October 2012 - Nigerian Watch

Transcription

E
E
FR
GOLD STARS
AFRICAN TIME
Unique
first for
Team
Nigeria
If we mean
business,
it’s time to
change
SAMUEL
KASAMU
The historic
change we
all missed
NIGERIAN WATCH
october 2012
monthly
to Inspire, Inform and Entertain
nigerianwatch.com
INSIDE
News
- International right to vote
campaign launched
- Why Amina’s making waves
- MPs release state of the
nation report on Nigeria
Features
- Adebayo Jones rocks NEL
awards ceremony
- Talking Drummer: Tony
Allen let’s rip on Afrobeats
Life & Style
- British Urban Film Festival
- Yam Day celebration and
Nigerian Carnival low-down
- All you need to know about
breast cancer
52 INDEPENDENCE
YEARS OF
The making of a great nation
Business & Property
- The perils of of not looking
behind the postcode
Education
- How the choose the best
school for your child
Sport
- Tensions mount over
Eagles’ AfCon decider
2
NIGERIAN WATCH
October 2012
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NEWSWATCH
The Meaning of Independence
I
n our 52nd year of Independence, the 1st of october
should, as every year, focus our minds on the meaning of
nationality and citizenship. It is important to do this as the
birth of our nation, via lord lugard’s amalgamation, was not
our forefathers’ choice. they found themselves bound
together by the demands and aspirations of a foreign power.
But, somehow, they grew to realise the importance of
“sticking together”. there have been many occasions where
this stickiness had been tested, must notably the Biafran War,
a touchy subject amongst us, but it has held firm.
But we must reflect on such matters. As the saying goes,
“show me your past and I will show you your future”. We
need to learn from our history, and deliberate upon the
meaning of Independence.
After all, what would be the point of Independence if not
utilised to better our nation and its rich
tapestry of people and cultures. Should
Freedom not be an outcome of
Independence?
maryanne Jemide, mD
NIGERIAN WATCH
Publishers
tevin Jemide
Victor omosevwerha
Publisher/Managing Director
maryanne Jemide
PR Director
Ilonka omosevwerha
Managing Editor
Jon hughes
Art Editor
Cathy Constable
Contributors
obah Iyamu
harriet ogbeide
AJ James
olubunmi otuyemi
lorenzo Banfii
Diana Agunbiade-Kolawole
Juliana oladipo
Fatimah ya-Fanah Kelleher
Ayo Akinfe
Chuk Ikéh
Chief Cartoonist
harold ogbeide
Office address
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Cover picture Getty
Lifeline for Urban star makers
Paul Martin, Chief Executive
Officer at Wandsworth Council
has pledged to work with Tony
Biola, founder of Urban Voice
UK – in a rejuvenated project to
benefit the lives of the disenfranchised youth of the borough.
Speaking at the first of 12
Youth Get Real sessions, Mr
Martin praised Mr Biola (pictured) for all the hard work he
has put in to engaging with the
borough’s youth since launching
Urban Voice 20 years ago.
And said the brough’s new
‘Aspirations Programme’, targeting 18-24 year-olds, would be delivered by the organisation –
staving off the threat of closure
following an 80% cut in the
group’s funding.
Highlighting some of the key
factors that contribute toward
children engaging in anti social
behaviours he said there should
By JULIANA OLADIPO
be an emphasis on “discovering
male role models in the society”,
as well as a “re-design of profoundly stupendous estates”,
which had become breeding
grounds for gangs.
“The councillors are ambitious,” said Mr Martin. “In 20
years time it will be better. We
admit that getting people involved can be difficult, which is
why we are holding sessions with
Urban Voice. People turn up.”
Tony
Biola
welcomed
Wandsworth Council’s commitment to work with the group.
“The youth need guidance, support and love at a time when
many people in society do not
want to provide it to them. Look
at what led to the riots. All of the
work we do is for young people.”
Urban Voice’s success stems
from holding classes and programmes tailored to appeal to
young people – using music industry training to deliver marketable and transferrable skills
and can boast JLS, Alexandra
Burke and Leona Lewis
amongst their alumni.
“We want to create a centre
full of empowerment training,
which will make young people
more engaged and more employable,” said Mr Biola.
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NEWSWATCH
NIGERIAN WATCH
October 2012
3
1M-NAME PETITION LAUNCHED
CALLING FOR RIGHT TO VOTE
In an unprecedented act of unity,
diaspora organisations from
around the world have joined
forces to demand the right to vote
in Nigeria’s elections.
The call is being led by organisations such as Nido (Nigerians in the
Diaspora Organisation), All Nigerian Nationals in the Diaspora and
Canuk.
The Nigeria Voting Rights Petition states, “I support a change in
the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to reflect the statement; ‘Every citizen of Nigeria, both
home and/or abroad, after attaining
the voting age shall have the right to
vote and to be voted for’.”
The petition was initiated by
Nido America (NidoA) after the
Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Judiciary,
Aminu Shehu Shagari, told a meeting there that he did not believe
Nigerians abroad would be able to
By AJ JAMES
vote in the 2015 elections.
This reportedly drew a sharp response from US Secretary to NidoA,
Chief Gabe Okoye, who pointed out
that the call for voting rights predated 2011 – when they had been assured that while it might not be
feasible for those elections, great efforts would be made to make it a reality by 2015.
Mr Okoye then proposed the 1mname petition, to support a memorandum sent earlier this year to the
House and Senate Committees on
Constitution Amendment, requesting
that every Nigerian of voting age
both at home and abroad have the
right to vote and to be voted for.
“I believe that no project can
unify us better than the fight for our
fundamental right to vote and to be
voted for,” Mr Okoye stresses on his
CANUK CHAIRMAN: Chief Bimbo Folayan
Roberts
NIDO AMERICA SECRETARY: Chief Gabe
Okoye
appeal for support.
He said the aim of the petition
was to gather at least one million signatures in support of the memorandum, to be presented during a public
hearing in Nigeria, scheduled to take
place toward the end of this month.
The Chairman urged parents to
make sure their children, over 18
years ld, sign the petition too.
He said, “After all, this fight is
also for their future. They should be
able to exercise their options as full
citizens of Nigeria, not as secondclass citizens.
“We are fully-fledged citizens of
Nigeria by constitutional definition
and it is not a crime to live outside
the borders of Nigeria, in search of
greener pastures. It is our right and
we must fight for it.”
The petition has the full backing
of Canuk and its chairman Chief
Bimbo Folayan Roberts.
“CANUK is supporting diaspora
voting because Nigerians in the UK
are very interested in contributing to
the political development in Nigeria,” Mr Roberts told Nigerian
Watch. “Nigeria boasts a couple of
MPs in the UK and has several Mayors, many councillors and constituency chairmen of political
parties. If they are good enough for
Britain, they are definitely good
enough for their own country.
“We believe that the starting
point to contributing to the development of democracy back home is
being given the right to vote.”
To sign the petition visit www.ourvotecounts.org
4
NIGERIAN WATCH
October 2012
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NEWSWATCH
Stars party on a night of
celebration for “progress”
Fashion designer Adebayo
Jones rocked – and
shocked – the house when
he burst into song while
presenting an award for
outstanding contribution to
fashion to Yemi Osunkoya
of Kosibah, who he said
could make anyone look a
million dollars with his
designs. It was just one of
many impromptu moments
that peppered the Nigerian
Entertainment
and
Lifestlye
Awards
at
Kensington’s Harrington
Hotel toward the end of
September.
Several hundred attended
the glittering ceremony that
brought together the emerging
talent and leading lights of the
creative industries working in
the UK.
After a summer of intense
activity showcasing Nigeria
dring the Olympics it was a
deserved celebration of
achievements. And this was
recognised in the opening
speech by Nigeria’s deputy
high commissioner to the UK
OK Lawal.
ADEBAYO JONES
Describing the awards as
“a showcase of the depth of
good things to come out of
Nigeria” he commended the
organisers and founders Sam
Onigbanjo and Seye Aina for
creating this opportunity.
“The creative industries is
a platform to show the rest of
the world that we have and are
doing a lot of good things,” he
said. We have to harness these
triumphs and talents, such as
those
we’re
celebrating
tonight to take Nigeria to the
next level.
“Nigeria is a fantastic
country,” he said, adding,
“When you have a good thing
an people misunderstand it, it
is always very painful.”
But, he continued, “In
spite of the challenges we face
take it from me Nigeria is
working and is on the right
path. Nigeria is going to work
because you and I have determined to make it work.”
To that end he commended
all the nominees and impressarios present. There were
more than 33 nominees for
these, the second NEL
awards.
Then it was down to business, with Tola ‘Wise Tola’
Onibanjo and Bidemi Alaran
FASHION MODELS: Designs from Amanda Rabor’s Isossy Children’s label
setting the tone for the
evening, being supremely professional, very warm and very
witty hosts.
Those handing out the
gongs included Nigeria’s ambassador to Paris Mrs Fayomi, footballer Stephen Sodje,
DJs Abass and Gabe, Richard
Taylor OBE, and Ambassador OK Lawal alongside the
irrepresible Mr Jones who not
only presented an award in
song but also received the
Special Recognition for best
Ambassador Award on behalf of fashion impressario
Lexy Mojo Eyes, CEO of
Legendary Gold, who beside
staging international fashion
shows around the world has
addressed the UN and served
on the committee of the
World Fashion Organisation,
which gives a hint at the level
of competition on the night
(see Award Winners).
The winners were all gracious and suitably shocked
and thankful for the recognition. Promoters Smade were
disbelieving to have travelled
so far, so quickly. “A few years
ago we were putting on club
nights, today we fill stadiums.” May7ven indicated the
level of commitment necessary when she was named
Breakthrough Artist.
“Ten years in the business
and I’m just breaking
through,” she said.
Throughout the night we
were regally entertained by
musicians including the scandalous Moe Logo, DL and
Saeon and a touch of high
glamour was added by a stunning fashion show from
Amanda Rabor’s Isossy Children’s label and the internationally acclaimed Femi’s
Handbags from designer
Femi Olayebi.
But, of course, a serious
AWARD WINNERS
BESt mAKE uP ArtISt
Clare Eluka
BESt mEDIA
PErSonAlIty
Rhoda Wilson
BESt FAShIon DESIGnEr
Lyze Bamigbola-Silas
Special recognition for
BESt nEWComEr In
CrEAtIVE ArtS
Damilola Oshilaja
MEDIA PERSONALITY: Rhoda
Wilson with her award
Special recognition for BESt BrEAKthrouGh ArtISt
yemisi may odegbami, aka may7ven
BESt BuSInESS
Smade entertainment set up by Junior Adeosun
BESt PlAyWrIGht
Ade Solanke
Special recognition for outStAnDInG ContrIButIon
to FAShIon
Yemi Osunkoya of Kosibah
Special recognition for BESt AmBASSADor AWArD
Lexy Mojo Eyes, CEo of legendary Gold.
BESt StuDEnt
Victoria Chi Chi Okafor reigning miss nigeria uK.
Final year student at Kingston university studying
nursing.
IntErnAtIonAl AWArD: Special recognition for
services to entertainment
Joseph Akinyemi
Johnson aka ‘Jaj’
ElECtronIC mEDIA
Jide Alabi
BESt ACtor
Wale Ojo
Jimmy Akinbola
Special recognition for
outStAnDInG
ContrIButIon to
mEDIA &
BroADCAStInG
Chief Mrs Julie Coker
and solid intent underpins the
awards – to create a network
and collective to advance the
creative industries working in
Nigeria and the diaspora.
“We want to recognise the
BEST ACTOR:
Wale Ojo receives his award
talents and make the creative
industry here more collective
and connected,” Ms Aina told
Nigerian Watch. “They are a
tool for progress – socially
and economically.”
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HARMONY AT PEACE WEEK DEMO
When hundreds of youths descend on a shopping mall, ordinarily you’d expect a chorus of
blues and twos. Especially on the anniversary
of the riots that rocked london last year.
But in Stratford City’s Westfield mall on 21
September it was a completely different story,
with the chorus being a joyous and resounding rendition of Oh Happy Day.
they had gathered as a part of an initiative
launched by the university Gospel Choir of
the year and yac ‘n’ Cay (youth Against Crime
not Crime Against you) to show young people in a more positive light, following their
being wrongly blamed for the riots.
“We want to show that young people can
gather together and pull off something truly
spectacular,” said toyin Idowu of yac ‘n’ Cay.
Conducted by mark De lisser, vocal coach
for the Voice television programme, the
young choristers certainly achieved that.
Talking doll hopes to keep cultures alive
rooti Creations uK have invented a line of dolls
which can speak many ethnic languages in a bid
to improve the native tongue of nigerian and
African children growing up in Britain.
the doll which retails at £45 is styled to resemble young kids from particular African countries and each
selective model
can communicate
in yoruba, Igbo,
hausa, Ibibio, Edo,
tiv and many
other
nigerian
languages.
Founder Chris
ngoforo (left) was
inspired to create
the
collection
when he noticed his children were struggling to
pick up their Igbo dialect.
“After only a few years of joining the education system in this country my wife and I realised my daughter could not speak a word of
Igbo. We now asked ourselves can we design a
doll that resembles them, that looks like them
and can educate them? rooti Dolls took a while
to conceive but we knew that the market was
crying out for it.”
the educational fashion doll had been under
construction since 2009 and following various
trips to the production line in China – the pioneering tool has finally been unveiled.
“Everybody we meet absolutely adores the
product and nigerian parents
living in the uK know of its
importance.” he continued, “Due to the flooding
of positive feedback, we
are hoping to expand the
line to include dolls that
can translate Polish, romanian, russian and hungarian as we are aware
there is a big mix of nigerian children living in eastern Europe.”
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October 2012
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NEWSWATCH
DIASPORA CAN BRING “REAL CHANGE” TO NIGERIA, REPORT SAYS
The UK diaspora is a ‘great resource’
MPs on the All Party
Parliamentary Committee
on Nigeria have released a
state of the nation report to
parliament, entitled Young
Democracy, writes AJ
James.
One of its key conclusions
is that the diaspora has a critical role to play in consolidating
and building on the reforms already underway in Nigeria.
The report describes the diaspora “as a great resource in
terms of skills, education and
ideas”. It continues, “Nigeria’s
international partners that host
large diaspora groups and are
interested in supporting development and reform efforts
would greatly benefit from effective engagement of these diaspora organisations and
individuals.”
Canuk, the umbrella organisation for Nigerian groups in
the UK, and the many individ-
uals and organisations already
involved in a variety of projects
back home “be it in business,
health or education” are identified.
be brought to specific communities in specific areas.”
And it recommends to the
government that a more effective engagement with these
MEG HILLIER MP: Chair, All Party Parliamentary Group on Nigeria
“If supported in the UK
and other host countries to
connect similar efforts and link
up with effective local partners
in Nigeria, real change could
groups and individuals would
pay dividends.
“Bolstering Nigerian civil
society is one of the areas
where the diaspora has shown
CRISIS OF YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT
Youth unemployment in Nigeria is at critical
levels, the report says, with as many as 20-30
million not in work. The National Bureau of
Statistics say 23.9% of Nigeria’s population is
not working.
This is leading to “deep and growing antipathy towards Nigeria’s ruling elites”, the report
warns.
While reluctant to draw concrete conclusions
about a link between unemployment and poverty
and internal insecurity and conflict, in the absence of credible data, “there was common
agreement that problems of militancy in the
Niger Delta, radicalistaion in the North and
criminal activity more generally, cannot be un-
derstood without reference to lack of opportunity for Nigeria’s youth.”
Part of the problem stems from a “skills defecit”. Many of the senior officials the MPs met
“lamented the decline in education standards
and skills provision”.
The report states, “One of the most harmful
costs of a turbulent history and poor governance has been a lack of investment in people.
This has had far-reaching ramifications not only
for individuals but for Nigeria’s institutional capacity and management of its resources.”
It concludes it is the interests of Nigeria’s international partners, including the private sector, to contribute to narrowing the skills gap.
signs of significant engagament and could further assist if
invited to do so,” the report
says. “Community engagement
is essential to ensuring that
government top-down reform
efforts actually work.”
It identifies an evident vacuum and disconnect between
the ruling elites from their communities, which leaves them
“exposed to the machinations
of those in positions of power –
both formal and informal” –
the latter being a reference to
Boko Haram, which the MPs
note is a splintered organisation, albeit one that grew out of
legitimate grievances.
“It is crucial that civil society in Nigeria is active, robust
and credible: Nigeria needs a
civil society that can put pressure on the system when and
where needed in a constructive
and informed way.”
It exemplifies how this can
work. The APPG delegation to
Nigeria visited Gwam Community’s Primary School in
Paikoro Local Government
Area, Niger state, in which the
community has become more
engaged since 2009 through a
school board management
committee.
The report says, “This has
given the community a greater
understanding of the running
of the school through budget
tracking, monitoring of activities and engagament with the
administration.”
As a result fundraising efforts, with government support, have seen the school
rEPort BrIEFS
lagos potholes
Chi onwurah mP, who worked in nigeria 2001-3, was “refreshingly suprised” when he returned to attend the Ehingbeti 2012 conference. Whereas driving along Victoria Island’s
roads used to be perilous and slow, today he found the journey quick and smooth “with potholes no more visible than
in many uK towns”. the Eko hotel had been refurbished with
a conference centre and a “focus on business and communications, which was not there before”. And finally he was
“very impressed by the breadth and depth of the skillset on
display at the conference”.
Women and change
Following a visit to niger State College meg hillier mP was
dismayed to learn that young women on scholarships were
being encouraged not to seek to change too much on return
to their villages. “We were told that there was a fear that
community elders and the young women’s husbands and fathers would not want women trained as teachers if they
came back with aspirations that clashed with local culture.”
the goal is to secure more women teachers but “the above
example shows how difficult such change is”.
mangoes from minna
In minna mr onwurah bought 12 mangoes for 50 naira (c
20p). In Abuja you would typically pay 50 naira. In hackney,
he notes, one would cost about 80p. he describes this as an
“interesting lesson in agro-economics”. the price from minna
to Abuja went up 10 times, importing to the uK their price
could rise fourfold. they never arrive, however, as it is
cheaper to import from further afield, Brazil or Pakistan.
developed, the enrolment of
girls increase and the introduction of adult education classes.
“It is an example of community action that gives people
a stake in and control over
change”.
At the other end of the
scale it cites January’s fuel
protests as an example of what
an effective civil society can
achieve.
“The January fuel price
strikes and protests made evident the potential for civil society to influence government
and bring about change,” the
report says. “
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NEWSWATCH
PREMIERE
LONDON-MADE NOLLYWOOD
MOVIE IS TALK OF THE TOWN
On Wednesday 17 October, 2012, the
world famous Empire Cinema in Leicester
Square will witness a unique collaboration
of a Nigerian/British production with the
world premiere of the much anticipated
movie Amina.
UK industry insiders are describing the
movie as possessing real crossover potential and a film that can elevate and redefine
Nollywood to become more widely recognised within mainstream cinema,” says the
influential Netflix website. “Films made
by experienced Nigerians living in the UK
now represent a valuable addition to both
the UK and Nigerian movie industries.”
Amina is a psychological drama featuring Nollywood stars Omotola JaladeEkeinde and Van Vicker alongside British
actors Wil Johnson, Vincent Regan and Alison Carroll.
“I am thrilled to be part of this production,” said Wil Johnson. “I believe this
story will resonate strongly with British
African-Caribbean audiences and beyond.
I hope that Amina will cross over and connect with audiences all over the world, because of its universal themes.”
“It’s my hope that Amina will highlight
the co-production opportunities and benefits between the UK and Africa,” said the
film’s director Christian Ashaiku.
Told in flashback, Amina is about the
life of a gifted young woman (Omotola
Jalade-Ekeinde) who suffers a breakdown
and finds herself in a mental hospital. Only
one person can help Amina, her doctor
(Wil Johnson), but he must overcome his
own demons before he can help Amina
confront her past.
NIGERIAN WATCH
October 2012
7
2012 CARNIVAL IS NOT TO BE MISSED
We know who you are – you’re readers of Nigerian
Watch. you are proud of your culture and heritage.
So we’ll be seeing you at nigerian Carnival at Kennington Park in south london on Saturday 20 october, from mid-day. Always a major event, this year’s
Carnival promises to be bigger and better, as it is
being held in the month that marks nigeria Independence and Black history month. there will be a
Kidz Zone, pop-up nollywood cinema, a host of
bands and performers from nigeria and within the diaspora, and scores of stalls, promoting traditional
food and culture. Be there! We will.
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NEWSWATCH
NIGERIAN WATCH
October 2012
9
The SAM KASUMU Column
UK Nigerian makes history
– did anyone notice?
On the morning of Tuesday 4
September I left Westminster
Station and headed to Downing
Street, for what would be a
defining day for UK politics.
When walking past Theresa
Villiers MP on her bike I should
have realised that this day would
be like no other. She wore a big
smile and said, ‘Hello, Samuel’,
and I recall thinking she isn’t
usually this pleased to see me.
I soon found out that she had just
been promoted to the cabinet as the
new Secretary of State for Northern
Ireland. I then headed through the
gates of Number 10, passed the BBC’s
Nick Robinson, and could feel the excitement in the air instantly. This was
of course the day that the Prime Minister reshuffled his Ministers in parliament. As promoted MPs left with
bright smiles following their respective
promotions, I was going for a meeting
to discuss how the ongoing challenge
of the Conservative Party’s engagement with ethnic minority communities can be overcome.
What has only occurred to me now
as I write my monthly column is that
this September day was one of the
most historic days for the UK Nigerian population in Britain – for this was
the day the first ever Minister of
thE GrEAt
DEBAtE
tour
october is a big month for me as
it signals the start of the annual
tour that I chair. the Great Debate
tour (GDt) is the largest tour targeting ethnic minority communities. We’ll be all over the uK
during a six week period discussing topics most relevant to the
BmE community. to check when
we’re in your city or if you’d like
to host a debate visit our website
www.GreatDebatetour.co.uk . PS.
my new book ‘Winning the race’
is now available on Amazon. Do
grab a copy and let me know
what you think!
The important thing to
Nigerian heritage was appointed. Step tives have gone from having just two
forward Helen Grant, MP for Maid- to 11 ethnic minority Members of also remember is that just
stone and The Weald in Kent, who Parliament in the 2010 general elec- because someone looks
tions, while the more like you doesn’t mean
was given the
Liberal Democ- that they will have the capacunique position
rats still have no ity to represent you any betof being a MinUnfortunately
ethnic minority ter.
ister with not
parliamentari- Parliament today is full of
one but two
ans at all. Yes, less Bernie Grants and more
portfolios.
Labour does David Lammys.
Helen’s faThere are more African
have Nigerian
ther is a NigerC h u k a & Caribbean Parliamentariian and she
Umunna as a ans who feel their colour is
grew up in a sinmember of the something that they would
gle
parent
shadow cabinet, rather is not noticed as they
household in
but when you’re climb up the greasy poll. But
Carlisle.
She
in opposition it I would reckon they do
was made both
is far easier to themselves a disservice to
the Under Secpropel people to think such a thing. No one
retary of State
the top. It will should be ashamed of any
for the Ministry
take a little part of their identity, and
for Justice, and
while longer for anyone elected must appreciate the polls, but I reckon this will be very
Minister
for
the Prime Min- multiple responsibilities that come short lived. The economy will not be
Women
&
in this adverse position indefinitely
ister’s moderni- with holding such high office.
