IS FACEBOOK ALLOWING YOU TO FACE YOUR BOOK?

A friend sent me a mail few days ago to find out if all is well. I replied him that I am doing very fine. He said he decided to find out because he could not see my post on facebook for 2 days. I called him and we made a big joke out of it. But I begin to think of what this medium called FACEBOOK is turning into. Must I always talk on facebook? I have seen many friends' write-ups and pictures and I asked 'must you share this on facebook? I know some people cannot live a day without opening their facebook. Anyway, whatever facebook is turning people to, the young man who owns the platform have really done a very good job. But if one is not careful, the whole 24 hours in a day can be spent on facebook chatting with friends, flipping through pictures and profiles, watching videos and playing games. I cannot count the number of time I have received invitations from friends asking me to play games with them on facebook and I wonder whether we have access to the same number of hours in a day because I am still struggling to cope with mine.

Don’t get me wrong, social media, especially facebook, is helping us to keep contact with friends, learn and also convey our views on issues and events but we also need to take caution lest we abuse it. The fact is this- whenever you sign-in to your facebook account to do a thing, you will always find another thing to distract you. I am guilty of this sometimes. What I do these days is to keep a note of what I plan to do on my facebook and other social media platforms and the exact time I have to do them before I hit the sign-in button. This is helping me a lot to manage my time and attend to other businesses of the day.

Since FACEBOOK is one of the trending things now, I decided to do a write up on it which I titled 7 GREAT LESSONS YOU CAN LEARN ON FACEBOOK which I am going to share with you friends this week. I am very sure you will learn at least one thing from the series.

Re-invigorating Arts, Culture and Tourism Sectors for Socio-economic Development of AFRICA

Nigeria is a melting pot of culturally diverse ethnic nationalities that differ in history, socio-political formation, language and custom. This, without doubt, explains the reason why we have diverse creative people and industries in the country. Almost all the nations of the world have an aspect of their history and culture being preserved from one generation to another. This they jealously guide so as to ensure that those significant parts of their history will not go into extinction. Apart from the preservation, they also generate reasonable income from it annually, especially from the foreigners who deem it necessary to visit such countries for sight-seeing and cultural exchange.

I was privileged to be in the United Kingdom in August 2012 where I had the opportunity of touring the much popular British Museum. I was shocked to see the volume of African contents being displayed at the museum, most especially the terracotta head of the popular Benin Kingdom in Nigeria and many that could be traced back to the old Ethiopia, Angola, Ghana and many other African Nations. It was not the display of these materials that shocked me but the fact that many of these African nations, including Nigeria, could not boast of having these cultural artefacts in their national museums. A visit to States and even national museums in Nigeria today will likely reveal to you that the few left-over materials were just kept there for preservation sake. There is no sense of creating global awareness of the importance and relevance of these materials to the making of our societies which could naturally draw the foreigners to wanting to study the history of Africa as people and as a continent.

Moreover, Many African traditional societies have untapped creativity which could effectively make them competitive in a modern world. A close examination of the economic history of Nigerian society shows periods when people exhibited high levels of creativity that resulted in comparable economies with those elsewhere in the world. Looking at the period before ‘oil boom’, Nigerians were able to distinguish themselves in agriculture, arts and crafts, and many other indigenous industries which drew the global attention to Nigeria as a potentially wealthy nation. Despite the present decline in development of many of our society, there are historical evidences of the dynamism and creativeness of our people. It is generally acknowledged that Nigerians are creative, as demonstrated by a long history of unique cultural goods that have been accepted around the world. Talk of the arts and craft, music and film industry, textile, architectural designs, indigenous food items; among others have shown the quality that could make them competitive items of trade. Except for the music and film industries, other skills are generally on the decline level as it has been argued that long periods of marginalization worsened in the present epoch of globalization has undermined the creativity of traditional Nigerian societies. It is generally expected that if this is reversed it would promote economic growth and contribute to poverty alleviation.

