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for what we were, are and will be

Sept 2009 | ISSN 1758-6275

Books that
made me:
Folusho
Phillips
Gbenga
Adeyinka
Tells Us About
Obi
’s La Women
gos
Bouqui Tells Us
About Men

Leke Alder
A man of many paths

Pastor Erin-Ijesa Malaria, Africa’s

Fineboy Waterfall number one killer

naijaTimes 1
For a chance to win a Credits:
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year was it reported Funke Adetutu
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naijaTimes 3
Walking This Way
Editor’s note
The regenerated you
As I write this, I recall an important incident
that happened in a Christian Religious
Studies class during my undergraduate
days. “It is the greatest wonder in the
entire universe that human beings could be
begotten of God,” the lecturer began as he
walked towards the blackboard. “Yet over the
centuries of Christian history, the precious
vital significance of regeneration has been
neglected and gradually lost. Our topic this
morning is regeneration.”
Regeneration in theology was strange to
some of us at the time. We were used to the
term as students of biology in secondary
school. We never knew such a term was
applicable to theology. Some of us view
regeneration as simply meaning a “new
beginning,” a new start in a plant’s life. But
we later understood that regeneration is also
applicable to the human life. It has to do with
some kind of reformation both within and
outside.
Now, that the summer holiday is over, we
believe there is a newness within as you
resume at work or as a student, you return
to school. Therefore, we warmly welcome
you to a new edition of Naija Times. This
month in our fashion and lifestyle story, we
define your style as we offer some useful
fashion tips for both males and females.
Just as the special feature story says, it’s
not yet Uhuru for Nigerian education as
the standards deteriorate even as students
return to school.
And of course, in this edition also, the
mysterious one knocks at the doors of two
big players in the cinema industry in Nigeria.
“And what was the experience?” you’d ask.
Why not read through the pages of the
magazine to find out? Obi Asika also narrates
his experience in the Lagos of his birth in the
1960s while the comical Mr. Fineboy stages
a comeback with his hilarious piece on how
he became a pastor. These and more are in
this edition for your delight. And until next
month, it’s goodbye.
- Funke Adetutu
naijaTimes 5
 Everyone Is Talking About
More than a pretty face
Alicia Keys was fresh off her first hit album
when she agreed to hold a concert half a
world away in Africa. She had no idea what
she was in for. “It was 2002, when she was
22, just stepping out of Harlem for, like, the
third time ever. That trip was her wake-
up call. As soon as she got off the plane,
everything hit her: driving from the airport
and seeing the shantytowns right next to the
golf courses, being asked if she wanted to
go to a ‘coloured’ club ... And she met these
kids who were younger than her who didn’t
have any parents — they said they were HIV-
positive. Within a year, she had co-founded
a humanitarian group with filmmaker and
activist Leigh Blake called Keep a Child
Alive, which helps build clinics and provides
medicine for kids and their families with HIV/
AIDS across Africa.
----- Marie Claire.com
CORA Hip Hop conference
The Hip Hop conference organised by the
Committee for Relevant Art, CORA which
took place on the 26th of July at the National
Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos, will linger on in the
minds of art lovers for a long time to come.
Almost everyone listened with rapt attention
to every speaker’s opinion. Speakers who
unsettled the consciousness were, art
critic, Ropo Ewenla, visual artist, Chinwe
Uwashe and afrobeat act, Edaoto. Chinwe
6
Uwashe’s words struck a chord with some
people. She shed more light on the present
day Nigerian Hip Hop, which has generated
mixed feelings. While some people believe that
there is a problem with the artistes and their
lyrics, some others feel strongly about the
‘structure’, while some feel that something has
to be done about the technicians who set up
the world of ‘miming’ for the ‘musicians who
cannot perform, but mime.’ However, most
people agree that Hip Hop has come to stay.
The top 20 things Oprah
knows for sure
1. What you put out comes back all the time,
no matter what. (This is my creed.)
2. You define your own life. Don’t let other
people write your script.
3. Whatever someone did to you in the past
has no power over the present. Only you give
it power.
4. When people show you who they are,
believe them the first time. (A lesson from
Maya Angelou.)
5. Worrying is wasted time. Use the same
energy for doing something about whatever
worries you.
6. What you believe has more power than
what you dream or wish or hope for. You
become what you believe.
7. If the only prayer you ever say is thank
you, that will be enough. (From the German
theologian and humanist Meister Eckhart.)
8. The happiness you feel is in direct
proportion to the love you give.
9. Failure is a signpost to turn you in another
direction.
10. If you make a choice that goes against
what everyone else thinks, the world will not
fall apart.
11. Trust your instincts. Intuition doesn’t lie.
A bizarre moment on
Facebook
Pictures of some Asian men butchering a
black man were posted on Facebook some
weeks ago before they were removed. It
had generated a lot of controversy among
Facebook users. Some of them described it
as bizarre, gory pictures whose credibility
was questionable. “ I don’t think they are true
pictures” Emmanuel Toili wrote on his wall,
they are too horrible to be true. “These
pictures could lead to racial problems” stated
Giann Valesque, “the facebook team did a
good job to have had it removed on time”.

12. Love yourself and then learn to extend

that love to others in every encounter.

13. Let passion drive your profession.

14. Find a way to get paid for doing what you

love. Then every paycheck will be a bonus.

15. Love doesn’t hurt. It feels really good.

16. Every day brings a chance to start over.

17. Being a mother is the hardest job on

earth. Women everywhere must declare it so.

18. Doubt means don’t. Don’t move. Don’t

answer. Don’t rush forward.

19. When you don’t know what to do, get

still. The answer will come.

20. “Trouble don’t last always.”

---- Oprah.com

naijaTimes 7
 naijaTimes
In The Next Issue...

- Highlights of our Independence celebration

- Ifeoma Williams on Nigeria @ 49
- Odia Ofeimun talks about his Lagos
- Amsterdam, a sleepy city no more

Make sure you dont miss out, subscribe to Naija Times, and have your own
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Visit www.naija-times.com/subscribe-today for more details.

September 09
Top 5
Things
to watch
out for in
September
30 1. The First Friday Lagos Event takes
place on Friday, 4th Sept 2009

2. Maltina Dance All Airs

(from 6th Sept)

14 3. West Africa Trade Expo takes place at

Eko Le Meridian Hotel Lagos, from
Sept 16th to 18th 2009

4. Segun Fayemi’s art exhibition Sept 19th at

Goethe Institut, Ozumba Mbadiwe Road,
32 38 52 Victoria Island

5. Abuja International Film Festival comes

up in Abuja from Sept 22nd -25th 2009th)
8

Travel & Culture
Erin-Ijesa Waterfall 10
My Lagos 14
Fashion & Lifestyle
Let Me Tell You About Women 16
Let Me Tell You About Men 17
A Defined Style 18
Campus Life
Campus News 22
Model Reader 24
College Life 26
Careers & Development
Good Grades Versus Experience 28
Books That Made Me 30
Leke Alder A man of many paths 32
44
Money
What determines your choice of ISP? 36
Young Entrepreneur - My Success as a Farmer 38
Entertainment
The Sweetness of Victory 42
Pastor FineBoy 44
The Por trait of an Ar tist 50
The One 9ja Million Dollar Gameshow 52
Health
Malaria, Africa’s number one killer 56
The Shop
Mysterious Shopper 59
The Ice Cream Factory 60
Feature Not yet Uhuru for Nigerian Education 62
Directories
WebFILE 65
Business Listings 66
naijaTimes 9
 Erin-Ijesa Waterfall
A place where Mother nature beckons
By ADEDOYIN JOHNSON

10
 Travel & Culture

T he rays of the July sun fell brilliantly on

the rustling leaves of nearby trees while its
light played a trick on the trees’ greenery. The
crackling sound of the leaves and the tweeting
sound of birds nested on the tree branches
created a harmonious sound that only nature
could produce on a July afternoon. This was
the kind of ambience mother nature had to
offer at the Erin Ijesa waterfall at Erin Oke,
Osun state, Nigeria.

It was a downy journey from Lagos to Erin-

Oke, the little village where the waterfall
is located. We drove through little villages
and settlements and the Ilesa Township. Ilesa
was an energetic town that was alive to the
cadence of the hot sun. Men and women went
about their businesses in the full glare of the
scorching sun.

After some forty minutes drive, the bus

veered off the expressway into a bumpy road
that led to the drowsy village of Erin-Oke.
The asphalt on the road had been overridden
by sand and dirt. The car navigated its way
through a path overgrown by shrubs before it
finally pulled to a stop before a green wall.

“Welcome to Erin-Ijesa Water Fall. The

Living spring” read a battered signpost at
the entrance. Although the inscriptions
were almost vanishing, they were legible.
Old cans of soft drinks and “pure water”
nylons littered everywhere while shower cap
vendors shouted their wares to the hearing
of adventurous tourists and picnickers who
thronged the waterfall daily.

At the foot of the stairway lay a pile of debris

which was an eyesore for a tourist centre like
this. We hiked up amidst the threat of climbing
different levels from those who were there

naijaTimes 11
 the previous year. Defying the threat, we
trudged on in anticipation of what lay ahead,
stepping on the murky water streaming
down the stairway. Intermittently, as we
scrambled upward the muddy, rocky slope,
we paused for a couple of group photos
before moving on.
The lapping sound of the spring could
be heard miles away as we climbed the
muddy dilapidated stairs of the waterfall.
The coolness of the springs permeated
everywhere. After walking for 10 minutes we
came face-to-face with the famous Erin-Ijesa
waterfall. The water cascaded down slimy
rocks turned green by the constant flow
of water. Broken pieces of rocks served as
stepping stones through which we climbed
up to the water.
The Olumirin waterfall as it is also called
is lovely and the sight before us was
breathtaking. We all screamed for joy at
the sight of the gift that Mother Nature
bestowed on us. With almost a blind rush, a
few of us took off our clothes to have a first
hand feel of the cool water gushing out of
the rock.
Many people climbed the spring up to the
third floor with the hope of reaching the
water source but some of them never did.
Bunmi Adeleke, a native of Ilesa who also
doubled as our guide explained that the
source of the spring is on the seventh step,
which would be a two-hour journey. “There
are seven steps. Where we are now is just
the first step,” she explained. The last step
is a flattish area covered with trees. There
are all kinds of fruits like pineapple, oranges
among others there. The source of the spring
is a rock like the shape of a pot from which
the water gushes like a pump.”
12
Adeleke believes that for most tourists and
fun seekers, climbing up to the third level
can best be equated to traipsing the snowy
steeply mount Everest. Obviously, being at
these different levels and just basking in the
invigorating freshness of the waterfall is an
unforgettable experience, for most people.
“The place to be is definitely the seventh
level,” she adds. “Not only does it lie at the
peak of the falls, it is also hosts a settlement
where many of its inhabitants have lived for
several years including a church.” According
to her, from the top of the falls one could see
the town of Erin-Ijesa itself.
In the end, we could not help it but agree
that Nigeria is indeed a beautiful country
and Nigerians are very warm people with
a very rich culture. From the Yankari game
reserve in northern Nigeria to the Obudu
Cattle Ranch, Nigeria is indeed a haven for
tourists, with its breathtaking landscapes and
awe-inspiring sceneries. The Erin-Ijesa water
falls like any other tourist attraction in the
country has a story to tell.
“Amazingly, the falls do not look like anything
out of this world until you begin climbing
the seven levels of the ascending plains of
the waterfall. The view at all the levels is
wonderful and the freshness of the water
is energising. However, the last and seventh
level is definitely the most intriguing, well
that’s if you ever dare it,” said a friend who
had been to the waterfall. Although, we did
not dare climb that far up, yet the refreshing
water from the waterfall was irresistible.
 I was born in Lagos in the 1960s. I was a
kid then yet I could remember vividly that
there were no traffic logjams then. But then,
as a kid I lived in England and used to fly
through Lagos to go home to Enugu.
Lagos was this crazy place while Enugu was
this beautiful old clean city where we had all
our friends. However, whenever I went to
Lagos, I never wanted to leave.
“whenever I went to Lagos,
I never wanted to leave.”
By the time I turned 18, after living in
England for some time, I returned to Nigeria.
I spent three months vacation in Nsukka
as a student and I worked in Lagos for six
months on Broad Street, at Western House,
as a research assistant. It was crazy. You
can imagine, coming out of a public school
(exclusive private boarding school) in England
to work in Lagos. My father was very strict.
He believed that as an 18-year -old, I did not
need any money. My boss was willing to pay
me N2, 000 a month. Then Youth Corpers
were paid N400. I had not been to the
University but my Uncle was willing to pay
N2000 which was good for me. Then with
N5, I could buy a beer. I used to smoke then
too. But my father objected to my being paid
N2, 000. He insisted that I should be paid
the N400 which Corpers were being paid.
There were four cars in our house and if I
tried to use one of them, my father would
say no. He used to tell me to board Danfo or
Molue. It was like that until my fourth day at
work when I was running to get on a Danfo
back to my home in Ikoyi, I fell and I could
remember seizing all the car keys in the
house. I told my father that if my experience
14
was what living in Lagos entailed, then nobody
in the house would drive a car; all of us must
board Danfos and Molues to work. I was very
radical and after two days, my father relented
and agreed to give me a car to use.
I remember also that the Lagos of those days
had few nightclubs. At 18, I was already a
veteran of club promotion. I had been doing
it since I was 14 years old in London. Then,
clubbing was not really popular in Nigeria and
the only time that Nigerians came together
socially was through house parties. There were
very few bars. There was De javu at Falomo,
there was another place, whose name I cannot
recall now. The period I am referring to was
in 1986. Lagos had very minimal nightclubs.
Going to the beach was also popular at the
time. Lekki Sun Splash was fun and I used to
drive my sisters there. Blackky was a popular
artiste at the time and he was a friend of my
sister’s. Then, I did not get to go to see Fela’s
shrine but much later I went there. There are
many people who never got to see the great
man perform live. But then, those were some
of the fun times that Lagos had to offer then.
Live music was in. There were live shows at
the shrine and at a place called the Jazzhole.
That was the Lagos I really love. Now, there
are different options. In those days, it’s not
as if there were no options, though there are
more clubs now than then.
In those days too, I used to play football with
my friends at the Kings’ College and the
Italian school. I could still remember the old
camaraderie more than 20 years after, even
 Travel & Culture

