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Tag: Francis Ewherido

  • NDDC lights up Okuama IDP camp – By Francis Ewherido

    NDDC lights up Okuama IDP camp – By Francis Ewherido

    “Light up” in the heading is figurative because the Okuama IDP Camp in Ewu, Ughelli South Local Government Area, Delta State, was not in pitch darkness. They have a generating set and solar providing electricity.

    But during the week the Niger Delta Development Commission stormed the camp the way no individual and no corporate body has done since the IDP camp was officially opened on May 27 this year.

    Beyond the foodstuff, relief materials and money that the Delta State Government provided at the beginning and still provides periodically to the camp, individuals and corporate organisations have been sending foodstuff, relief materials and cash donations.

    I have been very impressed, though I refrained from mentioning names of individuals and corporate organisations bringing these items and making donations because they are many and I don’t want to run the risk of leaving out any name. Moreover, some individuals and corporate organisations want to remain anonymous. But the NDDC show was on a different level; it was a tsunami.

    Let me digress briefly to state that I have not been very satisfied with the performance of the NDDC in the Niger Delta. I knew when the whole idea of NDDC came up because a friend and big brother in the corridors of power at the federal level told me in 1999.

    I also remember that when the discussion on where to put the headquarters started, I wrote a newspaper article rooting for Yenagoa. If I still remember, the title of the article was “Let Yenagoa Be.” My late brother, Sen. Akpor Pius Ewherido, who was then the Deputy Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, read the article. When we met, he challenged me: “Why Yenagoa? Why not Warri?” My thinking then was that Yenagoa was still largely underdeveloped and siting the NDDC headquarters there would accelerate its development.

    Anyway, in terms of infrastructural development, I feel that the Niger Delta would have been transformed by now with the establishment of the NDDC, but the NDDC has not met my expectations. There are too many shoddy jobs and abandoned projects, amongst others.

    But NDDC is not only about infrastructure; human capacity building and development are parts of its mandate. I cannot deny that they have done a lot in this area because I know some beneficiaries whose lives and that of their families have been transformed via intervention of NDDC through scholarships, trainings, sponsorships, etc. Still, more can still be done in this area. Anyway, today is not about an x-ray of the performance of the NDDC over the years.

    During the week, NDDC stormed the Okuama IDP camp in Ewu with five trailers filled with about 71 items amongst which are 400 bags of 25kg rice, 150 bags of 100kg garri, 121 bags of 25kg beans, 400 cartons of noodles, 90 tins of three-litre vegetable oil, 210 mattresses, 22 Canoes, 180 shovels, 75 wheelbarrows, five bicycles, nine cassava grinding machines, 200 rainboots, 400 nylon mats, eight sewing machines, 100 basins, 19 herbicide spray cans, 60 cartons of milo, 60 cartons milk, 400 cartons with each containing 20 tablets of soap, 215 blankets and a large quantity of drugs, amongst other items.

    When I saw the list of the items, I knew NDDC did not just wake up to do the presentation. A lot of thinking went into the immediate needs of Okuama people and what they will need when they get back to Okuama. The foodstuff and soaps, for instance, are for immediate and future use, while the canoes, cassava grinding machines, rainboots, sewing machines, etc., will become useful when they get back to Okuama. Honestly, the quantity of items was beyond my expectation.

    I believe the Urhobo saying that when a man comes back from his own farm, you greet him “doooo” (welcome back) not because you are obliged to, but it is just courtesy. Sometimes, “doooo” can also mean an expression of gratitude.

    In this regard, wekobiruo (you have done well) Rt. Hon. Monday Igbuya, the Commissioner representing Delta State NDDC. Igbuya ensured that all the five trailers arrived at the camp intact and waited for over four hours, ensuring that the right thing was done.

    To his other team members, I say “doooo” and “avwakobiruo” (you all have done well in Ewu dialect). Also, doooo and avwakobiruo to the leaders of Okuama, who helped in identifying the needs of the community to NDDC. This helped the NDDC, I guess, in their choice of relief materials which were very apt.

    The IDP camp committee did a wonderful job. I will continue to praise them. It is not easy to manage so many children and rural women. I thank the Chairman, Mr. Abraham Ogbodo, the Camp Commandant, Deacon Austine Ohwofaria, Mr. Henry Ediyo and other members of the camp committee for their dedication and sacrifices.

    Finally, I thank the Governor of Delta State, Elder Sheriff Oborevwori and the Delta State Government for initiating and setting up the IDP camp. I know what happened first hand and through Ogbodo. Ogbodo always talked about the governor’s support, understanding and encouragement. We cannot disclose everything here, but as an Ewu son, I say God bless you all.

    The IDP camp is closing soon. The people need to go back home. The planting season is about to begin and they need to prepare. They need to go back and start adjusting to their usual daily routines. Many of them have put on weight and look quite robust, but an IDP camp is what it is; a temporary refuge.

    There is still a lot of work to be done in rebuilding Okuama. The contractors handling the various projects are behind schedule, but Okuama people need to go home and keep an eye on them to ensure the projects are completed as soon as possible. The government gave Okuama people the freedom to choose their preferred contractors, so they should take responsibility.

    There are other projects that need to be done. The chairman of the IDP camp committee, Ughelli South LGA, as mandated by the state government, and others involved will hopefully ensure that these projects continue and get completed.

    As the Okuama people prepare to go home, I want to reiterate what I said previously that the Delta State Government needs to demarcate the boundary between Okuama and Okoloba. Once demarcated, the boundary should be respected by both parties. Both communities also signed a peace accord a few months ago.

    They have copies of the agreement and the details. Community leaders should drum it into the heads and hearts of people in both communities. They should stick to the agreement. Skirmishes had been on before the unfortunate incident of March 14 that led to the sacking of Okuama community. It is important that thunder does not strike in the same place again. Let peace reign.

    The aggrieved Okuama Community has sued the federal government and the army. That is the beauty of democracy. Let Okuama Community have its day in court to pursue reparations.

  • What has Taiga got to do with it? – By Francis Ewherido

    What has Taiga got to do with it? – By Francis Ewherido

    Recently, the current executive of the Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) led by Chief Ese Gam Owe paid a “solidarity” visit to the immediate past governor of Delta State, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, after he came back from honouring an invitation from the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC). Predictably, the visit caused mixed reactions among Urhobos. 

    My interest today is the dragging in of Olorogun Moses Taiga’s name into a visit that has nothing to do with him. When you mention Olorogun Taiga in other spheres of his life, it really has nothing to do with me, but once you mention Olorogun Taiga as UPU President General, you drag me in automatically because I was deeply involved in his emergence as UPU President General and my name cropped up in a visit I was neither privy to nor part of. 

    Some commentators raised some issues and that is my concern today. Some people said the People’s Democratic Party installed Taiga as UPU PG. That is not true. It was the late Chief Johnson Modika Barovbe and Professor Peter Ekeh, the founder of Urhobo Historical Society, some traditional rulers and the late Justice Dugbo among others, who mounted pressure on Taiga to contest UPU President General’s position. Barovbe and Ekeh were the arrowhead. Barovbe sold the candidature to Urhobo Social Club, Lagos (USCL), and it was unanimously agreed. I was the general secretary then and most of us all got directly involved. In fact, the USCL was like the engine room.

    The USCL meeting, where the decision was made, had in attendance members of the PDP, APC and those who had no party affiliations. The member who hosted that meeting was not a PDP member or sympathiser, so PDP could not have sponsored Taiga. The election was held at the Cultural Centre, Uvwiamughe, and he was elected the UPU PG. 

