Inspiring Youth: Professor Francisca Nneka Okeke

Meet Francisca Okeke, Professor of Physics at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. She recently received the L’Oreal-UNESCO for Women in Science Award for her significant contributions to the understanding of daily variations of the ion currents in the upper atmosphere which may further our understanding of climate change. She was also the Dean in the faculty of Physical Sciences at her University, from 2008 to 2010.

Professor Okeke spoke with us about her background and inspiration, the cultural challenges she overcame in achieving success and how she uses her position to encourage and inspire young women scientists in Nigeria.

Professor Francisca Nneka Okeke in her lab

What challenges did you face, in particular, with regards to the stereotypes of women and the culture in your country, Nigeria, when you decided to get involved in science?

In the past, the core sciences such as physics were regarded as male domains where women were expected not to be seen but to be heard. People used to think that when you get into these core science subjects, like physics, the characteristics that are most worthily accepted for women in our society, including passivity, emotionality, intuition and receptivity would no longer be possessed by that woman. Therefore they fought against women trying to embark on studying these core subjects.

But, my own case was a little different; my father was an old graduate of mathematics who was my mentor, so I did not face that in my family because he was supportive of everything about science. Not only did he encourage me, he was my mentor. He planted and watered the seed of my academic excellence which we are celebrating today. He laboured and inspired my love for science in general, and mathematics in particular. That love for mathematics later metamorphosed into a special love for physics.

Professor Francisca Nneka Okeke

What other challenges did you face as you progressed in your career and have you noticed any changes since you started out in this career with regards to attitude towards women in Physics?

In our University, the University of Nigeria, I know the stages and the war that went on before I became the first female head of physics. After that, I became the first female Dean in the Faculty of Physical Sciences. It wasn’t very easy but they saw some good qualities and I was voted into the Deanship.

What this means it that as women, we have to be focused and determined and courageous, because, one with courage is a majority, not quarrelsome. We will eventually get there with determination and commitment.

There have been many changes during and after my leadership as Head of Physics as well as Dean of Faculty of Physical Sciences.  When I started, there used to be only two ladies in the Physics department. But while I was the head, I was instrumental to the employment of three other female staff. While I was the Dean, my priority was employing women who are qualified in the faculty, in Mathematics, Physics, Geology, Chemistry, Statistics and Computer Science. Now we are many women in the faculty of Physical Sciences.

I always encourage women who are leaders to try to encourage fellow women rather than being too stern and frightening.

© L'Oreal Foundation
Professor Francisca Nneka OKEKE – L'Oréal-UNESCO for Women in Science Awards lauréate for Africa and the Arab States

What remains as the biggest challenge faced by women and young girls in science in Nigeria and what can be done to encourage young girls to consider further study in Science?

It’s encouragement. Where and when it is possible, we need to let the guardians and parents know the importance of women participating in science.

I will talk specifically about the village because, though there are some enlightened people there, the situation is worse. Sometimes you have girls who are very brilliant but are forced into early marriage. We can let parents be aware of advantages of their daughters becoming scientists and that they can gain more from the girls when they are scientists than when they get married as early as 16, 17 or 18. Like it happened a few years a go, we can call social gatherings with a talk by someone on ‘women in science’. We can give them examples, maybe by playing movies of successful women in science. This can work wonders.

We need to get guidance counsellors for these young women because some of them should have opted for these courses but since they don’t have the background and counselling, they say “this is a male subject so I can’t do it”.

Another angle to this is to lead as a model, by example. I have so many postgraduate female students and many of them have gotten PhDs through my guidance, counselling and encouragement. But if I don’t let them come near me, they will be scared. And once they are scared of you, they are scared of the subject. We need to tell them that this subject is not as difficult as they think. If it’s possible, get women to teach women. ‘Seeing is believing’. They will eventually see that it is practical and that this is a subject that can be dabbled into and not fearing it because ‘people say…’
Finally, as women scientist, we have to establish good relationships with younger women scientists and even among ourselves, so we can all get along with each other. Leading women scientists must develop a leadership style that will be highly prized. This L’Oreal-UNESCO Award given to me is a big challenge; it has strengthened me to continue to encourage girls and women to participate in the development of science and technology by offering these core sciences courses in schools and universities. This invariably furthers the development of a Nation.

The L’Oreal-UNESCO Awards for Women in Science are yielding tremendous fruits and more women are being encouraged to read science as a course, we are proud of this.

The Nigerian Status Quo

Adewale Maja-Pearce

LAGOS, Nigeria — The current Nigerian government is widely seen as the most corrupt since independence from Britain in 1960. Ordinarily, this would be a huge problem for President Goodluck Jonathan and his People’s Democratic Party, which has been continuously in power since the end of military rule in 1999. But things are unlikely to change. To many Nigerians, it sometimes seems as if we merely swapped military dictatorship for a one-party state.

Mr. Jonathan’s name will be on the ballot this February, when Nigerians, many of them fed up with government corruption and incompetence, go to the polls. Yet events percolating across the country that could come to a boil within the next three months might actually work to the president’s advantage. Two grave problems — the Boko Haram insurgency and tensions in the oil-rich Niger Delta — hang over the land. A third, West Africa’s Ebola crisis, seems to have been contained so far, and though this has little to do with Mr. Jonathan’s leadership, the people responsible for it are unlikely to gain any political capital at his expense.

