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April 24

NO KOBOKO OR BUSTParents warned to spare the rod or face prosecution – p3

10 - 23 Apr 2015 Issue No 050

BEFFTA COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR

CHIBOK GIRLSVigil called to mark the heartbreaking

anniversary4

‘DOPE’ DEALERMeet the Naija youthleader out to make theBBC more streetwise

Page 4

MADAM AMEBO RETURNSWITH THE DIASPORA’SWICKEDEST WHISPERS

– page 10

THE HISTORY MAKERS

What allowed Nigeria to defy the odds – pages 16-19

NIGERIAN WATCH10 - 23 Apr 2015

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Mayor bows out after successfulyear championing the girl childThe Mayor of LambethCouncillor AdedamolaAminu has held athanksgiving service atthe Brixton Town Hall tocelebrate the end of hismayoral year and thesuccessful completion of

an active tenure.An academic Cllr

Aminu was sworn in asthe mayor of Lambeth ata civic ceremony in June4 last year, marking thecommencement of histenure for the 2014/15mayoral year.

First elected as acouncillor in 2006, CllrAminu was electeddeputy mayor in 2013 buthad been acting as mayor

since February last yearfollowing theunfortunate death ofMayor Mark Bennett.

During his year inoffice, he adopted theGirl Child NetworkWorldwide (GCNW) as

his chosen charity,organising two highprofile dinners to raisefund for it. On Saturday,the GCNW, whichcampaigns for under-privileged girlsworldwide, held afundraising dinner inEssex, during whichCouncillor Aminu washonoured.

Cllr Aminu said, “I amgrateful to God for

having a very successfulyear in office duringwhich we achieved a lotand got quite a bit done.I am particularly pleasedabout how we raisedmoney for the charitythe GCNW and wouldlike to thank all thosewho stood by me andhelped.”

Dozens of Nigeriansturned up at the event,which was characterisedwith prayers for theoutgoing mayor andeulogies for how hehelped those in needduring his tenure.Among those presentwas the former mayor ofEnfield Kate Anolue, whosaid that CouncillorAminu was aninspiration to the youths.

Princess DeunAdedoyin-Solarin, thechair of the GCNW boardof trustees, who was alsopresent, added that“caring for thevulnerable in society issomething everyoneshould consider anobligation”.

Law on pensionspenalises Africanswho return homePensioners from the African diaspora whoreturn home after a lifetime of working in theUK are having hundreds of pounds takenfrom their pensions.

Currently, the pensions of Britishnationals who return or move to countriesoutside the EU, are permanently frozen at thedate they retired, or when they first arrivedin their new home country. In other words,a 90-year-old who migrated at age 65 getsjust £43.60 per week, while a newly-retiredpensioner receives £113.10.

The rule affects up to 550,000 Britishpensioners currently living overseas,primarily in the Commonwealth.

When the 2014 Pensions Act was passed,both the Government and the Labouropposition expressed no desire to change thecurrent arrangements. They argued thataddressing the anomaly would be too costlyand could open the door to backdated claimstotalling millions.

Speaking in the House of Lords earlier thismonth, Liberal Democrat peer BaronessFloella Benjamin urged the Government toinstead consider a ‘partial uprating’.

This would mean pensions would rise inline with inflation going forward but wouldnot be reinstated to the full amount.

The proposal – introduced by the All PartyParliamentary Group on Frozen BritishPensions – is gathering cross-party support,as to battle to win the grey vote before theMay election hots up.

Acclaimed Nigerian soul singer EmmanuelNwamadi surprisingly failed to make the finalcut on the BBC’s talent show The Voice onSaturday (April 4) – and many suspect it wasbecause Scottish Nationalists were roused tovote for the eventual winner, fireman SteveMcCrorie.

Dubbed the “shy one” on the show for hishumble character, Emmanuel delivered whatmany considered was the best performanceever seen in the three years of the show’s ex-

istence when he performed a version of Seal’sCrazy as a duet with his mentor Ricky Wilson.

The Twittersphere went into meltdown aspeople raved about the performance, whichcast McCrorie’s version of the Beatle’s ‘GetBack’ in the shade. Throughout the series Em-manuel has been acclaimed for his virtuosityin making popular songs his own.

Many believe McCrorie got into the finaltwo thanks to the leader of the Scottish Na-tional Party Nicola Sturgeon – the most popu-

lar politician in the UK right now – calling onher supporters to vote for him.

Not to worry, though. In the UK there is afine tradition for runners up in talent shows toemerge as the long-term victors; both OllyMurs and Will Young were runners up and theircareers have never looked back.

Emmanuel, a talented guitarist who speakswith the deepest baritone and sings like a re-incarnation of Otis Redding is sure to followsuit. He did us proud.

Did the Scots scupper Emmanuel?

publisher tevin Jemidepublisher/Managing director Maryanne JemideManaging editor Jon hughesart editor Cathy Constable contributors obah Iyamu; harriet ogbeide; AJ James; Ayo Akinfe; funmi odegbami; Samuel Kasumu; NgoziMbana; Ekanem robertson, Jessica onah, laura Adenuga; EdelMeremikwuchief cartoonist harold ogbeide

office addressNigerian Watch

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ISSN 2051-4670

NIGERIAN

for six weeks the world held its breath, fearing theworst; not only the descent into chaos of Nigeriabut the whole of sub-Saharan Africa.

But on March 28 and in the days since that fear hasbeen replaced with rejoicing. Nigerians have deliveredand stood by a verdict that sets Nigeria on course tobe the powerhouse of the 21st century, for not onlythe continent but the world.

for that we must be ever grateful to Presidentgoodluck Jonathan, President-elect generalMuhammadu Buhari, and the dogged and determinedchairman of the Independent National ElectoralCommission Professor Attahiru Jega.

Is it too soon to suggest a statue of these three menbe placed in freedom Park, lagos, opposite thefounding fathers statue of Azikwe, Balewa andAwolowo? Their achievement is of equal greatness.

But of course the really hard work starts now. romewasn’t built in a day and we must be patient. generalBuhari has said he will be a collaborative and listeningPresident. hopefully that extends to the diaspora.

In recent times we have grown weary of the lip-service paid to the contribution we can make andexpertise we can bring to the development of ourgreat nation. PresidentBuhari, sir, we are here toserve our great nation as itconsolidates its new positionin the world, if allowed.

We are ready toserve Nigeria

Maryanne Jemide, MD

CoMMENt

WATCH

NEWSWatch

thE VoICE 2015: Emmanuelperforms ‘Somebody I used

to Know’ and waiting withfinalists Stevie McCrorie,Sasha Simone and lucy

o’Byrne to discover if hehas made the final two

BBC


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Excessive physical chastis-ement within diasporafamilies is resulting in morechildren being taken intocare and more parents beingimprisoned, a charity haswarned.

A conference to address theculture clash and spell out theletter of the law regardingchild protection is to be stagedat Lewisham Town Hall in Julyin the hope of ending the abuseand family breakdown.

The issue has been raised bythe World of Hope charityfollowing an upsurge of casessince the turn of the year.

At a press conference onThursday (March 26) at theircommunity HQ inPlumpstead, south eastLondon, the charity’s founderFlorence Emakpose revealedthat since the turn of the yearshe had become involved withsix families who had fallen foulof the law.

“We are a small charity andwe have six cases currentlyongoing, all from the samecultural background. If a partof the ethnic background isresulting in them getting acriminal record then we have aproblem,” Ms Emakpose said.“If this is replicated acrossLondon and other cities, andwe have to presume it is, thenwe have a problem.”

While there are no figuresdetailing how many childrenhave been taken into care as aresult of being physicallychastised by their parents,black and African children aredisproportionately repres-ented in the care system.

Recent government figuresshow that 4,520 out

of 65,520 lookedafter children are Black orBlack African children i.e. (7%)compared to 3090 (5%) ofAsian or Asian British; blackpopulation is estimated to be2% of the UK population andAsian around 5%.

“Get me my koboko” arewords that have sparked fearamonggenerations ofNigerianchildrendeemed tohavemisbehaved bytheir parents.The commandgenerallyheralds a thrashing.

Most of the more than 30people who attended the pressconference spoke knowingly ofbeing on the end of suchbeatings.

And that is where the seedsof the problem lie; for many inthe diaspora it is the only formof parenting they know. MsEkampose spoke frompersonal experience.

“I was guilty of it,” she said.“I was raised in that mannerand it was what I knew. I have

learnt from my mistakes andfound better ways to disciplinemy children and luckily itdidn’t involve the police.”

Most cases of over physicalchastisement come to lightthrough schools when themarks of such beatings areclearly apparent during suchclasses as PE and swimming.

In the first instance whenschools identify a potentialvictim of a beating theygenerally contact the parentsto call them in to discuss theirchild. But often Ms Ekamposerevealed parents ignore theletter or email. There are manyreasons for this. Some parentssimply become to fearful,others are offended by theintrusion and many simply saythey are too busy.

This is when the situationspirals out of control and the

social servicesand police canbecomeinvolved.“But,” MsEkamposesaid, “whenthe socialservicesbecome

involved you will find the timeyou said you didn’t have.”

For a start you will probablybe made to undertake aparenting course that willinvolve workshops spanning12 to 14 weeks.

“We need to adapt to thesystem here,” said MsEkampose. “Parents are beingarrested, children are beingtaken away and parents arenot allowed to see theirchildren for up to fourmonths. Do we want to

continue to see ourcommunity suffer like this?”

The conference is beingsupported by the CentralAssociation of Nigerians in theUK and the outgoing chairmanBimbo Roberts and welfareofficer Dr Edwin Sawacha werepresent at the pressconference.

Mr Roberts reinforced whatMs Ekampose had said. He toldthe meeting, “People from ourcommunity and across theAfrican diaspora are beingtaken to court. Every day weare seeing are people jailed for

something they know littleabout. This conference is tohelp our people understandchild protection law. Thebottom line is simple, youcan’t live like a Nigerian in theUK.”

While the conference isaimed at informing diasporaparents about the UK’s childprotection laws it is also hopedit will inform the police andjudges of the cultural issuesinvolved for families.

One parent asked,“Shouldn’t we educate ourhosts about how we bring up

our children? Physicaldiscipline is part of the fabric ofour community. It might notbe acceptable but it is notcriminal.”

However, a barrister in theaudience informed thosepresent that parents were onlyallowed to use “reasonableforce”, which meant physicalpunishment should not leave amark or cause internal injury.

The World of Hopeconference on SafeguardingChildren and Parents isscheduled to take place on July9 at Lewisham Town Hall.

No KoBoKo (from l-r): Florence Ekampose (also below left), outgoing chairman of CANUK, Bimbo AfolayanRoberts, and CANUK welfare officer Dr Edwin Sawacha. toP lEft: the koboko whip and cane

“The bottom lineis simple; youcan’t live like a Nigerian in the UK”

To advertise call 0208 588 9640or email [email protected]

‘No koboko –or bust,’

pAreNtswArNed


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Aged just 15, JeremiahEmmanuel is the unrivalledvoice of his generation amongdiaspora youth.

A member of the UK YouthParliament and DeputyLambeth Youth Mayor in2012, he also founded acoalition of youth groupscalled One Big Community –following the street killing ofa friend – for which he wasnamed a ‘Teen Hero’ by BBCRadio 1 in 2013.

Now he is set to becomethe leader of Radio 1’s firstYouth Council, a new bodydesigned to keep the musicstation’s crusty controllers intouch with the “Nike andNando’s” generation, whichhas abandoned radio for themore “dope” YouTube.

The post is one of his ownmaking. He identified adisconnect between thestation and its audience whenhe was asked to be on thejudging panel for the 2014Teen Awards.

“I found myself in a roomwith pop stars, journalistsand Radio1 presenters likeFearne Cotton and Grimmydiscussing the nominationsand arguing for differentpeople. It was great to beinvolved, but I still felt thatthere was a gap between theTeen Awards and otheropportunities to involveyoung people in the radiostation. It made me think thatit isn’t enough to talk aboutyoung people, and broadcastto young people.”

