First, I must say I am a Nationalist; a deep rooted believer in the ‘wazobia’ spirit. I don’t care if my proverbial missing rib is found in the swamps of the Niger-Delta, or the dusty plains of Maiduguri.
But I confess I did feel a twinge of tribalism that the historic winner of the MTN sponsored Who Wants to Be a Millionaire television programme, Chimuanya Ufodike, is an Igbo man; a native of Nnewi at that!
Nnewi, the Taiwan of Africa! The commercial nerve centre of Nigeria’s motorcycle industry boasts an unenviable reputation of recording one of the highest illiteracy levels in Igboland.
Mr Ufodike, whose cute VW Passat bears customized licence plates that proudly declares him as an Nnewi son, was quick to rise to the disagree with this notion in the three-hour-long interview (more like banter) I had with him.
“Those rumours are unfounded,” he said a wee bit heatedly, betraying a slight chink in his otherwise unruffled demeanour. “Where is the first senate president from? My father was the second professor of Kinesiology in Africa. There are so many professors, and professionals in Nnewi. All members of my extended family are graduates and professionals in their respective careers.”
“I admit that Nnewi people are prone to excel in commerce, but that shouldn’t be a reason to forego education,” he added.
Coming days after this year’s World Literacy Day celebrations, and reports in NEXT that an estimated 30% of Nigerians are illiterate, Mr Ufodike’s exploits signal a rallying call to our millions of uneducated youth.
The master degree holder, who almost didn’t go to university, proves a role model to Nigerian youth on the values of education, even if self inflicted.
“It’s not just the inside the box kind of thing, you’ve got to also think outside the box,” he said. “I read a lot, especially those kinds of books that people don’t like reading.”
As I reluctantly extricated myself from his captivating presence, I made a mental note to dig out that dog-eared copy of Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment that I had abandoned half read last year.
I also want to be a millionaire. Those naira notes don’t care if you are Igbo, or Yoruba, or Hausa; it flows into your pockets as a result of what your brain has ingested and recycled.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
All hail the Southpaws!
Six-year-old Tosin Omowunmi is engaged in a running battle; her instincts versus parental guidance.
Ms Omowunmi was born left-handed; and despite the hundreds of smacks received from her parents who are desperate to correct what, to them, is a perplexing development, she still finds herself unconsciously reaching out with her left hand to shake hands.
“I can’t understand why it is only her (out of four siblings) that is left-handed,” said Evelyn Omowunmi, Tosin’s mother. “Her father (Segun) and I are both right handed, and so are the other kids. Initially we thought it won’t be long before we correct it, but she has stubbornly refused to change it completely.”
Ms Omowunmi joins an estimated 10% of the world’s population who are left handed. Left-handed people possess the ability to use their left hands more dominantly, and with more versatility, than the right. This condition is usually noticed right from childhood. In Nigeria, because of the various negative myths surrounding it, most children who are discovered to be left handed are forced into right-handedness.
Peter Omoluabi, a Professor of Psychology at the University of Lagos and former President of the Nigeria Psychological Association, provides an insight into how the development occurs at birth.
“Left-handedness is a natural biological process,” he said. “It is as a result of the dominance of the right lobe of the brain. The brain is divided into two hemispheres, the right and the left. The right hemisphere of the brain controls the activities of the left side of the body. At any particular time, one of them is more dominant than the other.”
In a world dominated by right-handed people, and tools designed for them; left-handed people often find themselves up the creek without a paddle.
Dominic Ogbonna, an Ijesha based grocer said he had always struggled with the starter cord, positioned on the right side of his TG900 Tiger Generator.
“My left hand is stronger, so it was not easy pulling that cord with my right,” he said.
He eventually bought a bigger Honda generator, not because he needed the extra power, but because the starter cord is positioned on the left side of the engine.
Left-handed people, like Mr Ogbonna, have also had to battle the negative interpretations that the Nigerian culture makes on them.
Professor Omoluabi dismisses the negative cultural interpretations, and advices parents, whose children are left-handed not to interfere as it might lead to complications in the child’s psyche.
“The cultural factors are purely mythical and some of them are really nonsensical,” he said. “There is no scientific basis for these beliefs. The attempt to force the (left-handed) child to use his or her right hand often discourages, confuses, and disorients the child.”
“It is not their fault; therefore they should be left alone. By the time they grow up, they might even adapt to using both hands thus becoming ambidextrous, which is a rare advantage. (Film Actor) Desmond Elliot and (Former Vice President) Mike Akhigbe are examples of this. Some of the world’s greatest people, today, are left-handed,” added Professor Omoluabi.