    People talk about Olorogun Moses Taiga as if they are talking about one average man. Taiga never needed a financial sponsor to contest the election. He sponsored himself. Taiga is not your average man. He has three personal homes in London, Lagos and Okpare with compliment of domestic staff. When he came to see me in London after I was discharged from hospital, he came in his chauffeur-driven Range Rover. Ask Urhobo people who live in London how many Urhobos have drivers and domestic staff there.

    You can visit Taiga at home and the Obi of Onitsha, Aliko Dangote, Donald Duke, Goodie Ibru, Bismarck Rewane and other eminent Nigerians will just walk in to see him. While with him, the Oba of Benin can call him; he can also get a call from Aso Rock. If you cannot appreciate great Urhobo men, don’t pull them down. During my father-in-law’s burial, one of the Urhobo financial heavyweights honoured my invitation. I was taking him to where other illustrious sons of Urhobo were sitting. Once he noticed the people in that section were in wrapper, he declined and went to sit in one corner. Some illustrious sons of Urhobo are scared of coming out because they do not want to be unnecessarily dragged or vilified. If that is what we want, no problem, but know that the consequences are grievous. 

    Another allegation, a hackneyed one, is that Taiga conferred the traditional title of “Ochuko r’Urhobo” on Okowa. This was trashed out in the past. I do not know why people are rehashing it. In Urhobo land, only kings give out chieftaincy titles. Taiga has never been Ohworode of Olomu, so how could he have given Okowa a chieftaincy title. The photos are still there; show me where Taiga put aghighon (beads) on Okowa’s neck; or do traditional rulers now give chieftaincy titles without aghighon? I did tell Olorogun Taiga then that his traducers would come after him and that has been it till date. 

    Two separate issues made Taiga to call Okowa ochuko r’Urhobo. One, the release of money for work on the UPU Cultural Centre, Uvwiamughe. Yes, it was our entitlement as an oil producing ethnic group, but in Urhobo land, when someone comes back from his own farm, we say, “dooo.” It’s just courtesy. We are not obliged to.

    Some allege that Taiga misused (they don’t have the courage to say he misappropriated) the money from the state government. I know that the first phase and part second phase of the renovation of the Urhobo Cultural Centre at Uvwiamuge-Agbarho was done from the fund. These included perimeter fencing, roof reconstruction, interior upgrades, and tiling. The current executive is supposed to take it from there. The Urhobo House in Warri was also given a facelift. 

    Those who wish to probe should find out from the then UPU financial secretary and treasurer the details of how the money was utilised and they should make the details public. Olorogun Taiga inherited the bank account used during the time of Olorogun Felix Ibru. In line with his personal philosophy, he was never a signatory to the UPU account and never signed any cheque. The three signatories to the account are still very much alive. All those asking for investigation should go ahead to do so. Since Taiga never signed any cheque, they should ask where he gave approval for the alleged missing money as part of their investigation. But truth be told, Taiga spent over N50m of his personal money to run UPU and on UPU activities when he was PG. The records are there and his EXCO members know. Please also ask for the records.

    Some people treat the Moses Taiga UPU Presidency as a ship that passed in the night: unnoticed and uneventful. You can’t crucify people for holding opinions that are different from yours in a free society, but these I know. Among the promises Taiga made at the start of his presidency were the renovation of Urhobo college and setting up of a microfinance bank to principally provide loans for Urhobo ewheya (women) and ighele (youths). He helped to facilitate the renovation of Urhobo College. 

    Let me throw more light on the Okugbe Microfinance so that people will stop peddling falsehood, not because I am obliged to. My only obligation is to subscribers who have been sources of encouragement for the executive to soldier on. The proposed bank is the brainchild of Olorogun Taiga while he was UPU PG. But he never participated in the day to day planning apart from attending meetings like other subscribers. In line with his philosophy, he was not at any time a signatory to the account, neither was he an interim director. He had earlier set up a committee that could not raise money because they used a wrong template. Prompted by Abraham Ogbodo, I told Olorogun Taiga that we could raise the money. He then set up a committee led by Abraham Ogbodo, my humble self as vice chairman and Dr. Benson Uwheru. The committee also had some other bright minds. Olorogun Taiga provided his personal N5m for feasibility study and other initial expenses when the committee started work; the same way he mobilised the first committee we replaced, although I don’t know the amount.  Since the microfinance bank was his brainchild, we told him to set the ball which he did with subscription worth N20m. 

    Contrary to expectations of many people, the committee surpassed the initial N300m target and raised N409m. Unfortunately, CBN did not give us the license. Subscribers know what happened. I don’t understand why Urhobos, who had the opportunity to subscribe but refused to, want to be informed of the details. Your money dey there? Though it is for the benefit of ewheya and ighele, it is a private enterprise. UPU’s 10 kobo is not there. The subscribers are committed sons and daughters of Urhobo extraction. After the CBN snub, subscribers unanimously decided that those who wanted their money back should apply for a refund and that has gone on smoothly. After some exited, the committee still has over N300m left and we are going ahead with the project. This project will come to fruition someday. Taiga does not need to be the UPU PG when that happens, but you cannot deny him his flowers.

    He also started work on the establishment of an Urhobo-owned university to be named Mukoro Mowoe University. To achieve this, he set up committees twice and mobilised them with his personal funds. As at the time his tenure ended, there were at least four communities in Urhobo land that indicated interest in having the university sited on their land. The current UPU leadership should take it from there. Governance is a continuum; that is why Governor Sheriff Oborevwori is continuing and completing projects started by Okowa.

     Another significant milestone during Taiga’s tenure was the approval by the Delta State Government and Federal Ministry of Education for an Urhobo Language Curriculum for Primary and Junior Secondary Schools, after a 10-year struggle in collaboration with the Urhobo Studies Association. This was the second reason he called Okowa ochuko r’Urhobo. Some people feel this feat is not commendable, yet they lament that Urhobo language is not being taught to Urhobo children in Warri South LGA schools. I don’t understand some of our people.

    Taiga, accompanied by Chief Goodie Ibru and Barovbe, used their personal funds and travelled to London to resolve the long-drawn dispute and division in the UPU UK branch. Before then, the dispute was so bad that children of members from either faction could not marry each other. New branches of UPU were also set up in Nigeria and abroad, including Malaysia, Turkey, Russia and Iyerekovia (Edo State) and existing branches were strengthened. 

    UPU under Taiga engaged both the Delta State and the Federal Government to promote and protect Urhobo interest, culminating in a visit to then President Muhammadu Buhari, where he presented a list of demands on behalf of the Urhobo Nation to Buhari. Let me quickly add that when we left Aso Rock, the only things I left there with were one Tomtom and one bitter kola! No member of the delegation left Aso Rock with a kobo. 

    The UPU under Taiga also intervened during crises in various parts of Urhobo land, notably Uwheru. In fact, concerned about the insecurity in Urhoboland, he made the late General Esio Obada, Chairman of the Security Committee, which included retired and serving security personnel of Urhobo origin, to meet regularly and come up with a blueprint for curtailing insecurity in Urhoboland, but Obada died before the execution of the master plan. However, the security committee played a role at one point in curtailing the excesses of the herdsmen in Agadama, Uwheru. The current UPU leadership should dust up the blueprint and implement it. There is still insecurity in Urhoboland.

    Olorogun Taiga continues to intervene in communities in Urhobo land. Taiga was one of the illustrious Urhobos who sent a cow, foodstuff and N500,000 cash to the Okuama IDP camp. What exactly do some people want? If you like, see Olorogun Taiga as a foot mat or failure as UPU PG, but some of us are proud to be associated with a “failure” like Olorogun Moses Taiga.