The incompetence of Mr. Jonathan’s government is most clearly seen in its inability to rescue the 276 schoolgirls, most of them believed to be Christians, who were kidnapped by Boko Haram insurgents in the largely Islamic north last April. Even at the time, the president, himself a Christian from the largely Christian south, didn’t seem much concerned about their fate. It took him almost three weeks to officially acknowledge what had happened, whereupon he belatedly invited their relatives to lunch at the presidential villa in Abuja, an event which one journalist likened to “a wedding reception,” complete with bunting and a band.

What Mr. Jonathan didn’t count upon was the international furor over the kidnappings or the powerful worldwide publicity, negative in his case, of the #BringBackOurGirls campaign. Seven months later, most of the girls are still missing (though dozens have managed to escape). A report by Human Rights Watch catalogued the “physical and psychological abuse they were subjected to: forced labor, forced participation in military operations, including carrying ammunition or luring men into ambush; forced marriage to their captors; and sexual abuse, including rape.”

Meanwhile, sporadic violence continues. Last week, a suicide bomber killed at least 48 students at a boys’ high school in the northeast. Rescuing the girls — or putting an end to the insurgency altogether — would certainly help Mr. Jonathan’s ambitions, but his government’s ability to do so seems most unlikely. Corruption and low morale have hobbled the military. Even so, the government announced last month that the extremists had agreed to a cease-fire, though Boko Haram has denied it.

Although the extremists have been widely condemned by leading Muslim clerics and politicians, the insurgency contributes to Christian suspicions of their Muslim compatriots, and this may well play into Mr. Jonathan’s hands come election time.

But in an effort to bridge sectarian divisions and garner votes across the religious divide, the country’s leading opposition parties, one from the largely Muslim northeast, the other from the mostly Christian southwest, have joined forces with other groups to form the All Progressives Congress. In theory, this gives the opposition a fighting chance of wresting control of the Senate and House of Representatives from the People’s Democratic Party.

Unfortunately, efforts to make common cause in Nigeria are invariably sacrificed upon the altars of religion and ethnicity. The alliance’s likely presidential candidate is a Muslim northerner, Muhammadu Buhari. He also happens to be a former dictator, who ruled Nigeria for 20 months in the mid-1980s. His administration came to an abrupt end in August 1985, when members of his cabinet, alienated by his efforts to root out corruption, forced him out. Though widely unpopular, many Nigerians feel he has the credentials to tackle corruption. Moreover, one potential running mate is Babatunde Raji Fashola, the two-term governor of Lagos State who has distinguished himself by successfully tackling the incipient Ebola crisis with the same energy and efficiency that he brought to modernizing the infrastructure of Lagos, the biggest port in West Africa. But there are also doubts about his commitment to clean government, fueled by the fact that he is a protègé of Ahmed Bola Tinubu, a former governor of the same state and a founding member of the All Progressives Congress whose reputation has been tarnished by corruption scandals, even though he has never been convicted of corruption.

Though Mr. Fashola is a Muslim with a Catholic wife, few Christians (or for that matter even the generally more-liberally minded Muslims of the south) would be inclined to vote for a Muslim-Muslim ticket.

Religious differences are a key factor in voting, but perhaps patronage plays a greater role, a lesson Mr. Jonathan learned in the Niger Delta, where he taught school and gained political prominence. Like any savvy politician, he knows that patronage is a two-way street, and he has been careful to keep the money flowing in a region plagued by resentment over oil rights, piracy and periodic unrest.

Oil is Nigeria’s greatest source of wealth, providing about 90 percent of the nation’s foreign exchange earnings, but many people among the delta’s diverse ethnic groups feel that the central government has seized control of their oil without adequate compensation. The government says it loses about $3 billion a year due to piracy, widely seen as aided and abetted by the military. Local gangs also take what they can by tapping pipelines. In the past, anger over corruption and the unfair redistribution of wealth has fueled a dangerous political militancy. Everyone knows that if the militants want to, they can easily stop oil production, which would bankrupt the country.

Thus Mr. Jonathan takes care to ensure that the region is well looked after, and this contributes to his enormous popularity there. Indeed, he is widely seen as crucial to keeping the lid on potential unrest. In the words of Mujahid Dokubo-Asari, a former leader of the Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Force who is now a key supporter, if Mr. Jonathan is not re-elected next year, there will be “blood in the streets.”

90% of Nigerians With Mental Disorders Do Not Visit Hospital – Psychiatrist

A Consultant Psychiatrist, Femi Olugbile, on Friday said 90 percent of Nigerians with mental disorders did not visit their healthcare providers for attention.

Olugbile, who is also a former Chief Medical Director, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

According to him, such attitude will have detrimental effects on both the individual and the society at large.

“90 percent of people, who have mental disorders in our country, whether major or minor, do not get to see any healthcare provider at all for relief of their symptoms.

“So, they are not diagnosed or treated which is a shame, because they have a detrimental effect, not just on the individuals, but on our society.

“Most people who have mental illnesses carry them about; it is like they are working wounded. So, they go to work and live their lives.

