Pregnant At 18, Best Graduating Student At 25

Seven years after an unwanted pregnancy forced her to drop out of the University of Ilorin, Aishat Farooq emerges the best graduating student of the Bells University of Technology, Ota, Ogun State. When Aishat Farooq gained admission into the University of Ilorin at 15, to study Zoology, little did she know that she was not going to be an alumnus of the institution. That was in 2003. Despite the fact that she was a high flyer in her first two years in UNILORIN, the now 25-year-old indigene of Ilorin West-Local Government Area of Kwara State got distracted along the line. She played the campus love game and got a shocking result: she got pregnant. It was in 2006 and in her third year. She was pregnant for a fellow student whom she had been dating. She was disappointed in herself and thought the whole world was crashing on her. Yet, she vowed not to terminate the pregnancy. Although she wanted to continue her studies in the university, she became disillusioned and dropped out at 18. She sought consolation in trading. But her father, Mr. Shehu Farooq, who believed that his daughter’s academic prowess should not be wasted, was determined to get her back on the academic track. Today, Aishat has a different story to tell. On Saturday, she stood tall among her peers at the 5th convocation ceremony of Bells University, Ota, Ogun State, where she emerged the overall best graduating student with a Cumulative Grade Point Average of 4.93. “The rebel in me won,” she declared while giving the valedictory address on behalf of the 208 graduating students of the university. “I hope my story will inspire at least one person to change his or her circumstance. I was pregnant at 18 and by 19 I was already a mother. I had disappointed my father who believed so much in me. He had such big dreams for me and feared the dreams would become unfulfilled,” she added. Breaking the news of the pregnancy to her father, who was at the time based in the northern part of the country, was not easy. Aishat’s mother, Fatima, who stayed in Lagos with the family, did not break the “sad news” to the man until the lady was almost due. The mum feared her husband would be too angry. Fatima narrated to our correspondent, “Looking back, we knew her to be very brilliant. But all of a sudden she got pregnant. Though her father and I were always discussing on the telephone, I hid it from him. Whenever he said he would be coming to Lagos to visit us, I would quickly chip it in that I would like to be the one to visit. So, I ensured I was the one always visiting him. “That was how I managed the situation until the pregnancy was eight months. But even when we broke the news to him, he felt really bad. Although there was nothing he could do, he couldn’t go out for three days. ”Aishat studied Business Administration with specialisation in Human Resources Management, and received the Vice-Chancellor’s Prize for the Overall Best Graduating Student with a cash reward of N50,000 and a plaque. She also won the College of Management Sciences Prize and Department of Business Administration Prize for the Best Graduating Student. Speaking with our correspondent after she received the awards, Aishat, whose face beamed with smiles, expressed gratitude to her dad for not losing hope in her during her trying time. She noted that the popularly-held notion that the child that goes astray belongs to the mother, while the good ones belong to the father, was not applicable in her situation as her father did not give up on her.

Asked why her dad had so much hoped in her, she stated that her history of academic excellence from childhood right to the university was a major driving force. Aishat, who attended Nazareth Nursery and Primary School, Lagos; Penny International College, Lagos and Model Secondary School, Maitama, Abuja, said she bagged several academic awards while growing up and noted that she secured admission to UNILORIN the same year she completed her secondary education. She noted, “I did exceptionally well and bagged awards in the schools I attended. I had the overall best result at the Senior Secondary School Certificate level at Model Secondary School, Maitama, Abuja. In fact in UNILORIN, I was on the first class grade in my first year but in 200 Level, I dropped to second class upper division because I had already started getting distracted by the boys. “It just happened that things turned out the way it did. But here I am, a product of God’s unending mercies, unconditional love and grace – all coupled with the faith my dad had in me and my fierce determination. “I’m a goal getter. I push myself hard. Even here (BELLSTECH) in spite of being a mother, I was pushing for the best despite the challenges. I wanted to make my dad proud again. Once you are determined, nothing is impossible. Nothing can stop you. ”She said her decision to study Business Administration as against the sciences, which she was studying in UNILORIN, was informed by her two-year experience in the world of business after she dropped out of university. She explained that incessant strikes by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, however, informed her decision to attend a private university. “Age was no longer on my side and I wanted to do it fast. And my dad could afford it because he was a businessman,” she added. Asked if she was involved in any relationship at the Bells, she explained that she was a popular “snob” on campus because the majority of male students were younger than her. Besides, she did not want to get distracted or disappoint her parents and herself again. Aishat, who has been posted to Lagos State to observe the mandatory National Youth Service Corps scheme, said, “If you ask around you will be told that I was a snob. My favourite spot was my room. I rarely went out of the room for social events. I went to mosque. However, when I contested for the president of my departmental association, Business Administration Students Association, the Nigerian system worked against me. “I lost to my male opponent. Although I had plans to take some giant strides if I won, especially in the academic aspect for my fellow students, the fact that I was not the type of person who hangs out worked against me. I didn’t have a social life. ”She said she has no plans for marriage for now. She wants to pursue a master’s degree programme in Human Resources in the University of Aberdeen, Scotland. She added that she also plans to work in a corporate environment to garner experience and afterwards go back to the university to teach “as a way of giving back. ”The second child in a family of eight children, Aishat brought her six-year-old son, Damilola, to the convocation. It was, however, learnt that the Edo State-born father of the boy has since got married to another woman. She noted that her major challenge on campus was the randomness of classes which denied her the opportunity of spending quality time with her son while her stay in the university lasted. “We had visiting professors who came into the campus at anytime. Although we had schedules, many of them had a bit of flexible time. Sometimes on Sunday when I took permission to visit my child in Lagos, my classmates would call me up on the phone that there was going to be a class. Because attendance is very important, I had to rush down. This affected me a little,” she added. Aishat’s father advised parents to give their children and wards the best of tutelage and close monitoring. He noted that he least expected the feat achieved by his daughter as he was at a time disturbed that “she could no longer make it. ”Asked if it was lack of adequate monitoring that made Aishat go astray at UNILORIN, he said, “Let’s just say that is how God wants it. You see, 70 per cent of the fault is on us the parents. Parents should give their children good supervision and tutelage. With this, they cannot derail. I thank God for her because it’s is not easy to have raised her from grass to grace. “I screamed on the phone the day I learnt she was pregnant. I started asking questions: When, where and how. I burst into tears. But today, she is a new being. And I know the mistake will not repeat itself. My expectations for her are that she should fly higher and higher. ”Some other graduands who distinguished themselves were also recognised at the convocation ceremony. Kolawole Lawal, who finished from the Department of Economics with a CGPA of 4.73, received the Olusegun Obasanjo’s Prize for being the best graduating student with outstanding academic performance and leadership qualities. Former President Obasanjo who is the Chief Promoter of the university, also attended the event. Francis Sogunle, from the Department of Computer Science, who had a CGPA of 4.74, received the Chancellor’s Prize for excelling in external competitions of academic nature. At the ceremony, 208 students were awarded first degrees with Aishat and 13 others being conferred with first class degrees, while 64 of them got second class upper degrees; 83 bagged second class lower; just as 43 were awarded third class degrees. Meanwhile four of the graduands finished with pass degrees. The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof Isaac Adeyemi, charged the graduates to be patriotic and dedicated to nation building. “Our beloved country is currently going through a rather stressful period. All hands must be on deck to seek lasting solutions to militancy and insurgencies and disregard for the rule of law. This is the time to prove your worth as you can’t afford to fold your arms or sit on the fence,” he observed.