    On a final note, I have no relationship with the current UPU executive led by Chief Ese Gam Owe, but let me say this: why do we, Urhobos, enjoy blaming the tennis racket instead of the player? A UPU Congress was held where Urhobo delegates from the 24 kingdoms overwhelmingly voted them in. The chairman of the electoral committee, an illustrious Urhobo son and an APC chieftain, Chief Simeon Ohwofa, confirmed to me that the election was not rigged, though delegates were financially induced, according to those present. The question is, were guns put on the heads of the delegates to vote in this executive? What happened self-worth and odavwe r’Urhobo (Urhobo interest)? Only money matters? Let us continue chasing shadows instead of dealing with the substance. UPU is a cultural body and it is the responsibility of every Urhobo to make it remain so. Ordinarily, anybody contesting for a UPU position should have a track record of having the interest of the Urhobo Nation at heart, not people who are looking for elevation, validation and pecuniary gains.

  • Deltans, here we go – By Francis Ewherido

    Deltans, here we go – By Francis Ewherido

    On March 17, 2023, former President Muhammadu Buhari, signed a historic amendment bill, moving electricity from the exclusive legislative list to the concurrent list. The amendment makes it legally possible for state governments to make laws to generate, transmit and distribute electricity in their states. It was a turning moment for Nigeria because electricity being on the exclusive, in my opinion, is one of the reasons why Nigeria has been unable to generate enough electricity for its citizens.

    Our power situation has become a source of huge national embarrassment and made us a laughing stock among countries which ordinarily should be quiet when they hear the name Nigeria. They call us a generator republic. It hurts because we have no business being in this mess. When we returned to democratic rule in 1999, I thought, we would be generating minimum, 30,000 megawatts by now. Egypt surpassed this figure and did it with about the amount we are hearing that has been spent on the power sector since 1999.

    Between 2012 and 2013, I spent about three months cumulatively in India. I noticed that all big businesses and hospitals had generators. The only difference was that they kept their generators on rooftops. There was power cut only four times during my stay. They have probably achieved uninterrupted power supply by now because they have increased capacity tremendously since then. This thing is not rocket science; it is easily achievable with single-mindedness and transparency.

    Anyway, my focus today is on Delta State. The Delta State House of Assembly just passed Delta State Electricity Power Sector Bill, 2024. Considering the importance of electricity to Delta State, I expect the Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, to quickly accent to the bill to make it a law. The key provisions of the bill are: decentralization of power generation, transmission and distribution; empowering the state to regulate its electricity supply, among others. The bottom line is that Delta State will now be able to generate, transmit and distribute its own electricity without relying on the unreliable national grid. This will bring improved electricity and allow businesses, especially small businesses, in Delta State, to flourish.

    Of course, it is no brainer that the state government cannot do it alone, so private sector participation is key to the goal of lighting up every part of Delta State – the urban and rural areas, upland and riverine areas. The provision of electricity will enable big investors to set up big companies while the MSME will also set up and run their businesses at a much lower cost, thus reducing unemployment. Like sugar attracts ants, stable and adequate electricity in Delta State will attract businesses to Delta State.

    Another benefit is that just as light drives away darkness, well-lit streets, roads and neighbourhoods will reduce the crime rate substantially; more so when many people become gainfully engaged and have no excuse to resort to crime. Governor, Oborevwori also commissioned and donated 31 security vehicles to the police during the week to improve the operations of the force. This is good but it is an interim measure. The gamechanger and long-term solution to combating crime is stable electricity.

    Let me quickly add something I had previously touched on. Delta State prides itself as the only state with four universities. It also has a number of polytechnics and a federal university, including one that will commence academic activities soon, I hope, amongst others. This is quite commendable, but after school, what next? Which brings me to the question that has been on my mind. What exactly do they teach in these universities and other tertiary institutions, specifically their curricula? When a school is located in an area where the people are naturally self-motivated and hardworking, the schools need to tailor their curricula to suit the environment, the National University Commission’s regulations and provisions, notwithstanding. This is an area where I want those in charge of education in Delta State to look into. Do not churn out products that cannot be self-starters or are unemployable. Delta State doesn’t need such graduates.

    When it comes to electricity generation Delta State is blessed. We have the gas to power gas turbines, water for hydroelectricity dams and a conducive environment to generate renewable energy. God has blessed Delta State with everything. We just need to harness them judiciously. Electricity generation is not new to Delta State. I grew up over 50 years ago to meet ECN thermal power station at Ekakpamre in Ughelli North LGA.

    I am very excited about the passage of the bill and I do not want to pretend about it. But I am also cautious. I thought Nigeria will be generating at least 30,000 megawatts of electricity by now. It could have been achieved since we returned to democratic rule in 1999.

    Delta needs to get the legal and regulatory framework right. It will also be necessary to critically study why the federal government failed in its electricity generation, transmission and distribution efforts so that we do not make the same mistakes. I am keenly watching. Some of my friends have relocated home (Delta State). Someday, I hope to join them. Currently, anytime I travel home, I stay sometimes for a week without electricity. It makes my stay very unappealing. It is not only the generator noise; the situation is not pocket-friendly. My friends who relocated home also complain that the near absence of electricity has affected their businesses. It has increased their costs of running their businesses astronomically.

    With the amendment bill Buhari signed, Nigerians should turn their focus to their state governments. If the federal government cannot do it alone, let your state, which is nearer to you, get involved. Nigeria is a federation, remember. Since the law was amended, my focus has been mainly on Delta State, because it is my state of origin and Lagos State is where I live and have business interests. Lagos has already set in motion measures to generate 4,000 megawatts of electricity. I welcome this because I will be a beneficiary.

    I ATE SARDINE!

    I used to eat sardine and bread or sardine with garri a lot. I will soak the garri in ice-cold water, add sugar, groundnuts and powered milk. These were some of my fetishes. After I was diagnosed as being prediabetic, I stopped taking both regularly as a precautionary measure. I don’t take diabetes drugs. I use diet and lifestyle change to manage it.

    Consequently, I did not know the price of sardine has flown through the roof until one day I really felt like eating bread and sardine for a break. When my wife brought it, I innocently asked how much it now costs. When she told me, I lost appetite and told her to take it away. But she left it on the table. A few days ago, she brought only bread, instead of bread and akara (beans cake), my other fetish.

    With no akara, I had to do with the sardines, but I ate only two out of the three fish in the tin. I just didn’t feel it was right to spend so much for what I used to buy for 18 to 20 kobo in the 70s. Much later in the day, I went to the kitchen to drink water. I saw that my daughter covered the leftover sardine. I knew it would end up in the dustbin the next day. I hate waste, so I took another two slices of bread and ate my sardine. Eight slices of bread a day, instead of my usual three or four, is too much for a prediabetic person, but don’t crucify me. I hate waste (Lol). Three days later, with no akara, she suggested sardine again. This time, it was capital NO! I dey vex. I know prices of all items have hit the roof, but sardine is not worth the price, in my opinion.

  • International Day for Tolerance – By Francis Ewherido

    International Day for Tolerance – By Francis Ewherido

    Today is the International Day for Tolerance. “The International Day for Tolerance is an annual observance day declared by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1995 to generate public awareness of the dangers of intolerance. It is observed on November 16” every year.

    The key word in the above quote is “intolerance.” The opposite of intolerance is tolerance. I know you all know the meaning, but I will repeat it to make it sink in. one,
    “willingness to accept behaviour and beliefs that are different from your own, although you might not agree with or approve of them.” Two, “the ability to deal with something unpleasant or annoying, or to continue existing despite bad or difficult conditions.” Three, “capacity to endure pain or hardship.” If you situate these three definitions, you can understand the foundation of many marital problems today.