So he asked and secured ameeting with Radio 1 bossBen Cooper and pitched hisidea of a youth council.

“I was surprised that hemade time for me, but alsoscared and nervous before themeeting. I didn’t know howhe would take it and whether

he would like the idea ofsomeone telling him what todo! Luckily he loved the ideaand now it is actuallyhappening!”

The Youth Council willmeet four times a year toreview the station’s outputacross all platforms and “tellthe teams at Radio 1 and 1Xtrawhat we really think”.Council members will bespecially selected in the firstyear, from former teenheroes, interns and workexperience candidates.

For Jeremiah the reallyexciting thing is that “whathappens in those meetings is

going to be shared with therest of the BBC, so we mayeven end up telling the wholeBBC what we think!”

And he has a message forother young people. “I am so,so happy that my idea washeard and is now going tohappen. Lots of young peoplehave great ideas but theythink no one will take thetime to listen to them, orwon’t carry them out. So Ihope this can be an exampleto inspire other people thatanything is possible. If youhave an idea, keep pushingbecause one day, someonewill listen!”

tEEN hEro out to MAKEthE BBC MorE “DoPE”

The global community hasapplauded Nigeria for its rapidexpansion of affordablebroadband connectivity acrossthe country.

A study by the Alliance forAffordable Internet (A4AI),recently ranked Nigerianumber two on the BroadbandAffordability Index, at the justconcluded Mobile WorldCongress in Barcelona, Spain.

The A4AI is a globalcoalition of private sector,public sector, and civil societyorganisations that have cometogether from differentcountries of the world toadvance the shared aim ofaffordable access to bothmobile and fixed-line Internetin developing countries.

Executive Director of A4AI,Sonia Jorge, explained Nigeriahad ranked so highly in thereport for its strong leadershipand regulation of thebroadband industry, its robustbroadband strategy, effectivecompetition in thetelecommunications sector,efficient spectrum allocation,universal access to rural andunder-served population, andinfrastructure sharing, amongothers.

Nigeria’s mobile broadbandpenetration rate stands at just10%, despite the fact that closeto 40% of Nigerians use theinternet, and the governmenthas put in place policies toincrease this penetration levelto 30% by 2018. To increase theability of mobile operators toserve more Nigerians, planswere recently announced toauction spectrum in the 2.6GHz band.”

Chief Executive of theNigeria Communications

Commission, Dr. EugeneJuwah told the conference,“Broadband is going torestructure the NigerianTelecommunications industryor the IT industry. It is going tomove us from analoguelifestyle to a complete digitallifestyle. If we don’t do it now,we shall be left behind. This iswhy it is timely to the objectiveof the NCC that we start it rightaway and implement itwithout delay with all theresources that government hasgiven to us.”

Accepting the recognition,the Minister of Commu-nications Technology, Dr.Omobola Johnson said whatwill grow the internet is localcontent and not over-relianceon YouTube, Facebook andother such online channels.

This was against thepopular taste of panelmembers gathered from acrossthe world at the Mobile WorldCongress who have deeppassion for social networkchannels. “What will drive theinternet is relevant, localcontent. The most visited sitesin Nigeria are the job and thenews sites, not social media,”the minister said.

Nigeria praised for smart thinking asit shifts to a ‘complete digital lifestyle’

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Having served just short of 23 years ina us jail for a first-time non-violentoffence, Nigerian tolu Akinrosotu’sappeals for clemency have finally beenheard – and he is set to be releasedlater this year.

Aged just 22 when he was convictedof conspiring to import drugs – havingunwittingly arranged flights for somefriends he had met in the then thrivingNew York club scene – previousappeals for leniency have been

supported by the lawyers whoprosecuted him and prison service.

but his latest appeal, written byhimself, has proved successful and heis to be released on November 1.However, he will be out of prison on ahalfway house placement from June.

Thousands of readers respondedwhen Nigerian watch reported ontolu’splight last year, to both supportthe campaign for his release –launched by his old school friends

from the st Charles Grammar school,osogbo – and to send messages ofsupport.

A “euphoric” tolu told Nigerianwatch, “I could not have done thiswithout your support and thecomments obtained for me, they wereincluded in my appeal to demonstratethe level of my support to the Court.”

He continued, “My joy overflows.My love and gratitude abounds. I’m soindescribably HAppY right now.”



frEEdom At lASt for ‘Euphoric’ tolu

Pressure mounts on EU banks asmore of Abacha’s loot is returnedSwitzerland is to return to Nigeria $380m(£260m) that was allegedly looted by theformer military dictator Sani Abacha andheld in European bank accounts, it has beenannounced. The transfer will be carried outunder the supervision of the World Bank,ending 16 years of court wrangling.

The notoriously brutal dictator Abacha, whoruled Nigeria for five years after a 1993 coup, isbelieved to have stolen $4.3bn while in office.

Following his death in1998, Nigeria askedSwitzerland to help it recover$2.2bn that he was said tohave stashed in Europeanbank accounts. The tax havenwas even forced to relaxbanking secrecy regulationsafter some landmark rulings.

The $380m to be returnedhad been placed in severalaccounts abroad that werecontrolled by the Abachafamily, which is considered acriminal organisation, theprosecutor’s office in theSwiss capital, Geneva, said on March 18. Thesum was seized in 2006 in Luxembourgfollowing a request from Swiss authorities.

The decision to return it to Nigeria follows adeal struck last July guaranteeing the Abachafamily immunity from prosecution.

Dr John-Mark Iyi, a Nigerian academic, wasamong students who demonstrated againstAbacha on the night he took power, recallingstudent organisations were instantly banned.

Iyi, now based at the University ofJohannesburg in South Africa, expressedsatisfaction at the return of the funds but saidEurope must take responsibility for effectivelyassisting Africa’s kleptocrats.

“It is a welcome development on the part ofthe Swiss government, but it is only one ofseveral cases of looted funds awaiting returnfrom European governments.

“It would not be possible for African leadersto loot their nationaltreasuries if there were nocountries willing to receivethese funds. If you preachtransparency andaccountability, you shouldnot have the facility totransfer illicit funds to yourown country.”

Switzerland haspreviously returned toNigeria more than $700mthat Abacha hid in Swiss bankaccounts – the first timeEuropean banks had returnedlooted money to an African

country.Last month an African Union report found

that the continent loses more than $50bn everyyear in illicit financial outflows as governmentsand multinational companies engage infraudulent schemes to avoid paying taxes.

In total, Africa has lost about $850bnbetween 1970 and 2008, the report said. Anestimated $217.7bn was illegally transferred outof Nigeria over that period.

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WomAN AccuSEd oftrAfficKiNg 40 girlSArrEStEd iN NigEriAA woman suspected of beinga major organiser for a childtrafficking ring has beenarrested in Nigeria, as part ofan operation co-ordinatedby the uK’s National crimeAgency (NcA).

The Nigerian Economic andFinancial Crime Commissionarrested Franca Asemota, 36,in Benin City, on WednesdayMarch 24, on suspicion ofmoney laundering offences.

Following liaison with theNCA her fingerprints werechecked with UK records andher identity was established.She was additionally arrestedto face extradition.

Asemota is wanted in theUK for allegedly being anorganiser in a network whichtrafficked young women,mainly under 18 and fromremote Nigerian rural villages,into Europe using London’sHeathrow Airport as a transithub. Investigators believe thegirls would be promisededucation and training inFrance, but were later toldthey would have to work asprostitutes.

Asemota is accused of

accompanying around 40victims on eight separateflights between August 2011and May 2012. A EuropeanArrest Warrant (EAW) wasissued for her when she wasthought to be in Italy, but NCAofficers later tracked her downto Nigeria.

The investigation into thetrafficking network, code-named Operation Hudson, isled by Home OfficeImmigration Enforcementcriminal investigators andsupported by the NCA.

Hank Cole, the NCA’sInternational Operationschief, said, “Asemota’s arrestwas the result of exceptionalcollaboration and closeworking with our partners athome and in Nigeria. She iswanted on suspicion of seriousoffences in the UK and we willnow seek her extradition soshe can be put before thecourts here. This operationdemonstrates the NCA’s globalreach and our determinationto track down those wantedby law enforcement in the UK,no matter where in the worldthey are.”

our houSEOver 100 women – and a handful of men –attended the annual meeting of the NigerianWomen in Leadership Diaspora Forum at theHouse of Commons on March 19.

The evening acted as a combined celebrationof International Women’s Day and 2015 being

the African Union designated Year of Women’sEmpowerment.

Among issues raised were the continueddisappearance of the Chibok schoolgirls and theongoing crisis in the Democratic Republic ofCongo (see pages 14 & 15 respectively).

NIGERIAN murder suspect AbdulAdewale Kekere-Ekun has arrivedback in the UK after being extra-dited from Nigeria in what is be-lieved to be the first case of thetwo countries co-operating tohand over a Nigerian for trial inBritain.

Mr Kekere-Ekun will now beprosecuted for the murder of

Marcus Hall, an 18-year-old whowas beaten and stabbed to death14 years ago following a brawl out-side a night club in Luton.

The murder took place after agig by the then notorious southLondon rap group So Solid Crew.

Mr Kekere-Ekun fled the UK ina bid to escape prosecution forthe offence but the Economic and

Financial Crimes Commission ar-rested him in Nigeria a few weeksago for an identity theft relatedoffence.

The British authorities subse-quently submitted a formal ex-tradition request, which wasaccepted by the Nigerian courtswho ruled Mr Kekere-Ekun had acase to answer.

So Solid Crew murder suspect back in UK

Stunning Maggie Smith has won alandslide victory in the race tobecome the face of Africa FashionWeek London 2015.

The 20-year-old received1,947 votes – over 200 more thanher nearest rival.

Maggie, who is a receptionist,will get to see her face onposters, websites and the catwalkwhen she fronts Africa FashionWeek London in August.

Following her terrific triumphover more than 20 other contest-ants Maggie, born in Uganda butnow living in Airdrie with mumJoanne, said, “I am over the moonas this will be an amazing oppor-tunity but I will have to try andcontain myself as I still have toget up for work in the morning inthe meantime.”

The face ofAFWL 2015

NEWSWatch


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TheSamuel KASUmUColumn

The victory for General Buhari wassomething that I must say took meby surprise. It was clear that theGeneral has had significant supportwithin Northern regions for over adecade now, but what wassurprising was the voter turnoutwithin PDP strongholds. Moresurprising was thatfor the first timeNigeria’s electoralpicture was noweasy to bothnavigate andanalyse for peopleacross the world.

Having a twoparty state hasbenefits when compared to theconfusion of a state with too manyunclear options. A democracy likeBritain can deal with such anuncertainty to an extent, but as weapproach May many economists are

worried about what a hungparliament will bring in the UK.

We can now see a picturedeveloping with key marginal seatsin Nigeria, just like in England,deciding who wins and who loses.

The APC has won an electionwith a key promise to deal with the

endemic corruptionwithin the country.My hope is thatNigerians canexercise patiencewith regards to thisparticular pledge.

The reality is thatmost of the keyinfluencers within

the APC have also been benefactorsof the culture that they have pledgedto eradicate. They will have to firstlook within themselves for anestablished moral compass beforelooking outside. Buhari and his Vice

President are two people with thecredentials to make a difference inthis area, but it won’t be easy.

The victory for Buhari aside,Nigeria’s democracy is the realwinner. I am convinced that thecountry will make significantprogress because people will now beheld to account at the ballot box.

As for the outgoing President;Goodluck Johnathan has left alegacy that sets an example for allfuture leaders. History willremember that he eventually wasable to deal with the challenges ofBoko Haram, oversaw Nigeriabecoming the number one economyin Africa, and was honest enough tohold free and fair elections.

For me, he is a President that wewill come to read about in thehistory books. My hope is that thisisn’t the last time that we see him.I’m sure it won’t be.

The UK General Election on the seventhof May will be one of the closest for ageneration. The polls are showing thatthe Conservatives and Labour are neckand neck.

