BusinessDay 22 Oct 2017

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20 BD SUNDAY Sunday 22 October 2017 Comment C002D5556 comment is free Send 800word comments to comment@businessdayonline.com PUBLISHER/CEO Frank Aigbogun EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Prof. Onwuchekwa Jemie EDITOR Zebulon Agomuo DEPUTY EDITOR John Osadolor, Abuja ASSISTANT EDITOR Chuks Oluigbo NEWS EDITOR Bill Okonedo EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SALES AND MARKETING Kola Garuba EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, OPERATIONS Fabian Akagha EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, DIGITAL SERVICES Oghenevwoke Ighure MANAGER, SYSTEMS & CONTROL Emeka Ifeanyi HEAD OF SALES, CONFERENCES Rerhe Idonije SUBSCRIPTIONS MANAGER Patrick Ijegbai CIRCULATION MANAGER John Okpaire GM, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT (North) Bashir Ibrahim Hassan GM, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT (South) Ignatius Chukwu HEAD, HUMAN RESOURCES Adeola Obisesan EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Dick Kramer - Chairman Imo Itsueli Mohammed Hayatudeen Albert Alos Funke Osibodu Afolabi Oladele Dayo Lawuyi Vincent Maduka Wole Obayomi Maneesh Garg Keith Richards Opeyemi Agbaje Amina Oyagbola Bolanle Onagoruwa Fola Laoye Chuka Mordi Sim Shagaya Mezuo Nwuneli Emeka Emuwa Charles Anudu Tunji Adegbesan Eyo Ekpo NEWS ROOM 08022238495 08034009034}Lagos 08033160837 Abuja ADVERTISING 01-2799110 08116759801 08082496194 ENQUIRIES TAYO OGUNBIYI Ogunbiyi is of the Features Unit, Ministry of Information & Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos. The FIFA World Cup remains the most important football event across the world. Since Uruguay hosted the first edition of the World Cup in 1930, during the era of revered FIFA President, Jules Rimet, the competition has continued to grow in leap and bound. From a 13 team event, with which it started in 1930, it grew to become a 32 team affair during the1998 edition, which was hosted and won by France. Today, the World Cup commands a global TV audience in excess of one billion. Every nation desires to be represented at the quadrennial international football tournament. The event has become more than a football affair. It is now a huge public relations platform for nations. Hence, the sheer ecstasy and electrifying jubilation that greeted the 74th minute Alex Iwobi’s goal that gave Nigeria qualification for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. As Nigerians continue to savour the joy of the hard won Nigeria and the metaphor of football victory against Zambia, one thing that is quite instructive is the unifying power of football. It is quite mystifying how a nation that is faced with diverse agitations suddenly decided to bury the hatchet in order to pursue a common goal. While various groups complain about marginalization in political appointments, resource control among others, it is hard to see anyone complain that a particular section of the country dominates the Super Eagles. Nobody cares about that. No matter where the players come from, the song on every lip remains: “Halleluiah, Eagles are winning today!” Muslims, Christians and Atheists were united in singing this song. Now, the question is: How come we easily unite when it comes to the passionate matter of football and the Super Eagles and yet don’t seem to see eye to eye on other major national issues? Well, while there might not be a straight jacket explanation for this, my take is that the ordinary Nigerians from diverse walks of life don’t really care about most of these seemingly divisive stuffs. The ordinary compatriots don’t really bother much about religion, tribalism and other such conflictridden tendencies. This much was demonstrated in the botched June 12 1993 Presidential election when they overwhelmingly voted for the defunct Social Democratic Party, SDP, Muslim-Muslim ticket of the late Chief M.K.O. Abiola and Ambassador Babagana Kingibe. The bane of our nation is the elite (political, religious, traditional, bureaucratic, academic, professional etc) who through pointless egotistic, parochial and avaricious tendencies have continued to hold the nation by the jugular. Whenever it suits them, they could agree to work together, intermarry, preach tolerance and act as harbingers of goodness. But then, when their egos are bruised, business interests and political concerns collide, they could set the country on fire. Yes, the nation could burn, for all they care. Sadly, whenever they decide to go on rampage, it is the hapless commoners whose rights and privileges they so deliberately and viciously trample upon that are often used as canon fodders. When some of the most tumultuous sociopolitical crises that have engulfed this nation are properly scrutinized, major victims of such crisis have always been the common folks on the street who are subtly hoodwinked into being active participants in a skirmish they nothing about. Ours is a nation where ‘warlords’ trick the ordinary folks into coming into the battle