The Omowunmi’s are urbane and quite agree with Professor Omoluabi’s views. They say they are gradually getting accustomed to the fact that they might be losing the battle; however, they couldn’t resist the stern looks they gave Tosin as she hurriedly exchanged her left hand for the right before shaking hands.
Some famous left-handed people.
· Barak Obama – President of the USA.
· Babatunde Fashola – Governor of Lagos State.
· Mike Akhigbe – Former Vice President.
· Desmond Elliot – Nollywood Actor.
· Tom Cruise – Hollywood Actor.
· Pele – Brazilian football legend.
· Bill Gates – Founder of Microsoft.
· George Bush Snr – Former US President.
· Colin Powel – Former US Secretary of State.
· Bill Clinton – Former US President.
· Prince Charles – Heir to the British Throne.
· Oprah Winfrey – US Media Personality.
Myths associated with left handed people.
Money handed over with the left hand will disappear.
It is rude to shake hands with an older person.
Left-handed people are likely to be dishonest.
Left-handed people are more intelligent.
Left-handed people are disadvantaged in hand-to-hand combat.
Left-handed people are clumsy.
Eating with the left hand is immoral.
A left handed toast amounts to a curse on the victim.
Facts about left handed people.
Due to the fact that the left hemisphere of the brain processes analytical information, right-handed people might be slightly advantaged in analysis.
Left-handed people are more prone to be ambidextrous than right handed people.
Left-handed people are better in one-on-one sports such as tennis, judo, and boxing.
Left-handed people are disadvantaged in using tools designed for right handed people.
Left-handed people lean heavily to using visual stimulus to process information.
Left-handed people have shorter life spans because they are more prone to accidents.
This piece was published in NEXT, and 234next.com.
Ms Omowunmi was born left-handed; and despite the hundreds of smacks received from her parents who are desperate to correct what, to them, is a perplexing development, she still finds herself unconsciously reaching out with her left hand to shake hands.
“I can’t understand why it is only her (out of four siblings) that is left-handed,” said Evelyn Omowunmi, Tosin’s mother. “Her father (Segun) and I are both right handed, and so are the other kids. Initially we thought it won’t be long before we correct it, but she has stubbornly refused to change it completely.”
Ms Omowunmi joins an estimated 10% of the world’s population who are left handed. Left-handed people possess the ability to use their left hands more dominantly, and with more versatility, than the right. This condition is usually noticed right from childhood. In Nigeria, because of the various negative myths surrounding it, most children who are discovered to be left handed are forced into right-handedness.
Peter Omoluabi, a Professor of Psychology at the University of Lagos and former President of the Nigeria Psychological Association, provides an insight into how the development occurs at birth.
“Left-handedness is a natural biological process,” he said. “It is as a result of the dominance of the right lobe of the brain. The brain is divided into two hemispheres, the right and the left. The right hemisphere of the brain controls the activities of the left side of the body. At any particular time, one of them is more dominant than the other.”
In a world dominated by right-handed people, and tools designed for them; left-handed people often find themselves up the creek without a paddle.
Dominic Ogbonna, an Ijesha based grocer said he had always struggled with the starter cord, positioned on the right side of his TG900 Tiger Generator.
“My left hand is stronger, so it was not easy pulling that cord with my right,” he said.
He eventually bought a bigger Honda generator, not because he needed the extra power, but because the starter cord is positioned on the left side of the engine.
Left-handed people, like Mr Ogbonna, have also had to battle the negative interpretations that the Nigerian culture makes on them.
Professor Omoluabi dismisses the negative cultural interpretations, and advices parents, whose children are left-handed not to interfere as it might lead to complications in the child’s psyche.
“The cultural factors are purely mythical and some of them are really nonsensical,” he said. “There is no scientific basis for these beliefs. The attempt to force the (left-handed) child to use his or her right hand often discourages, confuses, and disorients the child.”
“It is not their fault; therefore they should be left alone. By the time they grow up, they might even adapt to using both hands thus becoming ambidextrous, which is a rare advantage. (Film Actor) Desmond Elliot and (Former Vice President) Mike Akhigbe are examples of this. Some of the world’s greatest people, today, are left-handed,” added Professor Omoluabi.
The Omowunmi’s are urbane and quite agree with Professor Omoluabi’s views. They say they are gradually getting accustomed to the fact that they might be losing the battle; however, they couldn’t resist the stern looks they gave Tosin as she hurriedly exchanged her left hand for the right before shaking hands.
Some famous left-handed people.
· Barak Obama – President of the USA.
· Babatunde Fashola – Governor of Lagos State.