though I did not school in Lagos. I am not a one is Omo Eko. Lagos is a city of stress
part of the KC or Corona clique but I made but it is also a place where you make your
friends from that group when I was at the fortune.
University in England.
There is a new Lagos emerging now with the
Lagos for me is a crazy city. It is massive. current administration of Governor Fashola.
On my record label, we have done about I am happy with the development. Marina is
five or six songs about Lagos. We have a beautiful place to see at night. It’s a totally
celebrated Lagos in songs and videos. We different experience now. I am happy about
have shown the rough and the high end of the new Lagos. For me, it is fun and exciting.
Lagos. We just try to show that suffering is
not totally synonymous with Lagos, there are
beautiful sides of the city too. When you see
the Yellow Danfos, it gives the impression
that there is a hustle. I believe if you can
hustle and make it in Lagos, you can make
it anywhere in the world. Lagos is a tough
place and it is like New York, in the United
States, nobody has your time. That is my own
experience and understanding of Lagos. For
me, Lagos is like a no man’s land. Nobody can
claim Lagos. It belongs to everyone. Every

My Lagos
By Obi Asika

naijaTimes 15
 In my opinion, being emotional is not a
gender thing, it is a personal thing. I have
met some men who are very emotional and
some women who are not emotional at all
and their emotionality just upsets you.
The notion that women go out for love in
relationships, unlike men who desire sex,
is true. Although it is a wrong notion and
value, it is beginning to change. Nowadays,
some women seek only financial gain in a
relationship and this attitude has not helped
relationships in Nigeria.
Yet, I will say that women are God’s greatest
gift to mankind. Without them, the world
would not be as interesting as it is. They
have added flavour and fervour to this
beautiful world. They are humane and have
the capacity to love, more than men. I am
referring to women who are sensible and
responsible. They possess the motherly
instinct that every relationship needs.
Although sometimes they can be possessive,
and most times they are suspicious even
when the man is faithful. Some women nag a
lot. This is what I consider the major problem
of women. However, I still cannot imagine a
world without them.
16
My mum is the kind of woman who will go out
of her way to do things for her children. She is
kind and generous. She took great care of me
as a child. My wife also does that, but women
are rather more concerned about their
children than their husbands. I am sure that
while growing up my father envied us because
my mother focused most of her attention on
us. I believe that is what happens to us men
as we grow up. I realise that fathers really
suffer neglect, yet it is a part of life. My wife is
a wonderful person who is always there for
me. By and large, my wife and my mother both
play different roles in my life.
While growing up, I was attracted to women
and everything, but once I attained my present
level of fame, I realised that nothing really
matters to me. I am very emotional, however,
I try to hide it so that people won’t take
advantage of me.
Over the years, through the experience I
gathered from my past relationships, I have
learnt to be secretive. What I have come
to realise is that if I am not, I will become
vulnerable which is quite dangerous.
Gbenga Adeyinka,
comedian
“Let me
tell you
about
Women”

“Let me tell you
about men”
T he issue of emotionality between men
and women is what I consider a character
type issue. It would be absurd or wrong to
say men are more emotional than women
or jump into the conclusion that women are
more emotional than them because of their
gender.
It is a character issue for the men and the
emotional formation of the individual. For
instance, choleric and melancholic men are of
a passionate nature, they shake the very soul
and act like an earthquake. On the other
hand, sanguine and phlegmatic men have
passionless temperaments, they do not lead
to great and lasting mental excitement. So,
the issue of emotionality among men is based
on their makeup.
I disagree with the notion that men seek
only sex in relationships unlike women who
desire love. In my opinion, what is sought
usually depends on a lot of factors which
determine the personality. The environment
in which a man grew up in and his parental
influences affect his values. I disagree with the
notion that men value sex more than love in
a relationship. I have seen many women who
go for sex instead of love in a relationship. It
is not about the gender, but who the person
truly is.
Men are expected to be stronger but
sometimes they are not. When it comes to
labour issues, they are helpers, however, when
it comes to the issue of comfort, women
cover up for them. Instead of being shoulders
Fashion & Lifestyle
BOUQUI, artiste
to lean on, it is usually the other way round.
It seems like all they feel responsible for is to
get us pregnant.
My dad was a professor and he was a strong
man. He cared for his family and was very
responsible. I owe my gifts and lyrics to my
upbringing. I was brought up in an academic
and religious environment. My dad was a God
fearing and caring man. I would rather not say
anything about my man for now.
The craziest act by a male fan of mine which
I disliked was when he “flashed” (beeped)
my phone over twenty times at 2a.m. I
concluded that it was someone in distress and
I immediately called back, only to hear him
profess his love for me at such an odd hour.
It was really awkward. It does not bother me
because I love the fact that they understand
and appreciate what I do. Thus, if I can help it, I
simply do not interact with my male fans and i
don’t handle them because it is what you give
out that you get back.
When it comes to emotions, I am a balanced
person. Taking little steps in the right direction
has been the secret of my successful career.
Asides from that, I am focused, determined
and passionate about what I do.
Finally, in my relationships with men, I have
learnt to be patient, trust God more and
believe that everything works together for
good for those who love God.
naijaTimes 17
 A defined The worst fashion shopping

style mistakes one can make.

1.Don’t buy on impulse: Ask yourself these

questions. Do I really need this? Does it fit my
By Odiri Etireri
lifestyle? Where will i wear this to? Etc.

Fashion can be defined as style relating
to clothing, hair and general personal
appearance. It is also about studying the
latest style, an activity we deal with everyday.
One basic thing in the fashion world is
CHANGE. Fashion is not static because the
industry always hunts for new and hot styles.
Fashion is a unique language that tells a
story about a person who wears it. It is
a wordless means of communication that
people understand. Some fashion experts say
that fashion started right from the day God
created man, when God gave Adam and Eve
the first clothes which they used to cover up
their nudity in the garden of Eden.
2.Make sure you itemise the things you are
shopping for so you don’t buy extravagantly.
3.It is enjoyable to go shopping with friends
but not with competitive friends. They will
cajole you into buying more than you expect to.
4.Don’t assume an outfit will fit you when you
know it won’t just because that’s what is in vogue.
5.Shopping for uncomfortable shoes can make
you have nightmares mostly when they are
expensive
6. Always shop for timeless pieces that never
go out of fashion.

What Ladies are known for

Ladies are known to go shopping for

anything in the world. And of course, they
enjoy it. Some ladies can shop for a whole
day, especially when it comes to window-
shopping.
The fact underlying women’s attitude to
shopping is they want to look good and
outstanding among other women. And so,
they go for nice hairdos, makeup, handbags
and lovely shoes. Some women love to flaunt
their French nails such that one is left with
the impression they don’t eat with them.
African dishes like Amala and Ewedu soup
may be rare on their menu list! Since they
make good fashion statements with their well
manicured nails.

18
 Fashion & Lifestyle

Fashion Tips for Women consider if really it looks nice on you.

Invest in good quality Cosmetics: These include
skin care creams, powders, perfumes, lipsticks, eye
and facial makeup.
Jeans: Invest in a well fitting pair of jeans, since
this is a classic.
Nails care: Biting your fingernails is a bad habit
which you must quit if you are guilty of this. It
is a fashion faux pas. If you don’t have good
fingernails, it is advisable that you fix artificial
French nails. However, don’t leave the artificial
nails on for too long as this can cause fungus
growing in your nails.

Jewellery: Without jewellery your dressing

is not complete, expensive or not. You can be
confident that jewellery is always welcome or
received anytime.

Handbags: This brings out the chic side of you.

So, everybody both old and young should indulge
themselves in getting the latest handbags.

Hair style: Though everybody wants to get

involved in the latest hairdos, this may not be
totally right. The fact that a hairdo is in vogue does
not mean you should follow the trend. You have to

naijaTimes 19
 Ahhhh, the men are not A good dress shirt is a must for a good suit.
left out! Let’s see what A long sleeved dress shirt is better and more
professional than short sleeved shirts, a good
they’ve got.
tie compliments your suit and shirt.
In the past, men wore funny looking shoes
Nowadays, some men spend money on fitted
with tips like the shape of a dog’s nose on
trousers and fitted shirts because they feel
loose suits. They cared less if the colour
cute in them.
combination was right or wrong. These days,
men are fantastic dressers.
However, regardless of your standpoint, always
complement your dressing with good shoes.
Office fashion tips for men
In the next issue of the magazine, watch out
The fashion police, if you have any in your
for some tips on children’s clothing. On a
office, will ensure you don’t get arrested
parting note, remember that vertical stripes
once you adhere to the tips below.
and patterns draw the eyes up and down,
which makes you look thinner and taller.
Try to be neat, go to your barber’s shop at
least twice a month and please, do not shave
your eyebrows guys.

“COMPLEMENT...WITH GOOD SHOES”

20
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naijaTimes 21
 University of Ibadan wins
the MacArthur Foundation
grant of $900,000.00
The University of Ibadan (UI) has added
another feather to its cap as it was
recently selected along with nine other top
universities of the world for the MacArthur
Foundation grant of $900,000.00 (N108
million), for its new Masters’ Degree
programme in Development Practice.
The institution is the only Nigerian university
among the winners of the grant and one out
of the three African universities selected. The
other recipients are from the United States
of America (3 recipients) and one each from
Europe, Australia, India and China.
Each of the lucky participating institutions
is expected to produce 250 graduates with
Masters’ Degree in Development Practice
by the year 2012. The selection of UI
followed a facilities tour of the institution
by representatives of Columbia University,
U.S.A, who initiated discussions with the
university authorities on collaborative efforts
in respect of the Masters Degree programme
in Development Practice earlier this year.
In a release issued by the Registrar of the
institution, Omotayo Ikotun, it was disclosed
that over 70 universities from North
America, Europe, Asia, Australia and Latin
America submitted proposals for the grant,
out of which only 10 were finally picked.
Ikotun explained that the choice of UI and
22
nine others was based on numerous criteria
including; ‘support from top university
leadership, excellent infrastructure and
academic programmes, the ability to serve as
a regional hub, geographical representation
among students, exceptional faculties and
a timeline and business plan for financial
sustainability when the said funding ends in
three years.’
The federal government
moves to bridge the gap
between the University/
Polytechnic dichotomy
The Federal Government has intensified
its moves for the implementation of some
recommendations contained in the white
paper report presented by the Presidential
Committee on the Consolidation of
Emoluments in the public sector, the minister
of Education, Sam Egwu has said.
In the recommendations, the Federal
Government is advised to abolish all
hindrances to the career progression
of Higher National Diploma holders to
effectively put them at par with their first
degree holder counterparts.
Sam Egwu, however says the policy is to be
preceded by outlining some of the reasons
which initially led to the structure of the
dichotomy as well as proffering scientific
recommendations that may support the ideal
of discarding any form of dichotomy in the
system.

