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accideNtaL cover girL
the amazing grass to grace story
that has delighted Nigeria – page 2
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NIGERIAN WATCH
the UK’s LeadiNg aFricaN NeWsPaPer With the Largest circULatioN
12 - 25 Feb 2016 Issue No 069
BeFFta commUNitY NeWsPaPer oF the Year
FortNIghtLy
to Inspire, Inform and Entertain
nigerianwatch.com
Love iNc.
The cultural society
that is making waves
as a matchmaker
Page 3
‘thaNK YoU For
YoUr sacriFice’
What President Buhari told UK diaspora
leaders in London – page 12
Beast mode oN
Legendary footballer
delivers masterclass in
“perseverance”
Page 5
NeW gcse marKs BLacK
historY BreaKthroUgh iN
the cLassroom
– page 4

2
NIGERIAN WATCH
12 - 25 Feb 2016
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NIGERIAN
WATCH
commENt
Proud to support the
Commonwealth
In a little over one month (March 14-16), over 18
heads of state and over 500 leaders from business
and civil society will gather in London for the 3rd
Commonwealth Africa Summit. And we are proud to
say that we are official media partners to the gathering.
We believe the Commonwealth is a force for good.
Many commentators in the West disparage it as a postcolonial
booby prize, a relic from times past.
But it is very much of the present, bringing together
economies in Africa, Asia, Australia, the Middle East
and Americas. And Britain of course.
The London Summit will be like Davos for the
Commonwealth, an agenda setting gathering of
political and civil leaders and business chiefs.
This year’s theme is Shared Prosperity, Mutual
Security, and will explore increased collaboration
between commonwealth economies, and how they
interact with those of developed countries. In other
words, who's doing business with who? And why?
Counter-terrorism will be under the same spotlight –
Who's winning? Why? – as will civil and gender issues.
It is that kind of information exchange that the
Commonwealth is unique in delivering, because it has
no sanctions. It can only lead by example and best
practice. In these war weary and connected times that
is weight enough.
We are proud to be
associated with it. For more
information, visit
www.commonwealth.com
maryanne jemide, mD
Publisher
tevin jemide
Publisher/managing director
maryanne jemide
managing editor
jon hughes
art editor
cathy constable
contributors obah Iyamu; harriet ogbeide;
aj james; ayo akinfe; Funmi odegbami; samuel kasumu; Ngozi
mbana; Ekanem robertson, jessica onah, Laura adenuga; Edel
meremikwu
chief cartoonist
harold ogbeide
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Views expressed in this newspaper do not necessarily
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ISSN 2051-4670
awesome discovery
of a bread hawker
It is the remarkable grass to grace
story that has captured the
imagination of Nigeria, a fairytale
come true: the poor migrant hawker,
who accidentally stumbles onto a
superstar’s photoshoot and, after a
gut-wrenching search, is discovered.
But that’s what happened to 27-yearold
Olajumoke Orisanuga stumbled onto
the set of the This Day style shoot for
Tinie Tempah, to feature in the Nigerian
newspapers colour supplement.
When the pictures were published in
This Day’s Style magazine Nigeria’s
social media erupted with one question,
“Who is that girl? Was she a model? How
did we convince the model to balance all
that bread on her head?”
But Olajumoke wasn’t a model, she
was a bread hawker on the streets of
Lagos, forced to leave her home and
family in Ire, Osun State, because of
poverty.
A trained hair stylist she and her
husband, a sliding door installer from
the same village, were not earning
enough money to care for their two
young children. So she relocated to
Lagos with her 14 month old daughter to
give bread hawking a try, leaving her
husband and older 5 year old behind.
The photographer Ty Bello put out
word on the Lagos grapevine and waited
to hear from the accidental cover star.
And the rest is now history, as
Olajumoke turned up, embarrassed to be
wearing the same clothes.
Since the This Day photoshoot,
thanks to Ms Bello and the This Day style
team, Olajumoke has internships with
two of the biggest beauty salons in
Lagos, is signed to the reputable Few
Models Management agency and
become the face of Payporte’s next
campaign. We know this isn’t the last
we’ll hear of Jumoke, she’s definitely a
rising star.
CHINA PLEDGES MASSIVE ‘NO STRINGS’ INVESTMENT
IN NIGERIA TO MARK 45 YEARS OF FRIENDSHIP
China has promised to
invest a large chunk of the
$60bn it has earmarked to
spend in Africa in Nigeria
under an ambitious plan to
help diversify the economy
as part of Beijing’s way of
commemorating the 45th
anniversary of establishing
diplomatic ties with the
country.
One of the major sources of
foreign direct investment in
Nigeria lately, the People’s
Republic of China has been a
major participant in several
new sectors of the economy
like telecommunications and
housing.
China and Nigeria first
established diplomatic
relations in 1971 and to
commemorate this, Beijing
plans to expand its
investment further. Qin Jian,
the Chinese chargé d’affaires
of China's embassy in Nigeria,
described economic
cooperation between both
countries as fruitful.
He added that China was
willing to integrate its
development with independent
and sustainable
development in Nigeria and
other African countries to
achieve
common
development.
According to Mr Qin, at
the successful and historic
second edition of the Forum
on China-Africa Cooperation,
held in Johannesburg, South
Africa, Chinese President Xi
Jinping proposed five major
pillars for China-Africa
All images from; Ty Bello/This day Style
oLajumokE
orIsaguNa
(from top
clockwise):
Starring in her
own photoshoot
after being tracked
down by Ty Bello, her
This Day Style cover
and the original photo
bombing of Tinie
Tempah’s photoshoot.
relations.
He added that China and
Africa should seek equality
and mutual trust in politics,
economic cooperation,
mutual learning in
civilisation, mutual assistance
in security, and unity and
coordination in international
affairs.
Mr Qin said, “China’s 10
key cooperation plans with
Africa in the fields of
industrialisation, agriculture
modernisation,
infrastructure, etc, will serve
as an all-around blueprint in
a period to come and
symbolise that China-Africa
relations will take a big stride
and enter a new era.”
To fulfil the 10 plans, China
has pledged $60bn in
development funding to
Africa. "When carrying out
cooperation with Africa,
China sticks to the principle of
four no's and three
priorities.”
These include attaching no
political conditions,
interfering in no African
country’s internal affairs,
raising no demanding
requirements and making no
empty promises.
Among the listed priorities
were the improvement of
African people’s livelihood
and enhancement of Africa’s
capacity for independent
development.
Of late, China has entered
into numerous infrastructural
bilateral agreements with
several African countries.

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facebook.com/NigerianWatch 12 - 25 Feb 2016
3
If you’re looking for
love there’s only one
place to go… ICSN
To mark Valentine’s Day the Igbo
Cultural Support Network (ICSN) is
staging a host of events, featuring a
“Blind Date” game, debates,
including “is courting important?”,
and social activities based around
“The right and wrong ways to engage
with the opposite sex”, and an
opportunity to learn Igbo chat up
lines !!!
There will also be a “L-O-V-E”
fundraising party in association with
Neasden College on Saturday 27th
February. DJ Ripla will be on the
decks, promising to get everyone
mingling and interacting with lots of
cheeky fun and games.
But beware, it could be you who
meets your bae or Nkem and is struck
by Cupid’s arrow. Love is most
definitely in the air at ICSN
gatherings. The ever vibrant and
active cultural association is
responsible for seven weddings in the
past 18 months!
This year two couples who met
through events staged by ICSN will
tie the knot. Ejike and Chinenye,
who met at the 2014 ICSN Iri-ji
festival, and Uche and Uzoma, who
met at Igbo School in April 2015.
In 2014, Amanda and Kosi
Ezewuzie, who met at the 2010 Iri-ji,
got married. Prior to that, in the past
18 months four other couples have
got married, including: the daughter
of Kate Anolue, Chinelo to Okey,
who recently gave birth to a daughter
named Kamsiyochukwu; Charles
and Nneoma; Frank and Isabel; and
Ike and Nneka.
For details of both the Sunday
From abovE cLockWIsE;
couples that have found
love in IcsN; Charles and
Nneoma, Frank and Isabel,
Chine and Lookey, Uche
and Uzoma, Amanda and
Kosi, Ejike and Chinenye
and Ike and Nneka.
General Meeting and the ‘L-O-V-E’
Fundraiser, see listings page 18. ICSN
is using the event to raise funds for
AMURT Nigeria, which works to
improve maternal and general
health care in rural Ebonyi State.
To contribute to the ISCN AMURT
fundraising visit their youcaring page
via; https://goo.gl/MRV3dk
Fore more information on the
group’s general activities visit,
www.icsn.co.uk