“They are not disturbing other people, but they are under-performing at their tasks or they are making wrong decisions as a result of the illness. So, untreated mental illness, whether major or minor, carries a cost both for the individual and the society.”

Olugbile said that, at least, one in five people would some time in life experience one or other types of mental illness.

According to him, most of the illnesses that people have are not psychotic such as hallucinations, schizophrenia, they are anxiety and depression.

“They are very common and often missed, because people do not even recognise them as mental illnesses, and they do not present themselves to healthcare providers.

“They do not present, sometimes, out of ignorance or just because the facilities for intervention are not available or within their easy reach.

“Those constitute the overwhelming majority of mental illnesses,” he said.

Olugbile said that there were approximately 100 psychiatrists in Nigeria due to brain drain which had continued to be a challenge.

“Many Nigerian psychiatrists practiced abroad because conditions of work in many Western countries are obviously more attractive than locally.

“Also, many young doctors prefer to specialise in areas they consider more ‘lucrative’ such as obstetrics and gynaecology rather than psychiatry.

“Efforts are ongoing to get more young doctors to show interest in psychiatry as a career.”

Olugbile said that it was a challenge and the country has to think of how to creatively provide mental health services to substantial number of the people.

Nigeria 2015: INEC to engage Air Force, Navy for elections – Official

 Nigeria Air Force Alpha Jets.

The Independent National Electoral Commission said it would engage the services of Nigerian Air Force, Navy and other security agencies for adequate security during general elections in 2015.
Austin Okojie, the Commission’s Resident Electoral Commissioner in Taraba, disclosed this while addressing Batch B corps members at NYSC Orientation Camp in Jalingo on Sunday.
Mr. Okojie explained that the move was necessary given the level of insecurity in the country.
“The commission is making arrangements with the Nigerian Air Force, Navy and other security agents to ensure safety of lives and property during the 2015 general elections.
“We expect Nigerians to understand that the engagement of security agents to maintain law and order is to enable us to conduct free, fair and acceptable elections,” he said.
Mr. Okojie advised corpse members to be patriotic in the elections.
The State Coordinator of NYSC, Freeman Tumba, commended the role of corps members in the country’s electoral process so far.
He said corps members were the best set of Nigerians to bring credibility to the nation’s electoral process.

Arresting Tambuwal Will Be Fatal For Nigeria's Democracy -APC

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has warned that the reported plan hatched by the Presidency to arrest House of Representatives Speaker Aminu Tambuwal could trigger a crisis that will be fatal for the nation's democracy, hence there is the need to jettison the plan out of abundance of caution.In a statement issued in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, on Saturday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the federal government will be pouring petrol on a naked fired by arresting the Speaker, following the failed attempt to prevent him from accessing the National

Assembly to preside over the affairs of the House of Representatives on Thursday, and also in an apparent attempt to halt the current move to impeach the President.''Published reports have corroborated what we know: That the plan on Thursday was to prevent Tambuwal from entering the National Assembly to pave the way for his Deputy, Emeke Ihedioha, who had already been allowed into the House, to preside over the removal of the Speaker. Were it not so, why would the police even try to seize the mace from the Sergeant-at-arms, as reported? Why would the police detain the Sergeant-at-arms for his refusal? What is the business of the police with the mace, which is the House's symbol of authority?''It has also now been corroborated that the plan hatched by the PDP and the Presidency was to give Tambuwal the ''Ekiti treatment'', in which seven PDP members removed the Speaker in a 26-member House of Assembly. But for the quick thinking and action by the Honorable members who scaled the gate to access the Assembly, that plan would have succeeded and Tambuwal would have been removed as Speaker, the consequences of which no one would have been able to foretell.''Therefore, instead of pillorying those who scaled the gate, we should be commending them for risking their lives to save our democracy. Those who shut the gate against the lawmakers and barred them from carrying out their constitutional duties are the villains, not the honorable members who acted in the nation's interest,'' it said.APC said the ceaseless hounding of Rt Hon Tambuwal by the President and the PDP is patently provocative, to say the least, and calls into question the stated commitment of the Jonathan Administration to the rule of law.''In the eyes of the law, Rt. Hon. Tambuwal remains the Speaker of the House of Representatives, despite his defection from the PDP to the APC. No matter what the PDP and the Presidency may feel, they are not the court of law, which is the only body that can make a definite pronouncement on the fate of the Speaker.''The Speaker also remains the number two man in the hierarchy of the Legislative Arm of government, which is distinct from the Executive Arm headed by the President. It is therefore not only unconstitutional but also anti-democratic and anarchic for the PDP-led government of President Goodluck Jonathan to continue to hound the Speaker and desecrate the hallowed chambers of the National Assembly, using the police force that has now become the enforcement arm of the ruling party, having dropped all pretences to neutrality and professionalism,'' APC said.The party said at a time the political atmosphere has become so charged by the government-backed police assault on the National Assembly, it is a perilous game to seek to arrest the Speaker, for whatever reason, unless of course the Administration is bent on deliberately plunging the nation into crisis.''It is difficult to fathom the reason behind the government's increasing resort to recklessness, but it may not be unconnected with the rising desperation by the ruling PDP to hold on to power at all cost. Perhaps now that it has started seeing the handwriting on the wall with Nigerians clamouring for change, this government may be tilting towards its last option of throwing the nation into crisis to prevent the 2015 elections from holding.''We are therefore calling on all men and women of good conscience, especially those who have the ears of the President, to prevail on him not to push the nation into any worse crisis than it is currently encountering. With terrorists daily killing and maiming Nigerians, forcing more than 1.5 million people to flee their homes and threatening the nation's territorial integrity, the government's trifling is baffling, and should stop forthwith,'' it said.

