MY NEW YEAR DREAMS

Change is difficult but at the same time very easy. It is difficult because it requires sacrifice, discipline, determination and courage to achieve. This is about positive change which comes with amazing rewards. On the other hand, when we idle about, procrastinate or do things that are illegitimate, we experience negative change which of course comes with regrets, slavery, poverty, depression, etc.

A new year is here again. Other years may have been wasted years to so many people. Will you again watch this year to slip off with an empty diary? This year has a lot of blessings locked up in it and among those blessings are admissions to study higher, job creation abilities, job opportunities, business expansion, personal cars and houses, etc. These blessings are not for everybody. They are for those who are ready and prepared to plan ahead, strategize and implement. Spice your year with worthwhile activities and be more fulfilled. Make every hour in this year count. It starts now.

Some of these nuggets below can help you.

1.      Don’t just say what you will do, write them down in your diary and make sure you consult your diary. It doesn’t end there; make sure you write the time you want it accomplished and work towards it.

2.    Replace those old habits which might distract you with better ones. If you are the type that can watch T.V for a long time, try spending some of those times with people who will help you realize your dreams.

3.    Share your dreams with people. Some of the people you share your dreams with might be interested to partner with you or give you suggestions or solutions on how to realize your dreams. You might even be surprised that they will be the ones to remind you in a case that you forget. I bumped into my old friend sometime ago and gave her a copy of my book. I was shocked when she said, “Ah! Olive, you told us you will write a book and you have published one; it is remaining for you to build your school”. It was at that point that I remembered that owning a school is part of my dreams, as those dreams were shared when I was in secondary school and I have no knowledge of diary then.

4.    Define your intentions. What you intend to achieve or the end result of your dreams when achieved will give you the needed motivation to fire on.

5.     Forget about your past failures or reasons for such failures and try new things. It might just be your time to succeed.

6.    Distance yourself from people that distract or discourage you from achieving your dreams and be closer to those who inspire you to do great things.

7.     Don’t jack all trades only to master none. Prioritize your goals and take as much as you can at a time.

8.    Track your progress on daily basis and make sure a positive change or result is occurring.

9.    Crown your daily efforts with prayers. Make sure you communicate or keep in touch with your maker.

If you can start this January to make daily progress, you will laugh by December. No matter the situation or circumstance, you can add value to your existence. More grace!

We wish you a successful New Year!

Written by Olive Chinyere Amajuoyi

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DESIGN YOUR YEAR FOR LAUGHTER

Sluggishness, lack of knowledge, procrastination, and the likes all contribute to delays in life which brings about worries, restlessness, regret, depression, crashed hopes and dreams, poverty, insults and the likes. When we set out early, we beat the traffic and avoid any disappointment that may be caused by hold ups on the way. Severally, I have attended programmes either early or late and I have been able to experience the difference. I tend to be more relaxed, organized and attentive when I attend a programe early compared to when I am late to any programme.  When we do those things we are supposed to do and on time, we will achieve results and appreciate life more. Life is all about planning and timely implementation. 

This is New Year. Please let the planning and implementation begin. Make every hour count so that by December, we shall all count our blessings because God himself is prepared to crown our year with goodness if we are able to do every good work with our brain and hands.

I want to inspire your year by the story bellow culled from: http://www.Spiritual-Short-Stories.comUR?

 I Can Sleep When The Wind Blows

Years ago a farmer owned land along the Atlantic seacoast. He constantly advertised for hired hands. Most people were reluctant to work on farms along the Atlantic. They dreaded the awful storms that raged across the Atlantic, wreaking havoc on the buildings and crops.

As the farmer interviewed applicants for the job, he received a steady stream of refusals. Finally, a short, thin man, well past middle age, approached the farmer. “Are you a good farm hand?” the farmer asked him. “Well, I can sleep when the wind blows,” answered the little man. Although puzzled by this answer, the farmer, desperate for help, hired him.

The little man worked well around the farm, busy from dawn to dusk, and the farmer felt satisfied with the man’s work. Then one night the wind howled loudly in from offshore. Jumping out of bed, the farmer grabbed a lantern and rushed next door to the hired hand’s sleeping quarters.

He shook the little man and yelled, “Get up! A storm is coming! Tie things down before they blow away!” The little man rolled over in bed and said firmly, “No sir. I told you, I can sleep when the wind blows.”

Enraged by the response, the farmer was tempted to fire him on the spot. Instead, he hurried outside to prepare for the storm. To his amazement, he discovered that all of the haystacks had been covered with tarpaulins.