4
NIGERIAN WATCH
12 - 25 Feb 2016
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New GCSE marks black history breakthrough
African children in British schools will be
able to study black history at GCSE for the
first time ever from this September.
Sadly not all, only those at one of the 1400
schools in England who currently pursue the
OCR history syllabus and then only if the
history teachers choose to pursue the option –
as the black history element is not a core area
of study.
But as decisions are being made now in all
schools in England as to which syllabus' to
follow in all subjects, parents have an
opportunity to bring pressure to bear on their
child's school to decide to follow the OCR
history course.
The new history syllabus from OCR offers
the option to study Migration to Britain c1000-
2010, which will account for 25% of the overall
mark. The alternatives are Power Monarchy &
Democracy c1000-2014 and War and British
Society c790-c2010.
Mike Goddard, Head of History at OCR
said: “Migration is an ideal history topic for
GCSE students to study, allowing them to
consider fundamental historical concepts
such as continuity, change and significance,
rooted in the major events of England’s
history.”
He pointed out that concepts of continuity
and change over a long sweep of time is one of
the new requirements for History.
Historian Professor Mark Ormrod DPhil
(Oxon), FSA, FRHistS, of the University of
York, is one of a number of academics
researching migration who is feeding up-tothe-minute
research into the new topic.
“This GCSE topic is fantastic, as immigration
has been a constant in our history, a feature of
life in Britain for 2,000 years and longer,” he
statue of king
agaja in abomey,
benin, Nigeria.
Under the syllabus students will
discover that the black presence
in Britain goes back at least two
thousand years and encounter
the evidence of African presence
in the Middle Ages, enquire into
the lives of Africans in Tudor
England, learn about African
contributions to the emancipation
struggle and working-class
told Nigerian Watch. “It is an outstanding
example of how a long view of history helps us
to understand, and to find a place for ourselves,
movements in Britain, study the
growth of multicultural port
communities around the lives of
merchant seamen, be aware of
early 20th century movements
such as the Pan African Congress
and the League of
Coloured Peoples, and study
post WW2 immigration and the
struggles against racism in the
ayuba suleiman
Diallo and The
Fifth Pan african
congress,
manchester 1945
What’s oN thE mIgratIoN syLLabus
1970s and 1980s.
In addition, a linked in-depth
study on Impact of Empire,
1688-1730, has a section that
focuses on the economics of the
trade in enslaved Africans, with
a focus on Cape Coast Castle and
personalities such as John
Cabess, King Agaja and Ayuba
Suleiman Diallo.
in contemporary society. People from Europe
and further afield have arrived on these shores,
in numbers small and large, in search of
asylum, work and opportunity, and were
sometimes invited to come. Our research
project, ‘England’s Immigrants: 1330-1550’,
shows how, for example, in the late middle
ages, no one was more than 10 miles from an
immigrant.”
The catalyst for the new syllabus was a
submission from the Black and Asian Studies
Association to the Department for Education,
which undertook a curriculum review in 2013.
One of the authors of that paper, who is also
one of the writers of the textbook that
accompanies the new course, Martin Spafford
of BASA, welcomed the breakthrough.
He told Nigerian Watch, "This really is a step
forward and we’re hoping that we’ve opened
slightly a door that others can open wider. The
fact that Black British history is now part of an
exam course means that the experience and
expertise of your readers can have a way in and,
we hope, encourage children and parents to
explore diverse British histories and discover
their own heritage here in Britain going back
centuries.
"Two weeks ago Prof Hakim Adi and I were
in a school in Thamesmead with a wonderful
Year 10 class many of whom were of Nigerian
heritage and they were fascinated by the
evidence of Africans living in Elizabethan
England in a wide range of occupations."
To read the BASA paper visit,
www.blackandasianstudies.org and click on
the link at the top of the page. In itself it is a
fascinating guide to the black presence in
Britain.
For more information on the OCR syllabus,
visit www.ocr.org.uk/Images/207163-
specification-accredited-gcse-history-a-j410.
pdf
Petition launched demanding schools should prepare us for life
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Political commentator and
social campaigner Kenny
Imafidon (right) is calling on
the government to give
higher priority to "citizenship"
classes in school so
when pupils leave secondary
education they are prepared
for the real world.
He has posted an online
petition at change.org to
coincide with the launch of
Bite the Ballot campaign to
get young people to register
to vote in time for this
May's local and Mayoral
elections.
In the petition he writes,
"I think it’s crazy, particularly
during a week when
Bite The Ballot are coordinating
the National Voter
Registration Drive campaign
that so many young people
aged 16-24 have left school
without knowing that they
have to be registered on the
electoral roll, which then
allows us to vote, improve
our credit rating, be called
for jury service, and become
a vote worth winning
in the eyes of decision makers."
He urges the secretary
of state for Education Nicky
Morgan to give citizenship
classes the priority they deserve
by ensuring they be
subject to Ofsted inspection,
which they are currently
not.
Mr Imafidon writes, "If
citizenship classes were
monitored by Ofsted, headteachers
would take the
subject more seriously and
standards would drastically
improve.
“Most importantly, more
young people would leave
school knowing exactly
what it means to be a citizen.
They’d know their
rights, understand their potential
and appreciate how
to #TakePower in democracy.”
To sign the petition
search “change.org +
schools need to prepare us
for life”
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facebook.com/NigerianWatch 12 - 25 Feb 2016
5
A fortunate group of aspiring
young Nigerian athletes were
encouraged to get their “Beast
Mode On” by legendary footballer
Adebayo ‘the Beast’ Akinfenwa, in
Soho on January 31.
This was the launch event of a
new initiative from Team Nigeria
UK to let young diaspora sporting
talent learn from the experience of
those who have been there and
done that.
For over an hour Bayo held his
young audience rapt as he took
them on a whistle-stop tour of his
life in the professional game; the
professional footballer who was
told he was not cut out to be a
professional footballer.
He has subsequently played in
the UEFA league, Champions
League, scored the winner in a cup
final, experienced promotion and
starred alongside Ronaldo and
Messi in FIFA 15.
As he says, “I’m a league two
player [with AFC Wimbledon]
with a Premiership profile because
I’ve managed to use what I’ve got
to the best of my ability and
beyond.”
The young Bayo fell in love with
football and was a natural,
garlanded with praise during his
school boy career. But at 16 the
walls came tumbling down when
no club came in for him as he
expected. Trials came and went
and clubs said that while he had
the ability he was “too big”. He is
big, hence the nickname; tall at
1.8m, barrel chested, with the
arms of a weightlifter, and coming
in around 80kg.
“Look at my chest, look at my
arms, forget I can pick up 180kg,
what’s stronger than all of that is
your mind. The mind is the most
powerful thing you own. It alone
will determine if you’re going to
persevere through any situation
that confronts you.”
And Bayo did. Two years
followed during which he suffered
rejection upon rejection while
reluctantly forced to pursue a
business course by his parents.
“I only did that to please them,
but listen to this, four years ago I
started my sports label BMO using
what I learned in college.
“I tell you that because at 15
you think you know it all but 16
years later it provides for me and
my family. I din’t know then, but
now I realise. Listen to your
parents and coaches. People that
have been there. Listen and go
hard. Persevere.”
That’s what Bayo did and at 18
he got the call from Lithuania. FK
Atlantas wanted to sign him.
It was nearly over before it
began. In his first pre-season
NEWSWatch
The beast delivers a masterclass
game – played on a Sunday league
pitch, with the crowd on the
touchline – he was subject to
monkey chants and racial abuse
and 300 of the clubs’ own fans
joined in the chant of “Zigga,
zigga, zigga, let’s kill the…”
He nearly fled back home but
he said, “I wasn’t going to let
anyone defeat me.” He ended the
season scoring the winner in the
equivalent of the FA Cup and
became an overnight superstar.
Subsequently he has played for
a number of British clubs
including Swansea and boasts a
strike rate of 1 in 3.
“You can be anything you want
to be,” he concluded. “Go home,
write down what that is and then
go for it. Go hard. The harder you
go in life generally the more things
drop for you.”
Articulate, warm and witty the
some of team Nigeria
uk with bayo
FroNt: adebayo
‘the beast’
akinfenwa,
David Doherty &
Dele akinfenwa
Beast proved a natural raconteur
and delivered a masterclass in
what it takes to be a professional
sportsman.
Joy for port
harcourt
Life coach Joy Ogeh-Hutfield will be returning to
Nigeria later this month to try to help boost the selfesteem
of young people in the country.
More than 500 young people are expected to be
at the Discover your Purpose Conference in Port Harcourt
between February 18 and 21 to listen to the
Swansea-based inspirational coach.
The conference is
billed as a "powerful
and empowering
event" designed to
help young men and
women "discover their
purpose and bring direction
and focus into
their lives."
“I am delighted to
have been invited to
Nigeria and the fact
that it is a conference
aimed at empowering
young men and
women makes it all the more attractive to me. They
need to transform their mind-set so that they can
carve a successful future for themselves,” said Ms
Ogeh-Hutfield. “This conference is aimed at creating
a mindset shift in regarding their approach to life and
their future. My role is to give the young people the
boost, self-confidence and self-esteem that will
bring about better clarity and direction in pursuing
their life purpose.”
Minabere Kuromieme, organiser of the Nigeria
conference, said he specifically organised and requested
Joy for this conference, who has just released
her new book Purpose Made Easy: 21 Days to
Discover your Purpose.
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6
NIGERIAN WATCH
12 - 25 Feb 2016
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Lassa FEvEr outbrEak IN NIgErIa cLaIms 101 LIvEs
A growing Lassa Fever (LF) outbreak in Nigeria has
killed 101 people, as West Africa battles to contain a
flare up of the virus, according to data from the nation’s
health authorities released February 6.
Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) statistics
show that reported cases of the haemorrhagic
disease — both confirmed and suspected — stood
at 175 with a total of 101 deaths since August.
“As at today, 19 (including Abuja) states are
currently following up contacts, or have suspected
cases with laboratory results pending or laboratory
confirmed cases,” the NCDC said in a statement.
Deaths from the virus were recorded in the nation’s
political capital, Abuja, Lagos, and 14 other
states, the NCDC said.
While health authorities assure Africa’s most
populous country of more than 170 million they
have the virus under control, there are fears the
actual scale of the outbreak is under-reported.
The outbreak of Lassa fever was only announced
in January — months after the first case of the disease
happened in August — with subsequent
deaths reported in 10 states, including Abuja.
Last year, 12 people died in Nigeria out of 375
infected, while in 2012 there were 1,723 cases and
112 deaths, according to the NCDC.
In neighbouring Benin at least nine people have
died in a Lassa outbreak, with a total of 20 suspected
cases, health authorities revealed. Benin
was last hit by a Lassa fever outbreak in October
2014, when nine people suspected of having the
virus died.
The number of Lassa fever infections in West
Africa every year is between 100,000 to 300,000,
with about 5,000 deaths, according to the US Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention.
Here Chima Olugh, who is a pharmacist
with expertise in both public health and
primary care, details the nature of the
disease and lessons that need to be learnt
by Nigeria’s health authorities. Mr Olugh is
also Director of Consult Health Limited,
which provides expertise and advisory
services in primary care service design.
Lassa Fever (LF) is an acute
viral haemorrhagic fever
caused by the Lassa virus and
was first discovered in 1969
in the town of Lassa, in Borno
State, Nigeria. Similar to
Ebola, which is also
haemorrhagic, clinical cases
of LF had been known for
over a decade, but had not
been connected with a viral
pathogen.
The first reports of LF in
Nigeria emerged in
November but has now
spread to 14 other states,
amid a flurry of
contradictory information
released by State and Federal
Governments.
The primary animal host
of the Lassa virus is the
Mastomys rat. The virus is
transmitted by contact with
the faeces or urine of the rat
accessing grain stores.
Diagnosis and prompt
treatment is essential. Early
supportive care with
rehydration, coupled with
the treating of any symptoms
improves survival.
About 80% of people who
become infected with Lassa
virus have no symptoms.
However, one in five
infections result in severe
disease.
symptoms of LF
General symptoms include:
fever, general weakness,
malaise, headache, sore
throat, muscle pain, chest
pain, nausea, vomiting,
diarrhoea, cough and
abdominal pain.
In severe cases: facial
swelling, fluid in the lungs,
bleeding from the mouth,
nose, vagina or gastrointestinal
tract and low blood
pressure may develop. Shock,
seizures,
tremor,
disorientation and coma may
be seen in the later stages of
the disease.
In fatal cases death can
usually occur within 14 days of
onset. The disease is especially
severe late in pregnancy, with
maternal death and/or foetal
loss occurring in greater than
80% of cases during the third
trimester.
transmission
Humans usually become
infected from exposure to the
urine or faeces of infected
Mastomys rats. These rats
breed frequently and bear
many offspring, increasing
the potential for spread of the
virus from rats to humans.
Lassa virus may also be spread
between humans through
direct contact with the blood,
urine, faeces, or other bodily
secretions of a person infected
with LF. There is no evidence
supporting airborne spread
between humans.
Person-to-person
transmission occurs in both
community and health-care
settings, where the virus may
be spread by contaminated
medical equipment, such as
re-used needles. Sexual
transmission of Lassa virus
has also been reported.
Persons at greatest risk are
those living in rural areas
where Mastomys are usually
found, especially in
communities with poor
sanitation or crowded living
conditions. Health workers
are at risk if caring for LF
patients in the absence of
proper barrier nursing and
infection control practices.
Diagnosis
Because the symptoms of LF
are so varied and nonspecific,
clinical diagnosis is
often difficult, especially early
in the course of the disease. LF
is difficult to distinguish from
other viral haemorrhagic
fevers such as Ebola virus and
many other diseases that
cause fever, including malaria,
shigellosis, typhoid fever and
yellow fever. There is
currently no vaccine that
protects against LF.
Prevention and control
Prevention of LF relies on
promoting good “community
hygiene”, to discourage
rodents from entering homes.
Effective measures include
storing grain and other
foodstuffs in rodent-proof
containers, disposing of
garbage far from the home,
maintaining clean households
and keeping cats.
Because Mastomys are so
abundant in endemic areas, it
is not possible to completely
eliminate them from the
environment. Family
members should always be
careful to avoid contact with
blood and body fluids while
caring for sick persons.
In health-care settings,
staff should always apply
standard infection prevention
and control precautions when
caring for patients, regardless
of their presumed diagnosis.
Laboratory workers are
also at risk, so samples taken
from humans and animals for
investigation should be
handled by trained staff and
processed in suitably
equipped laboratories.
On rare occasions,
travellers from areas where LF
is endemic export the disease
to other countries. Although
malaria, typhoid fever, and
many other tropical infections
are much more common, the
diagnosis of LF should be
considered in febrile patients
returning from West Africa,
especially if they have had
exposures in rural areas or
hospitals in countries where
LF is known to be endemic.
The case of Nigeria
It’s no secret the Nigerian
healthcare system struggles to
cope when faced with a
pandemic or epidemic of any
kind. One would have
thought that many lessons
were learnt from the Ebola
episode. But seemingly not.
The current outbreak first
emerged in 2015 – sometime
between August and
November – when some
strange deaths occurred in a
community in Niger State,
which left the community
confused.
This was followed by a
period of uncertainty and
anxiety, and they reached out
to the only rational
explanation they could
imagine – the supernatural.
By the time the public
health authorities were
informed and a diagnosis of LF
was made, the outbreak had
spread to many states.
Control efforts included a
mixture of persuasion to
report suspicious cases to
health
authorities,
establishment of task teams,
and even an emergency
meeting of the National
Council of Health.
One patient, however, is
reported to have “escaped”
the hospital where he was
being treated. The community
was scared; they did not know
who to trust.
The single most important
factor in the control of
outbreaks is trust in the health
care system by the citizens of
a country. A great “Centre for
Disease Control” is worth very
little in the context of a public
health care system that is
largely dysfunctional, which
its citizens do not trust.
The most likely
transmission mechanism for
the current LF outbreak is
person-to-person. While rats
are the likely source of initial
infection, it is extremely
unlikely, given the
geographical distribution of
cases, that there is any ongoing
zoonotic source of
infection.
Therefore, to break the
chains of transmission of the
LF virus, people must trust the
health authorities enough to
inform them of any signs of
illness and not seek alternative
sources of relief.
Those infected and affected
must trust that the healthcare
workers’ that they report to
will treat them and care for
them humanely in the
presence of overwhelming
historical evidence to the
contrary.
The Federal and State
governments are now
responding to the outbreak by
enhancing the disease
surveillance for early
detection, reinforcing
treatment of patients, and
conducting awareness
campaigns among the affected
population.
Major challenges are the
ongoing security risks in the
country limiting access to
some areas as well as the
limited availability of
resources to respond to the
escalating outbreak.
The World Health
Organisation (WHO) does not
advise or recommend any
restrictions on travel or trade
with Nigeria, although
travellers returning from
affected areas who develop
symptoms of fever (see above)
should seek medical advice.
One thing we can all be
sure of is that when this
outbreak is over, Nigeria will
be in a celebratory mode,
similar to that witnessed
during the Ebola period.
My advice would be for the
medical authorities to spend a
lot of time in reflecting on
what went wrong, learning
some lessons, and preparing
for the next epidemic.