UNILAG student emerges
best debate speaker
A 400 level student of the department of law
at the University of Lagos, Faridah Akodu,
recently emerged the best speaker at a
debate organised by the student division of
the university. She scored 131.5 points.
The chairman of the programme and Dean of
Student Affairs, Professor Harris Dele Longe,
intimated the need for courses like use of
English in order to make up for the observed
inadequacies in the spoken English language
students in general.
Shutta Oladipupo, who emerged the second,
urged students to come out of their comfort
zones to participate in competitions as it
would help them master the art of public
speaking. In addition, Akodu also admonished
schools at all levels to organise debates,
quizzes and essay competitions as it would
help enlighten and provide opportunities for
excellent academic growth.
Campus News
Campus Life
Lecturers and students
face interrogation over
examination malpractice
About 360 lecturers and students of the
Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin are under
investigation over alleged examination
malpractices they were involved in their final
semester examinations.
Musa Yeketi, the chairman, Governing Council
of the institution, disclosed this when
members of the Education Committee of the
State House of Assembly paid a working visit
to the institution. He stated that appropriate
punitive measures would be meted out
to anyone found guilty of the offence at
the end of the ongoing investigations, to
serve as a deterrent to others and bring
about continued discipline, probity and
accountability in the school.
naijaTimes 23
 Model
Reader
Name: Harry Itie
Educational Background:
Primary education: Junior
Strides Academy, Ebute-Metta, Lagos
(1994-1998);
Secondary education:
Command Secondary School, Kaduna
(1998-2000);the Grace High School,
Gbagada, Lagos. (2000-2006);
Tertiary education: Covenant University,
Ota, Ogun State. (2006-date) activities with the Care Department of
Course of Study- Mass Communication
http://harry-rami.blogspot.com
www.yadamag.com
Harry the talkaholic
“Never settle for less than your dreams,
somewhere, sometime, someday, somehow,
you’ll find them” – Danielle Steel.
This has been the guiding principle for
Harry ever since he was a little boy. As a
20-year-old, most of his dreams are beginning
to unfold. From his days in primary and
secondary school, he has shown dynamic
traits in leadership. He was the head of the
Writers’ Team at Grace High school and was
also the assistant class captain throughout his
time there.
After leaving secondary school in 2006,
Harry gained admission into Covenant
University to study Mass Communication.
There he became active in a non-
denominational international Christian
organisation called “Youth with a Purpose”
24
(YWAP). He joined the dance team and the
administrative department. Soon after, he
was asked to join the leadership team of his
center, known as the Core Group. Showing
excellence, skill and determination, Harry
was made the head of the Administrative
department.
In March 2007, Harry created one of the most
popular youth blogs in Nigeria today ‘The
Talkaholic’. It is currently ranked number 50
in Nigeria, according to Afrigator statistics.
In May 2009, he started an online magazine
called YADA, which is a ‘Journal-Zine’ that
is aimed at imparting knowledge on various
issues ranging from politics to entertainment
to urban culture and general lifestyle.
Harry has also been involved in humanitarian
YWAP through community development
outreaches to hospitals, remand homes and
the university community at large. He is also
the sub editor of the trainee magazine of the
Mass Communications Department at the
Covenant University.
In his spare time, Harry loves to hang out with
his friends and listen to good music. He also
loves reading and writing and he is currently
working on his first major novel called ‘Kiss
and Tell’.
Other projects:
Columnist, Pathways Africa Magazine
Staff Writer, Viklife.com
If you would like to be our next “Model
Reader” please send an email with a high
resolution picture of yourself attached, stating
why you should be the next model reader to
mail to: modelreader@naija-times.com
Guaranty Trust Bank

Contact:
London Subsidiary:
Guaranty Trust Bank (UK) Ltd
62 Margaret Street, London W1W 8TF
&: 0207 947 9700
Fax: 0207 947 9720
web: www.gtbankuk.com

Head Office:
Plural House, Plot 1669,
Oyin Jolayemi Street Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria
&: +234-1-700 48266 6328, 448 0000

25
 College
Life
AUTHOR: Ebuka Okoye,
Sophomore (2nd year student)
in the Civil Engineering program

I attend North Dakota State University (NDSU), Fargo located in

the State of North Dakota which geographically is situated in the
Northern part of the United States. It is referred to as being in the
Mid-Western Region. NDSU’s campus sits on over 22,000 acres (89
km²) of land and is known as a major agricultural research institution
in the country.

At NDSU, one can get quality education at a relatively cheap price

as compared to other schools.With over 13,000 students enrolled
in the school from different parts of the world, it is the largest

26

university in the state of North Dakota in
terms of population. The student to faculty
ratio is 19:1. Approximately 600 faculty
members teach at NDSU; 76 percent have
the highest degrees in their fields and more
than 80 percent of our classes here have
fewer than 40 students.
The school is well equipped with modern
infrastructure and well-furnished laboratories
where students can put what they have learnt in
the classroom into practice. It is also equipped
with modern gym facilities and a wellness
center in order for students to maintain a
healthy lifestyle.The school’s administration has
a friendly approach and lends a listening ear to
the plight of students, occasionally sending out
either surveys on the campus atmosphere or
surveys at the end of a course taken to rate
the teacher who taught the class in order to
maintain a high-level of academic excellence.
Social life at NDSU is VERY different from
the social life in Nigeria. As a born and bred
Lagosian, there was always something to do or
an event to attend. It is on a lesser scale here
at NDSU mainly because the city of Fargo isn’t
very large in terms of population.This makes
it a very suitable environment for studying
as there are less distractions and the campus
and city as a whole is safer.There are over a
hundred student organizations which cater
to the various interests of students from the
Campus Life
International Students Association to ones
such as organizations solely for people with
video gaming interests.The school organizes
shows and free parties a few times a year
in addition to free movies at the school
theater as well as other events in order to
let the students take a breather from the
stresses of academic life. As a school with a
“dry-campus” (no alcohol allowed), there are
no drunken brawls which threaten life and
property.
As an added bonus, we even have our
own Police Department stationed in the
University that patrols the University grounds
on a regular basis. In my opinion, the police
officers do not need to carry guns around
the campus, as they hardly need it, a cane or
a baton would be just fine. As for the campus
sporting activities, most of the school’s
athletics teams have a huge following and
get a lot of media attention, they are also fun
to watch. One may attend a sporting event
either for love of the sport or to enjoy the
friendly and energetic atmosphere, and the
games are free.
In a nutshell, I have given you a bit of the
University environment in which I stay in for
those who would like to know about it or for
those considering higher education abroad.
If you do think of coming to North Dakota, I
must warn you of its famously cold winters. I
promise you when I say your freezer will feel
like an oven when compared to the winters
here and the summers are not very warm
either, which for me is a plus, what warms me
up however, is the fact that the people here
are known to be very friendly and polite.
naijaTimes 27
 Good grades
versus Experience
by: Fawaz Bashir

The global requirement in the work after graduation. Sometimes an employer

environment is changing, organisations are may ask for transcripts to ensure the student
beginning to focus more on acquiring people graduated, but it is not always a condition of
who have practical experience than those employment. The following words of Donald
with fantastic grades. Getting good grades in J. Trump are instructive:
school used to be the determining factor in
obtaining employment, but now that trend “I talk a lot about education because I think a
appears to be changing. good college education can really take you far in
life. At the same time, however, some people are
Students who are anxious about getting incredibly book smart but are clueless when they
good grades at the expense of anything and deal with the real world.”
everything else and therefore expect to find
a job right after graduation will be shocked
to realise that employers are looking to hire
students with practical job experience just as
much as good grades. Although some fields
do emphasise good grades, adding experience
to those grades makes you a more capable
and qualified candidate. Organisations are
looking for well-rounded individuals who
have acquired some functional skills, which
can only be realistically acquired while
engaging in real work activities.

Experience does not only add to ones skills

but it enhances ones behaviour, manner
of relationship and knowledge application
in a work environment. Many companies
are looking for more than good grades;
sometimes grades take a backseat when
considering other characteristics. It is
therefore essential today that students
should have gained practical experience in
their fields, if expecting to be employed right

28

In one of the seasons of Donald Trump’s
reality show “The Apprentice” where a whole
season was based on pitting highly educated
candidates against those with less formal
schooling, it was discovered that the key to
success was experience and not education.
Experience comes from action - or doing –
and that involves taking risks. Knowledge is
essential, but knowledge alone certainly isn’t
enough. Such knowledge must be applicable
to work because doing is the means through
Careers and Development
which people learn and how a prospective
applicant ultimately will prove himself. Hands-
on involvement is needed to understand
anything - whether a task or an entire
business operation. Experience gained only
comes from actually doing - and doing often.
Experience is very important from the
employer’s perspective. Companies are
looking for individuals who have experience
and leadership skills gained from an internship,
working at a company part-time, have started
a business or have been involved with
student organisations and non-governmental
organisations.
Apart from getting experience and knowledge
by working while in school, an advantage to
such prospective job seekers is that such
experience can provide a clearer view of an
applicant’s career goals since the earlier one
has an informed career plan in place, the
better.
Getting an internship or part-time placement
does not automatically provide the
experience required, but doing the work
with a mind to acquire knowledge, build
relationships, manage behaviours and serve
people will accrue and such ability cannot be
gained in a classroom.
naijaTimes 29
 “Books that made me”
by Folusho Phillips, founder and
head of Phillips Consulting
For the kind of work that I do and the implied
‘volume’ of reading that I have to maintain to
be on top of my profession as a management
consultant and business advisor, the choice of
a book that impacted my life has been quite
difficult and probably explains why I have tried
to avoid making that choice. However, I have
selected “The Fifth Discipline” as that book,
which has influenced and indeed defined a
particular mindset that has worked for me in
creating and managing a successful firm like
Phillips Consulting.
The Fifth Discipline is one of my favourite
all time “management books”. It was (and
is) practical, relevant to my professional
and business situation, providing numerous
examples that brought these interesting
theories to life. The book had such an impact
on my thinking at the time, that I bought five
more copies for the firm’s library and is today
compulsory reading for any person joining our
organisation. Failure to capture the essence
of the book always showed up in the ability
of such consultants to grasp the essence of
how organisations function from a human and
systems point of view.
The five disciplines, which Peter Senge
discussed and analysed in his book, were:
- Personal Mastery
- Mental Models (Paradigms)
- Shared Vision
- Team Learning
- Systems thinking
(Interconnectiveness)
30
The first discipline
– Personal Mastery
According to Senge, this journey starts with
the individual’s ability to discover himself.
Personal Mastery explores how a person
can be the best that he can possibly be.
It challenges each person to define his or
her personal direction, have clarity about
aspirations and appreciate the need to have
goal congruence with the essence of their
organisation. By discovering and doing what
you are good at and therefore use such talent
to the benefit of your organisation can only
enhance careers, create personal satisfaction
and achieve self actualisation. The firm runs a
course on Personal Mastery.
The second discipline
– understanding the impact
of mental models
The recognition of the danger and therefore
avoidance of being locked into a particular
mindset – being influenced by a specific mental
model – a paradigm, is the essence of this
second discipline. Paradigms block our view and
our ability to see other opportunities because
we judge and see the whole world based
on our set of rules of what is possible. This
discipline encourages openness of thinking and
acceptance of the possibilities of being wrong
and others right and then exploring their own
line of thinking even further until exhausted.
This has been another very key learning in our
firm and what we encourage organisations
in their quest for creativity to adopt, by
encouraging employees to understand and avoid
the trap of this second discipline.