Furthermore, researchers have argued that modernization, apart from the many positive impact it has had on African societies, has tended to destroy local creativity and subjugated local people to foreign culture and mindset. Cultural revival is therefore expected to empower Nigerians to take their place not just on the cultural map of the world but in transforming their society into a viable participant in the global economy. We cannot afford to be a ‘dumping ground’ of products being made abroad, it is high time we joined China, United States, United Kingdom and other developed nations in driving the global economy. The local food items, tie and dye, textile as well as many cultural goods, if properly packaged and marketed, could play an important role in creating a niche for Nigerian societies in the emerging global economic system.

For this to happen it is necessary to establish the extent of the creativity of Nigerians and the possibility of transforming their skills into trade-able commodities. There is no doubt that many aspects of our culture, particularly in the area of dance, music and arts have influenced active industries around the world but questions exist as to the ability of our people to package cultural activities into marketable goods that can penetrate global markets. It is argued that even local markets have not been fully exploited. If museums around the world could boast of artefacts from many African countries and contributing to the economic viability of these museums, museums in Africa should be the giants of all. African creativity is however beyond culture. The creativity of the African people manifests itself outside narrow cultural areas. Local communities need to be encouraged and mobilized to continue age long creative activities that will contribute to the economic and social wellbeing of the population. Their contribution to economic growth might still be low, but it has been argued that they hold the key to rural industrialization and urban invigoration if they are well mobilised.

The promotion of local textile in some locations in the country is reviving a creative industry. Local jeweller, bronze works and other ornamentals that characterize many local communities can contribute to local income and economic growth. Policy makers in Nigeria have to be better sensitized on the importance of the creative economy. Efforts should spread beyond cultural goods to all possible creative activity. Nigeria has to expand her knowledge base and promote innovation by mobilizing her creative energies and empowering her people to be creative. That is the only way she can realise her vision 2020-20.
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Olawale writes from Ibadan. He tweets @eminiolawale

A TOAST TO MR. NIGERIA ‘TAIWO AKINKUNMI’: THE NIGERIA’S FLAG DESIGNER AT 77

And there was a great man born in a great country where human and material resources were deposited in great measure. When this man was born, none of his family members thought he could command such national relevance by what he used his hand to craft for his fatherland. Though, not born with a silver spoon in his mouth, this man initiated and developed a material that is being used by his country-men to procure not only silver but gold in many competitions. His design is an indispensable piece that must appear in every State and National Houses of Assembly in the country, government houses, schools, government parastatals and even vehicles’ plate numbers on daily basis. This man is no other person but Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi, the Nigeria flag designer.

Born on the 10th of May, 1936 in Owu, Abeokuta the capital of Ogun State Nigeria. Taiwo Akinkunmi attended the Baptist Day School and Ibadan Grammar School, both in Ibadan, for his primary and secondary education before joining the old Western Region’s government as a clerical officer in the civil service after which he proceeded to the United Kingdom to further his studies. It was during his study abroad that Akinkunmi had the opportunity to write his name on the sand of history and he did not fail to do so. Prior to Nigeria’s independence, Akinkunmi was resident in London as a student of Norwich Technical College in West Norwich when he saw an advertisement in the newspaper of a competition for the design of national flag for independence celebration of his dear country. He became interested and took part in the grand contest for the design of the national flag as independence beckoned and emerged the winner of the keenly contested competition, over 2000 entry was received by the British Colonial administration. The reason for his emergence as winner is simple; his imaginative presentation of the Green -White-Green flag was quite meaningful. The green symbolises the nation’s prospects, particularly her rich agricultural endowments just as the white portrays unity and peace. On completion of his education in Britain, he returned to Nigeria in 1964 and had a civil service career in the then Western Region, where he worked in the Ministry of Agriculture from where he retired in 1994.

Though Akinkunmi who played such notable role in carving a lasting Nigerian identity lives as a commoner in a remote area of Ibadan. There is no motorable road leading to Pa Taiwo Akinkunmi’s house at Molade area as we talk. And even if there is a motorable road, Pa Taiwo Akinkunmi does not have a car. At the age of 77, Pa Taiwo Akinkunmi has to walk a distance of about 2 kilometres to reach the main road where he can get transportation to his destination, yet he will not speak a negative word against his country; he is always optimistic of the great and better Nigeria where every citizen will have the fair share of the milk and honey flowing on their land.