    My main focus today is on marriage and the family. The first definition is
    “willingness to accept behaviour and beliefs that are different from your own, although you might not agree with or approve of them.” During courtship, this is something every person should accept before going ahead into marriage. I said it previously that marriage is not an institution you go into with the intention to change your spouse after marriage to suit your desired specification. In marriage, as in most other aspects of life, you have the power to change only one person and that is you. It is not proper to tell your spouse to change what you knew before going into the marriage. That amounts to deceit. It amounts to shifting the goalpost after the match has started. Let the change, if any, come voluntarily from him/her.

    In respect of children, it is easier to influence and mould them in the first 10 years of their lives. As they grow older, their personalities manifest and like cement mixed with water, they take shape and harden. Trying to remould them creates what the bible spoke against: “Do not drive your children to resentment.” As we discussed previously, every person is a combination of nature and nurture. You don’t tell your adult children how to live their lives. You simply advice, encourage, accommodate and learn to live with their beliefs and behaviours that are at variance with yours.

    The second definition is, “the ability to deal with something unpleasant or annoying, or to continue existing despite bad or difficult conditions.” All marriages and families are familiar with this. Nothing annoys me like fake people or marriages. Many of us are in this business of marriage. We deal with the good, the bad and the ugly regularly. Why are some people making a fool of themselves. You pretend that marriage is a bed of roses. Even roses have prickles (shukushuku) and you can get pricked once in a while.  There is nothing wrong with your humanity, with all its faults and frailties, neither is there anything wrong with your marriage having good and bad days. You are human, not divine, and we all know. What is important is to strive daily to make your marriage and family life better and happier. Quit making a fool of yourself by living a lie.

    The third definition is the “capacity to endure pain or hardship.” This third definition reminds me of some vows in marriage: “in sickness and in health,” and “for richer for poorer.” When many young people, especially young ladies, think about marriage, all they have in mind is bliss, glitz and glam. They forget about the absence of substance in glitz and glam and that is where the problem is. If only wishes were horses… Nobody wishes for it when going into marriage, but pain might come. There might be illnesses, bereavements, hard times and other negatives. No one wants them, but they happen. While you don’t pray for them, you should remember the other side of the coin. Some people shift uncomfortably like old women when dry bones are being discussed, when discussing the downsides of marriage and life, but I am a realist. I don’t run away from reality.

    Pain and hardship are real. Some families are currently going through tough times. Nigeria is going through a very bad patch. Some children are at home because parents cannot pay their school fees. I had advised such parents in a previous article to send their children to government-owned schools. But there is also hunger in many families. Unlike schools where parents can move their children to government-owned schools, there is no alternative for parents to deal with their hungry children.  Many parents are going through excruciating times seeing their children suffer. It is heartbreaking. I pray this cup will pass as soon as possible.

    More than anytime, we need to cultivate the virtue of tolerance. It has become a sine qua non for modern day living. It goes way beyond the family. If you move around, tension and anger are palpable. I advise those around me to learn to walk away from potential trouble. For example, if someone rams into a vehicle in front of him, it is a no brainer who is at fault. But I have seen the vehicle driver behind blame the one in front because he stopped abruptly; that’s why the accident happened. That is crazy. In Nigeria a lot of the time, we love to settle road accidents at the least with shouting matches and at worst with fisticuffs. Please don’t. Abroad, motorists exchange insurance details and move on. This is because you dare not put your vehicle on the road without having in place a minimum of Motor (Third Party) Insurance to cover your liabilities to third parties in the event of an accident. The law is the same in Nigeria. I will go into details next Saturday or soon.

    I watched some videos recently. In one of the them, a bus driver who was apprehended set a Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) official ablaze. The fire caught someone else who was almost crushed by a tanker driving at top speed. In Oyo State, officials of the state government in uniforms were beaten to pulp. In yet another video, a driver who was held by the Federal Road Safety Commission, stripped naked and stood on top of the bonnet of the FRSC van. An angry crowd had gathered. Recently, I read a bill in the House of Representatives to make FRSC officials bear arms. A capital NO to such a bill. The functions of FRSC does not necessitate them to bear arms. Uniformed personnel need tolerance in the exercise of their duties. Nigerians are going through a lot. They should exercise restraint and empathy. A little human face will help.

    Finally, if you go to the prisons, there are more inmates awaiting trial than those who have been convicted. Either way, many of them would not have been there if there was tolerance. There are also people in the grave who would have been alive today if they were tolerant or those who killed them were. There would have been fewer divorcees and broken marriages with a little more tolerance. There are reasons many to be intolerant regularly, but let’s cancel the “in” at the beginning and be more tolerant. Have a fruitful International Day for Tolerance.

  • The beauty of WhatsApp – By Francis Ewherido

    The beauty of WhatsApp – By Francis Ewherido

    WhatsApp is one of the comparatively new means of mass communication I use a lot. The reasons are multiple. One, it is “free.” Once I make my internet subscription, I am good to go. Happily, the internet subscription allows me to have access to both old and new means of mass communication and much more at no extra cost. Anyway, internet is now basic to modern day living: business, family, socialisation, education, acquisition of knowledge, etc.

    Another beauty of WhatsApp is the way it helps to recreate family life of old, albeit virtually. In the olden days, families got under the moonlight to bond, tell stories and pass on knowledge to the younger generation. With modernisation, television replaced tales by moonlight. Families gathered together in the evening to watch television. Later, television stations started broadcasting 24/7. This had an impact on the 5pm to 10pm and sometimes midnight gatherings in front of television by families. These days that culture is fast changing if not dying. Internet and the new media of mass communication have provided many more options.

    I do not know how many families still gather to watch television. In my household, the only time we all gather in front of TV or laptop is to follow a church programme/prayer or do night prayer. My television set is becoming a relic. I am not much of a TV person anymore. The only time I watch TV is football and my last son is the only one who watches with me. I follow news online. At a point, my children had a meeting and came to me to stop “wasting” money on Pay TV. Instead, they said I should just give them 24/7 internet. I obeyed.

    But one thing WhatsApp has done for many families is family group where family members, bond, interact, catch up with one another, share photos, old and new; resolve family disputes, plan and execute events, the benefits are endless. WhatsApp has an advantage over physical interaction because it is virtual. That way, it accommodates all family members because distance is no barrier. Many families used to do zoom meetings but the glitches are annoying. Unless it is very important, WhatsApp is just it. It does not suffer the glitches zoom meetings are prone to.

    WhatsApp family groups also provide parents a good platform to train and mentor their children. In those days parents relied mainly on their personal knowledge to raise and mentor their children. These days, there is an avalanche of materials online. Parents simply post and discuss these materials on family WhatsApp groups to guide, mentor and groom their children. It is potent though different from the wise sayings and proverbs that were used to raise people of my generation. Then parents spoke with signs, eyes and facial expressions and we understood. Many in this generation simply want you to spill it out. They are blind to sign language. It is all right. The bottom line is to raise responsible children who will make you proud, achieve great things and add value to humanity.

    Besides family WhatsApp groups, companies, alumni associations, churches and many other bodies have found WhatsApp very useful. You can run your small business and communicate with staff mainly with the company WhatsApp group. Internal memos are not used, unless you really want to make it official. You can also relate with clients mainly with WhatsApp, although I still prefer to use official emails in many instances when it really needs to be official.

    Like all good things, WhatsApp does have its downsides. Let me just highlight a few starting with the family. We are in a society where older people are accorded a lot of respect. It is a great part of our culture and I just love it. But these older people should realise that younger people are not morons. They also deserve some respect and dignity. Some elders carry their overbearing attitude to the family WhatsApp group space. There is a family head who told his younger sibling who is in his 60s during a family meeting that, “W’omotete. Die worienre? (You are a small boy. What do you know?)” How can a grandfather in his 60s be called a small boy? How can you ask someone who rose to the pinnacle of his career, “what do you know?” I don’t get it. Is age the only way to acquire knowledge and experience?