The third discipline
– Having a Shared Vision
Senge argues that having a shared vision is
probably the most fundamental achievement
that any leader can claim in creating a truly
successful organisation. The ability to get
a group of people to focus relentlessly
on a common goal will always result in
a breakthrough in performance. Senge,
moved beyond the emotional commitment
of visioning to the practical actions that is
needed to actualize the achievement of a
common goal and most important of all –
testing its acceptance and implied validation.
The fourth Discipline
– Team Learning
The ability to work together as a team is
predicated by the ability to learn as a team.
Team learning drives team execution, which
gives energy to the pursuance of group
goals in a collective manner. Team learning
is driven by “team conversations devoid of
the negative impact of paradigms”, which
encourage communication and common
understanding of situations. Team learning
provides the foundation for “Learning
organisations”.
The fifth discipline
– Systems thinking
Everything is connected! The ripple from
a pebble dropped in a pool of water is
extensive even as the impact reduces with
distance. When certain things happen, the
impact is never linear. Senge, illustrated this
so clearly in an example he gave of a business
simulation activity called “the beer game”,
where the systemic impact and resulting
magnitude of the effect of simple decisions,
Careers and Development
could only be better imagined than seen
Bringing it all together
The critical lesson I learnt from this book
is reflected in the way these five disciplines
firstly became an operational model for
our firm and secondly, enhanced our ability
(through practice of the disciplines) to
show people how to create change in their
organisations. This book came into my life
at the launch of the era of Total Quality
Management, customer focus, continuous
improvement, service excellence etc, which
we adopted internally within our firm as
an operational model to drive our culture
and philosophy for driving performance but
more importantly as our service offering
to our clients in those early days (1993)
when we were known as the “TQM” (Total
Quality Management) organisation.(I hope
most of you have read or heard of the
book – “In search of excellence” by Peters
& Waterman, which was popular during that
era and was another life changing book)
It starts with the emotional connection
to each person’s cognitive skills (Personal
Mastery), where each is encouraged and
trained to have an open mind to new
ideas and change (Mental models) and;
work assiduously towards a clear and
much larger goal shared by colleagues
through their actions (shared vision) in
which development and enhancements
are achieved through collective learning
and understanding (team learning) and
finally appreciating the possible unintended
outcome of their actions
(Systems thinking). Pretty heavy stuff!
I must re-read that book and see if
my perspectives have changed.
naijaTimes 31
32
Leke Alder
A man of many paths
by: Funke Adetutu

He walks into the black room, his arms swinging

freely by his side. He is one of those people one
would describe as an enigma because his appearance
does not give an inkling of who or what he is.

Leke Alder is one of the foremost names in Nigerian

brand consultancy. As I discuss with him, he comes
across easily as an intelligent philosopher and
businessman. In addition, he is a consultant, lawyer,
entrepreneur, artist, poet, architect, photographer
and author. One wonders how he has been able to
successfully blend all these roles. His talent, purpose
and passion for entrepreneurship informed the
genesis of his sojourn into the world of branding.
This led to his creation of the Alder Consulting
brand, with a focus on ideas & brand development,
research, IT & multimedia services, political advisory
and change management, among others.

Leke Alder’s personality and creative disposition,

heightened by a vivid skill for story telling has also
led him to the literary circuit. The purity of his
philosophical language is difficult to comprehend
in today’s era. The influence of rhetoric in him can
be seen in his poetry as much as in his prose and
photography. His book, Life as I see It, is about how
an individual can interprete different circumstances
based on a fundamental understanding of human
existence. It contains pictures taken in the course
of his travels around the world that relate to a wide
array of activities.

naijaTimes 33
 Leke Alder has written 12 additional books
in the last 18 months. These include Minding
Your Business, Brandit, The Great Alchemy,
Conversations of a 21st Century Saint,
Four Masteries and the Bizkit (a business
development kit for entrepreneurs).
As the Principal of the successful brand
management firm, Alder Consulting, he
consults for many of Nigeria’s blue chip
companies. He has earned a name as
Nigeria’s most influential brand specialist,
known for his intellect and creativity. “Alder
Consulting is an ideas, strategy and brand
consulting firm,” he says. Our mission is to
drive innovation, spur development and raise
the standards of excellence by corporate
example.”
He explains that over time, Alder Consulting
has employed lawyers, philosophers,
scientists, economists, personnel specialists,
business administrators, bankers, doctors,
mathematicians, computer scientists,
humanities graduates and designers. It has
been able to deploy insights form these fields
in creating unique client solutions.
According to him, the success of his business
revolves around a work environment
characterised by drive, focus, originality and
creativity. “Our work environment is intense,
yet fun and we try to take time off once
every month”, he explains with a smile. “We
have a unique culture and our interactions
are highly energetic and involving. The fast
pace and intensity never ceases to amaze
those who come in contact with us.”
34
The philanthropic Alder
As a lawyer, his thirst for knowledge, integrity
and character is sharply modulated by his
compassion for humanity. Alder Consulting
stages an annual charity photo exhibition
to raise support for nine orphanage homes
spread across the whole of Nigeria.
“The exhibition is just an extension of what
we do on a regular basis as a company,” he
explains. “We are very, very passionate about
social responsibility. We have awarded many
scholarships. We take care of many widows
and elderly people. Twice in a week, we feed
the poor in various locations around Lagos”.
All the orphanages supported by the proceeds
of the exhibition are speciality ones. Some
take care of children that are abandoned
on refuse dumps, while others take care of
extremely sick children that nobody will ever
take care of. “In some of the orphanages
the brains of the children are exposed”.
The orphanages supported are: the Little
Saints Orphanage, Hearts of Gold Children’s
Hospice, the Arrows of God Orphanage,
SOS Children’s Village, Beth Torrey, Ijamido
Children’s, Modupe Cole Memorial Child Care
and Treatment, Lagos Cheshire and Daughters
of Divine Love Motherless Babies Homes.
“When you attend the exhibition and see the
joy of the orphanage officers as they join us in
showing the guests around, it is indescribable.
The charity exhibition is the largest event of
the year for us at Alder Consulting,” says Leke
Alder. The exhibitions present a collection
of expertly shot photographs taken by Leke
Alder during his annual vacation abroad.
“The experience has been interesting since
the exhibitions began five years ago,” Leke
Alder recalls. “Every year when I travel, I
take these photographs. In the last five years,
we have spent over N12million organising
these exhibitions. When we produce the
photographs, we don’t deduct the production
and operational costs from the proceeds;
rather, we plough it right back into the
project. The proceeds from every photograph
bought and all the money donated are given
to the nine orphanages. We are meeting
needs in a way that an ordinary man on the
street cannot imagine.”
The annual exhibition is not the only
project embarked on by Alder Consulting.
The organisation also has an Extreme Life-
Makeover programme which takes care of a
family that is completely down and out. The
initiative takes care of the accommodation
needs of such families. “We find and furnish
the apartment. We put in place everything
they will need; from the dining set, to the
generator, iron, cooker, borehole, everything
you can think of. We fund all that”.
At the national level, we also fund projects.
What is not known is the fact that we fund
most of the programmes we organise. For
example, at the brand seminar that we held in
Abuja in 2006, we spent about N45 million of
our own money in order to educate both the
private and public sectors on branding.”
“All of Alder Consulting’s philanthropic
initiatives are housed under The Leke Alder
Foundation. And we will continue to do more.
A lot of the support that the Foundation
offers to people covers both Nigeria and
abroad”.
“Our job - what we have determined for
ourselves is to keep these people alive,”
explains Leke Alder. “We want to keep hope
alive and we are calling other people to
join us”. In the area of empowerment, we
focus more on entrepreneurs and SMEs.
That is what we do and why I write a lot of
books. I’m making the knowledge that I have
gained from my consulting and from running
successful businesses available to SMEs and
individuals who need it. That is why the books
are doing well in the market.
However, no matter how much the Leke
Alder Foundation has done to improve the
lot of the less privileged, the final solution
seems not to be in sight. “The solution to
the problem is more complex than training
them in craft,” Leke Alder observes. “The fact
that we empower them does not mean they
will automatically stop being beggars. There
are many beggarly talented people. But the
problem is that we don’t have a social security
system and this is a policy issue. Ideally, we
shouldn’t have beggars in the society but in
this country, we don’t have an ideal situation.
So what can we do? We are a relatively small
company. I know most people don’t believe
that. But we will do what we can do.”
naijaTimes 35
 What determines
your choice of ISP?
by: Onodome Jakpor
Nigeria may have little or nothing to offer its
citizens by way of political ideology and the
provision of basic infrastructure however,
the soaring teledensity figures and access
to internet services by many suggest that
Nigeria has a lot to offer technologically.
Mobile phones have become so popular
such that anybody without one is given a
disdainful second look, likewise cyber cafes
can be found in almost every locality. It is
common to find 9 or 10-year-olds glued to
their computer monitors chatting with their
local and international friends on Facebook.
Youngsters are not left out of the Internet
rave, which provides them the opportunity
to shore up their school assignments, clinch
life partners and secure great job openings.
For media houses, banks and other financial
institutions, the Web is now a lifeline without
which business and other activities grind to
a screeching halt. The recent breakdown of
the SAT3 cable and its attendant effect on
general activities bear this out quite well.
In the midst of all this, there is however a
paradox: while most Nigerians appreciate the
importance of the Web, only a handful realise
that the quality of Internet services depends
on the effectiveness of Internet Service
Providers (ISPs). “ISPs are organisations
that have established the necessary physical
connections and equipment to offer Internet
connections,” says Jide Awe, founder, Jidaw.
Com, an online interactive facility for IT buffs.
Today, the number of ISPs (both genuine and
phoney) in Nigeria can only be imagined, but
36
they include telecoms companies that blend
their regular mobile phone services with
Internet supply such as MTN, Glo, Zain, RelTel,
Nitel, Multilinks, Starcomms; and companies
only known for the provision of Internet
services such as Linkserve, Hyperia, Netcom,
Rainbownet, 21st Century Technologies, Swift
Networks, IPNX, VSAT, among others. Most
ISPs provide dial-up and wireless services
to Internet consumers for a fee. While the
former service is slow and relatively cheap,
the latter is much faster and secure, although
it is quite expensive to sustain.
Though the number of ISPs in the country
may be huge, that does not impress Awe, who
insists that a technically weak ISP that doesn’t
suit personal needs is only a waste of time
and valuable resources. “The ISP has to tell
you what its technical strength is like, i.e. in
terms of personnel and equipment. In view of
the number of “cowboys” claiming to be ISPs,
such information provided by the ISP should
be verified,” says the ICT guru. “Always ask
technical questions, no matter how awkward.
Is onsite support available? What is their
response time to issues like? Is emergency
support available? What are the limits, if any,
on disk storage, e-mail or other Internet
traffic?”
The million-dollar question is whether
such issues bother consumers or whether
consumers will simply patronise any ISP
regardless of the quality of its services?
“In terms of GSM companies that provide
Internet services, Starcomms is the best,”

says Mgbike Vitus, an airline executive. “The
quality of service is second to none, and
Internet access is stable, unlike what obtains
with other telecoms companies that are also
ISPs.”
Six months ago, 28-year-old Francis
Chukwura, an environmentalist, gave up on
cyber cafes because he felt the quality of
their services was poor and their Internet
access wasn’t fast enough. He then opted
for the MTN Fastlink, a USB device through
which the telecoms giant provides customers
pre-paid and post-paid wireless Internet
services. “On a scale of 100% I’ll put the
MTN Fastlink at 60%. This is because,
depending on the weather, it is relatively fast
and you can choose your service depending
on how fat your pocket is,” he explains. “The
only problem is, when the Internet service is
down your money is spent regardless. MTN
does not consider it necessary to provide a
refund for services not rendered. It is still my
choice, though.”
“In terms of group services, Suburban and
Linkserve are the best. However, their
charges are so exorbitant that they scare
those with low-end services in mind away,”
says Ben Uzor, an IT practitioner. “But in
terms of personal Internet connectivity,
Multilinks remains number one. In the midst
of this SAT 3 problem, it has remained
constant. It has much better offers than
other networks of its kind do.”
Despite this, not everybody is bothered. Tosin
Orogun, a Lagos-based computer engineer,
says, “As far as I’m concerned, all ISPs are
the same,” he declares. “It’s just a matter of
speed, which is greatly reduced as more and
more subscribers join a particular network.”
Money
Even as several respondents insist that
IPNX takes pride of place in terms of
accessibility, 27-year-old Elijah Balogun, a
media practitioner, says RelTel is his pick
for the very same reason: “I prefer RelTel
because their USIP is the fastest and when
you’re browsing the net, speed is everything.
Besides, it is the most secure, compared to
those of other networks. What’s the point in
going for an ISP if it cannot provide me with
the services I need at warp speed?”
As with everything else in life, personal
preferences come into play as far as the
choice of an ISP provider is concerned.
Increasingly however, Internet awareness and
access is growing. Many homes, businesses
and companies are fast realising that access
to the Internet amounts to holding the entire
world in ones palm. Perhaps the growing
trend will reduce the cost of Internet access
and most of all, spur competition among ISPs
for quality services to consumers. However,
whether or not all of this will be the case in
the near future remains to be seen.
naijaTimes 37
 My journey into farming started in 2004.

