21102019 - BORDER CLOSURE:‘How neighbouring countries worked against Nigeria’

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Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2019 — 39 Remembering the late playwright, Ken Saro-Wiwa By Prisca Sam-Duru At the Startup/Funders Roundtables and Entrepreneurship Conference 2019, held at the LCCI Conference and Exhibition Centre, Alausa Ikeja recently, memories of late playwright and environmental activist, Kenule Saro-Wiwa reverberated all through the duration of the event. The highpoint of the conference which held courtesy of Global Entrepreneurship Network in Partnership with Ogoni Liberation Initiative, was the presentation of the book titled “Complete Statement by Ken Saro- Wiwa to Ogoni Civil Disturbances Tribunal: The Complete Story” Presenting the book to the public, the President of the Ogoni Liberation Initiative, Mr Douglas Fabeke stated that the book which was presented alongside a calendar, titled, “The Ogoni of My Dream”, documents statements by Ken Saro Wiwa prior, during his incarceration and before he was finally hanged in Port Harcourt, by the then Military ruler, Gen. Sani Abacha. He noted that it corresponds with what Ken Saro-Wiwa lived and died for which was why the principles he laid down are documented in the book, adding that “The compendium will give the entire world the exact information about the struggles of the Ogoni people.” “The book helps to understand Ogoni issues very well. If it had been available early •L-R: Mr. Clement Ucho, Mrs. Comfort Aruosa Osamwegie, Mr. Dougla Fabeke, and Mr. Seye Soneye at the event in Lagos. enough, the world would not have swallowed the much available misconceptions and lies about Ken and the Ogoni people. We presented the book because a lot of people misunderstood what Ken Saro Wiwa did and why he died and so, when we researched and got some of his materials, we decided to put them together so that people will know these things, the reason he campaigned for Ogoni and what has happened in Ogoni. So read the book and you will be well informed.” Fabeke said. From all indication, the Ogoni people in Niger Delta region seem to have finally found a way out of the daunting challenges that have bedevilled them over the years. These challenges stemmed from the discovery of oil and its resultant environmental pollution that has degraded the region. The people believe it has come to the point where entrepreneurship skill development will replace dependency on oil for any meaningful development to take place. That, being the focal point of the presentation of the book on Saro Wiwa, Fabeke disclosed that the Initiative is making a ten year plan in entrepreneurship as an alternative to oil so as to bring development to the area. The vision he said will reconnect Ogoniland again to the world. And in line with this, the initiative in collaboration with Global Entreprenuership City Network also launched a 10billion naira investment fund in Education, Agriculture, health, ICT development, youth empowerment, entrepreneurship skill development etc. The essence of the conference according to him was to build an entrepreneurship platform that will transform Ogoni land into the Dubai of Nigeria by attracting investors. “Ogoniland has been in crisis for so many years but there are things we can do that can bring in funders, industrialists, not just oil but entrepreneurship to begin manufacturing that would generate employment for not just Ogoni people but Nigerians who qualify for the jobs. It is intended to also boost the economy of the country and turn things around.” “Every year Nigeria graduates youths into the labour market which is the reason for entrepreneurship development skills. The inclusion of over 500 peace ambassadors some of which participated in the workshop is a sign that Ogoni people want peace since no business thrives during war.” He intoned. He also revealed that a High-tech Polytechnic is being set up as part of plans to breed a crop of skilled individuals as well as increase the literacy level of the area. •Otunba Segun Runsewe, DG, National Council for Arts & Culture (left) with Hon. Ogbeide Ihama during the inspection of the facilities at Oba Akenzua Cultural Centre, venue of the 2019 NAFEST opening today in Edo State Hotels in Benin booked up for 2019 NAFEST By Osa Amadi, Arts Editor THE Director General of National Council for Arts and Culture, Otunba Segun Runsewe disclosed yesterday that most hotels in Benin City have been booked up by visitors in preparation for the 2019 National Festival of Arts & Culture (NAFEST) which kicks off today in Edo State. Speaking in a press conference yesterday at the Oba Akenzua Cultural Centre, venue of the NAFEST, Runsewe said: “Edo State has a population of 3.6 million people. We are coming into Benin with over 500, 000 visitors and to impact on the people, change the economic platform of Edo State, particularly Benin City. And we all know that Edo is the cradle of culture in the history of this country, right from the colonial days till now.” The national event formally starts today, 21 October till 26 October 2019. The NCAC DG later conducted