front, unarmed and ill prepared, only to flee at the slightest prospect of trouble. The Nigerian elite need to come to term with the reality of the time. The times are changing and very soon, there would be no more guinea pigs available for exploitation. Rather than continually engage in destructive selfish agenda that will do our nation more harm than good, the elite need to allow the metaphoric message of football sink deep into every sphere of our national life. We should allow the football process serves as model and reflection to our real life in the society. Being a team sport, every player in a football team including the coaching crew pursues one common goal: Victory. The Super Eagles achieved victory against Zambia because everyone worked together. Everyone worked to ensure that the weakness of the team was not unduly exposed. Everyone worked to ensure that the strength of the team was fully maximized. Team spirit and focus which are the main forces in football are the hallmarks of nation building. No nation that is against itself can stand. Just as any football team that encourages infighting can’t achieve victory. This is the time for the elite to think Nigeria first in all that they do. This is also the time for the common folks to stop being willing tools in any agenda that could bring the country down. As the saying goes in my part of the country, “It is not everyone that knows the beginning of a war that would live to recount it”. God bless Nigeria. SUBSCRIPTIONS 01-2799101 07032496069 07054563299 www.businessdayonline.com The Brook, 6 Point Road, GRA, Apapa, Lagos, Nigeria. 01-2799100 LEGAL ADVISERS The Law Union MISSION STATEMENT To be a diversified provider of superior business, financial and management intelligence across platforms accessible to our customers anywhere in the world. OUR CORE VALUES BusinessDay avidly thrives on the mainstay of our core values of being The Fourth Estate, Credible, Independent, Entrepreneurial and Purpose-Driven. • The Fourth Estate: We take pride in being guarantors of liberal economic thought • Credible: We believe in the principle of being objective, fair and fact-based • Independent: Our quest for liberal economic thought means that we are independent of private and public interests. • Entrepreneurial: We constantly search for new opportunities, maintaining the highest ethical standards in all we do • Purpose-Driven: We are committed to assembling a team of highly talented and motivated people that share our vision, while treating them with respect and fairness. www.businessdayonline.com
Sunday 22 October 2017 comment is free Send 800word comments to comment@businessdayonline.com SUNDAY BD 21 C002D5556 Comment KAYODE OKUNUBI Okunubi writes from Oregun, Lagos Health specialists endorse walking as a tremendous way to exercise and keep fit.This is unarguably the easiest form of exercise. Personally, I always feel good at the end of the day because of the regular walks I take. Research has shown that a simple walk reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke. It also improves the management of health conditions such as hypertension (high blood pressure), high cholesterol, joint and muscular pain or stiffness, and diabetes but as a result of my health condition as a sickle cell patient, I do not get involved in strenuous exercises to keep fit so I would prefer to simply go for a walk. So when I received an invitation from MultiChoice to be part of the Dowen College Sickle Cell Walk, I was so excited because besides keeping fit, the walk would be an avenue to increase awareness around the sickle cell disorder in Nigeria ADESEGUN OGUNDEJI Ogundeji is Deputy Director, Public Affairs, Lagos State Ministry of Education, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos According to famous American scientist, George Washington Carver, ‘education is the key to unlock the golden door of freedom’. Really, education is critical to the growth and development of any society. It empowers the individual with necessary knowledge and set of skills to actualize potential and maximize opportunities in life. It is for this reason that governments across the world devote a good chunk of available resources to the development of the educational sector. In Nigeria, Lagos is unarguably the State with the highest number of public schools, students and teachers. It has consistently been churning out the highest number of candidates for public examinations in Nigeria since 1967. As a melting point with a bourgeoning population in excess of 20 million, provision of qualitative education in Lagos State has been a daunting task. The current administration in the state clearly understands that the task of making Lagos State “the model of excellence in the provision of education in Africa” requires meticulous attention. To this end, the sum of 92.4 billion naira, representing 11.37 percent was allocated to education sector in the State budget for 2017. Government has directed the policy toward ensuring equal educational opportunity in the State, encourage parents who might