By: TEMITAYO FAMUTIMI

Sachet (Pure) Water Will Give You Cholera-Pharmacist

Pharmacists yesterday warned people who drink sachet (water) to be mindful of the current spread of cholera, as they say it helps spread the disease.

The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) at a news conference in Ilorin yesterday blamed the current cholera epidemic in many parts of the country on consumption of sachet (pure) water.
Speaking on the 86th national conference of the PSN, tagged, “Harmony 2013” in Ilorin, Kwara State chairman of the association, Chief Abdulmojeed Oderinde, said consumption of sachet water is unhygienic, and urged government officials to ensure that potable water is available for the people.
Oderinde, who placed access to potable water above food, also identified other causes of cholera as poverty, overpopulation and unhygienic environment.
He further condemned salary disparity among health workers in the state, saying a situation where a medical doctor earns N180, 000 monthly while a pharmacist gets N45,000 is discouraging.
According to him, out of a total 150 pharmacists in the state, only a few are employed in the state’s health sector, stressing that the development had led many qualified pharmacists to practise outside the state. He also said that out of 16,000 pharmacists in the country, 5,000 practise outside Nigeria, adding that there is an average of one pharmacist to about 10,000 people.

PIB: Reps Panel Fails To Produce Report

The House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on the Petroleum Industry Bill has failed to produce a report on the controversial bill, one year after it was appointed. Findings showed that the pieces of information that the panel gathered remained in scattered form, while panellists were bogged down by arguments over content. The 23-member committee headed by the Chief Whip of the House, Mr. Ishaka Bawa, a People’s Democratic Party lawmaker from Taraba State, was appointed in November 2012. A source told our correspondent in Abuja on Sunday, “This committee concluded its public hearing on the PIB since June; that was six months ago. The committee first held zonal hearings in the six geopolitical zones and rounded off with a grand finale in Abuja. “But, here we are; there is no report and there is no concrete explanation on what is holding the panel down on such an important legislation. ”There were indications in July that three factors had tied down the committee’s work. One was the alleged pressure mounted by the oil majors that wanted some provisions of the bill on royalties, taxes and investment costs scaled down. A second factor was said to be the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, who was said to have moved to block attempts by the lawmakers to whittle down the “awesome powers” the PIB conferred on the minister to decide oil and gas industry matters in a deregulated environment. Information also gathered that the committee lacked adequate funding to hire consultants to interpret the highly technical proposals in the bill.However, Bawa had denied all the allegations in an earlier interview with The PUNCH. He claimed that the committee would never succumb to pressure to do any bidding other than “the interest of the generality of Nigerians. ”Bawa also denied that funding was a problem to the committee, adding that “all we have to do now is to put our findings together and lay the report before the House. ”That was in August; but three months on, there is no report.Our correspondent learnt that members of the panel had been unable to meet regularly to agree on the content of the report. When contacted, a member of the committee, Mr. Bassey Ewa, said the panel was still meeting to fine-tune the findings of the investigation.Ewa, who is the Chairman, House Committee on Gas Resources, stated that he believed the committee would write the report because “the PIB is a very important bill we cannot afford to toy with.”Asked why the report was not ready one year after the inauguration of the committee, he simply replied, “We are still meeting; we met last week and we are meeting this week again.”Ewa said although he was a member of the panel, the buck stopped on the desk of the chairman (Bawa), who must have the final say on any matter relating to the bill.Bawa did not respond to inquiries on the PIB when our correspondent contacted him on Sunday.Unlike in previous encounters when he answered questions via text messages, picked his calls and responded to emails, the chairman has failed to reply to any enquiry through these means in the last two weeks. Our correspondent bumped into him on the corridor of the House of Representatives last week, but Bawa quickly said, “I will talk, I will talk, I saw your mails,” and hurried off. The Chairman, House Committee on Rules and Business, Mr. Albert Sam-Tsokwa, confirmed that the report of the panel had not reached his table.

Imagine market With Ritual Items Everywhere!

Relics of normal life in time past are much sought after in sacrificial preparations. Some of these objects and materials, to the uninitiated, are very hard to come by. To the uninitiated, seeing a tortoise could probably be at the zoo, but for those who indulge in sacrificial practices, they know where exactly to go, they know the right market and they know the right people to call on.

The traditional Oliha and Ekiosa markets in Benin City are the right places to go if one needs those rare animals, native chalks, coins and several other materials which have spent over two hundred years. Feathers of rare birds like ostrich, sparrow and even vulture, all of which have different connotations, as investigations revealed, you can get in these markets also.

Things that were hitherto used as means of exchange in the days of old including cowries have now become ingredients of sacrificial preparations. Invariably, earthen pots serve as vessel for the preparations. Earthen pots are still very popular in Benin because they keep food steamy. Local restaurants serve delicacies like black soup, banga soup or even pepper soup in earthen pots. Whereas earthen pots play major role in the preparation of several sacrifices performed by traditionalists, these sacrifices are kept mainly in junctions because they believe that many legs cross such places.

The practice continues among Binis, according to a resident. “The practice is still very relevant here, basically, because we love our tradition which includes sacrifices”, he boasted. There was a time Bishop Margaret Idahosa of Church of God Mission was asked to comment on the proliferation of churches in Benin City, and she said, “Is it not better we have that than the usual sacrifices we see in the streets?”

Investigations revealed some of the reasons people resort to the agelong practice of sacrifice include protection, search for luck, down turn in circumstance. Others do it to seek the face of the gods against conditions such as bareness, stagnation or to even ward off evil or unpalatable situations. On a collective note, individuals or groups gather to make sacrifice like in cases of annual festivals such as the Igue festival in Benin Kingdom or other customary or periodic ones.

Some of these sacrifices are believed to be capable of appeasing the ancestors or the gods of the land. In other instances, sacrifices have been made to bring or stop rain depending on the situation.

Situations have been seen in the past where celebrants who have invested heavily in coming ceremonies including burial, birthday parties, call traditionalists to offer sacrifice to avert rain during the occasions. In such instances, curious observers can see at a corner of a big party or event people making wood fire and pouring palm oil and local gin to seek the face of the gods and avert rain. We have the Osun Oshogbo festival in Osun State, the Olokun festival in the South-west and even in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, which all serve as pointer that people are still enmeshed in sacrificial offerings, if not obligations. Elsewhere people sacrifice to deities which they connect to, including Ogun, Olokun,Yemoja, all of which investigations showed still have active priests watching as gatemen in their (the gods) continuous existence.

To further buttress the import of these deities and sacrifices in Benin Kingdom and even other parts of the country, the people of Ikhuenebo in Uhumwonde Local Government Area of Edo State, recently, vowed never to cede any of their shrines to the people of Iguomo. Iguomo had claimed that the land, where over twenty shrines are located in Ikhuenebo community, belongs to them. The chief priest of Ikhuenobo, Chief Enawakponmwhem Aighobahi, who took Sunday Vanguard round the shrines, said they will rather die than give up the shrines.