Honorable Ogbeide Ihama round the facility and later the team moved to the Oba’s palace, The Omo N’ Oba N’ Edo Uku Akpolokpolo whose 3rd Coronation anniversary celebration coincides with this year’s NAFEST being hosted by Edo State. When US-based Anthonia Akinbola exhibited Culture of Forced Migration By Chukwuma Ajakah FROM her base in Queens, New York, Nigerian-born textile artist, Anthonia Akinbola, August 30- September 7, 2019 held an art exhibition tagged “Culture of Migration”. Anthonia’s contemporary vision of history and today’s migrant life is couched on cotton fabric exploring sub-themes, around the history of Migration. Anthonia captures a flow in her direct application batik dye painting by using captivating dye colours to express movement. Her expression is depicted in faces, slave ships, historic buildings, religious symbols, language, food, culture and iconography. Reminiscing that the Statue of Liberty was originally intended as a symbol of friendship, embracing immigrants as they troop in and out, Anthonia’s work captures the plight of people of diverse races as many lives are lost in the process of migration. Born in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria, Athonia started off with traditional indigo, adire and batik designs. Batik painting as a contemporary art medium is uncommon. Her experience within her family in the area of traditional textile art enabled her to create many innovative aspects of the medium. She presents these through her mother, who runs a private school where she invites local artists to design Saris as gifts for expatriate teachers from Pakistan and India. Anthonia’s realization that this medium had the potential to create new pathways inspired her to become the host of Feminine Scope, a craft based television programme for housewives. The textile artist holds a degree in Art Education and Textile Design from Yaba College of Science andTechnology, Lagos, Nigeria. After her education in Nigeria, she moved to Columbia Mo where she received a bachelor’s degree in Education, majoring in Fine Arts. While in Columbia she did community works for two decades through visual arts, partnering with public schools, Infopower International and other community organizations where she facilitated workshops and exhibited. She also participated in some group exhibitions as a member of the Art League, a professional Art Organization in Columbia. In 2012, she moved to New York where she has been teaching batik workshops through Infopower .International and has held workshops and other professional outings at various settings such as the Brooklyn Textile Art Center and the South East Queens Park Association.
40 — Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2019 From Afe to ABUAD: A Legacy of Leadership BY M. OPEYEMI BAMIDELE AN age-long adage ac knowledges the fact that some men are born great, many achieved greatness while some had greatness trusted on them. Interestingly, any keen reader of his enviable story in the last five decades or more, would of course readily admit that Chief Afe Babalola is a unique profile in dramatic trajectory from grass to grace. In other words, ‘Aare’ is an ebullient and iconic personality who did not have the childhood luxury of being born with a silver spoon. He does not even fall in the category of those young men who had fortune smiling on them on a platter of gold. But, today, he is a highly respected professional giant, an award winning technocrat, a renowned legal luminary, a successful business mogul, a superb elederstatesman, a revered community leader, a compassionate and unrelenting philanthropist and, above all, a life coach and mentor to many accomplished gentlemen and ladies of repute. Born 90 years ago in a humble agrarian family in the ancient city of Ado- Ekiti in Ekiti State of Nigeria, Aare Emmanuel Afe Babalola has carved a niche for himself in the lexicon of success and social transformation, even though he did not pass through a formal secondary school education. For a man who only managed to acquire a basic formal education to have risen to the prestigious status of an excellent university administrator and a highly celebrated entrepreneur in the nation’s education sector, it is instructive that the compelling lessons and principles of his greatness should not only be celebrated but must also be emulated, especially by all wellmeaning youngsters of this generation. Unique life experience Afe Babalola had a unique life experience at his tender age which must have shaped his life commitment to industry and generosity. He lost his two parents when he was extremely young. Due to the economic hardship he had to contend with, he braced up for life conquest rather than accepting the tragic twist of fate. The young Afe Babalola made up his mind early enough to face the realities of life with a view to ruling his world as a consummate warrior. His determination to conquer his environment and earn himself an enviable placement among his peers prompted him to pursue his academic studies most diligently and relentlessly to enable him build an excellent, cutting-edge professional career in life, to create wealth