TheNewsGuru

Tag: Francis Ewherido

  • Oguntade mounts the saddle in NCRIB

    Oguntade mounts the saddle in NCRIB

    The Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers witnessed another milestone on October 19, 2023, at the prestigious Marriot Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, when the erstwhile President of NCRIB, my former senior colleague at Industrial and General Insurance and egbon (senior bros), Barr. Rotimi Edu, handed over the presidency of NCRIB to Prince Babatunde Oguntade, as the 22nd President of NCRIB, at a very impressive ceremony.

    The presidency of the NCRIB does not come on a platter. You have to pay your dues as an insurance professional and you have to render many years of service in advancing insurance broking, in particular, and the insurance industry, in general. Oguntade has paid his dues on both fronts. You also need to build your network and know your way around the NCRIB.  Oguntade started his insurance career about 40 years ago at the National Insurance Corporation of Nigeria (NICON). From NICON, he joined Country and City Insurance Brokers Limited where he rose to the level of General Manager/Chief Executive Officer. He was at this organization till 2004. After garnering significant experience and relevant professional certifications both within and outside Nigeria, Oguntade quit paid employment to establish Lectern Insurance Brokers Limited, where he remains the managing director and chief executive officer.

    Oguntade had much of his formal education in Nigeria. Over the years, he has attended courses both in Nigeria and all over the world garnering wide knowledge and experience. Oguntade is a Certified Insurance practitioner a member Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria, (CIIN) and a Fellow of the Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers. He is a Fellow, Institute of Management Consultants (FIMC) and Fellow, Institute of Leadership Management and Manpower Development (ILMMD). The new NCRIB president has been a Member, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) and has been Governing Board Member of the Council for over 13 years.

    He has served in many capacities over the years in NCRIB. He was Past Chairman of Lagos Area Committee of the NCRIB, Past Chairman, Events Organizing Committee; Immediate Past Chairman, Publicity and Publication Committee; Chairman, Research and Development Committee; Chairman, Ad-Hoc Committee on Review of NCRIB Staff Handbook and Rule; Chairman, Membership Registration Committee; Member, Presidential Investiture Planning Committee, 2013 till date; Past Honorary Auditor of the Council; Chairman, Ad-Hoc Committee, Membership Subscription Review and Member, Technical Committee. He was the vice president of NCRIB from 2019 to 2021 and Deputy President from 2021 to 2023 before he emerged president on October 19, 2023.

    He is well equipped and apparently prepared for the job of leading Registered Insurance Brokers (RIB) in Nigeria to greater heights. He has already come up with his eight-point agenda. The first is financial solvency. Basically he promised that his team will be highly creative in stimulating ideas that would lead to financial solvency of the NCRIB aside from the traditional subscription of members. He also wants to continue collaborating with all relevant institutions and regulatory bodies, including the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), in deepening of the Insurance broking sector within the Insurance industry to enable insurance brokers get a better deal in the insurance industry.

    Oguntade also promised that the council under his leadership would be deliberate in opening windows of opportunities for Brokers, regardless of their sizes with notable accounts, for the benefit of all, bearing in mind that the fortune of the Council is inextricably tied to the fortunes of all the members across board. This is music to the ears of smaller brokers. Some are already feeling being emasculated from accounts where the government agencies specifically state that only brokers with a specified minimum number of staff can apply.

    Oguntade also emphasized the need for continuous training of members. A robust training programme is already in place. He can only improve on it, but these trainings must be affordable to most members. Some small brokers that need the training most cannot afford the fees being currently charged. The NCRIB President and his team should come up with a solution.

    Mentoring is another area Oguntade promised to strengthen. There is no need to belabour it. It is crucial for the survival and growth of insurance broking. The world is now a global village so collaboration between NCRIB and notable international institutions like the British Insurance Brokers’ Association (BIBA), African Insurance Organisation (AIO), and West African Insurance Companies Association (WAICA) should continue and be improved on. Oguntade and members of his team, have been part of this collaboration, so they know exactly what to do

    As my president, I had privately given him an additional mandate: that is, ensuring that the planned installation of a lift (elevator) in the NCRIB secretariat comes to fruition within his two-year tenure as president. The project has been in the pipeline for too long. The lift has become more urgent because it is depriving some members with health and age related challenges the opportunity to be attend courses and other NCRIB activities held at the secretariat. The NCRIB building has four floors and such members cannot climb to the upper floors where most of the activities take place. The council should empathise with such members by installing a lift as soon as possible. This initial oversight during the construction of the building should not be allowed to linger any further. It is a festering sore.

    Other council members elected with Oguntade to carry out the onerous task of running the NCRIB for the next two years are our very erudite lawyer, chartered insurance broker and former colleague at IGI, Mrs. Ekeoma Ezeibe, deputy president. I call her my inlaw though the wife she promised me since 1994 has been in the pipeline. Instead of vandalizing the pipeline or waiting endlessly, I sorted out myself 25 years ago. But she remains my inlaw. Our new Vice President is Mrs. Olufunke Adenusi, a veteran insurance broker, a woman of substance and alumna of the prestigious National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, Jos. Some board members were either elected or reelected. I wish Prince Oguntade and his team a very successful tenure.

    Francis Ewherido is the MD/CEO of Titan Insurance Brokers Limited.

  • If not Wike, who? – By Francis Ewherido

    If not Wike, who? – By Francis Ewherido

    Let me start by saying that I have never met the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, personally. I took interest in him when he became the governor of Rivers State. While some governors of the neighbouring states in the Niger Delta were slumbering, he was transforming Rivers State, especially Port Harcourt. I did my youth service in Port Harcourt in the 80s. Port Harcourt has always been ahead of other cities in the Niger Delta, but Wike took Port Harcourt to another level. 

    I fell in love with Abuja the first time I set my eyes on the city. I wanted to relocate from Lagos to Abuja thereafter, but it did not work out. Abuja then was mainly a civil servant city and a few rich people. I have seen Abuja evolve. I saw the bastardisation of Abuja master plan. When Mallam Nasir El-Rufai became the minister of the FCT, he went about the restoration of the master plan in a ruthless and single-minded manner. There were abuses, blackmails and name calling, but he was not deterred. He had the backing of his boss, former President Olusegun Obasanjo. Remember, Obasanjo was one of the architects of a new federal capital city when he was second in command to the late military head of State, General Murtala Mohammed. The thinking then was that Lagos was congested. It was also a coastal city and was thought to be vulnerable in the face of external attack. 

    Of course Obasanjo is a Yoruba man and Yoruba land was going to lose Nigerian capital with this plan. He could have truncated the plan after the sudden death of Mohammed. Rather, another Yoruba man, the Justice Akinola Aguda, played a crucial role in choosing Abuja as the FCT because “it is central location (viewed as neutral both ethnically and religiously, where culture and religion meet), easy accessibility, pleasant climate, low population density, and the availability of land for future expansion.” Subsequent governments continued work on Abuja, until the government of General Ibrahim Babangida, fast tracked the movement of the seat of power to Abuja. The government was shaken to its foundation by the failed Gideon Orkah coup of 1991. 