NEWSWatch
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NIGERIAN WATCH
facebook.com/NigerianWatch 12 - 25 Feb 2016
7
Lammy to investigate race
bias across justice system
Prime Minister David Cameron
has asked long-time civil rights
campaigner and Tottenham MP
David Lammy to investigate
evidence of possible bias in the
justice system against black
defendants and other ethnic
minorities.
Announcing the review on
January 30 Mr Cameron said, “We
need to ask difficult questions about
whether the system treats people
differently based on race.”
He continued, “If you’re black,
you’re more likely to be in a prison
cell than studying at a top
university. And if you’re black, it
seems you’re more likely to be
sentenced to custody for a crime
than if you’re white. We should
investigate why this is and how we
can end this possible
discrimination.”
BAME individuals currently
make up over a quarter of all
prisoners - compared to 14% of the
wider population of England and
Wales.
Latest figures also show that
BAME people make up a
disproportionate amount of Crown
Court defendants (24%), and those
who are found guilty are more likely
to receive custodial sentences than
white offenders (61% compared to
56%).
The review will address issues
arising from the point of arrest
onwards, including through the
court system, in prisons and during
rehabilitation in the wider
community, in order to identify
areas for reform and examples of
good practice from the UK and
beyond.
Mr Lammy has been asked for
recommendations to ultimately
reduce the proportion of BAME
individuals in the Criminal Justice
System and make sure that all
suspects and offenders are treated
equally, whatever their ethnicity.
A barrister by profession Mr
Lammy welcomed the review
saying, “With over a quarter of the
prison population coming from a
BAME background the urgency here
is clear.
“I look forward to leading a team
that will evaluate what works in the
UK, draw on lessons from abroad
and listen to a broad range of voices
from the justice system and our
BAME communities.”
Mr Lammy will be supported by
a secretariat from the Ministry of
Justice and a panel of expert
advisers. They will meet regularly
and are expected to submit a final
report to Ministers by spring 2017.
Chair of the All Party
Parliamentary Group on Race and
Community since 2010 and a former
Minister of State, Mr Lammy
received cross-party praise for his
work on the 2011 London Riots and
authored the book “Out of the
Ashes: Britain after the Riots in
2011”.
sWEEt Day For bIttEr LEaF FarmErs
Anambra State has begun to
export pumpkin leaves (Ugu) and
bitter leaves (Onugbu) to the UK.
To reach this milestone, the
Federal Quarantine Agency
visited Anambra several times to
inspect and certify various farms
to ensure they are fit for the
purpose.
The first set of participating
farmers have been trained to
produce vegetables of high quality without applying fertilisers and other
chemicals. The vegetables are therefore classified as 100% organic.
This is only the beginning, however, as the state government plans to
increase vegetable production exponentially and make Anambra a top
vegetable export state.
LoL - emoji’s that represent us
A new set of African-themed emojis has been launched
on smartphones and tablets. Available to download for
free on Android and iOS, the Afro Emoji stickers allow
users to express themselves with African characters.
Donning afro hair and traditional African items of
clothing, including gele headwraps and isiagus, the Afro
Emoji stickers can be used with Whatsapp, SMS or iMessage,
Facebook, Twitter DM, Skype, Google hangout and
BBM.
The creators of Afro Emoji, iManagement Consulting
said, “We, as Africans, definitely have a distinctive way
of communicating with one another, and Afro Emoji is a
fun, graphic depiction of that. We are building a modern
African hieroglyph that represents us.”
Some of the well known caption sayings include,
“Abeg no vex”, “E make brain” and “My Oga at the top”,
and users can also invent their own sayings.
50 free Afro Emoji stickers are available with the
download and a further 300+ stickers are available for
£1.49 as an in-app purchase.

8
NIGERIAN WATCH
12 - 25 Feb 2016
NEWSWatch
Follow us on Twitter
@NigerianWatch
Nigerian women honoured
barber launches grooming range for black men
Croydon barber Aaron Wallace (right)
has launched the very first blackowned
grooming brand in the UK
specifically tailored to the needs of
black men.
Born out of his Shear and Shine
barbershop, the company has
ambitious plans to become the
market leader.
Mr Wallace, the ambitious
entrepreneur behind the brand,
determined to launch his own
product line after he first opened the
door to his barbershop, Shear &
Shine, Grooming for the Black Gent,
On Friday January 29 Patti
Boulaye went to Buckingham
Palace to receive her OBE for
services to entertainment
and charity.
Soon to be following in
her footsteps will be Yemisi
Jenkins, President of the
Association of British
Nigerian Law Enforcement
Officers.
Ms Jenkins was awarded
an MBE in the Queen’s New
Year’s Honours in
recognition of her services to
the UK border security and
in March 2014.
“I always felt that black men were
overlooked in this area and with male
ensuring wellbeing at work.
The
prominent
community activist will
receive her award at the
Palace on February 23.
grooming becoming more and more
important, I saw an opportunity to
serve my community.
“Through Shear and Shine
Grooming, I want to provide
everyday solutions to grooming
problems that I know us men often
face”
Afro-Caribbean skin and hair is
notoriously known for having its
own set of common problems that
require different treatments to its
European counterparts.
For more information visit
www.shearandshinegrooming.co.uk
wages’ study shows
education doesn’t
pay for black people
It doesn't matter how well qualified you
are, if you are black in Britain you will be
paid substantially less than a similarly
qualified white workers.
Analysis of pay data by the Trades
Union Congress (TUC) suggests that the
difference in average pay rates amounts
to a gap of 23%. Black graduates earn
on average £14.33 an hour, compared
with £18.63 earned by white graduates,
the TUC says. The average pay gap between
black and white workers with A-
levels is 14%, and at GCSE level 11%.
The TUC's general secretary Frances
O'Grady said, "Race still plays a huge
role in determining pay. The harsh reality
is that at any level of education,
black and Asian workers are getting paid
less than their white counterparts. The
government cannot afford to ignore
these figures and must take genuine action
to tackle pay discrimination."
The Runnymede Trust, a leading race
equality think tank, has previously
found that pay gaps are not due to the
type of university attended, as they
even extend to black workers with degrees
from the most selective Russell
Group of universities.
Indeed the TUC's analysis, based on
the Labour Force Survey figures from
2014 and 2015, shows the pay gaps are
widest for those with higher qualifications.
"This suggests that education alone
will do little to address racial inequalities,
and the need for interventions that
directly challenge racial inequalities in
the workplace," the TUC said.
The trade union umbrella body is
calling on the government to recognise
the scale of the problem and to urgently
develop a race equality strategy.
The research follows a study reported
in the Observer that found ethnic
minority graduates in Britain were much
less likely to be employed than their
white peers six months after graduation
– and many earned less for years afterwards.
The study, by the Institute for Social
and Economic Research at the University
of Essex, found British ethnic minority
graduates were between 5% and
15% less likely to be employed than
their white British peers six months
after graduation. There are also marked
disparities in wages between many ethnic
minority women and black
Caribbean men who find jobs after
graduation and their white counterparts.
At the weekend, the prime minister
warned educational institutions, the police,
the military and the courts they
were the focus of a new effort to tackle
social inequality fuelled by “ingrained,
institutional and insidious” racism.