· Mike Akhigbe – Former Vice President.
· Desmond Elliot – Nollywood Actor.
· Tom Cruise – Hollywood Actor.
· Pele – Brazilian football legend.
· Bill Gates – Founder of Microsoft.
· George Bush Snr – Former US President.
· Colin Powel – Former US Secretary of State.
· Bill Clinton – Former US President.
· Prince Charles – Heir to the British Throne.
· Oprah Winfrey – US Media Personality.
Myths associated with left handed people.
Money handed over with the left hand will disappear.
It is rude to shake hands with an older person.
Left-handed people are likely to be dishonest.
Left-handed people are more intelligent.
Left-handed people are disadvantaged in hand-to-hand combat.
Left-handed people are clumsy.
Eating with the left hand is immoral.
A left handed toast amounts to a curse on the victim.
Facts about left handed people.
Due to the fact that the left hemisphere of the brain processes analytical information, right-handed people might be slightly advantaged in analysis.
Left-handed people are more prone to be ambidextrous than right handed people.
Left-handed people are better in one-on-one sports such as tennis, judo, and boxing.
Left-handed people are disadvantaged in using tools designed for right handed people.
Left-handed people lean heavily to using visual stimulus to process information.
Left-handed people have shorter life spans because they are more prone to accidents.
This piece was published in NEXT, and 234next.com.
"Welcome to Lagos!"
My back pocket felt noticeably lighter as soon as I succeeded in squeezing myself through the mass of humanity standing near the door of the bus.
I reached for my back pocket as soon as my feet touched ground, and my worst fears were confirmed. My wallet had disappeared. Welcome to Lagos!
A fellow commuter, a wizened old man that alighted from the same bus, solemnly patted me on the back, shook his head, and mumbled “Welcome to Lagos.”
Within seconds, 11 commuters surrounded me, offering their condolences and sharing similar experiences, apparently thinking it would make me feel better.
Their stories were diverse. One had his two mobile phones lifted from separate pockets at the same time; another had his lace Kaftan slashed with a razor so that the wily pickpockets could get to his wallet. Indeed, on the spot statistics revealed that almost 50% of regular commuters of the Obalende-Mile 2 route had fallen prey to the pick-pockets at one time or the other.
They were all generous with their advice; Divide your money amongst your various pockets! Do not carry a wallet! Don’t carry all your ATM cards except when you really need them! Hold your phones, and wallets, and other valuables while boarding or alighting from the bus! Buy your own car!
And each of them signed off his/her piece of advice with, “Welcome to Lagos.”
Reeling from the shock, dizzy with thoughts of how to handle the impromptu economic recession, and thirsty from my long trek home, I decided to console myself at a local watering hole.
A couple of beers later, and feeling slightly better, I reached for my wallet to settle the bill....Oh no!
What happened next? That’s another story.
I reached for my back pocket as soon as my feet touched ground, and my worst fears were confirmed. My wallet had disappeared. Welcome to Lagos!
A fellow commuter, a wizened old man that alighted from the same bus, solemnly patted me on the back, shook his head, and mumbled “Welcome to Lagos.”
Within seconds, 11 commuters surrounded me, offering their condolences and sharing similar experiences, apparently thinking it would make me feel better.
Their stories were diverse. One had his two mobile phones lifted from separate pockets at the same time; another had his lace Kaftan slashed with a razor so that the wily pickpockets could get to his wallet. Indeed, on the spot statistics revealed that almost 50% of regular commuters of the Obalende-Mile 2 route had fallen prey to the pick-pockets at one time or the other.
They were all generous with their advice; Divide your money amongst your various pockets! Do not carry a wallet! Don’t carry all your ATM cards except when you really need them! Hold your phones, and wallets, and other valuables while boarding or alighting from the bus! Buy your own car!
And each of them signed off his/her piece of advice with, “Welcome to Lagos.”
Reeling from the shock, dizzy with thoughts of how to handle the impromptu economic recession, and thirsty from my long trek home, I decided to console myself at a local watering hole.
A couple of beers later, and feeling slightly better, I reached for my wallet to settle the bill....Oh no!
What happened next? That’s another story.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Exam racketeering
Ekene Iroghuma, 19, dropped out of school because he wants to make straight As in his Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination next year.
Sounds bizarre?
Ekene says he is dropping out from school so as to concentrate on his film rental business and make enough money to pay for passing his o levels in flying colours.
Educational consultants, posing as organizers of extra mural lectures for secondary school student intending to write any of the external examinations are helping candidates cheat to pass their examinations in every manner possible so as to get good grades.