    After El-Rufai, Abuja lost traction. Abuja lost its orderliness. It was at an all-time low in the time of Mallam Mohammed Bello. The covers of virtually all the underground drains were stolen. Street lights were not working well in some areas. There was filth in some parts of Abuja. I saw cow dungs in Maitama, around the federal secretariat, the road leading to the national assembly, Jabi and other highbrow areas. 

    This is the FCT Wike met. I suspect the mandate President Bola Tinubu gave to him is not different from the mandate Obasanjo gave to El-Rufai. So the opposition and uproar is understandable. El-Rufai experienced the same opposition and blackmail. What I do not understand is calling Wike an infidel and other names with religious and ethnic connotations because he is trying to bring sanity, orderliness and more developments to Abuja. Infidel is a strange word in the Niger Delta where Wike comes from because everyone expresses his beliefs without let or hindrance in line with the Nigerian constitution which defines Nigeria as a secular country. I do not see how Wike receiving the Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria amounts to him being an infidel. Israel has an ambassador in Nigeria because Nigeria has diplomatic relations with Israel. Wike had no hands in establishing this relation. 

    For the records. Israel is NOT a Christian country. The average Israeli laughs at Christians. Christianity is founded on Christ, his birth, short life on earth, death and resurrection. Take these away and there will be no basis for Christianity. That is why Christmas (commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ), death of Christ (marked on Good Friday) and Easter (the resurrection of Christ) are the three most important events in Christianity. Meanwhile, Israelis (Jews) are still waiting for the coming of their Messiah (Jesus Christ). They only tolerate Christian pilgrims because of tourism and the income they generate from it. They do not believe in what Christians go to Jerusalem to do. We have seen videos of Israeli Police stopping Christians from preaching in Israel, so why bring religion into Wike’s meeting with the Israeli Ambassador? 

    Everybody now has camera phones, so everyone can shoot videos and post. The original inhabitants of Abuja are the Gbagyi, Nupe, Tiv, Bassa, Ebira, Koro, Gwandara, Gade, Dibo, Bassa and Dibo. To the young man who was talking nonsense in a viral video, which of these ethnic groups do you come from? Posting videos saying Wike as FCT minister is a misnomer is actually a misnomer to many of us going by what they told us when Abuja was conceived. We were told that Abuja is going to be a city for all Nigerians and a symbol of National unity, neutral both ethnically and religiously. I can therefore not understand Abuja being a “Northern city for Muslims,” as the vociferous young man was emphasising in the video. Is the North for Muslims only? Has a Muslim ever been a civilian governor of Plateau, Benue and Taraba States since 1999? Was retired Gen. Jeremiah Useni, a Christian from Plateau State, not FCT Minister at a time? Sokoto, Yobe, Jigawa, Kano, Borno, Gombe, Bauchi, Adamawa, Kebbi, Katsina and Kaduna (Kaduna shares border with Abuja), like Rivers, do not share common boundary or ethnicity with the indigenous Abuja tribes. So what is the basis of someone from these states to question Wike’s appointment as the minister of the FCT? The North, with at least 150 ethnic groups, is more ethnically diversified than the South, so who is laying sole ownership to the whole of the north? Some people with shallow knowledge just go in front of cameras and social media to spew ignorance.

    From the time of the commencement of the building of Abuja till date, the chunk of Nigerian revenue comes from oil. Rivers, where Wike comes from, is currently the second highest producer of oil. At a time it was number one. So, if Wike cannot be FCT minister, who can? The fact that all previous FCT ministers are from the North or is just a coincidence and the prerogative of the heads of state who appointed them, as far as I am concerned. The Nigerian Constitution only stipulates that at least one minister should come one of the 36 states. It does not stipulate the ministry the ministers should assigned. That is the prerogative of the president. Wike can only be judged based on his performance in office as FCT Minister. He has done well in Rivers State and he will be do well in Abuja. His mandate, for me, is to make Abuja the most beautiful city in Africa and one of the best in the world. Wike, Engr. David Umahi and Barr. Festus Keyamo were among the ministers whose appointments gladdened my heart. Some others I did not really know before are already proving their mettle. There is no action Wike has taken so far in the FCT that raises suspicion or violates the constitution. 

    Hitherto, the indigenous people of the FCT were relegated to the background. But he is given them attention. He has given vehicles to traditional rulers within FCT and promised indigenous communities within the FCT quota in employment into FCT agencies. He has secured approval for establishment of FCT Civil Service Commission. This will make FCT civil servants to rise to the pinnacle of their careers. He is about to commence construction of roads in satellite towns within the FCT. He is campaigning for better welfare for judicial officers in the FCT. He has many other good plans for the FCT. 

    Of course those whose plots of land were revoked and those whose properties were demolished have every reason to feel bad. It is natural, but Wike has not been subjective. Even plots of land belonging to government agencies were revoked. Customs officials went to see him and he told them that those who want their land back should repurchase them at current value and pay all necessary fees. The rumour about Wike demolishing part of the National Mosque is a wicked lie no normal person should talk about. The Mosque is one of the iconic places in Abuja. Many tourists, no matter their religious affiliations, want to visit the Abuja Mosque. Wike’s traducers have not told us their real grouse. May be, there are used to indolence, inertia and ineptitude. That is not Wike. You might accuse Wike of being brash, but he is well educated, experienced in governance and a goal getter.

    The Delta Niger is currently observing graveyard silence. Christians and other objective Nigerians are also watching with keen interest the battles between Wike and his detractors. They must be based on issues that will uplift Abuja, not religious or ethnic sentiments. We must be guided by the Nigerian constitution, as defective as it is until we (the Nigerian people) amend it.

    Francis Ewherido, a worried lover of Nigeria, wrote from Lagos.

  • Plea to Prof Ishaq Akintola

    Plea to Prof Ishaq Akintola

    For a while now, I have followed your utterances, Prof. I have complained privately about your divisive positions and utterances on issues that I consider very unnecessary. Sometimes, I have been tempted to think that you are an attention seeker and a rabble-rouser, but why would a distinguished professor of Islamic studies seek attention? Absolutely unnecessary. But let me point out some of the utterances and positions I have found disturbing. The utterances are at the both national and Lagos State levels, but let me focus mainly on Lagos State.

    You led a protest to Alausa over “lopsided” political appointments in favour of Christians by the Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo- Olu. Many people know that the Lagos State Civil Service has more Muslims than Christians, but no Christian, to the best of my knowledge, has led any protest to Alausa. I heard of a Lagos State civil servant who was born into a Muslim family. At a point, he left Islam after becoming a “born again Christian.” The last time I heard about him he has gone back to Islam to “fast track” his promotion in the Lagos State Civil Service. I took the information with a pinch of salt. As far as I am concerned that is his personal decision, nothing to do with the Lagos State Civil Service. As long as they do their job well, I have no issues with Muslim or Christian civil servants.