I have hope in Nigerian youth – Pres. Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan on Saturday expressed confidence in the ability of youth in the country to contribute to national development, if given the necessary encouragement.
Mr. Jonathan stated this in his goodwill message to the sixth convocation of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia.
Congratulating the graduates for their “remarkable achievement,” Mr. Jonathan said, “I have hope in the Nigerian youth.”
“I believe that with proper parental, communal and governmental support, our youths will not only excel academically but will also flourish in their chosen professions,” he said.
The president, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, MacJohn Nwaobiala, charged universities in the country to efficiently deploy National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy, NEEDS, funds to infrastructure needs.
He expressed happiness that public universities in the country were “much better now” following recent financial releases made to them in line with their NEEDS assessments.
“As we work to sustain this approach, it is my hope that most tertiary institutions will be able to develop infrastructurally, and also improve on their academic service delivery,” he said.
The president commended the governing council and management of the institution for transforming it “within the context of enhanced government support to the education sector”.
“They could not have been achieved without prudent management of resources,” he said.
He also expressed delight with the university authorities for constructing 10 hostel blocks of 500-bed space capacity with internally generated revenue, describing the achievement as “a rare feat.”
In his speech, the Abia State Governor, Theodore Orji, called for the diversification of the nation’s economy.
Mr. Orji, who was represented by his deputy, Emeka Ananaba, said Nigeria should look beyond oil and immediately commence the harnessing of its agricultural potential in order to save the economy from collapse.
He said that the essence of establishing universities of agriculture in the country was to produce needed manpower for the development of the agricultural sector.
He said that the state government had enunciated major policies and programmes to boost agricultural production and ensure food security.
Earlier, the Vice Chancellor of the university, Hilary Edeoga, thanked the Federal Government for releasing N2.7 billion to the school for the tackling of its “teething problems’’.
Mr. Edeoga said that the institution also received N500 million to facilitate the payment of allowances to its staff.
He, however, appealed to the government to approve the payment of the balance of the NEEDS Assessment fund and the allowance to the university.
A total of 17 graduands, out of the 1878, graduated in the First Class division.

Obahiagbon Reacts To Police Invasion Of NASS Complex





 












The presidential invasion of the National Assembly which was unscrupulously executed by its pursuivant inspector general of police had all the trappings of an Entebbe raid and executive rascality which is deservable of an acidic excoriation and corrosive pummeling. The impeachment gambit is however a frankeinstous yoyo with a potency for an erebus prone whirligig.

Buhari To Raise N7bn From Suppoters For Presidential Campaign

A former Head of State and presidential aspirant on the platform of All Progressives Congress, APC, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd), has begun an initiative to raise campaign funds from his supporters nationwide.

Under the initiative, Nigerians are expected to donate a minimum of N100 to the campaign fund in a similar manner American President, Barak Obama, raised campaign funds for his election.
With this plan, Buhari, who has always been known to run a modest presidential campaign in the past as a result of paucity of funds, is expected to raise about N7 billion from close to 70 million supporters.
Addressing his supporters under the banner of Buhari Support Organisation (BSO) in Abuja on Thursday, the former head of state said he decided to tap into the initiative because of the in-built mechanism for ensuring accountability and transparency in its operations.
He said: “What makes it worthy of praise is the fact that the initiative comes with its in-built mechanism for ensuring acceptability that is also transparency-friendly. If we preach accountability, we should be able to practise it. What we are about to do in the next few months is the culmination of painstaking effort, dedication and unquenchable zeal to make a difference to the future that lies before us”.
Expressing happiness about the support being extended to him by the youth, Buhari said what the groups had done was to rally support for a common purpose – to salvage the nation.
The presidential aspirant recalled that a similar initiative was used by President Obama, who rallied the support of the people to provide funds that enabled him to prosecute his campaign.

Leave Jonathan Out Of Reps Imbroglio, PDP Tells APC

The ruling Peoples Democratic Party has urged the All Progressive Congress and other political commentators to leave President Goodluck Jonathan out of the crisis rocking the House of Representatives, stating that as elected representatives of the people, the President cannot be blamed for the APC’s woes.