He narrated, “Our shrines were founded by Oba Ewuare the Great who led Benin Kingdom from 1440-1473. Where I am standing now, Oba Ewuare is the founder of this Okwuainebenaka shrine. This shrine is number two in the hierarchy of all Okwaihe in Ikwe. We have been here since over one thousand years ago, we are not strangers. You can see the structure of the shrine. I am the Ohen; among the top 16 Ohen chief priests, I am the second in hierarchy. The senior one is at Ewiekoyu.

I am a descendant of Ohiobonikwe on that lineage because the title is hereditary. So it came to us as a shock that Iguomo community said that the whole of Ikhuobo land belongs to them”.

One could see that the community had not relented in their efforts to give the gods what belongs to them through daily sacrifices. This observation led Sunday Vanguard to Kemwinkemwin market, as the line where the sacrificial materials is called in Oliha and Ekiosa markets.

The visit was quite revealing. Sunday Vanguard went with a Bini interpreter, Ogieva Oyemwenosa, because those who deal in these materials are elderly women who are traditionalists and don’t speak English. It was learnt that the materials are used for sacrifices both for good and evil, while those who deal in them are also pure traditionalists who worship different gods. Walking round Kémwinkémwin could be scary because you see the skulls of monkey, owl, pigeon, sparrow, hyena, live tortoise and their skulls too. Any customer around the line definitely came to buy one sacrificial object or another. Foreigners also come from Europe and America to purchase these things because Sunday Vanguard was informed that some white people also worship Olokun (river goddess).

At the Kemwinkemwin line of Oliha market, 76-year-old Madam Christianah Oliha explained some of the materials to Sunday Vanguard: “What I am holding now are the Azáolokun, Adá and the Ebèn, used for worshipping Olokun. This one is Uleko, someone that has had his bath with juju is the one that wears it. I have taken that bath, so I am free to wear it.

What about native chalk. What is it used for?
“Native chalk (Orhue) is used for juju dance; it can be ground and eaten. When you grind it, you put it in your hand and use it to praise God. Whether you go to church or you serve juju, when you pour
it out in your hand, you add salt to it and you use it to praise God to guide you and your family.

What about cowries?
“Ikpigho (cowries) are used to worship Olokun. We use them for good things, we don’t throw them away. You can use them for Orunmila (god served with white clothes), you can use it for Sángo, and you can also use it to plant evil.

How long have these things been in existence?

“It has been long, over two hundred years. I grew up to meet them. When I was growing up, Anini (Benin coin used those days for transactions) was used to buy things. Initially, cowries were being used for transaction. From the cowries, we started using Anini. It was the Anini that I grew up to meet. From Anini, we moved to Ekpini. All of them are here. From Ekpini, we started using Kobo. Cowries were used for transaction during the time of my forefathers.

Alligator pepper
“It is used when one wants to perform a juju ceremony. Alligator pepper mixed with Afòr, native chalk (Òrhue) and ash (Emuè) is used to clean abomination. With native pepper, you use it to cleanse yourself before you start the juju ceremony. This is what was applicable in the days of old. You grind the native chalk, put your leg on it and count six, take it round your neck which signifies cleansing before entering inside for the main juju ceremony”.
Asked when she started the business, Madam Oliha explained that she was into yam and goat business before she “entered the juju properties (Kèmwinkèmwin) business and so far it has favoured me and my family”.

She continued: “This business has been good for me. It has improved the life of my children, it has given me all I require in life. People started the business before most of us, our mothers were in this market before they died but today it is our turn. I have spent over 15 years in the business”. Explaining some of the materials in her shop, she said: “This is the head of a goat used for sacrifice. This is the head of a bush meat (Akwághá), it can cure epilepsy. This is called Akwá. This one is medicinal; it can be used to cure people suffering from pile and cough when burnt”. Asked what the clothes in her shop represent, she said: “The red is for worshipping Satan or Olokun. If you want to worship Olokun, it is the dark red that you will use to sew a very big skirt and shirt (Bulukú). For Sango (god of thunder), you take both the red and white. For Ogun, you add the red; black and white together in sewing the skirt and shirt. The broken eggs are used for child bearing while the native pot is used for bathing when performing juju, you can also use it for cooking medicine”.When Sunday Vanguard tried to find out whether she goes to church, she asserted: “I am not a Christian. I am a juju worshipper. Not that I don’t believe in God, I do. A clean mind serves God. My intentions are good toward men and women; I don’t feel hatred for anybody. I will not see a rich man and be angry with him. I feel the pains of others and I will always beg God to assist them. I am not a devil, I worship juju. My mind is even cleaner than the so-called Christians who attend church every Sunday. Juju worshipping is our tradition and you are punished when you do evil to an innocent person”.

At Ekiosa market, Kèmwinkèmwin blossoms too. Madam Rose Omorodion, who declared that she was a juju priestess, started by narrating the history of the market. According to her: “Ekiosa market started with the Jehovah’s Witnesses; this was where they built their church when they came to Benin and that is why it is called Ekiosa meaning God’s market. When they left, we came here and started selling provisions, yam, plantain, beans, rice and this our business also started. The market started like that before government came to build it for us; then it caught fire. We did not know what caused the fire but this is the second time they are building the market. This is the Kémwinkémwin line of Ekiosa market; it is a place where you can find the things of the old including the native pot (Ákhá).

The native pot can be used to worship Olokun which we serve in the river. This one is the statue of the Olokun (displaying it to Sunday Vanguard), called Aza. This one is the white man’s money while the other one is the cowrie used for business transaction in the days of old. After the cowrie, we had the coin. So we said the cowrie cannot be destroyed because of its importance and we decided to keep it. This one is Unién. You can use it to cook and it is also medicinal. This one is the statue of Sángo (Ukiisángo). The other one here is Ekò. It is chewed when a man or woman’s stomach is hot, especially pregnant women. We have the olden days knife used in the shrine of Orumila. We use the tortoise to prepare serious juju medicine”.

Asked why she took to this trade which is against the Christian faith, Madam Omorodion declared she had no apologies being a juju priestess. “I am a real juju woman, a river goddess. So I can be called upon at any time if Sango is troubling someone. I can heal the person. I can also deal with people that are being troubled by the river, I can bath the person and it will stop. Traditional healing of river spirit which is called Ogbanje by others is better than what they do in churches.

If we traditionalists want to bath a child from the river, we fetch some leaves, squeeze them together and use it to bath the child. When I was a child, I used to die every day due to spirit. But when an old man from Kokori was invited, he bathed me and showed me how to deal with the river goddess after he said I am a goddess from the river. I became okay and since that time I have never been sick and I am over 60 years now. I have the powers today and that is why I help people with similar problem. Some people come from abroad for help, I bath them and when they go back they are never sick again.” Asked to react to the comment that the tortoise is a powerful animal for rituals, she stated: “Yes. Even when a person is cursed by Ogun to die, the tortoise can be used to relieve the person from that curse because, since the tortoise is a tricky animal, the curse on that person is averted by the tortoise”.