E q u a l i t i e s . HELEN GRANT MP Elevated to two offices,
responsible for justice and woman and equality
It’s now nearly one month since the and hopefully some of the radical resation agenda
These are key
to fully actu- reshuffle and time to look ahead to forms of this government will begin to
areas of interest
to many black Britons and I would alise, and this reshuffle is certainly a what we can expect for British politics. be more effectively communicated to
Labour are currently ahead in the minority communities.
hope that in the years to come she will step in the right direction.
be seen to have done a great job.
Mrs Grant is certainly a political
high flyer who is destined for the top.
Elected in 2010, she replaced Ann
Widdecombe, a former female Conservative heavyweight, and was previously involved with the Centre for
Social Justice. Grant is a lawyer by
profession, and is interestingly a former member of the Labour party.
There were other key promotions
for ethnic minority MPs. Ghanaian
MP Sam Gyimah was made Parlia- IT’S THAT TIME OF THE YEAR AGAIN when en- where it is estimated that between one and three million
mentary Private Secretary to the tertainment entrepreneurs execute their great money- people lost their lives during horrific scenes of violence.
Prime Minister; Baroness Warsi was making schemes in the name of celebrating the freedom This is the story of the nation that should and must be
moved to a Senior Ministerial posi- of our forefathers.
told to our children if we are to truly respect the heroes
tion for the Commonwealth; and
Raves, t-shirts, comedy nights and the like are proof our past. Instead, here in the UK we’re handed flyers
Alok Sharma, MP for Reading, was moted across the country as we are all encouraged to cel- and told to take our pick of which entertainment venue
made Vice Chairman of the Conser- ebrate Nigerian Independence. Please forgive the to visit. Something has surely gone wrong.
vative Party, with a focus on ethnic cynicism, but I wonder just how many of us actually take
Unfortunately this 1 October is likely to take the same
minority engagement.
stock during this time of the year to truly remember what form as the last few years. I hope for a future Nigerian
Of course we technically now have this moment actually signifies.
Independence that is far more focused on where the
a cabinet that has no ethnic minorities
On 1 October, 1960, Nigeria gained independence fol- country has come from and what is currently being done
within it. For this to be the case in the lowing a significant period of time where they battled in the country. Faith and community groups need to do
21st century following an Olympic against the colonial rulers of the British Empire. Many their part in telling the true stories of the struggles for
games that celebrated our country’s people died in this struggle to liberate this part of West independence across Africa, and various black media
diversity is quite significant. Simon Africa, whose name derives from the British simply com- outlets must also play their part.
Woolley, director of Operation Black bining the words ‘Niger’ and ‘Area’.
It is only then that we will be able to measure just how
Vote, has been particularly vocal
Independence brought with it great struggle and many much progress we have made, and how we in the Diasabout his anger at this state of affairs, more lives were taken as this new democracy was at- pora can do more. Independence must return to being a
but I take a more pragmatic view.
tempting to find its feet. The most famous of these po- moment for true reflection, as it only happens once a year.
The reality is that the Conserva- litical moments of unrest was of course the Biafran War,
Happy Nigerian Independence!
We must stop pimping
our Independence Day
10
NIGERIAN WATCH
October 2012
WORLDWATCH
@NigerianWatch
EDUCATION
Dragon lights a fire in Nigeria
Red Cross
through boot camps and eOne of the former stars of
By AJ JAMES
learning support.
the UK television series The
“Our remit is to drive ecoDragon’s
Den
Doug
Richards has been weaving his magic among nomic growth by helping them to stimulate the
young entrepreneurs in Nigeria and describes economy,” Mr Richards explained, adding,
it as one of the most rewarding things he’s “Nigeria has the potential to be Africa’s entrepreneurial superpower.”
ever done.
CLIMATE
“It’s been tremendous,” Mr Richards told
Nigerian Watch. “I have loved every minute of
being in Nigeria. The willingness to learn and
create has been astonishing.”
Mr Richards’ involvement in Nigeria is
through his School for Start-Ups, which delivers
accelerated learning programmes, on such issues
as project management, and ongoing mentoring
Regions left devastated by floods
Floods in eastern and central Nigeria have
killed more than 130 people and displaced
some 100,000 since the beginning of July.
The latest loss of life (at the time of going
to press) occurred in central Nigeria’s
Plateau State after heavy rainfall caused a
dam to overflow near the city of Jos.
Nigeria’s seasonal floods usually cause
havoc in poor and rural areas where there is
no proper drainage but what the country is
currently experiencing is being decribed as a
100 year event.
The BBC explained that although
Nigeria has been hit by a series of deadly
floods in recent years, such deluges are
unusual in the mountainous city of Jos.
One resident told the corporation heavy
rain began to fall on Sunday evening and
that many of his livestock had been washed
away. It also carried reports of a woman who
lost six of her eight children in the floods.
Another is quoted as saying, “Our house
has been washed away. The water has carried
the food meant for the fasting period. We do
not have food.”
Efforts to deliver aid to the region are
underway but because of the flooding this is
proving logistically difficult.
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nigeria’s media is losing patience over the
mystery surrounding the health of the first
lady, Patience.
the president’s wife was whisked out of
the country for medical treatment in September but no one knows why. there is, however, much speculation. theories range from
complications following an acute appendicitis
to a failed tummy tuck.
the government are stonewalling inquiries. While the questions may seem intrusive the journalists are arguing it is
legitimate to ask what conditions can’t our
hospitals treat?
The project aims to do this by enabling
young people to launch their own small businesses. “There are far more educated people in
the country than there are opportunities for –
so this programme aims to harness those skills.”
Mr Richards’ became involved in Nigeria
after accompanying Prime Minister David
Cameron on a trade mission to the continent.
On explaining his ideas he was invited to launch
his school by the Federal Ministry of Finance
and the UK’s department for international development to be part of the Youth Enterprise
with Innovation in Nigeria (YouWin!) scheme –
which aims to creat 50,000 jobs by 2015.
“We have 38 people on the ground and we
have had over 1,200 people pass through this
year so far, and another intensive training period is set to start shortly,” Mr Richards told
Nigerian Watch. “Just imagine how consequential that will be for employment.”
In the coming weeks the first group of entrepreneurs will receive visits from their mentors
and if they can show their business is going to
plan will be awarded a second tranche of pumppriming money.
When they completed their studies a graduation ceremony was held and addressed by President Goodluck Jonathan who praised the
initiative and students for being in the vanguard
of change. “Unemployment among our youth
is one of our biggest challenges. The time has
come to create jobs [and] lay a new foundation
for Nigeria’s economic growth,” he told them.
Meanwhile Mr Richards hopes others will
follow his lead. “My experience has been nothing but positive. Despite all the negativity about
Nigeria it has proved not to be corrupt so I hope
more businesses will engage with Nigeria.”
Students of the school boot camps range
from start-ups through to pre-existing enterprises that are looking to expand.
To get accepted by the schools students had
to go through a Dragon’s Den process, showing
their ideas were innovative and unique, could
show projected growth and a rate of return, had
potential for sustainable job creation and were
feasible and practicable given local contexts.
The second intake of students will be determined in the coming weeks.
12
NIGERIAN WATCH
October 2012
@NigerianWatch
GISTWATCH
Madam Amebo
DANGEROUS
APPOINTMENTS
lEAVInG london to take up a political appointment within your state might be a good career
move, and great for your bank balance, but it
could be bad news for your relationship.
recently, a certain gentleman in thamesmead received a call from his state governor,
who was a long-time friend, to come and head
a parastatal. Elected last year, the governor
launched the parastatal as part of an ambitious
reformation agenda and thought the best person to head it was someone from the diaspora
with international experience.
our friend took up the offer and left for
nigeria, leaving his wife and three children in
southeast london. A few weeks ago, however,
a surprise foreign trip came up and he was
asked to accompany the governor at the last
minute.
With no time for phone calls or emails to
alert his wife that he was on his way to london, our friend hurriedly joined the entourage
and as soon as they were settled into their Park
lane hotel, he decided to pay his family a sur-
prise visit. he arrived at the house at mid-day
when the kids were at school, hoping to spend
some time alone with his wife.
unfortunately for him, one of his neighbours had similar ideas. on witnessing the
sight, our friend said nothing and immediately
returned to his hotel. he is looking for a new
wife in naija now.
HOTEL ROOMS CAN BE
SO BORING
It is no secret that when nigerian government
officials come to london, they have the time of
their lives, making the maximum use of the
large estacodes they receive.
Accommodated in plush hotels, all expenses
paid, they are never short of attractive young
ladies willing to come and stay with them for
the duration of their trips.
one visiting state commissioner recently received such a call from a pretty lady and decided to take up her offer.
however, as soon as they were they settled
into his double suite, he received a call from the
uK foreign office that there was a function that
I J E V E
night and he needed to be there. our commissioner left, telling the lady to make herself feel
at home, saying that he should be back in
about four hours time.
Bored and alone with nothing to do for four
hours, the lady decided to ring her boyfriend
to come and keep her company. unfortunately
for her, however, the foreign office function
was just a presentation that lasted 30 minutes.
our commissioner returned within an hour
and he opened his hotel room door to funny
noises. not wanting to create a scene that
would lead to a scandal, he quietly went
downstairs to the hotel bar and waited.
When they came down after three hours, he
promptly told the lady to pack her belongings
and leave.
PHONE SWAP STING
loSInG your mobile phone is a nightmare that
no one wants to go through, as apart from the
fact that you are left incommunicado, you also
lose all your contacts. however, there can be
more complications to the matter.
A young man from northwest london recently lost his phone on the tube and eager to
help, his girlfriend offered him her spare one
temporarily. two weeks later, london underground rang our friend to say they had found
his phone and asked him to come and collect
it. he promptly did so and returned his girlfriend’s phone to her.
unfortunately, for him, he did not tell everyone he rang or sent text messages to on it to
desist from contacting him on that number any
more. After three days of incessant text messages and phone calls, the girlfriend had had
enough and asked the young man to move out
of her flat.
Challenged with irrefutable evidence, our
friend had no option but to oblige. he has
vowed never to borrow a phone again.
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124-126 Church Elm Lane Dagenham RM10 9RL
Telephone 020 8595 6114
Email [email protected]
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What we do
Fabric sales. Bespoke Tailoring. Wedding & Evening Dresses.
Prom & Cocktail Dresses. Alterations. Haberdashery
SoCIAl media can be a great thing, as it allows
you to keep in touch with interesting people.
Facebook in particular is wonderful, as it allows
you to take a sneaky peak at your friends’ and
other people’s profiles.
one Peckham lady, sick and tired of the lack
of attention she was getting from her husband
decided to create a pseudo Facebook account
and start flirting. one thing led to another and
within a fortnight, she had found a boyfriend
and they had arranged a date at a restaurant.
Arriving 10 minutes late, she was about to
park when she saw her husband’s vehicle in the
car park. She did an immediate about turn and
deleted her Facebook account as soon as she
got home. luckily for her, no phone numbers
or email addresses had been exchanged.
on reflecting on it, she started to appreciate
how much her and hubby shared in common.
It was no coincidence they had the same passions, hobbies, likes and appetites.
From then on, she stuck to her personal
Facebook account and steered clear of any
more dilly-dallying on social media sites.
Everyday for the
thief, one day for
the owner – part 5
having discovered from her nemesis
Bimbo that the cause of all her woes was
her husband – the man she had served jail
time for – mrs G became scarily calm…
m
rs G stayed calm and thought of
only one thing, “revenge”. She
made sure she kept her eyes and
ears open with regards to mr G’s business
dealings. She carefully played her cards
right and got involved again with some of
his transactions, which she had stopped
doing after she came out prison.
She handled most of his large transactions,
with funds channelled to offshore accounts
under an alias name. mr G felt very happy
that his wife was back in business with him.
But little did he know mrs G had a plan. For
mr G, the most trustworthy person in his life
was his faithful wife, who he knew would go
to prison for him and their daughter.
mrs G’s 40th birthday was close approaching and mr G went on the rampage, inviting
not only his close friends, who were also in the
game, but also all the movers and shakers of
society. mr G’s cover to these society folk was
that he was a property developer, so he had
ministers and commissioners on the guest list.
nollywood and Afrobeats artists were also invited. ‘All for mrs G,’ he thought to himself. ‘I
want to show the world that this is my wife
and my number one. I want everyone to know
that this woman is my rock and she will always
stand by me, come rain come shine.’
on that glorious day, a lot of cows, goats
and chicken met their end, as there was no
holding back on the food, drinks and entertainment. the dress theme was an all white
party and it was an amazing sight with
guests coming dressed from head to toe in
white. most of the guests rolled up in white
cars to add to the glamour. one major player
had white rose petals sprinkled on the
ground for him and his wife to walk on. In
the marquee where the event was being
held, there was no other colour but white to
be seen, apart from the red carpet.
mrs G watched through her bedroom window as the guests arrived. She was deep in
her thoughts, wondering when she will get
her opportunity to exact revenge on her husband. At times she felt she should let it go
and enjoy the life she is living, with everything she wants at her disposal. then she has
flashbacks, to what she went through in
prison and what Bimbo put her through.
Every time she thought about how it was her
so-called darling husband who gave Bimbo
the ammunition to torment her life, she grits
her teeth and says to herself she must see this
through to the end.
To be continued…
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NIGERIAN WATCH
October 2012
YOURWATCH
13
Letters to the Editor
We’d love to hear from you. You can make sure Nigerian Watch is your kind of paper by letting us
know what you think, what you want to see in these pages and equally important what you don’t.
So put pen to paper and send your letters to:
the Editor, nigerian Watch, Chartwell house, 292 hale lane, Edgware,
middlesex hA8 8nP
or click away on your keyboard and email us at: [email protected]
Letters to be included in the next issue must be received by no later than October 20. The Editor
regrets that anonymous letters cannot be published. Please include your full name, postal address
and contact telephone number. Names and addresses can be withheld, if preferred.
Letters may be edited for publication.
Minding the culture gap
I first of all want to congratulate Samuel Kasumu on his first column in Nigerian Watch
(Are British Nigerians winning the race?, September 2012).
His column highlighted the sad fact that
many second and third generation migrants
struggle to value their own communities, as
Nigerian culture and customs have slowly been
eroded within our families over the course of
time. It would be easy to point the finger at the
previous generation(s). However, the many societies that connect the older generation are
proof that it is possible to retain a sense of
Nigerian identity.
The challenge is how the younger generation
can do the same. We must accept that society
changes and with it people’s attitudes. While
strict Nigerian values and traditions work for
the older generation, it is for the younger generation to make them work in our modern-day
society. If this is done in a way that respects
both Nigerian and British culture, and with a
little bit of leniency from the older generation, I
hope that our children will embrace their Nigerian background, feel grounded and thrive.
ternational) corporations able to foot the bill.
Having said that, I believe the expansion of
the service is a very positive step in the right direction. After all, the air ambulance will enable
corporations to better look after their employees, surely something that won’t go unnoticed
among foreign investors, which will help everyone in the long run.
Victoria Adenike, Edgware
Twitter feedback
What’s wrong with air ambulances for the 1%,
never mind WB figures. Most do not have access to medicines.
@Nigeriawhatsnew
UK doctor wants to expand Nigeria’s air ambulance…;) start with road ambulances?
@nighealthwatch
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Hidden benefits of flying doctors
On reading your online news article about Flying Doctors Nigeria (UK doctor wants to expand Nigeria’s air ambulance service, 16
September) I couldn’t help wondering whether
ordinary Nigerians would benefit from the service. The service currently in place seems to be
mainly reserved for wealthy individuals and (in-
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14
NIGERIAN WATCH
September 2012
COMMENTWATCH
@NigerianWatch
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COMMENTWATCH
NIGERIAN WATCH
September
October 2012
15
For Nigeria, the lasting legacy from London 2012 has to be an end to the
traditional belief that labels disabled children witches, urges utibe Ikot
Paralympians expose ‘witches’ myth
Last month Nigeria’s Paralympic athletes
competed in London. Unlike their Olympic
counterparts, who had no medal to show for
their efforts, these athletes won a total of
13 medals; six gold, five silver and two
bronze, exceeding the nine medals won at
the Beijing games in 2008. Athletes from
across the world, with a range of disabilities
competed in a London Paralympic Games
that set records for sporting achievement
and public appreciation.
However, in parts of Nigeria, some people
believe that disabled people are cursed or possessed by witchcraft rather than being affected
by ailments, which can easily be explained by science and modern medicine. This belief is primarily caused by the inability of local communities
to give and/or accept rational explanations for
medical conditions such as polio, autism,
epilepsy, and Downs’ syndrome. Ailments such
as these are thus attributed to malignant supernatural forces – otherwise known as witchcraft.
The situation is further aggravated by high
levels of illiteracy and poverty, which limits the
access of local communities to qualitative health
care and education. Many communities still resist immunisation, making their children more
vulnerable to medical conditions like polio. The
influence of misguided religious beliefs caused
by misinterpretation of the scripture further entrenches the superstition among the people.
An increasing number of children in the
Niger Delta – as in other parts of Sub-Saharan
Africa – are being accused of being child
‘witches’. The deeply held belief in and fear of
child witchcraft cuts across all tiers of society
and is further fuelled by numerous so-called pastors in the region, who are wrongly branding
children as ‘witches’ mainly for economic self
gain and personal recognition. Many cases of
children accused of witchcraft have also been
documented in Angola and Congo, however,
until 10-20 years ago it was largely women and
the elderly who were accused.
The consequence of the peddling of these beliefs is devastating for the children affected, as
the fate of suspected child witches can result in
their being abandoned and ostracised from the
community, taken to the forest and slaughtered,
disgraced publicly and murdered, bathed in acid,
poisoned to death, buried alive and/or chained
and tortured in churches in order to extract a
confession.
The Stepping Stones Nigeria Child Empowerment Foundation (SSNCEF) was established
to combat the trend of child stigmatisation and
abandonment in the Niger Delta of Nigeria. A
non-profit, non-governmental organisation, part
funded by the STARS Foundation, SSNCEF
works to empower stigmatised, abused, and
street children such as six-year-old Emilia.
Emilia developed a hunch on her back and
experienced pains in her back, knee and waist.
Community and family members attributed the
hunch back to her brother and his friend, whom
they believed are infested with the witchcraft
spirit. The two boys were lynched by villagers to
the point of death when an SSNCEF volunteer
intervened. He was able to calm the crowd and
took the boys to a temporary centre where they
were safe, and received immediate medical treatment and care.
To prove to this community and the members
of her family that their accusations were based
on false albeit traditional beliefs, SSNCEF took
Emilia for a medical check-up at the Teaching
Hospital in the State capital. Test results indicated that she had an abnormal growth in her
chest area and she was immediately referred to
an orthopaedic department, where further tests
were carried out and she was diagnosed with tuberculosis of the spine, an illness that requires
long-term treatment. Emilia was immediately
treated at the Primary Health Centre close to
where she lives so that she could easily receive
drugs and treatment.
Barely four months since the start of Emilia’s
treatment, she is completely free from all forms
of pain. The hunch at her back is gradually disappearing; she talks, jumps, plays, laughs, and
sleeps with ease unlike before. Community
members, perplexed about her sudden improved
health status, have been re-educated. Her
mother’s former landlord said, “We used to
think that hunch back is a mysterious disease to
believe there is gold inside the hunch. Emilia’s
case has proven that a hunch back is purely a
medical case that can be treated.”
Emilia, who was unwanted and believed to be
cursed is now hopeful and positive because of
her improved health status. She is thriving under
the loving care of her mother and siblings, as
they now see her as a blessing instead of a curse.
Emilia is now back in school and very happy.
As we continue to look back on a tremendous Paralympic games in London, SSNCEF is
looking to ways in which sport can help the children we work with. For instance, to mark the International Day of the African Child on June 16,
2012, SSNCEF organised an informal football
game for street children in Oron, followed by a
group discussion about the day for the celebration of the African child. The aim is to inspire a
change in perception and treatment of street
children so that they too receive the protection
and opportunities which all children deserve.
Looking different to other children can mean
that people looking for an explanation often
label them as witches. Instead of the child getting
the support and care they so richly deserve, they
are often hidden from view, prevented from attending school, or in the worst cases beaten, tortured and abandoned to survive on the streets.
The belief that physical or mental disability is a
sign of witchcraft must be challenged now so
that no more children suffer these abuses.
It is vital that the Nigerian government acts
now to educate the public about the nature of
disability and to make sure that people understand it properly. Nigeria’s superb participation
in the Paralympic Games is an excellent opportunity to kickstart this. Communities need to receive specific education in order to demystify the
common medical conditions and diseases that
are considered to be signs of witchcraft.
Greater effort must be made to increase public awareness of the wide range of negative effects that witchcraft stigmatisation has on a
disabled person’s enjoyment of their rights and
appropriate, effective and sensitive systems put
in place to encourage and enable disabled people
to attain their potentials, including regulation of
churches that promote the belief in witchcraft.
Utibe Ikot is the Acting Programme Director,
Stepping Stones Nigeria Child Empowerment
Foundation; www.ssncef.org
16
NIGERIAN WATCH
October 2012
COMMENTWATCH
@NigerianWatch
Time to CHANGE
African Time is a concept that we should have left back at
home, urges Mayor of Enfield Kate Anolue, as effective
time management is the gateway to prosperity
B
etter three hours too soon, than one
minute too late,” said William Shakespeare.
The most valuable commodity that we have
is time. If you waste money there is always the
opportunity that you can try to find ways of
replenishing it. However, if you waste time you
can’t get it back – and even the route to replacing wasted money is dependent on time.
Time is a gift that needs to be treasured and
nurtured. US man of letters Ralph Waldo
Emerson said, “Guard well your spare moments. They are like uncut diamonds. Discard
them and their value will never be known. Improve them and they will become the brightest
opening and closing times, deadlines for submissions of papers and documents, shift patterns – everywhere there are indications that
without some form of time management the
structure that society depends on – so as to
allow people to go about their everyday lives –
will fall to pieces.
We all know the knock-on effect if a train
is late, or the journey is longer than planned,
or worse, cancelled. Therefore, no matter how
you got here it is important to leave African
Time in that additional suitcase they did not
allow you to bring. Sure as with excess luggage
you can bring it with you, but like excess luggage there is a price you will have to pay for it.
“‘I’m coming’ could mean now, today
or sometime in the near future. It is
the fact that for many a watch is
more for fashion than for function”
gems in a useful life.”
So, when what is known as ‘African Time’
accompanied us West it was a concept that
would have been best left back on our beautiful shores, where the way of life is more accustomed to its loose association to a watch or
any time-keeping mechanism.
Here in the UK, the concept has become
commonly known in wider society where many
people have a negative view of our ability to
refrain from Africa Time and embrace a western culture that has time management as its
fundamental building block.
You see it everywhere; timetables, shop
Having spent my formative years in Nigeria
I know a lot about African Time. It is an understanding that ‘I’m coming’ could mean now,
today or sometime in the near future. It is the
fact that for many a watch is more for fashion
than function. It is also the rather – what some
may regard negatively as slow – relaxed way
people go about their business. It works in
Africa, as the protocol and language of doing
business is understood. But we must realise
that it does not work in the west, as time management and punctuality are crucial to running
a small or large business.