The opposition party had accused President Goodluck Jonathan of undermining his own administration’s war against Boko Haram on the altar of personal vindictiveness and political desperation to remove Aminu Tambuwal as Speaker, an action it said was unbecoming of a self-respecting national leader.
But the National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, in an interview with journalists in Abuja on Thursday said, “Every Nigerian knows clearly that PDP as a political party does not remote control its members. We don’t believe in interfering in the affairs of the National Assembly as a parliament, let alone the House of Representatives.
“PDP believe that as elected adults, they are responsible for their actions and it would be unfair to lay such blames on the President. The members are capable of taking decisions as adults.
“We are operating a democracy and there are three arms of government and National Assembly and indeed the House of Representatives is part of the legislative arm of ‎ government.
“There are crises in other states and the President cannot be blamed for such crisis”.
On the APC allegation that the Presidency was stalling the State of Emergency, Metuh said, “You know that it is a baseless‎ allegation and not founded on any logic. Those who are playing politics with the insurgency know themselves, but certainly not this administration led by President Jonathan”.

Jonathan’s Desperation To Remove Tambuwal Undermining Anti-Terrorism War, Says APC

The All Progressives Congress has accused President Goodluck Jonathan of political desperation and sabotaging his own administration’s war against Boko Haram all in a bid to satisfy his selfish ambition.

The party said this desire is unbecoming of a self-respecting national leader.
In a statement in Abuja on Thursday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the APC said just because he was so desperate to remove Aminu Tambuwal as Speaker of House of Representatives, Jonathan ensured that the House could not meet as scheduled on yesterday to consider his request for an extension of the State of Emergency in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states.
It said, “For a President, who has severally stated his administration’s commitment to the battle against the insurgency in the North-East, is it not a cruel irony that he allowed his personal ego and political desperation to override his sense of propriety, by moving to have Rt. Hon. Tambuwal removed instead of having the House of Representatives sit to consider his request?
“Does anyone need any more evidence that the President’s sole preoccupation is how to win the 2015 elections, rather than the fate of the hundreds of Nigerians, who are daily being killed and maimed at the epicentre of the insurgency? Had he been genuinely committed to the fight against insurgency, would the President not have allowed the House to sit to consider his request? How does he feel now that the entire National Assembly has been shut down because of his capricious action?”
The opposition party noted that because of “his meddlesomeness” in the affairs of another arm of government, and also “his blatant disregard for a court order that the status quo be maintained on the issue of the defection of the Speaker to the APC, the President on Thursday suffered a moral and political defeat that would haunt him” for a long time to come.
The statement added, “The plot was simple: The Presidency decided to use the reconvening of the House as an opportunity to remove the Speaker. While Deputy Speaker Emeka Ihedioha was accorded a presidential ride into the premises of the National Assembly, House Speaker Tambuwal was barred from entering by the hordes of security agents who have been deployed solely for that purpose.
“Their plan was to ensure that with Tambuwal locked out, Ihedioha would preside over the reconvened House and the Speaker will then be removed. The consideration of the request to extend the State of Emergency was not important to the Presidency. The fate of the Nigerians who are suffering from the insurgency, which has displaced 1.5 million people, does not bother the Presidency. All it wanted is to remove Tambuwal”.

23 Adamawa Assembly Members Considering Dumping PDP Over Failed Promises

Indications emerged on Thursday that 23 out of the 25 members of the Adamawa State House of Assembly may dump the Peoples Democratic Party due to the recent dissolution of the state executive of the party and the failure of the national leadership of the party to fulfill the promises made to lawmakers at the height of plans to impeach former Governor Murtala Nyako.

It was learnt that following the recent dissolution of the state executive of the party by the National Working Committee of PDP and the manipulation of the list of ad-hoc delegates in favour of a preferred candidate, the state lawmakers had been considering other options for political survival, including defecting to the All Progressives Congress.
The lawmakers are said to be particularly angry that they had been used to ensure the impeachment of Nyako and grassroots mobilisation of electorate in favour of the party only for them to be dumped when major decisions were to be taken.
When contacted, the member, representing Michika Constituency and Chairman, House Committee on Information, Adamu Kamale, said the members had become disillusioned with the recent developments and were under pressure from their constituents to reconsider their stay in the PDP.
Kamale said, “We are studying what is going  especially the dissolution of the state exco, the recent concluded ad-hoc delegates elections and the appointment of the caretaker committee, which were done without due consultation with the members and party’s stakeholders.
“We were promised automatic tickets for any elective position of our choice in return for the ouster of Nyako, which the Presidency was so desperate to achieve as of then”.

5 Reputable Nigerians Who Rejected National Awards And Presidential Gifts

Nigerian leaders in the past have sought to confer special awards on deserving Nigerian figures who have done the country proud in different ways. However, some of these awardees have turned down these awards stating various personal reasons and ideological differences. Here are 5 top Nigerians who turned their backs on national awards in the past:

Wole Soyinka

Akinwande Oluwole “Wole” Soyinka is a decorated playwright and poet who currently stands as one of Nigeria’s living legends. He bagged the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize for Literature in 1986 and became the first African to achieve such a feat. Wole has numerous accolades to his name and his reputation precedes him both nationally and internationally. His literary works include popular write ups like The Trials of Brother Jero and Kongi’s Harvest. He has always lent a voice to speak against the political ills plaguing the Nigerian nation and he never hesitated to speak the truth in the face of harrowing dictatorships.  He was imprisoned for 22 months during the civil war but that did not deter him from publishing pungent critiques of the government. Soyinka has turned down a number of government awards. Most recently, he was supposed to be awarded a centenary award conferred on 100 of the nation’s outstanding citizens over the last century but he turned down the award because he did not want to be regarded in the same vein as former Nigerian heads of states like Sani Abacha General Ibrahim Babangida, people he fought tirelessly against. He said, “I would have preferred that the entire day of infamy be ignored altogether. I’m even thinking favourably of just ignoring the obscenity, then turning up at the counter-event.”