The cows were in the barn, the chickens were in the coops, and the doors were barred. The shutters were tightly secured. Everything was tied down. Nothing could blow away. The farmer then understood what his hired hand meant, so he returned to his bed to also sleep while the wind blew.

Brought to you by Olive Chinyere Amajuoyi

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Fuel Scarcity – Why Every Christmas

I can’t stop wondering why fuel scarcity occurs during Christmas season. I have gone through reports but instead of getting an answer, I got more confused because the stakeholders in the oil sector are busy playing blame games. Join me as we go through some reports; maybe it will make sense to someone.

During the time of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, the issue of fuel scarcity was timely handled. The short period that Nigerians experienced fuel scarcity then, the Federal Government met with marketers through Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala who spoke to journalists then in Abuja saying that the scarcity then was mainly due to pipeline vandalism and logistics and not payment of claims to marketers.

Haruna Momoh, Managing Director of the PPMC, also lamented the absence of effective pipeline network, due to pipeline vandalism across the country, saying it is a major challenge to fuel distribution across the country.

Speaking further to marketers, Okonjo-Iweala urged Nigerians to question the motive of some marketers who refused to open Letters of Credit to facilitate their payments, thereby making it difficult for the fuel scarcity situation to end.

Meanwhile, Capt. Emmanuel Iheanacho attributed the persistent scarcity of petrol to monopoly of the product by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) saying that the inability of NNPC to create a window for private importers to import petrol also contributed to the scarcity. Consequently, Mr. Adewole blamed the NNPC for the fuel crisis. He accused the state-owned oil corporation of assuming the role of the sole importer of petroleum products, despite the fact that DAPPMA members owned 80 per cent of the functional fuel storage facilities and retail outlets in the country. He went further to say that it is on record that any time NNPC assumes the role of sole importer, there are issues of distribution, because it is marketers who own 80 per cent of the functional receptive facilities and retail outlets in Nigeria.

Moreover, Capt. Emmanuel Iheanacho stated that shortage of foreign exchange and increase in crude prices have made it unprofitable to import petrol and sell same at N145 per litre, adding that private importers backed out because the increase in crude price has made the landing cost high.  Consequently, Iheanacho said that the marketers’ huge debts of over N800 billion had also contributed to the inability of marketers to import petrol, adding that most independent marketers had closed their companies due to inability to pay their workers. He however, traced the roots of the current fuel crisis to the inability of those contracted by the NNPC to supply petrol under the Direct Sales – Direct Purchase (DSDP) arrangement to deliver, due to pricing challenges and urged the Federal Government to settle all the outstanding debts owed marketers since 2015.

In the same vein, Mr. Adewole said that although NNPC usually rely on the facilities of the marketers, including DAPPMA, Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria, MOMAN and independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) to distribute imported products, that the corporation was unable to meet their demands.

He added that their members pay PPMC (Pipelines and Products Marketing Company)/NNPC in advance for petroleum products. But, fully paid up PMS orders that have neither been programmed nor loaded is in excess of 500,000 MT (about 800,000,000 litres) as at today, enough to meet the nation’s needs for 19 days at a daily estimated consumption of 35,000,000 litres.

The NNPC on the other hand said that it became the sole importer and supplier of petrol to the Nigerian market because DAPPMA members were unable to meet expectations despite the concession by government giving DAPPMA access to foreign exchange to import petrol at an official rate of N305 to the dollar.

On what the corporation was doing to resolve the crisis, the NNPC said that in addition to the increase in the supply of petrol since the beginning of this month (December 2017), it has also programmed to supply over 1.2 billion litres of the white products in January 2018 which will translate to about 40 million litres of PMS supply per day.

Moreover, major oil marketers expressed optimism over the current fuel scarcity, saying that it will end soon if the NNPC continues with its steady supply.  They stated that a new ferry have reportedly arrived the country and is ready to discharge fuel. 

Obafemi Olawore who is the executive director of MOMAN however confirmed on Wednesday, December 27, saying they have been receiving the product from NNPC and supplying it to consumers, adding that the fuel scarcity will gradually end as long as NNPC continues with the quantity they are supplying presently.

Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) accused the federal government of covering up their corrupt practices and lying to the suffering Nigerians. In a statement by its publicity secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan on Wednesday December 27, the party said that APC and the federal government have continued to lie to Nigerians, particularly on the real reasons behind the biting fuel scarcity as well as their exposed attempt to embezzle $1bn from the Excess Crude Account (ECA). The PDP charged the APC-led federal government to tell Nigerians the truth regarding its handling of fuel related funds, rather than dissipating its tenuous energy on name callings. The party also tasked the APC Government to speak out on reports of fraud in the oil regime whereupon 18 unregistered companies were used to lift and divert $1.1 trillion worth of crude oil in the last one year.