They advertise aggressively and their banners and hand bills compete for space with those of the numerous churches that abound in the metropolis, from the dirty walls of public buildings to the grimy sides of garbage bins.
Pinnacle Education Academy, located at the Obelle Primary School, Lawanson, Surulere, is one such agent. The academy conducts remedial lessons and online registration of examinations such as WASSCE, NECO, UME, POST UME, etc. Proprietor Damilola Adewara sums up the agency's real business; "Our real aim is making sure those candidates that pay special fees pass the exams", he says.
Cheating in examinations is what agencies like Pinnacle specialize in. They provide answers, hours before the candidates enter their examination halls, and even, in some cases, write for absentee candidates.
"We call it NA, which is for non available candidates. Though I advice all of them to try and attend lessons and be at the exam, so that they will see what we are doing for them", says Rotimi Aseye, a co proprietor at Pinnacle.
He goes on to give a vague definition of their mode of operation as, "We arrange with the JAMB and WAEC people... security is no problem. Once you have your money, everything is possible, we even do aptitude test (Post UME) for our people at UNILAG."
The agency charges N5, 000 for three months worth of lectures and N15, 000 for fixing the examinations. However, paying this N15, 000 does not guarantee automatic success at the examination.
"80% of our people get their results; the rest either gets theirs' seized or are just unlucky", says Damilola. He is quick to point out that there are no guarantees and sums it up by saying, "When I wrote mine 10years ago, there was no ‘runs'...my advice to my students is always to pray, for Man proposes; God disposes."
Hundreds of secondary school students have begun to neglect their studies due to the availability of such agents. Some, who apparently have limited parental supervision, are even going as far as dropping out of school because they know they can always contract the services of the likes of Pinnacle.
"An SS (Senior Secondary)2 student, who lives opposite my house has dropped out of school saying he wants to save for 'runs' by next year when his mates start writing WAEC (Senior Secondary Certificate Examination). Look at how education has fallen in this country", says Desmond Ngorube.
The problem is not limited to Lagos; it appears to have spread across the nation. Like a cancerous growth, it is eating deeper and deeper into the fabrics of Nigeria's educational system.
Texas Institute is another of such agencies located in Aba, the commercial nerve centre of Abia State. The proprietor, Ifeanyi Umeh provides detailed insights into the workings of this cabal.
"We buy serial numbered online cards from our contacts at WAEC, NECO or JAMB so that all our candidates get to be posted to a particular school of our choice. We have private schools, especially on the outskirts of the town, where the proprietors work hand in hand with us", he says.
The next stage varies, according to the agency.
Some of them induce officials of the various examination bodies to leak the question papers to them, days before the examination, which they solve and distribute to their candidates on exam day.
It will be recalled that WAEC cancelled and rewrote, some papers during the last May/June Senior Secondary Certificate Examinations because of widespread leakage of examination papers.
While some of them, especially the big ones like Texaco or Pinnacle decide not to gamble. They hire experts (especially undergraduates) majoring in the respective areas to solve the questions on examination day and pass on to the candidates, for example, an Accountancy undergraduate is hired to solve mathematical questions while an English undergrad does same for English Language.
The corrupt proprietors of these private schools collect bribes from these agents and look the other way.
"As for the WAEC people (examination invigilators), we leave them to the school owners to settle (bribe) them. We pay the school owners to make sure the school is conducive for our business, they have to make sure invigilators, security and other people involved get their own and comply", says Ifeanyi.
Teachers of public schools have also condemned the corrupt practices going on in some of these private schools and say it taints the image of the profession.
"Some of those private schools engage in sharp practices which give teachers generally a bad name. Government should look at those schools and investigate what some of them are doing", says Rashidat Balogun, who teaches at Anglican Girls Seminary, Lagos Island.
Ifeanyi scoffs at the possibility of being run out of business.
"When they introduced online registration, some people thought we will fold but we got around it. Whatever they come out with, we will sit down and fashion out how to address it. It is difficult to refuse the money we offer them", he says.
Ekene is working hard, and saving hard, to be able to afford the services of the likes of Pinnacle and Texaco come June next year.
He hopes to make grades good enough to enable him gain effortless admission to the university to study his dream course - Law.
Sounds bizarre?
Ekene says he is dropping out from school so as to concentrate on his film rental business and make enough money to pay for passing his o levels in flying colours.
Educational consultants, posing as organizers of extra mural lectures for secondary school student intending to write any of the external examinations are helping candidates cheat to pass their examinations in every manner possible so as to get good grades.
They advertise aggressively and their banners and hand bills compete for space with those of the numerous churches that abound in the metropolis, from the dirty walls of public buildings to the grimy sides of garbage bins.