In my several interviews with Pa. Akinkunmi (2006, 2007, 2009, 2010 and 2013) he lamented on the pitiable state of the country adjudged to be the giant of Africa, despite her abundant human and natural resources. Every Nigerians had the dream of a country where they will experience good governance, fairness and rule of law in all its ramifications with security and social justice being uppermost in the agenda of the leadership but the reverse is the case. Things are not going the way people expected. Our leaders should have the fear of God for the country to be able to attain great heights among the comity of nations, he said.

Regardless of his current circumstances, Akinkunmi’s position in the history of Nigeria is an enviable one because he has made a unique contribution to its progress and development. The fact that he deserved to be celebrated nationwide on the occasion of his 77th birthday celebration on earth cannot be disputed. Therefore, Ladies and gentlemen, please join me as I raise a toast to an icon and a record-breaker of our time, Pa. Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi, as he clocks 77 this Friday 10th May, 2013.
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OLAWALE S. OLANIRAN can be reached on twitter @xundey22 and BBM - 22666BFB

IS THIS NATION WORTH MY BLOOD?

BY OLUDOTUN ADESUA
(AN EX-CORPER’S DIARY)
This article appeared in TELL Magazine of of May 14, 2012.


It was a sunny Monday afternoon. Having had a great time at my place of primary assignment. I left for Alhaji Omar Hassan’s residence where I taught his kids (popularly called PP-private practice amongst corps members). No sooner I got there, than I began to receive persistent phone calls from housemates asking of my whereabouts. I could not reconcile the extremely calm town and its warm people I used to know with the news of hostility and inhumanity that was reaching me. I rushed out of my host’s residence only to find out that the roads were deserted. I was petrified and jittery. At the peak of my desperation to get to a safe haven, a man who has just moved his family to the army barracks rescued me, a stranded stranger.

How can I forget in a hurry how I fled for dear life from Zubuki village in Itas Gadau Local Government, in Bauchi state after I was given free knocks on my head and humiliated in my National Youth Service Corps uniform at the polling station where I was posted to as an Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) ad-hoc staff and later rescued by a God-sent motorcycle rider. Eventually I got to Bauchi, the state capital at 11pm. Few hours after, the town was literally on fire. The INEC office in Bauchi LG was set ablaze, bonfires at the major roundabouts, roads and even wanton destruction of lives and property. The fear of these and unfavourable security reports and rumours locked me behind walls and gates for three days and nights. Hot, consistent and persistent fear-propelled prayers and intercession flowed ceaselessly and heavily from my lips and confused mind.

How can I also forget in a hurry how friends and acquaintances were sent to early graves? The body of Kehinde Adeniji, the brilliant and visionary president of Banking and Finance department during my set at the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State was brought back home before he finished his national service. I recalled our last moments at Gadau (where I was posted for the elections). We ate lafun, a local food made of cassava flour, and okro and stew prepared in the same pot. He later gave me a passport-sized photograph to deliver to another friend of ours in Bauchi LG. I passed the night in an adjacent room to his; shared thoughts of our spectacular experiences and said farewell, not knowing that it would be the last.
As for Ayotunde Ebenezer Gbenjo and Anslem Nkwazema our paths crossed at Nigeria Christian Corpers Fellowship (NCCF), Gbenjo’s story is very pathetic in the sense that he alongside other corps members were rescued from Tafawa Balewa’s LG’s communal clash that claimed lives and properties, even a corper’s lodge. Yet death still ambushed him during the post-presidential election crisis.

In the case of Nkwazema (Anslem, Giade papa),a gentleman, he ran for safety into a police station but was smoked out and butchered thereafter. Should I wake the painful memory of the newly married and pregnant Gift Anyanwu who was badly burnt and gave up the ghost few days after at the National Hospital Abuja? How do I forget Teidi Tosin Olawale, OKpokiri Obinna Michael, Adowei Elliot , Adewunmi Seun Paul, Okeoma Ikechukwu Chibuzor and Akonyi Ibrahim Sule? They all perished in what could be called a politically motivated conflict with religious colouration, the height of man’s inhumanity to man.