    Alhaji Lateef Jakande who served as an elected governor in 1979 and his successors following the exit of the military and the return of democratic governance, Bola Ahmed Tinubu(1999) and Mr. Raji Fashola(2007), were all Muslims. They were followed by Mr Akinwunmi Ambode and Mr Sanwo-Olu, both Christians. Jakande conceived the metro line. It was truncated by the Muhammadu Buhari military government in 1984. Since the return to democratic rule, all the civilian governors played their parts in keeping hope alive with regards to the metro rail which recently became operational in the state. Both Christians and Muslims enjoy the service. A Muslim conceived it, a Christian brought it to reality. What is good is good; it is colour blind to religion.

    What I find surprising in your position and pronouncements, Prof, is that you are a Yoruba man. Yoruba land is the epitome of religious tolerance and cohabitation. A husband can be a Muslim, while the wife is a Christian. In fact, Mrs. Oluremi Tinubu, the wife of the President, is an ordained pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, while Mrs. Emmanuella Fashola, is a practising Roman Catholic and a communicant. Religious tolerance made them to allow their wives practise their Christianity unhindered. That is probably why religious consideration played little role in their appointments when they were governors. The same tradition holds sway till date.

    The same thing is also happening in the appointments Tinubu has made so far as president. Appointments are supposed to be based on competence and the provisions of the Constitution on geographical spread. The Nigerian Immigration Service under the former Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, was not very effective. But Nigerians are already celebrating the current minister, Olubunmi Ojo, barely three months in office. The backlog of passport booklets inherited from the previous minister has been cleared and the bottlenecks surrounding acquisition of the Nigerian passport are being dismantled. I know Aregbesola is a Muslim. I do not know the religious beliefs of the current minister and it is inconsequential. He is getting the job done. That is what matters. Nigeria is a secular country.

    In the aviation sector, some anomalies, including the mysterious agreement with Ethiopian Airline are being addressed by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo. When his appointment was announced, many people received it with cynicism. Aviation is a global industry and anything global is governed by laws. And you think an SAN is a wrong fit? Time will tell. Very soon, Nigerians will see results of the revolution going on in the aviation sector. I do not Know Keyamo’s religious beliefs and they are of no consequence to me. Just get the job done.

    Prof, it is common sense that makes it imperative in Nigeria to be sensitive to religion in appointments. But you cannot put it on the front burner, sir. Nigeria is in need of re-engineering for growth and competence; religious sentiments will not drive it. It is true that you argued that there are competent Muslims as there are Christians, but take religion out of it. Let competence and the constitutional requirement of geographical spread reign supreme.

    Prof, in Yoruba land, where you hail from, many families cut across Christianity and Islam and traditional religion. During Muslim feasts they all converge at the homes of their Muslim family members to celebrate with them. This is reciprocated during Christian celebrations. That is one thing that has impressed me about the Yorubas. Peoples all over the world need to come and learn how people belonging to two or more religions can live harmoniously. Prof, I am shocked that you do not appreciate the importance of this virtue.

    According to your website: “The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) is an Islamic human rights organisation. MURIC is a pacific organization, peace-loving, law-abiding and dialogue-prone. We detest violence and we denounce terrorism. This is why our motto is: ‘Dialogue, Not Violence’.” On June 25 this year, an innocent butcher, Usman Buba, was framed for blasphemy and killed by an angry. It was later established that he was killed out of jealousy, not blasphemy. I have gone on line to see the reaction of MURIC. I did not see any as at the time of writing.

    Also, Apart from the above: “MURIC intervenes in socio-economic matters affecting the lives of ordinary Nigerians. We also join anti-corruption agencies in the fight against corruption. In order to give voice to the voiceless, we condemn anti-people acts and commend chivalry in public office.” You are the founder of MURIC. Please follow what you espoused in your website

    From your profile, you are a renowned Islamic scholar and professor. Please do not give people the impression that you are attention-seeking and a meddlesome interloper who cries wolf where there is none and flashes torchlight on imaginary religious schisms. Some people I spoke with already feel that way. I come in peace, Prof.

    Francis Ewherido, a concerned and worried Nigerian, wrote from Lagos

  • The one percent principle for success in marriage – By Francis Ewherido

    The one percent principle for success in marriage – By Francis Ewherido

    I cannot recall where I got this principle from, but it simply says nobody is totally bad and nobody is totally good. So, take the one per cent (as a representation) that is good in that person and run with it. I will give you one example. In the early 80s, Concord Newspaper was hot. To get a copy in Effurun/Warri/Enerhen axis, Delta State, you have to get to Enerhen Junction before 7am to wait for the vendor. On this day, while my younger brother was waiting, a madman came out of nowhere and pushed him against the wall/ground causing him injuries. While he was still on the ground, another madman came and quickly helped him up and dusted dirt off his body. Then he said, no mind these mad people, na so dem dey misbehave. He too was insane, but he had some sanity.

    The one per cent principle is very handy in maintaining relationship with many people across board. You are not too critical about the person. You are just looking for the minimum good in that person and run with it. But our focus today is the one per cent principle in having a happy marriage. Marriage is very serious business. It goes beyond just having a relationship with someone. You are talking about a relationship that will define the rest of your life, positively or negatively. So you apply the one person as a representation of what is good about your potential spouse. Many spouses have enough qualities to make their marriages taste like honey. Unfortunately, the same spouses also have failings to make their marriages taste like bitter leaf without the therapeutic value of bitter leaf. Here the taste of the marriage is dependent on what is important to you and what you decide to focus on.

    Most failed marriages today would have survived if the couples practised the one per cent principle, and most happy marriages today would also have failed if the couples failed to practise the one per cent principle in one form or the other. One per cent principle does not mean you live a lie that your spouse is perfect. You simply focus on the good attributes, and learn to live with his/her failings. After all, who is perfect? There is no such person. If you want your spouse to live with your shortcomings, you must also learn to live with his/hers. In other words, you focus on the good qualities of your spouse and deemphasise the negatives. The result is what we refer to as happy marriages. It is like seeing the cup as half full instead of half empty.

    What are the positives and what are the negatives. Before, I will reel out these qualities, but life is becoming so relative, it is difficult to tell. For me domestic violence is a no-no. I will not be part of a violent marriage and I will not allow anyone I love to remain in a violent marriage. I have already drilled that into my children’s heads. When my youngest brother was to get married, I invited him and the fiancée. I told the fiancée that you see him as an adult, which he is, but we brought him up, so he remains our baby. I know he will never lay hands on you because the repercussions from his elder brothers will be grave. The same way, we do not want to hear that you threatened his life. The day you do, the marriage is over as far as I am concerned because we do not want to lose him. Rest assured that no one will interfere in your marriage. You will not even hear from us as far there is no domestic violence. Your disagreements, quarrels and beefing are your internal affairs, but no domestic violence will be tolerated or accepted. It has been like that so far.

    But I read stories where girls say they cannot marry a quiet man. They like to be beaten. They like violent sex. That is a form of sadomasochism. God created sex for pleasure aside procreation. I do not understand why any normal human being will bring in violence. We heard of the hotelier who was killed in Ilorin by two school dropouts after they tied him up. He was helpless why they killed him. That is one of the downsides of sadomasochism. In these dangerous times, how can you allow runs-girls to tie you up and make you helpless? Absolute foolishness.