Of course, I myself have a bias forone particular party. I am a paid upConservative and am proud of it. In fiveyears the party has turned a failingeconomy into the fastest growing in theWest. It has created 1,000 jobs everyday, and has taken low paid workers outof tax. This is a party that has madetough decisions which will mean thatfuture generations are not stuck payingoff debts for excessive spending.

We simply shouldn’t go back to whatwas the status quo before. We must letthe Conservatives finish the work theyhave started.

For Nigerians in the Diaspora wemust ask ourselves what it is that wewant to be known for as a community,and which government will best help usto achieve our aspirations. A Labourgovernment will continue to tell us thatwe cannot go further than where weare; that a life on benefits is ok as anoption, and that equality can only beachieved through the state.

A conservative government that hasempowered communities to set up theirown businesses, take control of localpublic services, open their own schools,and to own their own homes is what thealternative is.

We must not just think about our-selves when we head to the ballot box inMay. We must think of our children’schildren. Can we honestly vote for aparty that is comfortable spending be-yond its means with little regards forhow the next generation will pay forsuch economic recklessness?

WE hAVEA ClEArChoICE IN MAy

CANUK electionslook interestingThe Central Association ofNigerians in the UK (CANUK)has recently had elections, andby the time you are reading thisarticle they will probably have anewly elected Chair (April 11).

Naturally I will not beendorsing any candidate, but Iwill say that this organisationhas the potential to be one ofthe most influential groups inthe land.

The Nigerian population inthe UK is one of the largestethnic communities; we areincreasingly economicallymobile and academicallyperform favourably comparedto our counterparts.

CANUK in the years aheadshould ensure that the diaspora

is better engaged on a politicallevel both in the UK and inNigeria. Perhaps we shouldhave had a greater voice duringthe Nigerian elections, whichwould have avoided theshambles that took place duringGeneral Buhari’s visit.

Perhaps we could have(should have?) our own debatefor the Nigerian community inthe run up to the UK elections.

And perhaps we should havemore candidates of a Nigerianheritage contesting seats in May.

These are key questions forCANUK’s new team to discussgoing forward. I will beobserving with great interest asthis group continues to go fromstrength to strength.

As you may have seen inthe previous edition of

Nigerian Watch, I recently launched a new campaign focused on helping5,000 people into

self-employment by2017. This is my way of

holding my team and me accountable as we set an ambitious challenge.What I’ve seen over the last few years is that self-employment is not just about financial freedom. Forsome people it’s about being able to do what youlove every day. For others it’s about being able tohave the flexibility to deal with the challenges ofraising a family in a country that is expensive to livein. And of course for others it’s simply about givingyourself a chance when no one else has. This is whywe have set up the campaign #Emerging5000. Wewant to help regular people to fulfil their ambition.Find out more at: www.encampaigns.com.

“I am convincedthe country will make siginificantprogress”

WE’VE lAuNChEDA NEW CAMPAIgN

Nigeria’s democracy is the real winner



Late babysitterWHAT does a woman do whenher husband is a perenniallatecomer whenever it is histime to babysit or takecharge of the kids? Onenorth London gentlemannearly found himself in thedivorce courts recently afterhis poor wife got sick andtired of his repeated latearrivals whenever it was histurn to look after their baby.

They have a baby andbecause both of them work,they take turns in cominghome to relieve the minderwho stays at their home allday but goes home at 6pm.Obviously mummy has moredays, being in charge of threeweek days, while daddy justhas two.

One Thursday when daddy wasdue to be in charge, his wifearranged a day out. She wasactually attending a society eventand had gone all done up for it,

including wearing a newlypurchased dress and set off fromhome at about 5.30 as thefunction started at 7pm.

At about 5.55pm, she receiveda call from her husband saying hehad been tied up with work andcould not get home on time. Shehad no choice but to turn backand head for home to relieve thebabysitter.

No need to say that herhusband had a lot of grovellingto do, including the purchase ofseveral gifts to redeem himself.Eventually, his wife succumbed

and he now no longer has tosleep in the guest room.

Desperate eventplannersWITH the political campaigns nowover, many an event organiser hasmade a bob or two thanks to thelarge number of politicians whovisited the diaspora to bring theirmessage abroad. In the run-up tothe election campaign, manyLondon event planners maderepeated phone calls to Nigeriaseeking to sell their services.

They offered to pull togethercrowds of thousands of diasporansfor anyone visiting London inexchange for hefty sums. When theNigerian politicians queried whythey should pay so much, theysimply responded that they wereproviding a five-star service whichincluded a posh hotel, a mediapresence, food and an influential

audience.Several politicians

forked out large sumsfor such events but were

disappointed that several ofthese planners did not live up to

their promises. Sometimes, themedia presence promised was notthere and also the crowds were notalways that large.

To add insult to injury, keen tocut costs, the event plannersgenerally only provided finger foodat such events rather than thesumptuous African dishes expected.It is no surprise than one very vocalevent planner has been struck off thelists of one of the main parties afteran event he arranged in Waterloodrew so many complaints from itsUK membership.

Several had threatened tocampaign for the opposition or evenquit the party altogether if he wasleft in charge of organising futureevents. Reading the writing on thewall, he has decided to stick toparties and seminars from now on.

Taking advantage

FANCY arriving in Lagos and loggingon to Facebook to immediately seeimages of your kids holding a wildparty in your home. Well that iswhat happened to one south Londoncouple who decided to take a shortbreak in Nigeria for a fortnight.

No sooner had they left for theairport and their two teenage kidsput a well rehearsed plan into action.Friends were rung, booze quotaswere issued, food cooking began andthe DJ was commissioned.

Exactly 36 hours after the middleaged couple left their south Londonhome, the party started with some100 teenagers gathering from a bashthat looked like it was out of Ibiza. Infact they later found out that themusic was so loud that the policehad to be called twice.

All sorts of booze flowed andyoungsters being who they are, gotup to all sorts of mischief. Uponlogging on once she arrived in Lagosand being hit by the pictures, the

madam of the house nearly passedout.

Not surprisingly, her kids havehad their pocket money cut, theyhave been grounded and a summertreat being lined up for them hasbeen cancelled. No doubt, theyprobably think the party was worththe sacrifice as it has been describedas the talk of the town.

Long distance trystHOW does a man who lives inLondon arrange a two week trystwith his girlfriend who is visitingfrom Nigeria without his wifefinding out? Apart from the fact thathe has to find somewhere to put her,he needs to explain his frequentnights out.

Anyway, one east London manthought it was worth the risk sobought a ticket for his girlfriend anddecided to fly her to London. He puther up in a cheap nearby hotel andtold his wife his company wasorganising a two week exhibition, sohe would be away for most of thecoming fortnight.

He got away with it for the firstweek but after that his wife askedhim what kind of exhibition lasts fortwo weeks. Furthermore, shewanted to know what kind ofexhibition goes on overnight?

After pressing him about it for awhile and him telling her it was atthe Excel Centre, shedecided to visitthere andfind out forherself.Ourfriendhad a lotofexplaining todo when heeventually got home andhis wife told him she had been at his"exhibition" all day and could notfind him there.

He came up with all sorts of funnyexcuses but his wife has chosen togive him the cold shoulder andignore him until further notice. Well,luckily, his girlfriend has returned toNigeria now, so he has returned tohis normal routine.

Call Us Now

Madam Amebo

NOTHING beats eating your own food and enjoying it like it is something yourpalate cannot do without. However, when you hang out in a multi-culturalenvironment, it can get a bit tricky.

One Nigerian councillor who loves his African cuisine decided a few days ago to treat hiscolleagues to a sumptuous meal at a London Naija eatery and was embarrassed to the hilt at their antics. What actuallyhappened was that his Caucasian friends were enjoying the Nigerian food so much that they went overboard withtheir enjoyment.

They were putting ketchup on the pounded yam and eating it like it was mashed potato, mixing their gari with theokra and pouring their jollof rice into their pepper soup. In fact, it was so much fun, they suggested that the treat bemade a monthly event as part of a multicultural tour of the various communities.

Our embarrassed councillor was so red-faced afterwards when the owner of the restaurant asked him what hadhappened that he added an extra £20 to the tip. One has to ask, is there only one way to eat African food?

Who said dry gari and pounded yam cannot be mixed together into a special kind of paste? Maybe those looking tosell African food to a wider audience should examine being a little more creative with their dishes.

Is there only one way to eat African food?

Got a story for Madam Amebo? Send it [email protected] pay for every story that appears inprint

To advertise call 0208 588 9640or email [email protected]

GISTWatch

The All Progressives Congress(APC) UK Chapter, under theChairmanship of Dr PhilipIdaewor, on behalf of its en-tire membership – NEC/NWC,States Organs, UK RegionalUnits and Caucuses of theAPC – congratulate Your Ex-cellency, General Muham-madu Buhari on your historicelection by the Nigerian peo-

ple as the President of theFederal Republic of Nigeria.

This is not the time for re-criminations but the time towork together to heal our na-tion, bind the wounds andmend the broken limbs andhearts of our people.

The APC UK is elated forNigeria because of the changesthat are about to happen in

the country. Your total com-mitment to fight corruption,your determination to buildhospitals, roads, schools,modern railways with newtrains, refineries and resur-rect the moribund NigeriaAirways and pay salaries ontime all over Nigeria are laud-able and doable.

To make Nigeria greatagain, peaceful and united is atask that must be done. This isa social contract betweenYour Excellency, the APC andNigerians, and we imploreyou to keep our side of thebargain.

Under your watch, Nigeriamust not go back to inepti-tude and social injustices andsystemic decay in all sectorsof our economy. Nigeria mustindustrialise and developAgriculture and food produc-tion as well as guaranteeyouths full employmentacross the country.

Let peace and justice reign;let democracy and freedomflourish all over Nigeria. Philip Ilenbarenemen, Publicity Secretary, APC UK


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Letters to the Editorlet 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: [email protected] to be included in the next issue must be received by no later than April 18, 2015. Anonymousletters will not be published. Please include your full name, postal address and contact telephonenumber. Names and addresses can be withheld, if preferred.letters may be edited for publication.

I was a proud witness and participant in the historic election victory that has now ushered the AllProgressive Congress (APC) Presidential candidate, Gen (Rtd) Muhammadu Buhari to power.

The important thing in this victory is that it is a victory, first, to Nigerians, who wanted, wentfor and got the CHANGE they desired – the election result being a manifestation of the people’sresolve to confront corruption, exploitation and bad governance – and secondly, for democracy,because it is about Nigerians being assured that in their democracy, their votes count unlike be-fore (people used to say, why the heck am I voting anyway, the politicians will always rig and myvote doesn't mean a damn thing) and that power lies in their hands.

If the president, any governor or other public office holders do not do as we want in the nextfour years, and make life better for us, they will meet us at the Polling Unit and we know we nowhave the power to get rid of them.

This is what I am most happy about. Nigerians, from the grassroots to the top have been em-powered; their voice and power are being heard and taken into account. Political leaders shoulddo more. Public servants and political office holders are being told to serve us. Politicians mustnot mess with the people anymore. Politicians must not take the people for granted anymore.Akintokunbo A Adejumo, via email

Our voices have been heard

It would be a wonderful andsymbolic gesture for thelargest diaspora communitygroup in the UK – CANUK –to elect a woman as leader.

It would demonstrate im-mense faith in our women,and belie the myth thatAfrican women are relegatedto the background.

I hope all your readers,especially those involved inthe leadership election, canassociate with me in effect-ing this. Thank you.Dr Paddy Davies, via email

Elect a woman

Now is the time to heal our nation and bind the wounds

Last week’s high pollution levels receivedwidespread media coverage because of thehealth risks posed to many vulnerable peopleacross the UK, including those with respira-tory conditions such as asthma.

Though pollution levels have since de-creased, I write to alert those of your readerswith asthma made worse by pollution that itcan take as long as two weeks for airways toreturn to normal after being exposed to anasthma trigger. Therefore they should remainvigilant with their asthma by continuing totake their medicines as prescribed and keepingtrack of their symptoms. The best way to do

this is by using a written asthma action plan -astep-by-step guide they can fill in with theirGP or asthma nurse to help them stay on top oftheir condition. Despite the fact that people arefour times less likely to need hospital treat-ment for their asthma when they have a writ-ten asthma action plan, only 30% of peoplewith asthma do and this needs to change.