My When I was at the University, I used to think

about what I could do differently. And then,

success I was privileged to undertake my internship

with Exxon Mobil at their Environmental

as a
Laboratory. During that period, I realised
that I needed more excitement in my life,

farmer
beyond the regular 9am to 5pm job. I needed
satisfaction and that gave me a reason to
start digging into what I could do differently.
Fortunately, my background is in Zoology
Mosun mola which gave me the opportunity to take
Cynthia Umoru, elective courses in Fisheries while in school.

Honeysuckles Hence I decided to give farming a try.

Initially, Honeysuckles was meant to start

off as a fish-farming venture but through the
help of my father it took a different turn.
I could recall that I was reported by my
father to the general manager of the raw
sourcing department of Tantalizers that I
refused to take on paid employment. Through
my discussions with her, I discovered that
Tantalizers had problems with sourcing farm
produce. I saw it as a good opportunity for me
to fill the gap. I latched onto it and I started
sourcing snails and later chicken.

I had travelled to different parts of the

country in search of snails and wherever I was
told there were snails in abundance, I would
travel down to buy and supply Tantalizers.
Along the line, I discovered that snails were
seasonal and I became curious and decided
to attempt breeding them. That singular, yet
interesting experience that I had with the
snails has evolved into poultry farming and
chicken processing and that was how I got
into farming.

I started the business in different phases.

When I began in 2004, I had just N80,000.

38

That was all of my savings! That was the
money I got from the sale of GNLD products
(nutritional herbal supplements) and the
cakes I used to bake. I plunged it all into
sourcing chickens. Interestingly, in the early
part of 2005, a friend read my business plan
and he was so impressed by what I had put
together that he gave me N300,000. That
really helped because I could not get a bank
loan at the time. I also obtained a loan from
an uncle who was very supportive. Hence,
I was able to meet up with the demand for
my products. But as the demand grew, I had
to get more money. I borrowed money from
friends and family, this sustained me for a
while. Later in 2006, I obtained a bank loan.
It is a challenge to repay bank loans because
clients do not pay me as and when due.
Unfortunately, clients take products from
you and they don’t pay any interest when
they default on their payments. The financial
institutions however are not concerned
about this. I have to pay interest on the loan
and this is tough. It is tough because there
is no infrastructure for small businesses
to grow. I have to obtain land, supply the
electricity and put up a building. Everything
is a big struggle. There are no commercial
parks which I can latch on to to make use of
the facilities available. Infrastructure is a big
challenge and it is one of the reasons why
I admire the courage of entrepreneurs in
Nigeria.
I have been able to survive through the grace
of God and I have depended solely on the
grace of God. I have also learnt that people
matter a great deal. My relationships are
treasured very much. The truth is people
really do make things happen for me. Friends,
family and staff in different ways have affected
Money
the success and growth of my enterprise.
I have learnt to treasure every friendship.
I believe everyone is important because
they play different roles and each of their
contribution is a part of my success. Hence I
guard them jealously.
When I reflect on my journey so far, I can
only say ‘thank you God’, because He is been
gracious to me. Through the difficult times,
he had always raised help. I have been very
fortunate. It used to be very lonely because
I thought I could do few things on my own.
But I as grew older in the business, I realised
that I could not do everything alone. I am
never ashamed to ask the right questions. I
am not concerned about people’s ridicules.
I seek knowledge and look for information
that will contribute to the growth of my
business. I attend seminars, and last year I
was fortunate to be one of Goldman Sach’s
recipients of the 10,000 women project. It
was an initiative to help women in business in
developing countries get business education
and it has helped a great deal. Leadership
can be a lonely. It is lonely to be at the top,
but for me it is different because I have
attended seminars where I was able to share
my burden with professionals who gave me
financial advisory services and legal services
and support. That has really transformed my
view about business challenges.
My farm is at Sango Otta and my first farm
operation was in Akute. You can’t be an
absentee farmer to be successful. But at
the moment, I am working on an expansion
project where I will have the processing unit
by the end of the year.
My space is a unique one. Seldom, there
are women who are very successful in
agriculture. A lot of women run their
39
If your world waits on you for direction, you need the right support.

MTN XTRASPECIAL
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Pre-paid Roaming
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To migrate text 730 to 131

40
www.mtnonline.com
 Money

businesses from their handbags. Very few of

them have financial literacy. I have to attend
seminars to get most of that. Another benefit
I have gained from people is that they serve
as an ad hoc committee for my business.
They point me in the right direction and this
has helped a great deal.
Qualification: BSc. in Zoology, Lagos State
University Ojo,
Alumnus of the Pan African University (EDS),
Certificate in Entrepreneurial Management-
(CEM 7).

I have also discovered that every day my Member Farmers Association of Nigeria
problems differ. In the beginning, I thought alongside the Lagos State Catfish and Allied
my problem was half a million naira. Today, Farmers Association (LASCAFA).
for me to say I am comfortable, I am looking
at hundreds of millions. Life is in phases AWARDS: American Women’s Club
and my business is actually evolving by the Undergraduate Scholarship(2000-2003)
day. I am in a different phase today, a major
expansion phase. There is a belief that in GoldMan Sach’s 10,000 women Entrepreneurs
Africa businesses never survive their fifth Scholarship (2008) www.10,000women.org
birthday. Interestingly, it’s our fifth birthday
this year. It is a critical time for me. I believe Business Owner of the Year (The Future
Honeysuckles is here to stay and very soon it Awards ‘09) www.thefuturenigeria.com
will become a household name in Nigeria.
Young Achievers Award (The Fountain of Life
The future is bright because I have learnt Church ’09)
and realised that I can do so much. The
opportunities that exist in the country are
enormous. Nigerians actually appreciate good
products and are willing to pay for value.
This is encouraging for me because what it
means is that I only need to get my business
structured properly and that is the only way
I can meet the market demands. I plan to
start a retail farm shop where people can
get fresh agricultural produce, most of which
will be sourced from our farm while others
will be sourced from neighbouring farms. The
vision is to get quality farm produce to the
doorsteps of people. Customers can walk in
to buy or call our telephone lines to order.

Text by Adedoyin Johnson

Age: 30

naijaTimes 41
 The sweetness
of victory
by: Adedoyin Johnson
In this interview Uche Nwaezeapu, winner of the
just concluded Gulder Ultimate Search VI, tells
Adedoyin Johnson his experience in the Omodo
forest and how good it feels to win
How I felt when I found the
Horn of Valour
I felt great. I was a feeling out of this world.
After trying for four years and finally winning,
it was not just about being one of the ten
contestants. I won knowing that the first
runner up, Melvin, might have been the one
to find the horn. I am so thankful to Nigerian
Breweries and Gulder for this opportunity.
My four years of trying to be
on the show
The first time I tried out for the Ultimate
Search, I did it because I loved the concept
of the competition. Because I am determined,
persistent and consistent, I could not help
but try again the following year. I failed again
in the third year, yet I refused to let the
failure affect me. It all started when I applied
for the Gulder Ultimate Search III where I
lost after getting to sea school. In Gulder
Ultimate Search IV, I didn’t get to sea school
but I got to the point of undergoing medical
tests, yet I wasn’t selected. Then in Gulder
Ultimate Search V, I got to sea school but
didn’t make it from there. However, finally
42
in Gulder Ultimate Search VI, I made it to the
sea school, was among the final 10, and also
became the winner!
God led me to find the horn
It was the favour of God that made me find
the Horn of Valour. I did not know it was
hidden where I eventually found it, otherwise I
would have gone there first. We had searched
everywhere for hours and I was too tense.
I touched everything that I could touch,
pushed stones, and dug tree roots. Then I saw
another stone and rocks and I just decided to
search further, then I eventually found it.
Times I felt like quitting
My experience was tough. In six days we
only had two pieces of very small yam to go
around and we had that yam, twice for six
days. Honestly at the time, I considered going
back home. I just wanted to leave the place
to return home to some food, I eventually
found a way to take my mind off food. It really
helped since when others felt as though they
would evaporate, I was just fine and okay even
though I was hungry.
My silence as a tactic
I wrote on my totem that I am determined
and cool. The quietness was not a strategy,
it was just my nature. I have two sides, the
determined side and the cool side. It is difficult
to single out a task as most challenging
because every task was challenging. The next

day always brought a larger challenge than
the challenge faced on the day. This is the first
time I have competed in a show like this. I did
not view it as punishment though, it is a game.
It was a once in a lifetime experience.
The prize money
To be honest, I am not used to having all this
money, otherwise I would not feel as excited
as I feel right now. However, I am not hungry
or poor and I was very comfortable before
I came to compete in the Gulder Ultimate
Search show. Now I can say I am more
comfortable.
I dread being poor
When I go out and see children sleeping
under the bridge, or see people living under
harsh conditions, I know that I do not such
a life for myself. Hence one of the fears I
have is of not being rich. I dread it so much
that it has provided the determination and
persistence to pursue any dream I have or to
have the ability to excel in whatever I lay my
hands on.
I will not get another girl
friend
I am staying with my current girl friend. We
had a relationship before I won all this money
and I will not abandon her now that I am a
millionaire. I am fine with her and we will
stay together. When other girls come around
-and I know they will, I will politely let them
know that I have a girlfriend who means
much to me. We met last year and have been
together for over a year. All I can say is that
she is a nice person. She is very sweet and
beautiful. If I had the opportunity to choose
another woman, I would go for her over and
over again.
Entertainment
Entertainment
What I like about Stardom
Stardom opens doors. You get favours and you
get things done faster than any other person.
I also like the fact that people like you and
want to meet and get to know you. I believe
I will handle it well, since I am a cool headed
person. Naturally, I like meeting people and
making friends and though it will be a little bit
different, I won’t let the money get into my
head since all I need is self control. My friends
will remain my friends, my girlfriend remains
my girlfriend, and my family remains my family.
The relationship I had with them before I won
will be the same.
What I will do with the prize
money of N7 million
As the Gulder Ultimate Search winner, I go
home with a cash prize of N7 million, an SUV
worth about N10 million, N500,000 wardrobe
allowance and other fringe benefits. The first
the idea in my head now is how multiply this
money and make it ten times bigger than it
is now. Investments are not really advisable
now when you considering the state of the
stock market. Besides, it doesn’t have to be
investment in shares only. There could be
investments in physical assets like landed
property and other kinds of investments. I
intend to invest the money. I am also going to
delve into entertainment and also business. A
whole lot of things will unfold as time goes by.
My background
I hail from Ibuzo in Delta state and I am the
first son in my family. I have a brother and
a sister. I have wonderful family and we are
fun loving people. I am a recent graduate
of Economics from the Olabisi Onabanjo
University and I reside in Surulere, Lagos.
naijaTimes 43
 M en a couple of days ago I was sitting
here dumbfounded o. If I tell you say I no
dey fear that day na lie. Hmm, let me give
you the gist. See, my uncle V and aunt M
are in town visiting, and I tell you, they are
the most stressful people you’ll ever meet.
Nice though, but very stressful. They always
want one thing or the other. They also go
to one church like this in Nige…it’s sorta
controversial I think, so they’re always telling
all kinds of stories about how people do jazz,
blah blah blah.
Chai, I’ve started with my long story again. To
cut it short sha, they received a phone call on
friday morning from their son in Nige, who’s
a little older than I am. All I could hear was
my aunty saying;
“Eh? Kilode?” (What’s the matter?)
44
“Haaaaaaa! O ya were ke?” (She’s gone mad ke?)
“What is she saying?” “Ehhhhhh?????”
“Jesu ke? Mo gbe.” (I’m in trouble) “Ha! Were ni yen
looto o!” (That’s a sign of madness for real o!) “I plead
the blood of Jesus! I cover her with the blood of Jesus!
No weapon…..”
She was trembling, while my uncle and mum looked
on. “Put her on the phone, I’ll give it to the junior
pastor now.” The thing didn’t even click. Who be junior
pastor?
Next thing I know, she rushes up to me and hands me
the receiver. “Oya Fineboy, talk to her, it’s Basira, the
housegirl.” Shuo! Me ke? Why? “Err…what happened?”
She shouted, “Pray for her now! She’s suffering
from spiritual attack. Shebi you were an