    I have heard some married men say that their wives can be unfaithful as long as they are discreet, that is, “it’s not done in my face.” That sounded incredulous to me. In some cultures, including mine, if a woman commits adultery and she is caught, she will not spend the night in the husband’s house. It is back to sender. You see why it is difficult to list the qualities of a potential spouse. But I can safely say that every married person desires peace of mind and therefore desires someone who can give that peace. “Better to live on a corner of the roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife” (Proverbs 25:24). Most people also want supportive and dependable spouses. I will stop here before I go into disputable attributes.

    LET’S ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT IS GOOD

    My wife and I went for data capture for the renewal of our international passports on June 5, 2023. I made up my mind I was not to pay over the moon. I did not need it urgently. They gave us September 1 as date for collection. When my wife got there, they told her they were not ready. She asked why no one bothered to inform us when they had our numbers. They directed her to their notice board where they pasted the information. Last Tuesday, my wife got a text that our passports were ready for collection. She went on Wednesday and came back home with the passports.

    When the current minister of interior, Olubunmi Ojo, promised to clear the 200,000 passport backlog in two weeks, I adopted a siddon look attitude. Over the years, we have seen legion of unfulfilled promises by government officials. It is refreshing to see promise keepers. The signs are good in some government quarters. After a long period of poor governance, I am happy with what I am seeing in Abia State. I have followed Alex Otti since his time as an Executive Director of First Bank. He will transform Abia State. Nyesom Wike comes across as uncouth to some people, but he will transform Abuja. He has the track record. I am keeping my eyes on our erudite Chief Festus Keyamo, the Aviation and Aerospace Development Minister. He will deliver. Delta no dey carry last. He will not let us down. We are waiting for Engr. David Umahi to replicate at the federal level what he did in Ebonyi State in road infrastructure. The federal roads in South East and South South are in a horrendous state. Some people are yet to decide if they will go home for Christmas.

    Governance is all about the people of Nigeria, not political affiliations or ethnicity. Nigerians have suffered for too long and deserve the best.

  • Adieu, Mark, my friend and brother – By Francis Ewherido

    Adieu, Mark, my friend and brother – By Francis Ewherido

    I was certain I was not going to write this week. I wanted to take a one-week break. After respite from malaria for many years, I had forgotten the early symptoms, until it breached my defences. By the time I scrambled my defence mechanisms together, the enemy was already inside my territory (Please do not trivialise the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas by allowing your mind to go there). The malaria was not even my major problem. Malaria has been a regular visitor as far back as I can remember: 1970. It was the sneezing and the dry cough. They were so ferocious.

    But a short text I got on Wednesday morning made me to change my mind: “My husband is gone.” The message was from my friend’s wife, a former classmate and brother, Mark Eyetu. We had met at Ekwerigbe Primary School, Ozoro, Isoko North, Delta State, in 1973. That is 50 years ago. My father had been posted to Ozoro and the whole family relocated from Ughelli. I too changed primary school. That was when I met Mark. After primary school, Mark and I lost contact. Around 2021, we reunited. He refreshed my memory on our days in primary school and some of what transpired in the intervening years. It was like we never lost contact.

    At this time he was already undergoing treatment. In one of my conversations with him, he requested me to carry out some enquiries for him in Lagos which I did and gave him a feedback. He sent me a message on July 24, 2021, that “I will be going to UCH (University of Ibadan teaching Hospital) on Sunday.” By July 25, he sent another message that, “I’m in Ibadan now. I arrived almost two hours ago.” At that time, I was unable to respond promptly because I was going through my own health challenges. I had hinted him, but I did not want to bother him with details because he had enough in his plate. On July 29, 2021, he called me three times, but I could not respond. He sent a message: “Francis, pick up your call. I just want to hear your voice. I’m worried. Thank you.” I reverted and told him I am fine and would keep in touch. But I did not keep my promise because I was weighed down.

    He called again on August 12 and 24, 2021. I was unable to take his calls, but I sent him a message on August 24. He replied that “my side (that is UCH) na wao!  The machine got bad after two weeks of treatment. We are waiting for them to put it right.” There are probably not more than 10 of these machines in Nigeria. The ones in private clinics and hospitals are no go areas. Even the ones in teaching hospitals cost a fortune over the period of the treatment. We continued talking till September 14, 2021. Then we lost touch. My phone was locked and then my health situation took a dramatic turn. It was not until nine months later that my phone was unlocked, a couple of months after I escaped death by the skin of my teeth.

    When I got my phone back, there were thousands of messages, some of which I was unable to respond to till date. For those still angry that I snubbed them, please understand. I am still healing. You do not judge another person from the comfort of your home. We are all dealing with issues and if you see the battle scars of some of the people you are angry with, you will feel stupid.

    Anyway, some of the messages I read were from Mark. I knew he would be worried sick. He had sent a message on October 27, 2021: “Francis, it has taken such a long time. Hope all is well. Still waiting for your call and also praying for you. I’m fine.” Of course, I could not respond because I was in coma.

    Some days later he followed with another message: “Hi Francis, what is going on.  Are you OK. I have been in Lagos for three weeks with the mind that your phone will ring one of these days to no avail. You haven’t replied any of my messages. I am worried, my brother. I won’t stop praying for you, just let me hear from you. I am really worried. I pray God to hear and bless you; I mean heal and bless you.” Still I could not respond because I was still in coma. The last message was a Christmas message on December 25, 2021. I was out of coma and intensive care unit, but still in hospital, but I did not have my phone. I only got to see these messages after the phone was unlocked in April 2022.

    We continued keeping in touch and sharing information. The last time we spoke, he told me his health was deteriorating. By September, I sent him messages that were unread. I called, but the phone was off. I sent my brother to look for him, but he could not get me any useful information. In desperation I went on social media found the wife’s page. The last time I visited him in Effurun, the wife was not at home, so I did not get to meet her. I dropped a message in her inbox that I am trying to reach her husband. Apparently, Mark had said a lot about me, so she responded and I was able to restore communication. Since then, I had been communicating with the wife. On one occasion she was beside Mark and I requested to speak with him. He was apparently in pains. I spoke with him for barely 30 seconds and begged him to give the phone back to the wife. I believe in fighting to the end and made some suggestions. She promised to consult the larger family and revert. It was the person I referred her to who gave me a feedback. We continued talking, hanging unto hope and looking for a miracle. Then on Wednesday morning, I got a message from her: “My husband is gone.”

    Mark, you fought a good fight. I saw part of it. Mark was apparently a good husband and father from our interactions. After we reconnected, we met in Lagos and Effurun, Delta State, and it was obvious. I thank God for the brief period I was able to reconnect with Mark. In spite of his challenges, he always had me in mind. That is a trait I cherish: people who put their personal challenges and pains aside to look out for others. May your soul rest in peace, Mark.