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a creative revolution is
underway in Nigeria
The arts has always played
second fiddle to academia
in Nigeria but that may be
changing judging from the
over 150 people who
attended the All Party
Parliamentary Group on
Nigeria on
Considering this was the
second APPG meeting in as
many weeks it clearly shows a
piqued interest in the creative
industries, which was the
topic of debate.
The session was held in
conjunction with the British
Council (BC) and presented
the arts in Nigeria in a new
light; as the catalyst for
challenging dialogue,
community regeneration and
international collaboration.
And, as a key economic
driver, with the creative
industries sector forecast to
double in size by 2019.
Ojoma Ochai, Director Arts
Nigeria, BC – the UK’s
international organisation for
cultural relations and
educational opportunities –
gave a brief snapshot of the
seismic shift taking place in
NIgeria.
She started off with the
observation that it used to be
said in Nigeria, "if you want to
hide something put it in a
book". But the recently
released Born on a Tuesday by
Elnathan John, published by
Casava Press, sold out its first
print run. Meanwhile, Fifty,
the film made by Brixton
based Nigerian Biyi Bandele,
opened across Nigeria in 24
cinemas and sold out for over
four weeks. There has been a
70% increase in cinematic
releases across the country,
presaging the arrival of the
new Nollywood.
Just halfway through the
UK/Nigeria season, which the
BC launched last August, the
Elnathan John
Biyi Bandele
statistics are phenomenal.
Forty events have been staged
involving 46 partners from
Nigeria and the UK, 32,000
people have engaged face-toface,
1.6m have tuned in to
broadcasts of events, and the
hashtag (#ukng) has had over
80m impressions.
Meanwhile, global auditing
and consultancy firm PWC in
its Entertainments and Media
Outlook, said Nigeria's
entertainment industries are
the fastest expanding major
market globally with an
annual growth rate of 15%
and by 2019 it forecast will be
twice as large – meaning it
will be contributing around
5% of Nigeria's GDP. 82% of
that growth the report said
will be fuelled by the Internet.
Against this backdrop Ms
Ochai said, "Nigeria is clearly
open for business already and
the next few years presents an
opportunity for global
networking and collaboration
greater than we can imagine,
because the internet breaks
down barriers."
Marion Wallace, who was
the manuscript curator
behind the British Library's
celebrated West Africa: Word,
Symbol, Song, confirmed the
growth in literary publishing,
observing that “Nigeria is
especially fruitful in
producing writers". There is
now a greater diversity of
writers, with more women
and ethnicities represented,
and a greater breadth of
subject matter and genres.
Both Hadrian Garrard,
Director, Create London, and
Glasgow Nigerian Dele
Adeyemo, Co-founder and
Director, Pidgin Perfect,
spoke of delivering
community arts projects in
Lagos designed to build
bridges and show how culture
is used to transform
communities.
Mr Adeyemo, whose
organisation has developed a
cultural hub called Create
Lagos, told the meeting,
"There are a lot of good people
to engage with in Lagos, form
trend analysts, fashion design,
video curation, film and
publishing to name a few."
He said the hub was
"charting the creative
revolution in Lagos as more
and more creative spaces
emerge where the most
urgent and challenging
subjects are being discussed".
He concluded by saying,
"Create Lagos is a state of
mind" because more and more
people are being drawn to the
city from across Nigeria and
the world to engage in that
conversation.
When it comes to the arts,
it may well be time for us to
think again about their value.
festival of black writing
The UK’s first books festival dedicated entirely to
writers of colour, Bare Lit, debuts later this month.
The event has been launched as a riposte to the
‘white out’ at literary festivals across the UK and the
shameful omission of any BAME authors among
those to be celebrated on World Book Night.
This came in the wake of Spread the Word, a report
into diversity in publishing released last April,
which found that “an old mono-culture prevails in
publishing” and that less than five per cent of writers
appearing at the three big literature festivals in the UK
were BAME authors.
At that point “it seemed imperative to do something”,
said Samantha Asumadu, one of the organisers
of Bare Lit. Ms Asumadu, founder of Media
Diversified, said the current representation of writers
of colour at UK festivals was “abysmal”, and accused
publishing of “institutional discrimination”.
She added, “That writers of colour are invited only
to speak about diversity is a damning indictment of
both the publishing industry and literary festivals
themselves. By curtailing them in this manner, readers
are missing out on the full range and beauty of
their work.
“If we don’t value writers of colour and they are
not seen and heard with their white peers, they are
even less likely to get published. I can’t imagine my
life without having read Buchi Emecheta and Toni
Morrison as a teenager. That future titans of writing
may not get their chance to be read widely because
of institutional discrimination in publishing is heartbreaking.”
The Bare Lit Festival, takes place on Feb 27-28 at The
Free Word Centre and The Betsey Trotwood pub in
Farringdon, London. For more details visit
www.barelitfestival.com

10
NIGERIAN WATCH
17 Dec 2015 - 15 Jan 2016 OSAMORWatch
The
Follow us on Twitter
@NigerianWatch
Kate OSaMOrColumn
I will put BAME issues at the
heart of policy discussions
In the last month, I was
honoured to be promoted
to the position of Shadow
Junior Minister for Women
& Equalities.
I am joining a small team
led by Kate Green MP, working
alongside Cat Smith MP
and Baroness Hayter. Having
only recently been elected to
the House in May 2015 and as
a passionate advocate of
tImE to boost
PartNErshIPs
WIth NIgErIa
This month, I am excited to have been given the
opportunity to visit Nigeria on two delegations, one
addressing the issue of UK-Nigeria trade with Africa
House and the other addressing the work of the
British Council in Nigeria.
Both delegations are broad in their scope and as
expected, involve packed schedules. The Africa
House delegation to Abuja, seeks to promote direct
trade for sustainable wealth, explore trade opportunities
which span the sectors of education, science
and technology, communications and
BAME women’s rights, I am
very excited about this new
position.
This month, I spoke in my
new position at an anti-FGM
event in my constituency
run by Project ACEI, a community
engagement action
group founded by Alimatu
Dimonekene. The conference
aimed to extend support
available to local communities
who are currently underrepresented
by services,
including Nigerian communities
in Enfield. In Nigeria,
the practice of FGM was outlawed
in May 2015 but it is
estimated that 19.9 million
Nigerians have undergone
FGM, representing 16% of
the 125 million FGM survivors
worldwide.
I am particularly excited
to use my new platform to
bring greater attention to
BAME issues; from the higher
number of black men diagnosed
with severe mental
health issues, to the impact
of the changes to housing
benefit on BAME communities,
to the difficulty for
black SME’s to access loans.
There are many important
issues that must be addressed
to ensure our
community is better represented
in parliament policy
discussions.
construction. I am looking forward to meeting local
businesses, as well as those working in the education
sector, as a former member of the Education
Select Committee.
The British Council delegation to Abuja, Sokoto
and Lagos centres around the programmes in social
development and the arts that are currently
being run by the British Council. As chair of the
Nigeria APPG in parliament, we recently held an
event hosted by the British Council on the Nigerian
Arts. It was a privilege to hear about all the exciting
and dynamic projects going on in Lagos and across
Nigeria in terms of film, literature and arts.
Whilst they explore very separate issues, at the
heart of both of these delegations is the importance
of cooperation and partnership. I am very
much looking forward to hearing of the positive exchanges
that will be borne out of these visits.
register to vote and
make a difference
This month begun with the
National Voter Registration
Drive, from 1 - 7 February,
an annual campaign, working
together with thousands
of people around the UK to
engage, inform and inspire
communities to register to
vote.
We are fortunate to live in
a democracy in which
everyone is entitled to political
engagement through
voting for their representative.
Voting is a human
right, which is sadly denied
to too many people across
the world and has historically
been denied to too
many within the UK.
To all Nigeria Watch
readers in London, the mayoral
elections coming up in
May 2016 represent a chance
for your voice to be heard
and your vote to make the
difference.
I believe Sadiq Khan offers
an alternative for London
and would be the best
mayor for our city. Like myself,
Sadiq is a Londoner
through and through; the
city helped him, the son of a
bus driver and seamstress,
become what he wanted to
be. In Sadiq’s own words;
“London gave me the opportunities
to get from the
council estate where I grew
up to helping run a business
and serving in the Cabinet.
Now I want all Londoners to
have the same opportunities
that our city gave me.”
“We need a
mayor that is
for everyone
and Sadiq is
that person”
Under the current government,
the gap between
the richest and the poorest
is only widening; and from
the rising prices of housing
to the rising prices of transport,
London is becoming
increasingly inaccessible to
many of its population. In
London the average house
price rose 9.8% to £537,000
and schemes like Help to
Buy remain out of reach for
low and lower-middle
bracket earners.
Sadiq’s campaign aims to
tackle this inequality head
on. It is about creating opportunity
for everyone. It is
about returning London to
its people. Through a commitment
to 50% affordable
homes target and a first dibs
for Londoners policy, Sadiq
will ensure that the new
homes which are being built
are going to those who need
them, those who are living
and working in London.
Through freezing TfL fares
until 2020, Londoners and
those visiting the city won’t
have to face hikes in prices.
Creating opportunity also
means making business a
priority. I believe that Sadiq,
having run a successful
business before being MP, is
the most pro-business candidate
and will always make
business a priority. Sadiq
will set up a Business Advisory
Board of independent
business leaders to shape
policy towards business,
will support small and tech
businesses by protecting
start-up spaces and ensuring
there is available new
industrial workspace to help
people establish their own
business, and support young
people into employment
through apprenticeships.
And this will be done in a
culture that promotes social
responsibility; Sadiq will
recognise and reward good
employers who pay the
London Living Wage.
We need a mayor that is
for business, that is for
housing development, and
that recognises the importance
of these things for
every Londoner, not just for
the few. We need a mayor
that is for everyone, and
Sadiq is that person.

She got
her fees paid.
I got to see the
first lawyer in
our family.
It’s amazing a
how much you receive
when you send money.
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in the United Kingdom by the Financial Conduct Authority. ©2015 MoneyGram.

12
NIGERIAN WATCH
12 - 25 Feb 2016
News from the
NEWSWatch
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@NigerianWatch
NIGERIA HIGH COMMISSIONLondon
PMB finds a willing audience in
UK diaspora
L-r: National security adviser babagana monguno, minister of Foreign affairs geoffrey onyeama, President buhari, acting high
commissioner to London simon ogah and special adviser media & Publicity mr Femi adesina
President Muhammadu Buhari
GFCR thanked the diaspora for
“its sacrifice” when on a
whirlwind visit to London last
week (Feb 4). But thankful
though Nigeria was for the
billions sent home in remittances
he dampened hopes that diaspora
voting would be achieved
anytime soon. And he revealed
that the crackdown on corruption
was paying such dividends it
would meet the budget defecit as
occasioned by the collapse in oil
price.
PMB spoke off the cuff for nearly
30 minutes in a speech peppered
with humour but packed with details
of his administration’s serious intent.
The President was in London for
the European Union’s plenary
session on security and rising terror
threat. Despite having been in
meetings all day, with more
scheduled for the remainder of his
short visit, he made time to address
200 invited members of the diaspora,
including among many notables the
Lord Lieutenant of London Ken
Olisa, Pastor Nims and Kate Osamor
MP.
Introducing the President
Nigeria’s acting high commissioner
to the UK Simon Ogah said, “I
warmly welcome you on behalf of
the staff at the Nigeria High
Commission and all Nigerians in the
UK. I want to convey our gratitude
for being gracious enough to take
time out of your hectic schedule to
come here this evening.”
In a change to the published
schedule, it was determined that
instead of their being a Presidential
address followed by interactive
session, the three elected
representatives of the UK Nigerian
diaspora – Babatunde Loye,
chairman of the Central Association
of Nigerians in the UK (CANUK), Dr
Paul Eke, chairman of Nigerians in
Diaspora Organisation North
(NidoN) and Henrietta Abraham
(NidoS) – would speak first and PMB
would respond.
The change was necessitated by
time constraints and PMB’s
expressed desire to address the
concerns they raised rather than
make a formal speech. All spoke of
the need for greater engagement
with the diaspora.
caNuk caLLs For votE commIttEE
Mr Loye led the charge raising the
issue of diaspora voting and calling
for the establishment of a technical
committee, replete with diaspora
representation, to deliver such.
“I kindly appeal to Mr President
to revisit the issue of the Diaspora’s
voting Right in Nigeria, with the
necessary political will and weight,
to ensure this becomes a reality and
essentially your legacy for all
Nigerians in the Diaspora. If
Nigeria’s second source of income
generation after oil is our
remittances” – which he said
between 2011 to June 2014,
ARE YOU LOOKING TO REGULARISE YOUR
IMMIGRATION STATUS IN THE UK?
If yes we can help you.
1. Do you have a child who is a British citizen?
If yes we can help you settle in the United
Kingdom.
2. Do you have a child born in the UK who has
lived here continuously for 7 years. If yes we
can help you settle in the United Kingdom.
3. Do you have a child born in the UK who has
lived in the United Kingdom continuously
for 10 years. If yes your child is eligible for
registration as a British citizen and you will
also be eligible to apply for settlement
4. Have you lived in the UK continuously for 20
years? If yes we may be able to help you
5. Are you under the age of 25 years old and
have you lived in the United Kingdom half
your life. If yes you are entitled to settlement
in the United Kingdom.
6. Have you been refused leave to remain in
the United Kingdom, We can help you with
your appeal
7 . Has your entry clearance application refused,
we can help you with your appeal
8. Has your application for further leave to remain
in the United Kingdom refused without
a right of appeal. There have been
changes in the Home Office policy on 20th
October 2014.
9. Do you want to bring your wife or your child
to join you in the UK? If yes we can help you
10. Are you currently detained and facing removal
or deportation? If yes we may be able
to help
11. If you are a businessman and want to invest
a minimum of £200,000.00 (two hundred
thousand pounds) in the UK, we can
help you and your family to settle in the UK
CONTACT MR JAMIL TRAWALLY WHO IS AN
EXPERIENCED IMMIGRATION SOLICITOR
Stuart & Co Solicitors
285 Fore Street
Edmonton
London
N9 0PD
Tel: 02088871360
Fax: 02088871370
Mobile:07727630428
Email: j.trawally@sk-solicitors.com