otherwise neglect their children’s education to send their children to school and making education affordable for everyone. So, within the half- time of the Walking for sickle cell awareness and get the government and corporate bodies to fund the Bone Marrow Transplant Center in as this medical breakthrough now gives lasting hope for the treatment of the sickle cell disorder around the world. The sickle cell disorder is a medical condition that many in Nigeria find difficult to discuss. To some Nigerians whose loved ones are battling with this disorder, discussions and issues surrounding the disorder are seen as an anathema. But no matter how much we try to avoid these discussions, the sickle cell disorder is here with us andincreased awareness is needed to ameliorate or totally eradicate the scourge in Nigeria. On the slated date for the Dowen College Sickle Cell Walk, we all assembled at Muri Okunola Park in Victoria Island. Before we commenced the 23 kilometer walk to Dowen College in Lekki, the Chairman of the Sickle Cell Foundation, Nigeria, Prof. OluAkinyanju commended MultiChoice and other corporate bodies who came out to support the walk. According to Prof. Akinyanju the sickle cell disorder is one of the major ailments afflicting black persons globally with over 150,000 (One Hundred and Fifty Thousand) children born each year with the sickle cell anaemia while 25 percent of Nigeria’s population are sickle cell carriers. Prof. Akinyanju while explaining that the Foundation is planning to build a Bone Marrow Transplant Center here in Lagos so as to reduce the cost of patients travelling abroad to have a bone marrow transplant operation, urged the government and corporate bodies to support the fight against sickle cell disorder in the country. When you participate in charity walks, you can spread your compassion for vital causes and raise money to help change the world and the Dowen College Sickle Cell walk; entitled; “Walk for Love” made me realize that am not alone in my struggle for good health and a better life and indeed the three-hour walk to Dowen College in Lekki was fun. As we walked, we discussed, we shared ideas on issues concerning the disorder and everyone was happy because while people walked for cancer, HIV/AIDS, malaria among others, we also had the joy of walking for a cause that affected us directly or indirectly. When we finally reached the finish line i.e. Dowen College, the Principle of the college, Mrs. Olawumi Togonu-Bickersteth, in her vote of thanks commended all who participated in the walk. According to her, the walk was part of the school’s 20th anniversary celebration and in the school’s effort to celebrate two decades of impacting knowledge to young ones in the community, there was the need to create awareness around the sickle cell disorder. She said, “This is another way of providing quality teaching. This On Lagos’ new lease of life for education administration’s tenure, the wheels of what is mutating to be a historic education revolution in Lagos were rolled off with aggressive rehabilitation of public schools throughout the length and breadth of the state. Several hundreds of classroom blocks have been built and renovated while thousands of students and teachers furniture supplied to various primary and secondary schools. In line with the commitment of the present administration to expand access to knowledge for Lagosians, the State’ science laboratories are now better equipped and the enthusiasm of students to be science inclined has become very high with a lot of success recorded. Equally, the state government has completed the renovation and upgrade of public libraries in eighteen secondary schools across the State with top class facilities. Lagos Digital Library, an online repository of education content, is ready and will as well be launched in February, 2017. The Lagos state government appreciates that as much as physical infrastructure is important, adequate and quality teachers in schools are as important. Thus, as part of measures to bridge the gap in the teacher/pupil ratio in the state, the government recruited one thousand, three hundred (1,300) teachers for primary schools while another 1000 teachers were recruited for public secondary schools in 2016. Similarly, government has been paying attention to teachers’ welfare. Also, since April 2017, Code Lagos centres have been launched in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions (private and public) across the State, as well as in all public libraries and ICT spaces. The ultimate goal is for one million students in the state to have access to the coding system by the year 2019. Cheeringly, the dividend of the state’s investment in education is paying off. For instance, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode was declared the “Teachers Most Friendly Governor” by the Nigeria Union of Teachers during the celebration of the last World Teachers’ Day in Abuja. The same day, President Muhammadu Buhari rewarded the hardwork, high performance and high productivity of three Lagos State School