Your readers can download one fromwww.asthma.org.uk and take the Asthma UKRisk Test to see if they are at increased risk of apotentially fatal asthma attack and find outwhat they can do to reduce their risk.Kay Boycott, Chief Executive of Asthma UK, 18Mansell Street, London, E1 8AA

Asthma alert

It’s been a blastI want to take thisopportunity to say thank youfor what has been amemorable four yearexperience serving the UKNigerian Diaspora, withhonour, in the capacity of 1stvice chairman of CentralAssociation of Nigerians in theUK (CANUK).

I still remember the day,December 4, 2010, when Iwon the election for theposition, having campaignedeffortlessly against myopponent and friend ToyinIbrahim Igbo. How was I toknow what sort of journey I'dembarked on.

I would like to thank myable chairman ChiefAbimbola Folayan who hassteered CANUK to the dizzyheights of this presentmoment. He has selflesslylent himself to his executiveand the Nigerian communityin a quest to ensure Nigeriansare united, portray a positiveimage and show their worthhere in the UK. OurChairman has led by exampleon many fronts.

CANUK is now the envy ofevery organisation, both herein the UK and elsewhere overthe world, and I put it downto the extremely hard work ofmost of the executives.

Having worked with andfor CANUK for over eightyears supporting Dr Abaniand his team and now thecurrent team, it is anemotional time for me as thegiddy flight lands and Idisembark. However, if givenanother opportunity to dothings differently, I wouldwork twice as much, give mypeople more of my time, andtry and unite Nigerians intoone happy family.

The fun times and theCANUK business times willalways be special memoriesfor me. I am returning to mystate union where I am headof planning to continue myservice to my great nation andI will also be working withyoung boys as a footballcoach, to help develop theminto men.

Those vying for election Iwish you luck and God'sguidance; given the

opportunity; do serve yourcountry well and with pride.

I will see some of you onthe April 11 at the NigeriaHigh Commission, Godwilling, where I shallhandover the baton of servicewith a tear; believe me I'm nomasochist, simply a Nigerianwho has a vision of a greatNigerian people.

It's been a blast.Chima Olugh MRPharmS 1st Vice Chair and head of proj-ects, CANUK, via email


Follow us on Twitter@NigerianWatch12 EMBASSYWatch

News from theLondonNIGERIA HIGH COMMISSION

Nigerians set to elect newleader of the diaspora

Just days after Nigeria’s indefatigableAmbassador to the UK Dr Dalhatu SarkiTafida OFR, CFR, returned from voting inNigeria’s historic Presidential election hewas back to business as usual – repre-senting Nigeria and continuing his driveto unite the diaspora behind the country.

So it was that over the Easter bankholiday weekend he travelled to Liverpoolto conduct Town Hall meetings with theNigerian community there.

It was something of a homecomingfor Dr Tafida, as the city was where hehad completed his medical training.

Tomorrow (Saturday April11), the current executiveboard of the CentralAssociation of Nigerians in theUK (CANUK) will be dissolvedand the newly-elected oneinaugurated when theorganisation holds its AGM atthe Nigeria High Commission,Northumberland Avenue,London.

The highlight of the daywill be the election of a newchairman or – for the firsttime – chairwoman, withBoma Douglas, Ronke Udofia

and Babatunde Loye vying forthe leadership role (picturedabove, l-r).

The elections for all otherpositions on the executivecommittee were conductedby postal ballot and theresults were declared onWednesday (April 8).

The new office holders andtheir affiliate organisations,who will remain in place until2017, are detailed in the panel(right).

Doors open for registrationof delegates at 10am.

1st Vice Chair Alex ubaka Achebe (Anambra StateUnion UK)

2nd Vice Chair Charles E Sylvester (Nigerian Se-curity Officers Association)

General Secretary Dr olugbenga Coker (Association ofNigerians Architects in the UK)

Assistant Secretary Ade Coker (Association of Inde-pendent financial advisers)

Legal Adviser Elizabeth Ikiriko (British NigeriaLaw Forum)

Treasurer ronke Adeagbo Adeagbo (OyoState Indigenes UK)

Social Secretary femi Williams (League of Nigeriansin Diaspora)

Assistant Social godwin Emiko forson (UniBen Secretary Alumni UK)Publicity Secretary lagun Akinloye (British Association

of Nigerians Designers, Printersand Publishers)

Assistant Publicity Theodora Ibekwe oyebade (UK Secretary Nollywood Producers Guide)Welfare Secretary Dr Edwin Sawacha MBE (Ijaw Pro-

gressive Association)Assistant Welfare Agatha Anyiwo (Nigerian Organisa-Secretary tion of Women)

CANuK CoMMIttEE 2015-2017

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chibok – a heartbreaking anniversary#BrINgBACKourgIrlS

on April 15, at 5pm, a vigil is to be heldoutside the Nigeria high Commission onNorthumberland Avenue in london, to

mark the heartbreaking 1st anniversary of theabduction of more than 200 schoolgirls by theterror organisation Boko haram.

The vigil has been called by the NigerianWomen in Leadership Diaspora Forum whohave gathered their on the 15th of every monthsince the girls were taken overnight on April14/15 last year.

Ekanem Robertson of NWILDF made apassionate appeal for people to join them toshow the world “we have not forgotten, thatwe still care”.

She told the recent annual gathering of theForum at the House of Commons, “Thisdreadful thing started a year ago and wewomen in the diaspora took it on ourselves tosay every 14th/15th we will be outside the NHCsaying, ‘Where are our children?’ You knowhow governments are. If we didn’t stand therenobody would be standing there, the girlswould be forgotten.

“The numbers were wonderful when thenews first broke; there were newspapers andcameras because you know it was a ‘goodstory’. Then they all went away because itrapidly became old news. Ladies we were 2-300 then, now it’s gone down to a handful.That is shameful.

“I’m appealing to you all to come to theEmbassy on April 15, at 5pm, to make sure theworld remembers our girls and ask the newgovernment, what are you going to do to bringback our girls?”

one year on since theChibok girls’ abduction,campaigners call for amighty vigil to show wehave not forgotten

ChIBoK SChoolgIrlS: Glenna Gordon photographed theclothes and belongings of the missing girls in an attemptto give them an identity, the very identity theirkidnappers are trying to quash.

ChIBoK 100: Artist Sarah Peace marked 100 days with an installation piece of 100 burkas in Epping Forest (14th April – 23rd July 2014)

MoxIE DEPAulIttE’S flASh ShoE INStAllAtIoN: “276 pairs of girls shoes in the town centre as a show of love." Dumfries, Scotland (10th May 2014)

BrINgBACKourgIrlS uK (froM ltor) Cross-party MPs Houses of Parliament (May 13, 2014), Demonstations ouside Nigerian HIgh Commision, London (May 2014)

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Like us on Facebookfacebook.com/NigerianWatch 15NEWSWatch

The C2 to the Congo

Every time you pick up a mobilephone, spare a thought for thepeople of the democraticrepublic of congo (drc).

The country boasts over 1,000very precious minerals but for thepast 20 years it has been brutallysavaged for coltan, the mineral thatenables your phone to be “smart”.

Our convenience comes at abloody cost; over five million dead –men, women and children – and anequal number – again, men, womenand children – raped.

It is a bloody business and onethat was raised by Charlotte Simon,otherwise popularly known as MaCongo, at the annual gathering ofNigerian Women in LeadershipDiaspora Forum as it celebrated theAfrican Union Year of Women'sEmpowerment.

A powerful yet charmingadvocate for her country of birth shecalled on the women of Africa to"stand up and say no, enough isenough".

She asked rhetorically why areour men doing this? But the answeris known and few people canarticulate it as clearly as Charlotte.

“The curse of coltan, the curse of

being blessed with all the mineralsthe world wants,” she says. It is asituation all too familiar to Nigerianswho have suffered the curse of oil.

A report into the country’smineral wealth concluded that“untapped deposits of raw mineralsare estimated to be worth in excess ofUSD 24 trillion.” This is a potentialworth comparative to the combinedGDP of Europe and the US, andsurpasses the total value of SaudiArabia’s oil reserves.

The DRC boasts more than 1,100different minerals, including copper,cobalt, silver, uranium, lead, zinc,cadmium, diamonds, gold, tin,tungsten, manganese and raremetals such as coltan, where 80% ofthe world’s reserves are to be found.

It has led to constant conflict inrecent times, which was oncedubbed “Africa’s world war”, whennine countries, including Zimbabwe,Angola, Namibia, Burundi, andnotably Rwanda and Uganda foughtfor control of these minerals.

In its report on the DR Congopublished on 15 July 2004, the UNreported, “the sovereignty of theDRC continues to be challenged notonly by the intervention and military

support provided by Rwanda andUganda to its allies or proxy forces”

The demand for the conflictminerals in the west is widelyreported as the catalyst.

Charlotte has been exiled fromher country of birth for heroutspoken campaigns against thepolitical elites who benefit from theongoing conflicts.

So she rises everyday at 3.30am toprepare to drive her bus aroundLondon all morning to leave her timeto run her two organisations; herinternationally acclaimed Mothers ofCongo, which campaigns tohighlight the causes and end thesexual violence caused by themineral conflicts in the DRC; and theTatiana Giraud Foundation, whichcares for the victims of conflict.

The TG foundation has cared forhundreds of children and currentlyis paying for over 70 to be ineducation. Ma Charlotte, a typicalAfrican in the diaspora, deserves oursupport. As she says of her punishingschedule, “If you can, you shouldgive something back.” For more information visitwww.mothersofcongo.org &www.tatianagiraudfoundation.org

The remarkable london bus driver challenging the globalpowers to stop turning a blind eye to Africa’s “world war”

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Follow us on Twitter@NigerianWatch16 ELECTIONWatch

to buhari the wIN; to Jonathan thepLAudIts; to the people VICtorY

NIgErIAN ElECtIoNS 2015

for 16 years into the 4threpublic the pdp ruledNigeria. There is no

doubt that the party triedits best to move thecountry forward in thoseyears. But its best was not goodenough.

In the article titled Before the CockCrows (Nigerian Watch, 47) I noted thatif the Jonathan-led government failed,that is, if Jonathan failed in his bid for asecond tenure, it would not be all aboutJonathan, it would be all about the PDP(People’s Democratic Party). It was PDPthat was killing Nigeria, not Jonathan.

Right from the outset in 1999, whenthe mantle of political leadership washanded over to Chief Obasanjo, thefoundation was laid to make or mar

Nigeria as a democratic country.Had Obasanjo followed in the

footsteps of his kinsman, Chief ObafemiAwolowo, and used the country’senormous oil wealth to turn Nigeriainto a welfare state, the country wouldnot have been in the mess it is.

But Obasanjo failed to harness thatwealth and use it wisely. And Jonathancould have failed too, because hisGodfather laid the foundation of thenation’s democratic evolution on

porous soil. Over time, the level of

achievement of the partybecame controversial,partly because of internal

strife. The discontent withinthe party reached a crescendo

preceding the election, when GovernorRotimi Amaechi of Rivers State was re-elected as Chairman of NigeriaGovernors’ Forum (NGF) but wassidelined by President Jonathan infavour of Air Commodore Jonas Jang,Governor of Plateau State.

The crises in the NGF laid thefoundation for the demise of the partythat once prided itself as the largest andmost well organised in Africa.

Nigerians went to the polls to vote intheir President on Saturday March 28.

Beforethey casttheirvotes, ithadbecomenecessary

for them to look hard at the factors thatwould build a strong democracy. Theyknew that democracy was not militaryrule. They knew that militaryinterference in the democratic processin Nigeria had done a lot of damage tothe nation. They knew that the road todemocracy could only lead from adeepening of democratic values.