`
NEWSWatch
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NIGERIAN WATCH
facebook.com/NigerianWatch 12 - 25 Feb 2016
13
amounted to about $63.billion
(N10.35 trillion), far more than the
2016 budget of the Federal Republic
of Nigeria of N6.08 Trillion – “then
we deserve what other Nigerians are
getting irrespective of our location.
“To this end, I would like to
encourage the Federal Government
to set up a Technical Committee
made up of Representatives of
CANUK and the government to help
fashion out a working document for
meaningful engagement with
Nigerians here in the UK. CANUK
under the High Commission is better
placed as the only body amongst
other diaspora organisations in the
world to be much more organised
and cohesive.”
He also cheekily invited the
President to the 2016 CANUK
Christmas party, while also taking
him to task regarding a request to
pay a courtesy call to the villa in
Abuja. “Mr. President Sir, May I
informally request your presence at
the December 2016, CANUK Annual
Award Night to reward excellence.
And request that a date be fixed
when we can pay His Excellency a
courtesy visit in Abuja, as we
submitted this request in August of
2015 and awaiting a formal
response.”
NIDo N&s oFFEr suPPort
Dr Eke said Nido North had the
expertise “ready willing and able” to
return home to revolutionise the oil
and gas industry and, despite the
current collapse in price, put it on a
stable and profitable footing.
“In Scotland we Nigerians have
developed the human capital in the
oil and gas industry that we would
like to use to support your
administration. Nigeria needs
experts to make the industry
profitable and we have the human
capital and technical expertise to do
this. We are offering your
administration this human capital.
We are ready to come home to
support your administration.”
Finally, Ms Abraham thanked
PMB for taking time out to listen and
speak to the diaspora, saying it
“demonstrates your commitment to
Nigeria and Nigerians in diaspora”.
She continued, “Nigeria stands at
a pivotal stage in its development.
Many will see it as a challenge, we see
it as an opportunity for Nigeria to
leverage itself to become one of
Africa’s strongest nations. I’m really
thankful for your anti-corruption
stance and desire and efforts to
create good governance.”
Like the previous speakers she
emphasised the potential of the
diaspora, which she called a
formidable group that “can be
harnessed in the development of
Nigeria”.
She highlighted how other
nations, such as China, the
Philippines, Kenya and the UK are
leveraging on the skills and
opportunities offered by diaspora
nations. “Nigeria ought to consider
seriously the opportunities the
diaspora can bring to the nation
because the nation is doing a lot and
we would like to support your efforts
in accomplishing the goal you have
for Nigeria.”
Of the two million strong Nigerian
diaspora in the UK she said,
“Imagine what could be
accomplished if this was harnessed
and became a brain gain and
resource gain for Nigeria. Many are
ready to put their shoulder to the
plough to contribute to the
development of Nigeria but this can
only be accomplished with a
strategic, structured and
coordinated approach to harnessing
this potential. There is a need for
creating an enabling environment for
Nigerians to invest or establish in
Nigeria. Many businesses doing well
L to R; Babatude Loye, Dr Paul Eke and Henrietta Abraham
here want to go back home. It is
important to create an enabling
environment for them. Indeed, the
UK government at a round table
highlighted this issue of utilising this
potential because diasporas are
committed to their countries and the
Nigerian diaspora in the UK is
committed to Nigeria and want to see
it succeed.
“We want to contribute not just to
good governance but the
“I wonder why me?
Why didn’t I come
to office when oil
was $140 a barrel
and not $30”
development, social responsibility,
investment and other areas. We can
do it with your support. We’re
behind you. We pray that you
succeed. Nido North and South stand
together to facilitate and ensure that
the diaspora help to accomplish
this.”
thE PrEsIDENt’s rEsPoNsE
During the representations of the
diaspora’s community leaders PMB
had studiously listened and made
notes. When he took his place at the
podium he lost little time in
addressing them.
He described remittances as “one
of our great resources, a great help to
the country. I thank you for your
sacrifice.”
He suggested this gave the
diaspora influence; use your
remittances to your constituency
(family, friends, workmates, former
classmates) to encourage them to
President buhari
making his address
support your preferred candidate.
But the President said there was
no causal relationship between the
level of remittances and the desire
among the diaspora for voting rights,
because it was a bureaucratically
complex issue to resolve.
“This issue - DVR - has been
coming up wherever I have been
from Kenya to America to
Johannesburg, all the countries I
have visited since I was sworn in.
We’re critically looking at the system
itself. But we must make sure the
election process is credible.”
He compared his election to that
of Prime Minister David Cameron in
May 2015 to show how difficult it
would be to deliver DVR quickly.
“I met with the PM. He too had
just been elected. I told him, you’re
process is too boring; no house was
burnt, no car was burnt, no one was
shot. People could even sit at home
or in their office, post in their vote
and it would count!”
In Nigeria it was different. He
detailed events leading to the
postponement of the election in
Nigeria and the role played by
America, Europe and Britain in
ensuring it went ahead.
“US Secretary of State John Kerry
read the riot act to the previous
government. He spoke with
Professor Jega (then Chairman of
INEC) and us, the opposition, saying
they would not accept an election
outside the Nigerian constitution and
they maintained the pressure. It was
the same for Britain, who used all
their experience and powers as well.
We thank God, the super powers and
technology for allowing this to
happen.”
The technology, which he
admitted people were not allowed to
use in some parts of the country, had
been an “overall success” in
delivering a free and fair election.
He concluded on this issue saying,
“ Friends of Nigeria believe Nigerians
are too aggressive for someone to
come from overseas and tell them
what to do. Instead they recognise
they need to embrace them and tell
them what they are losing, so you
better understand because you
certainly can’t claim the
sophistication you want to represent,
that you are civilised, you are decent,
that you want to be democratic, if
you don’t.”
On the issue of the collapse in oil
price he said “You know we’re really
in trouble” and also coined the
phrase “why me?”
“I wonder why me? Why didn’t I
come to office when oil was $140 per
barrel. Why did I come to office
when it’s down to $30,” he said.
But he revealed the issue facing
Nigeria was not so much a lack of
expertise in the oil and gas industry
but corruption, which has bedevilled
Nigeria. He cited two examples. On
assuming office he had discovered
the NLPC, which oversees pensions,
had 45 separate bank accounts, the
military services more than 70.
So his administration had
introduced the treasury singular
account – which had been devised by
the administration of President
Goodluck Jonathan but had been
frustrated by “the democratic
bureaucracy for whom it was
unpopular”.
“We have imposed TSA,” he said,
adding that by doing so, “By the end
of December we had mopped up
more than N2.3trn. With what we’re
getting we believe we will end up
without any defecit. This is only
money misapplied for weapons. We
haven’t started on the National
Petroleum Company. But we are
determined to recover as much as
possible the money misappropriated
by unpatriotic Nigerians.”
It would take time he warned. “I
spoke with British experts, who had
been sent to help with training and
systems, and told them when I was
in the same seat in another form - a
uniform - if I saw corrupt people we
collected them up and put them in
protective custody, and I told them
they were guilty until they could
prove they were innocent.
“But now it’s a different system
and I need their co-operation
because it is their system I have
borrowed, and when I see someone
driving a Rolls Royce, having
fantastic house in Abuja and riding
around in private jets they are all
innocent until I can prove them
guilty.
“I’ve given just the tip of the iceberg
of the problem we inherited and
that is why we are going so hard
because we have no other way if we
are to hold everyone accountable.”
The audience roared its approval.
Another facet of the clampdown
on corruption would see budget
allocation transformed. From this
year departments would receive
zero, the President said.
“They will have to come to us and
detail the number of capital projects
“What you can
do for us is
encourage
education – that
is the solution”
they have and they will have to
justify what they need and the
government will give what it can
towards what it needs,” he said.
He said the looting of the military
budget had probably cost the PDP
power.
“If that money had been used to
buy the correct weapons to fight
Boko Haram, the probability is Boko
Haram would have been eliminated
and the PDP would have won the
election. But because they failed to
secure the country they lost
control.”
Lack of security had far wider
reaching consequences he said,
diverting money earmarked for
infrastructure development into
security.
“Money for infrastructure –
power first, roads, rail – has been
misappropriated,” he said. “The
money that should go quickly
towards that and help industry
stabilise, to enable people to produce
the goods and services that will give
the money to buy the weapons,
increase the number of soldiers and
police, and pay them more for being
in the field, has been diverted for
security.”
That’s why Nigeria faces a chronic
unemployment problem. More than
60% of the population is under 35
and most, whether they have been to
school or not, are unemployed.
“Agriculture, solid minerals and
education are the answer,” the
President said. “So we are going to do
that very quickly.”
He concluded by saying, “There
are 170m Nigerian people, exposed to
climate change, illiteracy and
poverty. What you can do for us is to
encourage education, that is the
solution. For people who have
received education there is a level of
situation, negative situation, that
they will accept before they will
organise and create ways to get out of
it themselves.
“But when you sentence them to
illiteracy it exposes them to religious
and tribal sentiments and you find
your attention is distracted dealing
with riots and immediate problems,
and rather than focus on bringing
Nigeria into the 21st century you
remain mired in the 16th.”

14 YOURWatch
NIGERIAN WATCH
12 - 25 Feb 2016
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Let us know what you think. Put pen to paper and send your letters to: The Editor, Nigerian Watch,
chartwell house, 292 hale Lane, Edgware, middlesex ha8 8NP, or email us at: editor@nigerianwatch.com
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letters will not be published. Please include your full name, postal address and contact telephone
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Letters may be edited for publication.
Super Ministers, Supernova, Brahe, Buhari and Bakare
There are interesting developments between
Denmark and Nigeria, one of them being linked
to the TB. Wondering what TB stands for? Well,
wonder no more, for it stands for Tycho Brahe
and also Tunde Bakare.
Brahe was an astronomer and Bakare is a
pastor.
Tycho Brahe was a rich Danish man. He
studied Law. Tunde Bakare is a rich Nigerian
man. He also studied Law.
Tycho Brahe’s mother belonged to an
important family of leading churchmen and
politicians. Tunde Bakare is a leading
churchman and politician.
Tycho Brahe is associated with SN1572
(Supernova) which he discovered on November
11, 1572 – his most famous discovery as an
astronomer.
Tunde Bakare was the Convener of SNG
(Save Nigeria Group). He was born on
November 11, 1954.
Tycho Brahe is reputed for his accuracy of
observation and Tunde Bakare, the accuracy of
predictions.
Brahe was born December 14, 1546, and
Muhammad Buhari December 17, 1942.
Interestingly, Nigerian President Buhari,
who once had Bakare as his vice presidential
running mate, swore in his “super ministers”
on November 11, 2015, the anniversary of
Brahe’s discovery of a Supernova.
Like Denmark Buhari is ushering in for the
first time in Nigeria a welfare state.
Denmark has been voted the best place in
the world to live and Nigeria not exactly the
best, yet.
Augustine Togonu-Bickersteth, London, England,
via email
Register to Vote
I noticed in your last issue that there were a
lot of articles on diversity and discrimination;
a lack of recognition of black talent in music,
on our TV screens, less opportunities in attending
university, applying for jobs and even
lower pay.
Whilst some establishments mentioned
such as the BBC, Channel 4, Penguin books, The
Bank of England and The Race Equality Charter
are attempting to address this, it’s not enough.
I can’t help but feel with the upcoming
elections that this underlines the importance
of people being registered to vote.
If we’re not on the electoral roll we can’t
vote and again we won’t be heard.
Kemi Adebowale, Edgware, London, via email
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Mill Hill London NW7 1AS