There is no smoke without fire. Who are we to blame among the blame game players? Who is the sincere one among them that is qualified to tell the truth? Whose report shall we accept? Why must it always be during Christmas period when movement is high? If the Federal Government cannot handle or control the excesses under its power, who will? When will there be an end to fuel scarcity in an oil producing country? Anybody who contested and is elected to any position of power should endeavor to do his or her work and prove his or her ability to handle his position, salary and allowances, and stop blaming anybody for his or her failure. Common Nigerians have suffered enough.

Brought to you by Olive Chinyere Amajuoyi

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Innoson Vs GTBank – Business Men Deserves Applause

Doing business in Nigeria can be really frustrating and only a very rugged person can do business in Nigeria and succeed. It is either they are facing illegal tax collectors and multi tax system or they are facing the unceasing and sometimes irrelevant demands by Customs, Standard Organization of Nigeria, NAFDAC, etc; not to mention the poor infrastructures like roads, power supply, etc. that they have to put up with that makes business clumsy and discouraging. No wonder most Nigerians shy away from starting their own businesses; instead, they walk the streets and roads in search of already made jobs.

A lot has been said since the arrest of Chief Innocent Chukwuma, the CEO of Innoson Group. I am not sure of what to believe but as someone who is working with a business man, I have witnessed so much abuse meted out to those who are genuinely doing their businesses and contributing to the development of this country. These are the people the country ought to protect, encourage and pamper for helping to develop the country amidst economic challenges. These are the same people helping to reduce unemployment in Nigeria and thereby minimizing crime. The authorities should have a rethink and be properly re-oriented before they finally cripple the economy with their malicious activities. Nigeria cannot survive under a harsh or unfriendly business environment.

Meanwhile below is a press release published on Premium Times of December 24, 2017 from Innoson Group. The facts are very clear and they are not far from what happens in Nigeria or what business men in Nigeria go through to keep their business running. If you think they are lying, then go and start your own business and find out yourself.

INNOSON VS GTB: Facts behind the Figures: How the Battle between Innoson and GTB Started (Part 1)

The perfection of a man is based on his ability to distinguish between facts and fiction through deductive reasoning — Socrates

There have been many counter narratives on the reason why EFCC arrested Innoson and equally we have seen GTB response on its running battle with Innoson and his company Innoson Nigeria Ltd.

According to C.P Scott, “Comments are free but facts are sacred”. Now that this fight has become an open issue and the public is yearning to know the truth concerning the issue Innoson has with GTB, I will in a three (3) part series of articles reveal to Nigerians and the world what really happened.

In a saner society, the company secretary of GTB should have resigned by now and apologize to the Board of Trustees and Shareholders of the bank, because every legal advice and decision it gave to GTB backfired, thereby putting the bank in harms-way.

The battle between Innoson and GTB started from a dispute between Innoson and customs when GTB decided to cry more than the bereaved by appealing a valid court ruling ordering GTB to pay Innoson judgment debt of N2.4B being the cost of his goods unlawfully seized and auctioned by The Nigerian Customs.

The Genesis of Innoson Vs Customs Court Case

Innoson established the first indigenous motorcycle assembly plant in Nigeria and based on this effort, the Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Finance gave a concession to him to pay 5% on his imported motorcycle CKDs. The approval is in form of a certificate. The certificate runs for 12 months after which it is renewed.

Between October and December 2004, Innoson imported about 25 containers of motorcycle CKDs, his certificate was yet to expire. The certificate expiration was on 12th July 2005.

When the goods arrived in Nigeria, Innoson made efforts to clear the goods. He paid the required duty as calculated by COTECNA- the inspection agent and he was issued a Clean Report of Inspection (CRI) which showed the duty he was expected to pay.

After receiving the CRI from COTECNA, he paid the duty by issuing cheque to be drawn in favour of the Federal Government of Nigeria. His bank, GTB paid the money to the Federal government. And then he was issued with a Customs Revenue Receipt. The Receipt was issued by GTB that made the payment. The original copies were handed over to the customs.

After the payment of the duty, Innoson submitted all relevant documents to the Nigerian customs but the customs failed to release the goods. The goods were not released because they alleged that Innoson under paid the duty. The Customs said he was to pay 30% duty rate. When Innoson learnt of this, he referred them to the concession certificate which allowed him to clear his goods based on 5% duty rate.