Chinua Achebe

The late Chinua Achebe was a literary inspiration to many across the globe. He was a noovelist, poet and critic whose first book published in 1958,’Things Fall Apart’ gave him widespread recognition. The literary genius who hails from South Eastern Nigeria had immense literary acumen as he could paint vivid pictures of the places he visited and lived in as well as circumstances he found himself in. His other books which include ‘Anthills of the Savannah’ and ‘No Longer At Ease’ spoke immensely of the colonial rule in Nigeria and its ills. He had always being a critic of societal ills. His last publication before his passing, There Was a Country: A Personal History of Biafra brought to the forefront issues pertaining to Nigeria’s civil war. He rejected national awards time and time again and according to him, it was his way of protesting the political and economic condition in Nigeria. He died in Boston in March 2013 after battling an illness. He was aged 82 when he passed on.

Tunde Bakare

Pastor Tunde Bakare is a Nigerian many people regard in high esteem. An evangelist and an opinionated authority on Nigerian political issues, Pastor Tunde Bakare has a large following.  He has keenly made his intention known on various national issues and has been at the forefront of top conflicting mosts like the fuel subsidy removal.  On Monday, 31 January, the Nigerian presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, announced Pastor Tunde Bakare of the Latter Rain Assembly, Lagos as his running mate for the 2011 Nigerian presidential election and he accepted the position. CPC lost the presidential election to PDP, and Pastor Bakare has not relented in being critic of the Nigerian government and leadership. He rejected a gift of a cow sent to him at Christmas by the President himself.

Chief Gani Fawehinmi

Chief Gani Oyesola Fawehinmi was a lawyer par excellence. He was a author, publisher, philanthropist, social critic, human and civil rights lawyer, politician and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN). Born in Ondo State, Gani was one of the best lawyers in Nigeria while he was alive. His Wikipedia page suggests that he “tenaciously and uncompromisingly pursued and crusaded his beliefs, principles and ideals for the untrammelled rule of law, undiluted democracy, all embracing and expansive social justice, protection of fundamental human rights and respect for the hopes and aspirations of the masses who are victims of misgovernment of the affairs of the Nation.”
Chief Barr. Gani Fawehinmi rejected one of the highest national honours that can be bestowed on a citizen by the Nigerian government – Order of the Federal Republic (OFR) in 2008. He never failed to be blunt on issues of national proportion and was always objective till he passed on in 2009.

Femi Kuti in honour of late Fela Kuti

 
Femi Anikulapo Kuti is the eldest living son of late Afrobeats legend. Fela Anikulapo Kuti. He has travelled the world and has performed in numerous countries helping to export our own brand of African music heavily laden with the unique African culture. He has been nominated for four Grammy awards  in the world music category in 2003, 2010, 2012 and 2013. He carried on his father’s footsteps and has become the beacon through which his father’s legacy shines on. Femi recently turned down the centenary award dedicated to his late father. According to him, “the family would not honour the awards unless the government first of all apologies for the murder of their grandmother and the burning down of their father’s house Kalakuta Republic”

My Boyfriend Motivated Me – UNILORIN Best Graduating Student In Anatomy

Not all young girls in universities easily admit that they have boyfriends. Their male counterparts, many of them claim, are a source of distraction.
However, University of Ilorin 2013/2014 best Anatomy graduating student,Fatima Sulaimon has proved otherwise by saying that her secret of her success is her boyfriend who she claims she didn’t have amorous indulgences 
The 22-year-old is not just proud of her boyfriend, she is also happy with the relationship.
According to her, her boyfriend is the catalyst for her success. She said, “He encouraged, inspired and assisted me to excel in my studies.”
Sulaimon, with a Cumulative Grade Average Point of 4.80, not only emerged as one of the 48 first class graduates this year, she is also the first female to obtain that grade in Anatomy in the history of the 29-year-old university.
Claiming however that the relationship with her boyfriend was a ‘normal friendship devoid of untoward indulgences’, she stated that the young man gave her a lot of psychological support.
The lass added, “He encouraged me. At times, even if I woke up in the night and I felt dizzy, I would just put a call across to him and after discussing with him, I would feel okay. He was more of a friend. He encouraged, inspired and assisted me.”Claiming she was never involved in ‘sorting’ bribing lecturers for scores – or was never sexually harassed by lecturers and students in the institution, she noted that she read at least six hours daily aside from lectures and other academic engagements.
A Nupe from the Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State, Sulaimon attended Ipakodo Junior Grammar School, Lagos between 2003 and 2006 and Ipakodo Senior Grammar School between 2006 and 2009, posting excellent results in his West African Senior School Certificate Examinations and national Examinations Council.
She explained, “I never did sorting. I never heard of such in the university. I also never suffered sexual harassment or undue overtures from lecturers and even from my colleagues. The lecturers did not know me until 400 levels; even then, they were all nice.
“I thank God for the feat I recorded. I am happy and fulfilled because to make a first class is not an easy feat.
“I did not really have social life. I am not the type that goes out. I like playing games. I sleep reasonably. I read most of the times if I am not in class. I read at least six hours daily outside lectures and other academic engagements.
“Undergraduates should be prayerful in life. They should abide by the rules and regulations of any institution they are. If they obey school regulations, they will not become victims. ”