NEWSWatch
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NIGERIAN WATCH
facebook.com/NigerianWatch 12 - 25 Feb 2016
15
basE camP
(L-r): Dr
coker and
Pastor
Irukwu
Pastor and Dr go to the top of
the world to make a difference
At a special service at Jesus House on February
7 Pastor Irukwu and Dr Tomi Coker
were celebrated for completing one of the
ultimate tests of human endurance –
scaling Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain
in Africa.
The pair undertook the gruelling challenge
as part of a fundraising effort to
contribute to the global health work of
Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
(RCOG), to improve the care of
women in low-income countries.
On the 5,896m (19,341ft) climb the
pair were part of a team that included 50
obstetricians and gynaecologists. It took
five days to complete, setting out on January
23 and reaching the summit on the
28th.
At an earlier service Pastor Irukwu told
the congregation, “We should all have the
desire to make a difference in the lives of
the less privileged, disadvantaged and
marginalised. It is what God expects of us.
For those who have the grace, embark on
physical challenges and raise money for
such good causes along the way.
She continued, “I would like to borrow
the Nike slogan and say, ‘Just Do It’.
Preparation is key, so ensure you do that
properly. God will strengthen and make a
way for you to accomplish what He has
laid on your heart to do for His glory.”
Of the climb itself, Pastor Irukwu said,
“It was definitely the most challenging
task we have undertaken but it was an
unforgettable experience and the pain and
physical exertion were well worth it. The
views throughout the seven-day trek
were breathtaking and Kilimanjaro’s summit
was awe-inspiring.”
To support the RCOG fundraising effort
visit: www.justgiving.com/sola-irukwu1
at thE summIt (L-r):Pastor Irukwu and Dr coker
azImo rEWarDED For
rEmIttaNcE INNovatIoN
Azimo, the digital money transfer service, has been named the
best low cost remittance service at Africa’s sixth annual Kalahari
Awards.
The London-based company received the award at the
Remittance & Mobile Money Expo in Lagos on Feb 3, for
demonstrating superior innovation and for its significant
contribution to making access to financial services more
affordable and available to people living in Africa and beyond.
“Azimo’s entry was outstanding as a leading innovator,
providing low cost remittances to Africa with a positive impact
on the remittance ecosystem. We are proud of their
achievements in bringing low cost remittances to the continent
and we hope the award will spur them to greater heights in 2016
and beyond,” said Emmanuel Okoegwale,Principal Associate,
Mobile Money Africa.
Africa is one of the largest recipients of remittance in the
world, with at least $40bn flowing to the region every year. Over
the past six months, Azimo has grown over 300% in
transactions sent to the region with the majority of them now
coming from mobile devices.
Commenting on receiving the award, Michael Kent, CEO and
founder of Azimo said, “Remittance flows have more of an
impact on economic stability than foreign aid, yet high
transactions fees still plague hard working migrants, especially
from Africa, looking to support their families, friends and
businesses back home. We are on mission to make this broken
industry better. Being selected for this award is testament to that
mission, our growth and the hardworking Azimo team that puts
our customers at the heart of everything we do.”
The company is currently offering zero-fee transactions to
Nigeria with real-time funds delivery.
family condemn laptop killers who
“laughed” when cleared of murder
The family of a teaching assistant
stabbed to death after he was
ambushed by Gumtree robbers told of
their heartbreak at “injustice” as
three men were cleared of his murder
on February 4.
University graduate Michael Adegbite
(right), 28, had advertised his MacBook
for sale on the online marketplace but
when he met the “buyers” one pulled out
a knife. He and his friend Mohammed
Umer fought off the teenagers and
snatched back the computer.
The Old Bailey was told Mr Adegbite
later followed the trio who had attacked
him to try to identify them, armed with
an iron bar for protection. The talented
football coach was stabbed through the
heart in the ensuing confrontation in
Lackmore Road, Enfield, last July, and
bled to death in the street.
Isaac Owen-Brady and Christopher
Nzeh, both 18, and Montel Ajayi, 19,
whooped and congratulated each other in
the dock after being cleared of murder.
The three had admitted conspiracy to rob
and Nzeh, who stabbed Mr Adgebite, was
convicted of manslaughter. The court
heard they had a history of Gumtree
robberies.
In a statement released on February 5,
the victim’s mother, father and brother
said, “We feel let down, it is an injustice.
Throughout this his attackers have shown
nothing but blatant disrespect.
“They laughed throughout the trial,
after the verdict. They have shown no
remorse. They should have some feeling
for their victim and his family. They had
robbed people before. Now they will
probably come out of prison quickly and
do it again. There is no moral compass.”
Mr Adegbite, of Chingford, was a
talented footballer who had trials for
Wolverhampton Wanderers. He became a
fitness instructor at Leyton Leisure
Centre and was praised as a role model
during his time as a coach of youth team
Eastside United FC in Hackney, and in his
job as a teaching assistant at Heathcote
School in Chingford.
He graduated from University of East
London and had been signed up by a
number of modelling agencies. His family
said, “Michael was an amazing guy. He
was a model, a personal trainer. He was
looking to build his own football brand.
Things were going great for him and it
was all taken away.
“They took a knife with them. They
were willing to commit violence. What
Michael did was a normal response, to
want to go after them and try to identify
them so they could be caught.
“They robbed him of his life. The
verdict has come as a huge shock. We
hope the judge will find some justice
when they are sentenced.” Giving
evidence in court, Phillip Omotoshi, who
Mr Adegbite asked to help track down the
robbers, said his friend was a “peaceful
and fun-loving man” but had “felt
violated” by the crime against him.
The robbers were arrested after their
fingerprints were found on the laptop and
Mr Adegbite’s car window. Ajayi, of
Waltham Cross, Owen-Brady, of Enfield,
and Nzeh, of Hitchin, had all denied
murder. Owen-Brady was also convicted
of possessing a folding knife. They will be
sentenced at a later date.
nigerians among the most romantic on valentine’s day
New data released by money transfer
service, WorldRemit, shows Nigerian’s
are among the most romantic when it
comes to marking Valentine’s Day.
According to the global statistics,
Nigerians (as well as Cameroonians,
Bangladeshis and Ugandans) are most
likely to make a long distance call to
loved ones on Valentine’s Day, sending
21% more airtime transfers on Valentine’s
Day compared to an average day
in February.
Nigerians are also one of the top five
most generous lovers - sending an average
of £24 more in money transfers to
their loved ones for Valentine’s Day.
They follow South Africans, who sent an
average of £93 more in money transfers
to their loved ones for Valentine’s Day
last year compared to spending patterns
the following week, as well as India and
Indonesia, who sent £50 and £46 more
in money transfers respectively.
The WorldRemit app lets people send
money or airtime straight from their
smartphone, instead of having to travel
to a money transfer agent. Those receiving
money can collect the funds as
Mobile Money, bank transfer, for cash
pickup or as a mobile airtime top-up.
WorldRemit’s service is available to
senders in 50 countries. It offers transfers
to more than 125 destinations
across Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and
the Americas. WorldRemit customers
send 400,000 transfers every money.
Data based on an internal analysis of
WorldRemit’s top 15 recipient countries
in the months of Jan-Feb, 2015.
www.worldremit.com
To advertise call 0208 588 9640 or email sales@nigerianwatch.com

16
NIGERIAN WATCH
12 - 25 Feb 2016
LEISUREWatch
Follow us on Twitter
@NigerianWatch
FashionWATCH
By OBAH IyAMU
deLe sosimi at
Kings Palace - see
music listings on
page 18
Fur coLLars This dashing
take on the regular neck
scarf is the new cult accessory.
Take a
bold move
and pick
up a fur
scarf from
the high
street
and give
your
wardrobe a
big boost. Wear
on your shoulder over a wool coat, or
wrap stylishly around your neck to
keep you warm and also to keep you
in the style game. From princesses to
mere mortals alike this trend is sure
to be the layering piece of the season.
Clash with monochrome nudes and blacks to give
that wow factor. A stripy fur sash is my everyday outfit
punch.
maXI jumPErs The fashion
people have spoken: “what you
really need now to snap the cold
is oversized jumpers”. They are
wearing it with thigh-high boots
and pairing with the unexpected,
Maxiskirts! The style geniuses
have come with the jumper
game and we are definitely here
to play, and playing safe is out of
the question. Jumpers stopping anywhere between the knees to
ankles are a major hit. Make it a double act with longer length
skirts and jeans, or wear with converse-style sneakers to keep it
super causal. I am loving the baggy jumper look.
There is a sure way of injecting new life
into your closets - taking notes from
our fortnightly
updates!
Prepare to step
up your winter
game with
simple pursefriendly
tweaks.
WoNDEr.LaND
an acclaimed performance by
Lois chimimba as aly, in Damon
albarn and moira buffini’s
musical about a teenage girl
tormented by bullies at school,
who discovers Wonder.land
online.
Ongoing until 30 April,
National Theatre, Upper
Ground, Southbank SE1
www.nationaltheatre.org.uk
thEatrE
The rolling stone
Dembe and Sam have been
seeing each other for a while,
but they’re gay and this is
Uganda. The consequences of
their relationship being
discovered will be explosive -
especially for Dembe, whose
brother goes into the pulpit
each week to denounce the
evils of mutual male love.
Ongoing until 20 Feb,
Matinees Thurs & Sat 2.30pm,
evenings 7.30pm. From £20.
Orange Tree Theatre, 1 Clarence
Street, Richmond, TW9
www.orangetreetheatre.co.uk
red velvet
Set in the Theatre Royal,
Covent Garden, in 1833, a
young black American actor
has been asked to take over
the lead role in Othello after
the original actor collapses on
stage. But as the public riot in
the streets over the abolition
of slavery, how will the cast,
critics and audience react to
the revolution taking place in
the theatre?
Ongoing until 27 Feb, 7.30pm
evening performances,
2.30pm Wed & Sat matinees.
Tickets from £35.
Garrick Theatre, 2 Charing
Cross Road WC2H
www.branaghtheatre.com