In spite of showing the certificate to them, Customs refused to release the goods and showed his clearing agent a circular which didn’t mention the name of Innoson among the list of companies enjoying such concession.

Upon receiving the letter, Innoson protested by sending a written protest to the Minister of Finance. The Minister of Finance gave a directive through a letter to The Nigerian Customs to allow Innoson clear its goods. The Nigerian Customs then instructed their officers to allow Innoson clear its goods at the concessional rate of 5%. The directive was also done in writing via a letter dated 13/12/2005.

With the letter from the Minister of Finance as well as The Nigerian Customs, Innoson re-submitted its documents to the Nigerian Customs officials to enable him take delivery of the goods.

After the submission of the documents, they still delayed in processing the documents. After the delay, Innoson was given approval to take its goods as overtime cargo through a written approval dated 1st Feb 2006, 2nd Feb 2006 and 9th Feb 2006 for the three bill of laden respectively.

After receiving the written approvals, Innoson made attempts to clear the goods. After customs had passed the entry, Innoson could not locate the goods at the wharf. His clearing agent continued searching for the goods at the wharf until the 1st of March, 2006 when they learnt that 18 of the 25 containers had been sold by the customs.

Upon hearing that the goods had been sold by the customs, Innoson contacted its solicitors to write to the Ministry of Transport, Finance and the Comptroller-General of Customs which they did.

After sending the letter, the Minister of Finance invited Innoson to a meeting. At the meeting, Innoson was referred to the Chairman of the Presidential Special Committee on Port Decongestion and the Comptroller-General of Customs, the meeting between the three parties was held on 12th May, 2006 at Customs office in PZ Complex, Ikorodu Town, Lagos.

At the meeting of 12th May 2006 with the Hon. Minister of Finance, Transport and the Assistant Comptroller General of Customs and other stakeholders, the Chairman of the Presidential Special Committee on Port Decongestion referred Innoson to the Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs. The Assistant Comptroller-General directed Innoson to forward all relevant documents to his office so that he can be compensated.

On 18th May, 2006, Innoson forwarded the documents requested for by the Assistant Comptroller General of Customs through his solicitors.

The Customs ignored the documents that was forwarded and sold the remaining containers. Innoson is yet to come to terms why customs sold his containers. First of all, he was not notified that his container was seized. He was not informed that his containers were to be sold.

His containers never contained any contraband goods but contained motorcycle CKDs. He did not at any time abandon the containers containing the motorcycle CKDs at the port. He was never taken to court. Innoson was not aware that there was a court order to sell his goods. The Federal Government gave him a concession to pay less duty because he owns an automated assembly line and as a result of the promise to increase the local output. The assembly line had a workforce of about 750 workers.

The questions that remained unanswered include:

• Whether the Customs has the right to refuse the release of the goods as stated in the CRI? The CRI reflected the 5% concession.

• How long do goods stay before it is declared as an overtime cargo? Do goods stay in the port for 3 months and thereafter become overtime

• Were the Customs Officials actually carrying out their official duties or was there a conspiracy to destroy Innoson by some people?

• There was a time lapse between the period the goods were to be cleared. Innoson never applied for an overtime clearance at any time. His goods were never gazetted before they were sold.

Innoson tried without success to pay the duty stated on the CRI but was rejected by the customs. The customs insisted that Innoson must pay 30% but Innoson still referred the Customs to his concession certificate.

Innoson was not given any notice to the effect that its containers were to be sold as overtime cargo after the approval granted to him to clear the containers as overtime cargo.

Even as an overtime cargo, there are procedures to be followed in selling it. These procedures were not followed. The usual procedure when there is conflict of figures for payment, a protest is lodged.

Innoson is not aware that any committee was set up to sell his containers. The customs equally did not advertise the sale of his container in any newspaper.

The procedure the presidential Special Committee on Ports and the Customs for selling good by auction is as follows;

(a) To notify the owner of their intentions to sell the goods by auction

(b) To give notice of the intended auction sale to the public through newspaper publication

(c) Set up a joint disposal committee to sell the goods by auction.

None of these provisions of the law was adhered to in auctioning his goods for sale. Therefore the Presidential Special Committee and Ports decongestion had no basis for auctioning Innoson’s goods after all genuine efforts by him to clear its goods.

