Especially, we believe that any economic growth that leaves the majority of the people behind, and does not protect the weakest and the vulnerable among us, is merely delusionary.

Professor Soludo has drawn our attention to the striking but unfortunate similarity in the nation's economy in 1982-1984 period and what we are experiencing today. Back then, a period of sustained high crude oil prices had also ironically led to unsustainable debt levels and introduction of the austerity measure. Just as it happened more than three decades ago, it is difficult to explain how a sustained period of oil boom should ultimately lead to austerity measure except to say that huge opportunities that the period of boom presented were frittered away by mindless profligacy, wanton corruption and bad economic choices made by the PDP government, which has rewarded a protracted period of boom with uncertainty and austerity and is still asking for another mandate to do more damage. 

If we sound upbeat in our manifesto, it is because we recognise that this crisis period also presents us a great opportunity to restructure the economy in a way that improves the quality of lives of our people by ensuring that our economic growth is job-led. Our party has identified job creation as a critical priority of government. We have noted with concerns that Nigeria’s unemployment rate of 23.9% should be seen as a national crisis. And if this government was more sensitive to the enormity of the challenge that this presents, it would be reluctant to jump all over the place in self celebration while so many of our youths are wasting away. In the immediate future, our priority is to tackle unemployment and provide good jobs by embarking on a massive programme of public works, building houses, roads, railways, ports and energy plants. Over the long term, we believe we must wean Nigeria off its dangerous addiction to oil, which currently provides 80% of our spending leaving us at the mercy of volatile international oil prices. Even as a federalist party, we believe that an economy that is dependent on a commodity that is so dangerously exposed to price volatility must always prepare for eventuality through savings and investments once the agreed thresholds are met. What we disagree with is the unilateral and arbitrary deductions in accruable revenues in a way that hampers the development of the federating States.

Going by the government's own statistics, is it mere coincidence that the three States with the lowest unemployment rate - Osun, Lagos and Kwara - are all APC States? This is evidence of our Party's ability to tackle this problem head-on. APC’s policy thrust will create an enabling environment and incentives for the formal and informal sectors to lead the quest for job creation. This will be done in addition to skills acquisition and enterprise- training to ensure our youths are equipped with the appropriate skills to take these jobs. Merely introducing a National Qualification Standards would power a whole new world of opportunities for our artisans by launching them into the international job markets. We note the issue that Professor Soludo picked with our figure of 720,000 jobs. We need to clarify that this is limited to immediate direct employment opportunities from public projects and maintenance works only. Our manifesto actually promises a lot more jobs but we see that as the product of the enabling environment we seek to create for private sector-led job creation, especially in high opportunity sectors like agriculture, construction, entertainment, tourism, ICT and sports. APC economic policy is driven by an overwhelming concern for the level of inequality in our country today. Specifically, to quote from our manifesto, we intend to achieve our job-creation agenda through:

-Massive public works programme especially the building of a national railway system (complete with tramline systems for our major cities), interstate roads, and ports. These projects must commence early in the life of the new administration.

-Establishing a new Federal Coordinating Agency - Build Nigeria - to fast track and manage these public works programmes with emphasis on Nigerian labour.

-Embarking vigorously on industrialization, public works and agricultural expansion.

-Diversifying the economy through a national industrial policy and innovative private-sector incentives that will move us away from over reliance on oil into value-added production especially manufacturing.

-Reviving textile and other industries that have been rendered dormant because of inappropriate economic policies.

-Reinvigorating the solid mineral sector by revamping our aged mining legislation and attracting new investment.

-Developing a new generation of domestic oil refineries to lower import costs, enhance our energy independence and create jobs.

-Working with state governments to turn the country into Africa's food basket through a new system of grants and interest free loans, and the mechanization of agriculture.

-Encouraging and promoting the use of sports as a source of job creation, entertainment and recreation.

-Creating a knowledge economy by making Nigeria an IT /professional/Telecom services outsourcing destination hub to create millions of jobs.