    Each time, I get into a hot argument with my 91-year-old mother and she wants to bring the argument to a close, she would simply say, “me vwiewe (I gave birth to you).” The implication is accept what I said and stop arguing. The last time she said it, I really got upset and asked her if she is as educated and well-travelled as I am. She used to tell us when we were young that good education drives away ignorance and foolishness. Also, the person who has travelled knows more than the one who has not, so I got her there. I don’t know why I still argue with her. All my brothers have told me to let her be. When I try to, she calls me and says she has not heard from me for a while and she is missing my wahala!

    Many older people in the family carry this repository-of-knowledge mentality to WhatsApp family groups. Age should be respected, but democracy, not autocracy, should be practiced in WhatsApp groups. Give everybody his/her due. Let me also chip in that some young people overstep their boundaries in WhatsApp groups. They need to be careful because in some big WhatsApp groups, many people do not know one another personally. You can step on the toes of a potential destiny helper, a game changer, without knowing.

    Other WhatsApp groups also have issues. One of the major problems is deviating from the original reason why the group was set up. We have a WhatsApp group where I live. It’s basically meant to discuss issues concerning the association and the area. Currently, we have many pressing issues, but nobody talks about them. Then every morning some people post religious stuff on the platform. Personally, I am not impressed. I have groups and individuals who send me religious stuff daily. I am only interested in what’s going on around my neighbourhood as far as the group is concerned.

    During the last election, many WhatsApp groups became war zones across party and ethnic lines. A very intellectual group I belong to also got sucked into 2023 election brouhaha. They abandoned the very educative posts I enjoyed reading so much. Even church and many other groups were not left out. They created avoidable animosity among members of the group. I just watched in bemusement. I have been involved in elections since 2003. Elections are won in the field and in the “field” not WhatsApp groups. I hope they learn in 2027 and direct their energies in the right direction.

    Unfortunately, I also got involved in a few virtual altercations. I quickly came to my senses and asked myself, “what is all this madness for?” I remembered my grandma’s nickname (odova) and adopted it. If you call her “esevweremare” (old people’s fashion), she would respond, “obijiwoni, wo kwepharokufia” (If you find it unpleasant or unattractive, look the other way). These days, I simply ignore WhatsApp posts I find unpleasant or unattractive. If I have contrary views, I can always avail myself of other mass media platforms to express my views. There’s no need for avoidable quarrels and enmity.

    Finally, people should refrain from cyberbullying in WhatsApp groups. The new media and the old media are free market places of ideas where people express their freedom within boundaries without let or hinderance. Do not intimidate people with your age, intelligence, money, knowledge, position, etc. You are there to elevate, inform, educate and titillate not belittle people.

  • Bravo, JAMB but… – By Francis Ewherido

    Bravo, JAMB but… – By Francis Ewherido

    The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) recently announced a change in the minimum age requirement for admission for the 2024/2025 academic session. The immediate past Minister of Education, Prof Tahir Mamman, had insisted that from 2024/2025 session, the minimum age for admission into Nigerian universities will be 18 years. I was one of those vehemently opposed to it for the following reasons: One, even if you must implement a policy that has been in the coolers, you should give people time. I suggested a minimum of three years moratorium. Two, I felt the policy was not well thought out and it was not based on empirical evidence. Since 1988, I have followed the careers of some people who entered the university at 16 years. Many of them are runaway successes. Those who entered the university at 16 and derailed had other contributory factors, not just age. In my university days, we had students who were above 25 and had spent six or more years doing a four-year course. Some got into the university in their 20s. I maintain that a 16-year-old is good enough to go into the university.

    Three, in countries where the minimum entry age to get into the university 18 years, they make provisions for specially gifted students. Nigeria has many geniuses especially because our harsh environment which means that people have to put in more efforts and only the fittest come through. Consequently, many of our children are geniuses. At 16, they are more than ready for university education. Keeping them at home until 18 years can be counterproductive. Right now, there is no special arrangement for such gifted children. In Europe and America, specially, gifted children get admitted into the university at age 16 and below.

    Four, some people speculate that the implementation of the 18 years policy was one of the reasons why the erstwhile Minister of Education, Prof Tahir Mamman, was removed as minister. I don’t know, but honestly, I wondered why a minister in a government that is dealing with so many controversies and challenges will stir up a new one. Sleeping dogs should have been allowed to lie. Anyway, “soldier go, soldier come, barrack remains.” I wish Mamman well in his future endeavours. He has departed but he did not leave with the problems in the education sector. His successor, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has inherited them.

    Five, to start with, I will suggest that he leaves implementation of the 18 years entry requirement until the ministry comes up with a wholistic approach. I still do not believe in it anyway. JAMB said 16 years will only apply to the 2024/2025 academic year. What happens subsequently? The new minister needs to tell us. Six, the ministry has to deal with the myriads of problems bedevilling the education sector. There has been some stability since the current government came in, but there are still the occasional threats of strike by one university union or the other. The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of non-teaching staff unions in the universities, started a nationwide indefinite strike on Monday. JAC said the strike is sequel to the non- payment of the four months withheld salaries of its members. The JAC comprises the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions, NASU and Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU.

    The JAC said that President Bola Tinubu’s approved the 50 per cent of the four months withheld salaries to be paid but none of its members had received any payment. Who is withholding their salaries? The new minister needs to quickly resolve this so that the 2024/2025 academic calendar will start on a hitch free note.

    I hope the dark age of eight months strike by the Academic Staff of Universities (ASUU) are over, but we need more stability and the JAC strike should be addressed promptly. Parents need their peace of mind. Some parents who can afford to send their children to private universities are now sending their children to government-owned universities. Do not kill their spirit. I am a proud product of a government-owned university, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. I still believe in government-owned universities, but let a five-year or four-year course be so.

    Also, we live in a fast-changing world. The school curriculum should be fluid so that universities or relevant authorities can adapt to produce employable graduates. We also need to produce graduates who can become entrepreneurs by hitting the ground running after graduation. The number of unemployed graduates is mindboggling. We cannot afford to produce graduates who cannot be self-employed or employable. At the secondary level, the reasons for introducing the 6-3-3-4 system of education have never been achieved. The difference between the 6-3-3-4 and the 6-5-4 it replaced is that the older people spent five years in secondary school, all things being equal, while the students who entered subsequently spent six years in secondary school. The paradigm shift it was meant to achieve has not been realised.

    The 6-3-3-4 was meant to enable students exit school after junior or senior secondary school. Then they would have been equipped with the relevant skills to become self-employed or get employment. This has not been the case. The erstwhile minister was billed to launch a new curriculum before he was removed. The new curriculum was not unveiled, so I do not know the contents, but the new minister should ensure that products of junior and senior secondary school fulfil the reason for which the 6-3-3-4 system was introduced. A major part of our population are young people, so we do not have a choice. They have to be gainfully employed and engaged or we are playing with disaster waiting to happen. The level of kidnapping, internet fraud, armed robbery, prostitution, ritual killings and other social vices point to the dangers ahead. We need to act fast.

    Education is on the concurrent list. That is, the federal and state governments can establish schools as is currently the case. The minister should collaborate with the various state governments to reduce the number of out-of-school children. The problem is more in the Northern part of Nigeria. It might have some correlation with the high level of insecurity in the North.  Collectively, we also need to fight the scourge of underaged girls being forced into marriages. Every girl child should have at least secondary school certificate before marriage. Every adult (people 18 years and above) should either be educated or have basic skills to earn a living. The level of unemployment in Nigeria is worrisome. We need to tackle unemployment before we can make giant strikes in tackling insecurity in Nigeria.