Based on the damages that were incurred by the seizure and subsequent auction of his goods by the customs, Innoson through his solicitors sued the Nigerian Customs to the Federal High Court, Ibadan division with the following pleas;

1. Judgment for the sum of N1 billion

2. 22.5% interest for the sum of N1 billion

3. 22.5% on Judgment debt from the date of judgment until the liquidation of the debt

4. Judgment for any other claim as per the amended statement of the claim.

The Court Victory

The legal tussle between Innoson vs Customs lasted for some years. After Innoson had presented his case to the trial judge by providing all available facts and evidences to the trial judge and having the Defendants presented its own arguments and defenses.

The trial court therefore ordered the Custom to pay Innoson the sum of N2.4B being the cost of his goods and damages incurred.

Furthermore, Innoson got a garnishee order from the Court ordering GTB to pay the judgment debt of N2.4B to him. GTB refused to pay this money.

Innoson had a loan he was servicing with GTB at the time he got the judgment. Innoson had expected that GTB would deduct their money and pay him the balance. The reason why GTB refused to pay Innoson his money to ease him off from the damages and loss he suffered was unclear to Innoson.

GTB decided to cry more that the bereaved by appealing the court ruling on the garnishee to the Court of Appeal, Ibadan Division.

However in a unanimous judgment, delivered on 6thFebruary 2014, the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal and affirmed the judgment of the trial Court and ordered the Defendant (GT Bank) to pay the said sum of N2.4B to Innoson.

Still aggrieved, GTB appealed to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court is yet to deliver its judgment. Today that judgment debt is above N5B.

The questions Nigerians should ask GTB

1. Why did it not pay Innoson the Judgment debt as ordered by the court?

2. Does the Customs money ordered by the court belong to GTB?

3. With N10B of Customs money in GTB, why did it-GTB not pay this money, why did they decide to appeal the judgment since The Customs never protested the judgment?

To be continued…….

Cornel Osigwe

Head Corporate Communications

Innoson Group

Colonial Shoes Doesn’t Fit

Before the colonial masters came into Nigeria and turned things upside down, different regions or tribe were managing their own affairs peacefully. Their coming brought a lot of positive change actually like stopping the killing of twins. Even if that was the only good thing they came along with, I must say that I am happy they came.  

It is normal in this world for one person to influence another, people to influence other people, nation to influence other nations, etc. This influence however, depends on who is being affected. If I admire and am understudying someone, it is my responsibility to copy those qualities in that person that is relevant to me, do away with mine that are irrelevant and ignore those qualities in that person that are not relevant to my purpose. But Nigeria’s case is different. We copied almost their lifestyle and are gradually doing away with our culture. Their most precious culture, which is timeliness, we overlooked. After many years of independence, Nigeria still staggers in the shoes of its colonial masters, their shoes that don’t fit us.

Why are we still struggling in colonial shoes; the shoes they are no longer forcing us to wear? It is true that colonialism left a confused country, civilian unfriendly polity, elite based economy, nepotism fuelled bureaucracy, Victorian era legal systems, and a god-father political system but we are not foolish to continue with all their fragments. We have the will to take the ones relevant to us and do away with the rest. If it is easy for us to copy them, then it should be easier for us to weigh the effects and come to a reasonable conclusion after 57 years of independence.

Postcolonial governments had the opportunity of pulling down the colonial structures and starting afresh but they were busy fighting religious and personal wars, and dragging among themselves who should wear the colonial shoes; the shoes they ought to reexamine, to figure out how it can fit. For instance, they could have redrawn the national maps, questioned and renegotiated the basis for uniting the three tribes that are distinct from each other, etc. They were so eager to step in and enjoy power that they sold their values. This of course gave birth to the bloody civil war, genocides, coups and counter coups that followed independence.

The clock for restructuring is still ticking. It is not too late to fix things. Many things have gone wrong that it will be very difficult at this time to pull down the existing structures and erect a new one but it is better done than not. If this country must survive, something different must take place and that is restructuring.

Written by Olive Chinyere Amajuoyi

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Ofalla Festival of Hymns

Prince Arthur Eze (On White) The Multi Billionaire

Ukpo Community in Dunukofia Local Government Area of Anambra State has carved a niche for itself in Nigeria and the world at large, courtesy of one of their illustrious sons, Prince Arthur Eze. Like many communities in Igbo land, Ofala festival is a big festival in Ukpo community. Prince Arthur Eze’s influence as an oil guru and a money bag and been that he is the son of the royal family and the brother of the Igwe, Dr. R.C. Eze Okofia VI makes the festival so unique that it attracts people from all works of life within and outside Nigeria to Ukpo land during their Ofala festival.