Babcock University punishes graduands for not staying till the end of convocation

Babcock University graduands who failed to wait till the end of their convocation ceremony, which held on June 21st at the school’s stadium, have been asked to pay a N25,000 fine.
Students of the university who filed in their complaints narrated it thus:
The convocation ceremony of the Amethyst Graduating Class 2014 of Babcock University was three in one – first degree, masters and PhD.
A number of dignitaries were present and some of them were presented with honorary doctorate degrees. The program lingered on for over 5 hours during which many parents for whom inadequate provision had been made, had to stand through the program even while it rained, to watch their children convocate.
However, certificates were only handed to first-class graduates (first degree) and the rest were to return to the school later on to get theirs.
Due to the impatience of the parents who were drenched, agitated and tired of all the unnecessary speeches and protocol, a somewhat disorderly exit of the parents ensued. Who could blame them? Many of them had far distances to travel back. Of course, they started to call their children, who found ways to exit since in fact, their own ceremony was over.
Weeks later when the rest of the certificates were ready for collection, students were mandated to pay N25,000, an order said to have been from the Vice-Chancellor (supposedly because the procession that was to be done at the end of the ceremony was ruined causing some form of embarrassment to the school). The Registry used lists said to have been signed by the graduands that waited till the end of the program, to issue out the certificates. If your name wasn’t on that list, you had to pay N25,000 before getting your certificate. This is unfair on too many levels. The roll call should have been done at the beginning, ” they complained.
The Public Relations Officer of the university is yet to react as the time the filing of this report.

 6 Tips To Help Break the Habit of Comparison

 By Adaora Vivian Egwuonwu

One endless cycle I’ve observed that is very common amongst us humans, is the act of wanting to be like the other person, and as a result of this, we are never satisfied. I believe this subject matter needs to be stressed, especially for those who still haven’t gotten accustomed to the fact that in life, you cannot measure the true worth of a man by the number of possessions he has. Be aware that someone out there will always be smarter, richer and more influential than you are. Someone’s house will certainly be bigger and better than yours. Someone will drive ‘posher’ cars, earn more money and will travel more than you ever will. Get used to it and love yourself.

You need to know that no matter how many houses you buy, clothes you wear, or fancy cars you drive, you still won’t have enough. Instead, learn to realize that what you have is already enough. If you have roof over your head, food on the table, clothes on your back, and people who truly love you, you are BLESSED. You have ENOUGH! Anything aside these, (and let’s admit everyone reading this article has more than that) is more than enough. Be good with that, and you will find CONTENTMENT.

Do you know why your grass is still not green and your lawn hasn’t been properly mowed? It’s because you are busy looking into other people’s lawns to see if theirs is better than yours. Rather than investing time to improve yourself and making your grass greener, you are busy comparing yourself to others. It’s funny how we never ask how these people go about doing what they do underneath to appear sophisticated on the outside. Their grass might look greener, but have you inquired to know what method they’ve adopted to make it so?

It’s in this period of comparison, that we allow weeds (unwanted plants) grow in our lawns. We also allow cows invade, and not only do they deposit their dung, they also eat up the remaining grass we have left. As a result of the corrosive, unbearable odor of dung deposited, flies and insects (uninvited guests) begin to invade and feast on our lawns. Where have we been all this while?

The art of social comparison makes us lose track of our focus. We do tend to start out well but get sidetracked as we move on. This could be as a result of comparing someone’s strength to our weakness, and even if we compare strength to strength, there will always be those who are better off. This ultimately, leads to an aimless journey, as we unconsciously believe that life itself is all about who supersedes the other… a.k.a “I pass my neighbor”

The moment you begin to compare yourself to others, the more you let the enemy dominate your life. You give him the opportunity to rent a space in your life and as soon as you let him in, he has the upper hand. He becomes the chief controller and you know his ultimate goal? To kill, steal and destroy. He absolutely has no genuine interest in you. So how then can you be happy? How can people around you be happy? When nothing around you reflects joy. You’ve so consumed yourself in the spirit of strife that you begin to develop unnecessary bitterness, hatred, anger and wallow in self-pity.

Be too busy working on your own grass to notice if others are greener. Come to think of it, comparison is a thief of time and highly energy sapping. You will get old before your time and develop wrinkles, all in the process of competing for what amounts to nothing. Make your time so precious that you wouldn’t be caught doing something that doesn’t benefit you. Every second counts and time is no respecter of persons. It waits for no one. Instead of comparing yourself to others, compare yourself to yourself. See how much you have grown, what you have achieved and what progress you have made towards your goals. This habit has the benefit of generating gratitude, appreciation and kindness towards yourself as you observe how far you have come, the obstacles you have crossed and the good stuff you have done.