assistant pastor in America. Hurry up!” See
me see trouble o. I took the receiver.
Me- Hello Basirat-
Mamaaaaaaaay! Jesus.
My aunt (to me)- Pray for her now! Plead the
blood of Jesus.
Me- Basirat, what’s wrong?
Basirat- Wiiiiiiiiiiiii! Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiii! Wiiiiiiiiiiii!
Chineke. This girl don kolo for real o.
My uncle- Pray for her now!!!!!
Me- Errrrrm…..
Entertainment
Entertainment
Basirat- “Yeeeeeee! Jesu n no mi! Jesu no mi
o! Yeeeeeeee!” (Jesus is flogging me! He’s
beating me o!)
Me (looking back)- Ha. Uncle, this one is
serious o.
Uncle- Pray now! Basirat- Yeeeee! Jesu no
boto si mi lara o! (Jesus is flogging the heck
outta me o!)
Me- Why’s he beating you? Na una sabi.
Wetin I for ask? I was so shocked by it
all men, it was like I was in a movie or
something. Which kin’ wahala be this? All
because I gave them one fabu that me I used
to be an assistant pastor with my pastor
uncle in America. Chineke! It’s not good to
lie, especially about church o.
naijaTimes 45
 Basirat- Wiiiiiiiiiii! Yeeeee! O wo white! O
noooo mii! (He’s dressed in white! He’s
flogging me!)
I looked at my aunt, who was standing there
with a horrified look on her face. She now
stood at a distance, as if she was scared that
the mad housegirl would jump out of the
phone. I come begin wonder; “Wait, mad
person dey answer phone?”
“Aunty, are you sure you don’t need a
psychiatrist for this girl?”
“It’s the power of prayer! Pray for her jo!” I
noticed she stayed a good distance away.
Me- Er, In Jesus’ name…..
Basirat- Wiiiiiiiii! Maaaamaaaaay!
Wooooooooo!”
Yeepa! Me- Erm, in Jesus…
Basirat- Wooooooooo! Ahhhhhhhh!
Ha! Omo, this thing that I’m saying like
joke like this, it wasn’t funny at the time
o. Anytime I mentioned Jesus, she would
scream her head off. Which kin’ trouble I go
find myself like this? You people must think I
make this stuff up; it’s so ridiculous.
Me- You are healed in Jesus’ name.
Basirat- Yeeeee! Iwo! Iwo! (You!)
Omo, I no do again men. If you hear the
shrillness of her voice eh? I was bloody
shaking. Imagine, from London o. I don’t
know why but there’s something extra scary
about Naija madness.
46
I couldn’t hack it anymore so I gave my aunty
the phone, who passed it to my uncle. He
now started praying over the phone and then
finally spoke to my cousin, whom he told to
take her to the hospital.
Apparently, they found out later that she had
acute malaria and had just been delirious. Na
wa o. I never see where malaria patient dey go
mad like that before o. Whew! Thank God it’s
over sha, because that scared the ish out of
me. It was even more scary ‘cos that my aunty
and uncle are always talking about how they
exorcise demons and things in their church. I
come begin fear say this winch fit come jam
me for night. This one wey Jesus dey flog am,
she must be a really evil person.
Okay, sorry o my people. Just had to vent. I
know you’re wondering how I got the title of
junior pastor. Okay let me give you the gist
briefly.
See, my uncle (my mum’s younger brother)
lives in the states and has been there for like
30 years. He became a pastor like 20 years
ago. When I say pastor, I don’t mean like Naija
type pastor. I mean like those yankee style
“Can I get an amen?” type pastors.
The guy come look like American again. As in
he’s a fine boy pastor o, with his bald head.
The guy even gives them yankee-style pastor
suits. Green, maroon, off-white…gbo gbo e.
The guy get all kin’ funny colour suits. And his
congregation is mostly African-American o.
Anyhow, when I first moved to Yankee, I stayed
with him and my aunt Desiree. See I was
worried, ‘cos I thought it’d be hard living with
a pastor, but he was cool as hell men. The first
Sunday I was there, I had given them jeans,
loafers and a blazer to church. My uncle of
course, had given them on baggy lime green
suit like that.
“FB!!! You can’t wear that o! You don’t know
you’re an assistant pastor now!”
That’s how it started. When I started running
wild with all those freshman babes on
campus, my mum would call and my uncle
would tell her, “Don’t worry about Fineboy,
he’s an assistant pastor here o. He’s being
a good boy.” I guess it was just his way of
covering for me. I love that dude.
My mum was proud o. She started telling all
her friends that I was a proper church boy
now. One time she called and my uncle V and
aunt M were with her. Uncle V asked me “So
I heard you’re an assistant pastor. That’s good
o. We can never have enough prayer. God is
good.”
Ye! I couldn’t deny it now. Me sef I replied
that God was wonderful and in fact, I used to
preach some Sundays. Na so the thing start
o. They’ve been calling me a junior pastor
since, and as per they’re proper born again
Christians, I haven’t had the nerve to tell
them I was only joking that day.
Na wetin cause my wahala today be that
o. Pastor ko, pastor ni. Don’t get it twisted
though, I used to do stuff in that church for
real o. As in, I used to give them full suit and
tie every Sunday, and I was a ‘senior usher.’
But I was useless meeeeen. I dey always get
one scoin-scoin or the other. I remember
once when my uncle called me to the front
to start behind people he was praying for.
I took off my jacket and went and stood in
front of the whole congregation. Meeen, that’s
how one babe walked to the front for prayer.
Hot Damn! When I say babe, I mean BABE.
She was smoking hot, thick in all the right
places….you know those African American
girls that have been eating chicken and
biscuits their whole lives. Lord have mercy. I
know I was in church, and na good good holy
thoughts I suppose dey think, but I couldn’t
help it men.
Kai. She had on a tight pencil skirt with one
white shirt and some heels. The walk sef was
mad…..one of those girls that are just hot
without even trying or realising it.
Mm mm mm. Yeepa, I felt something start to
shift in my trozziz. Aaaaaah! In front of the
whole church. Which kin’ wahala be this, and
I don off my jacket!
Omo, that’s how my John Thomas started
rising o. Yeeeee!
My uncle moved to start praying for her and
signalled for me to position myself behind
her so that I could break her fall. (You know
Yankee people gots to fall when Pastor prays
for them now.)
Omo! The babe took a step back so that
the booty was right in front of me. Chei, I
comot my eye quick quick. But it was too
late men. John Thomas just dey rise, and rise,
and rise. And because I had no jacket there
was no way to hide it. I come begin think
about different things. I tried to imagine Iya
Bose, one fried yam seller in Lagos standing
in front of me.
No luck. John Thomas no gree o.
Ha, see me see wahala. Sister Harriet, one
yeye amebo usher like that, was looking at
naijaTimes 47
 me from across the front with one disgusted
look on her face. I used style to twist my
waist so she couldn’t see the full extent of the
damage. This one na catastrophe o.
Na so I begin say the Lord’s prayer in Yoruba.
My brother once said that was the best way to
curb this kind of problem. I tried to remember
the words.
Baba wa ti m be l’orun. .
Ki ijoba re de.
Err…I no remember the next line. That’s how
pastor said something in the prayer that made
her jump up and down waving her hands in the
air vigorously. Yeepa.
*wiggle wiggle*
I wan die. My bolongo now chaaaaaaarged at
fuuuuuulll attention.
I felt like a sinner man. Why na for inside
church wey Tarzan go come dey elongate like
this?
Men when the babe finally fell backwards into
me, I knew she felt it. I tried to pull back well
well, but I couldn’t avoid it men. She stayed on
the floor for like 15 minutes. Omo, I thought
she had fainted from the force of John Bull’s
power sef.
Men after that day, I dey wear jacket before I
catch anybody o. I was utterly useless at the
job, to be honest, because I have another bad
habit. I can’t suppress my laughter when I
find something funny, no matter how serious
the environment I’m in is. One time I was
standing at the front holding the offering bowl
while one Naija woman gave her thanksgiving
testimony.
48
“Praaaaaaaiiiiiise the Lord. God have been
very good to me. For ten years, they say my
husband will not see visa. The enemies is angry
with us for many years because we are doing
the work of God.”
Hehn?? Shellomastic! I held the air in my
mouth so I wouldn’t explode. The church was
deathly silent, and I tried my hardest not to
laugh. But the woman no gree o. She just dey
drop bomb upon bomb.
“But people of God, I just want to say thanks
to our fada in heaven and this our pastor.
This pastor is a good person. Even when they
diagonise my husband with cancer, he stand by
me, praying for me…
DIAGONISE??? Is that a word? Omo I was
fighting hard to suppress the laughter. I was
dying to explode, I come begin look up and
down…and then
“But praise God because I have defeat all the
enemy that have attempting to wicked my
family!”
Yeeparipa! Men I just burst out laughing and
ran to the back of the Church. I couldn’t help
it men. That was my last day as an “assistant
pastor” o. My uncle didn’t find it funny at all. I
had to explain to him that it wasn’t my fault,
“it’s work of enemy.”
Yo I’ll holla soon y’all. God forgive me for this
post.
By: Mr Fineboy
 get noticed