The Ofala festival in Ukpo which is usually held in the week that precedes Christmas, ends with a thanksgiving service at St. Mary’s Anglican Church Ukpo. In addition to some dignitaries that come from within and outside Nigeria to celebrate the Ofala with Prince Arthur Eze, the Ofala thanksgiving service is usually graced by different groups of choristers from within and outside Anambra State. It was with great expectation that All Saints Anglican Church Enugu Choir traveled to Ukpo in Dunukofia local Government Council, Anambra State on December 24, 2017 to celebrate with Prince Arthur Eze and his brother Igwe (Dr.) R.C. Eze Okofia VI.

As usual, on arrival, the church was filled to the brim. It was a long but refreshing service that started from 9.00am and ended around 2.00 pm. Among the programmes of the service that thrilled everyone present in the church were the sermon, dance by Prince Arthur Eze and the wife, and the hymn singing.

Prince Arthur Eze and A Music Director

The sermon was delivered by Ven. G. N. Oji, the Vicar of St. Mary’s Anglican Church, Ukpo. As an elderly and experienced Priest, his sermon was full of hidden truth. I was so thrilled with the sermon, particularly for the three statements of facts that he made. He said that God will not judge the world based on religious denomination or affiliation but based on humans as individuals, tribes and nations. Moreover, he said that God is nobody’s personal possession, rather, he is the God of all; He owns everybody and everything and He can use anybody and anything. Consequently, he said that a married man who asked the wife not to touch a particular thing or enter a particular room in the house is looking for trouble because the wife will always want to find out what the man is hiding. He used this to illustrate the fact that Eve tasted the fruit Adam asked her not to taste as God instructed because she actually wants to find out what Adam is hiding from her and not wholly because devil in form of serpent deceived her; after all she could have resisted the devil if she wanted.

The time for Hymn singing was another thrilling moment. Different Choral groups like Arthur Eze Choir, All Saint’s Anglican Church Choir GRA, Enugu, Kings Choir Portharcourt and the Host Church Choir added glamour to the service as they each rendered different collection of Igbo Hymns accompanied with local instruments. It was actually an Ofala festival of Hymns because Prince Arthur Eze is so much in love with Hymns especially in Igbo from Igbo Hymn book known as ‘Ekpere na Abu’. Meanwhile, a general Igbo Hymn was sung and Prince Arthur Eze and the wife danced to the rhythm of the Hymn and local instruments. It was such a fun.

Consequently, the long awaited time came and the Vicar of the Church as usual invited Prince Arthur Eze to talk to the congregation. You need to be there to see how one man dishes out millions and billions of Naira with his mouth. I nearly fainted as he mentioned the millions and billions he has given out already and yet to give out to different groups that are engraved in his diary. The ease with which he mentions these huge sums of money will make you think he plucks them from his backyard, and he does as he says. After all said and done, we got our own share. But hey, don’t start imagining how many millions we were given because ours is not that much but it is good. He loves Hymns and music and therefore will not want to lose the choir that comes around to sing for him. If he gives us millions or billions, what do you think? We will not desire to go sing for him again.

However, after the church service, the Ofala Festival of Hymns was summed up with sumptuous a meal at Arthur Eze Village home where all the guests and villagers were entertained. As Arthur Eze moved around to greet people in their different canopies, I saw people following him up and down, making one financial request or the other. Aaaaw! The power of money! Well, even if I don’t get to partake in the Ofala festival of Hymns again, the memories of my experiences at Ukpo will never be erased from my memories.

Written by Olive Chinyere Amajuoyi

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Tech-U Entrepreneurship University-The University with a Difference

A new university has been born in Nigeria; Tech-U Entrepreneurship University. According to Gabriel Dike on the Sun Newspaper, the university will take off on Sunday January 7, 2018 with some new students.

The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ayobami Salami, while addressing Newsmen on the take off of the university said some things that really caught my attention. He said that they are set to provide such quality training that will enable their graduate to be job creators, innovators and employers of labour. He added that their mission explains while their motto which is ‘developing brains, training hands’ is not a seductive catchphrase, saying that none of their graduates will go about roaming the streets in search of jobs. Moreover, he said that it is either that their students are so good that the industries hire them straight away or they simply establish their own startups. What a wonderful vision!

This is a welcome development in the educational sector that other universities ought to embrace. Nigeria is old enough to graduate youths that will end up roaming the streets in search of non available jobs. Our curriculum is rich but should be interpreted in such a manner that the learners can apply it in their daily life to improve their standard of living. It is so shameful that students are taught scale of preference and opportunity cost in secondary schools, yet, cannot prioritize their simple daily needs to spend wisely.