Pinnacle Education Academy, located at the Obelle Primary School, Lawanson, Surulere, is one such agent. The academy conducts remedial lessons and online registration of examinations such as WASSCE, NECO, UME, POST UME, etc. Proprietor Damilola Adewara sums up the agency's real business; "Our real aim is making sure those candidates that pay special fees pass the exams", he says.
Cheating in examinations is what agencies like Pinnacle specialize in. They provide answers, hours before the candidates enter their examination halls, and even, in some cases, write for absentee candidates.
"We call it NA, which is for non available candidates. Though I advice all of them to try and attend lessons and be at the exam, so that they will see what we are doing for them", says Rotimi Aseye, a co proprietor at Pinnacle.
He goes on to give a vague definition of their mode of operation as, "We arrange with the JAMB and WAEC people... security is no problem. Once you have your money, everything is possible, we even do aptitude test (Post UME) for our people at UNILAG."
The agency charges N5, 000 for three months worth of lectures and N15, 000 for fixing the examinations. However, paying this N15, 000 does not guarantee automatic success at the examination.
"80% of our people get their results; the rest either gets theirs' seized or are just unlucky", says Damilola. He is quick to point out that there are no guarantees and sums it up by saying, "When I wrote mine 10years ago, there was no ‘runs'...my advice to my students is always to pray, for Man proposes; God disposes."
Hundreds of secondary school students have begun to neglect their studies due to the availability of such agents. Some, who apparently have limited parental supervision, are even going as far as dropping out of school because they know they can always contract the services of the likes of Pinnacle.
"An SS (Senior Secondary)2 student, who lives opposite my house has dropped out of school saying he wants to save for 'runs' by next year when his mates start writing WAEC (Senior Secondary Certificate Examination). Look at how education has fallen in this country", says Desmond Ngorube.
The problem is not limited to Lagos; it appears to have spread across the nation. Like a cancerous growth, it is eating deeper and deeper into the fabrics of Nigeria's educational system.
Texas Institute is another of such agencies located in Aba, the commercial nerve centre of Abia State. The proprietor, Ifeanyi Umeh provides detailed insights into the workings of this cabal.
"We buy serial numbered online cards from our contacts at WAEC, NECO or JAMB so that all our candidates get to be posted to a particular school of our choice. We have private schools, especially on the outskirts of the town, where the proprietors work hand in hand with us", he says.
The next stage varies, according to the agency.
Some of them induce officials of the various examination bodies to leak the question papers to them, days before the examination, which they solve and distribute to their candidates on exam day.
It will be recalled that WAEC cancelled and rewrote, some papers during the last May/June Senior Secondary Certificate Examinations because of widespread leakage of examination papers.
While some of them, especially the big ones like Texaco or Pinnacle decide not to gamble. They hire experts (especially undergraduates) majoring in the respective areas to solve the questions on examination day and pass on to the candidates, for example, an Accountancy undergraduate is hired to solve mathematical questions while an English undergrad does same for English Language.
The corrupt proprietors of these private schools collect bribes from these agents and look the other way.
"As for the WAEC people (examination invigilators), we leave them to the school owners to settle (bribe) them. We pay the school owners to make sure the school is conducive for our business, they have to make sure invigilators, security and other people involved get their own and comply", says Ifeanyi.
Teachers of public schools have also condemned the corrupt practices going on in some of these private schools and say it taints the image of the profession.
"Some of those private schools engage in sharp practices which give teachers generally a bad name. Government should look at those schools and investigate what some of them are doing", says Rashidat Balogun, who teaches at Anglican Girls Seminary, Lagos Island.
Ifeanyi scoffs at the possibility of being run out of business.
"When they introduced online registration, some people thought we will fold but we got around it. Whatever they come out with, we will sit down and fashion out how to address it. It is difficult to refuse the money we offer them", he says.
Ekene is working hard, and saving hard, to be able to afford the services of the likes of Pinnacle and Texaco come June next year.
He hopes to make grades good enough to enable him gain effortless admission to the university to study his dream course - Law.
Monday, December 8, 2008
They came to Jos; they served the people; and they got slaughtered.
I have often tried to reconstruct the scene in my mind: three corp members on their knees and scared out of their wits; fifty or more ferociously armed guys dancing round them and chanting, "Allah Akhbar." Minutes later, one of the corp members gets his throat slit while the other two are hacked to death with axes.
Or the the man who was thrown to the very depths of helplessness as he stared horror in the face: the savages dancing round his house after setting it on fire, with him, his wife and three kids inside and no route of escape.