Under Jonathan’s watch much wasachieved: trains started running again;Almajiri schools were built, with the

hope that someday an alumnus of theAlmajiri School built by PresidentJonathan would become the Presidentof Nigeria; theft in the fertiliser sectorhad been eradicated; and more FederalUniversities had been sited in NorthernStates. There is a lot more that Jonathanbequeathed Nigeria. But as heconfessed, he under-utilised the mediato showcase the world theachievements of his tenure.

While Nigerians are ready to forgivehim for that, they expressed their hopein the nation’s future byoverwhelmingly voting for his rival,General Muhammadu Buhari, nowpopularly called “The People’sGeneral!”

But before we take a cursory look atthe expectations of Nigerians in thenew dispensation, it is necessary forpeople to recognise Dr Jonathan as thePresident who actually laid thefoundations of true democracy inNigeria for Nigerians.

From his days as Vice-Presidentthrough his years as President, oneof Jonathan’s major commitments

was to stabilise Nigeria by laying thefoundations for the conduct of free andfair elections. He was very keen onleaving that feat as a legacy forNigerians as they march towards truedemocracy.

Since 2011, the country hasconducted elections that both Nigeriansand foreign observers agree are themost credible in the political history of

the country. And as he leaves office, itis only right that Jonathan should feelthat a large part of his initial plans forNigeria has been achieved.

Another huge stride Jonathan madein the march of Nigeria towards truedemocracy was signing the Freedom ofInformation (FoI) Bill into law. It wasnot a coincidence that all thegovernments that have ruled Nigeriapost-independence failed to addressthis critical issue. It was Jonathan whorecognised the importance of this vitalaspect of human rights in the nation’smarch towards true democracy. Heencouraged the National Assembly todebate and pass the Bill, and then heassented to it.

Considering the importance of thislaw to any democratisation process,should give Nigerians a better insightinto the values of their electedPresident of the last four years. In thecontext of directing Nigeria towardsattaining true democracy, assenting tothat bill alone should place Jonathanhead and shoulders above all of thosewho occupied Aso Rock before him. Itwasn’t easy.

Many Nigerians heaved a sigh ofrelief when the Act became a reality.They knew that from then onwardsthey could legitimately uncover factsand figures and hold the government toaccount. As one observer said,Nigerians had been given the oxygen ofinformation and knowledge to breathelife into governance. It was no longer‘business as usual!’"

March 28, 2015 will go down in history as the day Nigeria fully embraced democracy. Chiefamong the history makers was President goodluck Jonathan, who during his tenure laid thefoundations for free and fair elections. london-based commentator Emeka Asinugo salutesthe man whose legacy as one of the great leaders of the nation and continent is assured –and looks at the critical issues facing his successor

“As he confessed, Jonathan under-utilised the media to showcase theworld the achievements of his tenure”

WE SALUTE YOUInternational reactionPrESIDENt oBAMA

“President Jonathan has placedhis country’s interests first byconceding the election andcongratulating president-electBuhari on his victory. I look for-ward to working with PresidentJonathan throughout the re-mainder of his term, and I thankhim for his many years of serv-ice and his statesmanlike con-duct at this critical juncture.”

PrIME MINIStEr DAVIDCAMEroN

“I send my warmest congratu-lations to General Buhari onbeing elected as Nigeria’s nextpresident. This election hasbeen a credit to the Nigerianpeople and a truly historic mo-ment for Nigerian democracy.”

uN SECrEtAry gENErAlBAN KI MooN

“The successful outcome ofthese polls is a testament to thematurity of Nigeria’s democ-racy.”

ENtrEPrENEur MoIBrAhIM, whose founda-tion awards a prize forachievement in Africanleadership

“Today, we Africans are allproud of Nigeria and PresidentJonathan. Thank you Mr Presi-dent. If you are seeking alegacy, you have definitelyachieved it.”

Professor Attahiru Jega (above) is the man who midwifedNigerian democracy into the 21st century as the chairmanof Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Committee. In-dependent and incorruptible he has proved to be an inspi-rational public servant. He rose above all the intimidationand abuse that was thrown at him to deliver what have

been acclaimed as the freest and fairest in Nigeria’s history. The former chairman of the Academic Staff Union of

Universities (ASUU) has acquitted himself honourably.Jega has proven to be the hero of democratic innova-

tions through the insistence on using card reader as meansof authenticating voters in the upcoming 2015 elections, in

a nation where satanic madness rages over the transparentconduct of elections.

Through his integrity and neutrality, the soft-spokenKebbi-born academic has midwifed true transition that has never been witnessed in the country’s history. He has ushered in a new dawn.

PrESIDENtIAl rESultSAccredited Voters: 31,756,490Total Valid Votes: 28,587,564Rejected Votes: 844,519Total: 29,432,083fINAl rESultSTotal Number of Votes: 28,280,083goodluck Jonathan: 12,853,162 votes; 45% of the voteMuhammadu Buhari: 15,426,921 votes; 54% of the vote

SENAtE rESultSThe All Progressives Congress (APC) haswon majority status in the Nigerian Senate after securing 64 seats in the National Assembly elections.The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) –previously the Senate majority partywith 68 seats – now has 45 seats whilethe Labour Party (LP) has one.

In all the 55 years since Nigeriabecame independent, no otherPresident has had as much patience orcomposure as Jonathan had with hisfellow Nigerians in the face of name-calling, insults, derogatory languageabout him, and even an attack on thePresidential convoy. In many ways,his high office and his education mayhave humbled him. But Jonathan feltat home with Nigerians. Any otherPresident before him would havehounded into prison those he saw ashis detractors and some of themwould have died there while indetention. Not Jonathan.

Jonathan often said that he did notwant to run after every Nigerian whohurled an insult on him because sucha move would only counter thefoundation of democracy he waslaying for the country.

As he often said he did not wantthe Economic and Financial CrimesCommission parading fellowNigerians on television unless theircases had gone to court and they hadbeen convicted as criminals; toprejudge the outcome he believed wastantamount to a denigration of theirhuman rights.

In that sense, we will be correct toregard Dr Jonathan as a frontlineadvocate of Nigerian Human Rightswho left his footprints on the sandalong the road Nigeria is marchingtowards true democracy.

Jonathan’s going displayed thetrue democratic spirit of the

statesman. When he realised he hadlost the election, he quickly picked uphis phone and congratulated GeneralBuhari, the President-elect. In thisway Jonathan saved the countrymuch bloodshed that would haveflowed in the post-election violencethat marked previous elections. It wasrare in Nigerian politics, andNigerians should remain grateful tohim for his magnanimity. It is an actthat will reverberate across thecontinent.

Now that Nigerians have changedbatons, what are theyexpecting from the new

government? The incoming Presidenthas addressed the nation, remindingNigerians; “You wanted change.Change has come.”

Nigerians did not want changefrom the university campus to themilitary barracks. They did not wantchange for the fun of it. They wantedchange from a party that hadoverruled them for 16 years. Theywanted change from a party whoseinternal crises had made it possible forgovernment to no longer have theinterest of the masses at heart. Nowthe change has come. And very soon,the new government of the APC (All

Progressive Congress) will be facedwith some harsh realities.

The APC will begin to realise thatNigerians care more about what partof the country you come from, notthat you are a Nigerian. The party willbegin to observe that thecommitment of most Nigerians totheir local communities has becomeso much their way of life that to beseen as a de-tribalised Nigerian is nowa feat that deserves eulogy.

The new government will begin tosee that the people are so becloudedby their ethnic allegiances, theunrelenting pride they attach to theirlocal language and culture, that onlya total change of their mindset can getthem on the right track to becomingtruly Nigerian. That will be the initialchallenge of the BuhariAdministration, and one that willshape his domestic policies.

Buhari’s first challenge will centreon how to go about changing themindset of an average Nigerian tomake him think Nigerian, and notIgbo, Hausa or Yoruba? Where doesthe government start from?

Nigerians believe Buhari can betrusted to handle this very sensitivenational dilemma. They believe hecould still summon the military clout

that enabled him to get Nigerians toevolve the monthly Sanitation Dayand the idea of queuing up at banksand bus stops to back-up the psycheof the people and make Nigeriansthink Nigerian.

Others say the incoming Presidentwas only able to change the attitude ofNigerians at that time because he wasin military uniform. They argue thatany legislation along that line in ademocratic dispensation would haveto pass through the proceduralrigours of the National Assembly,which are likely to mellow or evenbreak its resolve. We shall see.

Then there is the issue of thejudiciary which the new governmentis expected to address. To remain aunited country, every citizen must beguided by the same set of laws. TheSouthern parts of the country aresuccessfully operating the customarycourts. The Northern parts of thecountry must then be able to operatetheir sharia courts. In this way, everycitizen would be given the sameopportunity to choose to pursuelegitimacy in the nation’s higher lawcourts, or in the lower customary andsharia courts.

As judicial adjudication is madeopen for citizens to choose whatcourts they want their casesjudged in, there will be aharmonisation of the legalsystem. Anything short ofthat would be like sittingthe nation’s ass on a keg of

gunpowder, which can explode anytime. That, the APC must avoid.

Many observers still believe thatthe various ethnic groups that Britainlumped together as a country werenever meant to be. Some still believethat Britain decided to amalgamatethe North and the South for its ownselfish economic and politicalinterest. A good number believe thatthere should have been a plebiscite in1914, to give the ethnic groups theleeway for self- determination. ButNigeria decides. One hundred yearsinto their amalgamation, they havedecided. They have taken a stand foranother 100 years.

In distinctively expressing theirwish for a change of government withtheir votes, Nigerians have proved tothe world that they desire not only toremain a united, progressive countrybut also one that eagerly wants to takeits rightful place in the comity ofdemocratic nations.

Their expression will not spellvictory for Buhari or failure forJonathan. It will spell victory for theAPC, and a challenge for the PDP. Andwhile that victory lasts for APC,Nigerians will look forward to whatthis change could mean for them.With time, they will get to know

whether or not the new APCgovernment is the medicinethey have waited for so longto drink, to cure theirpersistent nationalheadache.

“Anything short of a harmonisation of the legal system would be like sitting the nation’s ass on a keg of gunpowder”

At exactly 5.15pm this (Tuesday,March 31) evening PresidentJonathan called to congratulateme on my victory. For this I wantall Nigerians to join me in con-gratulating and appreciating MrPresident for his statesmanship.

President Jonathan engaged ina spirited campaign and was aworthy opponent. I extend myhand of fellowship to him. I lookforward to meeting him soon aswe plan the transition from oneadministration to another. He willreceive nothing but understand-ing, co-operation and respectfrom me and my team.

The good people of Nigeria,answered the call of history. Whenthe account of this fine moment iswritten, it will be said that it wasthe people themselves who ledthis nation to democracy.

You stood in line patiently forhours in the sun, rain and then inthe dark to cast your ballots. Evenwhen the vote was extended toSunday in some places, you stillperformed your civic duty. You didso peacefully. You voted with yourheart. Your vote affirms that youbelieve Nigeria’s future can bebetter than what it is today.

You voted for change and nowchange has come.

INEC has released the official

results of the Presidential elec-tion. INEC has declared that Igained the most votes with therequired spread and thus won thiselection. In a more profound way,it is you, Nigerians that have won.The people have shown their lovefor our nation and their belief indemocracy.

The declaration of INEC accu-rately reflects the will of the peo-ple. While there might have beensome logistical obstacles and ir-regularities associated with theexercise, the result shall stand aswhat the people want.

I thank all Nigerians who havemade this day possible. Our coun-try has now joined the communityof nations that have used the bal-lot box to peacefully change anincumbent President in a free andfair election. To me this is indeedhistoric.

We have put one party statebehind us. You have voted for aparty and president that will serveand govern but never rule overyou. Change has come. A new dayand a new Nigeria are upon us.The victory is yours and the gloryis that of our nation – Nigeria.

Fellow Nigerians, I thank you allfor turning out en-masse for theMarch 28 General Elections.

I promised the country freeand fair elections. I have kept myword. I have also expanded thespace for Nigerians to participatein the democratic process. That isone legacy I will like to see endure.