When I first came to England I quickly re-
COMMENTWATCH
NIGERIAN WATCH
October 2012
17
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alised that African Time needs to stay in
Africa. Like the saying goes, ‘When in Rome,
do as the Romans do.’ It took me a while to get
accustomed to the western way of living, which
is much more structured and in some ways
rigid.
The biggest plus side was that with organisation comes security and stability, which when
moving from a developing country was truly
welcomed. I embraced it and worked with it
and soon realised that I can achieve so much
in any given 24 hours. It is clear that time is
valuable and every minute counts, no time
wasted, no African Time.
I
t came as quite a shock that the term
African Time is so well known by my non
Nigerian colleagues. It seems that without
knowing it we may have given ourselves a further hurdle to jump over, one that is not necessary. Here, reliability and credibility is a key
asset when trying to manoeuvre your way up
the career ladder. Credibility is built on being
able to deliver what is needed, when it is
needed, to whom is demanding it. I believe that
if as a people we understand that philosophy
and harness that, together with our inherent
ability to be creative and enterprising, our
prosperity will not only increase, but we will be
able to create permanent footprints in the western world we live in.
At a recent conference I attended as a guest
speaker, organised by our young future leaders,
it saddened me that even they seemed to have
caught that fatal disease; African-time-itis. I
say fatal because how can they be successful
when the ability to organise and keep to time
is lacking.
I make no apology for voicing my views, as
for me it is imperative that we do not sugar
coat the truth if we want to be sincere to ourselves. To change is hard, but everybody experiences that hardship. Yet some of us have
realised how worthy time-keeping is and have
managed it well.
Living in the western world I believe it is a
great opportunity for us to rectify our wrongs,
especially when it comes to time-keeping and
time management, because that is the ladder to
success. If we cannot change our attitude to
time keeping, no matter the amount of qualifications we acquire from outside our country,
there will be no change. To sort out our abuse
of time is the task that must be done. It is left
to our young future leaders to take the bull by
the horns; they are the ones that can make the
difference where we have failed.
It is worth repeating, “Better three hours
too soon, than one minute too late.” It is better
turning up to an interview one hour early than
missing an opportunity to progress your future
because you think it is acceptable to turn up
five minutes later. It is ideal that in the preparation of an event you do a dummy run, you
rehearse, you plan and prepare. Watching
Michelle Obama give her speech at the Democratic National Convention it reminded me of
how important it is to be disciplined, as she
spoke about her father and how ‘…every
morning, I watched my father wake up with a
smile, grab his walker, prop himself up against
the bathroom sink, and slowly shave and button his uniform’. This about a man who struggled with Multiple Sclerosis when Michelle and
her brother were young.
These are the life lessons we need to embrace, which we have seen from our parents
who did their very best to enable us to fly to
foreign shores. It is then our responsibility to
wisely adapt and take on board new lessons,
which we can then marry with our unique talents and creativity to take back home.
The truth is time waits for no one and if you
are late the train will leave without you, together with your hopes and dreams. If you are
wise you will run real fast and find a way to get
to the next station; if you are not, then maybe,
just maybe you are not yet ready. Let’s bury
African Time and enjoy the gateway to prosperity…time management!
18
NIGERIAN WATCH
October 2012
INDEPENDENCEWATCH
@NigerianWatch
A young democracy at the
crossroads
A fact-finding
mission to nigeria
by uK mPs highlights
the nation’s very
great potential and
many challenges,
concluding there is
much more to nigeria
than the many
stereotypes and
assumptions suggest
nIGErIA is the country of greatest
importance to the uK in Africa. It is
crucial to regional economic and
strategic interests, and it is central to
progress in
the areas of
human rights
and development.
the
country possesses extensive natural
resource
wealth and
offers great
potential for
agro-business, manufacturing and
service
industries.
With an estimated population of 167
million – the
largest in Africa – effective engagement and a strong bilateral relationship is in the uK’s interests: nigeria
is a leader in Africa and it offers
some of the continent’s best opportunities and some of its toughest
challenges.
the April 2012 visit to nigeria was
the fifth visit of a delegation of
British parliamentarians to the country under the auspices of the All
Party Parliamentary Group (APPG)
on nigeria.
A great deal has changed in nigeria since the last APPG visit in 2008.
there has been a reduction in militant activity and related violence in
the niger Delta, thanks to a sustained amnesty process [started by
President umaru musa yar’Adua,
who died in 2010]; in 2011 nigerians
participated in the best electoral
process the country has seen since
the 1999 return to democracy; and
nigeria is grappling with a new terrorist threat from the group commonly known as Boko haram, which
has rapidly risen to prominence in recent years.
there have been many other
changes – both good and bad – of
varying scale and significance across
nigeria’s 36 states (and the Federal
Capital territory).
however, many of the deep systemic challenges that have prevented transformation in the
country remain: a lack of political accountability; no, slow or poor delivery of basic services; corruption and
mismanagement.
the APPG is aware that nigeria
contains an array of complex issues
and forces for both progress and degeneration. there is no convenient
definition of the condition of the
country, which will see successes and
crises in the same day.
Central to the question of
whether nigeria will achieve its
widely acknowledged potential is its
burgeoning youth population. to realise and make sustainable big ambitions for power sector reform,
agricultural development, equitable
economic growth and delivery on
big infrastructure projects, nigeria
needs a lot of skilled workers.
nigeria faces a host of connected
challenges: from development to security, and to a complex reform
agenda. the greatest risk is that the
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ongoing and emerging challenges
nigerians and those engaged from
the outside are seeking to overcome
outweigh the energy, resources and
commitment dedicated to tackling
them.
If so, the challenges will remain
self-sustaining, capturing nigeria in a
cycle of decline. this is why the resources available for international engagement on nigeria must be used in
the most effective way possible – and
the nigerian diaspora has a role to
play in this – to improve the livelihoods of ordinary nigerians and give
people opportunities to contribute to
economic progress and development
in the country.
nigeria’s future success depends
on developing its workforce and capturing the potential of its young population. nigeria’s economy will grow
considerably, but unless federal and
state reform agendas succeed now,
progressive change will be stifled by
future challenges stemming from demographic growth in an environment
without the institutions and resources to cope with such expansion.
In some areas and sectors, good
leadership that has identified key
points for change and delivered on
policy has demonstrated what can be
achieved in nigeria.
Across the country there are op-
INDEPENDENCEWATCH
portunities and momentum to create
incremental change that will bring
faster wins to build towards national
transformation. Strong leadership in
government, business and civil society
is key, in particular for fostering
stronger institutional capacity.
nigeria’s international partners
should continue to be strongly engaged to support such momentum
and leaders who have demonstrated
the will and capacity to deliver.
the negative narrative around
nigeria has emerged out of real prob-
lems. Poor infrastructure and lack of
basic services challenge everyone on
a daily basis, regardless of background or employment.
Carrying out a simple task in nigeria takes more time and resources than
the same task would in the uK because of obstacles related to corruption, infrastructure and services.
Internationally, greater resources
need to be committed to understanding and effectively engaging with this
important African power. It is encouraging that the British Government
NIGERIAN WATCH
October 2012
has committed more resources to its
high Commission in Abuja and that
the department for international development has a 2012/13 bilateral aid
budget for nigeria of £185million and
is running 30 projects with a total
budget of £918,675,536.
It is also about using these resources effectively and as efficiently
as possible.
there are four areas where the
APPG believes international partners,
and in particular the uK, can be most
effective in supporting change in
19
nigeria:
1. In improving access to and quality
of education and skills training and
supporting this through provision of
assistance with certification of training standards by uK institutions that
can offer universally recognised certification;
2. In supporting uK businesses of all
sizes, in co-operation with the nigerian government and private sector
partners, to enter nigeria in key industries where businesses have
greater scope to be successful while
being able to bring strong management, skills and technology transfer;
3. In supporting efforts to bring
power sector reform plans to fruition;
4. In engaging nigerian diaspora individuals and organisations in the uK
and uS in a formal network that can
assist efforts in nigeria in specific sectors and states or communities.
there is much more to nigeria
than stereotypes and external assumptions about the country suggest,
and as conditions in the country improve it will be part of the APPG’s
role to improve understanding of the
country’s scale and diversity and the
positive role it can play.
This is an edited extract of the main
conclusions of the All Party Parliamentary Committee on Nigeria report
back on its fact-finding mission.
Next year will mark
20 years of unbroken democratic government in Nigeria.
A triumph for a
nation constructed
of ancient tribal
civilisations only 52
years ago. But as the
country emerges
from its adolescence
the process that
led to independence
is being increasingly
questioned. Ayo
Akinfe takes a backward glance
AMID spectacular fanfare on a par with
the the liberation of Paris in 1944 and the
coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1952,
Nigeria witnessed her biggest ever party on
1 October 1960. Optimism abounded and
Nigerians of all ages, ethnicity, religious
faiths and political persuasions set aside
their differences and partied for about a
week as independence and self-rule finally
arrived, after nigh on a decade in the
making.
At about midday, Jaja Nwachukwu, the first
speaker of the Nigerian House of Representatives received Nigeria’s Instrument of Independence, also known as the Freedom Charter,
from Princess Alexandra of Kent, the Queen’s
representative at the ceremony. From then onwards the formalities continued unabated as
Sir Abubakar Tafawa-Balewa took the oath of
office as prime minister, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe
was sworn in as governor-general, to replace
Sir James Robertson, and the Union Jack was
lowered and replaced with the famous greenwhite-green flag.
In her speech, Princess Alexandra spelt out
what independence meant. She made it clear
that from that day forward, Nigeria’s federal
government was to have exclusive powers over
sovereign matters such as defence, foreign affairs
and commercial and fiscal policy. Britain, she
added, also expected the new government to accept responsibility for all the debts and liabilities
that had been incurred in Nigeria’s name.
Unlike many African nations – such as
Kenya, Zimbabwe, Guinea-Bissau, Angola,
Getty
HOW NIGERIA WAS BORN
OCTOBER 1960 Princess Alexandra formally opens the first Nigerian Parliament
Mozambique, Algeria, South Africa – which
had to fight bitter wars of independence, Nigeria had liberation handed to her on a plate.
Following the loss of India and Pakistan in
1947, cash-strapped, post-war Britain lost interest in her Empire and began the process of
dismantling it, with Nigeria being one of the
first colonies offered self-rule.
thrEE StEPS to DEmoCrACy
The process of disengagement had started a
year earlier in the aftermath of World War II,
with the introduction of the Richard’s Consti-
tution. Under this protocol a legislative council
was established for the whole of Nigeria – with
the UK’s appointed Governor as president of
the council, which consisted of 16 official and
28 unofficial members. This preliminary and
somewhat tokenistic gesture towards self-rule
was developed further in 1951 with the introduction of the Macpherson Constitution.
Under this, three regional assemblies were
established to represent the interests of the
north, east and west. Nigeria’s first ever elections were held that year and although the premiers of each region remained British, their
ministers were Nigerian, with the party leader
in each assembly assuming the title of leader
of government business.
In 1954, the Lyttelton constitution created
the federal house of representatives. That year,
federal elections were held for the first time
ever and party leaders in each of the regions
took over as premiers, with this arrangement
remaining in place until 1959 when independence elections took place.
At independence, Nigeria had a parliamentary democracy, built in the image of Britain’s,
meaning the party with the largest majority in
the lower house formed the government. Given
the diverse nature of Nigeria and her numerous component ethnic groups, this proved to
be a disaster as political parties were essentially
a mirror of the three main ethnic groups, the
Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba.
The political arrangement put in place only
served to entrench these divisions. Having said
that, however, the British did not impose their
view of Nigeria on Nigerians, as at two separate constitutional conferences in London in
1957 and 1958, local leaders met and agreed on
what the new country would look like.
At the conferences in Lancaster House,
London, between May 23 and June 26 1957
and September 29 and October 27 1958, Nigeria’s elite met, discussed, debated and agreed a
formula, constitution and modus operandi of
how the country would run.
Among those present at the talks were the
founding fathers of the nation, Ahmadu Bello,
Tafawa Balewa, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi
Awolowo, Michael Okpara, Harold-Dappa
Biriye, Ladoke Akintola, Joseph Tarka, Aminu
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INDEPENDENCEWATCH
Kano, Sam Ikoku, Festus
Okotie-Eboh, Remi FaniKingsley
Kayode,
Mbadiwe, Dennis Osadebey, Rotimi Williams and
Zana Bukar Dipcharima.
Traditional rulers present
included the Emir of
Katsina, the Emir of Kano,
the Ooni of Ife, the Ewi of
Ado-Ekiti, the Atta of Igala
and the Essien of Uyo.
nIGErIAnS CrEAtED
nIGErIA
Ahmadu Bello once famously said, “God did not
create Nigeria, the British
did.” It would perhaps be
fairer to say, Nigeria’s leaders created Nigeria.
Alan Lennox-Boyd, the
British colonial secretary
presided over the Lancaster
House conference and
apart from the vexed matter of creating regions for
minorities, there appeared
to have been a consensus CLOCKWISE (L-R): Princess Alexandra’s arrival; the Princess alongside Prime Minister Abubakar Tafewa Balewa and the British Gov. Gen. James
on everything else. Nige- Robertson; Princess Alexandra’s escort on horseback; and some of the men who negotiated independence. Pictures from the British Pathé
archive, which has hundreds of historical Nigeria videos free to view online at www.britishpathe.com/search/query/nigeria
ria’s minorities in the MidWest,
Middle
Belt
and
the Representatives would be elected in 1959 after East, West, Lagos and Southern Cameroon
Calabar-Ogoja-Rivers areas wanted their own the dissolution of the present one. This new and by male adult suffrage in the North.
In addition, a senate was to be created with
regions but they were out-voted by the major- house would be enlarged to a membership of
320 elected on a basis of one member of par- 12 members chosen from each of the three reity big three ethnic groups.
Primary among the agreements reached at liament for every 100,000 members of the gions, with Lagos having three members and
the conferences were that a new House or population, by universal adult suffrage in the four special members named by the Governor-general. Members of the senate
would be nominated from the regional assemblies and the body
would exist co-terminously alongside the House of Representatives
but would not be allowed to initiate
or delay money bills, although it
might do so to others forms of legislation.
Each region would also have a
House of Chiefs that would serve as
an advisory body and would sit
alongside the regional assemblies.
Each region would be governed by
an elected premier and its regional
1960: The flag of the United Nations flies above the crowds at a folk- assembly and would also have a ceremonial governor.
dancing and sports festival, part of the Independence celebrations in
Getty
NIGERIAN WATCH
October 2012
Enugu, south-eastern Nigeria
Getty
20
1960: Nigerian students celebrating Independence outside Nigeria House in London
INDEPENDENCEWATCH
NIGERIAN WATCH
October 2012
21
CLOCKWISE: Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, President of
Nigeria; Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Emir of Kano,
Northern Nigeria; Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa,
Prime Minister
Getty
Getty
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its favourite party the NPC, assumed power.
Northern Nigeria, by virtue of its remotemess
and feudal structures was not consumed by the
pan-African nationalism that was popular
across the south, so it is no surprise the British
loved the NPC.
As with most
of Africa at the
time, southern
Nigeria was influenced by the
civil rights movement in the US
and most of its
educated
elite
were left-leaning
nationalists who
demanded radical change and
the wholesale dismantling of colonial and imperial structures. Keen to avoid this spreading
across the whole country, the British ensured
that the NPC assumed office and served as a
check on the more radical NCNC and AG.
American manufacturing executive Lee Iac-
Nigeria resulted in a credible albeit uneasy
compromise to ensure there was some form of
ethnic equilibrium in government.
Accordingly, it was agreed that TafawaBalewa of the NPC would be Prime Minister,
Nnamdi Azikiwe, the NCNC president, Gov-
‘Despite her plethora of woes
Nigeria has stuck together,
recognising the whole is worth
more than the sum of its parts’
ernor-general, and Obafemi Awolowo, AG
president, leader of the opposition.
Unease stemmed from a belief that the departing British colonial authorities had ‘rigged’
the election – inflating census figures and rigging parliamentary boundaries – to ensure that
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Unfortunately, these democratic structures were
simply insufficient to guarantee the survival of
Nigeria’s First Republic because of certain fundamental and structural weaknesses.
For instance, northern Nigeria consisted of
three quarters of the country’s land area and
more than half the population and in the allocation of parliamentary seats, the Northern
People’s Congress (NPC) had more members
of parliament than those from the two other regions combined, thus giving it an inbuilt veto.
Effectively, the NPC was a government-for-life.
And so it proved in the 1959 elections – held in
preparation for independence – when the NPC
captured 134 seats in the 312-seat parliament,
which, although did not constitute a working
majority, made it the largest party by far.
With 89 seats was the second largest party,
the National Convention of Nigerian Citizens
(NCNC), but like the NPC it too had a partisan base, representing the interests of the Igbo
and Christian people of the Eastern Region.
Yet the determination of the founding fathers to deliver a representative and united
POSTCARD: Independence Square, Lagos, 1960
2010: Nigeria Independence Day Parade NYC
Getty
A GoVErnmEnt For lIFE
Getty
2ND OCTOBER 1960: Ceremonies
commemorating Nigerian Independence
cocca once described a colony as a nation that
exports raw materials and imports finished
products. This is precisely what Nigeria was to
Britain and every development effort in that
era was driven primarily to this goal and nation building suffered as a result.
Ever since then, Nigeria has effectively been
in a permanent state of transition, trying to
find her feet and harness the potential her now
167m population and crude oil output of 2.6m
barrels a day deserve.
Despite her plethora woes though, Nigeria
has stuck together, recognising the whole is
worth more than the sum of its parts and remains the world’s third fastest growing economy, Africa’s largest agrarian producer and the
continent’s second largest economy behind
South Africa, so the independence dream still
lives on.
22
NIGERIAN WATCH
October 2012
FEATUREWATCH
@NigerianWatch
The man who put the beat into Afrobeat, Tony Allen, shoots from the lip as he lets rip
about drumming, Afrobeats and the imminent plans for SuperJuice, writes Chuk Ikéh
When Africa 70 – the band masterminded
by its frontman, the legendary godfather of
Afrobeat, Fela Kuti – burst onto the
African airwaves in 1968, they rewrote the
rule book.
While Fela enraptured with his melodic
voice and unique orchestration, the chaos of a
sound that was entering into unchartered territory was being held together by a puppet
master of a percussionist in the shape of Tony
Oladipo Allen, also known as the “Master
Drummer of Afrobeat”.
That is how Allen is universally known by
fellow musicians and lovers of the genre, and
is the title of his forthcoming autobiography,
on which he is currently working with author
and musician Michael Veal, who previously
penned a comprehensive à propos of Fela.
The selected title reflects a relaxed confidence in the way that Allen carries himself personally. And rightly so, for a musician who
taught himself how to play the instrument for
which he is today internationally lauded.
“Back in those days, if you wanted to be a
drummer, you had to have a friend who was a
drummer, or at least had access to drums,”
Allen told Nigerian Watch before a recent performance at Nigeria House – the country’s
Olympic host camp.
“Luckily, I had such a friend. His name was
Oso. But when I started, I was just joking
around really; I wasn’t taking it seriously because I had a full-time job.
“I messed around on the drums every now
and then for about two years before I finally
said to my friend ‘I’ve gotta face my job, man’
– and then I stopped.”
Indeed, Allen might never have become the
drummer he is now had it not been for his father’s insistence that he was “too weak” to become an automobile engineer – his real dream
at the time.
“He said, ‘Look at you and how small you
are. How are you going to handle those giant
engines?’” recalls Allen, mimicking his father’s
thick Nigerian accent. But after some time,
Talking DRUMMER
Allen became “fed up” with his trade as an
electrical technician and gave that up too,
much to the frustration of his mother.
“When I became fed up with my job, I said
to myself that music was going to be my next
‘thing’, which was not taken to kindly at all by
my mother.
“My father, on the other hand – that was
the first time he didn’t try to discourage me. I
think it’s because for him, he had [music] in
himself. He’s a guitarist – he plays many string
instruments – and he’s a pianist as well, but it
was always just a hobby for him, never to make
a living. So I think probably because music was
already in my blood and I decided to use it to
make a living, he was happy.”
And so it was that Allen’s newfound pursuit
of a career in music led him to one Fela Kuti
who, at the time, had landed a gig as a radio
presenter on Nigeria’s NBC (Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation) station.
But the then Lagosian crooner too had
plans for bigger and better, giving rise to a
crossing of paths that, in turn, gave birth to a
sound and sensation that would eventually
take Africa and the world by storm.
“[Fela] was supposed to be presenting jazz
records every Thursday night and he had done
that for a while when he decided he didn’t want
to spin discs any more, he wanted to form a
jazz quartet and play live music instead of
records.”
Fela’s jazz quartet eventually materialised,
and became known as ‘Koola Lobitos’. They
would soon begin recording more than three
months’ worth of half-hour radio programmes
for NBC in as little as three weeks. At the time,
Allen was playing in a band of his own to earn
his keep, before he was spotted by Fela.
Like many connoisseurs of Afrobeat today,
Allen says it was the jazz that inspired a new
sound in Africa and set the stage for Kuti and
him to pioneer the never-before-heard tones of
Afrobeat.
When asked about his status as a musical
creator, Allen has no time for modesty.
“It’s the truth,” he says simply. “It’s just the
truth. We came from jazz and played strictly
jazz together for a year – no highlife business
or juju business. Strictly jazz.”
But after a year, Fela and Allen’s thirst for
creativity saw them begin to seek out ways to
further push the boundaries of their musical
cognition, and highlife – a genre that they had
shunned all the while – soon became a major
“Wizkid, D’Banj?
They ain’t playing
no eff*** Afrobeat!
They’re playing
something else”
influence on a new sound that evolved into
Afrobeat.
“After that one year, we decided that we
wanted to play highlife. But not highlife like
the others – we wanted to play highlife jazz,
and that’s how it all started.”
And then came a creative face-off that, for
many bands, has meant the beginning of the
end, but which for Koola Lobitos meant the
start of something rather fresh and exciting:
Afrobeat. Until that point, Kuti had been the
strongarm behind most of Koola Lobitos’
highlife offerings, writing almost all the instru-
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mental parts, including the percussion. But in
Allen, he met a man who had his own ideas.
“At the end of the day, when I started to
play what he wrote, it sounded nothing like
what he wrote, it was me in there,” Allen recalls
with a slight, knowing smirk.
“Nobody can write what is in my head.
That’s why when Fela came to see me after a
concert with my other band at the time, he
said: ‘The way you play the drums... I’ve never
seen anybody play drums like that before –
where did you learn how to play the drums like
that?’”
Fela had tested out four drummers in trying
to form Koola Lobitos. All had fallen short of
his requirements. And then he met Tony Allen.
“We just had a connection,” explains Allen,
“It’s the kind of connection that is supposed to
be there.”
However, Allen had a mutual respect for
Fela, and the two found a way to make their
ideas work in tandem. Fela continued to craft
his riffs and his melodies, while Allen did his
own thing on the drum.
“The reason I left my band to join Fela was
because I love to be challenged as a drummer,
and Fela was a challenge to me,” Allen laughs.