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naijaTimes 49
 The portrait
of an artist
By: Adedoyin Johnson
W ork for female artists is never just the
moment when they write or do other kinds
of art like painting or photography, but it is a
time spent in a deep reflection and research.
A kind of voyage into that solitary space
in the mind is more often, for an artist, a
place where dreams and visions enter and
sometimes a place where nothing happens.
The need for this construed, uninterrupted
space is often far more frightening to those
who watch an artist enter it. It is in such a
world that Ndidi Dike has rightfully claimed
a space.
Ndidi Dike is possibly one of Nigeria’s
foremost sculptors. She majored in
multimedia painting at the University of
Nigeria Nsukka where she graduated in 1984.
She taught herself to sculpt and has been
practicing professionally and her career spans
more than eight solo exhibitions and forty-
eight group exhibitions which have taken her
to countries like England, Sweden, Germany,
the United States of America, Tunisia, Senegal,
Italy, Indonesia, and Cuba among others.
Dike’s art is a master of many genres of
visual arts such as multimedia, installation
50
and construction. Her works produce a
consciousness of the sumptuousness of
the looted heritage of the African art. It
also arouses a response that gives rise to a
new kind of African art. The strength of her
discovery serves as a lesson for those who
dispatch the emblems, motifs and symbols
of African heritage to foreign lands and who
fail to see that they contain messages for the
shaping and wellbeing of the community.
For many years, variety has been the essential
creative strategy favoured by Dike. Some of
her panels incorporate varied elements like
leather, brass heads, copper wire, cowry shells,
coins, beads and rings. Beyond the sense of
form and composition that permeate Dike’s
work is the basic concern for the healing of
Africa’s design elements that are faced with
the prospect of destruction. Given the pace at
which the infusion of western design occurs
in Africa, Dike’s mission is in tandem with an
essentially Africanist position.
A survey of her works also demonstrate the
fact that Dike ties some of her sculptural
forms and motifs together by enfolding
them within a design derived from postage
stamps, thus speaking in restrained forms

about her passage into global spaces of
international art practice and discourse.
Modern postage stamps exist as a legacy of
the colonial system of communication; they
assure uninhibited movement across tightly
circumscribed spaces of global capitalism.
Dike is an artist who prides herself as one of
the Uli ambassadors, as an abstract sculpture
and painter. A combination of this and a
reflection on her past gave birth to the title
of her latest exhibition Tapestry of Life, which
opened at the National Museum Gallery,
Onikan, Lagos from April 26 till May 10,
2008. It is predominantly a product of some
paintings she has worked on since 2004. “It is
just the coming together of the things I see
everyday. What I have tried to do is to bring
different aspects of life together. It doesn’t
have to be literary.”
It is the passion for the job and the
determination to expand her repertoire
which sustain Dike and not the peanuts
which she rakes in from her various
exhibitions. “I believe I should not remain
stagnant but have to improve on what I have
done before. I should keep evolving as the
years go by. I try to bring up new techniques
so that I can continue to engage my audience.
It is the environment and what I see in some
aspects of tradition that inspire me.”
Dike has not yet reached her zenith, in spite
of the numerous exhibitions where she has
registered her presence both home and
abroad. Dike is not like some artists who
work everyday of their lives as she takes
some time off work; she may not work for
several months. “I think I try to rest and I
can’t really say I plan ahead of time. I may not
work for seven months but when I get back
to work, the result is usually fantastic.”
Entertainment
As an artist, Dike is a brand; it therefore, did
not come as a surprise that so much has
been put into the making of the brand Ndidi
Dike. “Branding is an aspect of my creativity
that I have taken seriously. It has not been
easy combining the creative and business
aspects of my job, but I try my best. I rely
on my clientele and I have built up a good
profile and reputation which has also helped
me. The clientele keeps expanding with each
exhibition. I do not have any sponsors. It is
very difficult to get sponsors to sponsor art
exhibitions.”
Dike has been restless when it comes to
style and she is someone who gets bored
when a style becomes repetitive hence,
after several years of doing sculpture she
fearfully veered into painting, a terrain that
is entirely new and different. “The painting is
the new beginning and a look into my visual
repertoire. I started with the sketches on
paper because I wasn’t confident. The first
one I did on canvass is titled Wall Gecko Tells
after this, I felt confident that I could paint on
canvass. I had this overwhelming composure
to paint. I have my own vocabulary and
alphabet and my paintings still have the
sculptor touch to them. I’m not bored or
confused with sculptor.”
Even within her paintings, it is the same Ndidi
Dike that one sees, just like her sculptures.
It is a kind of continuum. “I am an abstract
painter, she says, and I can identify with
the works of the likes of Ben Osagai, Olu
Amoda and Kainebi. Abstract works speak
back to me. The most difficult time for me
when I work is the conceptualisation of the
work. The intellectual side is difficult. In my
subconscious, a lot of ideas go on until they
mature, I don’t put them down.”
naijaTimes 51
 the One 9ja Million
Dollar Gameshow
By: Sam Omoruyi
It was 10am on a Friday morning when the
Lagos regional launch of the Etisalat One
9ja Million Dollar Game show kicked off. It
was a day filled with expectation from the
participants, as they progressed through
the process of getting their mobile tickets
scanned, there was an unmistakable spell of
excitement and expectation on their faces.
Amongst the participants was George
Anozie, a man in his late 20s. He arrived early,
got registered and was quite vocal from the
moment he stepped into the venue about the
fact that anyone who cared to listen was told
that he (George) was going to win millions
of naira.
The show began when the host, Djinee
gave his presentation speech. The Regional
Manager of First bank was then called on to
the stage to operate the game show machine
52
for a random selection of participants. As
fate would have it, George Anozie’s ticket
was the first to be picked and announced. He
responded by running all the way to the stage
and with clenched fists, he made triumphant
gestures.
The gameshow was well underway and when
it was George’s turn to play the game, he
shouted “080….” and the audience responded
“Naija!” in response. “Number 34” Anozie
said and before he could press the number 34,
he was interrupted by Djinee with a question,
“Why Number 34?” Anozie responded by
saying “The spirit led me” and then he pressed
the button on the game show console. There
was an eerie silence across the whole hall as
the screen at the back of the stage revealed
the number selected along with the words
“One Million Naira!” Everyone shouted in
unison as Anozie leapt for Joy.
 You are what you wear.
naija Man
www.naijaclothing.com

54

There were nine teams in all and each team
selected 6 boxes on the game show console.
Anozie’s team winnings in total amounted
to 2.2 million naira with 2,150,000 naira
attributable to Anozie as his actual wins.
There were also lots of other non cash
prizes and Etisalat branded gifts, up for grabs
through dancing competitions and contests
such as “remember the lyric”.
George who is quite passionate about his
work as the public relations officer for a Non
Governmental Organisation vowed to use a
good proportion of his winnings to fund an
initiative of the NGO. The day ended with the
handing out of goody bags to all the invitees
and participants.
Updates on some of the
winners at the Kaduna
Gameshow
Umar Saliu Abubakar (1 million naira won): I
Entertainment
will give a percentage of the money to God
and another percentage will be spent on my
academics. I will invest the remaining portion
in business. I hope to do something that
involves Etisalat. However, before I do that, I
will seek my parents’ advice.
Gerald John Egeonu (1 million naira won): I
will invest all my prize money in stocks. I don’t
intend to spend anything out of it.
Babatunde Coker (1.1 million naira won):
I have been paid and I am glad I had the
opportunity to win. I intend to invest my
money in Etisalat. I hope to become one of
the biggest Etisalat dealers in Kaduna.
Kabir K-2 (50,000 naira won): I will do
business with my money. It is not advisable to
be frivolous with this kind of money. I have
not yet decided on the kind of business I want
to get involved in, but I hope to come up with
a good plan.
naijaTimes 55
 Malaria, Africa’s
number one killer
By: Adedoyin Johnson

It was few minutes before mid-day when Kolawole Olukoya

ran into a friend at the Atan Cemetery at Yaba, Lagos. His
friend was attending the burial of a 24-year-old girl who died
of malaria. As a microbiologist, Olukoya could not believe that
in these modern times, people still die of malaria.

Malaria is a life-threatening parasitic disease transmitted by

mosquitoes, which has been troubling the African continent
for centuries. It was once thought that the disease came from
fetid marshes, hence the name mal aria, meaning bad air. In
1880, scientists discovered the real cause of malaria, a one-
cell parasite called plasmodium. Later they discovered that
the parasite is transmitted from person to person through
the bite of a female Anopheles mosquito, which requires
blood to nurture her eggs.

Today, approximately 40 percent of the world’s population,

mostly those living in the world’s poorest countries are
at risk of malaria. The disease was once more widespread,
but was successfully eliminated from many countries with
temperate climates during the mid 20th century. Now, malaria

56

is found throughout the tropical and sub-
tropical regions of the world and causes
more than 300 million acute illnesses and at
least one million deaths annually.
The vast majority of malaria deaths occur in
Africa, south of the Sahara, where malaria
also presents major obstacles to social and
economic development, even though it could
be controlled for a fraction of that sum.
There are several reasons why Africa
bears an overwhelming proportion of the
malaria burden. Most malaria infections in
Africa south of the Sahara are caused by
Plasmodium falciparum, the most severe
and life threatening form of the disease. This
region is also home to the most efficient, and
therefore deadly, species of the mosquitoes,
which transmit the disease. Moreover, many
countries in Africa lack the infrastructures
and resources necessary to mount
sustainable campaigns against malaria and as a
result few benefited from historical efforts to
eradicate malaria.
In Africa today, malaria is understood to
be both a disease of poverty and a cause
of poverty. Annual economic growth in
countries with high malaria transmission has
historically been lower than in countries
without malaria. Economists believe that
malaria is responsible for a growth penalty
of up to 1.3 percent per annum in some
African countries. When compounded over
the years, this penalty leads to substantial
differences in the Gross Domestic Product
between countries with and without malaria
and severely restrains the economic growth
of the entire region. Malaria also has a
direct impact on Africa’s human resources.
Not only does malaria result in lost life
and lost productivity due to illness and
premature death, but malaria also hampers
Health
children’s schooling and social development
through both absenteeism and permanent
neurological and other damage associated
with severe episodes of the disease.
Akin Sowunmi, a professor of science at the
University of Ibadan explains that there are
people who specialise in the treatment of
malaria and there are those who look at how
the body mounts up or defends itself against
malaria, and they can use the knowledge to
develop vaccines. Sowunmi explains that
malaria is caused by Plasmodium falciparum
and is transmitted by Anopheles gambiae
complex. According to him, efforts are being
made by specialists to control the sickness
while research is still on going for developing
anti-malaria drugs and vaccines for a better
understanding of the pathogenesis, vector
dynamics, epidemiology, and socioeconomic
aspects of the disease.
An international collaborative approach is
needed to build appropriate research in a
national context and to effectively translate
research results into practical applications
in the field. The Multilateral Initiative for
Malaria in Africa can combine all of the
above strategies to plan and coordinate
partnerships, networking, and innovative
approaches between African scientists and
their Northern partners.
One of the greatest challenges facing Africa
in the fight against malaria is drug resistance
says Lekan Adebanwo, a researcher.
Resistance to chloroquine, the cheapest and
most widely used anti-malarial, is common
throughout Africa particularly in the
southern and eastern parts of the continent.
“Resistance to sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine,
often seen as the first and least expensive
alternative to chloroquine, is also increasing
naijaTimes 57
 in east and southern Africa. As a result of
these trends, many countries are having
to change their treatment policies and use
drugs which are more expensive, including a
combinations of drugs, which it is hoped will
slow the development of resistance,” he says.
Adebanwo says a number of factors appear
to contribute to the resurgence of malaria
on the continent. A primary factor is
the rapid spread of resistance of malaria
parasites to chloroquine and the other
quinolines. Frequent armed conflicts and
civil unrest in many countries are forcing
large populations to settle under difficult
conditions, sometimes in areas of high
malaria transmission.
He adds that the present strategy for
malaria control, adopted by the Ministerial
Conference on Malaria in Amsterdam in
1992, is to prevent death, reduce illness, and
decrease social and economic loss due to
the disease. “Its practical implementation
requires two main tools: first, drugs for
early treatment of the disease, management
of severe and complicated cases, and
prophylactic use on the most vulnerable
groups of the population, particularly
pregnant women; second, insecticide-treated
nets for protection against mosquito bites.
Each tool has its own problems in regard to
field implementation,” he explains.
According to him, Chloroquine remains the
first-line therapy for malaria. However, the
58
alarming increase in resistance in eastern and
southern Africa requires that sulfadoxine-
pyrimethamine replace chloroquine as the
first-line drug. “Chloroquine remains the
drug of choice in most of sub-Saharan
Africa,” he adds.
MALARIA FACTS
There are at least 300 million acute
cases of malaria each year globally,
resulting in more than a million
deaths.
Malaria has been estimated to cost
Africa more than US$ 12 billion
every year
Around 90 percent of these deaths
occur in Africa, mostly in young
children.
Malaria is Africa’s leading cause of
under-five mortality (20 percent)
and constitutes 10 percent of the
continent’s overall disease burden.
It accounts for 40 percent of public
health expenditure, 30-50 percent of
inpatient admissions, and up to 50
percent of outpatient visits in areas
with high malaria transmission.
Source: www.rollbackmalaria.org