The Jos carnage exposes the bestiality in man.
An estimated 300 people dead and more than 500 still missing. This horror is supposed to have emanated from clashes between supporters of the various candidates in the just concluded local government elections. I hold a different opinion. The Jos massacre does not look like a spontaneous action, it smacks of premedication. It is not even a religious issue, as has widely been canvassed. I think the bloodbath at Jos is an ethnic issue. How did the rampaging youths identify the religious inclinations of their victims before they struck? Did they verify that the corp members were not muslims before butchering them? How did they know there were no muslims inside the house before setting it on fire?
Those three corp members did not go to Jos to for business, neither did they go for pleasure. They got posted to Jos for the mandatory one year National Youth Service; a scheme that was primarily established for purposes of strenghtening relationships between the various ethnic groups within the country. They went to Jos; they served the the people; and they got slaughtered. How will their parents and relations feel tomorrow, when someone else from the family gets a call up letter from the NYSC?
I shudder when I imagine that the earlier mentioned scene, or a similar one, will be recreated live again and again.
Or the the man who was thrown to the very depths of helplessness as he stared horror in the face: the savages dancing round his house after setting it on fire, with him, his wife and three kids inside and no route of escape.
The Jos carnage exposes the bestiality in man.
An estimated 300 people dead and more than 500 still missing. This horror is supposed to have emanated from clashes between supporters of the various candidates in the just concluded local government elections. I hold a different opinion. The Jos massacre does not look like a spontaneous action, it smacks of premedication. It is not even a religious issue, as has widely been canvassed. I think the bloodbath at Jos is an ethnic issue. How did the rampaging youths identify the religious inclinations of their victims before they struck? Did they verify that the corp members were not muslims before butchering them? How did they know there were no muslims inside the house before setting it on fire?
Those three corp members did not go to Jos to for business, neither did they go for pleasure. They got posted to Jos for the mandatory one year National Youth Service; a scheme that was primarily established for purposes of strenghtening relationships between the various ethnic groups within the country. They went to Jos; they served the the people; and they got slaughtered. How will their parents and relations feel tomorrow, when someone else from the family gets a call up letter from the NYSC?
I shudder when I imagine that the earlier mentioned scene, or a similar one, will be recreated live again and again.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
The Lagos Challenge
The popular, albeit ominous, statement, “This is Lagos” really does capture the essence of life in the sprawling city called Lagos. Currently the sixth largest city in the world with an estimated population of thirteen million inhabitants, Lagos easily qualifies as the nerve centre of the Nigerian country and indeed the African continent. However a multitude of problems abound in this megacity. The United Nations Cyber School website sums it up succinctly, “Energy and water access, sewerage, transportation and housing have all been adversely affected by haphazard development of a geographically disjointed city”- www.cyberschoolbus.un.org.
A lot of issues abound in Lagos such as Migration, Health, Traffic and the ever predominant issue of lack of social services. On an excruciating hot afternoon, my partner, Richard Babarinsa and I set out on an exploration of selected areas of Lagos Island in a quest to get a feel of the place. Our first port of call is the intense congested square popularly known by locals as “P & T” bordered by the massive seven-floor Ministry of Commerce building on one hand and the popular Lewis Street on the other. A sense of chaos greets you, buses and motorcycle taxis blaring horns whip by, everyone seems in a frantic haste even though its way past the rush hour, a DVD plates retailer adds the high pitched advertisement of his wares to the din, it seems hell really did break loose.
We are attracted to a rare sight, a young man sitting near a call centre and calmly reading a book and approach him. He amiably introduces himself as Joseph Dare, age 32 and a Caterer by profession. He is “a true Lagosian” , as he describes it because he was born in Lagos. He is a staff of Bonix Party Drinks and explain he is idling now because he normally works on weekends if customers come knocking, he worked last weekend and prays he gets an offer this weekend. Joseph animatedly argues that the greatest problem Lagos has is that, “Government really does nothing for the people”. He believes the Government should provide better roads, housing and healthcare but most importantly, “give ambitious youths like me the opportunity to afford schooling as my desire is to study Business Management and start my own large scale catering outfit”.
Richard and I continue our tour and find ourselves in the popular Tafawa Balewa Stadium. A bit more subdued area, perhaps due to the ever looming presence of the Ministry of Defence in the next street, however the hustle and bustle were still evident. The commercial bus drivers especially of the mini bus popularly called “molue” scream out their routes at the top of their lungs as if demanding that passengers come on board whether or not you had business plying those routes. The stadium shopping complex houses lots of travel agencies and seem to be doing brisk business as a good deal of the population seem eager to leave the country in search of greener pastures.