“Nobody ever wrote music that way in Nigeria,
or indeed the world, at that time. When we first
started, we were just playing to friends.
“It continued like that for a good five years.
I think the music was too much [for audiences]!
I remember we were a playing a concert one
night – the same night that [“godfather of
soul”] James Brown was in town. Everybody
went to see James Brown!”
In 1969, Koola Lobitos embarked on what
would turn out to be quite an impressionable
and educational trip to the United States to try
out their new sound on a different kind of audience.
Upon their return, they took on a new
name – Africa ‘70 – and paired it with the new
sound that has come to be known and loved by
millions all over the world as Afrobeat. It had
elements of many of the popular live sounds
of the time in Nigeria – soul, jazz and highlife
– with an authentic dash of traditional Yoruba
music to keep it fresh.
Allen developed his own novel style to compliment this seemingly unlikely blend of genres.
He went on to record more than 30 albums wth
Fela and Africa ‘70, some of which critics and
fans alike argue are some of Kuti’s best works.
It has left a legacy that has been latched on
to by many of today’s rising crop of Afrobeat
stars. But Allen says that the Afrobeaters of
today still have a thing or four to learn from
the foundations that he and Fela laid down.
“Let me tell you something about
Afrobeat,” declares Allen. “Many bands playing Afrobeat today compose like they are concerned about the top of the building, but not
the bottom of the building. Without the foundation, I think the building is very shaky. It’s
not going to stand strong.”
The “foundations” Allen refers to in
metaphor are, of course, the drums and percussion. “[Afrobeat] will only last if its composers do their mathematics properly, meaning
the drums. The drums are the first key to
Afrobeat. If you don’t get that right, forget it.”
His words reveal a lack of fear in going
against the grain, which is furthered when
asked for his opinions on the likes of Wizkid,
D’Banj et al – the new poster boys of presentday Afrobeat.
“They ain’t playing no f*****g Afrobeat!
They’re playing something else,” Allen replies
FEATUREWATCH
with a very matter-of-fact tone.
“Which Afrobeat are they playing? I’m
sorry but I have to ask.” he continues, almost
insulted by the thought of being mentioned in
the same sentence.
Allen’s version of Afrobeat is still an international hit, played around the world in some
of the most unexpected countries, according to
the 62-year-old. “Look, there are many
Afrobeat artists around the world now. Go to
about solos. It’s about what puts people in a
trance – that’s what you want. When you’re in
a trance and the audience is in a trance, then
you know you’re in business.
“But when you keep breaking up the music,
you lose the effect of the whole thing.”
It has been a while – three years in fact –
since Allen last released a record. His most recent offering was in 2009, entitled ‘Secret
Agent’, after which he took what he describes
“When you’re in a
trance, and the
audience is in a
trance, then you’re
in business”
Canada, the US, Japan...
“I met a Japanese band that opened for me
as a rock band one time when I was playing in
Tokyo. Two years later I went back to discover
that that band doesn’t even touch rock any
more. What do they play now? Afrobeat.”
The growth and expanding international
reach of his musical baby is a phenomenon
that both excites and concerns Allen in equal
measure.
“We – Nigerians – we own Afrobeat. And
soon it is going to be taken away from us to the
point where it isn’t our creation any more.
“It’s coming back to us in a different form,
the way foreign music like hip-hop has made
its way to Nigeria – if care is not taken.”
The key to preserving the afrobeat sound,
Allen reiterates, is in the drums, and he says
that he is ready to educate a new generation of
percussionists to recapture the sound that he
and Fela made famous. But he warns that
learning to drum à la Allen is no easy feat.
“I want to teach drummers,” says an animated Allen. “But I’m talking about real
drummers – not learners, not beginners.
“Beginners won’t get it. They won’t be able
to handle my way of delivery. It’s better if you
already have the technical ability – the movement of the body, the hips.”
But he stresses that “it is one thing to be
able to handle it, and another to put it in motion”, within the context of a live band. Allen
maintains that the degree of difficulty in the
“mathematics” of being an afrobeat drummer
is one of the reasons why he rarely plays drum
solos.
“With an afrobeat band in front of you,
you have to think about keeping the music
going, and how long you want to keep it going
for. You must be able to do that, which is not
easy for drummers.
“Most drummers [I have met] can’t handle
the role of being the metronome. I don’t play
solos and I don’t have backing percussionists.”
The reason for distancing himself from a
segment that drummers of other genres often
relish, is a selfless one, according to Allen. He
believes that an afrobeat drummer has to think
about “the whole” package, and that drum
solos can be distracting to dancers and and the
other instruments.
Instead, he sees his role within a band as almost similar to that of a hypnotist. “It’s not
as a “deserved break”.
But the maestro of the snare has been working on other projects in that time, including appearances as part of Africa Express – the
Damn Albarn inspired collective of African
and Western musicians that has, so far, included everybody from Fela’s son Femi Kuti
and Allen himself, to hip-hop legends De La
Soul and electro enigma Mark Ronson.
The successful mish-mash of artists cover-
NIGERIAN WATCH
October 2012
23
ing a multitude of genres took the UK by
storm this summer when it toured the country
by train as part of London 2012 Festival.
Allen says that he won’t be on that train, but
let Nigerian Watch in on a different project –
one involving the likes of the Red Hot Chili
Peppers’ Flea and Blur’s Damon Albarn – and
an unprecedented calloboration that will yield
a highly anticipated new record: “Rocket Juice
& The Moon”.
Originally announced in mid 2008, the project has been delayed several times due to individual exploits. Allen and Albarn had
previously paired-up on the album “The
Good, The Bad and the Queen”, with Allen
providing the percussion.
The name of the album came about after a
Lagos-based artist designed the album sleeve
and bestowed the title upon it. “Damon was
happy with it because it’s a nightmare trying to
come up with band names,” says Allen.
Albarn, Allen and Flea took to the live
stage together for the first time in October last
year at Ireland’s annual jazz festival in Cork.
They played under the name Another Honest
Jon’s Chop Up!, taking their moniker from the
record label owned by Albarn.
“Everybody’s busy everywhere, that’s why
we haven’t really promoted it yet. We haven’t
been able to get together properly.
“It might be the end of the year before we
see either the album or a tour, because Flea has
to finish his own stuff with the Red Hot Chili
Peppers, which will be at the end of October.
“Then we can start thinking about Rocket
Juice and the Moon.”
24
NIGERIAN WATCH
October 2012
BUSINESSWATCH
Banks miss out on kite mark
BRITISH Standard Institute (BSI) officials
have called on Nigerian banks to step up their
security and information management system so more of them can obtain ISO 27001
certification.
A BSI initiative, ISO 27001 certification
is awarded to companies or financial institutions that have complied with the all
known information and security management standards globally. So far, Nigerian
banks that have been awarded it include
First Bank and Fidelity Bank.
Omar Rashid, BSI’s strategic business
manager, Middle East and Africa, said that
many banks were denied the certification
because their security management
processes were not complete. Mr Rashid,
who was on a short visit to Nigeria, said
many local banks have not documented
their security management programmes to
meet the BSI’s requirements.
He added: “It is not that the local banks
are not putting the information and security
management processes in place but their inability to document the processes in a way
that would meet the requirements of the institute is the issue. I think that is one of the
challenges facing the banks.
“Once the banks have been able to do the
proper things in this area, they are sure of
getting the certification. We have received a
massive amount of interests for certification
and training services.”
Mr Rashid pointed out that banks need
to do what is called top-down commitments
on the issue of security management, arguing that the development would help them
in winning the confidence of many globally
acceptable rating agencies. He said the issue
of information security is beyond putting
technology in place, adding that it is a
major governance issue that can directly or
indirectly affect any organisation’s reputation and its survival.”
Let’s work together to
improve trade with UK
Nigeria’s business chiefs
have been told to stop
complaining and instead
come up with constructive
ideas for the resolution of
barriers to sustainable
growth in trade and
investment.
Mr. Olusegun Aganga, The
Minister of Trade and Investment, made his appeal when
addressing the September
Breakfast Meeting of the
Nigerian-British Chamber of
Commerce, the Leadership
newspaprer reported.
“We always talk about policy summersaults, multiple
taxation and other issues we
believe are impeding the
process of doing business.
Why waste time, why not think
of how to resolve them?” Mr
@NigerianWatch
Aganga asked.
“What the private sector
should be interested in is how
to form groups and brainstorm on the solutions to these
perceived challenges and make
recommendations to government. Government cannot do
everything but it will create enabling environments for the
private sector to thrive,” he
said.
Noting that in order to create more investment opportunities for the country, the
ministry has established trade
and investment desk in Nigeria’s foreign missions to seek
investment in foreign lands.
“We have so many Nigerians in the diaspora, we are not
asking them to come back but
we are going to partner with
them,” he said. Currently the balance of
trade between the two countries is skewed in favour of
Britain, which exports £1.3
billion worth of goods and
services to Nigeria, and imports around £600 million
worth, primarily in the form
of oil and gas.
The chairman of council
of the Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce, Architect
Thomas Awagu, said, “Nigeria is the UK’s 33rd largest
overseas market and the second largest in Africa. We must
work to reduce this gap and to
ensure that the majority of
our exports are no longer raw
materials and semi-finished
goods in order to maximise
the economic benefits.”
Happy day for Bantuway
as food empire expands
Amid justifiable fanfare
Bantuway – one of the
largest suppliers of meat,
fish and poultry for the
African food market in the
UK – opened its new state of
the art premises on 15 September.
Situated just a stone’s
throw away from the
Olympic Park in east London, the new processing and
packaging plant allows the
company to expand into delivery of dried foods, trans-
forming Bantuway into a
one-stop shop for the
African community (wholesale and retail).
It is a remarkable accomplishment for the owners,
Nigerian Patrick Ideh and
his Cameroonian wife (coowner) Stella-Mari, who became the first licensed
African butchers in the UK
in 1996. They launched
their business because they
were dissatisfied with what
was available at the time but
believed that “we have to eat
food that is good”.
“We
didn’t
know
whether it was going to be
successful, but what concerned us was serving our
people good food,” Mr Ideh
said.
The new premises were
opened by the Cameroonian Ambassador Nkwelle
Ekaney and his wife Jane,
pictured (above) flanked by
Patrick and Stella-Mari
Ideh.
ARIK REACHES 10 MILLION
PASSENGERS MILESTONE
ArIK Air believes it remains on course to estabas Africa’s fastest growing airline.”
lish itself as nigeria’s national carrier after flying
upon checking-in at the oliver tambo Internaits 10 millionth passenger this month.
tional Airport in Johannesburg, , mr mustapha
Describing the development as a
was presented with the airline’s melandmark achievement in its short
mento, an upgrade to business class
history, Arik said the carriage of 10
for the flight and a pair of complimenmillion passengers is an important
tary business class tickets for his next
milestone for an airline that has
flight. In addition to its regional destigrown rapidly since it began operatnations and Johannesburg schedule,
ing in 2006. this year alone, Arik has
Arik operates long-haul routes from
transported over 1.5m passengers
lagos to both london heathrow and
across its expanding network of 20
new york ‘s JFK airport.
domestic, 10 regional and three longlaunched in october 2006, Arik
10 MILLIONTH
haul destinations.
now employs over 1,500 staff worldnigerian businessman, Abdul-Aziz PASSENGER: Abdul
wide, operates an average of 120
Aziz Mustapha
mustapha, director of realnet Sandflights a day and is currently the leadton Properties, became Arik Air’s 10 millionth ing carrier in nigeria with 63 per cent share of
guest, travelling on the airline’s Johannesburg to the market capacity. of late, it has significantly
lagos route. on arrival at the airport in South strengthened its international presence.
Africa for his flight, mr mustapha was greeted
by Arik’s vice president, South
Africa, rodger Whittle.
Dr michael Arumemi-Ikhide,
Arik’s chairman, said: “Carrying
10m passengers in less than six
years is a remarkable achievement for
Arik Air that further underlines our status
The indispensible guide to beauty, fashion, music,
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WATCH
MUSIC
Ice Prince gets
set for first live
London gig
Page 34
Fashion
Right to be
bright this
Autumn
Page 29
&
Life, Style
Entertainments
26
Community Watch
Celebrating with our
paralympic heroes &
cutting-edge creatives
30
Health & Beauty
Breast cancer advice
& how to get the
smokey autumnal look
31
MARTY MAJOR
PAGE 37
The best listings
The Adebanjos back
LIVE by popular
demand
26
NIGERIAN WATCH
October 2012
COMMUNITYWATCH
@NigerianWatch
2012 PARALYMPIC TEAM NIGERIA CELEBRATED
At a party to celebrate the achievements of Nigeria’s Paralympians at The Residence in west London,
High Commissioner Dr Dalhatu Sarki Tafida
summed up the feelings of the diaspora when he
told those present, “Against the background of the
performance of Team Nigeria and the Olympic
Games we cannot but take solace in the stellar per-
formance of our Paralympians. The heroic achievement of our Paralympic team is not only a cause for
celebration but also a lesson for us to look beyond
disability. Indeed, these men and women, who in
spite of all odds have worked hard to bring pride
and honour to our country. I salute your courage,
endurance and achievement.” And so say all of us.
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NIGERIAN WATCH
October 2012
27
L-R: make-up artists Bimtan Elufowogu and Richard Taylor OBE
AMBASSADOR:
OK Lawal
FASHIONISTA: Lyze Bamigbola-Silas
NEL AWARDS
RAPPER: Moe Logo
The NEL awards at Kensington’s Harrington
Hotel drew the cream of cutting-edge creatives
working in the UK and Nigeria toward the end
of September. It was a night of high spirits and
IRRIDESCENT:
May7ven
good humour, typified by the generosity of actors Wale Ojo and Jimmy Akinbola, who when
asked to share the award, promptly did so, with
third nominee Chizzy Akudolu. A swell night.
L-R: Sam Onigbanjo, Rhoda Wilson and Seye Aina
MAKE-UP ARTIST: Abi Adeyemi Kolapo
PLAYWRIGHT: Ade Solanke
SMADE MAN: Junior Adeosun (seconbd from right)
R-L: Yemi Osunkoya, Adebayo Jones and Yemi’s ‘bashful’ Mum
To display your
event here call
020 8588 9640
or email
CAHNTEUSE:
Saeon
[email protected]
L-R: Wale Ojo and Jimmy Akinbola
28
NIGERIAN WATCH
October 2012
COMMUNITYWATCH
@NigerianWatch
ANNOUNCEMENTS
To place your announcements call 0208 5889640 Email: [email protected]
Or post to: Nigerian Watch, Announcements, Chartwell House, 292 Hale Lane, Edgware, HA8 8NP
BIRTHDAYS
JEMIDE NICOLE, (october 29th)
happy birthday to our darling
Nicole. We hope you have a
wonderful day. may you continue
to grow up to be God fearing,
obedient and intelligent in Jesus
name Amen. With love and kisses
from daddy, mummy, Isabel
and Kimberly x
OGUNDARE PATIENCE, (october
27th)
OKAFOR KELECHI, (october 5th)
happy Birthday Kelechi. I wish
you a great day with lots of fun
and presents ;-). happy Birthday,
lots of love from Bobbi
BO HUGHES, (october 9th)
happy 11th birthday Bo. you are a
superstar, much love from Mummy
and Daddy, Betty and BB x
ANNIVERSARIES
AKINOLA
happy 10th wedding anniversary
Jimmy
and
Toro.
may God
continue
to guide
and
protect
both of you and your family.
From the Jemides
CHANGE OF NAME
happy Birthday Patience. I wish
you a lovely day with lots of love,
happiness and prosperity. may
God continue to bless and watch
over you. thank you for being
you. lots of love Emmanuel x
GBADAMOSI
I formally known and addressed as
Anire Olaitan Gbadamosi now
wish to be known as Anike Olaitan
Gbadamosi. my correct date of
birth is 27th of June 1967. members
of the public, home office and
nigerian high Commission, london
should please take notice.
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FASHIONWATCH
NIGERIAN WATCH
October 2012
29
ROAR INTO AUTUMN WITH
BIG, BOLD, BRIGHT COLOURS
By Obah Iyamu
From decorative baroque and edgy clashing prints, to a marriage made in
heaven of animal prints worn with a touch of bright colour, update your
wardrobe and accessories with our ideas for Autumn...
Baroque A big nod to the season of decadence,
with the resurgence of brocade, jacquard and liquid
metal. Gold, silver and bronze are the key tools to
achieve maximum effect with minimal effort, giving
your ensembles an opulent touch
with ornate embellishments and
Versace-esque prints. this trend
seems scary to execute on a casual
level but can be done with prints or
decorative baroque motifs on silk tops
and toned down with jeans and
jewelled flats. I will be wearing
textured dresses in lavish metallic
hues and accessorising sparingly
dim autumnal hues but we are wearing them in an
with equally regal jewels.
edgier way; the mushy-mashy way, wearing prints
Wide leg trousers Play with
proportions in a nice fitting wide
DOROTHY PERKINS
www.dorothyperkins.com
Price: £26
Print Clash Prints are the coolest way to soften those
leg trouser and a small fitted
top/jumper and keep it grown up in
heels for that crucial leg-
lengthening effect. my take on this for autumn is a
solid colour paired with a contrasting solid colour to
accentuate the clean
with a solid colour, is becoming a crashing bore.
Clashing different prints of similar colours and pattern
is the key to nailing this
look. think prints with
darker-hued backgrounds
for this time of year to
elevate to autumn cool.
Embrace the simple
lines of the trouser. you
elegance of print clashing
can bag some extra
by avoiding pretty
fashion credit by
pastels and summery
cinching the waist with
themes. For a spot on the
any dramatic belt of
front row I will be
your choice, keeping in
accessorising with a
mind that the
colour block bag with
higher the rise
palette hints that complement my attire.
the thinner the
Za-zoo this trend never really goes away because
belt. this trend
you can always wear a hint of leopard, zebra,
reptile, alligator… and never look outdated. this
oozes
season, however, we are roaring with our fashion
sophistication
statements, head to toe leopard
when styled
properly.
is absolutely acceptable but
Capes the
wear cleverly as a one piece
witches’ garment is back for autumn; when
else can we really wear capes? I love them
because they can disguise anything you want
to conceal and they always get you noticed
with that dramatic flare. Wear with skinny
jeans and heeled boots and the inevitable grab
and smack with a touch of
red, a marriage made in
heaven. Zebra prints in
black and white look
fantastic with a touch of
colour. my vote is for
bag, since capes are impossible to wear with
beautiful snake skin skinny
shoulder bags. my crush is a trench style belted
jeans and I will be wearing
cape. I love the casualness of the trench and
the belt upgrades the look from moody to
super sexy.
all things zoo as a
statement accessory from
my shoes, to my hair clips.
MISS SELFRIDGE
www.missselfridge.co.uk
Gold and black animal print, long sleeve
jumper with pleated waist Price: £32
30
NIGERIAN WATCH
@NigerianWatch
HEALTHWATCH
October 2012
Be Breast Aware
By Dr Chisolum Chukwuma, GP, London
B
reast cancer is the most common cancer
in the uK. It is no respecter of size,
shape or colour of the breast. In the
past it was thought to be a disease of women
aged 50 years and over but more recent data
show that this is changing. About five per
cent of cases present before the age of 35.
It is every woman’s nightmare. We all
know someone who has been affected by
breast cancer. the incidence rises with age. In
2009, there were nearly 50,000 new cases in
the uK; over 300 of these were men! the
good news is that if it is detected early, it
may be cured. For the above reason every
adult needs to be breast aware.
By this I mean that every adult should examine their breasts regularly to get used to
how they are. that way, any changes, even
subtle ones, can be found early.
there are various forms of breast cancer
and they include: DCIS - ductal carcinoma in
situ, lCIS - lobular carcinoma in situ, Invasive
ductal breast cancer, Invasive lobular breast
cancer, inflammatory breast cancer, Paget's
disease, Breast cancer in men
Below is a quick overview.
WhAt IS thE CAuSE oF BrEASt
CAnCEr?
like all other cancers, there is no direct cause
of breast cancer. there are various risk factors
for breast cancer and they include:
l Previous history of breast cancer
l risk increases with age –about 25% risk before the age of 50; 5% before the age of 30.
l Family history of breast cancer in a first degree relative. this means that you are at increased risk if your mother has had breast
cancer.
l Genes – BrCA1 and BrCA2 and tP53. if you
have a family history of breast cancer discuss
it with your doctor. you may be eligible for
screening. having any of these genes means
that you are more likely than an average person to have breast cancer, but you may never
have it.
l Prolonged exposure to oestrogen – not having borne a child, had your first child at the
age of over 30, early menarche (i.e. first menstruation), late menopause, use of oral contraceptives, continuous combined hrt.
l radiation to chest – for example for treatment of other conditions.
period. regular examination will acquaint
you with these regular (cyclical) changes and
so spotting new changes would be easier.
BrEASt ExAmInAtIon
l high alcohol intake
l obesity
Breast feeding is thought to be protective.
hoW Do I BEComE BrEASt AWArE?
this means regular checking of your breast.
once or twice a month is sufficient. For
women, this is best done around menstruation (the period). the breasts become lumpy
around the period and this settles after the
Look at your breasts in the mirror to get used
to what your breasts look like. one breast
may be naturally bigger than the other. Also
observe the nipples – are they the same? one
nipple may be naturally more prominent, flat
or inverted.
Feel this is best done at bath time with a
soapy hand to ensure a smooth feel. using
the palm of the hand, feel around the breasts
including under the arms. Check the nipples
for any discharge.
WhAt ChAnGES ShoulD I BE WorrIED
ABout?
Breast Lump this is the commonest way in
which breast cancer presents. this lump is
usually painless. 90% of breast lumps are benign (not cancer). there are various benign
lumps in the breast. Some of them are fibroadenoma (breast mouse), which is common in younger women; fibrocystic disease of
ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE
FOCUS ON GLAUCOMA IN AFRICANS
G
laucoma is a disease where the pressure inside the eye is
too high. This high pressure damages the nerve which carries the vision to the brain. If the damage is severe then
blindness can result. Black people get glaucoma more often, at a
younger age and it is frequently more severe and difficult to control.
Treatment is directed at lowering the pressure down to normal
thus preventing the vision being damaged.
In the normal eye a fluid called aqueous is produced in a specialised area at the root of the iris (the coloured part of the eye).
It is a clear watery fluid and its function is to carry nutrients to
the tissues at the front of the eye.
After it has done its job it drains out through a small canal and
back into the bloodstream. The rate of fluid production and
drainage is carefully balanced so that the pressure of the fluid is
kept within certain limits.
In glaucoma this balance is disturbed and the pressure in the
eye begins to increase. This puts stress on the blood vessels of
the nerve carrying the vision to the brain.
If this situation is allowed to continue untreated then gradually
the vision in damaged. This glaucoma damage is irreversible and
permanent.
nerve at the back of the eye (the Optic Nerve). If the result of the
test is not normal, the patient is referred to the ophthalmologist
where more detailed tests and eye examinations are performed.
In Africans unfortunately, severe glaucoma can damage the
eye as early as the mid 20s. If you have a close relative who has
the disease you have a slightly increased chance of developing it.
So it is advisable that you get your pressures checked by an optician or eye doctor (ophthalmologist) at your earliest opportunity.