Mysterious
Shopper
M y experience this month occurred
by chance. On my way back home on a
Friday, after a long day at work, my husband
suggested we stop over to watch a movie.
This, on the surface seemed like a nice
romantic gesture, the reality however is that,
it was a suggestion borne out of the need to
avoid the Lekki Expressway traffic.
We both agreed to meet at the Silverbird
Galleria to watch the movie and
unfortunately, it was sold out. After having
a drink at the Galleria, we headed to the
other cinema on ‘the Island’ (that is, if you
fall within the category of Lagosians who
view Lekki as being on ‘the island’), Genesis
Deluxe Cinemas at the Palms Shopping Mall.
When we arrived at the cinema to our
amazement, I discovered that the ticket cost
N500 each instead of the usual N1000 or
N1500. It was great to discover that on
Fridays and Saturdays after 9pm, all movies
cost N500 and there is a Wednesday all day
bargain for N500! Furthermore, the ticketing
process was fast and efficient. The cinema
was not as rowdy as the first one we visited.
A quick tip for those who want a less rowdy
ambience, Genesis Deluxe is the place to be.
The queues at the popcorn stand were
orderly and they were not long and the
attendants were happy to provide mixed
popcorn (for those of us who like both
sugared and salted popcorn in the same bag).
The Shop
Now at this point I am basking (actually
swimming) in the euphoria of the fact that
our movie cost N500 each and the popcorn
queue did not guarantee lateness to the
movie.
My excitement was cut short when I walked
past the toilet. The stench that assailed us
was bad, no terrible. Words cannot describe
the stench that engulfed us. I could not help
but run into the cinema to avoid inhaling
the foul odour. I was so traumatised, that
after the movie ended, I had the presence of
mind to remember to hold my breath whilst
walking past that toilet, yet I did not actually
venture into the toilets.
What I also liked about watching a movie at
that hour was the fact that the cinema hall
was half full which was nice, there was no
random applause, unsolicited commentary
by others and the really irritating habit of
people chatting on their mobile phones
during the screening or worse, those really
annoying ring tones (if you need to listen to
Chris Brown please use your I pod, you don’t
impress me by waiting to get to the chorus
before you pick up your phone!)
In conclusion, I had a good evening out.
Check out their website which is quite
useful at www.genesisdeluxecinemas.com/
lekkilagos.html
My rating
Ambience: 8/10
Food experience (buying and
eating): 7/10
Movie experience: 8/10
Toilet: 0/10
naijaTimes 59
 How excited do you get when you think
of tasty luxurious ice cream especially on a
hot Saturday afternoon?
The Ice Cream factory is the place to go
to on such a day. Owned by Folusho and
Shade Ogunleye (yes, they are married),
customers have a choice of over 23
flavours of ice cream at any time when
they visit the shop. The ice cream offered
is all home made with approximately 70%
of the ingredients sourced locally. The
ice cream factory however, is not all
about ice cream, the menu also offers an
endless array of suitable complements, all
made in-house, such as- dessert crepes,
apple crumbles, belgian waffles, brownies,
cookies, and an array of cheesecakes and
muffins. Due to the growing coffee culture,
in Shade’s words, they also provide freshly
brewed coffee on the premises.
Folusho and Shade have not always
owned a business, until fairly recently
they were full time working professionals
based in the United Kingdom; Folusho,
an Economics graduate with an MA from
the University of Aberdeen, worked as a
Financial Analyst with British Petroleum and
Shell International for a number of years,
whilst Shade, a Chartered accountant with
a degree from the University of Kent at
Canterbury and an MSc. from the prestigious
London School of Economics and Political
Science, worked for a few years at the
British Broadcasting Corporation and the
Consensus Business Group.
Homemade ice cream at its best
60
The couple however, always nurtured plans
of moving home to own a business of their
own. It was not all smooth sailing though.
Initially they intended to bring in the Haagen
Dazs franchise to Nigeria upon discovering
that there was no Haagen Dazs shop in the
whole of Africa! However, their application
was to no avail since the interest in Nigeria
was not shared by Haagen Dazs, they then
considered and indeed approached a high end
South African ice cream brand, also to no avail.
The frustration associated with these initial
set backs led them to seek some direction
from God and eventually they decided on the
option of learning how to make their own ice
cream so that they could set up their own
shop without the need to pay any prohibitive
franchise fees. The initial set backs turned out
to be a blessing in disguise.
To gain the skills required in setting up such a
venture, Foluso and Shade attended a world-
class training programme on frozen dessert
production in the United States. After several
months of research and practice in their own
kitchen and random sampling with friends
and family, the ice cream factory was birthed.
Their belief is that the quality of the ice
cream speaks for itself and in Shade’s words,
The
Ice Cream
Factory
by Derin Adefulu

“though it is expensive to make ice cream
from scratch, especially using the ingredients
we use, it is worth it- since you can actually
taste the difference, we don’t use ice cream
powder mixes or artificial flavouring”.
The idea behind the name ice cream factory,
according to Folusho “was to get a name
that was catchy, simple and direct, which
immediately you hear, you think of a place
where ice cream is churned and makes you
want to get some ice cream”. In terms of a
target market, their belief is that ice cream
has a wide appeal and that almost everyone
has a sweet tooth locked up on the inside.
They try not to exclude any age group or
perceived target audience, everyone
is welcome.
“Their belief is that the quality of
the ice cream speaks for itself”
The Shop
Though the response to the opening of the
shop has been great in their words, they do
still face challenges. The major challenge in
running their business is infrastructure. The
nature of their business requires constant
electricity supply and due to the limited
power supply, they have had to invest in a
back up generator and an inverter. They also
plan to buy an additional generator due to
the appalling electricity supply. Expansion
plans for the shop include having a major
presence in every major city across Nigeria;
though in the short term, their focus is on
opening more branches in Lagos.
The ice cream factory is located at Plot
1613B, Omega Bank Avenue, Off Adeola
Hopewell Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Tel: 01-8780463
naijaTimes 61
 Not yet Uhuru for
Nigerian Education
by Adedoyin Johnson
St. Bernadette Grammar School, Oyo
State is a beehive of activities on an August
morning. Students run after a plastic ball
from one end of the expansive field to the
other. They are engrossed in their mini
football match unmindful of other activities
going on around them. The ding-dong sound
of a bell down the hallway and the cloudy
weather suddenly cut short their fun as they
scuttle back into their classrooms.
The classrooms at the school may not be a
friendly sight to behold for a first time visitor,
however the comportment of the students
that afternoon shows that they are used to
learning in classrooms with leaking roofs.
When the issue of Nigeria’s educational
system today is raised, the first set of
thoughts that come to mind are: a rapid
decline in standards, deterioration of
facilities, examination malpractices and the
mass promotion syndrome.
Badejo Adenipekun, an educationist, says
these problems call for an in-depth study and
analysis aimed at tutoring every stakeholder
in the education system on how their
actions and inactions have individually and
collectively contributed to the collapsing
state of education in Nigeria.
“Knowledge and skill acquisition which
education is all about cannot be over
emphasised,” he says. Successful development
entails more than investing in physical capital,
or closing the gap in capital. It also entails
acquiring and using knowledge as well as
closing the gaps in knowledge.”
62
In addition, to successfully confront the
challenges of development, he believes that a
developing country must acquire and adapt
global knowledge and create knowledge
locally, invest in human capital to increase the
ability to absorb and use knowledge and invest
in technology to facilitate both the acquisition
and absorption of knowledge.
Babs Fafunwa, a professor and former Minister
of education once defined education as: “the
aggregate of all the processes by which a child
or adult develops the abilities, attitudes and
other forms of behaviour which are of positive
value to the society in which he lives, that is to
say, it is a process of disseminating knowledge
either to ensure social control or to guarantee
rational direction of the society or both.”
Going by this definition in relation to the state
of education and its process in the country
today, as well as the attitude of its providers,
the state of the Nigerian educational system,
does not align with the vision of Fafunwa.
According to Femi Oyekunle, a student of
Computer Science at the Olabisi Onabanjo
University, Ago Iwoye, he does not have any
access to computers at school and all his
lectures are based on theory. “It is sad that I
cannot put to practice the theories I am taught in
class.There are few computers in the laboratory.
We don’t even have practical sessions. I thought
the school would provide some for us but that
seems like a dream,” he says.
Victor E. Dike is an assistant Professor of
Information Technology and in his opinion it is
pertinent for the government to understand
the role of modern information and
educational technologies in the educational
development of the nation. “Development-
conscious societies are constantly
restructuring, updating and equipping
their educational institutions with modern
technologies, but Nigeria is still lagging
far behind in acquiring the rudimentary
technologies for its educational institutions,”
he explains.
According to him, the engineering
departments of the nation’s tertiary
institutions sorely lack the basic tools for
effective teaching and learning. Thus, the
problems facing the nation today emanate
from the paucity of information and
educational technologies in the nation’s
citadel of learning from where ideas for
national development emanate. Therefore,
there is the need for modern information
and educational technologies at all levels of
Nigeria’s educational institutions.
Hence, employers of labour and teachers
are compelled to ask such questions as what
has actually gone wrong with the education
system considering the enormity of its effect
on the output from the system in the area
of productivity and the degree of acceptance
in the labour market and educational
institutions, especially outside the country.
The response, explains S.I Omofonmwan, a
lecturer at the Department of Geography and
Planning, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, will
be the militating factors stemming from the
incidence of examination malpractice, poor
facilities and indiscriminate mass promotion
syndrome in schools.
According to him, the causes of these could
be traced to the government’s insensitivity to
our education needs and the lack of the spirit
of hard work among students. “Unfortunately,
education in Nigeria is bisected with a
myriad of problems,” he says. “These include:
poor funding leading to poor educational
infrastructure, inadequate classrooms
and teaching aids (projectors, computers,
laboratories and libraries), paucity of quality
teachers and poor or polluted learning
environment.”
In addition to these inadequacies, he explains,
the school system is plagued with numerous
social vices such as examination malpractices,
cultism, hooliganism and corruption. However,
he says for a meaningful development to take
place in the educational sector, government
needs to re-address the issue of funding.
Adenipekun is of the opinion that private
educational investors, teachers, parents and
students need a re-orientation towards
achieving the goals of education. He adds that
education must be made affordable for all and
sundry and the current monolithic approach
to knowledge acquisition must be changed.
Technical education and innovation centres
must be encouraged and well funded, if
this nation must move out of this present
technological and scientific dependence.
Government and the organized private sector
must as well fund research programmes,
inventions and mass production of invented
products.
To this end, Bimpe Oyeleye, a secondary
school teacher says the foundation of a
good education is laid at the primary and
secondary school levels hence a good learning
environment and good infrastructure are
important for good education.
naijaTimes 63
64
 Directories

Sites Worth a Visit

www.fusionng.com
Fusion media presents the O twins

www.sleeknigeria.com
Hair and makeup at its best

www.lagostate.gov.ng
The official website of Lagos state

www.lcc.com.ng
The company executing the Lagos
infrastucture project along the
Lekki Peninsular

www.freedomfoundationng.org
A non governmental organisation
pioneering social reformation in Nigeria

naijaTimes 65
 Directory
Listings
Sinto & Biggie May Foods
Afro/European Hairstylists African Foods
721 Old Kent Road, London. 16C Market Row, Brixton, London.
020 76357340, 07863309258
07984385090

Domemerit Store
Barber D’s General Goods Store
Barbershop and Internet Café 396 Cold Harbour Lane, Brixton, London
4 Manor Park Parade, Lee High Road, 02077372958
Lewisham 07939933757

Naturally Nice Lace Fabrique Collection

Beauty Salon (Fabrics & Laces)
21 Rushcroft Road, Brixton 43 Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos
02077338891 08029461611, 01-7412651

The Chariot Blacker Dread

(Hotels & Hospitality)
2/4 Akinbolagbe Street,
Victoria Island, Lagos
01-2703651, 08023166834
www.chariot-group.com
Twice As Nice
(Shirts & Accessories)
55 Opebi Road, Ikeja, Lagos
08038491208t
Music Store
406 Cold Harbour Lane, Brixton
02072475095, 07956946495
Candor Foods Limited
(Food & Bakery products)
2 Olafuyi Close, Isale Haruna, Ifako, Lagos
08060802646

Katch A Fire
Fay Fashion Restaurant and Bar
Design and Tailoring 64-68 Atlantic Road, Brixton, London.
52 Granville Arcade, Brixton, London 07904280733
07828419894

66
naijaTimes 67
 One Naija is a results driven marketing and technology service
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68