On her part, Madam Mary Erhese told Sunday Vanguard that that the materials they sell also help in preparing rituals for Benin sons and daughters who travel abroad. Her words: “There are mothers who come to us for help for their children who travelled and have not reached their destination. They will come to us to give them materials and, when we do, before one month, that child will get to where he or she is going”..
Source: http://www.vanguardngr.com

Preventing Debt Problems

Many are dealing with various debt issues nowadays. This is usually because of loans and dependence on credit cards. Although many pay their dues by the end of the month, most just pay the minimum amount required which causes high amount paid on interest. This will remain manageable if you only have one credit card. However, this can be very tough to handle if you have multiple cards and several loans.

In order to prevent facing such ordeal, you have to learn to plan your expenses and see to it that you manage your finances and debts properly. If you worry about your credit records, you can look for an organisation to help you with bad credit debt consolidation loan. You have to be careful when choosing such entity though because they charge upfront. Ask what they can do for you. Expect them to give you a realistic piece of advice and not false promises of fixing your debt problems instantly.

There are many reasons why a person goes into serious debt problems. Among them are the following:

Mismanagement of finances

Many people spend more than what they earn. Their credit allowance makes them feel that they can afford anything. They only realise that they cannot afford their purchases when they are having a hard time paying their debts.

In order to avoid this, evaluate your earnings. How much do you receive each month? After that, start listing the things you need. Remember, these are essential items. These include food, shelter, medicine and sanitation. How much can you spend on each of these? Can you really afford that apartment? Assessing what you can spend for your necessities will prevent you from over spending.

Another way to prevent problems due to mismanagement of finances is to monitor your expenses. Often, you spend on things that you do not really need. You bring out your ever-reliable credit card and purchase that black purse, which you do not really need because you already have tons of black purses at home. If you monitor your expenses more closely, you will be able to refrain from making unnecessary purchases.

Medical emergency

Many people experience financial difficulty because of the unexpected medical bills they have to endure. This is beyond anyone’s control. Living a healthy lifestyle reduces the risk of experiencing such difficulty. However, it does not eliminate the risk.

Investing in a health maintenance organisation as well as health insurance will reduce the financial difficulty you will be facing if any of your family has to undergo expensive treatments. However, see to it that you understand the terms and conditions set by the organisation you choose. Some HMOs do not cover special cases, especially if they are pre-existing. It would also help if you have a contingency savings. Most importantly, take care of your health and the health of your family. Make it a habit to exercise and eat healthy food.

Job loss

Losing your job is one of the most difficult things to face these days. As you may have noticed, the financial crisis has caused people to lose their jobs. This is tough because it is not that easy to find a new job today.

In order to reduce the impact of losing your job, have a financial cushion. Your savings will help you to get through the rough times; it will also help if you have a part time job. This way, there is still an inflow of finances even if you lose your regular job. There are several freelance jobs online. You can also explore opportunities in industries in the education field, health and food. These industries are the least affected by the crisis.

Tragedy

This is another difficult circumstance. This includes fire and natural calamities. Insuring your property is a good way to prevent financial difficulty if you have to face such problems. In addition, it is important that you always take precautionary measures to prevent problems like fire and other similar tragedies.

There are other reasons like legal concerns and divorce that can cause such problems. You can turn to free online debt consolidation to help you manage your debts. However, it would be best if you do not have to face a very difficult debt problem. Start by managing your finances well. Always include your savings in your budget and most importantly, invest in things that matter like your health and insurance.

•Source: hubpages.com

Garden Eggs And Cucumber, Best Snacks For Diabetics, Says Dietician

Hajiya Jummai Abdul, a dietician with Wuse Hospital, Abuja, said on Friday that garden eggs and cucumbers were the best snacks for diabetics. Abdul told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that diabetic patients suffered because they were ignorant and as such, did not know the exact diet to take. Patients should take all classes of nutrients including carbohydrate, protein, mineral, vitamins and vegetables such as green, pumpkin leaf, spinach, and steamed cabbage. ’’She, however, warned that it was important to apply limitation in the consumption of the items. The quantity of food to be taken by a patient depends on the Body Mass Index (IBM) of an individual and the blood sugar level. In most cases, the ratio of meal is 2:1; two portions of vegetable and one portion of food is ideal for patients,’’ she said. Abdul advised that food and vegetables should be measured with standard peak milk container after cooking to obtain adequate quantity. She also said that there should be an interval of four to five hours between each meal. If the patient is hungry, he should go for garden egg and cucumber which serve as the best snacks for him. Patients should have their breakfast at least by 7.00 a.m. to 8.00 a. m., lunch at 1.00 p.m. and dinner at 7.00 p.m,’’ she said. Abdul warned patients against the consumption of pastries, alcoholic and soft drinks, as well as fatty, sugary and fried foods. She also said that other prohibited meals for diabetics include sweet fruits, sweet confectioneries and pepper soup. Abdul recommended a little quantity of unripe paw-paw and grape which, she noted, cannot increase patient’s blood sugar level. She stressed that treatment duration varied from individual to individual, saying that it was necessary for patients to understand what, how, when and why they should eat certain food. `In most cases, when the sugar level of a patient drops, he must have understood the doctor well and adhered to instructions on what to do,'' the dietician said. Abdul, however, said that the patients’ health condition would improve at least in six months, if properly managed. (NAN)

Mother Of Quadruplets Solicits Assistance To Sustain Babies

Mrs Alice Akor, a mother of five who delivered quadruplets about six months ago, on Thursday in Abuja appealed for help from government and well-meaning Nigerians. Akor said she and her family had since April been battling to make ends meet and sustain the children, and would now really appreciate help from any quarters. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Akor gave birth to quadruplets on April 23, 2013 at the National Hospital in Abuja. Akor, a National Diploma (ND) holder, said she had been finding things difficult since after the birth of her quadruplets, after struggling to pay the hospital bills of almost N700,000. She told NAN she was selling clothes before the babies’ arrival, but she has had to stop this due to the financial burden and physical demands of raising her children. “It was when my pregnancy was five months old that I knew it was quadruplets. I had earlier thought it was only one baby because it kicked like one baby. “But after I did a scan at the Daughters of Charity Hospital in Kubwa, they referred me to the National Hospital where I started the ante-natal the following week. “I was put on bed rest for six weeks before the Caesarean section on April 23, 2013,’’ the woman said. Akor said her husband had to borrow money to offset the bills before she and the children were discharged from the hospital. “I had no money to pay, and I slept there (in the hospital) for two days before they could discharge me. But, right now, I need Nigerians and the government to assist me,” she said. Akor said she also has fears about the children’s future, saying she would love to give her children the best form of education. “Training the children to higher institutions is my fear now, and I want to start to lay the foundation for a better future for them by bringing them up in the right ways,” she said. Akor said feeding the children with milk formula costs her family not less than N15,000 every week but it had become difficult to continue. She said caring for the children was also difficult because of the type of accommodation she and her husband had. “Right now, my husband does not have any job, other than staying around to help me take care of the children, while I cannot do any work for now. “So, I need Nigerians and the government to assist me,’’ Akor said. Looking back at how she came about having the quadruplets, the mother of five said it was a divine gift she and her family could not refuse. “Since I had a baby boy before, we (she and her husband) prayed for one more to make it two children for us.“Our wish was to have two children, but when it turned out to be four, who are we to query God or eject the children? “We just have to accept things as they are and find a way of sustaining them. But, in this, we will need the help of government and other Nigerians,’’ she said.(NAN)

Nigeria Rides Retail Revolution On Purchasing Power, Demographics

Nigeria is riding a retail revolution driven by a perfect storm of people, rising purchasing power and urbanisation.