  • Let the will and wishes of the dead be – By Francis Ewherido

    Let the will and wishes of the dead be – By Francis Ewherido

    Last week, I focussed on male siblings changing or trying to change their fathers’ wills to disinherit their female siblings. But it goes beyond siblings. Sometimes the whole family is involved. Once a relative dies, they use fraudulent culture and tradition to set aside the late relative’s will.

    Some people used to feel that once you have your will in place, you can rest assured that on your demise, there will be no rancour in your family as far your estate is concerned. Not anymore. Wills written with sound minds are being challenged in courts with some of these cases dragging on for decades.

    It is worse if the relative died intestate (without writing a will). We have seen this happen over the years and it is distasteful. It is terrible when the children of the deceased are minors. The extended family tread carefully if the children of the deceased are adults. So, our focus is on when the children are minors.

    My friend told me of his friend who died in his late 40s or early 50s. They took the corpse to his village for burial. Since his village had no electricity, the widow went with the generator they were using in Lagos. After the burial, she was putting their luggage in the truck in preparation to come back to Lagos.

    Then the eldest brother of her late husband asked her where she was taking the generator to. She answered that she was taking it back to Lagos. “So, we in the village don’t like good things, abi?” He ordered the younger family members to bring down the generator. The family went back to Lagos without the gen set. Electricity supply was very poor then and the uncles denied the children one of the little comforts they were enjoying when their father was alive.

    The family never supported the widow and the children after their brother died. My friend played the role of a father. He never goes into details about his good deeds, but I suspect he substantially contributed to supporting the deceased immediate family and seeing the children through school. Where was the eldest brother who inherited the generator as the widow was struggling with the upbringing of their three children?

    In those days (I don’t know if the practice subsists till date), wives were counted as part of a deceased’s estate and inherited by relatives upon the death of the husband. We have this saying that the burial of a relative whose wife has big buttocks (you can also add “whose wife is beautiful”), is conducted swiftly so that the inheritor can take over ASAP.

    I would not have bothered much if the responsibilities the deceased left behind were also swiftly shared, but no; they inherit the “assets” and jettison the “liabilities.” There are some cases that are particularly pathetic. Families “distribute” children of their deceased relatives among themselves and treat them as domestic workers (“houseboys” and “housegirls”). Some times they send them to school, at other times, they don’t. Even when they send them to school, they put them in public schools while their children are in private schools.

    There are very few government-owned primary schools and secondary schools that are as good as privately-owned schools, but the bulk are substandard. Why can’t these children attend the same schools their children attend? If it’s universities, I do not mind because government-owned universities are as good and sometimes better than privately-owned universities. The only advantage privately-owned universities had was stability in the school calendar. Stability seems to be returning to government-owned universities now. These days, the decision on which university you want your wards to attend should be determined partly by the course they want to study. Some universities are renowned for being very strong in some courses.

    The other situations I find annoying are where relatives and siblings of the deceased drag properties with the children of the deceased. For me, once you lose a loved one, the loss is paramount and you should mourn the loss you suffered instead of dragging his properties with his wife and children. Anything your sibling or relative did not give to you while he was alive or did not bequeath to you does not belong to you. Siblings and relatives should be self-respecting.

    Where were you when your late sibling/relative was accumulating wealth? Some relatives and siblings find it hard to let go. They see the wife as an outsider who was not there when they were growing up and going through thick and thin with the deceased. The truth of the matter is that after marriage, the couple are no longer two but one. No matter how you feel, you have to respect that, especially in marriages that produced offsprings.

    My advice is to those who are the first to become successful in a family is to realise that a tree can never make a forest. Build your siblings. Help them to grow. As I wrote last week, “No tree can make a forest. A hurricane easily blows away a single tree, but find it more difficult where many trees are located in close proximity…If you don’t help to build them (siblings) up, in the days of trouble which are almost inevitable, you will have no family member of substance to stand by you.” And if you don’t support and build your siblings, if you die prematurely, your siblings will not be solid enough to be the backbone your children need, especially if they are minors or adolescents.

    Having said that, I know there are some family members who are not interested in putting in the hard work. They are lazy and only interested in the good life on the expense of others. These are not the siblings/relatives I am referring to, but if you have the capacity, support them to meet their basic needs of food, shelter, clothing and training of their children, go ahead and support them. But you have no business supporting a luxurious lifestyle of a sibling/relative.

    Luxurious living is meant for those who can afford it. I am sorry, but I called someone a madman recently. He wanted support to send his son to study abroad. Meanwhile, he does not even have the resources to buy a domestic flight ticket to Abuja or Lagos from where the son will travel abroad. Is that not madness? But he will go about scandalising the rich sibling for not supporting him.

    Even if your rich brother sends his children abroad to school, it is because he has the capacity. If you do not have the resources, your children should school in Nigeria. Nigerian schools are good enough. How many of our past and current heads of state, governors and legislators, CEOs of big organisations, etc., did pre-university and first degrees abroad? Majority of them studied in Nigeria. There is no empirical evidence that those who studied abroad automatically have advantage over those who studied in Nigeria.

    My final advice is that surviving relatives should allow the will and wishes of the departed to prevail. It is immoral to alter their will and wishes because they are dead and not in a position to defend them.

  • Greedy ‘sons of David,’ Omotejohwo – By Francis Ewherido

    Greedy ‘sons of David,’ Omotejohwo – By Francis Ewherido

    King David was a man of means with many wives, and according to God, He would have allowed him have more if he so wished. While the Israelites were at war, as Israel currently is, David was having a walk in the roof of his palace late one afternoon. Then his eyes caught a beautiful woman having her bath. Her name incidentally is BATHsheba, the only wife of Uriah the Hittite. David could have followed the example of Joseph the dreamer who fled from Potiphar’s wife, but lust and GREED got the better of him. He had Bathsheba summoned and had sex with her. This same secret affair that has put many of us in trouble created a series of unfortunate events for David:

    Bathsheba got pregnant. It does not matter whether it is once, a quickie or 30 seconds. Once you get into the wrong “place,” things can go wrong. David summoned Uriah from the battlefield and played all kinds of tricks so that Uriah could go home and sleep with his wife. That way, it would be assumed that the child was his, but it did not work. David resolved he had no option but to get Uriah killed. Ironically Uriah was the one who conveyed the letter of his death sentence to Joab, Commander of the Army of Israel. After Uriah died, David’s GREED and continued lust made him to marry Bathsheba after her the mourning period for Uriah ended, enlarging his harem.

    The all-seeing and all-knowing God was enraged and did not hide it. He sent the Prophet Nathan to David to let him know of his GREED. He told him the parable of the poor man with only one ewe lamb and the rich man with a herd. When David heard the story, he pronounced a death sentence on the rich man. Nathan told him you are the one. David, realising the enormity of his deeds, prayed to God for forgiveness, which our God of mercy and compassion granted.

    But there is forgiveness, there are also consequences of sin. We can’t escape the consequences of sin. In Davids case, the consequences were grave: His plea to God to spare the life of the child from the adulterous liaison fell on deaf ears. The child died. In addition, David’s son Ammon raped his half-sister, Tamar. Absalom, Tamar’s direct brother was enraged and killed Ammon. Absalom also rebelled against his father and temporarily drove him away from the throne. He also slept with David’s wives before all Israel. David’s plea to his commander, Joab, to spare Absolom’s life fell on deaf ears. He had Absalom killed. Look at the chaos David’s indiscretion brought to his family. Why am I going into this long introduction?