Although, I expressed an unusual optimism in an interview with a reporter in a May 2011 edition of 234next (now rested) online newspaper, which was attacked by many readers. I captured my thoughts in the poem I titled ‘Tribute to Our Martyrs’(April 2011). NYSC is compromised. It is a scheme that dances to the tune of the highly connected, the mighty and the wealthy. Their children and wards serve in choice cities like Abuja, Lagos, and Kano, as well as big companies or organisations while the other choice-less corps members wallow in despicable conditions. Wicked employers absorb cheap labour, some even serve ‘legislooters’ kola nuts during meetings at the National Assembly (The Punch; Mar Fri 9 2012). What about those kidnapped by militants, even the Osun ‘royal rape’, or the avoidable road accidents that claimed some lives. Little wonder, the acronym is sarcastically redefined as ‘Now Your Suffering Continues’.

What a compromised NYSC! It is a pity that the Yakubu Gowon-conceived NYSC paramilitary and unifying scheme has become a laughing stock. The big question is: Has NYSC overstayed its welcome? Or considering its purpose/vision of national integration, cultural cohesion, inter-tribal marriage, job opportunities to mention but a few. Or is it that it needs a complete restructuring? It is one year (now two years), I don’t want to believe that a critical lesson learnt is that you can perpetuate and sponsor evil and get away with it. What a nation! When will greed for money, fame and power become a thing of the past in this corner of the world?

However, all thanks to the scheme for the smattering Hausa language I speak, the opportunity to impart knowledge and values into young secondary school students of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa International Secondary School and adventure to the northern part of Nigeria-for the very first time. But no thanks to the crisis for truncating my plan to visit Yankari Games Reserve, Bauchi. A nation that eats its future destiny in the present is not worth a drop of my blood. Nevertheless, I believe in the Nigerian dream of the emergence of a great nation. In Dr Tunde Bakare’s words “Nigeria will prosper in my lifetime”.

ADESUA, WHO SERVED IN BAUCHI STATE DURING THE CRISIS NOW LIVES AND WORK IN LAGOS, HE CAN BE REACHED ON TWITTER @DotunAdesua

TRIBAL MARK- A SIGNIFICANT MARK OF IDENTIFICATION AMONG THE YORUBA PEOPLE OF NIGERIA.

With a knife or some sharp objects, the local surgeon begins his traditional journey deep into your flesh. Almost immediately some red colour liquid substance ooze out to the depth and length of the surgeon’s design, then you have vertical and horizontal cuts as the case may be on each side of your cheeks, a little above the corners of your mouth. Now you can be identified wherever you go with that identity that would permanently be kept on both cheeks, rather than in your wallet. Facial marks have a long history on the African Continent. The archaeological findings reveal bronze heads fashioned in Ile-Ife, Osun State-Nigeria, 700 years ago with facial lines that are thought by many to be ethnic markings. Ancient Nigerian Kingdom of Benin also had sculptural objects carrying facial markings. The Greek Historian- Herodotus wrote in the fifth Century B.C. about Carians living in Egypt who cut their foreheads with knives as a means of proving that they were foreigners and not Egyptians.

In Yoruba Land, tribal marks are usually connected with a tribe or tribes; tribal art of people. If we check the cheeks of the vast majority of the people of Nigeria, especially the Yorubas, we would observe that a great variety of tribal marks consisting of a number of scars on the cheeks are arranged in different patterns. Quite a lot of people do not know the reasons for the tribal marks.

Why Yoruba people of Nigeria wear tribal marks? There was a story of this popular King who reigned in the old Oyo Empire. The king was said to be in possession of so many slaves which was common to all kings at that period. There was a day that one of the slaves- a female, misbehaved, she was caught in the act of adultery with one of the guards. The King inquired from his youngest wife the kind of punishment they should give to that very slave who misbehaved. The woman looked at the slave in question very well, she discovered that she was beautiful to behold and to her, that was why she was committing adultery. She then requested the guards to take the slave somewhere and be tortured. She gave them order that they should use various kind of sharp objects like razor, knife and so on to deface her so she would not look attractive to any man that come her way. The guards acted according to the instruction given to them by the Madam and they locked up the slave for seven good days. After the seven days, the King’s wife requested that the slave should be released and brought to the palace for her to examine. When the King’s wife and guards saw the tortured slave, they saw beauty in another dimension because the scars that came out of the torture have added another beauty to the slave and according to the giver of this account, that marked the beginning of tribal marks in the kingdom.