DIAGNOSING GLAUCOMA
Modern devices and examinations now allow us to detect the
onset of glaucoma much earlier than was previously the case.
The earliest damage is detected using a laser- measuring device
called OCT (Optical Coherence Tomography). It measures the
thickness of the layer of nerve fibres which carry the vision to the
optic nerve. This allows us to diagnose and treat glaucoma far
earlier than before. If this early damage is allowed to continue it
begins to affect the vision. The first signs of vision being damaged are usually the development of blindspots above and below
the line of vision. Untreated these enlarge and join together and
eventually only the central field remains. Ultimately this too disappears and the eye is completely and irretrievably blind.
TYPES OF GLAUCOMA
There are several types of glaucoma. The most common one is
Open Angle Glaucoma (OAG). Other types include Narrow or
Closed angle glaucoma, Congenital glaucoma (in children), Secondary glaucoma - after injury to the eye and Pigmentary glaucoma
DETECTING GLAUCOMA
Because open angle glaucoma is painless it can go undetected for
a long time unless a routine eye examination is performed regularly. Most people would visit their optician for the first time when
they start to need reading glasses at around the age of 40. At this
visit most good optician will check the eye pressure examine the
TREATMENT OF GLAUCOMA
The treatment of glaucoma is much better now than it was even
5 years ago. Most patients are treated only with drops. The drops
work by lowering the pressure to the “target pressure” for that
eye. The target pressure is the pressure below which the doctor
believes no further significant damage will occur. It is different for
different eyes. Your ophthalmologist will tell you what your target
pressure is and whether your treatment has achieved it yet.
When drops fail then surgery may have to be considered. The surgery involves passing a very fine fibre around the drainage canal
and tying it so that the canal drains more effectively. This operation is called a canaloplasty. However, increasingly, surgery is
being performed much earlier in the disease as the results are
better with early surgery.
MONITORING YOUR DISEASE
There are three very important tests which are carried out, 1: intraocular pressure (IOP) measurement, 2: OCT examination which
examines the parts of the retina and optic nerve which are damaged before the vision is affected and 3: field of vision test. The
IOP test is done by pressing a probe lightly on the eye to see how
hard it is (just like a referee testing the ball at the beginning of a
match). It is painless and completely safe for the eye. The probe
in calibrated for each eye by measuring the thickness of the
cornea. The OCT examination is done simply by asking the patient
to look at a blue dot while a laser beam scans the eye for possible
damage. It is harmless and painless. The field of vision test is
done on a specialised machine where a white light is shone onto
a bowl in front of the patient and the patient presses a switch
each time they see the spot of light. In this way any blind spots
are picked up and the machine can see if they are getting bigger.
Typically these tests are carried out every nine or twelve months.
SUMMARY
Glaucoma is for life. Once you have been diagnosed as having
glaucoma you will need to have the disease monitored for the
rest of your life. Most patients with glaucoma retain good vision
indefinitely. Modern treatment is easy and very effective. Only a
small number of patients lose significant vision.
Author:
Miss Bola Odufuwa. M.B.B.S., D.O., F.R.C.S.(Ed), F.R.C.Ophth. M.Sc.
Consultant Ophthalmologist Royal Free Hospital. London
Consultant Ophthalmologist Whittington Hospital. London
Consultant Ophthalmologist My-iClinic
If you wish to consult with Miss Odufuwa about glaucoma or about
any other eye problems she can be contacted at My-iClinic, 960 High
Road, London N12 9RY 020 8445 8877. Visit www.My-iClinic.co.uk
Like us on Facebook
the breast and so forth. however, every lump
should be checked. make an appointment to
see your doctor if you find one
Nipple distortion e.g. new inversion of the
nipple
Nipple Eczema a rash on or around the nipple
Nipple discharge Intraductal carcinoma may
present as blood stained discharge; although
every new discharge needs to be checked out.
Breast pain persistent pain, usually in one
breast
hoW IS BrEASt CAnCEr DIAGnoSED?
Patients usually present when they notice a
change in their breast. these changes include
those mentioned earlier. If you notice any
change in your breast, see your doctor who
will then ask you questions about the
change(s) and examine you. A referral is
made to the hospital. In the uK, all suspected
cancer cases when appropriately referred are
seen within two weeks.
Some women do not have any symptoms
and are diagnosed incidentally during screening. In the uK, all women aged between 50
and 70 years, who are registered with a GP,
are eligible for regular (3 yearly) mammograms (x-ray of the breasts). the programme
is expanding to include women aged between 47 and 73. you will usually receive a
letter inviting you for screening.
WhAt hAPPEnS At A rEFErrAl?
you will be seen in a breast unit and these are
some of the tests that would be done:
1. ultrasound scan of the breast
2. mammogram
3. Biopsy of the lesion – taking a part or the
entire tumour to understand the nature.
the breast surgeon would attempt to
make a firm diagnosis with the above tests.
you will also have scans done to check if the
cancer has spread. Based on the results obtained, the cancer would be staged to determine how serious it is. the higher the stage,
the more serious it is. Staging helps to plan
the necessary treatment.
treatment is generally tailored to the individual patient and is discussed thoroughly
with the patient. treatment is planned by a
multi-disciplinary team, involving a breast surgeon, radiologist, pathologist and oncologists. this team would manage your whole
treatment and there are breast care specialist
nurses who provide all the necessary support.
FormS oF trEAtmEnt
Radiotherapy this is usually recommended in
addition to surgery. the oncologist would determine at what point radiotherapy is done
and what dose is needed.
Hormonal therapy for hormone receptor
positive tumours which also have a lower risk
of recurrence. the drugs commonly used are
tamoxifen and anastrozole.
Chemotherapy
Surgery mastectomy (removal of the whole
breast) with breast reconstruction or a wide
local excision of the affected area.
ProGnoSIS
this depends on the nature of the cancer, the
patient and the treatment. the oncologist can
give the probability of recurrence using a clinical scoring system.
Further reading:
http://www.breastcancercare.org.uk
NIGERIAN WATCH
BEAUTYWATCH
October 2012
31
GET THE LOOK….. omo SAnDrA
It's getting colder and no matter how many
items of clothing you may put on ahead of
your early morning commute there is one place
most of us certainly don’t like to cover – our
promising features. Even when feeling awful
slapping your face with a shed load of makeup isn’t always the answer. take heed of our
beauty girl this month – actress and
international model omo Sandra and get
naked. the nude make-up look is so this
season.
BRIGHT, CAMERA, ACTION
Origins
Brighter By Nature SPF 30 Skin
Tone Correcting Makeup
*Deep – Warm £25
This is currently the best compact
powder on the market to eradicate
dark spots and discolouration. It
contains no oil or talc powder so
should last the entire working day.
INTO THE LIGHT
Sleek MakeUP
Luminaire Concealer
Highlighter
*L05 £6.49
Sleek rarely get it wrong and they
impress once again with this great
concealer/highlighter duo, which
can be used to brighten dark circles
and mask blemishes.
HIGH DEFINITION
Arbonne
Liquid Eyeliner
*Black £19
You may not be familiar with the
brand but once you’ve tried this
long wearing eyeliner the product
will not be easy to forget.
*Smolder £14
Possibly the only kohl pencil in the
world to give you a flawless
smokey eye without the
panda look. 5 out of 5
everytime.
GET SMOKEY
A MUST BUY
Mac
Eye Khol
Bobbi Brown
Limited Edition
Sparkle Eye Shadow
*Black Chocolate £20
You should never give up the
opportunity to grab some make up
with a pinch of glitter in
the run up to the festive
season. This is a perfect
product to sweep along the
eyelid in the day or night.
32
NIGERIAN WATCH
October 2012
@NigerianWatch
TRAVELWATCH
MARRAKECH: In and
around Morocco’s Red City
Only a few hours from London,
Marrakech is just about as far as you
can get from Europe in terms of cultural ambiance without the trouble
of a long-haul flight. This makes
Morocco’s historic “Red City” the
perfect location for a short break
that seems a world away.
marrakech is a warm and
earthy collage of old and new
spaces that rise out of terracotta ground at the foot of
the Atlas mountains. In the
wall-enclosed medina, also
known as the “old city”, centuries of north African history
and architecture ooze from
elaborately crafted doors.
many of these unobtrusively
hide painstakingly restored
riads (boutique style hotels)
that welcome travellers from
the narrow streets into cool,
tardis-like enclosures that
were once traditional moroccan family homes.
however, far from being a
time-warped pastiche, marrakech is a progressive city
that straddles timeless experiences with a vibrant modernity. the ville nouvelle or
“new city” is just northwest
of the medina and was originally built in the early 20th
century by the French. today
it buzzes with wide streets,
trendy restaurants and a
night life that draws both
tourists and young modern
marrakechis alike. this, along
with the even more recently
built delights of la Palmeraie
– a vast palm grove complex
with luxury hotels and villas
just ten minutes from town –
means that the city has something for just about everyone.
With so many layers, it’s
difficult to know where to
start. For a weekend visit,
here are seven suggested
“must dos” to choose from
when in marrakech:
session of a gift list it’s worth
knowing where you’re going.
Alternatively, the new city is
ideal for visitors looking for
moroccan goods with an international and modern
flavour. While haggling is still
possible in these more refined establishments, the
final price is more likely to reflect the often higher quality
(not to mention the airier environment).
Take a day trip into the
Atlas Mountains
Easily organised by your riad
or hotel, these day-long excursions often come with a
visit to a traditional Berber
low, orange and blue painted
architecture, is perfect.
Track down a great tagine
For the most flavoursome,
avoid the touristy restaurants
in the main square and head
to a restaurant like Al Fassia
in the nouvelle ville. run by
a women’s cooperative, they
provide a great selection of
succulent tagines with home
cooked appeal. Alternatively,
if booking a day trip to the
mountains, opt for an itinerary with lunch included at a
Berber household.
household. head for the waterfalls in the cool hill town
of Setti-Fatma and enter an
environment that is suddenly
much lower on tourists.
Filled with moroccan families
in search of quality time with
their loved ones, Setti-Fatma
is the perfect insight into
how local marrakechis enjoy
their weekends away from
the heat of the city. If you
decide to climb the waterfall
and find yourself flagging,
you will be easily shamed
into continuing when a tough
little grandmother adroitly
climbs past in full anklelength jalleba (kaftan).
century El Bahia Palace are
great examples. For a greater
appreciation of the city’s
multi-cultural legacy, visit the
old Jewish quarter, the mellah.
Haggle your way through
the souks
marrakech is a shoppers
dream, but haggling – whilst
fun – can be a serious business. Whether a luxurious
carpet or a bag of spices,
don’t be afraid to start at
about a third of the asking
price – the shopkeepers will
inevitably have added the
usual “tourist tax” the moment they spotted you coming up the street or heard
your accent. Every section of
the souk has its own speciality, so for the buyer in pos-
Stroll through a grand
garden
marrakech has many, especially as the city is essentially
an oasis. the menara Gardens to the South of the city
are filled with olive groves
and large man-made lakes,
while the royal grounds of
the Aguedal Gardens have
panoramic views of the Atlas
mountains. For more intimacy and modern influences,
the Jardin marjorelle, last
owned by the designer yves
St. laurent and filled with exotic plants surrounded by yel-
Hang-out in the heart of
the Medina at the Place du
Djmaa al Fna
marrakech’s main square and
hub of activity, the Djmaa al
Fna has become known for
the multiple food stalls that
appear seemingly out of
nowhere at dusk. Every visitor should have dinner at one
of the many eateries there at
least once: although not the
best cuisine in the city, the
sound, the smell and the easy
blend of both tourists and
local customers is an immediate baptism into the laid-back
energy and cosmopolitan feel
of the place.
Explore historic sites
the Koutoubia mosque, just
on the edge of the Djmaa al
Fna, is a 12th century architectural pioneer that was the
model for the Giralda minaret
in Seville, which was built
during the same century
when the moors controlled
Southern Spain. the design
went on to influence the design of church towers across
Europe. For more examples
of Islamic art and architecture
over the ages, the 16th Century Saadian tombs and 19th
Scrub-up in a hammam
your riad or hotel will probably have its own, and these
are fine, particularly for couples or those wanting the spa
experience with a more western ambience. For a more authentic experience, a visit to
one of the single-sex public
hammams in the medina is
great for a good steam, a
massage and a traditional
black-soap scrub. Populated
by locals, the prices will be
much cheaper than in a hotel
or riad. For ladies, it’s also a
place where you can ask
some of the female attendants about where to find a
henna artist to decorate your
hands and feet.
Although a long weekend
offers only a small window
onto the cultural infusions
that typify marrakech and her
surrounds, a visit to the red
City will deliver one of the
most richly textured city
breaks you can get.
Fatimah Kelleher
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NIGERIAN WATCH
October 2012
TOWNWATCH
33
ON THE TOWN
With Toni
ICE PrInCE lIVE AnD loVInG lonDon
Speaking exclusively to nigerian Watch before the oleku star embarks on his first live
band performance in london at the Islington 02 on 4 october, Ice Prince Zamani
opens up about his international presence,
the uK afrobeats scene and his new album,
to Juliana oladipo.
Ice Prince it’s been difficult to catch
you. You appear to be spending a lot
of time over in America. What’s happening over there?
I’ve been in the States touring and promoting the music. I was also part of the
line-up for the united Sounds of Africa
tour and we did DC, Atl, Chicago, new
york, Dallas and I also went to lA to shoot
the video for my new single Aboki.
Wiz, P Square and D’Banj have all
signed international record deals with
labels across the pond. Is Ice Prince the
next to jump ship?
About international deals I don’t know
but fingers crossed. I just might but for
now I am happy where I am.
You’ve also been spending time in
London of late. Many who have just
THEATRE
Craney
The Rain That Washes
Choir Boy tells the story of
Pharus who has ambitions of
being the best choir leader in an
all boys, all black prep school.
There are strong themes of minority and masculinity throughout and the play is threaded
with searing gospel music.
royal Court theatre
Jerwood theatre (upstairs)
Sloane Square
london SW1W 8AS
02075655000
This phenomenal play is the
true story of theatre producer
Christopher Maphosa of his life
growing up around white supremacists in Zimbabwe.
leicester Square theatre
(lounge) 6 leicester Place
london WC2h 7Bx
08448733433
until 6th october 7pm
Choir Boy By Tarell Alvin Mc-
Adebanjos back on stage by popular demand
until 6th october 7.45pm
From £20
Zoonations Some Like It Hip
Hop
One of the most successful
shows to hit the west end last
year, Some Like It Hip Hop tells
the story of comical love, mistaken identity and cross dressing.
Peacock theatre
Portugal Street, london WC2
08444124322
until 13th october
From £12
Lover's Rock Monologues
the award winning, smash hit family tV sitcom meet the
Adebanjos (mtA), is back – this time at the hackney Empire.
Due to popular demand, following its successful summer
debut showing at the Catford theatre, mtA lIVE returns to
the stage with performances on the 2 and 3 november.
mtA lIVE, tells the story of a larger than life, British-nigerian family living in london. Featuring familiar characters
many African households can identify with, the storylines
and themes become all the more personal and humorous.
taking place during the school half term, mtA lIVE provides
existing, distant and brand new fans the perfect opportunity to see the full tV cast live and direct.
Where: the hackney Empire, mare Street. When: Friday 2nd
november 4pm & 8pm and Saturday 3rd november 4pm &
8pm. tickets: £15-25
Take up this fantastic opportunity to revisit Lover's Rock - a
highly influential sub-genre of
reggae born in South London
during the mid 70's. The event
showcases three of the genre's
three luminaries Janet Kay, Carroll Thompson and Victor
Romero Evans as they detail
their intimate experiences of the
decade.
the Albany
Douglas Way, Deptford london SE8 4AG
02086924446
16th - 20th october 7.30pm
From £12
heard your music seem to believe you
are from here. What is it about your
swagg that blends into the capital so
easily?
I grew up in a place called Jos aka Jtown in nigeria and it was that environment where I was exposed to a lot of the
western way of doing things from the type
of music to the movies I watched. I guess
that’s why I blend in with such ease.
Would you ever move to the UK?
I don’t know about moving here just
yet because the source of my music is in
nigeria. I mean there’s nothing wrong with
long vacations in london but for now
nigeria is the place for me.
The Afrobeats scene in the UK is on the
verge of hitting the mainstream big
time. What do you think of the contribution to the scene from those in the
diaspora? Can you name any of UK
Afrobeats artists you are fond of?
I must say a big shout out to all my
brothers and sisters in the uK killing the
game with our vibe and our music and our
culture. they have opened a lot of doors for
08448472322
1st - 6th october 7.30pm
From £15
milton Keynes theatre
500 marlborough Gate, milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire
County mK9 3nZ
08448717627
From £12
Tick, tick…BOOM!
A musical look at the courage it
takes to follow your dreams, tick,
tick…BOOM! is Jonathan Larson’s autobiographical tale of a
young composer on the brink of
turning 30 and falling into oblivion. His girlfriend wants to get
married and move out of the city
(tick,), his best friend is making
big bucks on Madison Avenue
(tick…), yet Jon is still waiting on
tables and trying to write the great
American musical (BOOM!).
Containing fourteen songs, ten
characters, three actors and a
band, tick, tick…BOOM! takes
you on the playwright/composer’s
journey that led to the Broadway
show, Rent.
Africa Centre, 38 King Street,
WC2E 8Jt
£14
1-6 oct, 7.30pm
www.africacentre.org.uk
FOR CHILDREN
Science Museum Live
A 60-minute theatrical extravaganza of spectacular science, dangerous
demonstrations
and
extraordinary experiments that
will propel the audience on an exploratory adventure into the wonderful world of science.
the Science museum, Exhibition road, South Kensington,
SW7 2DD
Age 7-11
£12 (Adult) | £9.50 (Child) |
£38 (Family)
17 oct – 4 nov
www.sciencemuseum.org.uk
Comedy Club 4 Kids
A proper comedy club for anyone
over the age of 8, featuring the best
comedians on the circuit doing
what they do best… but without
the rude bits!
the Soho theatre, 21 Dean
Street, W1D 3nE
£10 | £30 (family)
Sat 13 oct, 1pm
www.sohotheatre.com
Too many penguins
How many penguins are too many
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Soul Sister
Fresh from a successful debut in
the west end this new musical
inspired by the life and times of
Ike and Tina Turner is now on
tour around the UK. Starring
Emi Wokoma as the legendary
singer this show is full of heart,
soul and electrifying choreography.
Grand opera house york
4 Cumberland Street, City
Centre york y01 9SW
the rest of us and that’s why artists like me
can be on the bill of events like the hackney
Weekender. I’m a big fan of Dotstar, mista
Silva, Bigz, may7en, 2kriss and others.
You are headlining your first big UK
show. Why now?
I know this is the right time for me to
do a big show with a live band in the uK
because we are at that point in African
music where we are trying to convince the
world that we can actually do it too and
probably even better. We are going all the
way. Plus I’ve got some surprises for the
day which will be the best way to celebrate nigerian Independence and give my
fans that magic with the live band!
When can we expect a new album and
what can we expect following the release of Aboki?
For now there are no specific dates of
when the album is going to drop but definitely next year by God’s grace. It’s called
‘the fire of Zamani’. until then I’m gonna
be dropping more music, more videos,
more virals, more performances and more
collabos.
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34
NIGERIAN WATCH
October 2012
@NigerianWatch
TOWNWATCH
Double Bill: The Three Furies and
Inception
HOW BIG IS YOUR YAM?
Aside from Independence Day
and Nigeria Carnival (Kennington Park, Oct 20, all day, featuring hot shot Nollywood and
music stars) and Black History
Month (events are generally organised on a borough to borough
basis, so check local listings via
www.blackhistorymonth.org)
there is a fourth important festival: the annual Iri-Ji (New Yam)
Festival.
The Iri-Ji festival is the celebration
of
the
culmination of a
work cycle and the
beginning of another and is an important day in the Igbo calendar.
Indeed, traditionally the size of a
man’s yam barn determined his
status and was a deciding factor
when looking for a wife.
Highlights of this year’s festival include:
l A variety of delicious African
foods will be served – rice, yam,
meat and fish dishes.
l Yam auctions, masquerades
and cultural presentation to capture the essence of the festival
l A traditional play and tradi-
penguins? Polar bear thinks one is
more than enough, thank you very
much! But Penguina has other
ideas...she wants someone to play
with. Just one friend...well, maybe
two...or three...
Squeeze into this fun theatrical experience and find out just
how many penguins we can get
into one space. It might get
crowded, but we promise that the
arrival of the penguins will entertain and delight!
A separate toddler version (Age
1-2) will be shown from 20 Oct – 14
Feb
Polka theatre, 240 the Broadway, Wimbledon, SW19 1SB
Age 3-4
£10
17 oct – 16 Feb
Horrible Histories – Barmy
Britain
Have you ever wondered why the
Romans never won MasterChef ?
Would you lose your heart or head
tional dance by the ICSN Dance
School students
l Live music throughout the
night courtesy of Kelechi Ify, and
the opprtunity to dance until the
early hours with the DJ playing
the finest in Afrobeats, RnB,
Funky House and Hip Hop
l Dress code: All guests are encouraged to wear a traditional
outfit.
Last
year’s
event attracted
over 500 attendees. This year’s
event will be bigger and better
than ever, as are
the Yams.
Where: Petchey Academy,
Shacklewell Lane, Dalston,
London E8 2EY
When: 5pm - Late
Tickets: £15 (before the day/ £20
(On the door)
Nearest Tube: Dalston Kingsland (London Overground)
Nearest British Rail: Rectory
Road, Hackney Downs
For more information and tickets:
Call:07940224313
Email: [email protected]
to horrible Henry? Will Parliament
escape gunpowder Guy? Enrol
yourself at Georgian Crime
School, dare to dance the Tyburn
jig and find out what a baby
farmer did!
Set in loathsome London, the
BSC proudly present Barmy
Britain.
Don't miss this history of
Britain with the nasty bits left in!
Garrick theatre, 2 Charing
Cross road, WC2h 0hh
From £10.50
27 oct – 6 Jan
Wed 3 oct, 7.30pm, FrEE
A free evening of contemporary South
African dance and film featuring Zena
Edwards, mbali Vilakazi, Clara opoky
(the three Furies) and Sonia radebe
(Inception).
the three Furies is a dynamic poetry-inperformance film that explores the Greek
mythical legend of the three Furies.
Inception is a complex, textured dance
solo performed by Sonia radebe and
takes the audience on a journey into the
psyche of the performer.
Thirst
Afrovibes Festival
Afrovibes Festival returns this October
with contemporary theatre, dance and
music from South Africa and beyond.
Experience stunning performances
onstage or hang out in the Township
Cafe with authentic African food and
drink plus a host of festival fringe events.
Enjoy workshops, debates, after-show
talks, late-night music and pop-up
performances.
the Albany, Douglas Way, Deptford,
london, SE8 4AG
mon 1 oct – Sun 7 oct
www.thealbany.org.uk
HIghlights include;
Double Bill: Inception and My Exile
Is In My Head
See two African dance pieces across one
evening in this double bill.