     

    NB: I have written previously on our health care system and professionals. We need to up our game. We will all remain losers if the situation continues like this. No one is immune. When you are hit at the wrong time, even your billions cannot save you. 

  • FG, NLC and MSMEs on my mind? – By Francis Ewherido

    FG, NLC and MSMEs on my mind? – By Francis Ewherido

    Recently, I have been watching the activities of the Nigeria Labour Congress keenly.  My interest is in whether they were only interested in government employees and employees in the formal sectors of the economy, or if they take into consideration the welfare of people in the informal sectors, MSMEs including daily-pay workers, in their negotiations with the federal government. The informal sector employs majority of Nigerians, but it is not organised like the formal sector of the economy, so it has no central body to speak on its behalf.

    After the withdrawal of subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) by the federal government and the resultant ripple effect on many sectors of national life, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have been talking with the federal government. NLC subsequently engaged in a three-day warning strike. TUC was not part of the warning strike, but both bodies gave notice to embark on an indefinite nationwide strike if they were unable to reach an agreement with the government. Luckily, after a series of negotiations, they arrived at a temporary truce. But my focus today is how all these warning strikes, negotiations, etc., are beneficial to the MSMEs and the informal sector. Beyond being the category where I belong, majority of Nigerian workers fall into this category.

    The first agreement reached by the federal government and labour is a wage award of N35,000  (thirty-five thousand Naira) only to all federal government workers which began from the month of September pending when a new national minimum wage is expected to be signed into law. This is for federal government employees only. Miserable as the sum of N35,000 looks, some MSMEs cannot afford that as minimum wage. Some states are also already grumbling. That is outside my focus today, but any state that cannot pay N35,000 minimum wage does not deserve to exist. The state governor, legislators and other government officials should resign and the state should be merged with a viable neighbouring state. It is wrong to love the glamour of statehood and hate the grind of statehood.

    The third agreement is inauguration of a minimum wage committee. This agreement has no direct benefit for majority of Nigerian workers. Some people may argue that it will trickle down because it will boost the purchasing power of these workers. There are many other intervening variables, but let me leave it there.

    Next is the suspension of Value Added Tax (VAT) on Diesel for six months beginning from October 2023 by the Federal Government. Yes, this will bring some relief to MSMEs who have diesel generators and trucks that use diesel. The cost of diesel is a major headache for MSMEs. A couple of MSMEs owners I spoke with said the removal of VAT has not reflected yet. May be it is too early, but the relevant government agencies should ensure MSMEs enjoy this little relief as soon as possible. The whole essence is to allow MSMEs breathe, even if temporarily. Please let them breathe. Improvement in electricity supply will also help to bring down operating cost.

    Another agreement is the federal government acceptance to vote N100 billion for the provision of high capacity CNG buses for mass transit in Nigeria. Provisions are also to be made for initial 55,000 CNG conversion kits to kick start an auto gas conversion programme, whilst work is ongoing on state-of-the-art CNG stations nationwide. The rollout aims to commence by November with pilots across 10 campuses nationwide. This will definitely help low income earners if it is well implemented. I am happy with it. Let this agreement be implemented to the letter.

    The sixth agreement is Federal Government plans to implement various tax incentives for private sector and other sectors. I can testify that MSMEs already enjoy some tax incentives and it is very relieving, but MSMEs need more. They employ the bulk of Nigerians and are very critical in reducing unemployment. We eagerly await these new incentives. I also welcome the affirmation of the commitment by the federal government as announced by President Bola Tinubu on the 1st of August broadcast to the Nation for Micro and Small Scale Enterprises.

    The seventh agreement that is of interest to me is the referral  of outstanding salaries and wages of tertiary education workers in federal government-owned educational institutions to the Ministry of Labour and Employment for further engagement. One major blight of the Buhari Government was the failure of the Ministry of Labour and Employment, and the Ministry of Education to resolve the labour dispute with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). The resulting strike lasted for eight months. Thousands of students lost an academic session. The only universities Nigerians with low income can send their children to are federal government-owned universities and to some extent state government-owned universities. It is very tragic that these two ministers could not resolve the dispute.  We must never allow that to happen again. A four-year course must be completed in four years unless the student failed or got into trouble due to infractions.

    I am also happy with the federal government commitment to pay N25,000 per month for three months starting from October 2023 to 15 million households, including vulnerable pensioners. I am totally in support of this palliative as long as it is transparent. As I said in a previous article, N25,000 over three months is not chicken feed  for low income earners and vulnerable families. The sum of N75,000 might be what big men need to fill the fuel tank of Lexis LX 570, but it is big money for a vulnerable household. But this is a palliative and government should come up with long term plans to pull more Nigerians out of poverty.

    Nine, I also welcome the federal government plans to increase subsidized distribution of fertilizers to farmers across the country. This is very good. We need to produce a lot more food for our teeming population. But also important is improved security. Many farmers are unable to go to their farms due to insecurity. Local communities should assist government by giving information to security agencies of criminals in their midst. Securing Nigeria is everybody’s responsibility.

    Ten, it is still a mystery to me why our government refineries are still comatose. Billions of dollars have been spent on turn around maintenance (TAM), yet none is functional as expected.  The joint visitation to the refineries to ascertain their rehabilitation status is very important. If those refineries were functioning, there will be less importation of petroleum products and the pressure on our forex reserves will be less.

    Finally, I welcome the commitment of all parties to abide by the dictates of social dialogue in all future engagements. The NLC must never be an appendage of government but a watchdog to ensure that government actions are in the interest of not only workers but Nigeria and Nigerians. At the same time, NLC must be a partner to the government for a better Nigeria. Baring fangs at government during disagreements should be the last option not the first option.

  • Our musicians make me proud as a Nigerian – By Francis Ewherido

    Our musicians make me proud as a Nigerian – By Francis Ewherido

    I am not a music addict, fan or follower. I stopped paying serious attention to music since 1997 after my priorities changed. Before then, I followed music trends bumper-to-bumper. I grew up in Ughelli, Ozoro and later Effurun-Warri, Delta State, listening to Fela, Sunny Okosun, Bobby Benson, Rex Lawson, Tony Grey, Sunny Ade, Ebenezer Obey, amongst others. At the local level, we had Urhobo musicians like Omokomoko and Ogute. In the 80s, it was Chris Okotie, Amas Gbubemi, Onyeka Onwenu, Jide Obi, Felix Liberty among others. 

    I met Amas in my student days at Nsukka. I also met Tony Grey, who was our neighbour in the 80s in Warri. I saw Sunny Ade, Christy Igbokwe and some others in 1987 during my brief time in The Punch Newspapers. Many of the big musicians came to The Punch office at Onipetesi, off Mangoro Bus Stop, Lagos, to pay “homage” to the Entertainment Editor then, Azuka Jebose Molokwu, a dark-skinned, fearsome-looking, over six feet of muscles and bones. He was a real Lagos boy. Only his name and “bad mouth” gave him away as Omo Bendel. He was very brash. He once asked an upcoming musician, who brought a complimentary copy of his music tape or demo to him, “Na who dey listen to your music sef?”