    There is a madness that has been going on, but two incidents happened recently in Bendel (Edo and Delta States) that really got me upset. In both cases, the late fathers willed properties to all their children. Being a patrilineal society, the sons got more than their sisters, but greed has consumed the sons. They want to take the little their father willed to their sisters. They want to go against their fathers’ wishes and disinherit their female siblings. These are the “children of David.” They are driven by greed and fuelled by very irritating extreme male chauvinism. It happens all over Nigeria and even Africa, but I want to restrict myself to Bendel because I am beginning my “charity” from home. Like the biblical “5000 men were fed besides women and children,” women are meant to be seen and tolerated, not recognised or counted. This is not about women liberation. I am only interested in equity, fairness and justice.

    A man toils and accumulates wealth. With a sound and free mind, he shares his properties as he wishes. Then after his death, some people who are up to no good want to change his wishes. One of the excuses is that they did not know the content of the will. So what? Nor be im properties? Did you toil with him? Can’t a man do as he wishes with his wealth as long as he does not break the law. Don’t you remember the biblical parable of labourers in the vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16)?

    In the first case, the father, a lawyer, wrote his will before he died. Now the first son, a school dropout and an agbaya (he is up to no good) wants to disinherit the female siblings by setting the father’s will aside. Shockingly, he has support of the elders of the family. They are mainly eldest sons who have become a formidable mafia to sustain an obnoxious culture where the eldest son is the sole inheritor of the father’s properties and shares to the other siblings if he so desires. Their anger is that the late lawyer went against their obnoxious culture.

    The more annoying one is the second case. The man called his children together, except the daughters who were not available. He shared his property while one of the sons was writing down the man’s wishes. They all left seemingly happy. Now the man is dead, two of the sons want the father’s wishes to be set aside so that the properties can be redistributed with the eldest choosing first down to the youngest. But the main issue now is that they are dragging one of the properties the father bequeathed to the two daughters and the youngest son.

    To perpetuate their greed, these sons of David invite more chauvinistic family elders to “mediate” in the contrived disputes. When a goat is arraigned in a court where lions are the judges, the outcome is predictable. The female or/and younger siblings stand no chance.

    Male siblings need to avoid mistakes of the past. Growing up, I saw some women answering Omotejohwo literally meaning a daughter is also a person, but that is too shallow, so let us look at the connotative meaning: Your daughter is as important as your sons. Your daughter might just be the one that will uplift your family. Your daughter can take your family name to the global stage. Dr Ngozi Okonjo Iweala is a good example.

    The girl-child has come a long way, but she still has many bridges to cross. I have a friend, a very successful man. He has three daughters and that is all. Aliko Dangote has only daughters. There are many other successful men and other men like them. They are contented with their daughters. They are precious gifts from God. Some men keep breeding until they get a male child. Number of children, 12. Only the 12th one is male. I am not criticising anyone. It is your choice. Just remember that omotejohwo. Why don’t these male chauvinists marry their fellow men? Male chauvinists, omotejohwo! Omotejohwo!! Omotejohwo!!! Know this and know peace.

    Finally, if you look at many strong families, they have many successful family members, males and females. No tree can make a forest. A hurricane easily blows away a single tree, but find it more difficult where many trees are located in close proximity. You need not just many successful members but united families. The foundation of the unity is truth not falsehood. They are impregnable. Instead of pulling up your siblings, you want to subjugate them. If you don’t help build them up, in the days of trouble which are almost inevitable, you will have no family member of substance to stand by you. Working together, any family can become great. I know quite a number of them who were just normal people some decades ago. Today, they are monstrous. There are also great names we used to hear of. Today nobody hears about them anymore. Genuine family unity is good. Greed and selfishness destroy the family unit.

  • Peace at last between Okuama and Okoloba? – By Francis Ewherido

    Peace at last between Okuama and Okoloba? – By Francis Ewherido

    Until the killing of 17 officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army, many people never knew about the tensions and skirmishes between Okuama, an Urhobo community in Ewu Kingdom, Ughelli South Local Government Area and Okoloba, an Ijaw community in Bomadi Local Government Area, all in Delta State. Both communities have lived side by side for “over 300 hundred years,” according to the Pere of Akugbene-Mein Kingdom, HRM Pere Kalanama VIII, who is an Ijaw monarch with some Urhobo roots, according to some sources. You can imagine the discomfort this crisis causes him and his likes who have Urhobo and Ijaw heritage. Okuama and Okoloba people have intermarried and speak each other’s language, so this crisis could have been avoided if the situation was well managed and there was restraint and level-headedness. This is a time for patience, understanding, levelheadedness and mutual respect. There is need for justice and peace to embrace so that the recently signed peace accord between the two communities will endure.

    I will not belabour you with the aftermath of the killing of those soldiers because they are already in the public domain. My interest today is on the way forward and achieving a lasting peaceful co-existence between Okuama and Okoloba communities. During the week, the leaders from the two communities, in the presence of traditional rulers and security agents, signed a peace accord. The report said the peace accord was initiated by the Bomadi Local Government Chairman and brokered in collaboration with his Ughelli South Local Government chairman.

    The Chairman of Bomadi LGA, Hon. Dagidi Andaye, who anchored the peace meeting, said it was convened with the knowledge and backing of the Governor of Delta State, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, who mandated peace meeting to raise, discuss and iron out all contentious issues between the two communities. That is very important. Similar agreements have been reached in the past and breached. So, there is need to get to the bottom of what is causing the crisis. Whatever led to the failure of previous peace efforts should be unearthed and solved.

    Andaye said “The ultimate goal of this meeting is to ensure lasting peace between Okuama and Okoloba communities, and we want both communities to go back to your age-long relationship of peaceful co-existence.” To achieve this, the meeting made some resolutions. I will summarise them and discuss in brief the importance and implications of some of the resolutions: one, an immediate ceasefire and an end to all hostilities, renouncing of violence and reconciliation of both communities. This does not require much explanation because without these, the peace accord is an exercise in futility. Two, granting free access to farmlands and farming activities within the communities’ respective boundaries, considering the fact that both communities rely on farming and fishing for their livelihood. The economy of both communities was already being affected by the skirmishes before the army invaded and levelled Okuama, so this agreement is very important. Three, joint patrol along the Forcados River bank to ensure safety, security and free passage of boats and passengers along the Forcados River bordering both communities. This is another very important agreement. Before now, there had been attacks of passengers and boats. In all cases, it is blame and counter blame by both communities. Hopefully, there will be no further attacks. Also, people from other communities who want to use the past hostilities between Okuama and Okoloba to commit crimes around the stretch will be caught.

    Four, the meeting agreed on the release of properties allegedly stolen during the invasion of Okuama. This kind of restitution will be wonderful. The soldiers had scarcely vacated Okuama when some bad elements descended on Okuama to steal what the soldiers did not destroy or partly destroyed.

    Five, agreement to resolve disputes through dialogue and peaceful means. Also, agreement to engage in community outreach programmes to promote peace and understanding. This is another very important point. I was born into and spent my early years in a communal setting. As young as I was, I remember that when there was a dispute between two families, the landlord or oldest man in the compound settled the dispute. There were times when two children would fight. Sometimes, the parents of the aggressor would beat the child so hard that the other family would plead with the parents, “ehwenatere” (The beating is enough). But there were also parents who would never accept that their children were at fault. This led to family quarrels and fights. This kind of defiance can also lead to communal clashes.