A high energy dance and physical theatre
Doctor Brown Brown Brown
Brown Brown and his
Singing Tiger
Join Dr Brown and his Singing
Tiger on a madcap adventure from
breakfast to bedtime with a ski
race, tennis match and slightly
spectacular BMX finale. Physical
comedy at its best from two worldrenowned performers.
the Soho theatre, 21 Dean
Street, W1D 3nE
£10 | £30 (family)
30 oct – 3 nov, 1pm
www.sohotheatre.com
www.nimaxtheatres.com
The Tear Thief
Pop Factor
An afternoon of interactive family
fun featuring live performances of
the biggest and best chart hits.
the Broadway theatre, Catford Broadway, Catford, SE6
4ru
£12 (adult) | £10 (Child)
31 oct, 2.30pm
www.broadwaytheatre.org.uk
I, Malvolio
Tim Crouch re-imagines Twelfth Night in a brilliant one-man
show that unlocks Shakespeare’s play for new audiences and tells
a timeless story of bullying, prudery and practical jokes.
I, Malvolio is a charged, hilarious and sometimes unsettling
rant from a man adrift in front of a
cruel audience. Part abject clown,
part theatre-hating disciplinarian,
Malvolio asks his audience to
explore the pleasure we take in
other people’s suffering. This is a
show for anyone who has ever been
told off, called a name or fallen in
love with the wrong person.
the unicorn, 147 tooley Street,
london SE1 2hZ
Age 13+
£10 (under 21) | £16
http://unicorntheatre.com
Each night, in the hours between
supper and bedtime, the Tear
Thief carries her waterproof, silvery sack as she steals the tears of
every child who cries. But what
does she do with all those tears?
"Your tears are the most precious
tears of all. They are worth more
than diamonds." A heart-warming modern fairy tale of a magical
world perfectly brought to life by
Little Angel's stunning puppetry.
the little Angel theatre, 14
Dagmar Passage, Islington,
n1 2Dn
Age 3+
£10 (Child) | £12 (adult) until 4 nov
www.littleangeltheatre.com
War Horse
War Horse, based on the beloved
novel by Michael Morpurgo, is a
powerfully moving and imaginative drama, filled with stirring
music and magnificent artistry.
South Africa's Handspring Puppet Company brings breathing,
galloping, full-scale horses to life
on the stage – their flanks, hides
and sinews built of steel, leather
and aircraft cables.
piece inspired by Wole Soyinka’s prison
notes, my Exile Is In my head, explores
the themes of solitude and exile: the
contradiction between the place we call
‘home’ and the reality of where we
return to.
Inception is a complex, textured dance
solo performed by Sonia radebe and
takes the audience on a journey into the
psyche of the performer.
thu 4 oct, 7.30pm, £10-£14
Mother to Mother
American Fullbright scholar Amy Biehl is
killed in the Gugulethu township of Cape
town: it’s a senseless murder, carried out
by four youths. A powerful story of
forgiveness and reconciliation, mother to
mother is one parent’s attempt to make
sense of it all.
£8-£12 (mon) | £10-£14 (tue)
mon 1 oct & tue 2 oct, 7.30pm
New London Theatre, Drury
Lane, WC2B 5PW.
Various dates, until 26 oct
2013
From £15, suitable for 10+
www.reallyuseful.com/theatres/new-london-theatre
let people know
where you’re at so
they know where
it’s at with listings
in
Nigerian Watch
Call 020 8588 9640
or email
[email protected]
CHILDREN’S ACTIVITIES
And The Girls In Their Sunday
Dresses
two women meet in a queue to buy
cheap rice. As they wait, they find they
have more in common than meets the
eye… A retired prostitute and fiery
domestic worker develop an unlikely
friendship in this humorous production
featuring two of South Africa’s most
popular comedians.
Fri 5 oct, 9pm | Sat, 7.30pm, £10-£14
The Sibikwa Arts African Indigenous
Orchestra
From humble melodies to lively township
jazz and afrobeat, the award-winning
nine-piece Sibikwa orchestra evokes the
true spirit and ancestry of South Africa.
Age 7+, Sun 7 oct, 7.30pm, £10-£14
Liminal
Liminal invites families into a
physical, material and social experience of sculpture through touch,
interaction and collaboration.
Supported by a changing artist
devised programme.
All ages
tate Britain, millbank, SW1P
4rG.
FrEE
Every Sat & Sun, 11am-3pm
COMEDY
dedicated to exhibiting live art,
performance, installation and film
works, kicking off with a fifteenweek festival. Over 40 established
and emerging artists from across
the world will be taking part, including Jelili Atiku, Nigerian
sculpture, performance and installation artist.
tate modern, Bankside, london, SE1 9tG
FrEE
until 28 oct
www.tate.org.uk
She Want A Man
Ricky Rowe's new comedy, from
the producers of 'Four Bulla an a
Patty' and 'Dutty Money'. the Broadway theatre, Catford Broadway, Catford, SE6
4ru
£17.50
Sat 13 oct, 8pm
Superheroes
EXHIBITIONS
SOS! HELP! Urgent Message:
Alphabet City is under threat
from a mysterious villain. Can
you help rescue the city from destruction? Step into the tights of
one of our spectacular Superheroes, be empowered by their supersonic skills, hit the letter lab to
conduct secret scientific experiments, crack the code, find the
Superheroes’ hideouts and defeat
the evil mastermind.
Discover Children’s Story
Centre, 383-387 high Street
Stratford london E15 4QZ
Adult/child £4.50, family ticket
£16, under 2s FrEE
www.discover.org.uk
tue-Fri, 12-1pm & 3-5pm
Sat/Sun, 11am-5pm
Every day during Summer holidays. until 4 nov
Bronze
www.discover.org.uk
Blending dance, physical theatre, song
and African storytelling, thirst follows
the journey of three water-carriers from
an African village that has run out of
water.
Fri 5 oct, 7pm | Sat, 2.30pm, £10-£14
Bronze features over 150 of the
finest bronzes from Asia, Africa
and Europe and includes important discoveries as well as archaeological excavations. Many of the
pieces have never been seen in the
UK. Different sections will focus
on the Human figure, Animals,
Groups, Objects, Reliefs, Gods,
and Heads & Busts.
royal Academy of Arts,
Burlington house, Piccadilly,
london, W1J 9BD
£14 (adult) | from £3 (child) |
under 7s FrEE | Conc. Available
until 9 Dec
The Body Adorned: Dressing
London
The exhibition features hundreds of
stunning objects, including adorned
figures, early tattooing instruments
and headdresses, a film installation
by The Light Surgeons, several
wardrobes of London residents, exploring why they wear what they
wear and urban street portraits
taken by young people.
the horniman museum, 100
london road, SE23 3PQ
until 6 Jan, 2013, free
MUSIC HIGHLIGHTS
Ice Prince
West Africa’s most popular and
well loved artist Ice Prince will
play his first ever UK headline
show on 4 October 2012 at the
London O2 Islington academy
to celebrate Nigeria’s 52nd Independence.
o2 Academy Islington, n1
Centre, 16 Parkfield Street. Islington, n1 0PS
£11.25
thu 4 oct, 7pm
www.royalacademy.org.uk
Jackson Live in Concert
The Tanks: Art in Action
The Tanks are Tate Modern’s first
museum galleries permanently
Amir Sharma’s portrayal of
Michael Jackson in his prime has
to be the most vocally and visu-
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NIGERIAN WATCH
October 2012
35
PREVIEW OCTOBER IS A GREAT MONTH FOR FILM B.U.F.F.S
the underground yet celebrated
British urban Film Festival (BuFF) returns to london cinema screens for
its eighth season this month.
BuFF is one of the most highly
anticipated events in the industry’s
calendar and delivers
fresh, intriguing and
challenging films.
“urban” in this instance describes films
that are “street,
young, black”; black
in this instance being
more of an attitude –
think Ill Manors.
the festival is described by the Film
london agency as
showcasing “an important and
emerging genre which is not otherwise seen regularly in the capital’s
cinemas”.
At the helm is BuFF founder and
festival director Emmanuel Anyiamosigwe. Among this year’s highlights from the 20 scheduled
screenings and Q+As with the likes
of actor Wil Johnson (a long-time
supporter of BuFF, who is also the
co-producer of the much anticipated
Amina), lonyo Engele and Sadie
Frost, are the festival opener Melvin
Chronicles of a Player (Friday), a
spoof documentary which shines a
light on the womanising of self-confessed ladies man melvin and the
people in his life, including his longsuffering twin brother. As melvin
becomes increasingly isolated because of his actions, will he get the
girl of his dreams of will WAm
(Women Against melvin) make him
pay the ultimate price?; Eastside
Story, a documentary about the
tough love boot camp started by
the ‘controversial’ ray lewis, formerly london’s deputy mayor for
youth; and closing out the festival is
Woolwich Boys, the highly anticipated real-life crime drama from
Anthony Abuah – who rose to fame
with his first ever stage play, An-
Africa rocks Expo
An African showcase of cultures and traditions, inspirational people, foods, films, fashion, music, arts and investment opportunities.
The expo will take place on Saturday 13 October, as part of Black History month celebrations.
Enjoy entertainments and special performances, inspired by African cultures and take
the opportunity to experience the foods,
music, fashion, media and arts, and meet people, learn about or reconnect with African cultures and traditions; and hear about the
positive developments that are happening and
opportunities that are opening up in Africa.
Saturday 13 october, noon-8pm.
hotel russell, 1-8 russell Square, WC1B 5BE.
tickets: £20; £15 in advance
FrEE for children under 16 years.
www.africarocksexpo.co.uk
ally accurate tribute to the King
of Pop to have ever toured UK
theatres. Amir is joined on the
stage by a cast of musicians,
singers and dancers who work
their way through all the hits.
He’s got the look, the moonwalk
and above all, the voice! His renditions of Thriller, Beat it and
Billie Jean are truly sensational.
Pure MJ!
the Broadway theatre, Catford Broadway, Catford, SE6
4ru
£18
Fri 5 oct, 7.30pm
rosebery Avenue, london
EC1r
08444124300
From £15
Nas
Promoting tracks from his latest
album 'Life Is Good' Hip Hop's
most influential rapper is back in
the capital doing what he does
best.
london xoyo
32-37 Cowper St
london EC2A 4AP
02073549993
3rd october 7pm
£35.75
Lyrikal Fearta - Redux
Hip-Hop veteran Jonzi D returns to the stage after 10 years
to revisit some of his best known
works in music and poetry. Accompanied by a live band the advocate will also talk politics and
the youth movement.
Sadler's Wells theatre
lilian Baylis Studio
Vigour
Led by young choreographer
Keisha Grant this fierce female
dance troupe bring African and
Caribbean movement to life in a
show stopping performance influenced by the great works of Zimbabwean artist Albert Manvura.
The Keneish Dance show is cur-
PICTURED: Wil Johnson
and (left) Melvin
other Biafra. Woolwich Boys tells
the tale of four nigerians who embark on a ‘419’ fraud and a life of
fast and dangerous living. Eastside
Boys and Woolwich Boys are
screened on Saturday, along with
the BuFF shorts uK showcase and
rently is on tour around the UK.
rich mix
35-47 Bethnal Green road
london E1 6lA
020276137498
12th october 7.30pm
From £5
CLUBS
MASEO (De La Soul/Gorillaz)
A packed house and a brilliant
night of Hip-Hop new and old
will be pretty much guaranteed
from the man who has done more
than his fair share to influence a
generation of music lovers
@ East Village, 89 Great Eastern Street, london, EC2A
3hx
£7 | more otD
Fri 19 oct, 10pm-3am
MAV – Music Audio Visual
Europe’s first monthly all Audio
Visual party will give you a full
multi sensory sensation. The incredible line up of VJs will be
mixing videos new and old to create the all new party experience
that is a feast for the eyes, ears
and feet! With resident VJs DJ
Woody, Spin Doctor, DJ Rags,
CWD and special guests.
@ Plan B, 418 Brixton road,
london SW9 7Ay
Sat 20 oct, 10pm-4am, then
3rd Sat of every month
Silk City
Seyi Shyne Entz & Niroko Onyx
presents Silk Fridays. RNB,
Hiphop, Funky House, Old
Skool Garage, Bashment, Soca,
Afrobeats, 70s/80s/90s party classics. With DJ Sean and DJ Era.
Guvnor Bar, Bell lane, off
Dock road, E16 2AB
Every 2nd & last Fri, 10pm4am
Casuals.
BuFF DEtAIlS
When: oct 12-13
Where: on Friday oct 12, 7-11pm,
all screenings take place at tuC
Congress house, 23-28 Great russel
Street. on Saturday oct 13,
10.30am-11pm, all screenings take
place at oxford house, Bethnal
Green.
All films are free, but booking is advised. Visit the excellent BuFF website to book and see trailers,
www.britishurbanfilmfestival.co.uk
36
NIGERIAN WATCH
October 2012
@NigerianWatch
TOWNWATCH
DJ DJ EDU THE DJS’ DJ HAS GOT CHOPS – IN ABUNDANCE
As the summer draws to a close, it’s time to reflect upon what made it great. the temptation
would be to rattle on about the obvious sporting events that dominated not just london but
the entire country but that won’t happen here.
no siree. this article is about another of
london’s crowning achievements and that is
personified in the presenter of BBC 1xtra’s
Sunday night musical extravaganza that is
Destination Africa, aka DnA. to those in the
know he needs no introduction, but for those
dwelling under rocks, he goes by the name of
DJ Edu.
With seven years of (African music) DJ-ing
experience under his belt and more gigs and
radio airtime than an entire nomadic tribe could
shake their sticks at, DJ Edu has got chops. In
abundance.
not content with filling london’s nightlife
with sounds so familiar but yet so new, he is,
almost evangelistically, taking his sound around
the world, introducing and re-introducing folk
all over the globe to new sounds and old sen-
The Social Elite Party
The Social Elite Party for professionals and socialites. Old Skool
Classics, RNB, Bashment, Funky,
and Afrobeats with DJ Bigyem,
DJ Ladi and DJ A-Star (Amour).
Steam Bar hilton, 146 Praed
Street, Paddington, W2 1EE
Very 3rd Fri, 10pm-3.30am
Pulsations Night
The most prolific throwback
night to end the month in style.
100% Old Skool Music with DJ
Lawrence, DJ Andre and DJ Am.
the railway telegraph, 19
Brigstock road, Cr7 7JJ
Every last Sat, 10pm-3am
Afro-Carnival Nite
It's most anticipated afro-centric
themed night with R&B,
HipHop, Afro Beats, Dancehall
Club Bangers; promoting multiculturalism in style, fashion,
glamour & afro-swag like never
seen before.
Every first Sat
sations. And unlike many African DJs he dares
to delve beyond the mainstream sounds of the
current wave of Afrobeats artists, experimenting with more underground and boutique
artists and genres, ranging from Coupe de Cale
to Zouk, recognizing that it is from their disregard for the obvious that genius emerges.
hailing from Kenya, Edu always had a deep
urban contemporary jams with a
selection of hits from across the
African
continent.
Every
BANTU night includes at least
one segment of the evening dedicated to a wide selection of contemporary African music along
with the best selection of Old
Skool and the latest Hip Hop and
RnB. With DJ Que, MC & DJ
Goodie and DJ Clem.
APt BAr, Aldermary house,
10-15 Queen Street, EC4n
1tx
Every first Sat, 10pm-4am
F.A.M.E.
We guarantee a night of pure entertainment & fun in a mature
and sophisticated Environment.
RnB, Hip Hop, Funky House,
Old Skool Garage, Bashment,
Soca, Afro Beats, Slow Jams,
70s/80s/90s Party Classics,
Hiplife. With DJ Era and DJ
Wavey J.
Sharf.
Club 2AD, 2 Crutched Friars,
EC3n 2ht
Every last Friday, 10pm4.30am
Premium Fridays
love for music. on arriving on uK shores in the
early noughties, he tried his hand at what his
peers were doing. that is playing r&B and hip
hop sets but something just didn’t feel right.
he didn’t feel a connection with the music.
It was upon a chance booking for an African
party in london that he found this connection,
as he was asked to play tracks from the motherland. It clicked, an immense, invisible umbilical cord connected him back to his physical and
spiritual home and he hasn’t looked back since.
So, by now I bet you’re asking, so what the
heck has that got to do with a great summer?
Patience, comrades. Bucketloads, actually, as DJ
Edu hosted a plethora of the African music
scene’s summer events. Kicking things off early
with the Afrobeats Week on BBC 1xtra with cohost D’Banj back in may was an exceptional
way to pre-empt the summer for ardent
Afrobeats fans.
then there was his this Is Africa compilation
CD and his rounding things off with his appearance at Africa unplugged at Wembley Arena on
Every thu, 7pm-3am
Diamond Noir Model Party
RnB, Hiphop, Funky House,
Bashment, New Jack Swing
Garage, Soul, Rare Groove.
tamarai Bar, 167 Drury lane,
Covent Garden, WC2B 5PG
Soca, Afro Beats,
70s/80s/90s Party Classics. With
DJ Ice, DJ Kofi Amah, DJ Express, DJ Selecta Aff, Commander B, PnP Family, and DJ
Hardy.
the Alabar lounge, 807 high
road, n17 8Er
Every Fri
RnB, Hiphop, Old Afro Beats,
Smoochy Music, Funky House,
Old Skool Garage, Party Classics,
African Music, Bashment, Soca.
Dock road, E16 2AB
Every Sun, 10pm-3am
Purple Kiss Fridays
My Desire
RnB, Hiphop, Bashment, Afro
Beat, Club Bangers, Lovers Rock,
Oldies,
Floor Fillers. With DJ Collo, DJ
Ritchie Ranx, DJ Soljah, Benzo,
Kat (Watford Finest), MC
Kenny (Ghana Finest).
Solar nightclub, 2 linton
road, Barking, IG11 8hG
Every Fri
RnB, Hip hop, Reggae, Afrobeats
(Hiplife, Kwaito, Bongo, UG
Jams, Lingala), Dance and Funky
House, Old School Club Classics.
With 2Shy Entertainment, DJ
Pee, DJ Que.
Dock road, E16 2AB
Every 2nd thu, 10pm-3am
Sexy Sundays
Certified Fridays
Xhale Fridays
VIP Fridays
A mixture of style event with
DJ Kigz Romeo, DJ Ladi, DJ
Elvin and DJ Yemi.
Steam Bar hilton, 146 Praed
Street, Paddington, W2 1EE
Every Fri, 10pm-late
RnB, Hiphop, Smoochy
Music, Funky House, Old
Skool Garage, Party Classics,
Bashment, Soca, Afro Beats,
African Music. With DJ
Wiley and DJ Vjoj.
Club laface, 169-171 Fore
Street, Edmonton, n18
2xB
Every Fri, 10pm-3.30am
Paparazzi
RnB, HipHop, Funky House,
Soca, Afro Beats 70s/80s/90s
Party Classics with DJ Era, DJ
MVP and DJ Nyari.
Dock road, E16 2AB
Every second Friday, 10pm4am
Blu & Exile
Los Angeles-born rapper Blu comes
to London with producer and
fellow L.A. native Exile for his firstever UK show. Featuring Hip-Hop
rap backed by neo-soul and Jazz
instrumentals.
Also playing; Spin Doctor, Kutmah
and Chris P Cuts
@ Cargo, rivington Street,
london, EC2 3Ay
£15 | £20 otD
Thu 4 Oct, 8pm-midnight
Deliquence
RnB, HipHop, Funky House,
Soca, Afro Beat and many more
with DJ Wiley, DJ MVP, DJ Guzzle.
legacy nite Club, 135 Finchley road, nW3 6Jh
Every first Sat, 10pm-4am
BANTU Saturdays
BANTU brings you the best of
legacy nite Club, 135 Finchley road, nW3 6Jh
Every 2nd Sat, 10pm-4am
City Life London
Bashment, AfroBeats, Hiplife and
many more. With DJ Era, DJ
French Kiss, DJ Sawman, DJ
Pulsations Night
The most prolific throwback
night to end the month in
style. 100% Old Skool Music.
With DJ Lawrence, DJ Andre
and DJ Am.
Smooth Thursdays
Old Skool Classics, RnB, Hip
Hop, Club Classics, Afro Beats,
Soul Ragga, Lovers Rock, Club
Bangerz. With DJ Mac Pro, DJ
Ritchie Ranx, and DJ Soljah.
live and let live, 264-266
romford road, E7 9hZ
RnB, Hiphop, Funky House, Old
Skool Garage, Bashment, Club
Classics. With DJ Que, DJ Talent
B2B, DJ Blitzo (Keep it Blitzo),
MC & DJ Goodie, City Vybez
(whoa FM 90.4), 4Play Sound
(Flames FM), Mista Style (Lightning FM 90.8), DJ Drama (Dramatik Entz), DJ Crazie (Crazy
Sexy Cool), DJ San, DJ Crazy
(D-Squard Ents).
Club 791, 791 london road,
thornton heath, Cr0 6AW
Every Fri, 10pm-5am
Hype Party
RnB, Hiphop, Smoochy Music,
Funky House, Old Skool Garage,
Party Classics, African Music,
Bashment,
Soca, Afro Beat. With DJ Kigz
Romeo and DJ Darren.
Club 1853, tottenham lane,
n8 9DJ
Every Fri, 9.30pm-3am
Black Velvet
RNB, Hiphop, Funky House,
Soca, Reggae, Afro Beats, Dance-
the August Bank holiday weekend. As this article was being written Edu was frantically
preparing for a trip to his native Kenya. Every
month is a whistle stop tour of the globe for
the ball of energy and humour personified by
this enthusiastic arbiter of music.
he had just got back from Ethiopia, struggling through a bout of malaria. “It’s the
Ethiopian women,” he chirps, praising their
beauty as the cause for his ailment in his characteristically tongue in cheek manner.
his modesty is admirable, as it’s likely his
workaholic, almost religious dedication to his
craft has more to do with this than anything
else; an attitude that has earned him the respect and admiration of DJs and listeners across
Africa as well as the globe.
his trademark show DnA rules the airwaves
not just in the uK but in Germany on
Funkhauseuropa. Asked what the future holds
for DJ Edu he smiles gently and doesn’t say a
word. As the saying goes silence speaks volumes.
hall, 80s&90s Party Classics. With
Roblife, DJ Spark’s, DJ Andy
Blixx.
Global Bar, 333 high road Ilford, Essex, IG1 1tE
Every thu, 10pm-5am
Prince or acting all crazy like
Nicki Minaj or Ol Dirty Bastard.
the Social, 5 little Portland
Street, london, W1W 7JD
Every thu
Madd Raff
Subsoul
Since their days rocking the
Africa Centre with Soul II Soul
and at Funkin' Pussy respectively,
Jazzie B and Spin Doctor have always seen the West End as the epicenter of the capital's party scene.
To reinstate that fact, they're setting up shop in this central club's
basement, spinning on rotation
(they've often got other DJs filling
in, so check beforehand) with soul
and disco to hip hop and house
and help from the likes of Chris P
Cuts, Aitch B, DJ Lok and more.
Street, W1W 7JD
Every Sat
Hip Hop Karaoke
Putting a fresh twist on the ancient art of karaoke, HHK Lets
you get on the mic and act out
your rap fantasies to the fullest,
whether that includes teaming up
with friends to rock through a
Wu-Tang jam, living the lyrical
highlife like Jay-Z or Drake,
bawsin it like Rick Ross, celebrating summertime with The Fresh
Bashment is taking over the London club scene and The Heatwave
are leading the way with their
crazy Hot Wuk parties and Sunday night show on Rinse FM.