    I attended Nigerian Music Awards (NMA) from 1991- 93 courtesy of the Publisher of Newsguru, Mideno Bayagbon. He got complimentary cards from Hakeem Ikandu, his former colleague in Vanguard Newspapers. Ikandu was a very powerful entertainment editor in his time, his harmless demeanour notwithstanding. May his soul rest in peace. I attended subsequent music awards via complimentary invitations cards when I was head of corporate affairs of an insurance company. It was in one of the years that Sir Shina Peters made that grammatical gaffe, “I wish him soonest recover,” that sent the audience literally rolling on the floor laughing. I loved his music though and was one of those caught up in the Shinamania craze in 1990 -1991. There was also one episode when the stage was excessively polished. Tony Okoroji, the then President of the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN), fell while walking on the stage. Charlie Boy also fell while performing that day. Attending NMA then was like being at the Grammys.

    The last set of foreign musicians I followed were Shalamar, Commodores, Lionel Richie, The Jacksons, Michael Jackson, who was and still remains my greatest all time musician and entertainer, and others in that generation. I love all MJ’s tracks, but Earth Song is my favourite. It is the height of artistry, sobriety and dexterity. Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey are my favourite female musicians.  There are many other great foreign artists over time. Though I stopped following foreign music, I followed my brother and sister-in-law to Jay Z and Beyoncé’s electrifying and energetic concert in Houston in 2018, but I scarcely recall any of their songs. I know Rihanna, Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez and many other foreign musicians, but I do not know who sang what. I am that bad now.  

    Basically that is my chequered sojourn in the world of music. So I am by no means a specialist in the field of music. But I write today as a patriot and a believer in the Nigerian project. Nigeria runs and flows in my veins through and through. If you are one of those who make statements like “Nigeria is finished,” “nothing good can come out of Nigeria,” and other derogatory words, you are entitled to your opinion, but stay far away from me. My Nigeria is troubled, but not finished. Nigeria will be great. The Nigerian system and leadership have failed its citizens many times and in many areas over the years. There is no need telling ourselves lies. But many Nigerian citizens have also contributed to the mess, so we should be careful when pointing fingers. 

    My focus today is on Nigerian music and the Afrobeat craze that has assumed global dimension. Young Nigerians are behind it. Afrobeat has resurrected my interest in music, specifically Nigerian music. I do not know whether it is the beat or rhythm or lyrics (I do not pay much attention to the lyrics, but I am beginning to. Some of them have great messages). I am just happy that what no government and no one has been able to successfully do, these young Nigerians are doing it big time. The Nigerian narrative is changing because of these young Nigerians. They are rebranding Nigeria. Is it Tiwa Savage performing at the after coronation party of King Charles in Nigerian green colours? Wizkid, Davido, Burna Boy and now Asake selling out the O2 Arena? Is it Rema’s song, Calm Down, being played at the World Cup finals in Qatar, Davido who performed at the opening ceremony or Kiss Daniel and Patoranking who thrilled fans? Burna Boy performed at the UEFA Champions League Final in 2023. These guys sell out stadia and big arenas one after the other all over Europe and America. They get awards and recognition everywhere.

    Do you understand what it means for Indians to come out in large numbers to watch Rema? India is a country where the people are very traditional and steeped in their culture. They do not look like many other former British colonies? Their local languages remain their main means of communication, not English, and their dress code is mainly indigenous.

     No amount of image making, politics and government efforts can achieve what these Nigerian entertainers have achieved. Before them, Nigeria was defined by poor governance, corruption, ritual killings, insecurity, internet fraud, trafficking in illegal drugs and other vices. These vices have not gone away, but the world now realises that good things also come from Nazareth, sorry, Nigeria, and have decided to bathe in what is good about Nigeria. It is something I have always wanted. Every country has its good and dark sides. Mexico is among the top five tourist destinations in the world. Mexico also has the deadliest and most powerful drug cartels in the world and the second most corrupt police in the world after Haiti.  

    Around the world, India is famous for its film industry, infotech, medical tourism and now space technology. I spent three months cumulatively in India. Apart from the architecture, the people and language, it was like I was in Lagos while in Mumbai. It is the same madness and chaos on their roads, and corruption in public life. If you switch on television you hear news of bad behaviour by politicians, financial scandals, male politicians saying derogatory things about female politicians and women in general, and internet fraud. But these negatives do not define India, the positives do. The whole of Europe stinks of racism, but that does not define them. Their beautiful cities, first class infrastructure, higher standard of living among other positives define them. 

    I have always prayed for Nigeria to get to that level. While we grapple with our numerous problems and look for ways to overcome them, they do not have to define us. Our positives should.

     Like Fela, we can criticise those in government at all levels and put them on their toes. But while doing that, remember that Nigeria is a rough diamond that needs to be polished and the task is for all Nigerians. Fela was a harsh critic of government, but the genre of music he created is what is helping our musicians to change the narrative. What is your contribution towards a greater Nigeria, no matter how minute?

    NB: I am very much aware of the many negatives in the Nigerian music industry, but I prefer to focus on the positives.

  • Fatal discrimination based on sex – By Francis Ewherido

    Fatal discrimination based on sex – By Francis Ewherido

    The news was shocking, but it did not come as a surprise to some of us. A 28-year-old man in Kano State, Misbahu Salisu, allegedly poisoned his one-day-old baby girl to death, because he wanted a male child and the wife gave birth to a baby girl. The cold-blooded killing is not only shocking, but the extent Salisu went to. First, he drugged the mother of the baby, Sa’ade, with a cup of tea containing sleeping tablets making her to fall asleep before using insect killer, aka, otapiapia, to kill the baby. Of course, he was caught because when it comes to blood crying to God in heaven for vengeance, age is no barrier. Salisu has confessed to the crime and will be prosecuted after investigations are completed.

    Before I move on to the main issue today, let me wonder aloud. What was going on in Salisu’s mind? At 28 years, his married life is just starting. More children would have come and he will get his almighty male children, so why this madness? As far as I am concerned, if such people must remain in the land of the living, they should be behind bars.

    The death of this day-old baby, who had probably not been given a name, again brings to fore the plight of the girl-child. It has been there for generations, though much progress has been made. About 80 years ago, education of the girl-child was seen as a waste of resources in many parts of Nigeria. She was allowed to get to the age of marriage and married off. In the 80s, I still heard parents say that the education of the girl child is a waste of money. After educating them, they will get married and answer another man’s name. What is the problem with that? The wife/wives you have in the house, are they your sisters? These are other people’s children you married and they dropped their maiden names. I do not understand this hypocrisy. Tomorrow, when some women get married and refuse to drop their maiden names, the same society will call them names and haul insults at them.

    In Nigeria, I have scarcely seen a girl-child referred to as heir apparent when there is a male child. Even if the son is the youngest in a family of eight children, he is the heir apparent. This foolishness has made some families to place the leadership of the family in the hands of unprepared and spoilt brats after the demise of the patriarch, when there are level-headed and competent female children. In no time, they run the family aground, wealth is frittered away and the family bond is destroyed. Look around you, they are all over.