We enter one of the travel agency offices and meet with the manager who is noticeably disappointed we are not prospective clients. He adamantly refuses to give his name, because according to him, “Nigerian journalists often get you in trouble with quotes attributed to you that you have never heard before in your life”. A 1990 graduate from Federal University of University Owerri, the 35 year old came to Lagos in 1994 and sees the city as a big commercial centre. He believes Lagos is a fertile ground because, “virtually every business in Nigeria is linked to Lagos”. He, however, identifies numerous problems with life in Lagos emphasising particularly on issues of housing and transportation. He also believes the Government is not providing any social services and suggests the adoption of a more practical mortgage system in solving the housing problem.
A couple of years ago, 2003 precisely, the BBC asked novelists who have a profound understanding of the city they live in to reflect on the fiction it has produced and the various works of literature set there. In BBC’s compilation of these contributions titled Sense of the City: Lagos, Helon Habila (the 2001 Caine Prize Winner) really captures the “This is Lagos” phenomenon in this apt statement, “Lagos is seen as a place where people come and lose their innocence. It is seen as a kind of enemy to innocence, because basically it is a colonial creation”
A lot of issues abound in Lagos such as Migration, Health, Traffic and the ever predominant issue of lack of social services. On an excruciating hot afternoon, my partner, Richard Babarinsa and I set out on an exploration of selected areas of Lagos Island in a quest to get a feel of the place. Our first port of call is the intense congested square popularly known by locals as “P & T” bordered by the massive seven-floor Ministry of Commerce building on one hand and the popular Lewis Street on the other. A sense of chaos greets you, buses and motorcycle taxis blaring horns whip by, everyone seems in a frantic haste even though its way past the rush hour, a DVD plates retailer adds the high pitched advertisement of his wares to the din, it seems hell really did break loose.
We are attracted to a rare sight, a young man sitting near a call centre and calmly reading a book and approach him. He amiably introduces himself as Joseph Dare, age 32 and a Caterer by profession. He is “a true Lagosian” , as he describes it because he was born in Lagos. He is a staff of Bonix Party Drinks and explain he is idling now because he normally works on weekends if customers come knocking, he worked last weekend and prays he gets an offer this weekend. Joseph animatedly argues that the greatest problem Lagos has is that, “Government really does nothing for the people”. He believes the Government should provide better roads, housing and healthcare but most importantly, “give ambitious youths like me the opportunity to afford schooling as my desire is to study Business Management and start my own large scale catering outfit”.
Richard and I continue our tour and find ourselves in the popular Tafawa Balewa Stadium. A bit more subdued area, perhaps due to the ever looming presence of the Ministry of Defence in the next street, however the hustle and bustle were still evident. The commercial bus drivers especially of the mini bus popularly called “molue” scream out their routes at the top of their lungs as if demanding that passengers come on board whether or not you had business plying those routes. The stadium shopping complex houses lots of travel agencies and seem to be doing brisk business as a good deal of the population seem eager to leave the country in search of greener pastures.
We enter one of the travel agency offices and meet with the manager who is noticeably disappointed we are not prospective clients. He adamantly refuses to give his name, because according to him, “Nigerian journalists often get you in trouble with quotes attributed to you that you have never heard before in your life”. A 1990 graduate from Federal University of University Owerri, the 35 year old came to Lagos in 1994 and sees the city as a big commercial centre. He believes Lagos is a fertile ground because, “virtually every business in Nigeria is linked to Lagos”. He, however, identifies numerous problems with life in Lagos emphasising particularly on issues of housing and transportation. He also believes the Government is not providing any social services and suggests the adoption of a more practical mortgage system in solving the housing problem.
A couple of years ago, 2003 precisely, the BBC asked novelists who have a profound understanding of the city they live in to reflect on the fiction it has produced and the various works of literature set there. In BBC’s compilation of these contributions titled Sense of the City: Lagos, Helon Habila (the 2001 Caine Prize Winner) really captures the “This is Lagos” phenomenon in this apt statement, “Lagos is seen as a place where people come and lose their innocence. It is seen as a kind of enemy to innocence, because basically it is a colonial creation”
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
The other side of 'yahooism in 9ja'
Why on earth would some banker somewhere be perfectly willing to let me in on a forgotten stash of loot which I could help him/her withdraw from the bank for a sustantial percentage? I've received loads of emails, for the past 2yrs, soliciting for my assistance in withdrawing, albeit clandestinely, mindboggling sums of money from bankers guarding monies belonging to such conveniently dead folks as Abacha, Eyadema, Abiola etc.