Madd Raff is the new weekly
Heatwave affair at The Social
(near Oxford Circus) and it's all
about dancing!
Every week, Madd Raff kicks
off with an exclusive dance session by top dancehall instructor
Safwaan Shoshoni of Pineapple
Studios. Plus the very best in
bashment from The Heatwave
alongside a whole heap of guest
DJs, live showcases and performances, free nail art and a few other
surprises too...
Madd Raff is all about dancehall and dancing - so whether you
come for the music, or to get
down for a weekly workout, have
your whistles and your horns at
the ready.
Street, london, W1W 7JD
Solar nightclub, 2 linton
road, Barking, IG11 8hG
Every Wed
Official Nigeria 52nd independence Party
On Friday 5th October the Indig02 will open its doors for the first
time especially for Nigeria’s Independence Day! The landmark
event, celebrating the freedom and independence of Nigeria, was co-founded by
Amour Owolabi (A.Star) in 2004 and has
become one of the biggest celebrations
in Europe.
The event will be Hosted by Mr.
Amour, “A Star”, himself, along with
Choice FM’s DJ Abrantee, with live performances Tony Tetuila, May7ven, and
the newest and hottest kid on the block
Chuddy K, with support from Team
Afrobeats UK, Abladei Dance Troupe and
many more (check out the promo vid at
http://www.Youtube.Com/watch?V=olkyqac6dwe&feature=share).
With fireworks and explosions this is one event not to be
missed!! At the IndigO2, the Millennium Dome, Greenwich.
For tickets got to www.ticketmania.co.uk or call 07932 570919
or 07535 560225.
Like us on Facebook
MUSICWATCH
NIGERIAN WATCH
October 2012
37
ON THE DJ DECKS
AFROBEATS TOP 20 CHART
This is where we bring you the latest cuts from
the African music scene. Expect random but stunning music. If you hear anything whilst out and
about that makes you move let us know at
[email protected] and it might just get featured in this section.
MR BISTOP
having penned Bracket’s most popular hit to date
in the form of Yori Yori and then deciding to finish
his university degree, mr Bistop is now back. Kicking things off with another catchy, merry tune
called Paya Paya and with a
new label and management in the form of
Kaycee records, he is
now ready to make
his foray as a solo
artist. As the song
says, everybody
Paya Paya.
ONES TO WATCH
Every genre needs early adopters and
vanguards at its cutting edge. This is
where we bring you those artists that
represent the vanguard of Afrobeats in
particular and African music in general.
1
2
3
4
This Ghanaian songstress has more
that a few tricks up her sleeve.
Since starting the year dueting with
Ghana’s fastest MC Sarkodie on I’m
In Love With You (a pure example in
classic songwriting) she has gone
from strength to strength. The
video for her new single should
drop any moment now and is set to
be another piece of sheer excellence. Bravo.
5
6
7
8
9
q
w
e
r
t
MARTINA ISIBOR AKA
MARTY MAJOR
AFROBREAKERS
20 AFROBEATS
no. title
EFYA
It seems like it’s ladies month this
month as the second artist to feature in this section is the lovely
Martina Isibor. Nigerian born but
UK resident this lady has energy in
abundance. Able to pull off rock
chick and switch to African diva in
milliseconds she has a sound and
sassiness that is already taking her
TOP
y
u
places. Currently touring with a
West End theatre production it’s a
credit to her that she is able to
maintain a career as a recording
artist, but she does so without
flinching. Look out for this girl.
i
o
p
a
Artist
Chop my money P-Square Ft. Akon &
may D
oliver twist
D Banj
Beautiful
P -Square Ft rick
onyinye
ross
the thing Ft.
Atumpan
Stone (Bradez)
Azonto
Fuse oDG Feat
tiffany
Kukure
Iyanya
Baddest Boy
E.m.E Ft Wizkid,
Skales, Banky W
Dami Duro
Davido
Aluguntugu
Keche
Pakurumo
Wizkid
Adamma
Flavour
Shake your Bum timaya
nawti
olu maintain
Carolina
Sauce Kid Feat
Davido
Kalom
Buk Bak
Boom (Afrobeats Ayo Beatz
remix)
Ft lace mamen &
Page
raindrops
2face
Boom2tah
mista Silva Ft Skob,
Flava,n Kwam
ten over ten
naeto C
u Go Kill me
Sarkodie Ft El
This chart is compiled by information from
YouTube, BBC Radio 1, BBC 1Xtra & Choice FM
playlists and Nigerian DJs.
NW thanks the following DJs for contributing towards the Afrobeats Top 20 Chart; DJ Bayo @
Coko Bar on Saturdays and A & Clause Bar, DJ
Ecue Emmanuel @ Wazobia Hendon, DJ Preston @
Private Functions and Providence Club International (Sydenham), Jimi D Bald Headed Guy @ KC’s
on Fridays, DJ Ladi @ Steam Bar on Fridays, DJ
Yems @ Steam Bar on Fridays, DJ Gabe @ KFC
Camberwell. Special thanks to the Nigerian DJs In
The UK association.
TOP
20 AFROBREAKERS
no. title
SINGLES
AFROBREAKERS
RUBY
On hearing her voice for the first time it’s difficult not to have ripples go through you. If John
Legend were to somehow get a copy of Nigerian
Watch this is asking him to politely log on to
YouTube, listen to her emotionally charged ballad Okay and try saying he doesn’t want to sign
her to GOOD Music on the spot. Class act.
BUM BUM by Timaya
GOOD MORNING by Brymo
timaya has a more than intense liking for the female derriere. Fact.
Since this track’s audio hit youtube
in January celebrating the glories of
the female form’s posterior till the
release of its video in September he
has been extolling the virtues of the
ladies’ ability to “shake it” and,
wow, does he take it to the wire in
the video. this is a booty-shaking,
floor-filling and
breaking beast of a
tune. the reviewer
nearly broke his
PC screen freaking
out to the tune,
seriously. What it
doesn’t have in
depth it makes
up for in sheer fun. this
gets a rousing cheer from the nW
possee.
Fans of oleku, the mellow but certain club banger from Ice Prince, you
have got to hear
its chorus’ crooner
Brymo on his new
track Good Morning. this does
what many of
the uptempo offerings want to
do in terms of
praising the
fairer sex without resorting to
what some might call borderline misogyny. With flowing production
from Jesse Jagz this Chocolate City
in-house collaboration is simply and
exotically beautiful. With string orchestration and a steady pulsing
beat and percussion, Brymo floats on
the music, weaving visions of splendour. this is heart warming music.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
q
w
e
r
t
y
u
i
o
p
a
ur Waist
Bum Bum
Go low
Fine lady
tony montana
(Bad Pass) remix
Azonto Fiesta
Artist
Iyanya
timaya
Wande Coal
lynxxx Ft Wizkid
naeto C Ft D'Banj
Sarkodie Ft
Appietus & Kesse
Baddest Boy
E.m.E Ft Wizkid
Skales & Banky W
overseas
Davido Ft Sina
rambo
Antenna
Fuse oDG
Good morning
Brymo
Ara
Brymo
Gaga Crazy
Chuddy K
I'm In love With you Sarkodie Ft Efya
last one
tiffany Ft Castro
Super Star
Ice Prince
Check my Swagga El
Anything For you
Flexclusive
(remix)
Ft Itz tiffany
high
Eva
oma Ga
tiwa Savage
Ayi
Criss Waddle Ft
Bisa
This chart is compiled by information from
YouTube.
38
NIGERIAN WATCH
October 2012
@NigerianWatch
TOWNWATCH
HARRIET OGBEIDE’S
ENTERTAINMENT GIST
“INVASION 1897”
$2MILION
BLOCKBUSTER TO BE
RELEASED IN 2014
movie director lancelot Imasuen (above) –
popularly known as “the Governor” – is currently shooting a $2m movie to be released in
2014. the movie titled “Invasion 1897” is based
on the life of ovonramwen no’gbaisi. the oba
of Benin, he was exiled from his kingdom by
the British after the punitive expedition, which
led to the capture, burning and looting of
Benin City, most notably the Benin Bronzes.
TIWA SAVAGE Sharon’s “No” was a blessing in disguise
the singer (pictured) who made it to the
judges’ house, as one of the top 24 for the
final selection process on the X-Factor, has
said her rejection by Sharon osbourne
turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
though it was tough at the time – there
were tears and the elimination was seen by
most as a step backward for the singer –
tiwa decided to move back to nigeria to regroup and pursue her career. Since then,
amongst other accomplishments, tiwa has
played co host on Nigerian Idol, released
popular singles Kele Kele Love and Love Me,
has a label co-owned with tee-Billz, and is
currently the first lady of mavin records (by
Don Jazzy).
on her experience with mavin records
she says, “Don Jazzy is a legend in my opinion. he is incredible and I’ve always looked
up to him. his part in signing me has nothing to do with replacing D’banj – D’banj can
never be replaced. It was just that they
wanted a female touch.”
the artist, whose current single Oma Ga
sounds noticeably different from her previous singles, has expressed her joy in agreeing to try something different. She said,
“When he first played the beat, we honestly
thought it was for Wande or DPrince. he
was like, ‘tiwa, just go in the booth.’ I was
like and do what? So, I recorded it and it
sounded pretty and they said, “Go back, listen to Salawa and similar artists.’ When I
came back, they turned the lights off in the
studio and I got in the zone. the whole crew
helped, Sid, Wande, Prince, Jazzy, and my
manager tJ, who actually wrote on the song
too.” oma Ga is available on Itunes.
meanwhile, the singer tells Factory 78’s
Adesope olajide, “the Afrobeat industry is
tougher for women. When I was getting in, I
was told women don’t support each other
like that. I’ve been blessed, when I go to
concerts and shows, women are screaming
more than men. that shows that women
want to hear songs by women because only
a woman can sing it from a woman’s perspective”.
TWEET
American Singer Keri hilson is to return to
nigeria this november, for a performance in
the capital city Abuja. the singer tweeted her
excitement (see above) earlier this month.
D’BAnJ, PSQuArE AnD WIZKID
nomInAtED For EmA AnD moBo
AWArDS
KURUKERE REACHES
2.7 MILLION HITS ON
YOUTUBE
Kurukere master Iyanya (above), the first winner of project Fame Africa, switched from his
usual r&B singing style to Afrobeats/
Afropop for his hit single Kukere. the
switch was obviously a good choice as the
music video for Kurukere has received
over 2.7million hits on youtube. the
video has started a craze, where individuals upload videos of themselves dancing
the Etighi dance step seen in the video.
there is also a remix version of Kukere
featuring D’banj. the star’s new single Ur
Waist also an afrobeat tune, has received
114k hits in just 1 week. ur Waist is currently on the Nigerian Watch Afrobreakers chart.
P-Square (No One Like You) and Dbanj
(Oliver Twist), have been nominated in the
Best African acts category of the 2012 mobo
Awards. Both acts are up against other
African artists including Cabo Snoop and
Sarkodie. the mobo’s will be held on the 3
november at the Echo Arena, liverpool.
mtv has nominated WizKid (pictured) and
D’banj for Europe music Awards (EmA) in
the Best African act category alongside
Sarkodie and others. to vote, visit
http://base.mtvema.com/vote . Voting closes
on 14 october and the winner will go on to
vie for a Worldwide Act nomination. the
EmA which is usually held in a different European city each year will be held in Frankfurt on the 11 november.
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PERSONALWATCH
NIGERIAN WATCH
October 2012
39
Dear Eki
For answers or advice on life issues, write to Dear Eki, Nigerian Watch, Chartwell House, 292 Hale Lane,
Edgware HA8 8NP, or email: [email protected]
UNEMPLOYMENT LEAVING ME FRUSTRATED.
Dear Eki
I have been out of a job for 6 months now, and it’s really starting to get me down.
I was made redundant from my previous job as a result of a take over. At first I
wasn’t too bothered as the redundancy package came with three months pay. I
figured that would be plenty of time for me to find a new job. It’s been six
months now and still no job. I am pounding the pavements and browsing the internet all day in search of a permanent job. I’ve registered with numerous agencies, both online and at their branches but still no luck. I am beginning to panic;
what if I never find anything? You hear those stories of people who’ve been out
of work for five years, what if I end up as one of them?
The lack of a job has also started to impact my home life as my wife is now the
breadwinner. I am beginning to snap at her over the littlest of issues. The look of
disappointment on her face every day as I have to tell her I still haven’t found
work makes it seem like I am not doing my best to find one. What can I do?
marvin, london
Losing one’s job can weigh on your mind especially if we believe we were doing a good job and didn’t
deserve to be let go. As with all obstacles we face, life must go on. It is true that the job market is really
difficult and the constantly increasing percentage of unemployed people reported in the papers does
nothing to allay our fears. Snapping at your wife over the littlest issues only makes matters worse, as it
increases the tension in the household. The look of disappointment on her face might be something you
imagine; I believe if she was disappointed, she would have told you by now.
As you still can’t find that job you want, my advice for now would be to lower your salary expectations or start applying for voluntary positions in your area. Preferably something you don’t have to
travel to, so you don’t spend money you don’t have on transport. You should also consider applying for
temp positions. They may be short term but at least they give you something to do, and help boost your
CV with skills and additional references. It’s not just agencies that help people find jobs; you should try
visiting your local jobcentre or visit the following pages online: www.jobcentreonline.com and
www.jobseekers.direct.gov.uk. Both websites contain useful information and advice for job seekers, including job opportunities, interview skills and so forth.
Judging from what you’ve said, it sounds like you are trying your best to find work, so keep doing
what you are doing and try to stay positive and you’ll find something eventually. I wish you all the best
in your job hunt.
HOW DO I STOP MY
MUM AND EX FROM
KEEPING IN TOUCH?
Dear Eki
I dated my ex for three years and everyone thought we would marry. It sadly
ended six months ago because I fell in
love with someone else. It was a difficult
time for her but she’s moved on as she is
currently seeing a new guy. While we
were dating, she and my mum got real
close. My mum has four sons so I’m
guessing she took my ex as the daughter
she never had. The problem is, my mum
hasn’t moved on. She won’t get to know
my current girlfriend but she happily
goes on lunch dates with my ex and
keeps making references to her when
my new girlfriend is around, and it is
starting to put a strain on my current relationship. The final straw was during
my mother’s birthday a month ago. She
invited my ex and her new partner over
and fawned over her while completely
ignoring my current girlfriend. How can I
get my ex to sever ties with my mum?
obi, london
From what you’ve said, it seems that your mum
wants this relationship with your ex. Maybe your
mum feels obliged as you broke her heart. Maybe
your ex also doesn’t want to be in touch with your
mum but she is just too polite to say so or doesn’t
know how. On the other hand, it could be that they
bonded and are real friends.
The fact that you decided to dump her doesn’t
mean they shouldn’t continue speaking to each
other, as they’ve found other things they have in
common aside from you. It would be totally unfair
to ask your ex to sever all ties with your mum because if she did it would make her seem like the
bad guy, and also be disrespectful to your mother.
If anyone is to sever ties here, it should be your
mum and not your ex. You might decide to speak
to your mum about doing that, but I say it’s best to
ignore their relationship and hopefully they will get
tired of each other. Asking your mum to stop
speaking to her because it’s making things hard
with your new girlfriend would only push your
mum further from your new girlfriend, especially if
your mum doesn’t like her.
Instead of thinking of how you can split them
apart, you should concentrate on how you can get
you mum to accept your new girlfriend. The bottom line is, if you are serious about this new girl
and believe your relationship is heading for that all
important next step; then you need to speak to
your mum and ask her to be more accommodating.
SHOULD I HAVE SAID
YES TO HIS DEMANDS?
Dear Eki
Five years ago I was engaged to be married when one late evening my fiancé
took me out to one of his favourite traditional Nigerian restaurants where we
had an enjoyable meal. On taking me
back to his I was told that making love
and conceiving was the next thing on
the agenda for that evening, or else it
was over. I decided I wasn't having any of it because of my beliefs and left. I keep wondering whether I made the right decision
that evening. I miss him and I've been
single ever since. I am now 38 with no
children and worst of all very little hope
left of ever having any. I no longer know
whether the decision to have held on so
strongly to my Christian values was the
right one.
E, london.
Any man who would give you such an ultimatum is
definitely not the one for you. Sex should be consensual, and you should never feel like you’ve made
the wrong decision to hold on to your Christian
values. You have to move on from that man.
Spending time thinking if you made the right decision is not the best choice. Instead, put yourself out
there and meet other people. Don’t try to categorise
the person as husband material immediately. Just
go with the flow and see where the relationship
takes you. You never know some people might surprise you.
You also sound like you’ve lost confidence in
yourself. You shouldn’t - your decision was the
right one and a strong one to take. Fall in love with
yourself again, I am sure you have a lot of admirable qualities, remind yourself of them. Any
man will be lucky to have you for a wife. If you
don’t love yourself how can you get people to love
you? Regain your confidence, tell yourself you deserve better than that man and really mean it too.
Positive thinking helps you generate a positive attitude. And when potential suitors see this new confident you, they will be drawn to you. Men admire
confidence in women.
40
NIGERIAN WATCH
October 2012
@NigerianWatch
LEISUREWATCH
TALES BY MOONLIGHT
The Election of the King Bird (the black-andwhite Fishing Eagle)
o
ld Town, Calabar,
once had a king
called Essiya, who,
like most of the Calabar kings
in the olden days, was rich
and powerful; but, although
he was so wealthy, he did not
possess many slaves.
He therefore used to call
upon the animals and birds to
help his people with their
work. In order to get the work
done quickly and well, he determined to appoint head
chiefs of all the different
species.
The elephant he appointed
king of the beasts of the forest, and the hippopotamus
king of the water animals,
until at last it came to the turn
of the birds to have their king
elected.
Essiya thought for some
time which would be the best
way to make a good choice
but could not make up his
mind, as there were so many
different birds who all considered they had claims.
There was the hawk with
his swift flight, and of hawks
there were several species.
There were the herons to be
considered, and the big spurwinged geese, the hornbill or
toucan tribe, and the game
birds, such as guinea-fowl, the
partridge and the bustards.
Then again, of course,
there were all the big crane
tribe, who walked about the
sandbanks in the dry season,
but who disappeared when
the river rose, and the big
black-and-white fishing eagles.
When the king thought of
the plover tribe, the sea-birds,
including the pelicans, the
doves, and the numerous shy
birds who live in the forest, all
of whom sent in claims, he got
so confused that he decided to
have a trial by ordeal of combat, and sent word round the
whole country for all the birds
to meet the next day and fight
it out between themselves, and
that the winner should be
known as the king bird ever
afterwards.
The following morning
many thousands of birds
came and there was much
screeching and flapping of
wings. The hawk tribe soon
drove all the small birds away,
and harassed the big waders
so much that they very shortly
disappeared, followed by the
geese, who made much noise,
and winged away in a straight
line, as if they were playing
‘Follow my leader’.
The big forest birds who
liked to lead a secluded life
very soon got tired of all the
noise and bustle, and after a
few croaks and other weird
noises went home.
The game birds had no
chance and hid in the bush, so
that very soon the only birds
left were the hawks and the
big black-and-white fishing
eagle, who was perched on a
tree calmly watching everything.
The scavenger hawks were
too gorged and lazy to take
much interest in the proceedings and were quietly ignored
by the fighting tribe, who were
very busy circling and swooping on one another, with
much whistling going on.
Higher and higher they
went, until they disappeared
out of sight. Then a few
would return to earth, some
of them badly torn and with
many feathers missing.
At last the fishing eagle
said, “When you have quite
finished with this foolishness,
please tell me. And if any of
you fancy yourselves at all,
come to me, and I will settle
your chances of being elected
head chief once and for all.”
But when they saw his terrible beak and cruel claws,
knowing his great strength
and ferocity, they stopped
fighting between themselves,
and acknowledged the fishing
eagle to be their master.
Essiya then declared that
Ituen, which was the name of
the fishing eagle, was the head
chief of all the birds, and
should thence forward be
known as the king bird.
From that time to the present day, whenever the young
men of the country go to fight
they always wear three of the
long black-and-white feathers
of the king bird in their hair,
one on each side and one in
the middle, as they are believed to impart much courage
and skill to the wearer.
If a young man enters into
battle and is not possessed of
any of these feathers when he
goes out to fight, he is looked
upon as a very small boy indeed.
Do you recall a favourite Tale by Moonlight? We’d love to print
it. Please forward to [email protected]
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S
ince we’re commanded to forgive, you
might ask: How many times do we have
to forgive someone who trespasses
against us? The disciple Peter also wanted to
know and asked Jesus: “‘Master, how many
times do I forgive anyone who hurts or offends
me? Seven?’ Jesus replied, ‘Seventy times
seven.’” (Matthew 18, verse 21).
Did Jesus mean that we should forgive 490
times and then our duty to forgive would be
complete? Unfortunately, we don’t get off that
easily and Jesus hardly meant for us to forgive
one another only seventy times seven. Let’s go
deeper and look at Jesus’ answer in the King
James Version. “Jesus saith unto him, I say not
unto thee, until seven times: but, until seventy
times seven.” (Matthew 18:22) What did Jesus
mean by the word until? The word until is defined in the dictionary and thesaurus as “a
function word to indicate continuance, awaiting, pending, in anticipation of ”.
“Until seventy times seven” is a certain
number for an uncertain situation. Christ’s
meaning is, that a man should be for all the
days and every day of his life forgiving those
that sin against him, as often as they repent
and acknowledge their fault; and that no time
is to be set for the exercise of the ‘grace’ of
forgiveness; but as often as there are objects
and occasions, though ever so many and frequent, it should be used; and He illustrates
this in the parable of the Unforgiving Servant
in the same chapter.
Let’s consider some important points
about forgiveness that we don’t think about
when we’re hurting. The devil knows that
when we choose not to forgive others, we are
only hurting ourselves and prolonging personal misery. On the other hand, when we do
forgive others, we are actually blessed because,
as we acknowledge God as our vindicator, we
are able to release the offender to the Lord for
judgment, and can be delivered from a bitter
heart, which opens the door for God’s peace.
Forgiveness made easy
By
PASTOR DAVID-DAVID MAKOYAWO, PRESIDING MINISTER
World Repairers Global Network Ministries
In Pursuit of God, Repairing Lives, Restoring Destinies and Living A meaningful Life
Jesus taught His disciples how to pray using
the ‘Model Prayer (Matthew 6, verse 9-13).’
Through praying this prayer, they were
constantly reminded that as
they asked God to forgive
them of their debts, they too
should forgive others, who trespassed against them. There
would be no point in asking
God to forgive you if you did
not forgive others.
Another important point is
that when we don’t forgive others, we are in sin, which separates us from God and our
fellowship with Him is broken.
Nothing and no one is more
important than our fellowship with the Father, yet we sometimes justify our lack of forgiveness toward others because of the severity
of the offence. Voices whisper in our ear, ‘If I
were you, I wouldn’t forgive him or her for
what was done to you. That was too much
and I wouldn’t take it if I were you!’
Yet, God in His great love and mercy gave
His Only Begotten Son to die for us, when we
were yet in our offences and enemies of God.