Although some people haveexpressed mixed feelings aboutthe results announced by the In-dependent National ElectoralCommission (INEC), I urge thosewho may feel aggrieved to followdue process based on our consti-tution and our electoral laws, inseeking redress.

As I have always affirmed, no-body’s ambition is worth theblood of any Nigerian. The unity,stability and progress of our dearcountry is more important thananything else.

I congratulate all Nigerians forsuccessfully going through theprocess of the March 28 GeneralElections with the commendableenthusiasm and commitment thatwas demonstrated nationwide.

I also commend the SecurityServices for their role in ensuringthat the elections were mostlypeaceful and violence-free.

To my colleagues in the PDP, Ithank you for your support. Today,

the PDP should be celebratingrather than mourning. We haveestablished a legacy of demo-cratic freedom, transparency,economic growth and free and fairelections.

For the past 16 years, we havesteered the country away fromethnic and regional politics. Wecreated a pan-Nigerian politicalparty and brought home to ourpeople the realities of economicdevelopment and social transfor-mation.

Through patriotism and dili-gence, we have built the biggest

and most patriotic party in Niger-ian history. We must stand to-gether as a party and look to thefuture with renewed optimism.

I thank all Nigerians once againfor the great opportunity I wasgiven to lead this country and as-sure you that I will continue to domy best at the helm of nationalaffairs until the end of my tenure.

I have conveyed my personalbest wishes to General Muham-madu Buhari.

May God Almighty continue tobless the Federal Republic ofNigeria. I thank you all.


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HIstorIC HANdoVer IN tHeIr owN wordsBuhArI JoNAthAN


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Iam immensely grateful to god for this dayand for this hour. i feel truly honouredand humbled that the Nigerian people

have so clearly chosen me to lead them. Theofficial announcement from iNEc was themoment the vast majority of Nigerians hadhoped and been waiting for. today, historyhas been made, and change has finallycome. Your votes have changed our nationaldestiny for the good of all Nigerians.

INEC has announced that I, MuhammaduBuhari, shall be your next president. My teamand I shall faithfully serve you. There shall nolonger be a ruling party again: APC will be yourgoverning party. We shall faithfully serve you.We shall never rule over the people as if theywere subservient to government.

our government will embrace all Our long night has passed and the daylight ofnew democratic governance has broken acrossthe land. This therefore is not a victory for oneman or even one party. It is a victory for Nigeriaand for all Nigerians. Millions of you haveworked for this day. So many have risked lifeand livelihood; and others have died that wemay witness this moment.

And it is with a very heavy heart that I reportmany deaths and injuries amidst the jubilationsyesterday. We send our sincere condolences tothe families and friends of those who lost theirlives; and wish speedy recovery to those whosuffered injuries. I appeal to all our supportersto celebrate this victory with prayers andreflection instead of wild jubilation.

May the souls of those who died rest inpeace. Let us take a moment of silence tohonour all of those whose sacrifices havebrought us to this fine and historic hour. As theresults of the election have shown, their labourhas not been and will never be in vain.Democracy and the rule of law will be re-established in the land.

Let us put the past, especially the recentpast, behind us. We must forget our old battlesand past grievances — and learn to forge ahead.I assure you that our government is one thatwill listen to and embrace all.

I pledge myself and our in-comingadministration to just and principledgovernance. There shall be no bias against orfavouritism for any Nigerian based on ethnicity,religion, region, gender or social status. I pledgemyself and the government to the rule of law,in which none shall be so above the law thatthey are not subject to its dictates, and noneshall be so below it that they are not availed of

its protection.You shall be able to go to bed knowing that

you are safe and that your constitutional rightsremain in safe hands. You shall be able to voiceyour opinion without fear of reprisal orvictimisation. My love and concern for thisnation and what I desire for it extends to all,even to those who do not like us or our politics.You are all my people and I shall treat everyoneof you as my own. I shall work for those who

voted for me as well as those who voted againstme and even for those who did not vote at all.We all live under one name as one nation: we areall Nigerians.

I harbour no ill-will against anyoneSome unfortunate issues about my eligibilityhave been raised during the campaign. I wish tostate that through devotion to this nation,everything I have learned and done has been toenable me to make the best possiblecontribution to public life. If I had judged myselfincapable of governing I would never have

sought to impose myself on it. I have served invarious capacities and have always put in mybest.

But despite the rancour of the elections, Iextend a hand of friendship and conciliation toPresident Jonathan and his team. I hereby wishto state that I harbour no ill will against anyone.

Let me state clearly that President Jonathanhas nothing to fear from me. Although we maynot agree on the methods of governing the

nation, he is a great Nigerian and still ourpresident. He deserves our support andpermanent respect by virtue of the office he hasheld.

This is how an honourable nation treats itsservants and conducts its affairs; and this is howNigeria should be. I look forward to meetingwith President Jonathan in the days to come todiscuss how our teams can make the transitionof administrations as efficient as possible.

Nigeria will become a global force for goodI assure all foreign governments that Nigeria willbecome a more forceful and constructive playerin the global fight against terrorism and in othermatters of collective concern, such as the fightagainst drugs, climate change, financial fraud,communicable diseases and other issuesrequiring global response. I want to assure ourfellow African nations that Nigeria will nowstand as a more constructive partner inadvancing the matters of concern to ourcontinent, particularly with regard to economicdevelopment and eradication of poverty.

Former head of state and president ChiefOlusegun Obasanjo, General Yakubu Gowon,Alh. Shehu Shagari, General Ibrahim Babangida,Chief Ernest Shonekan and General AbdulsalamiAbubakar deserve commendations for theirstatesmanship and words of caution and counselfor peace during the tense moments of this

electoral period.Most of all, I thank the people of Nigeria for

reposing their confidence in me at this tryingmoment. Our nation wrestles many challengesincluding insecurity, corruption, economicdecline. I pledge to give you my best in tacklingthese problems.

The good people of Nigeria, your obligationdoes not end with casting your ballot. I seekyour voice and input as we tackle theseproblems. This will not be a governmentdemocratic only in form. It will be a governmentdemocratic in substance and in how it interactswith its own people.

The urgent jobs; Boko haram & corruptionNo doubt, this nation has suffered greatly in therecent past, and its staying power has beentested to its limits by crises, chief among whichis insurgency of the Boko Haram. There is nodoubt that in tackling the insurgency we have atough and urgent job to do. But I assure you thatBoko Haram will soon know the strength ofour collective will and commitment to rid thisnation of terror, and bring back peace andnormalcy to all the affected areas. We shall spareno effort until we defeat terrorism.

Furthermore, we shall strongly battleanother form of evil that is even worse thanterrorism—the evil of corruption. Corruptionattacks and seeks to destroy our nationalinstitutions and character. By misdirecting intoselfish hands funds intended for the publicpurpose, corruption distorts the economy andworsens income inequality. It creates a class ofunjustly-enriched people.

Such an illegal yet powerful force soon comesto undermine democracy because itsconspirators have amassed so much money thatthey believe they can buy government. We shallend this threat to our economic developmentand democratic survival. I repeat thatcorruption will not be tolerated by thisadministration; and it shall no longer be allowedto stand as if it is a respected monument in thisnation.

We will hit the ground runningI ask you to join me in resolving these and theother challenges we face. Along the way, therewill be victories but there may also be setbacks.Mistakes will be made. But we shall never takeyou for granted; so, be rest assured that ourerrors will be those of compassion andcommitment not of wilful neglect andindifference.

We shall correct that which does not workand improve that which does. We shall not stop,or stand idle. We shall, if necessary crawl, walkand run to do the job you have elected us to do.

I realise that the expectation of our peopletoday is as high as their commitment to changehas been strong and their belief in us unshaken.While we pledge to begin doing our best withoutdelay, we would like to appeal to them toappreciate the gravity of our situation, so thatwe become more realistic in our expectations.

We will govern for you and in your interests.Your vote was not wasted.

This is not the first time Nigerians have casttheir votes for us, and this is not the first timethey have been counted; but this is the first timethat the votes have been allowed to count. Withthe help of God, we pledge to do our utmost tobring forth the Nigeria you seek.

In his first address to the nation, President-elect General Muhammadu Buhari GCFR committed his governmentto the rule of law and said his key priority was tackling the twin evils of Boko Haram and corruption. He alsocalled on Nigerians to show patience in their desire for change. Here – in the name of transparency that will becritical to his administration’s success between now and 2019 – we publish his agenda-setting speech as itsets to tone and tenor of what we can expect over the next four years

“The good people of Nigeria your obligation does notend with casting your ballot. I seek your voice andinput as we tackle these problems to bring forth theNigeria you seek”

tHe New brooM


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“We failed to invest in the media. We failed to in-vest in the public relations aspect of govern-ment, so now we’re receiving the reward of poorinvestment in public relations.”

So said President Jonathan about a monthbefore he lost the election in Nigeria.

A dreadful admission considering the PDPspent somewhere in the region of $1m hiringspin doctors from America. Palpably moneydown the drain.

Installing inflammatory motormouth femifani Kayode as the president’s mediaspokesman was also a disaster, the final nail inthe communications coffin that had been in themaking over the previous four years.

While the party simply shunned the main-stream print media – still the most trustedmedium but also the most critical – they made ahash of using social media.

Consider the post #bringbackourpresident.The insensitive pun on the hashtag bring backour girls – that brought global attention to theChibok schoolgirl abduction – caused a furore,generating 8,000 tweets, and was quickly re-moved. Such ineptitude is mind-boggling.

little wonder the APC triumphed on twitter,clearly commanding that element of the cam-paign; while 151,000 people actively followed theAPC, only 59,000 followed the PDP.

however, the parties were far closer togetheron facebook; with the PDP just edging it with69,579 likes compared to the APC’s nearly

62,000. President Jonathan’s facebook page,however, had 500,000 followers, showing hewas considerably more liked than his party.

Maybe these figures reflect a demographic,with the south more likely to have internet ac-cess than the north.

Elections are not won via social media butperceptions are shaped here. The PDP failed tounderstand that and after repeatedly launchingtweets that backfired they abandoned the spaceallowing civil society, activists, the IndependentNational Electoral Commission and the APC setthe narrative.

Its influence as an amplifier of people’svoices and mainstream media analysis can onlygrow in the coming years.

from less than 100,000 internet users in1999, when the country returned to civilian rule,the International telecommunications union es-timates some 43.9 million Nigerians now haveaccess to the internet - almost a third of thepopulation. others put them umber as high as67 million. There are an estimated 1.8 millionNigerians currently on facebook and the num-ber of Nigerians with twitter accounts is growingby the day.

So this was the first election where the peo-ple and civil society and activists had both free-dom of speech and freedom of information(introduced in 2011 by the PDP).

The combined effect of this was to holdpoliticians in check; they could no longer hood-

wink the people with wild claims as they wouldbe instantly challenged across social networkswith access to the same facts and figures.

This new found people’s power is not con-fined to Nigeria, raising the possibility of anAfrican Spring.

Now, across the continent Africans have theability to quickly connect to the Western worldand to get more people involved, especially dur-ing a critical election such as this.

Africa’s Internet growth has risen from 10%to 16% since 2010 and with zealous Nigerianscelebrating the outcome of the elections otherAfricans feel optimistic about the upcomingelections in their own country.

following Nigeria’s election, one twitter userwrote “#NDC must certainly know it is also los-ing the #Elections in #ghana ... Congrats #APC#Nigeria ... #Nigeriadecides”

So the new social network trend in Nigeria isone that could be a catalyst for other developingcountries to have a voice of democracy.

With the burden of expectation facing Presi-dent-elect general Muhammadu Buhari perhapsgreater than that which ushered both tony Blairand Barack obama to power, he would be wiseto ensure he makes communication with thepeople a top priority.

The people will only respond to his appeal for“patience” if he keeps them regularly posted asto the steady steps being made towards thepromised change.

ElECtIoN oBSErVAtIoN MISSIoNThe heads of international election observation missions,comprising of the African Union, the Commonwealth Ob-server Group, the European Union, the International Republi-can Institute, and the National Democratic Institute, wouldlike to congratulate the leaders and people of Nigeria for theircommitment to a peaceful response to the election results.