These 'yahoo boys' really have assumed epidemic status, and the FG + International Police should intensify efforts at battling this scourge. Infact I suggest that a National Immunization Scheme against 'Yahoo Disease' be set up to fight this epidemic. Or better still, a full commission - National Campaign against Yahooism Commission (NCYC), be created with Dora as its pioneer MD to steer the ship. Oh! just had Yar Adua presented a bill to the Natiuonal Assembly on the establishment of the National Cyber Crimes Commission
However, I am very concerned that the fight against 'yahooism' seems to be following one track. Fine, it's criminal to send mails giving untrue information with the aim of defrauding victims, and perpertors should face the law. What about the guy whose ears prick up at the prospect of skimming a couple of millions of dollars off Abacha's loot? Or the chap who is interested in claiming the lottery which he/she never applied for? Or the smart businessman who wants to cut corners and come invest (exploit) in Africa?
I never read tru any of these mails, I delete immediately I catch the drift. Hey! don't get me wrong, I'd very much love to make the extra bucks now and then, (who doesn't?), but I really think contacting me from the blues to discuss a transaction that would earn me a few million bucks in a couple of weeks is taking wishful thinking a bit too far.
How could any sane person fall for this kind of scam? It seems almost impossible but statistics reveal that the 'yahoo boys' industry makes an estimate of 3billion naira annually. So, business is good. The industry records higher and higher applicants and the brains are expanding thair scope of activities. It is ironic that the massive unemployment rate in Nigeria, which contributed to the growth of the 'yahoo industry' in the first place, is now one of the results of this expansion. 'Yahoo boys' have now begun to turn to the huge possibilities in the massive numbers of the unemployed. Vacancy ads are placed in papers and the resultant thousands of applicants are usually asked to pay 'application fees'. The numbers indicate that business is good, the 'mugu or maga' is always around the next corner.
It is important that these so called victims of 'yahooism' be called to explain their own intentions. I think the greedy fellow who decides to get involved in a deal to transfer illegal funds has committed a crime by not reporting to the appropriate authorities. S/he should be tried before the courts and, if found guilty, jailed. The weel worn cliche that you always hear by defenders of the industry is that, "we are taking back what was stolen from us during the colonial era." Now, this is a highly debatable issue, (maybe we'll talk about it later). Fact is, the victim is not really the victim.
These 'yahoo boys' really have assumed epidemic status, and the FG + International Police should intensify efforts at battling this scourge. Infact I suggest that a National Immunization Scheme against 'Yahoo Disease' be set up to fight this epidemic. Or better still, a full commission - National Campaign against Yahooism Commission (NCYC), be created with Dora as its pioneer MD to steer the ship. Oh! just had Yar Adua presented a bill to the Natiuonal Assembly on the establishment of the National Cyber Crimes Commission
However, I am very concerned that the fight against 'yahooism' seems to be following one track. Fine, it's criminal to send mails giving untrue information with the aim of defrauding victims, and perpertors should face the law. What about the guy whose ears prick up at the prospect of skimming a couple of millions of dollars off Abacha's loot? Or the chap who is interested in claiming the lottery which he/she never applied for? Or the smart businessman who wants to cut corners and come invest (exploit) in Africa?
I never read tru any of these mails, I delete immediately I catch the drift. Hey! don't get me wrong, I'd very much love to make the extra bucks now and then, (who doesn't?), but I really think contacting me from the blues to discuss a transaction that would earn me a few million bucks in a couple of weeks is taking wishful thinking a bit too far.
How could any sane person fall for this kind of scam? It seems almost impossible but statistics reveal that the 'yahoo boys' industry makes an estimate of 3billion naira annually. So, business is good. The industry records higher and higher applicants and the brains are expanding thair scope of activities. It is ironic that the massive unemployment rate in Nigeria, which contributed to the growth of the 'yahoo industry' in the first place, is now one of the results of this expansion. 'Yahoo boys' have now begun to turn to the huge possibilities in the massive numbers of the unemployed. Vacancy ads are placed in papers and the resultant thousands of applicants are usually asked to pay 'application fees'. The numbers indicate that business is good, the 'mugu or maga' is always around the next corner.
It is important that these so called victims of 'yahooism' be called to explain their own intentions. I think the greedy fellow who decides to get involved in a deal to transfer illegal funds has committed a crime by not reporting to the appropriate authorities. S/he should be tried before the courts and, if found guilty, jailed. The weel worn cliche that you always hear by defenders of the industry is that, "we are taking back what was stolen from us during the colonial era." Now, this is a highly debatable issue, (maybe we'll talk about it later). Fact is, the victim is not really the victim.
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