    Beyond education, another area where the girl child has been discriminated against is genital mutilation, otherwise called circumcision. In cultures where it is practiced it is a big ceremony. What is “circumcision?” It is the mutilation of the female clitoris. The main aim, according to them, is to reduce the sex drive of the victim. Why would you want to reduce a woman’s source of sexual pleasure? God created it and has no problem with sex except when it is abused. The explanation for genital mutilation is that uncircumcised women are prone to be promiscuous and unfaithfulness to their husbands. In some cultures in the past a child given birth to by an uncircumcised woman was ridiculed. Even if a girl got pregnant outside marriage, the parents would organize for her to be circumcised before delivery to save the baby the stigma of being born by an uncircumcised woman.

    I have taken time to read the reasons for infidelity from various sources. Not one study talked about the clitoris being responsible for infidelity. The main reasons for infidelity are the people’s mental state. Except for rare cases of spontaneity, it is conceived in the mind and happens in the physical. So what has clitoris got to do with it that makes people to be subjected to this cruelty? Yet people in the past celebrated it as if it was a Nobel Prize. Ignorance is a disease, but we can pardon our forebears, but the practice is still on and I do not get it. A friend from another ethnic group wanted to get married to a woman where genital mutilation is practiced. When the matter came up, he told the girl’s mother that if they went ahead, he would call off the wedding. The extended family members were waiting for the ceremony. He had to give the girl’s mother money for food and drinks as if the ceremony took place. Some of my people (Urhobos) still practice it and some of those of them reading this article might feel I have been brainwashed. For such people, I challenge them to come and tell me just one benefit of genital mutilation. In Urhobo, nymphomaniacs are referred to as women with ohoro’sokpo. There is no evidence to prove that the excessive urge for sex is as a result of the clitoris, whatever the size is. Genital mutilation has ruined the sex lives of some women. There are those who say they have sex with their husbands for baby making and as a duty, not for the pleasure. What is that? Others say sex is a painful exercise because the so called circumcision was badly done. Is that the will of God?

    The problem with the girl-child starts from the home front where they are made to feel inferior to their brothers. The irony is that mothers seem to make their daughters feel more inferior to their male siblings more than the fathers. I have seen it many times. The Electra Complex factor exist in many father-daughter relationships. Mothers are the main culprits. I have met women who told me they married early to escape from their mothers’ shabby treatment, as against the princely treatment of their brothers. I do not understand why some mothers behave this way. The discriminatory treatment of the girl-child in the larger society is only secondary and a spillover of the treatment of the girl-child in many homes.

    I have struggled to understand the different treatment given to male and female children. My first child is a girl and everyone in the house naturally knows that once my wife and I are not at home, she is in charge. We were away from home for nine months due to circumstances beyond our control. My daughter was in charge and did a remarkable job. My friends who came around intermittently to check on them were very impressed.

    One day, I decided to find out if what I put in action is working. I called my youngest child and daughter who was 13 years then. I asked her, “Who is my favourite child in this house?” She burst into laughter. Amidst the laughter, she said, “nobody, daddy” shaking her head sideways. I was very happy and fulfilled. No favourites. Beware, favoritism has destroyed families. Many women today still suffer from low self-esteem, or outgrew it, as a result of upbringing. This is very sad.

  • Nigerians in uniforms – By Francis Ewherido

    Nigerians in uniforms – By Francis Ewherido

    It looks like some Nigerians become something else once they are in uniform. I am not talking about men in uniforms with guns only. I want to start with men in uniforms who are bloody civilians like the rest of us. After closing from work and when they are in their neighbourhoods, they are regular people like everyone. But the same person as a private security man at work will only allow those with good and expensive vehicles to drive into business premises while others with less expensive cars are ordered to find somewhere outside, park and walk to the venues.

    Every state has some form of task force or agency with uniformed staff. In Lagos the fear of Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) is the beginning of wisdom. It is better to be arrested by the police than be held by LASTMA. I have experienced both. The LASTMA experience was not palatable. Recently, I saw a relatively new body, the Lagos State Parking Authority (LASPA), set up partly to “strive to promote safe and viable parking.” But clamping a vehicle properly parked in a business premises as we saw in a recent viral video is not part of the mission of LASPA.

    Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIOs) are all over the country. In Lagos they are no respecter of the value or year of manufacture of the vehicle you drive as long as you do not have the required documents. But I noticed that in Delta State, they avoid expensive vehicles and target cheaper vehicles. In all honesty, some of these vehicles should not be on the road. They are not roadworthy. But the economic situation in the country is tough, so they should take that into consideration in doing their work. But truth be told, many VIOs are not there for the reasons they were employed. “Their presence for road nor pure most times.” They behave like an income generating agency for government and sometimes for themselves. No efforts are made to caution motorists and let go. It is mostly about imposition of penalty, fines and extortion. FRSC officials are better. You see attempts to ensure safety on our roads many a time, but some of the officials are also not pure.

    On Nigerian Immigration Service, I just want to remind them that God hid the anus from public view and even the owner’s view because it is unsightly as important as it is. You can, therefore, not be the face (first people international visitors meet) of Nigeria at our international airports and land borders and be like an anus. Meanwhile, I did data capture for my new international passport over three months ago and the passport is still not ready. They told me to come for pickup last week. On getting there they said it was not ready. When my wife who went asked why they did not contact us with the phone number I dropped, they directed her to the notice board. How was she supposed to see the notification if she did not go there? That is very unprofessional. Anyway, the minister of interior said they will clear the backlog in two weeks. We shall see.

    I talked about medical personnel in public health institutions a couple of weeks ago, so I will not spend much time on them. I just want to remind them that the primary job of medical personnel is to care for patients and save lives where possible. The hospital is not a place for ego-tripping or practising of daylight witchcraft (wickedness) by medical personnel. My wife took a hit and run victim to a general hospital in Delta State. The victim was in a critical state and needed urgent medical attention, but the doctor and nurses were nonchalant. My wife voiced her frustration. They got angry and started hauling innuendos, thinking that she hit the man. It was when they heard her name at some point that they sprang into action. “You for tell us say you be Ewherido now.” Why should who you are determine getting prompt attention in an institution funded with taxpayer’s money?

    I am not an importer, so I do not deal with customs, but importers have sordid stories to tell. I have only encountered them at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport and I did not have issues with them, but other travellers have had terrible experiences with them. Some people also have issues with them between Shagamu and Benin Expressway. The experience can be harrowing, but some of the victims’ hands nor clean too. Many of the vehicles were smuggled. But customs still stresses people for goods that were properly imported and the right duty paid. A friend once took them to court rather than budge to their illegal demands.