teachers and administrator with the “President’s Teachers and Schools Excellence Award”. Nominees of the State clinched three out of the nine categories of award available to contestants from 36 States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The awardees, Mrs. Lufadeju Dolapo Olufunke received the Best School Award on behalf of Ojodu Junior Grammar School, Ikeja. The “Best School Administrator Award” (Senior Secondary School category) went to Mrs. Oluderu Bilikisu Oluwaseyi of Magbon Alade Senior Grammar School while Mrs. Adelegan Moronike Sarat of Civil Service Junior Model College, Igbogbo was selected as the First Runner up, Best Administrator of the Year 2017. Earlier, five students of Lagos State public secondary schools had excelled at the Y2017 National Robot Olympiad and qualified to represent Nigeria at the World Robot Olympiad to be held in Costa Rica. It is worthy of note that Lagos State has been representing Nigeria in this competition since 2015. On September 22nd, 2017, Oluwasegun Durojaiye of Lagos State Model College, Igbokuta qualified to represent the South- West Zone at the National Finals of the NNPC Science Quiz Competition and Atabo Ufedejo of Model College, Kankon emerged one of the best students at the national finals of the 2017 Oluwole Awokoya Chemistry Competition held in Kaduna from 17th to 22nd September, 2017. Lagos State took the first position in the National Free Choice (Senior) Project presented by the students of Government Technical College, Agidingbi at the 2017 National Junior Engineers, Technicians and Scientists (JETS) competition in March, 2017. The State won 10 trophies and 10 medals at the event and 7 of the trophies won went to State public schools students. Also, Seven Students/Teachers from the State Public Schools were awarded medals and Certificates at the 2017 edition of National Mathematics and Science Olympiad award ceremony organized by the National Mathematical Centre, Abuja. The Key Performance Indices of the Education Sector is not limited to competition awards as the State has made tremendous progress in external examinations since Y2015. The result of the States performance at the 2017 WASSCE is put at 66% pass in at least 5 subjects including English and Mathematics, compared to the 50.41% in 2016, 37.27% in 2015 and 21.22% in 2014. The question that comes to programme is a pre-event to our 20th anniversary and geared toward raising funds for the Sickle Cell Foundation, Nigeria. We are working towards giving our support to the Bone Marrow Transplant Centre in Lagos” Mrs. Togonu-Bickersteth, while applauding the support of MultiChoice for using the DStv platform in increasing awareness on the sickle cell disorder, also appealed to corporate organizations and philanthropists to support the initiative to bring a cure closer to sickle cell disorder patients. I am delighted that I was part of this walk project. With just over 600 participants who were involved in the walk, the whole exercise may seem like a drop of water in the ocean but with corporate bodies like MultiChoice supporting this cause, it is a good indication that awareness on sickle disorder would increase and the fight against the disorder in Nigeria has fully commenced. mind from the above is this: Is there a nexus among these various achievements? The answer, of course, is yes! Teachers’ training and staff welfare have been given priority attention with teachers’ salary being consistently paid regularly on the 23rd day of every month. It is also on record that all eligible teachers since 2015 to date have been promoted as at when due while 2,320 (Two Thousand Three Hundred And Twenty) Officers were trained between May, 2016- 17 and many more has been done thereafter. Car loans were awarded to 425 beneficiaries to the tune of N30, 302, 252.75k, N30Million Housing Loan was approved for 55 (fifty five) beneficiaries in the teaching service and 4601 pensioners on the payroll of the Teachers Establishment and Pensions Office were paid regularly. To further encourage service delivery, Education Merit Award is organized annually in honour of outstanding performers in the various categories of Award in the Education Sector of Lagos State. More than 100 Education Merit Awards are given out with the Star prize being a brand new car awarded to the Best Teacher in both the Primary Secondary School Categories. Apart from improved teachers’ welfare, the state government’s huge investment in education infrastructure contributed immensely to the improved status of education in the State. Fortunately, the state government isn’t resting on its oars as it is poised to do more in the months ahead. We cherish readers’ reactions to stories and articles published in BusinessDay. All such reactions, which must not be more than 250 words, should be sent to bdsundayletter@businessdayonline.com with names and addresses of writers. The star letter every week will be rewarded.
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BusinessDay 22 Oct 2017

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