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facebook.com/NigerianWatch LEISUREWatch
12 - 25 Feb 2016
17
Fortnight
What to sEE aND Do ovEr thE NEXt
14 Days...
The vagina monologues
12 ladies of all different ages
and ethnicities are joining
forces as volunteers to be part
of an upcoming benefit
production of the Vagina
Monologues. All the proceeds
will be going to a small
London charity, ‘nia’, based
in Hackney, who work
towards preventing violence
against women & girls.
19-21 Feb, 7.30pm. Tickets £12.
The Proud Archivist - 2-10
Hertford Road N1
www.theproudarchivist.co.uk
FILm
concussion
Screening by the ICSN Film
club of the true life story of
Igbo pioneer Dr Bennet
Omalu, played by Will Smith,
who discovered a brain
disorder affecting athletes
playing American Football.
12 Feb, check website for time.
O2 Cineworld, Greenwich,
Penninsula Square SE10
www.icsn.co.uk
comEDy
basketmouth valentines uk
tour 2016
Basketmouth in Concert with
Olamide; Lil Kesh, Adekunle
Gold: YBNL. And comedians
including: Okey Bakassi;
Buchi; Salvador; Funnybone;
Acapella and Bowjoint in aid
of African Arts and
AfroCarribean Societies at UK
universities.
14 Feb, 11pm. Tickets from £25
Eventim Apollo, 45 Queen
Caroline Street W6
www.cokobar.com
sPokEN WorD
Wole soyinka at the british
Library
Wole Soyinka will be in
conversation with Olusola
Oyeleye.
15 Feb, 6.30pm - 8pm.
Tickets £12.
British Library, 96 Euston
Rd NW1
www.bl.uk
out-spoken
Regular monthly showcase of
leading poets, rappers, and
musicians.
23 Feb, 7pm. Tickets £8.
The Forge, 3-7 Delancey St NW1
www.forgevenue.org
Lgbt hIstory moNth 2016
With a view to celebrate BAME art and culture; a showcase of the great and the good of Black Queer
Cinema, including: The Color Purple, originally released 30 years ago, directed by Steven Spielberg
and starring Whoopi Goldberg; The Harlem Renaissance, also known as the “New Negro
Movement”, set in the 1920s; Brother to Brother explores the parallels of what it was to be Black
and Gay in the early 20th century with what it is to be a Gay Black Man today.
Call Me Kuchu, (left) spotlights David Kato Uganda’s LGBT great hope, a film about the birth of a
movement, with a post screening discussion about the ongoing struggle for recognition of Queer
people in Africa and the solutions to tackle continued persecution with activists such a Apata Ronnie,
and Podcaster Mike Daemon, who will be recording the discussion for his show live from Nigeria.
Ongoing until 28 Feb.
Bernie Grant Arts Centre, Town Hall Approach Road, Tottenham Green N15
For dates, times and tickets prices visit; www.berniegrantcentre.co.uk
Fairytales For grown ups:
telling The blues
Jan Blake, and blues guitarist,
Matt Chandler, tell the blues.
24 Feb, 7.30pm. Tickets £10.
The Forge, 3-7 Delancey St NW1
www.forgevenue.org
bare Lit Festival
The first literary festival
focused entirely on writers of
colour in the UK, with a
lineup of established and new
international authors
participating over two days,
in two venues, including
novelist Xiaolu Guo, poet
Jane Yeh, London’s Young
Poet Laureate Selina Nwulu
(pictured right), journalist
and fiction author Robin
Yassin-Kassab, and many
more.
26-27 Feb, see website for
details of dates and times and
how to book.
Free Word Centre ,60
Farringdon Rd EC1 and Betsey
Trotwood Pub, 56 Farringdon
Rd EC1
barelit.squarespace.com

18 LEISUREWatch
NIGERIAN WATCH
12 - 25 Feb 2016
Follow us on Twitter
@NigerianWatch
musIc
Dele sosimi
Nigerian Afrobeat superstar
Dele Sosimi performs in a
world-class acoustic setting.
19 Feb, 8pm. From £9.50
Kings Place, 90 York Way N1
www.kingsplace.co.uk
La bomba De tiempo
Legendary 16-piece
percussion phenomenon
from Buenos Aires.
19 Feb, 7pm. Tickets £12
The Forge, 3-7 Delancey St NW1
www.forgevenue.org
soukous vs hip hop –
congo meet sierra Leone
Kasai Masai from London
(right), mix the traditional
sound of the equatorial
African village with a
distinctive urban edge. The
band’s fast-paced style of
Soukous and African Rumba
is impossible to stay still to.
Meanwhile, Alim Kamara
rocks crowds with energy
and thought provoking lyrics
that safely carry you through
a roller coaster of emotions.
27 and 28 Feb, 8pm.
Tickets £9.36
Rich Mix, 35-47 Bethnal Green
Road E1
www.richmix.org.uk
EXhIbItIoNs
a New home
A mixed media exhibition
showing works by members
of the East London
Printmakers print studio and
guest artists. The theme is
‘belonging’, and it explores
issues around identity,
migration and a sense of
home.
Ongoing until 23 Feb, 12 noon -
6pm. FREE
The Art Pavilion, Mile End
Park, Clinton Road E3
www.eastlondonprintmakers.
co.uk
I am The
greatest:
muhammad ali
at The o2
Exploring
Muhammad Ali’s
incredible rise
from humble
beginnings in
Kentucky, where
he was known as
The Louisville Lip,
to becoming the
three times
heavyweight
champion of the World.
4 Mar - 31 Aug, Mon-Fri: 10am
– 4pm, Sat-Sun: 10 am -
5.30pm. Tickets from £18.
The O2, Peninsula Square SE10
www.theo2.co.uk
othEr
valentine’s night and
relaunch of Naija style
magazine
Nigerian buffet, live band,
dancers, cultural
performances and a promise
that everybody goes home
with a present…
13 Feb, 6pm tip late. Advance
tickets £20
Haringey Irish Centre
Tottenham Page, Pretoria
Road N17
www.naijastyle.global
rich mix youth takeover
Festival 2016
Five days of free and low cost
arts workshops, industry
professional masterclasses
and gigs during February
half-term.
15-20 Feb, times vary, FREE
booking essential for some
activities, see website for
details.
Rich Mix, 35-47 Bethnal Green
Road E1
www.richmix.org.uk
IcsN valentines general
house meeting
Monthly social meeting, with
Igbo proverbs about
relationships/marriage as
well as Igbo love
messages/chat up lines and
Blind Date, love box, as it’s
Valentines.
21 Feb, 6pm-9pm. £5 entry.
Free for members
Score Centre, 100 Oliver
Road E10
www.icsn.co.uk
L-o-v-E: a Fundraising
Party for amurt Nigeria
With Dj Ripla on the decks,
playing all your favourite
Afrobeats, garage, hip hop,
rap, trap music and old skool
classics and a variety of
L-O-V-E games to get
everyone mingling and
interacting…
27 Feb, 10pm-4am. Advance
tickets £10.
Festac Bar, 148 Holloway
Road N7
www.icsn.co.uk
african-caribbean
health Day
Raising awareness of
preventable diseases in the
African-Caribbean
community, speakers include
Levi Roots, Dr Adeola Olaitan
and Leye Ajayi discussing
issues such as Weight, Blood
pressure, Cervical and
Prostate Cancer.
20 Feb, 9.30 - 4.30.
Tickets £13.49
Royal College of Nurses (RCN),
20 Cavendish Square
W1G
http://black
action4
health.com
BEHIND
THE SCENES
with Lace Mamen
uncle rafool time! toP uk aFrobEat aND urbaN
PraNkstar uNcLE raFooL DroPs hIs FIrst vIDEo ‘WashErE omo
Ft oLuWa shImzIE’ thIs moNth. bts boys Was at thE scENE!
If you are in the game, afrobeat or main stream urban, you will know of the craziest prankster of them
all right now, uncle rafool. “I almost been punched, kicked and slapped by superstars on my own
show. If you don’t believe me just type uncle rafool on youtube,” he says. This Nigerian british
prankster has got everybody tripping, Paigey cakey, may7ven, msbanks, moelogo, timbo stP etc.
uncle rafool is a “ProbLEm”.
rafool tells bts at his own video shoot for ‘Washere omo’ that he is generally cool and just being
truthful – “all their music suck
“my chaNNEL Is to comPLImENt thE WomaN’s
EFFort IN EvEryWay, ENsurE a smooth ruNNINg
oF thE homE,” kolawole ajayi ceo Nigerian cuisine
When you’re travelling
abroad, you
will not know how
much you will miss
your Nigerian Food.
The longer you stay
abroad, the more
you know you just
can’t live without it.
you are not alone
there; Nigerian cuisine
has over 57
Nigerian dishes online
and over
25,000 subscribers from The usa to uk and Europe.
Now you know bts boys have to catch up with a guy like this.
myself and mr ajayi chopped it up at a cool spot in the o2 arena
and yes my own dish appointment was booked. kola told me he
started cooking Nigerian dishes and having friends around as a
hobby, they were impressed and kept coming often. he decided
to put it online without knowing how successful it will be.
behold today NIgErIaN cuIsINE helps facilitate foreign marriages,
helps the woman and the family work, helps men treat
the Women well, and helps the kids at universities cook these
dishes themselves and stay off the microwave culture. These are
just a few advantages people have told kola about his channel,
Nigerian cuisine.
Watch the full interview showing at 10.30 p.m on ben tv sky
channel 182, and on www.btsbehindthescenes.com. Nigerian
cuisine is sponsoring the food feast in London on april 30 with
afrobeats Dj starzy, it’s an all african fire and grill face-off. tickets
start from £5.00. Don’t miss the face off, don’t miss the
show.
and I don’t want to lie to them!”
‘Washere omo’ is his first single
ft. oluwa shimzie. shimzie is all
music with hits like ‘come show
me’, ‘carolina’ and ‘hustle’.
shimzie says he and rafool are
doing a joint project, which should
be out around summer. check out
pictures of bts boys with the cast
and crew from Washere omo. The
record sounds dope and all the
beautiful stuff was handled by the
edgy boss media. Let go!

EDUCATIONWatch
Like us on Facebook
NIGERIAN WATCH
facebook.com/NigerianWatch 12 - 25 Feb 2016
19
Why we should value migrant students
The refugee crisis has seen schools in many countries having to accommodate new arrivals. but the oEcD's education director,
andreas schleicher, says the evidence of international tests suggests migrants are likely to be an asset to their new schools
Immigrant children are often
highly motivated and have
ambitious parents. And these
clever, hungry-to-learn
youngsters often achieve higher
results than the rest of their
classmates.
In 1954, the United States opened
its borders to an immigrant from
Syria. His son, Steve
Jobs, became one of the
most
creative
entrepreneurs,
revolutionising
industries from
personal computers
through animated
movies and music to
mobile phones and
digital publishing.
In the current
refugee crisis that might
look like a fairy-tale, but it is not that
implausible.
While immigrant youngsters
might face cultural, social and
economic disadvantages, the top
10% of 15-year-old students with an
immigrant background in the United
States did just as well as the top 10%
without an immigrant background,
as measured by the international Pisa
tests.
In fact, when accounting for
Andreas Schleicher
social background, these highachieving
immigrant teenagers were
almost a school year ahead.
This doesn't only happen in the
United States. In 13 out of the 37
countries with comparable data,
including the United Kingdom, the
top 10% of immigrants were at least
10 points ahead of their nonimmigrant
counterparts
in Pisa tests, after
accounting for social
background.
These highly
motivated students,
managing to overcome
the double disadvantage
of poverty and an
immigrant background,
have the potential to
make exceptional
contributions to their
host countries.
On average across all countries,
top performing immigrants and
non-immigrants reached similar
levels of performance on the Pisa
mathematics test.
Many immigrants, after the
sacrifices of migrating, seem
determined to make the most of any
opportunity that arises.
Their children also seem ready to
take on an academic challenge.
Alongside the Pisa tests are questions
about students' willingness to try to
solve more complex problems. Firstgeneration
immigrants, including in
the UK, are more likely than average
to want to stretch themselves and try
to answer more difficult problems.
The OECD's research shows that
immigrant students - and their
parents - hold an ambition to
succeed that in most cases matches,
and in some cases surpasses, the
aspirations of families in their host
country.
For example, parents of
immigrant students in Belgium,
Germany and Hungary are more
likely to expect that their children
will go to university and get a degree
than parents of students without an
immigrant background.
What makes this so remarkable is
that these immigrant families are
likely to be poorer than their nonmigrant
neighbours and their
children are likely to do less well in
school. But nonetheless their parents
still hold higher expectations for
them.
The gap in parental expectation
grows even wider when it's a
comparison between newly-arrived
poor migrants and local deprived
families.
In Belgium, Germany, Hong Kong
and Hungary, the parents of
immigrant students hold much
higher educational expectations for
their children than the parents of
similarly disadvantaged nonimmigrant
students.
The migrant students seem to be
more determined. Comparing
students of similar ability, the
immigrant teenagers were often the
ones with more ambitious career
expectations.
Such confidence can pay off.
Students who hold ambitious, yet
realistic expectations about their
educational prospects are likely to
work harder and make better use of
the education opportunities available
to them.
Nonetheless many children from
immigrant backgrounds face
enormous challenges at school. They
need to adjust quickly to different
academic expectations, learn in a
new language, forge a social identity
that incorporates both their
background and their adopted
country - while often under
conflicting pressures from family and
peers.
These difficulties in integrating
into a new society are magnified
when immigrants are segregated into
poor neighbourhoods and into
struggling schools. So it's no surprise
that Pisa test results have shown
students with an immigrant
background falling behind nonimmigrant
students.
However, this average
performance gap should not mask
the finding that many immigrant
students overcome these obstacles
and excel academically. They
succeed in school and it's a testament
to the great drive, motivation and
openness that they and their families
possess.
There is also nothing inevitable
about immigrant students doing less
well, as the evidence of Pisa tests
shows they can achieve very
different results in different
countries.
The crunch point isn't the point of
entry for migrant students, but what
happens afterwards. It depends on
whether schools are ready and able
to help such migrants succeed and
reduce the disadvantages that will
face them.
The world might seem to be
becoming an increasingly complex
and uncertain place, but some
immigrant students are an
inspiration for how societies can
become more cohesive and resilient.
Why choose
Kingston University?
“
The teaching is
excellent and very
efficient in helping
students learn more
and get exposure in
their field of study.
”
Elo Onovughe
Nigeria
Biomedical Science
• Number two in the UK for graduate start-ups*
• Innovative, cutting-edge undergraduate and
postgraduate courses in:
- Art, Design and Architecture
- Arts and Social Sciences
- Business and Law
- Science, Engineering and Computing
• Scholarships of £4,000 available for
international students
• 25 Minutes from central London in a beautiful
riverside location
• Real diversity - with students from over 150
different countries
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
T: +44 (0) 208 417 3411
E: international@kingston.ac.uk
www.kingston.ac.uk/international
*2015, HESA