During my youth service, my kid sister got admission to study in polytechnic and we contributed to encourage her. It was not quite long; she started requesting for more money which we cannot provide. As I wondered what she did with all the money we gave her, it came to my knowledge that she bought more than two boxes for her dresses. Had it been she packed her stuff in Ghana Must Go bag and used the much given to her for more important things, she will not find herself in a financial mess. Maybe her economics teacher did not teach her to put into practice her knowledge of Scale of Preference and opportunity Cost outside the classroom.

However, if Tech-U University will adhere strictly to its vision and mission, then Nigerian universities have got a standard university to emulate. But I must say that there is a problem. The Vice Chancellor of Tech-U University has a lot to do to really achieve its goals. I have met most Nigerians who despite the flaws in the interpretation of curriculum were eager to create, innovate and establish something on their own but the Nigeria unfriendly economic environment made it impossible. The Vice Chancellor therefore must be ready to fight the government to ensure that there is steady power supply, clean and steady water supply and good roads to attract investors and encourage creativity and innovation. Then, the Tech-U university authority and other universities that must have adopted their standard will be rest assured that their efforts will never be in vain or end up as mere theories.

Written by Olive Chinyere Amajuoyi

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‘Sound of Music’ Louisa is Dead!

I just got to know that Heather Menzies Urich is the real name of one of the girls who acted Louisa Von Trapp in the movie, ‘Sound of Music’. I so much enjoyed her role as a 14 year old member of Von Trapp family.

The role she played in “Sound of Music came all fresh to me yesterday as I read in the Punch Newspaper of December 26 that the Sound of Music actress, Heather Menzies-Urich is dead at Sixty Eight Years old.

The report had it that her death was announced by the Estate of the Musical’s Creators Rodgers and Hammerstein on Christmas day. According to the Nation’s report, Heather’s son reported to United States News Site TMZ that his mother was diagnosed with brain cancer around 4 weeks ago and died on Christmas Eve at 7.22pm. He described his mother as an actress and a ballerina who loved living her life to the fullest.

Her memory will never be forgotten, as she really impressed her audience with her role as 14 years old child and the third oldest Von Trapp child. Louisa, as she is popularly known by the audience of Sound of Music 1964 movie was an exciting character.

Written by Olive Chinyere Amajuoyi

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GUNMEN RAID MAINA’S KADUNA RESIDENCE

According to Punch Newspaper of December of December 26, gunmen on December 24,2017 raided the Kaduna residence of Abdulrasheed Maina, the former chairman of the presidential task team on Pension Reforms. The report was that most of the gunmen came in military uniform while others were in mufti and that they came in search of cash and ammunition. From the report, the security in Maina’s house said that after raiding the house and finding nothing, they handcuffed him, took him away and dumped him in the bush close to Kaduna International Airport.

Based on this report, it is very clear from their mode of operation that something is not right because due process is lacking. We are Nigerians anyway and we must have been following Maina’s case and how the government has been handling the situation. What do we expect in a country where a wanted criminal who made away with pensioner’s fund that is in his custody and reappeared after a long time like a king only to be appointed to handle a sensitive office?

We are not encouraging people to take laws into their hands and therefore, do not support the move taken by those gunmen; that is if they are not sent by the authorities, which is likely the case, but we are simply stating the fact that in a country where people are aggrieved and evil is been pampered at their expense, the authorities should expect nothing but planned attacks.

Written by Olive Chinyere Amajuoyi

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WORDS OF HOPE TO NIGERIANS FROM PRESIDENT BUHARI

President Muhammadu Buhari, while addressing a delegation of Federal Capital Territory Residents who paid him Christmas homage in the Presidential Villa has lamented that 2017 has been a very tough year for Nigerians. The Nation Newspaper on December 26 reports that the president expressed optimism that 2018 will be a more prosperous year.

We can recall that around September 2017, the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics declared that Nigeria’s economy is officially out of recession, having recorded 0.55% growth in Gross Domestic Product for the second quarter of 2017. When the ‘out of recession’ news was released, some Nigerians claimed it by faith and reacted positively to it, while many Nigerians dismissed the news; not because they do not want Nigeria to be out of recession but because they have not seen the reality of the fact that Nigeria is out of recession. As long as Nigeria is concerned, the standard of living of many Nigerians is nothing to write home about, so to them, the news of been out of recession is nothing but a theory.