How To Break The Habit of Comparison

Awareness
Most times we get caught up making these comparisons without realizing we actually are. It’s a natural and unconscious act. That’s why we are human. The solution is to become conscious by bringing these thoughts to the forefront of your consciousness and be able to subdue them when they arise.

Prevent Yourself
Once you realize you are making these comparisons, take a long pause. There’s no need to berate yourself or feel bad about it, just acknowledge the thought and gradually change focus.

Embrace Your Imperfections
We all want to reach the zenith of our careers and attain perfection, but know you are not perfect and you will never be. I certainly am not. Perfection has been a disease of the nation, people still strive for it but it’s unattainable. Learn to embrace your flaws and always endeavor to improve on them the best possible way.

Focus On Your Strengths
Rather than struggling on your weaknesses, focus more on your strengths. Celebrate them. Be proud of them. This helps you center more on your journey as it paves way for diverse opportunities. Life is a journey, not a competition. We are all on a journey to find something, to learn something, to create something and to become something. There’s a purpose to our existence.

Count Your Blessings
This is my favorite part of it all. Always reminisce on what you’ve been blessed with. Think about how lucky you are to have what you have, to have the people in your life who care about you, to know you are alive and well. Cultivating this lifestyle, makes you draw strength and happiness rather than being sober about things that haven’t yet come your way.

Be Content
Godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. Being content is a grace that grows overtime. It doesn’t come easily or naturally. There were times when i had plenty but God brought me to situations where i was in need and through that, i discovered the secret of being content. Contentment is a pain killer, a joy booster and brings peace of mind.

Before I draw the curtains, I want you to note this very crucial factor. “Begin to speak good things about yourself”. Always confess positively and ensure what you say is in line with the Word of God. God loves variety that’s why he created us differently, even down to our fingerprints. You are not just different but uniquely different. Know you will never succeed at being yourself if you are trying to be like someone else.

“Other people can be good examples to you, but duplicating even their good traits will manifest differently through your individual personality” – Joyce Meyer.

Finally, invest your time wisely to ensure your grass always remains green.

Afenifere disowns Agbaje and Odumakin

The Afenifere Renewal Group has distanced itself from activist, Yinka Odumakin and Lagos state guber aspirant, Jimi Agbaje.
The ARG released a statement saying that Odumakin, who is a former publicity secretary of  the Pan- Yoruba Socio-Cultural group and Agbaje, are no longer its members.
The statement signed by Programme officer, Segun Balogun stated thus: “We are surprised they are still being linked to ARG in the media after some attempts we have made to notify the public. A particular report even described Mr. Odumakin as “leader” of ARG.”
“This notice is not to diminish their contributions to ARG in anyway but state the truth about their membership status. Since the past two years, all our media relations is being conducted by Mr. Kunle Famoriyo, who took over as ARG’s publicity secretary after Mr. Odumakin left.”
“Similarly, Architect Ayo Osunloye became the substantive Lagos Coordinator of ARG more than a year ago, after Mr. Agbaje left.”
“The ARG wish the duo well in their endeavours but they should not be linked to ARG in the present tense. They maybe linked to ARG in the past tense as a former member, and who knows, maybe in the future tense too, but certainly not in the present.”

Baby Oluwashinaayomi needs N2 million for congenital heart disease surgery

LOOKING frail and weeping profusely because of his health condition, six-month-old baby, Oluwashinaayomi Aina needs help to make him live like every normal child.
  Oluwashinaayomi was diagnosed with a heart-related disease at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, when he was two months old.
  The mother, Seun, who came to The Guardian last Saturday to seek support for her son, said: “I discovered that the baby’s breath was abnormal after a week of birth.  I decided to go bact to the private hospital where I gave birth to him. The hospital insisted that his breathing was normal, that nothing was wrong with the baby. After two months, his condition got worse, his heart was practically pounding and I was so terrified.  So, I was advised to take him to the LUTH.”
  She continued “I was left alone to take care of the baby, as the father  had left me in a rented apartment  and  travelled out of the country without my knowledge. I only got the news from his mother that her son had left the country for greener pastures. Now, I live with a friend who has been assisting me.”
   When contacted on phone, her mother in-law, Mrs. Margaret Aina refuted the claim of negligence, saying: “I tried all my best to take care of the child. My son just traveled out of the country leaving the child with her and I can do little to care for the child. The case is beyond me because I am a widow and the amount needed to take care of the child is  much. We need the help of everyone to help save the child.”
   The medical report presented to The Guardian read thus: ‘’Clinican evaluation indicated that Shinaayomi has congenital heart disease , which was confirmed by echocardiogram, to be transposition of great arteries, anteroposterior related great arteries, large subpulmonic Ventricular septal defect (VSD) shunting bidirectionally with an additional tiny apical muscular VSD shunting left to right, moderate size Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), dilated left pulmonary hypertension.”
  The complication of this heart defect has great negative effect on the growth and development of Shinnaayomi.
  The distressed mother could not help herself as she shed tears. She claimed to have taken the child to Kanu Heart Foundation but she was told to exercise patience because of the large number of people that needed immediate attention there.
  Anyone who wishes to assist Shinnaayomi can contact the mother on 08088667772 or donate to her First Bank account.
Account name: Fayokemi Seun Eniola
Account Number: 3062710201