The nation’s population of 179 million is growing at 2.7 percent per annum, with a median age of 18.6, while the urban population is estimated at 42 percent, compared with 19 percent in East Africa.

Income per head has grown from $378 in 2000 to $1,615 at year-end 2012, as the economy expanded five-fold in the period. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is forecast to expand an average of 6 percent a year for the next five years, according to International Monetary Fund (IMF) data.

“The retail revolution in Nigeria is underway,” said Chu’di Ejekam, director for real estate at private equity (PE) firm, Actis, in a presentation made October 2. “There currently exists a huge undersupplied and growing market … with attractive PE returns.”

India may provide an example of how the Nigerian retail growth story unfolds in the future, as analysts say Nigeria is in a similar place as India was 10 years ago just before the Indian retail boom took off.

In 2001, India had 142,000 sq. metres of modern retail space. By 2006, the number had spiked to 2.7 million sq. metres, moving from 30 malls in 2003 to 230 malls by 2007.

Actis may make investments of as much as $1.5 billion in African commercial real estate, including Nigeria, according to Ejekam. Retail property plans for Nigeria include the Jabi Lake Mall in Abuja and Ado Bayero Mall in Kano.

The most attractive locations for new retail outlets are often the first-tier cities of Lagos and Abuja, due to ease of access and superior infrastructure. Second-tier cities like Port Harcourt, Kano, Warri, Owerri and Onitsha are also providing opportunities.

The $21 billion Nigerians abroad sent home last year may also be giving a boost to disposable incomes and retail spending.

Some challenges remain, however, for retail property investors and developers in the country. One is capital. While large equity requirements of between $30 million and $70 million are often needed, naira debt is expensive as prime lending rates are north of 20 percent with the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) benchmark monetary policy rate (MPR) at 12 percent.

The cost of projects is also expensive often with limited local expertise. Actis estimates that the cost of completing a project in Nigeria is 2.5 times that of a similar sized one in South Africa. Costs are often passed on to tenants, leading to few anchor options.

The stunted real estate investment trust (REIT) market in Nigeria means there are often few ways to exit an investment for PE firms and developers. Investors who manage to navigate the challenges with “disciplined risk management measures will have attractive returns if they employ a focused strategy”, said Ejekam.

The Nigerian retail market can generate PE returns of up to 25 percent, according to Actis.

“Powerful execution capabilities are required to mitigate execution risk,” Ejekam said.source: http://businessdayonline.com

Cholera Outbreak In Nigerian States

About 12 persons have been feared dead from the outbreak of cholera in Okota area of Lagos State and several others hospitalised in different parts of the state, following the outbreak of the disease. This also followed a report that in the last one week, about 50 persons have died in Zamfara State, after contracting the scourge.

THISDAY checks at hospitals in Isolo Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of the state and its environs such as Okota, Bucknor, Jakande Estate, Oke-Afa Canal, Ejigbo, Ikotun, within the last three days witnessed patients, who were on admission suffering from the scourge.

A medical doctor at one of the hospitals at Ago Palace Way, Okota, said they had to report the incident to the local government which promised to take samples to the laboratory to determine if it was a case of cholera as suspected or gastroenteritis.

A visit to Sijuade Street, Off Ago Palace Way, Okota, revealed that about two persons died over the weekend, after continuous stooling and vomiting, including one Sunday Emeka, a generator repairer, who died on Sunday, after stooling and vomiting consistently.

Another deceased, who was simply identified as Charles, was said to have been resting in his residence beside the Oke-Afa Canal, and without warning, started stooling and vomiting.

At one of the hospitals THISDAY visited, two sisters were admitted on the same day after they had stooled and vomited consistently and although they were responding to treatment, they had adult-sized pampers on them to cushion the effect of the stooling. At Femi Killa, it was gathered that about three persons died after eating the local African Salad, which they bought from a food vendor in the area and the seller was arrested by the police.

However, when THISDAY contacted the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), in-charge of Ago, Orobiyi Musendiq, a Superintendent of Police (SP), he debunked claims that he made any arrest of that nature.

In a related development, the Medical Director of Ago Medical Centre, Dr. Kola Afolabi, said there was an outbreak of gastroenteritis, which he described, as one of the symptoms of cholera. Afolabi said: "For the past one week, patients with frequent diarrhoea and vomiting have been brought to my hospital, but I cannot say it is cholera because a diagnosis must be conducted to confirm cholera."

Although the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, admitted that they had recorded cholera cases, he said it would be incorrect to call it an outbreak, adding that they were on top of the situation.

He said: "That 12 people have died is totally incorrect. I am only aware of one case. Compared to other parts of the country, it is not proper to call what is happening in Lagos an outbreak. "We have sent our officials to the various local governments where it has been reported and the victims are being adequately treated. The public should maintain good personal hygiene and ensure that their food and water are properly preserved."Source: http://allafrica.com

Food Prices Go Down After Sallah

The prices of basic foodstuffs have witnessed a sharp decline 10 days after theEid-el Kabir celebration across the country and following post-harvest surpluses.

Our correspondent, who visited some markets in Lagos and Ogun states between Monday and Thursday, learnt that almost all the food items that recorded hike in prices before and during the festivity had now experienced a drop in their prices.

Traders, who spoke to our correspondent, explained that the drop in demand for some foodstuffs was responsible for the drop in food prices.

It was also learnt that post-harvest surpluses drove down the prices of some major foodstuffs.

For instance, at the Ketu Market, a basket of tomatoes, which sold for N8,000 on the average some days to Sallah, is now selling for N6,500.

A sack of pepper before the festivity sold for N5,500 but has now dropped to N4,500, while a sack of onion, which sold for N24,000 last Monday, now goes for N22,000.

At the Berger Market, a pepper seller told our correspondent that she bought a basket of tomatoes for N8,500 some days to Sallah, but that the same basket was now selling for N7,500.

The pepper seller said, “Demand increased some days before the Sallah, so pepper prices went up, which is normal when there is excess demand, but after the festival, the whole market was flooded with excess supply, which made the prices to fall.”

The Federal Government had last month signed a Memorandum of Understanding with a private firm, African Exchange Holdings, to build 800 warehouses across the country to mitigate post-harvest losses being currently suffered by farmers.

It regretted that about 40 per cent of farm produce were being wasted each harvest year, hence the need for the construction of the warehouses.

Also, the prices of different sizes of ram, which was an important menu during the Eid-el Kabir festival, have dropped sharply as demand has waned since Wednesday.