-Filling the huge gap in middle level technical manpower with massive investment in technical and tradesmen's skills education.

-Ensuring that all foreign contractors to include a plan of developing local capacity (technology transfer).

-Creation of six Regional Development Agencies covering the country with representatives from the Federal Government, States and the private sector to manage a new N300billion growth fund.

Our obsession with job creation stems from the fact that we believe we must focus on actions that would serve the twin purpose of closing the gap in inequality and creating opportunities for our people, especially the youth. Our current situation is dangerous for the stability of the country. The Human Development Index position ranks Nigeria 152 of 169 countries surveyed. This is incompatible with the present administration’s insistence on celebrating GDP growth and our absolute economic size hinged on a routine rebasing exercise. As many commentators have pointed out, rebasing the GDP is not an achievement. Rather, it is a mere statistical adjustment that does not impact on the real or imagined standards of living of the people. So, we also wonder what this PDP government is celebrating. And maybe it is not that difficult to explain when one discovers that a small elite has captured the state and converted our commonwealth into private gain, becoming disproportionately rich from massive corruption while poverty has deepened. The income gap and illicit capital flight are growing alarmingly. Instead of investing in modernizing our economy, massive theft has starved the country of desperately needed resources for infrastructure and public services and left us dangerously dependent on fluctuating global oil prices for our economic survival. For the ordinary Nigerian, the much-touted economic growth cited by the present administration has not translated into employment or development. Over 100 million Nigerians are struggling to make ends meet on a regular basis.

Furthermore, we understand Professor Soludo’s concern on the cost of implementing our various programmes, especially those relating to social welfare. The enormity of this challenge is not lost on us. We also know that sometimes, going into government is like buying a "no testing" electronic equipment. You may never know the true state of what you are buying until you get in. We want to assure Professor Soludo and other likeminded Nigerians that our policy team is looking at all the options – including the worst-case scenario of a completely empty treasury. We are however confident that by blocking avenues of wastages and corruption alone, savings could run into billions of Naira that could be deployed for productive use. Even so, we agree with Professor Soludo that savings from corruption alone will not tackle the enormous challenges we are likely to confront in government. We are however comforted by the fact that a four-year period provides opportunity for phased implementation while growing the resource base as well as changing the culture of graft while reducing the cost of governance.

Quite significantly, we know that periods of economic downturn also potentially provide opportunity to lay the foundation for real economic restructuring and development; and we can reflect on how Singapore under Premier Lee Kuan Yew and the United States of America under President Franklin Delano Roosevelt used historic moments of economic downturn in their countries to launch a period of sustained development and a new deal for their people. General Buhari has never claimed to have the magic wand nor the answers to all of the country’s problems. His greatest assets would be his moral authority borne out of his self-sacrificing integrity, his sincerity of purpose and his patriotic zeal to return Nigeria to the path of progress and genuine development. He is committed to utilize competent and committed people of integrity wherever he may find them. This is precisely why he promised when flagging off his campaign in Port Harcourt on January 5, 2015 that if voted into power, it would be an opportunity to, in his words, "finally assemble a competent team of Nigerians to efficiently manage this country”. This is a clear sign that a meritocratic process will govern the appointment of those that would be entrusted with managing our economy and country. His stint as Head of State shows a track record of using self-sacrificing professionals in his governance team. His previous cabinet included the likes of Dr. Onaolapo Soleye, Professor Tam David-West and Professor Ibrahim Gambari.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) is determined to lead Nigeria in the direction of change that is so urgently required. And even as we prepare for the immediate rescue mission in 2015, our minds are also set on building the necessary democratic institutions that would entrench our ideological conviction as a progressive and people-centred party. A National Progressives Policy Institute is part of this plan in the near future but we are very clear about the enormity of the task ahead. We would not seek to underplay it. We are supremely confident that we are equal to the task and we appreciate the commitment of majority of Nigerians to this quest for change.

By Dr. Kayode Fayemi, Former Governor Ekiti State and Head  Policy, Research and Strategy Directorate of the APC Presidential Campaign.