    There is nothing you do not already know about Nigerian Police. They are ubiquitous, so let us move to military. The truth is, I have never had issues with army people. It is avoidable and I avoid it. An experience as a little boy might be responsible for my caution. After the Nigerian Civil War ended, one soldier, came to stay with a relative in our compound. He drank ogogoro all day, every day. On this day, he was drinking again. Meanwhile, there was a little boy nicknamed Tudu. The spoilt adults in the compound would repeatedly sing “ogogoro master, toyoyotoyoyo…” to Tudu who laid on the ground and moved his waist as if he was making love to a lady the “missionary” style. Naïve children like me with strict upbringing never understood (although we later did) what the grown-ups were excited about and why they always made this boy to perform this act. On this day, one man started singing the song and Tudu was in his usual element. Meanwhile the ex-soldier was drinking ogorogo in the room. He thought he was the one being referred to as ogogoro master. He sprang out and started brutalising the guy. All explanations fell on deaf ears. He beat him from the compound into the street. From that incident in 1971, it got ingrained in me that soldiers were not to be toiled with.

    But I did have issues with a naval officer about 20 years.  The driver of the bus he used for side hustle rammed into my car wrecking it. He was very lackadaisical about the whole matter. Then a former naval officer told me to report the matter to his boss that the guy would come down come from his high horse. I did and it worked like magic. His boss, an officer and a gentleman, a well-polished commodore then commander of NNS Aradu, the naval flagship, invited me to the magnificent ship where the naval officer was working. When I got there, I was shocked to see the guy shaking and complaining to his colleagues that I wanted to remove his uniform (get him sacked). He humbly compensated me for the damage to the vehicle.

    The point of the whole article is that people in uniform should treat the rest of us like fellow human beings, not sub-humans. They should show professionalism, empathy and fairness. I do not think that is asking for too much from people whose salaries are being paid with tax payers’ money.

  • Bringing up of Monsters – Francis Ewherido

    Bringing up of Monsters – Francis Ewherido

    Last week, we read the story of the 20-year-old man who killed his father for rituals. He did not just kill his father, he cut off his genitals, the same penis that carried the sperm produced by the testes from where the sperm that fertilised the mother’s ovary that brought him into this world came from. Some time ago we also read the story of a teenager who killed his mother and had sex with the corpse for two days before he was caught. That is the same birth canal through which he came into this world. These guys get heart, sha! Holding, staring at and mutilating the privates of your parents? These are just two of the many cases of killings and maltreatment of parents by their children. Before I go on, let me advise young men. When these herbalists send you to kill, always remember that a human being is not a chicken. Disposing a corpse is very difficult. If it is chicken, it simply ends up in the pot and finally your stomach and the case is closed. Killing a human being is a different ball game. Refrain!

    Our value orientation has gone awry. I remember in 1970, a rascally young man (jaguda) fought much of the day with his mother. There was no victor. Then he took a machete and cut one of the legs of the mother and absconded. There was gloom all over as if someone died. These days, we are no longer talking about rascality. We have a problem of real moral decadence. In my time in the 70s and 80s, as teenagers and in our early 20s, the things on our minds were how to go to the university and graduate or pursue other endeavours if we were not inclined towards higher studies. The goal was to start and grow through hard work. These days, teenagers want to be billionaires without learning how to turn one naira to two naira. The results are the increasing cases of rituals, kidnappings, fraud and high crime rate.

    How did we get here? Who failed? For me, the first major culprit is the family unit. Someone suggested that erring children in our neighbourhood should be disciplined. Then I asked him what happens if the erring youngsters are manifesting the same tendencies as their parents.

    I have written about it before and I will say it again. The most critical years of a child’s life are the first 10 years. This is the foundation laying stage of their character. If you get it right, you build subsequently on that solid foundation. I do not care the amount of sacrifice parents have to make, including one of the parents making the upbringing of the children a full time job. It is just for a while. And with flexible working hours and working from home, parenting and working is easier these days.

    From cradle children must be taught an acute sense of what is right and what is wrong. The bible said train a child in the way he should go and when he grows, he will not depart from it (Prov. 22:6). It is as simple as that. They might stray at some points because young people must make their mistakes, but an occasional mistake is different from a bad character.

    Discipline is another very important component. The bible said spare the rod and spoil the child (Prov. 13:24). The last time I quoted this portion of the scripture, it sparked controversy. Let us say here that rod means discipline. Define discipline the way you understand it, but it is a sine qua non for raising responsible children and it must start from cradle.

    Young parents of these days amuse me. A toddler continuously slaps the mother and she is laughing. When you raise an objection, she tells you that “na small pikin, e never get sense.” Who told you toddlers can’t be corrected. You see lion cubs play with their fathers, jump on them and stop them from taking a nap, but they never go near the scrotal sack. You know why? They know instinctively that it is a forbidden zone. I tried to reach an artisan who does repairs for me. After many fruitless efforts, I called someone else. When I saw him one day and he told me his children played with his phone and spoilt it. He allowed that nonsense knowing full well that he had no money to repair or replace the phone, so he was without a phone for a while. For the period the phone was bad, he lost income because he could not be reached by clients. When I asked him why he allowed his children to play with the phone, he said they cry when he does not allow them.

    My mother always told us that crying does not kill a child. She never allowed a child to play with harmful or fragile objects. That child could cry and cry. My mother would put her foot down. “Crying does not kill a child,” she insisted. She told us three stories to buttress her firm position. One, as kids we used to play by pushing sticks on the ground as if we were riding a bicycle. She said one child’s stick got stuck on the ground at a point and the end of the stick he was holding tore his scrotal sack. Another mother refused to restrain his little son from playing with knives despite advice from neighbours. One day he was playing with a knife when he mistakenly chopped off a sizable portion of his penis. As he grew older, he could not do what his contemporaries were doing, including having family. One day, he lured his mother to the farm. While in a river crossing, he capsized the canoe and both of them drowned because they lacked swimming stills. Another mother was luckier. The little boy had not been circumcised when he chopped a portion of his penis, so they quickly went to circumcise him. Luckily only the foreskin was mainly affected.

    These days, many parents of children under-10 years are playing with fire. You allow your toddlers to have their way all the time because you do not want them to cry. Children under-10 years talk back at parents and they allow it to pass by. Other bad behaviours are ignored. You are bringing up monsters. Just remember that when you cement a floor, the best time to make amend is when the cement is still soft. Once it hardens and becomes concrete, it becomes an uphill task to amend.  Ask parents with older children. Some are already having sleepless nights over their teenage children they refused to discipline and be firm with when they were younger.

    The society does have an important role to play in moulding children, but the society is polluted and decadent, so fortify your children before they go into the world. There are many pollutants out there, many badly brought up children. In secondary schools, there is cultism, drug addiction, sexual immorality and other vices. It is the same in higher institutions. After failing in their duties, some parents shift these monsters into the public space. These are the main pollutants you see around. They are also among pollutants are also in churches, mosques and other public institutions. Parents must now be permanently vigilant. Government and government agencies are also a major part of the problem.

    For me a good foundation from the home front remains the surest solution to the decadence in the society. At the end of the day, there are no absolute guarantees that a good foundation will make all the children turn out well, but it increases the probability of your children’s success in life.

    Well raised children give you peace of mind which is unquantifiable. Badly brought up children bring pain and sorrow. Young and aspiring parents have their work and choices laid out for them.