A ram seller at the Kara Market, Isheri, Ogun State, told our correspondent that the biggest size, which was selling for N170,000 before the Sallah festivities, was now selling for N140,000, while the smallest size, which sold for N35,000 before the celebration, was now going for N28,000.

The ram seller, who identified himself simply as Aminu, added, “The prices of our rams dropped immediately after the Sallah day. The rams we sold for N80,000 last week is now going for N65,000. The ones we sold for N50,000 now sell for N35,000.”

In Abuja, it was learnt that the prices of ram had also recorded a sharp drop at the various markets.Source: http://www.punchng.com

40 Years In Lepers’ Colony, Residents’ Tales Of Agony

Mrs. Elizabeth Olanrewaju is not a stranger to good life. She once owned a thriving small scale business in the heart of Lagos, where she sold ready-to-wear garments on wholesale basis.

However, things took a drastic turn when what started as skin irritation became a complicated case of leprosy

Truncated comfort

A quite intelligent, ageing woman who reels off dates as efficiently as she does her family background, Olanrewaju takes up the narrative, “I was admitted into this place in 1972. The whole thing started as a skin infection, but it progressed rapidly to the point of sickening blisters. It was worrisome.

“The man I was married to then said he had never seen such a thing and he sent me packing, despite the fact that we already had two children together.

“I returned to my parents’ house, but sanitation officials won’t let me be. At first, my maternal grandmother resisted the officials’ forceful attempt to bring me here, but when my situation continued to worsen, I persuaded her to let me go, and that was how I got here.”

For someone who had known relative comfort before the vicissitudes of life set in, life in the colony was a rude departure from what Olanrewaju once regarded as normal.

While she got her medications which, though stopped the rampaging disease in its track, the deformities she suffered due to what her physicians called the complications of leprosy left permanent deformity. Virtually all her toes are missing, while the hands are a twisted mass of flesh. They are almost useless in their entirety, but for the need to survive the ravages of hunger at all costs, as well as the need to provide for her five surviving children who live with her in the colony. Her children don’t have the disease.

Then, Olanrewaju and fellow colony residents each received a paltry N100 per month — a hopeless amount that could neither feed nor clothe her, much less her retinue of dependents.

With no particular helper — forsaken by the fathers of her children, while her relations had adjusted to the harsh reality that she might never return home alive — she took to farming, which is the only viable engagement the inhabitants of the colony could busy themselves with.

From Mosade Family in Ake, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Olanrewaju currently cultivates herbs and a particular plant that is an integral ingredient of tattoo ink. She takes them to the market for sale. In fact, she was preparing to take her ware to the market when this reporter walked in on her.

As the conversation progressed, some customers came in at regular intervals to make some purchase.

Endurance is it

Looking at the environment, which looks more like a concentration camp, this reporter asked Olanrewaju what it felt like to live in such a place as this. Her reply was terse.

She says, “Life is all about endurance. We’ve learnt to endure the harsh life here.”

Talking about the harshness of life, the miserable landscape says it all. Though the inhabitants keep the expansive settlement as clean as they can, the rows of rooms that line the entrance and others that dot the camp tell so much about the state of poverty they live in. It’s a room to a resident, and those whose kids live with them have no way round it.

Deprived of land

Apart from the stigma that their state of health places on them, virtually all of them lack any requisite skill to engage in any profitable venture outside the camp. As such, those of them who still have enough fingers to hold farm equipment engage in small scale farming — well, until land grabbers invaded the settlement and laid claim to their farmlands.

Under the supervision of their leader, Pa Samson Ogunrinde, farmlands had been allotted to them, and the proceeds hugely subsidise the monthly stipends of N3,000 they now get from the state government.

Talking about land speculators who have encroached on the settlement, some documents obtained by this reporter purport that the Ogun State Ministry of Lands and Housing had ceded certain parts of the settlement to a group of people, sequel to which the alleged new land owners started selling the lands.

A walk round the colony shows various structures in different stages of construction. And, in what looks like psychological warfare, the structures are built menacingly round the lepers’ rows of rooms. The unwritten message seems to be that by the time the new structures are completed, the opulence would naturally crowd out the unwanted inhabitants, and they may be forced to relocate farther from their current abode, which is already in the outskirts of the town.

An authoritative source in the ministry, who declined to be named, confirmed that the documents that were showed to the inhabitants were actually forged, and that government had not authorised any private construction activities in the colony.

But so far, this has been of little comfort to the residents, as their farmlands have yet to be restored to them.

No resting place

With nobody to save them from the land speculators at the initial stage of the invasion, the colony residents watched helplessly as their farmlands were seized by the brigands and sold off to the highest bidder.

And, as if on some ethnic cleansing assignment, the land speculators also desecrated the land on which the lepers used to bury their dead. Instead of what used to be a simple cemetery, uncompleted structures that have been marked for demolition are now scattered all over the place.

Worse still, the toilet facilities were also demolished, and the residents had to make do with ramshackle structures built with rusty corrugated iron sheets behind their rooms.

An attempt to build a communal toilet seems unsuccessful. For one, it is located far from the reach of everybody and the path has overgrown with bush.

Pa Ogunrinde’s attempt to answer this reporter’s enquiry about how residents answer the call of nature became unnecessary, as we were soon covered in stench of human waste, and we had trouble navigating the faeces-ridden bush paths.

Rotary, Lions Club to the rescue

The presence of the Rotary Club International, the Lions’ Club and a handful of other humanitarian organisations in the camp make a lot of difference, the residents confirm. Rotary not only provided potable water, it also provided electricity, the residents say.

Another club, Egba United Society, also built a row of toilets for them, while the Lions Club is also on the verge of completing another row of toilets in another part of the colony.

Blighted hope

While the majority of the women who spoke with this reporter have adjusted to the harsh reality of their existence, most of the male residents feel emasculated and shorn of their human dignity.

That the majority of them grapple with depression is obvious, what with the regretful way they speak, especially about the families they don’t have. One of such is Pa Shuaibu Sule, who has lost touch with reality to the point of despondency.

He also can’t remember how long he has stayed in the colony; and when asked his age, he puts it at 40. However, his physical presentation shows a body that is anything but a youthful 40 years old.

Asked about his wife and children, he replies, “Family? Wife? Children? I’m all alone in the world. I have no friend or relations. My disease has flung me far from human existence into this place. It’s people like you that I regard as my family…”

Looking gaunt and wasted, he remained seated throughout our encounter, peeping out of the lone window that lets in little air into his room, which could barely accommodate a single bed and the odds and ends that are, obviously, all he owns.

With a set of eyes that tell his story of deprivation and lost hope, Pa Sule watches keenly, praying all the time and not hiding the fact that he would accept any gift that may be thrown his way.

Here, money — or, more precisely, the lack of it — is a major headache. The residents confide that going to bed hungry has become a second nature that they are already used to. They intimate that but for the occasional intervention of the wife of the governor, Mrs. Funso Amosun, who sometimes brings cooked foods for them, life would have been harder.

Common lament

One of Olanrewaju’s regrets is that though some of her surviving children had passed through thick and thin to learn some vocations, she has not been able to set them up by way of providing the necessary tools of their trade. Her earnings from the herb sales mostly go to providing meals for the family she heads.