We commend President Goodluck Jonathan for his states-manship in swiftly congratulating his opponent and pavingthe way for a historic peaceful transfer of power and we alsocongratulate General Buhari on his success and his apprecia-tion of his opponent.

We call on the people of Nigeria to approach the upcominggovernorship elections, which will also be internationally ob-served, with the same commendable spirit as demonstratedduring the presidential election.

Professor Amos Sawyer, Head of the African Union ElectionObservation Mission; Dr Bakili Muluzi, Chairperson of theCommonwealth Observer Group; Santiago Fisas, Chief Ob-server of the European Union Election Observation Mission;Constance Berry Newman, Co-Leader of the International Re-publican Institute Election Observation Mission; AmbassadorJohnnie Carson, Co-Leader of the National Democratic Insti-tute International Observation Mission

Mr BIMBo AfolAyAN roBErtS, Chairman, CentralAssociation of Nigerians in the uK (CANuK) “This is one of the best times ever for Nigeria; democracy hascome to stay. This is the firsttime the opposition has wonthe Presidency and the firsttime an incumbent has con-gratulated the winner. This ex-perience has made Nigeria astrong and striving democ-racy. We need to take this op-portunity to move the nationforward and place Nigeriafirmly among the comity of democratic nations.”

The role social media played in the 2015 Nigeriaelections raises hopes for an “African spring”

CoMMuNICAtIoNS

An international group of 16 women basedin the uK were recognised recently at theprestigious holiday inn, Bloomsbury, forbeing “awesome” and “inspiring”. Theacclamation was made by Sherry Anndixon, founder of Women on the crossroads(Wotc) network; an online space thatenables women to connect andcommunicate their needs and bring theseissues to the attention of others.

Highlights of the evening included the firsthonorary lifetime achievement award presentedby Councilor Susan Jumoke Fajan-Thomas toIrene Sinclair, from Guyana, who is now 106years old. Irene became a model for the DoveWorldwide Campaign at the age of 96. MsSinclair ended her thank you speech with herown rendition of Vera Lynn’s, “We’ll meetagain”.

Ms Dixon said she was truly humbled by thelove shown at Awesome You event. “When I

made the decision to put on the Women on theCrossroads “Awesome You” event I wasthinking of all the women I meet as I mentor,lecturer and give inspirational talks. Many tellme that they want to raise the bar, to dosomething for themselves, but lacked theconfidence.

“I chose ‘Inspirers’ from different walks oflife to show those who attended that we all havehiccups and may have been at many crossroadsin our lives before finally finding our feet andbecoming the role models in our lives and thenin our chosen career.

“I wanted to motivate people to keep on

trying and be like Irene Sinclair, 106-years-oldand a model who’s catchphrase is, ‘Never saynever’.”

The evening seems to have been a greatsuccess with many of the more than 150 presentsigning up to become mentors to the nextgeneration. Ms Dixon told Nigerian Watch, “Ibelieve Awesome made an impact andmotivated many to raise the bar, that they toomust make a mark; passing on the baton to thenext generation.

“Many have signed up to be mentors and forthis reason I believe that we are about to make aglobal change inattitude. Many wantto inspire not only inthe UK but via socialmedia and Skype toothers less fortunatein Africa, theCaribbean and the US.I am ultimately tryingto stop women fromusing the excuse thatthey can’t. Who saysyou can’t? You do. IfIrene Sinclair can doit, so can you.

“Many women aretoo willing to take theback seat and moan.My whole teaching isabout getting up,getting going andgetting, to stopwomen, especiallythe younger generation,from giving up. I wantthem to stop moaningbecause our forebearshad it harder.

“Many women of mygrandmother andmother’s generationhad to work a day job,do a part time cleaning or make money teachingprivate students. Whatever it was they did it.Now the younger generations, who are moreequipped with gadgets to make their liveseasier, are choosing not to enhance theirpersonal brand. I want to make them see thatit’s not good enough to give up.”

On the night, powerful messages of personalfailure, tribulations and achievements weregiven. St Lucian/UK Inspirer, TV producer andpresenter, Delia Dolor was acknowledged forthe unique way she inspires others to achieve;especially the young and those in need.

Inspirer Eryca Freemantle, who was involvedin a major car accident– which caused her tolose her hair, suffer multiple facial scars and nearamputation to her left leg – is now regarded asone of the world’s most famous makeup andfashion institutions. Lawyer Jenny Chika Okafortold the audience she was an example of whatcould be overcome and what could be achieved“if you stay strong and focused”.

Acclaimed TV Presenter Pauline Long,focused on what she has achieved despite issuesin the early start of her career.

Wari Lace, Inspirer and co-ordinator of theAwesome You FashionShow, said, “I wasinspired to get involvedas Sherry Ann Dixon isPatron of my companycalled LACE (LondonAfrica Cultural Event),which is all aboutinspiring the nextgeneration. I lovehelping African-inspired brands toshow off their creativetalent and it was greatto see two Africandesigners – KosibahCreations and SamonSoboye – showcasetheir beautiful fashion.Seeing brands likethose in the limelightwill only serve toinspire others to make

their mark.” Natasha

Veerasawmy, founderof Bonded Thru Cancer,was selected for thespecial award of a fiveday holiday at ParadiseRidge with butlerservice at Ladera resort

in Saint Lucia. Her charity works to ensureanyone diagnosed with cancer is not left totackle the deadly disease on their own.Accepting her gift, she tearfully informed theaudience that as a cancer victim she strived toachieve the purpose of bondedthrucancer.comand said, “never in my wildest dreams did Ithink I’d receive such a wonderful gift. I’mgoing to Saint Lucia!” Staring at a picture ofLadera, she screamed, “Wow!”For more information go to:www.womenonthecrossroads.com or [email protected]

I S C O M I N G T OEXCEL LONDON19 - 22 MAY 2015VISIT US FOR ALL YOUR RESOURCE AND EQUIPMENT N E E D S A N D E N J O YSEMINARS, THEATRE, FILMBOOKS, MULTIMEDIA & MORE ...

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“many women are toowilling to take a backseat and moan. I wantthem to stop because ourforebears had it harder”

‘If 106-year-old Irene can do it, socan you’“Awesome” inspirersmore than shine at eventto motivate the next generation to set andachieve high goals

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“13 plus, gcSEs and A level exams are fastapproaching. getting your child just to sitdown and begin to tackle their revisionover the Easter holidays can be difficult forany parent,” says hugh Viney, educationconsultant and director of minerva tutors.“The trick is to work out exactly whatmotivates them and to find their perfectlearning environment. But that’s notalways easy.”

here are hugh’s top tips for revision andexam success:

SEttINg goAlSLaying down achievable goals is the key tomotivating them and unlocking theirpotential. Don’t merely say “sit down andwork”. Break the long-term revision planinto workable objectives, like completingcertain topics within subjects. For example,say, “By the end of today lets make sureyou’ve covered algebra for your maths non-calculator paper”, or, “Let’s look atvolcanoes in geography this morning”, ismuch more doable than saying, “Sit down

and get going with your maths revision.” Setting these small goals leads to

satisfaction once they have been achieved.This in turn leads to students working harderto achieve the next set of goals. Introducingyoung students to the powerful motivationaltool that is goal-setting will help them in allwalks of life, way beyond the exam hall.Write the goals down next to their revisiontimetable. Feel immensely satisfied as youcross them off.

CrEAtE thE rIght StuDy ENVIroNMENtA good study environment has good lighting,is tidy and minimises the number ofdistractions. Talk to your child about whatkind of environment they work best in. Is itthe kitchen, their room or the living room?Try different locations out. And consider afree local library.

PuttINg thEM uNDEr A lIttlE PrESSurEIS No BAD thINgResearch suggests that children performbetter when they know their parents andteachers have high expectations of them. It

shows them that trustworthy adults believein their potential, which gives themconfidence that they can succeed.

Be very specific about the expectation youhave of your child. “I believe you can go upfrom a C to a B in English this holiday” isbetter than “You need to focus more onEnglish”.

Consider putting your expectations andbelief in their abilities down in writing.

PrAISE thEM for Effort AS WEll ASSuCCESSRemind them of past achievements. Build uptheir confidence by telling them they’ve done

it once they can do it again. But also praiseeffort even if it doesn’t bring initial results.

Learning is not about achieving aparticular grade, it’s about enjoying aprocess, with all of its peaks and troughs.That’s why praising effort rather than justachievement works better, to encouragechildren to persevere through challenges. Ittransforms learning into a game rather than arace.

A tutor can be the perfect support forparent and pupil alike. Our team at Minervaour specifically trained to motivate theirpupils and encourage them towards success.Ideal at this crucial time of year before exams.


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thEAtrEEverymanChiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years aSlave) is Everyman in CarolAnn Duffy's new adaptation.

Everyman is successful,popular and riding high whenDeath comes calling. He isforced to abandon thehedonistic life he has built andembark on a last, franticsearch to recruit a friend,anyone, to speak in hisdefence. But Death is closebehind, and time is runningout.22nd Apr-16th Jul,2:00pm/7:30pm. Tickets from £15.National Theatre, South Bank, SE1www.nationaltheatre.org.uk

EclipsedIt’s best to work with thesystem, and right now -thesystem is war.

2003, civil war is raging in

Liberia. At a rebel army basefour young women are doingtheir best to survive theconditions of the war. Yetsometimes, the greatestthreat comes not from theenemy’s guns, but from thebrutality of those on yourown side. With the arrival of anew girl, who can read, andan old one, who can kill, howmight this transform thefuture of this hard-bittensisterhood?Until 16th May, 3;00/7:30pm.From £10

Gate Theatre, 11 PembridgeRoad, Notting Hill Gate, W11www.gatetheatre.co.uk

The Spalding SuiteCombining original poetrywith contemporarymovement, The SpaldingSuite is a new physical theatreshow that celebrates theelegance and beauty ofbasketball from a Britishperspective.

Six dynamic performerswill mix live beatboxing,music, hip-hop, basketball

inspired movement andpoetry, taking us from thefleeting high of the score andthe robust camaraderie of theteam, to the poignant lows ofa body too worn to play thegame.Touring the UK from April23rd;29 Apr – 2 May, 2:00/7:30pm.From £15.Southbank Centre, LondonBelvedere Rd, SE1 www.southbankcentre.co.uk

DANCEBoy Blue Ent: legacy A new showcase ofhandpicked dance piecesexploring some of Blue BoyEnt’s most original work ofthe last fourteen years.

Curated by Kenrick ‘H2O'Sandy and Michael ‘Mikey J'Asante, the show will featurework from eleven of the UK’spre-eminent hip hop dancers,including Kenrick ‘H2O'Sandy, with guestperformances from The BluePrint and Michael ‘Mikey J'Asante / The Bluez. 15-18 Apr, 3:00/7:00pm. From£13.Theatre Royal Stratford East,Gerry Raffles Square,Stratford, E15 www.stratfordeast.com

ArtMythopoeia | MequittaAhuja, Kapwani Kiwanga,Pamela Phatsimo Sunstrumand Alida rodriguesFeaturing four internationalartists: Mequitta Ahuja (USA),Kapwani Kiwanga (Canada),Alida Rodrigues (Angola/UK)and Pamela PhatsimoSunstrum (Botswana/SouthAfrica). The exhibition pointsto the age-old role ofstorytelling andmythologising in rationalisingthe unknown. 10 Apr- 9 May.Tiwani Gallery, 16 LittlePortland Street, London W1Wwww.tiwani.co.uk

Aabru Art's transcendingBoundaries 2015Aabru Art’s TranscendingBoundaries 2015 includesexceptional never-before-seen artworks by 35 Nigerianartists. TranscendingBoundaries 2015 highlightsthe thriving cultural life of

Africa and offers anopportunity to invest inpieces by well-knownmasters in their region andinternationally emergingartists of great quality.24 April - 11 MayLacey Contemporary Gallery, 8Clarendon Cross, W11

ChIlDrENMwalimu ExpressIts all about music and filmfrom the Motherland. Its freeand incredibly familyfriendly. Featuring a tributeconcert celebrating the life ofYulisa Amadu Maddy.Performances from UsifuJalloh The Cowfoot Prince,Alim Kamara Matto ColeShowers Jalloh Asabi HawahAbdul TJ, Bunton Cole , withdrumming and danceworkshops. SpecialMasquerades from SierraLeone. Games and deliciousfood from Mama Put More.Tributes from the great BunnyMack, King Masco and Anni


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WhAt to SEE AND Do oVEr thE NExt 14 DAyS...Fortnight

A remarkable silent film by Italian explorer and filmmaker Attilio Gatti, with a live score by the talentedBritish-Nigerian musician Juwon Ogungbe, using African and western instruments.