EDUCATIONWatch
Like us on Facebook
NIGERIAN WATCH
facebook.com/NigerianWatch 12 - 25 Feb 2016
21
thE INtErNatIoNaL
stuDENts’ FaIr
sI-uk Education council host the uk university
Fair 2016, the largest university fair in the uk
The UK University Fair is the largest UK
education fair designed only for
international students applying to UK
universities.
Through its regular editions in London, SI-
UK provide a unique
platform
for
international and EU
students to meet and
gain information from
over 100 universities,
colleges and language
schools in one location.
Our expert team of
international
consultants and
university specialists
can help you make the
right choices on the day.
The UK University
Fair is the Number One
university fair for international students
applying to UK universities.
In addition to meeting over 100 universities,
there are a number of other activities on the
day to make your visit as productive as possible:
Seminars and presentations on Oxbridge
applications; UCAS and visa requirement
tutorials, with experts discussing in detail how
to apply and what to include in your
application; plus the requirements needed for
a successful stay at a UK university.
Top 10 UK universities Warwick, Exeter and
Surrey will be attending the next UK University
Fair.
Over 100 international
scholarships are also
available, while students
who make an impression
with the universities can
also expect on the spot
offers – just don’t forget
your supporting
documents!
Tier 4 student visa and
student visitor visa advice
will also be on hand if you
need assistance, and
appointments can be
made with a UK visa
specialist who can help with any issue. Each
member of the SI-UK visa team is qualified and
recognised by UK Visas and Immigration.
The University Fair takes place on Saturday 5th
March, 12:00-17:00 at Lancaster London Hotel,
Lancaster Terrace W2
www.ukunifair.co.uk
UK
University
Fair 2016
for international students
Register now for the UK’s largest international student fair!
Meet 100 UK Universities:
•
University of Brighton
•
Brunel University London
•
University of Greenwich
•
University of Kent
•
King's College London
•
Kingston University
•
London Metropolitan University
•
Oxford Brookes University
•
Queen Mary University of London
•
SOAS University of London
•
University of Sussex
•
University of Westminster
+ more
Lancaster London Hotel
Sat, 5th March
12:00-17:00
Lancaster Gate
DON’T
MISS OUT!
Register online
for free entry
Missed this event?
Our next fair is on
14th May 2016
www.ukunifair.co.uk i
020-7287-7040
0-7287-7040
www.glos.ac.uk/international
Why choose University of Gloucestershire?
• Support – 1st in the UK for international student support.
• Employability – placement year options and DegreePlus opportunities for work experience
• Fast Track degrees – 2-year Bachelor degrees so you can graduate quicker
Entry Requirements
• Foundation: WAEC or NECO with minimum 3 relevant subjects (IELTS 4.0)
• Undergraduate: Ordinary National Diploma or recognized foundation course
• Postgraduate: Bachelors’ degree with a minimum of second class.
• Postgraduate (Research): Bachelors’ degree with a minimum of second class.
English Language
Minimum of SSCE Credit in English Language or IELTS
Contact Details
Samuel Adeboye
International Development Advisor
• Tel: +44 1242 71 4642
+234 816259 7846
• Email: sadeboye@glos.ac.uk
Up to 50%
scholarships
available!
“At University of
Gloucestershire, the
teachings are superb as
every lecture comes with
a unique flare but more
captivating is the time and
energy lecturers spend in
supporting us.”
Mary Kolawole - Law LLB

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SPORTSWatch
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NIGERIAN WATCH
facebook.com/NigerianWatch 12 - 25 Feb 2016
23
WarrIors
From page 24 football to bring about peace in
the community...
“By the special grace of God, we should come
back to the city of Maiduguri so the people
should be happy.”
The first league match is pencilled in for
February 21 against Wikki Tourists in what the
players hope will signal the start of a campaign
to improve on last season’s 13th position and
14th the year before.
Security will be uppermost in the minds of
both the league and fellow clubs when
considering El-Kanemi’s application. The Boko
Haram jihadists view sport as un-Islamic.
But the club and its supporters point to the
return of businesses and trade as a sign the
situation is changing in Maiduguri, where
Nigeria’s military high command is now based
and troops patrol the streets.
“Even when they (Boko Haram) were in
Maiduguri we played successfully without any
hitch... Nothing bad will ever happen in
Maiduguri Stadium,” said club chairman
Mohammed Zanna.
The return of football would also send a
powerful message about the success of the
counter-insurgency, he added.
It would be a relief, too, for hard-pressed
fans, who were forced to travel up to 10 hours
just for a home game at neutral grounds, risking
insurgent attacks and ambushes along
dangerous roads.
The head of the El-Kanemi Supporters Club,
Isa Abdullahi Awala, said football has been a way
of getting through the horrors of recent times
and looking to the future.
“It brings us together... to forget everything
that’s happened because we love our team,” he
told AFP.
‘Legend’ kanu
helps gunners
land Naija stars
Arsene Wenger – pictured alongside Kanu and flanked
by new signings Kelechi Nwakali and Samuel Chukwueze
– fended off stiff competition from Manchester
City and Bayern Munich to land the prized duo, who
impressed for Nigeria during their Under-17 World Cup
win in Chile.
On hand to greet the pair was former Gunner Kanu,
who has just been named among the 48 top footballing
legends in the world by the International Federation
of Football History and Statistics.
Now 39, Kanu played for the Super Eagles between
1993 and 2011. He also captained the U23 team to
Olympic gold in 1996, when Nigeria became the first
ever African country to win an Olympic footballing
gold, beating Argentina and Brazil along the way.
Meanwhile, West Ham have signed Nigeria centreforward
Emmanuel Emenike from Fenerbahce on
loan for the rest of the season.
“I have always known West Ham as a great club. I
have always been watching them. West Ham’s a great
club and I am very, very happy and very, very excited
that I am here,” Emenike told West Ham TV.
On Sunday January 31 members of ICSN (Igbo Cultural and Support Network) were in Victoria Park, East London, to take part in a 5km fun run. The intrepid runners, (l-r) Natalie,
Chioma, ICSN Network Director Chinedu and Ijeoma braved the pouring rain to raise money for AMURT. See page 3 to support their fundraising.
‘INsaNE’ roW IsoLatEs oLIsEh
Members of the Nigerian Football said that he was working hard to ensure that
Federation’s (NFF) technical committee the wise men rescind their decisions. He
have resigned en-mass in response to the added, “It is true that they are not keen to
recent criticism they received from Super work again but I am prevailing on them to
Eagles’ head coach Sunday Oliseh, who think twice because of their love and passion
called several of them ‘insane’.
for the game and patriotism for the country.
Oliseh has come under fierce criticism lately "They cannot be treated with levity. They
after the home-based Eagles crashed out of the are heavyweights on their own and they are
Championship of African Nations (Chan) not paid a dime for their services.”
tournament recently held in Rwanda in the
group stages. He subsequently hit back at his
critics in a Youtube video, calling them
‘insane’ for calling for his sacking, saying Chan
was not a major priority.
Following Oliseh’s outburst, football fans
have criticised him further, saying he ought to
have shown more restraint and accept
criticism in good faith. In response, Oliseh has
accepted his error and written a letter of
apology to the NFF chairman Amaju Pinnick.
However, members of the technical
committee, who
Oliseh appeared to
have been referring
to in his Youtube
have decided they
will no longer work
with him. All to have
resigned are former
Super Eagles;
Christian Chukwu,
Paul Bassey, Victor
Ikpeba, Mutiu
Adepoju and Garba Lawal.
They apparently were unhappy about what
they described as the mishandling of the
Sunday Oliseh’s case by Mr Pinnick. After
Oliseh’s outburst, the NFF had referred the
case to the technical committee to recommend
sanctions against the outspoken coach.
After exhaustive deliberations and arriving
at a decision, the committee was apparently
disappointed that Mr Pinnick jettisoned their
report. Mr Pinnick took the matter to the
youth and sports minister Solomon Dalung,
who saved the embattled coach by asking for
a second chance for him.
One committee source said, “The
committee recommended for his outright
dismissal after they agreed that he had violated
his contract.”
Chris Green, the chairman of the technical
committee, confirmed the development but
Mr Green conceded that the technical
committee has not had a smooth relationship
with Oliseh after the coach said he had nothing
to do with them when they queried him
following a dismal outing in Chan.
at the time of going to press, it was
announced the NFF is to fine Sunday Oliseh
US$30,000 over the incident. Mr Oliseh had
not responded to the sanction.
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24
NIGERIAN WATCH
12 - 25 Feb 2016
INsIDE
kanu named among top
Footballing World Legends
Follow us on Twitter
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Sportswatch
FootBaLL’s comiNg home to
BorNo
In what is the most positive sign that the situation
in northern Nigeria is returning to normal El
Kanemi Warriors are agitating for a return to their
10,000 capacity home stadium in Maiduguri after
a two year absence.
The club were forced out in 2014 at the height of the
Boko Haram insurgency, relocating to Kano.
But now with relative calm returning to Borno,
thanks to the Federal Government’s counter
insurgency and decision by President Buhari to station
Nigeria’s military high command in Maiduguri, the
club wants to return home.
Officials are trying to convince the Nigeria Football
Federation and, crucially, the 19 other clubs in the
Nigeria Premier League that Maiduguri is a safe place
for players and fans.
Should all clubs agree to the proposal, league
organisers will inspect the club’s 10,000-capacity
ground before the new season gets under way later
this month.
Club manager Ladan Bosso said that approval to
play again in Maiduguri would help the city and its
citizens recover after so much bloodshed.
“When there’s no peace, there’s no football,” he
told news agency AFP. “We can bring Turn to page 23
05/02/2016 09:34
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