Ogunrinde has the same complaint. He arrived at the colony at age 10, he says, and he has spent more than 40 years in this blistering settlement. He looks like someone in his late 60s though — another testimony to the possible loss of sense of time.

The aged man fights back tears as he asks this reporter to prevail on Governor Ibikunle Amosun to get his only child, a young man named Sunday George Olawale, who reportedly has a degree in numerate discipline, a job. Ogunrinde says the young man had completed the National Youth Service Corps scheme but is still unemployed.

Dearth of drugs

The World Health Organisation says the most effective way of preventing disabilities in leprosy, as well as preventing further transmission of the disease, lies in early diagnosis and treatment with multi-drug therapy. The residents claim that, so far, they have been treated with Dapsone —which used to be a drug of choice for the disease from the 1940s until 1980. The WHO says that due to drug resistance and the necessity for long-term (sometimes lifelong) treatment, Dapsone has been replaced by a combination of drugs. “This combination, referred to as multiple drug therapy, has been highly effective and requires a shorter treatment period,” WHO says.

The residents claim that when they first arrived at the settlement, Dapsone was regularly given to them, but that government has since stopped giving them.

Ogunrinde says the drugs were withdrawn from him about four years ago, while other residents say they’ve not got any drug for over five years now. They, however, say they have access to regular medical treatment at the colony’s hospital whenever they complain of any ailment other than leprosy.

Asked why such an important treatment was withdrawn from the patients, considering their state of health which is far from perfect, the Chief Nursing Officer at the Hansen Disease Centre, located right inside the colony, Mrs. Adebola Adelokiki, explains that, ideally, the drug should be administered on patients for one full year, which the hospital authorities had done already for all the inhabitants. She says the lepers are now free of the disease, but that all the deformities they now have are as a result of the complications of the debilitating disease, mainly due to the fact that they presented rather too late.

Again, when asked if it is normal for the residents’ healthy children to live in a colony populated by lepers, Adelokiki explains that the disease is now in a dormant stage and that the lepers can longer infect anybody, including their children.

Perhaps this informed the decision of Mrs. Derin Osoba, the wife of ex-Governor Olusegun Osoba, to found an elementary school in the colony in 2001. With pupils now numbering about 500, the school currently caters to children from within and outside the colony.

No new intake

Adelokiki also informs that now, the government has decided that persons with new cases of leprosy will not be admitted into the colony.

“What we do now is that when we have fresh cases, the patients are treated promptly, following which we send them back to their families, and, in effect, their communities. This is to prevent the problem of stigmatisation, which is what has prevented the current inhabitants of this colony from getting reintegrated into their respective families and communities,” Adelokiki discloses.

Meanwhile, the residents have found a way round the drug problem, even when it runs contrary to medical advice. Brandishing a half filled pack of Dapsone, one of them informed this reporter that instead of taking the drug daily, he takes it once a week, “because it is very powerful.” That way, he says, he can stretch his private drug supply for as long as possible.

His joy was doused when, on examination of the pack of drug, this reporter informed him that he had up till December 2013 to finish the drug or else he would have to throw it away.

“You don’t mean it,” he says with concern. Being the only one in the colony who could afford to own a pack of the drug, his ego was deflated when he realised that he would soon need money for a fresh supply — a fearful prospect for the majority of the residents.

Though a 30-tablet packet of Dapsone sells for about N1,200, for these impoverished residents who daily engage in a battle to stretch the equivalent of $15 stipend for 30 days, it’s a big luxury that is practically unaffordable.

We don’t want to die

Although Adelokiki says the fear of stigmatisation is what is responsible for the “refusal” of these aged men and women to return to the various families they had left several decades ago, the lepers say their main worry is the fear of being poisoned by their relations.

They allege that some of them who had agreed to return home to their families actually died within days of reaching “home.” “That is why we prefer to stay here; after all, we have lived here all our lives,” they say.

I want to work, but…

Folake Solomon, mother of three surviving adult children, is another resident of the colony. Her overall condition is as pitiable as that of many other inhabitants. Unlettered and unkempt, she neither knows her age nor the date she was admitted into the colony.

Her visage is not only marred by the disease that has ravaged her entire body, she can hardly maintain a balance when she attempts to stand erect. In fact, when she stands, she spreads the legs apart in a bid to distribute her fragile weight. It’s not necessarily because of the undernutrition that many of the residents grapple with, but mainly because, like others in the camp, all her toes, which should have provided grips for her feet, are gone.

“I want to work to take care of my needs, but where are the hands?” she asks rhetorically.

The same frustration is expressed by Madam Maria Adelodun, who says she manages to scoop food into her mouth, using a crude method she has perfected over the years.

She recalls, “The last time I attempted to use a spoon, all my food poured away.”

She limps around with the aid of a prosthetic leg that has seen better days. Worse still, each of her callous hands features stumps of the forefingers and whatever remains of the thumbs.

She was seated when this reporter met her, but she declined to be photographed while wearing what she describes as “rags.” She changed into Ankara fabric and then posed for photograph.

Though she claims to have arrived the camp 20 years ago, the story she tells about one Dr. John Likky, who most residents claim was one of the doctors who was treating them during the civil war of 1967-1970, shows that she has probably been living in the colony for nearly 50 years.

We need more care

Madam Ramotu Agbelege claims to be 60 years old. Twisted and deformed, she says her disease dates back to when she was quite young. All her fingers have been consumed by the disease; and, like others, her toes have not only fallen off, the feet have also continued to shed skins, such that she has to wear socks to prevent them from flies — just like pa Ogunrinde and others do.

She urges the government to step up the care they receive, especially in the area of finance. “The N3,000 we receive monthly is too small, yet the government still owes us,” she discloses.

The residents claim that last year alone, the government only paid them four months’ stipends, leaving an outstanding balance of eight months till date. They also claim that though this year has seen an improvement in the regularity of payment, they have yet to receive stipends for September and October.

They say the inconsistency in the payment of their monthly stipends sometimes forces some residents to take to begging in town. Such residents soon pay for this with arrest, detention and eventual return to the settlement by government officials, with strict warning that they would be sanctioned severely if they repeat the offence.The administration of the colony reportedly falls under the purview of the Women Affairs Ministry. When contacted on the phone, the Information Officer of the ministry, Mr. Kehinde Balogun, said he wanted to clarify certain things from the authorities and that he would get back to this reporter. He had yet to do so, however, as at 8pm on Wednesday, when this report was filed in. Source: http://www.punchng.com