Another account attributed the reason for tribal marks to the incessant wars in the past which made some tribes, families to lose their loved ones. We mean those days when war was rampant in Nigeria, that was the period that children were missing. The strong folks sold into slavery the children of the powerless/less privileged folks, and along with their wives. Not only that, several adults were also missed. They were been sold into slavery to other countries. Those sold to slavery usually finds it very difficult to recognize one another, if by any means they met elsewhere- even if they are from the same family or from the same town. It was then, the elders thought that there should be an identity or means of identification when they see or meet one another elsewhere. This would make them know from which family or town the other person is from as soon as they see the tribal marks.

In Yorubaland, if you see some men or women wearing tribal marks, you would notice that it looks good on majority of them. Definitely, those one regard wearing tribal marks as an act of beautifying themselves. With close examination, one would observe that these tribal marks differ from one area to the other, one community to the other. These marks serve as identification of "membership" of one of the major sub-tribes among the great people of Yoruba: Igbomina, Oyo, Owu, Ijebu, Egbado, etc. The marks can be vertical or horizontal. In this case there is a pair of four short horizontal marks on each cheek. Four horizontal scars, in a number of variants, are typical for the Oyo region in Yorubaland. Most Scholars and researchers of African History believed it was a necessary means in the days of tribal wars and the slave trade when children were frequently lost or got mixed up

Today, the practice of facial markings is on the wane. Hardly will you find parents subscribing to the idea anymore. This is especially true in the cities. The pain and the risk of infections coupled with scorn from people not properly disposed to the tradition are some of the factors taking facial marking off many lovely faces.

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Olawale S. Olaniran is a freelance writer, youth advocate and Social Entrepreneur. He can be reached on olaniransundayo@gmail.com +234 7033955770, 8054031719 and BBM: 22666BFB.