“But if we confess our sins or offences to Him,
He is faithful and just to forgive us and to
cleanse us from every wrong.” (John 1, verse 9).
I learned and discovered from counselling
that hurt people not forgiving others only
hurt themselves and that the offenders often
had no clue of the injury they had caused
even after several months or maybe longer.
PUZZLES
HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW NIGERIA?
7
5
NIGERIAN WATCH
October 2012
RELIGIONWATCH
1 Who was nigeria’s youngest ever
ruler?
2 Who was the first premier of the
mid Western region?
3 Which footballer scored nigeria’s
first ever World Cup goal?
4 how many times has nigeria won
the u-17 Fifa World Cup?
3
5 In what year did nigeria win
olympic football gold?
6 Which nigerian musician is
nicknamed Chief Commander?
7 Who is nigeria’s current speaker
of the house of representatives?
8 how many countries border
nigeria?
9 on what date did nigeria become a
republic?
10 Who was the first woman in nigeria to
drive a motor car?
As long as you still remain upset about what
has been done to you, you give the devil free
access into your life; being unforgiving opens
your life to satanic activities of
all kinds and keeps you very
far from being in ‘perfect
peace.’
As long as you constantly
rehearse the offences done to
you and want vindication it
will be difficult to release those
who have hurt you. You will
find it liberating, peaceful and
fulfilling when you choose to
release those, who hurt you.
The scriptures tell us that God
is not (or will not be) mocked
and we will reap what we sow (Galatians 6,
verse 9), therefore we can be assured that
God will take care of those who have hurt us
(and we too will pay for hurting others). One
thing I have learned about vindication is that
God does not always allow us to see our enemies fall but if He does, we must not rejoice
or God will withhold His wrath. (Proverbs
24, verses17-18)
Some final thoughts to remember about
forgiveness:
• As long as we live, we should await and
anticipate forgiving and being forgiven by
others. “If we do not forgive others, our faith
will not work and everything that comes from
God comes by faith.” To receive freely from
God, we must freely give. (Mark 11, verse 26);
• Don’t give place to the devil by holding
41
grudges. Give way to God, be quick to forgive
and do not let the sun go down on your
anger. (Ephesians 4: verses 26-27) Forgiveness
leads to healing.
Let’s practise forgiving others as well as
ourselves when we fail. As we do so, we can
learn to love ourselves in healthier ways, let
go of hurtful memories and painful events,
while we anticipate a brighter future. By consistently applying ‘seventy times seven’ to our
own lives, it becomes easier to acknowledge
our personal frailties and seek God for His
grace, mercy and wisdom, to replace the guilt
and self-hatred of a painful past with ‘sincere’
forgiveness.
I therefore encourage you to forgive anyone that has ever offended or hurt you in anyway, dead or alive, whoever they may be,
family friend or acquaintance. Think about
this; What if God chose the people that hurt
and offend you to bless your life?”
So, please, learn to forgive. You will be
amazed how God’s blessing will begin to flow
into your life in form of good health, prosperity, uncommon favour, restoration of marriage, and open heaven over your life, to
mention a few.
Think, Pray and take action, to experience
undeniable outstanding blessings. Stay
strong, Stay focused ,Get inspired, the world
is waiting to celebrate you.
For further help, Prayers and Counselling
ADDRESS 7th Floor, Berkeley House, 18-24 High
Street Edgware, Edgware, London HA8 7RP.
WEBSITE www.worldrepairersministries.org.uk
EMAIL [email protected]
TELEPHONE 020 8205 3334; M 07915 308 834
DAYS AND TIME OF SERVICES Tuesdays and Fridays, 7-9pm. Sundays,10-12:30pm. Third Friday
of every month; Holy Ghost Night, 10pm-1am.
TRAVEL Tube: Edgware, Northern Line.
Buses: 204,340,292,251,303,142,32,79,240,221,
305,288.
Answers and solution on Page 47
NAIJAKU
42
NIGERIAN WATCH
October 2012
EDUCATIONWATCH
@NigerianWatch
Would you let someone choose the house you
will live in?
THIS MAY BE A STRANGE QUESTION
for an education column but it is a highly
pertinent one. The answer to the question for
most of us is a resounding ‘NO’ yet many
parents will every year choose a school for their
children based on the say so of friends,
neighbours and anyone with an opinion. I ask
this question at the beginning since getting the
right school for your child involves the same
effort and emotional commitment as getting the
right house to live in.
Choosing the right school for your child is
one of the most important decisions you will
have to make as a parent. This is the place that
will shape your child’s future and memories.
The right school can build future world leaders
and the wrong school can destroy self esteem
so that a child fails to live to their potential. So
no pressure but don’t be lazy; invest in your
child and take the time to get the best school
possible.
Where to start? A good starting point will
be those friends, neighbours and people with
opinions! Listen to what they have to say then
do some more research for yourself and visit
the schools before making a final list of possible schools to apply for. Use local authority
websites to get information about state schools
and The Good Schools Guide (www.good-
schoolsguide.co.uk) for an independent view of
all schools. Visiting a school is however by far
the best way to form an opinion about a
school. I have this month compiled a list of
things to consider when deciding on schools.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT SCHOOL
When parents ask me what ‘the best’ school is,
my answer is always, it’s the school your child
is at. As people we want different things and
what is important for one is not necessary important for another. When choosing schools,
you will all want different things.
One thing that is universal though is that as
a caring parent, you will want assurance that
your son or daughter will blossom at their
school and that the school’s provisions match
those of his or her abilities and interests. You
will also want to know that the school’s ethos
and values reflect and support those of your
family’s values and beliefs. Including the following in your schools research will help you
choose the right school:
l Read the school prospectus and website to
get a gut feel for how the school wants to present itself.
l
Check
the
Ofsted
reports
(www.ofsted.gov.uk) and league table results
(www.education.gov.uk/performancetables)
l Attend the school Open Days where you can
see around the school. Take your son or
daughter with you – after all they are the ones
who will be sitting for the exams. I recommend
that you start this when your child is in year 4
(ages 8-9 years old). This allows you time to
shortlist schools to revisit in year 5.
Remember that Open Days are PR exercises
for schools. Arm yourself with a list of questions (see below for ideas) you want answers to
so that you can get a proper impression of the
school you are visiting. You should be aware
that state schools will not welcome visits if
your child is not in the targeted year group.
l Make an appointment to meet the headteacher personally (not usually possible for state
schools) and prepare carefully in advance. A personal tour gives you the chance to investigate the
school’s approach and performance in detail.
Think carefully about what environment is
right for your son or daughter – would they
thrive best in a school that is creative or competitive or academic? Would they be better in
a large or small school? Try and imagine your
son or daughter in the school environment.
about/look up to others for being good at?
What changes would you make if you were in
charge?
5) Suggested Questions for Teaching Staff
how would the school get to know my child?
how is the school organised (age, ability sets,
subject groups)?
how many children would be in my child’s
class?
Is there a homework club?
how does the school assess work and monitor progress?
how often are written reports sent home?
If my child is struggling how will I know?
What will the school do to help?
What are the arrangements for contact between parents and school e.g. phone, email,
home/school book?
Who do I contact if I have a concern?
how are parents involved in the life of the
school?
Is there a parents’ group?
3) Things to look out for
Is school welcoming?
Are the buildings clean and well maintained?
(where is the school fee going?)
how do pupils behave?
how does the head deal with questions? (the
headteacher’s ideas represents vision)
how qualified are the staff?
What is the average age of the staff?
Is there reasonable staff stability?
have there been many recent changes? (may
indicate something wrong if staff change a
lot).
read the notice boards (gives an idea of pupil
standard; also diversity), is the information up
to date?
Is the library well stocked?
how new are the books?
s the curriculum balanced?
how available are ICt facilities?
6) Suggested Questions for the Headteacher (most are probably best asked at a
face-to-face meeting)
Can I have a copy of the ofsted report (if you
haven’t already got one)?
What is the average class size?
What is the ratio of teachers to pupils?
how many InSEt days did staff have last year
and how many are scheduled for this year (indicates the school’s attitude to continuing
professional development)?
What is the staff turnover?
What special projects are currently on the go,
or being proposed?
how are these being funded (indicates level
of fundraising required by parents)?
What are the school’s religious traditions?
What is the school’s attitude to religious days
off?
how are pupils selected during the admissions process?
What is the school looking for in the pupils it
selects?
Where do the majority of pupils come from
and what is the breakdown?
how many children go on to oxford or Cambridge universities? Where do others go?
Is pupils’ health monitored or assessed regularly?
What is the real cost of coming to this school?
What other costs to consider?
What scholarships are available?
how many staff write books or work as chief
examiners?
What are the school’s strengths?
What are its weaknesses?
Does the school have any features it considers
unique?
4) Suggested questions for pupils during
the tour
Where is the head’s office?
Are you happy here?
What type of person would not fit in here?
What made you choose this school?
What subjects do you like?
What do you like best about this school?
What do pupils at this school value/care
My last piece of advice is probably the most
important; trust your instincts when looking
for schools and choose a school where you
feel comfortable rather than one that everyone else says is ‘the best’. Don’t worry about
what your friends will think; your child’s wellbeing is far more important.
Sylvia Watts-Cherry
Principal, Advance Tutorial College
ITINERARY FOR VISITING SCHOOLS
1) Things to take Camera (to take photos);
Pen and paper; list of Questions
2) Things to ask for at the school
School Prospectus
latest ofsted or Independent Schools inspection report
School magazine or yearbook
list of governors
the last 3-years results
leavers’ destinations; list of school clubs or
societies
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September 2012
43
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PROPERTYWATCH
NIGERIAN WATCH
October 2012
45
Buying property in London?
Know your facts
Look beyond London’s blue chip postcodes if you want
to make a solid profit, says property agent Olumide
Onitiri-Coker
One thing is for certain, when it comes to
buying central London property, Nigerian
buyers are not new to the
game.
As a buyer’s agent, any time
I visit estate agents or speak
with sellers and I tell them I
have a Nigerian client in town
wanting to buy, they sit up
straight and their pupils begin
to expand like I’m about to tell
them they have won the lottery.
At times, what my client
wants can actually determine
how successful an agent’s day will be. As a fellow Nigerian, this type of flattering response is
warm and encouraging.
From an industry perspective, it can be
dated back to the late 70s and 80s when oil dollars flooded into the city and Nigerian businessmen went on shopping sprees, buying
prime locations in Bayswater, Edgware Road
and the infamous Bishops Avenue in Hampstead.
Best return on investment
Then popular residents like Umaru Dikko, of 49
Porchester Terrace, and other high profile Nigerian fugitives of the Shagari era gave new meaning to the words location, location, location.
This I believe led to the notion in Nigeria’s
investors circles that London property should
be a staple asset of any portfolio, which today
sees a new breed of budding
investors from Nigeria purchasing property to preserve
capital and generate income
growth.
This year alone, enquiries
at Avinell, a London based
property finder, were up forty
per cent from buyers from
Nigeria looking for prime locations in places like Knightsbridge, Belgravia, Mayfair,
Kensington, Chelsea and St
Johns Wood, wanting to know where they can
get good discounts and possible four per cent
and above yields on rental income.
However, simply knowing the name of the
area doesn’t necessarily provide the best return
on investment. The secret in today’s premium
market is to know the name of the actual
street. This was highlighted in a recent report
by Savills property, which suggested that investors in prime central London need to look
beyond the headline averages for real comparables in order to understand value.
Don’t be complacent
However, many still make mistakes. With
growing internet access in Nigeria, many buyers would have done their research online be-
fore arriving. This can lead to buyers becoming
more complacent and even less thorough in
their searches.
In fact, research by The Financial Times has
discovered that the average buyer only spends
96 minutes viewing properties before they buy
– this is 43 minutes less than people typically
spend deciding on where to go on vacation or
which desktop to buy.
Nevertheless, the rich history of Nigerians
buying in London shows no sign of dampening
down, as prices keep rising and the citiy’s vibrant culture continues to attract the masses.
Olumide Onitiri-Coker is a partner at
Avinell, a property research agency.
NIGERIAN WATCH
October 2012
As nigeria finished 22nd in the medal table, we round up
the results – medalists and finalists – from team nigeria
PoWErlIFtInG;
GOLD men’s – 48kg yakubu Adesokan
GOLD Women’s + 82.50kg Grace Anozie
SILVER Women’s – 56kg lucy Ejike
SILVER men’s – 60kg Ifeanyi nnajiofor
BRONZE Women’s – 67.5kg Victoria nneji
GOLD Women’s – 44kg Ivory nwokorie
SILVER men’s – 52kg Ikechukwu obichukwu
GOLD Women’s – 82.5kg loveline obiji
SILVER Women’s – 75kg Folashade
oluwafemiayo
GOLD Women’s – 52kg Joy onaolapo
GOLD Women’s – 48kg Esther oyema
SILVER men’s – 56kg Anthony ulonnam
AthlEtICS
Finalist men’s 100m t46 Suwaibidu Galadima
and Frank Johnwill
BRONZE Women’s Shot Put F57/58 Eucharia
Iyiazi
Finalist Women’s Shot Put F57/58 Grace
nwaozuzu
Finalist Women’s Shot Put F54/55/56 Patricia
ndidi Amake nnaji
Finalist Women’s 200m t46 unyime uwak
MENS 48KG: Yakubu Adesokan of Nigeria shows off his gold medal after setting a new world record during the Men’s 48kg Powerlifting on Day 1 of the
London 2012 Paralympic Games at ExCel
LONDON 2012 NIGERIA’S
SECOND BEST EVER
PARALYMPIC OUTING
LONDON
2012
represented
Nigeria’s
second ever best Paralympic
Games, as the total medal
haul of six gold, five silver
and one bronze is just shy of
the record set at Sydney
2000, writes Ayo Akinfe.
In Sydney, Nigerian Paralympians won seven gold,
seven silver and one bronze
medal, powering the nation
into the mainstream of Paralympic heavyweights.
Apart from the fact that
Sydney was Nigeria’s best
ever games, it was also the
first Paralympic tournament
in which she produced a female champion, when Edith
Nzuruike won gold in the
javelin.
Nigeria made her Paralympic Games debut in 1992
in Barcelona, with a small
team consisting of just six
Locog
6 GOLD, 5 SILVER, 2 BRONZE
@NigerianWatch
SPORTWATCH
Locog
46
WOMENS 82.5KG:
Loveline Obiji of Nigeria
takes the applause for
winning gold
male competitors who competed in athletics, powerlifting
and table tennis.
In Barcelona, Adeoye Ajibola won gold in the 100 and
200 metre sprints while Monday Emoghawve won one
gold in powerlifting.
In 2000, Emoghawve also
won his third consecutive gold
OLUSEGUN AJOSE LOSES OUT ON
WBC SUPER LIGHTWEIGHT CROWN
NIGERIAN boxing fans
may have to wait a while
before they see Olusegun
Ajose fight in the UK again,
as he takes time off to mull
over his recent and only
defeat to Lucas Matthysse
in their bout for the WBC
super lightweight world
championship.
London-based Ajose, who
has British citizenship, was the
former British champion and
has fought most of his bouts in
the UK, has been a favourite
of the Nigerian UK diaspora
community. He was on course
to add the world title to his
array of belts last month but
unfortunately lost to Argentine
Lucas Matthysse in the first
ever defeat of his professional
career.
Ajose, 33, has won 14 of his
30 professional fights by knock
out, but was knocked out him-
self in the 10th round by
Matthysse at the Hard Rock
Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas
on 8 September. After the
fight, a disappointed Ajose
said he was saddened by the
fact that Nigeria had not offered more support in the runup to the bout.
He said, “My preparation
for the fight was nothing to
write home about. With what
I achieved for this country at
the All Africa Games – winning a gold medal – African
and Commonwealth title,
British title and 2000 Olympic
Games, it is disheartening that
I could not get enough support to prepare for the fight.
“I was supposed to travel
to America a month before
the fight and secure the service
of some sparring partners
who fight like Mattysse. All
MEN’S 52KG: Ikechukwu Obichukwu prepares to lift 175kg to secure Silver,
which was presented to rapturous applause.
this cost a lot of money which
I did not have and unlike me,
Matthysse got all the support
from his government.
“I learnt that the Argentinean government sponsored
his technical crew for the fight
and some other things. I had
to manage with what I could
lay my hands on.”
On his competitor Ajose
said, “I think he is the hardest
puncher I have ever fought. I
have to give it to him. I know
I can do better than what I did
tonight as I’m a good champion. I fall down and I get
back up. I’ll be back.”
Returning the compliment
Matthysse said, “He was a
tough rival and he had a lot of
mobility in this fight.
“I thought I had him a
couple of times but he is a
strong fighter and I felt his
power tonight.”
Ajose began his career as a
professional in May 2001 at
the Royal Gardens Hotel in
Kensington, London, when
he defeated Tony Montana in
the first round. On 13 June
2009 he challenged Nigel
Wright for the vacant British
light welterweight title, a contest that was only able to take
place following the granting
of British citizenship to Ajose
on the grounds of residency.
Combined with the Commonwealth title, Ajose again
won the contest with a unanimous points decision to become a two-belt champion.
Rather than defending the
British title, however, Ajose
gave it up, choosing to fight in
a world title eliminator instead against undefeated Romanian boxer Ionut Dan.
47
Nigeria establishes herself
as powerlifting numero uno
nIGErIA has established herself as the world’s leading
nation in Paralympic weighlifting after winning six of the
gold medals on offer at the recent london 2012 games.
topping the table, nigeria
won six gold, five silver and
one bronze at the Games, taking home an unprecedented
12 medals. Powerlifting, as
weightlifting for Paralympians
is called, has never been so
dominated by one country in
the history of the Games.
Apart from winning the
most medals, team nigeria
also broke four world records
through yakubu Adesokan, Esther oyema, Joy onaolapo
and Folashade oluwafemiayo.
unfortunately for
oluwafemiayo, however, she
went home with a silver in the
women’s 75kg category as her
world record came in a fourth
lift and thus was out of competition.
Esther oyema set a world
record of 135kg in the
women's 48kg category, while
Joy onaolapo set a new Paralympic record in the women’s
48kg category, lifting 131kg.
yakubu Adesokan set a
new world record of 180kg in
the men’s 48kg category, while
Folasade oluwafemiayo’s lift
of 146kg in the women’s 75kg
class matched that of the gold
medalist but she got silver because she weighed more than
the eventual winner, taoying
Fu of China.
other gold medalists include Grace Anozie in the
Locog
Locog
WOMEN’S 48KG: Esther Oyema of Nigeria reacts after a successful lift in the women’s 48 kg Powerlifting on Day 3 of
the London 2012 Paralympic Games at ExCeL
in powerlifting, while three female powerlifters, Iyabo Ismaila Victoria Nneji and
Patricia Okafor, also won a
gold medal each.
In table tennis, Tajudeen
Agunbiade won gold in the
men's singles, while the trio of
Agunbiade, Tunde Adisa and
Femi Alabi took gold in the
team event.
In 2004, Adekundo Adesoji
was a triple champion in
sprinting, while Silver Ezeippe
won gold in the men’s javelin
and Lucy Ejike won a powerlifting gold medal.
In 2008, Eucharia Iyiazi
won gold in both shot put and
discus, while Ejike and Ruel
Ishaku each won powerlifting
gold medals.
Up until London 2012,
Nigeria had won 22 gold, 11
silver and 12 bronze medals at
Paralympic Games. At the
London games, Nigeria’s only
non-powerlifting medal was
the bronze won by Iyiazi in
the women’s shotput.
NIGERIAN WATCH
October 2012
SPORTWATCH
NIGERIA TRIUMPHS: Ivory Nwokorie won gold medal in the 44kg, lifting 109
kg to win the gold medal. Cigdem Dede of Turkey came second while Lydiia
Soloviova of Ukraine took the bronze medal. A happy Nwokorie said “I’m
very, very happy. I have made my country proud.”
women’s 82.5kg and obiji
loveline in the women’s
82.5kg class. Silver medalists
were lucy Ejike, Ifeanyi nnanjiofor, Ikechukwu obichukwu,
uonnam Anthony and
oluwafemiayo, while Victoria
nneji won nigeria’s lone
bronze medal at the games.
mike Ajiboye, nigeria’s
powerlifting coach said, “our
team is determined and focussed and when they want
to do something, they do it
with their minds. that is why
we have been able to get so
much from the Powerlifting at
these Games. It is all down to
determination and focus.”
All six gold medallists were
SUPER EAGLES
Continued from page 48 among Nigerian Football
Federation (NFF) officials, who question the rationale of him leaving out some of Nigeria’s best players
like Chelsea’s Mikel Obi, Inter Milan’s Joel Obi,
West Bromwich Albion’s Osaze Odemwingie, Dynamo Kiev’s Taiye Taiwo and Everton’s Victor
Anichebe, with October 13 being a do-or-die affair.
If all goes according to plan and Nigeria’s big
name players show up and deliver as we know they
can, beating lowly Liberia should not be a problem.
Nigeria desperately needs a good Nations Cup outing to lift the country up from her current disappointing position of 58th in Fifa’s rankings.
Traditionally, Nigeria is a top 10 footballing team
but has slumped in the rankings due to a recent dip
in form and it is time the Super Eagles rose up to
that billing and recaptured some of their past glory.
Whether the Calabar game will mark the start of
this process that reached an all-time low when the
Eagles failed to qualify for the 2012 Cup of Nations
remains to be seen.
conferred with the national
award member of the order
of the niger by President
Goodluck Jonathan. In addition, all members of team
nigeria to the Paralympic
Games were offered cash gifts
by the federal government at
a reception in their honour at
the presidential villa.
President Jonathan gave
each Paralympian who won a
gold medal n5m (£19,345),
those who won silver received
n3m each, while those who
won bronze got n2m each.
team members who were unfortunate not to win any
medal received n500, 000
each.
PuZZlE SolutIonS
How well do you know Nigeria quiz
answers
1 yakubu Gowon. 2 Chief Denis osadebey. 3 rashidi yekini. 4 three 5 1996. 6
Ebenezer obey. 7 Aminu tamburawal.
8 Four - Benin, niger, Chad, Cameroon.
9 october 1 1963. 10 mrs Funmilayo
ransome-Kuti.
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SPORT WATCH
October 2012
AFRICAN CUP OF NATIONS 2013 QUALIFIERS
SUPER EAGLES SET
FOR SHOWDOWN
NIGERIA’S Super Eagles are confident of beating the
Lone Stars of Liberia soundly at the UJ Esuene Stadium in Calabar on October 13 and securing a berth
in the 29th African Cup of Nations next year.
Desperate to qualify for the tournament taking
place in South Africa after missing out on the last
Cup of Nations, Nigeria is within sight of the fiesta.
After a drab performance in Monrovia on September 8, all the Eagles need after their away 2-2 draw is
a win or a 0-0 or 1-1 draw in Calabar.
Coach Stephen Keshi has come under a lot of fire
lately due to the lacklustre performances of his team,
who are playing in a very disjointed and incoherent
manner. His so-called rebuilding plan has also attracted the ire of fans, as many question his constant
use of players found out not to be good enough.
Keshi has also raised eyebrows Turn to page 47
Getty
nigerianwatch.com
LONDON
2012
PARALYMPIC
RESULTS
INSIDE

October 2012 - Nigerian Watch

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