    Finally, a 10-man Monitoring Committee was also set up to monitor the Peace Accord. This is like a postmortem and very important. Everything must be done to ensure enduring peace. Two days ago (September 26), I read an advertorial by Oleh Development Union on page 27 of Vanguard on the boundary dispute with Ozoro. I met this dispute in 1973 when my family moved to Ozoro. Our official residence, a small bungalow, was the last house on the Ozoro-Oleh road. It was about five miles (eight kilometres) from the disputed boundary, but concerned indigenes deemed it fit to tell us so that we could be on the alert. This is an intra-ethnic (Isoko) dispute.  Border disputes can be intractable. All hands must be on deck to resolve the Okuama-Okoloba border dispute.

    I have written four articles on this crisis. I also made suggestions which are mostly taken care of above, but I also expressed the need for the border between the two communities to be demarcated. One of the major reasons for the dispute is land. Leaving out the border demarcation means the job is not yet completed. Delta State government has an agency in charge of border demarcation. The government should not shy away from this all-important point if we truly desire a long-lasting peace between the two communities.

    On return of Okuama people to their ancestral home, I heard the contractors have started bringing building materials to site to start the rebuilding of Okuama with starting with the primary and secondary schools, community hall and health centre. I have also been informed that Ughelli South LGA is going to play a major role in the rebuilding and resettlement of Okuama people. The chairman of the local government, Dr. Lucky Avweromre, is an indigene of Ewu Kingdom, but that is beside the point. The entire Ughelli South LGA is his turf. Okuama people do not need any favourtism, but he understands what life is like in the riverine areas of Ewu, so he has his work cut out.

    I am informed that the LGA is deeply involved in the rebuilding of Okuama, but Okuama people come before physical structures. Though new in office, he has visited the IDP camp to see the Okuama people. That is not good enough. The last time he came to the camp was when he was campaigning for the chairmanship position. The chairman of neighbouring Ughelli North LGA, who was sworn at the same time, did not only visit the camp but celebrated his last birthday with the Okuama people in the IDP camp. Their joy knew no limit.

    That said, he should pursue the resettlement of Okuama people with utmost vigour. They have been in IDP camp, eating free food and living their lives devoid of their daily routine of family life, farming, fishing and trading. It is like a body builder who stopped going to the gym. The longer he does that the more his muscles disappear. Okuama people should go home soon before their bodies become too flabby.

    My last advice to the chairman is that should liaise with the chairman of the IDP camp committee, Abraham Ogbodo. Ogbodo has some wonderful ideas that will make his work easier and faster, and facilitate the return of Okuama people to their ancestral home.

  • Stop these senseless killings – By Francis Ewherido

    Stop these senseless killings – By Francis Ewherido

    When I was between ages 14 and 22, the paramount wish of my peers and I was to finish secondary school, pass WAEC and JAMB exams and get into the university. Those who were not interested in higher education went to do apprenticeship and learn skills to enable them prepare for the future. Our ultimate goal was to become successful in life, but the kind of desperation I see now among people in this age group was not there.

    Times have changed. These days, you read stories of a 15-year-old boy who killed his own mother and had sex with the corpse for money ritual. A 14-year-old boy, together with his three friends, approached a supposed Islamic cleric for ritual to make them rich. Unknown to him, he was going to be the sacrificial lamb. His “friends” colluded with the “alfa,” beheaded and burnt the head for ritual purpose.  We also have some cases of boys who invited their girlfriends and killed them for money ritual. There are many cases of teenagers being involved in killings for ritual purposes.

    The purpose of today’s article is to tell these teenagers that they are just wasting people’s lives and spilling innocent blood for nothing. Please refrain because you will be caught. Do you know how difficult it is to dispose of a dead body? Long ago my dog died. I remember how difficult it was to dispose of the carcass, so I can imagine the magnitude of disposing a corpse. There is no perfect crime. You will be caught if not immediately, then in the future. Do not gamble with your future.

    In Nigeria, successive governments have performed below the expectations of Nigerians, so we are accustomed to blaming government for everything that goes wrong in the society, but I would rather we probed more. We are talking of teenagers. In Nigeria, most children live with their parents until their 20s minimum before moving to their own homes. If not for kindergarten, many children start school at five or six years. So, the exposure to the outside world is limited at an early age.

    I will keep going back to it even if I sound like a broken record. Every human being is a combination of nature and nurture: “Nature refers to innate biological factors, such as genetics, while nurture refers to external factors such as upbringing, life experiences, and learning.” Nature is powerful. I have observed people for about 50 years and I say that categorically. There is very little you can do about certain behavioural patterns, especially if it is not sinful, criminal or bad behaviour. My wife kept teasing me about a certain behavioural pattern. One day, I ran out of patience told her, “When we go home again observe mama (my mother). Don’t bring up this matter again. I inherited it from her.” That is the power of nature.

    Much of what parents have control over is nurture. In those days, our mothers would simply give instructions not go anywhere, leave the compound, receive any visitor, etc. They were all parts of efforts to shut out negative external influences. Not anymore. With the media and internet, external influence defied physical barriers. They invaded our homes and made the job of parenting tougher. But we can’t give excuses. Successful parenting is now not just a task, but a battle that must be won. The alternative is disaster, so there is no alternative.

    The first 10 years of a child’s life are the most important as far as nurture is concerned. If you get it right, it makes parenting easier subsequently. A parent is like a soldier on the battle front. You can’t let down your guards. Vigilance remains paramount all through the years.

    As a result of the aforementioned parents whose teenage children get involved in ritual and other heinous crimes should get a chunk of the blame. Why are we blaming government or the society? Is the government supposed to come to your house to parent your teenage children?

    Parents should be friends with their children to have an idea of what goes on in their lives without forgetting their parental duties. Your grown-up children might not like it, but insist that before leaving the house, they should let you know who they are visiting, address and phone number. Some parents do same because Nigeria has security challenges and even adults are disappearing. Leading by example is good, although it is difficult for some parents. Any child who cannot comply with house rules is indirectly saying I am old enough to live in on my own. You cannot be under your parents’ roof, eat their food, and not comply with the rules of the house.

    The next puzzle is why teenage children want to get rich quickly. They have no idea of wealth creation, sustenance and protection, yet they want to be rich. That is part of the malaise afflicting Nigeria currently. Too many people want to be rich without going through the rigours and the children actually see and know people who became rich, but they cannot point to the source of income.

    The other major problem is the collapse of family values. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) made a statement recently: “We had to do an analysis to diagnose the cause of yahoo-yahoo (internet fraudsters). Statistics showed that 61 percent of their parents were aware; 64 percent were still staying with their parents; 62 percent were sponsoring their parents. So, who do we hold?”

    EFCC is asking who do you hold. Each person should answer. I learnt that parents now buy phones and laptops for their children and take them to Yahoo-Yahoo kingpins to teach their children how to defraud. It is the negative version of the globally acclaimed apprenticeship system of the Igbos that has made them to dominate in trade not only in Nigeria but West Africa, Central Africa and beyond.

    The Igbo apprenticeship takes years before you “graduate,” but these parents and their children are impatient. They want quick “success.” No problem. There is something I have noticed. I am going to do a full article on it. There are some people who made provisions for their retirement and old age, but the current inflation and unfavourable economic situation have torn their retirement plans to pieces. Others have been bankrupted by their health conditions. Their saving grace are their children. Instead of preparing your children for marathon that life is, you are preparing them for sprint. I can assure these parents that they will pay dearly for their shortsightedness.

    The current economic situation is unbelievable. About 95 per cent of Nigerians are probably affected in varying degrees. But let’s look at it this way. You are a yam farmer and there is famine in the land. If you eat your seedlings, what will you plant when the next planting season begins?

    I am not by any chance saying once you give your children good upbringing, nothing can go wrong. Nature is powerful and new situations and environment can change people. Some well raised children have derailed. All I am saying is that do your parenting right. It increases the probability of raising successful children.