BRAVO TO MY ALMA-MATER, UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN

…….Here shall be the University of Nigeria

The above was the statement made by Sir William Hamilton-Fyfe, the leader of the Inter University Council for Higher Education in the Colonies then, when on the mission to inspect the site provided by the Ibadan Native Authority for the proposed University College and ascertain its suitability. On that fateful Saturday, on the 28th December, 1946, Sir Hamilton-Fyfe and his team arrived at the pre-arranged clearing in the thick undergrowth, he stuck his walking stick into the ground and declared Here shall be the University of Nigeria. That famous walking stick known as ‘Sir Fyfe’s walking stick’ is still on display at the Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan. This declaration heralded the series of activities that resulted in the opening of the University College, Ibadan as a college of the University of London in February 1948, thus completing the plans to establish a University in the Niger area of the British territories of West Africa. There was an urgent need to establish centres of higher education in Nigeria in the early twentieth Century. During this period, prominent Nigerian families had begun sending their children to the United Kingdom for University education. In fact, the recognition of this need led to the establishment of the Yaba Medical School and Yaba Higher College in 1930 and 1934 respectively. This made Yaba Higher College which was founded in 1934 to be the first institution of higher learning in Nigeria. However, Yaba Higher College could only award diplomas and its products were mostly employed as assistants to expatriates. Thus, another need to establish a degree awarding institution. The eventual establishment of degree awarding institutions in Nigeria was stimulated by four distinct factors (Raji-Oyelade et al, 2010). The first was the experience of experimental stations linked to research institutions in the United Kingdom which took advantage of the colonial potential. Secondly, the role of university-trained scientists in ending the Second World War. The third factor was the continued agitation of the nationalists, for the establishment of degree-awarding higher institutions in the country as part of their demands for independence as they saw the establishment of these institutions as a pre-requisite for the success of a post-independence Nigeria. The last factor was the pace of progress of the Yaba Higher College towards becoming a full-fledged University which was considered as too slow and inadequate enough to satisfy the intellectual yearnings of the increasingly enlightened middle class. It was too clear at the time that the cadre and number of products of the Yaba College gradually became grossly insufficient to service the needs of the country. The nationalists were joined in this quest by returnee graduates from the UK, several of who had joined politics. All these factors increased the pressure on the colonial government to establish full-fledged universities in the colonies. Two Commissions , the Asquith and Elliot Commissions, set up in 1943 to consider the principles to guide the promotion of higher education in the colonies, eventually recommended the establishment of universities in the colonies. Ibadan, the ancient City, was chosen to house one of such universities to be built in Nigeria. A generous donation of a vast expanse of land by the Ibadan people made Ibadan the first choice location. This led to the establishment of the University of Ibadan in 1948, as the first degree awarding institution in Nigeria. Academic work began on January 18, 1948 with 104 students under the Vice Chancellor (then known as Principal) Dr. Kenneth Mellanby. Then, the University was housed in the buildings of the General Hospital, Jericho, Ibadan. University of Ibadan grew rapidly in response to global and local academic and manpower demands. It had 104 students and three faculties in 1948, today, the University now has 14 Faculties with over 20,000 students running both full-time and part-time programmes. One interesting thing to note is that, University of Ibadan produced almost all the Vice Chancellors of other Universities in Nigeria, this actually made the University a pace setter in all ramifications. The University’s motto is Recte Sapere Fons meaning ‘For learning and Sound Judgement’. This has been the guiding principle for the university. Today, graduates of the university of Ibadan are found in leading positions in every facet of society in all nations of the World. As we celebrate another convocation and founders’ day ceremonies this week (15th-17th November, 2012), all I want to say to my ALMA-MATER is that-…….Continue Towering High. Further Reading Raji-Oyelade, A, Olapade-Olaopa, E.O., Aderinto, A and Obi-Egbedi, N. (2010) The Flagship: Six Decades of Postgraduate Education in Nigeria. Saphire Prints: Ibadan. ……………………………………………………………………………….. Olaniran, Sunday Olawale is a Youth advocate, Social Entrepreneur and Community Change Champion. He can be contacted on +2347033955770, 08054031719 and on BBM – 22666BFB.

OLAWALE BAGS LEARNING CONFERENCE AWARD AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LONDON

A Nigeria scholar, Olaniran Sunday Olawale, has bagged an award at the Institute of Education, University of London in the U.K. He was the only Nigerian out of 17 scholars recently honoured by the university. Olaniran, who is presently pursuing his Master’s programme in Community Development in the Department of Adult Education, University of Ibadan, was conferred with the ‘Graduate Scholar Award’ by the institution after an international conference held last week in the U.K. Meanwhile, Olaniran has advocated for the speedy establishment of community radio stations across rural and urban communities in Nigeria if the goals of EFA will be realised by 2015. He made the call at the International Conference on Learning held at the Institute of Education, University of London, UK between 14 and 16 August, 2012. Olaniran, while delivering a paper, titled ‘Towards Meeting EFA Goals by 2015: The Role of Literacy-by-radio Programme in Nigeria,’ highlighted some significant contributions of the radio literacy programme of the National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-formal Education (NMEC) to literacy promotion, especially in providing basic literacy skills for non-literate adults and out-of-school youths in Nigeria’s rural communities. Olaniran, a graduate of Adult Education from Adekunle Ajasin University, Ondo State, started his literacy campaign in Abia State where he won NYSC honours award in 2011 for establishing Literacy Library for Adult Learners in the state. He pointed out some reasons why the literacy-by-radio programme is dying, which include funding problem and proliferation of commercial programmes and advertisements on Nigeria’s public radio stations at both federal and state levels where Literacy-by-radio programmes were aired. He, therefore, advised the Federal Government to take a critical step in establishing community radio which is seen as a formidable tool for poverty reduction and literacy promotion, especially among rural dwellers. “It does not speak well that only community radio stations available in Nigeria are the ones being operated by the universities which only covers university communities,” he said. This year’s Learning Conference theme is New Media, Multi-Modality, and Learning with well over 500 participants across the globe who dealt extensively with learning issues, especially in the context of global knowledge economy. http://pmnewsnigeria.com/2012/08/23/nigerian-bags-varsity-award-in-uk/