in a legitimate manner, to help the needy and to contribute meaningfully to the upliftment of Nigeria and the world at Afe Babalola large, such that his name and his lofty legacies might be written in gold on the sand of time. Aare Afe Babalola attended Emmanuel Primary School, Ado-Ekiti, where he obtained his Standard Six Certificate. He is always proud to say that the very qualitative primary education he had was what served as a strong springboard for his subsequent educational attainments. After working for years as a pupil teacher, Chief Babalola enrolled for the Senior Cambridge School Certificate examination by private study from Wolsey Hall, Oxford. He later obtained the A’level Certificate of London University before he proceeded to London School of Economics and then the University of London where he obtained a second Bachelor’s degree in Law. Chief Afe Babalola was called to the England Bar in 1963. Same year, he became a Member of the Lincoln’s Inn, London. Armed with the requisite Chief Afe Babalola is a unique profile in dramatic trajectory from grass to grace certification to pursue a sprawling and volatile legal career with an informed bias in Constitutional Advocacy and Criminal Justice, Baba Afe started off as a Litigation Officer in the law firm of Olu Ayoola and Co. situated in Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State, Western Nigeria. However, given his penchant for freedom and the passion to conquer and dominate his professional world without let or hindrance, he established his own legal firm, Afe Babalola and Co. (Emmanuel Chambers) in 1965, while he was barely two years at the Bar. Over the years, by dint of hard work, professional focus and consistency as well as a very unique style of service delivery, Chief Babalola rose to national prominence and became a household phenomenon in the nation’s justice sector, having, at various times, served as an indefatigable and most brilliant Legal Consultant to the federal and state governments, political juggernauts, corporate bodies and several royal families across the nation for the settlement of sundry legal and constitutional disputes of national and international pedigree. To this extent, in 1987, the Legal Privileges and Awards Committee of the Inner Bar deemed it fit to elevate him to the highest rank in the legal profession in Nigeria, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN). The most intriguing character of Babalola ’s personality is that in spite of his career accomplishments as a prominent legal practitioner, he felt that what could make him a fulfilled man was to have an ample opportunity to contribute morally, financially and educationally to humanity; both through his private philanthropic initiatives and also through government institutions. This was the insatiable passion that former President Olusegun Obasanjo saw in him when he appointed him in 2001 as the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of the University of Lagos. Having performed meritoriously in this enviable public duty for four years, he was reappointed for another term of four years. So, he held the position till 2008 during which he emerged and was decorated as the Best Pro-Chancellor of Nigerian Universities consecutively in 2005 and 2006. He was also a former Chairman of the Committee of Pro-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities. Remarkable contribution to nation building Today, by the special grace of God, Chief Afe Babalola, the Aare Bamofin of Yoruba land, holds degrees from several universities, including Ekiti State University for the award of Doctor of Letters (LL.D) in 2002; LL.D of the University of London; LL.D of the University of Lagos; LL.D of the University of Jos; LL.D of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA); LL.D of the Kogi State University. In fact, he was the first African to be conferred with Doctor of Laws (Honoris Causa) of the University of London in 2015. Given his monumental philanthropic gestures and remarkable contribution to nation building in Nigeria, he was conferred with the prestigious National Award as Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR) and subsequently as Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) by the Federal Government of Nigeria. Over the years, having been a consistent benefactor to the nation’s education sector, making contributions to the standardization of quality and the provision of enduring, world-class infrastructural facilities such as lecture theaters, auditoriums, faculty buildings, libraries and laboratories; and having garnered extensive skills and copious experience in university administration, Chief Afe Babalola envisioned the need to establish a First Class and up-to-date university to serve as a benchmark in academic standards and facilities for other universities in Nigeria. *Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele is Chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters.
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21102019 - BORDER CLOSURE:‘How neighbouring countries worked against Nigeria’

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