In 1927 Gatti travelled to Africa with anthropologist Lidio Cipriani to make a film that would depictthe realities of life among the Zulu natives and blend them with a scripted story. The result was Silivathe Zulu, a story of a romantic rivalry in a primitive African village.

Along with the love story wedged into Gatti’s footage, Siliva the Zulu also includes historically invaluable scenes of daily life among the Zulu people, including healing rituals, dancing, and magicalceremonies. 17th Apr, 7:30pm. Tickets £10. Wilton's Music Hall, 1 Graces Alley, London, Tower Hamlets, E1 wiltons.org.uk

An interactive, accessible exhibitionabout immigration as part of ChangingBritain.In 1951, the nationwide Festival of Britainestablished a feeling of recovery andprogress following the Second World War.Do we still believe in its values?Changing Britain is inspired by Tales of aNew Jerusalem, a series of acclaimedbooks by historian David Kynastonexamining the social history of Englandafter World War Two.In the run-up to the 2015 nationalelection, with immigration high on theagenda, we ask what we can do topromote understanding and empathy forfellow human beings.17 April – 6 Sept, 10:00am – 11:00pm.FREESouthbank Centre, LondonBelvedere Rd, SE1 www.southbankcentre.co.uk

SIlIVA thE Zulu

ADoPtINg BrItAIN; 70 yEArS of MIgrAtIoN

eclipsed at The gateTheatre - see Theatrelistings below.

blue boy eNt at TheTheatre royal stratford

Mythopoeiatiwanicontempoary

LEISUREWatch

Domingo.19 Apr, 2:00pm - 5:00pm. FREERichmix, 35-47 Bethnal GreenRoad, E1.www.richmix.org.uk

CoMEDygina yashere and friends Her biggest show to date,Laugh Riot promises toexplore it all! One of the UK’sfunniest females, GinaYashere, returns to her homecountry from across the pond.Gina, as always, has plenty ofstories to tell in a way thatonly Gina can tell them!11 Apr, 7:00pm. TIckets from£18. O2 Academy Brixton, 211Stockwell Road, Brixton SW9.www.o2academybrixton.co.uk

Immigrant DiariesStatistics don't tell the story ofimmigrants; people do.Comedians and entertainersshare their true stories ofpeople who choose to live andwork on this marvellouslymulticultural island.24th Apr, 8:30pm. Tickets £10Southbank Centre, LondonBelvedere Rd, SE1 www.southbankcentre.co.uk

MuSICJuju featuring: Mosi Conde Mosi Conde will delight bothaficionados of African musicand newcomers to the genre,with his immense talent andfresh vibes, firmly rooted in

tradition. 11 Apr. Advance Tickets

£6.00Upstairs at the Ritzy,Brixton Oval,Coldharbour Lane, SW2 www.facebook.com/UpstairsAtTheRitzy

SinkaneSinkane creates an eclecticblend of music featuringstyles ranging from anythinglike krautrock and funk rockto Sudanese pop music andfree jazz.14th Apr, 8:00pm. Tickets£9.50. 18+London XOYO, 32-37 CowperStreet, Shoreditch, EC2Awww.xoyo.co.uk

othErProfessional Blogging in thelondon African CommunityBringing prominent figures ofLondon based African writersand bloggers together todiscuss the concept ofIdentity, Home and Belongingwithin the UK AfricanCommunity context in themorning, followed by anafternoon workshop on thecultural integration of Africancommunities in London andthe UK.

11th Apr, 10:00am to 5:00pm.From £5:00Migreat Africans, 18 E TenterStreet, E1 www.migreat.co.uk

Annual Igbo Conference:Igbo WomanhoodThe theme of the fourthannual Igbo Conference is‘Igbo Womanhood,Womanbeing andPersonhood’. Exploring Igbotraditions in relation to therole and status of women inpanels, Igbo culturalperformances andworkshops. With AuthorNnedi Okorafor.17th - 18th Apr, 9:30 am - 8:00pmBrunei Gallery Lecture Theatre,School of African OrientalStudies,Thornhaugh Street - RussellSquarewww.igboconference.com

Black Whose Story is itanyway?Writers including; NadifaMohamed, Chris Cleave, andZodwa Nyoni discuss therepresentation of refugees innovels and plays. 21st Apr, 7:30pm. Tickets £5.Richmix, 35-47 Bethnal GreenRoad, E1.www.richmix.org.uk

fashion Africa Conference2015 – london – “AN

AfrICAN rEVolutIoN”Social Enterprise AfricaFashion Guide host a full dayconference event! Providing ameans to discuss and promotethe full supply chain ofAfrican Fashion Design,Textiles, and Manufacturing.

With AnnegretAffolderbach of Choolips,Arieta Mujay of AfricanCreative Collective, ChristneBredehorst of Cotton Made inAfrica, Leigh Odimah ofAfrica Channel, TamsinLejeune of Ethical FashionForum and many, manymore.

24 Apr, 9:00am - 5:00pm,From £35Rich Mix, 35-47 Bethnal Green


Follow us on Twitter@NigerianWatch24 LEISUREWatch

siNkaNe at Xoyo,shoreditch - seeMusic listings below

The world famous Harlem Globetrot-ters are in town. This is no merebasketball game... it's an eye-pop-ping piece of family enter-tainment that has beenthrilling fans for morethan 80 years.

This year's star-studded teamincludes Sweet J Ekworomaduwho plays for the NigerianNational Womens Bas-ketball side.18th Apr, 7.30 pm. From £21Wembley Arena, ArenaSquare, Engineers Way,Wembley, Londonwww.ssearena.co.uk

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FUELLING THE DELTA FIRES

Nigeria striker Emmanuel Emenike sayshe and his fenerbahce team-mates wereleft in shock after their team bus wasshot at by a gunman on Saturday (April4). The shooting happened as the turkishside were travelling to trabzon airport tofly back to istanbul, following a 5-1 winover rizespor.

The driver was taken to hospital but noplayers were injured in the attack.

“The incident left several players in shock,when we should be celebrating a big awaywin,” Emenike told BBC Sport, following avictory that took them to the top of the table.“I was on the phone with my brother when Iheard the loud sound and I thought one ofour tyres had busted because the bus wasswerving on the road.

“We quickly realised the security guy wasthe one who hit the brake, and he said thedriver [who was already soaked in blood] hadbeen shot. The word ‘shot’ came as a bigshock but when we saw blood and theshattered driver’s side window, it quicklyturned into a scary moment for everyone onthe bus.”

Fenerbahce have since called for theTurkish Super Lig to be suspended followingthe attack. Emenike, 27, and his team-mateshave been left stunned by what happened.

“It’s unbelievable that some peopleactually fired shots at our bus and the driver

was badly hit, a bus conveying footballersand officials,” he said. “It’s strange but it’salso an indication that things happen in lifeand no-one can be guaranteed completesafety.

“I just want to wish our brave driver aspeedy recovery. I will forever be grateful tohim and our security man because that buscould have plunged over the bridge.

“The outcome could have been terribleand tragic but we are all here today becauseof them and of course God was on our side.”

For Emenike, the shooting wasparticularly shocking as it brought back badmemories. “I’ve been involved in a terribleaccident in Nigeria before, where my mothersuffered severe bruises, and for a moment Ihad a terrible flashback when that bus wasswerving all over the road,” he said.

“I hope this incident will be investigatedthoroughly and the perpetrators are made toface the justice system.”

Emenike, who has endured a turbulentperiod in Turkish football since he re-joinedFenerbahce in 2013, demanded to besubstituted after he was booed by his ownfans during their 1-0 home win over rivalsBesiktas two weeks ago.

The Nigeria international has scored onlyfour goals in 23 league appearances thisseason but says this latest incident will notforce him to quit the Istanbul-based club.

“I have a contract here and I love theclub,” he added. “It’s only an isolatedincident and not enough to make me look foran easy way out.”

Fenerbahce, who have former PremierLeague players Dirk Kuyt, Raul Meireles andEmre Belozoglu in their side, are thedefending champions and have won themajor domestic competition 19 times.

EMENIKE tAlKS of BuS ShootINg

T R A N S C E N D I N G B O U N D A R I E S

Exclusive showing in aid of Safe Child AfricaGuest list only

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Nigerian Fine Art Collection

Image © Robin Hammond. Safe Child Africa is a registered charity number 1112476.

Muhammed down the right. But it took a moment of puremagic from Bulbwa, who showed great skill outside thebox, before unleashing an unstoppable screamer into thetop corner of the net.

Senegal searched for an equaliser before the breakwith Roger Gomis and Moussa Kone coming close. In ascary moment in the 41st minute, the Flying Eaglesdefenders were ball watching as Sane nodded a Sarrcorner kick onto the cross bar in the 41st minute.

In the second half, the Young Lions kept pressingforward in search of an equaliser and a cracking shot fromNiang in the 47th minute was brilliantly tipped away byEnaholo. In the 54th minute, Senegal nearly scored againbut the Nigerian defence cleared the danger after a goalmouth scramble. The Flying Eagles stood firm to be hailedas champions by the 40,000 strong crowd.

The Flying Eagles are now one of the favourites for theU20 World Cup taking place in New Zealand later thisyear. Preceding the final, Ghana beat Mali 3-1 in the thirdplace play-off to win the bronze medal.

Nigeria’s Super Eagles haveredeemed some of their lost pride with a spirited performance against SouthAfrica’s Bafana Bafana in Nelspruit on March 29 thatsaw them concede a lastminute equaliser in a hardfought 1-1 draw.

Of late the Eagles havebeen on a downward trendafter a string of poor resultsthat saw them fail to qualify

for the 2015 African Cup ofNations.

Prior to playing SouthAfrica, the team also lost athome to lowly Uganda in amatch played at the Uyo Stadium in Akwa Ibom State,prompting calls for more patriotism and spirit from theplayers.

Thankfully the team ap-peared to heed those callswith a spirited performance.

Super Eagles respondto call for more spirit

flyINg EAglES From page 28



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INSIDE

Emenike in ‘shock’ afterfenerbahce bus shooting

FlyiNg eagles break aFricaNrecordNigEriA’s u20 team the flying Eagles have beencrowned African champions for a record seventhtime – following their 1-0 victory over hostsSenegal in dakar in the African Youthchampionship on march 22. And now are set toface Brazil in the u20 World cup.

The Flying Eagles sealed victory thanks to a lonegoal scored by Bernard Bulbwa in the 20th minute ofa tense affair. But both Nigeria and Senegal, along withrunners-up Mali and Ghana, now qualify for the U20World Cup as Africa has four slots to fill.

The four African representatives for thetournament learnt of what awaits them in NewZealand the day after the final, following the drawconducted in Dakar.

The Flying Eagles will feature in Group E, pitchingthem against Brazil, Korea DPR and Hungary; Ghana’sBlack Satellites were drawn in Group B alongsideArgentina, Panama and Austria; ‘Les Lionceaux’ ofSenegal in Group C with Qatar, Colombia andPortugal; whilst the Eaglets of Mali will battle it outwith Mexico, Uruguay and Serbia in Group D.

In the final against Senegal the Flying Eagles tooktime to settle to their usual free flowing game andutilised the runs of captain Musa Turn to page 27

nigerian watch - issue 050

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