FG Distributes Tomato Seedlings To Farmers

The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on Thursday distributed 120,000 grams of improved tomato seedlings to 240 farmers for massive production in Ondo State.Mr Rufus Omakinwa, the Federal Director of Agriculture in the state, said that the distribution of high yielding and disease- resistant seeds, was aimed at empowering the farmers.Omakinwa represented the minister, Dr Adewumi Adesina, at the launch of the Growth Enhancement Scheme (GES) for tomato in Ikare-Akoko, Akoko North East Local Government Area of the state.He said that the distribution was aimed at enhancing the Agricultural Transformation Agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan.The director said that the concept was to attract Nigerians back to farming, which used to be the nation's main revenue earner.Farming, he noted, had also served as a veritable source of raw materials to tomato factories in the country.“In order for the horticultural value chain to be felt in Ondo State, the Federal Government has taken steps to distribute quality tomato seedlings.“This will enable farmers to produce optimally.“The gesture is being enjoyed by Ondo State today because it is one of the states that have relative advantage in tomato production.“We are giving the seedlings out to enhance their productivity.“A total of 240 hectares of tomato lands will be cultivated because 500 grams meant for each beneficiary, can be planted on a hectare.“This will make enough tomato available to the Perfect Integrated Tomato Factory in Arigidi-Akoko for maximum production,” he said.The state Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr Lasisi Oluboyo, commended the Federal Government for implementing the programme, saying that it would enhance tomato production in the state.Also speaking, Mr Solomon Adeyisola, the General Secretary of the Ondo State Association of Tomato Farmers, who spoke to NAN, commended the effort of the Federal Government.“Mr President has improved the agriculture sector through the Agricultural Transformation Agenda.”He, however, urged the government to extend loans and other agricultural inputs to tomato farmers in the state. (NAN)

Educational Reform In the Eyes Of The Storm

Following the educational reforms in Osun State, which led to the reclassification and mergers of schools, introduction of one school uniform and the alleged introduction of ‘Ifa’ as a school subject, concerned educationist have questioned the workability of such reforms, especially as it has caused an uproar among students, teachers and parents.

Osun State government had claimed that these reforms are the results of an earlier organised education summit, chaired by Professor Wole Soyinka, which recommended that the reclassification of schools and the other components of the reforms were the best ways to reposition the educational sector of the state.
According to the state governor, Rauf Aregbesola, stakeholders at the summit agreed on having three structures of basic education that is elementary, middle and high rather than the existing primary, junior and secondary levels, and a comprehensive overhaul of physical and human component of the education system.

Implementation
 

Implementation of the O’School initiative commenced with the inauguration of the Salvation Army Middle School in Osogbo, the state capital, by Governor Aregbesola, which is one of the 100 elementary, middle and 20 high school being built under the initiative.

“The Elementary Level, comprising pupils aged 6 to 9 corresponds with primary 1 to 4 in the existing system. The Middle Level is from primary 4 to Junior Secondary School (JSS III) for pupils aged 10 to 14, now classified as Grades 5 to 9. The High School Level covers ages 15 to 17 and corresponds with the Senior Secondary School III (SS III), known as Grades 10-12”, government said.

New uniforms & introduction of Ifa as a subject
The reclassification and merging of schools comes with the burden of parents buying new school uniforms for their wards as the old uniforms have been rendered unwearable. To this end, all categories of schools now have unique school uniforms which differentiates each school. Though government is bearing the cost of the first set of uniforms to all the students, but parents would have to bear any additional cost should their ward(s) uniforms need changing.

Also, the merging of same sex and faith based schools have continued to generate controversies as some students, old boys associations and proprietors of these schools have protested the merging. Notable are the protests by the students of Baptist Girls High School who kicked against being merged with an islamic school, and Fakunle Comprehensive High School, founded in 1965, merged with Osogbo Grammar Schoool, while the junior students were moved to different schools.

Probably considered the biggest controversy is the alleged introduction of Ifa (which is about the Yoruba divination and belief about Olodumare (God))as a new school subject. The controversy is heightened as the Opon Imo (tablet of knowledge) that was recently given to the students came pre-loaded with learning materials, textbooks, the Bible, Quran and Ifa.

Scrapping of pre-school

On September 5, Aregbesola announced the cancellation of ‘pre-school’ education in all public schools in the state because, according to him, it was wrong for mothers to dump their babies in the name of building careers.
What he has failed to realize is that Pre-Schooling such as crèche, kindergarten and nursery education, are so fundamental to Early Educational Development because this is when they learn the art of socializing which is so important to normal development, activate their gross and motor skills, begin to gain numerical recognition and also develop other associated skills.

Educationists react

Describing the reforms as another example of the failure of the policy, the Education Rights Campaign, ECR, has called on the state government to immediately reverse the counter-productive policy.

“We must quickly point out that as a group involved in education campaigns over the last 10 years, the ERC is very much aware that to revamp Nigeria’s collapsed and degenerate public education system, radical, painful and perhaps inconvenient changes and alterations might be necessary. However this has to be done by democratically involving people in the debates leading to such decisions.

“This is missing in the Osun State school reclassification policy which is why the ERC considers the policy as undemocratic. We are also concerned about the untold hardship this merger will mean for parents, students and teachers as there would be increase in drop in school attendance and truancy rate among students due to the placement of the new schools at long distance from the residence of the students and transfer of students schooling at schools close to their neigbourhoods to schools which are very far from their residence.”

The ERC tasked the government to rather, concentrate its efforts into renovating and expanding the existing schools and furnishing them with libraries and laboratories so as not to reverse the little gains made in the sector.

Pointing out that it wasn’t consulted before the policies were made public, the Osun State Chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria, OSCAN, said it is against any educational programme that will obliterate the mission schools and affect its tenets of faith.

“OSCAN is not against any new educational policy being put in place by either the federal or the state governments but we vehemently kick against any educational programme that will obliterate the mission schools and affect our tenets of faith particularly in the state.

“We have maintained this stand from inception and we will continue to defend lawfully what belong to us as Christians in the state. As a major stakeholder in the state, the leadership of CAN expects the state government to invite us to discuss this issue and other related one without delay.”

Also, retired Directors of Education, Lagos State Ministry of Education, Mrs. Awoyinfa and Mrs. Amosu, both called on the state government to rather renovate the existing schools and get qualified teachers to improve the standard of education in the state.

“For schools to be functional, the classrooms must be well built, have qualified teachers that are well trained and paid, quality materials and conducive environment to boost learning and improve students’ performance”, they said.

Government’s stand

When contacted, the Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy, All Progressive Congress, APC, Barrister Kunle Oyatomi, said the governor has thought it wise to give the students a better future with these reforms.

“When he assumed office, what he met were appalling as the school buildings were collapsed, low students performance and poor teacher orientation. He immediately called for a summit and the outcome is what we are seeing today.

The reclassification is not different from the 6-3-3-4 system of education. What we have done isn’t different from what is obtainable in developed climes. Government has committed a lot of resources in toe sector and we are sure to reap the benefits soon.”

Describing the alleged introduction of Ifa as a subject as the handiwork of mischief makers, Oyatomi said one quarter of Osun indigenes ore traditionalists, thus the Opon Imo came pre-loaded with the Bible, Quran and Ifa,

“Instead of carrying book about, the tablets come loaded with reading and learning materials and also has the holy books of the various religions in it. The Ifa on the tablet is just for information purpose and doesn’t mean those that are not traditionalists must read or meditate on it.

Despite the believed advantages of the educational reforms, many questions, such as: when would primary school pupils write the common entrance examinations? At what stage would students write their junior WAEC? What happens to NECO, UTME and WAEC exams for the senior secondary students? These questions, among others, are still begging to be answered.