President Buhari has come up with another word of hope, saying that 2018 will be a more prosperous year. We are not faithless people but please Nigerians are tired of living in the world of hope created by selfish leaders and selfish self acclaimed men of God. Let there be workable programmes to realize those words of hope!

Written by Olive Chinyere Amajuoyi

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THE WORLD OF CHRISTMAS

Christmas is a day billions of Christians all over the world celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. It is the greatest celebration which impacts even non Christians. It is unique because it comes at the last week of December which ushers in the New Year.

Christmas celebration started in the fourth century when Christianity became the official religion of Rome. Christmas celebration has become so popular ever since, that those who celebrate it have given it an ugly face judging by the activities that go with it.

Nations all over the world express and celebrate Christmas differently. The French word for Christmas is Noël and it came from the Latin word natalis meaning birth. The masses of Christ, held by English evangelists in December, gave birth to the English word "Christmas". In Europe, Christmas lasts much longer than a day. The season stretches well over a month to fit in the many holy days and festivities. For many Europeans, the season’s main event is Christmas Eve, celebrated with Midnight Mass and a grand meal. Others focus more on Christmas Day and gift-giving. The Twelve Days of Christmas start from Dec. 25 until Jan. 6, which is Epiphany, the day the Three Kings delivered their gifts. Then the memories live on until next year.

In France, Christmas is marked with the festival of light which is a promise of longer days and the return of the sun. Food is at the center of Christmas celebrations in France, even in the dead of winter. The most anticipated culinary event of the year is Le Reveillon de Noel, the Christmas Eve feast. Reveillon literally means an “awakening.” In a symbolic sense, the Reveillon is a kind of spiritual and edible wake-up call.

In America, they usher in Christmas by different kinds of decoration according to the weather. Some form of lighting is often used on the homes and in the yards during the holidays. There are snowmen, Santas, manger scenes, snowflakes, reindeer, and other lighted displays in many neighborhoods. Others outline the architectural features of their homes in lights. There is sometimes a creche placed that represents the stable wherein the Christ child was born and has Mary, Joseph, the Child and various animals in attendance. Christmas in America is often a time of an extended open house with friends dropping by to bring gifts or just to wish everyone a happy holiday. Also, various churches play an important part in the American Christmas. There are a variety of associated activities such as church dinners, live Nativity scenes, choir concerts, special church services, and a fostering of the spirit of giving to the less privileged.

Asian countries have a smaller number of Christians compared to the rest of the world.  As a result, in many Asian countries, Christmas has a more secular view than a religious one. Christmas wreaths, Merry Christmas banners, colorful lights and ornaments are seen everywhere in Asian countries during Christmas. But in most of the Asian countries Christmas is not recognized as a public holiday, which means that the offices as well as the schools, colleges and universities remain open.

In Africa, been colonized by the Europeans and Americans, Christmas celebrations are not too different from that of Europeans and Americans. It is marked with decorations houses, Christmas trees, staging Christmas shows where children go to see and receive gifts from Santa Claus, Christmas church services, carol of nine lessons ministrations,  preparation of different kinds of local and intercontinental dishes, exchange of gifts etc. However, it is celebrated in a more unique way in Liberia.

In Liberia, there is no Santa Claus in Liberia but rather, old man beggar. He dresses in rag like costumes and begs for gifts. People in Liberia also don’t say Merry Christmas but rather ‘my Christmas is on you” or “my Christmas is in your blood”. This is done to ensure that people give and share during the festive season.

In Nigeria, Christians all over the country celebrate Christmas but it is more celebrated in the South East and South South part of the country. Christmas is the season when mostly the Igbos who lives in different parts of the country and world crave to travel to their different states and villages in the South East and some parts of South South to celebrate Christmas with their family and loved ones. During this season, those who have planned to travel do so with great expectations of meeting their relations that they have not seen for a long time. They usually travel home with lots of food stuff and gift items for younger and elderly people in their villages or hometowns. Christmas is fun in this part of the country as the villages organize football and dance competitions among communities and give out trophies or cash prizes to the winners. Christmas is also marked with masquerade festivals. These festivities usually start from December 24 till December 31. On the other hand, on 31^st of December, Christians in Nigeria usually prefer to be in worship centres to enter the New Year. Prayers go on until 12.00 a.m. when the shouts of New Year and congratulations for making it into the New Year will echo from every corner. Almost all the night of December 31 and January 1, people hardly sleep, as the joy of the New Year drives away sleep. After the New Year celebrations, the villages in the South Eastern part of Nigeria once again remain as it has been; scanty of people until the next Christmas.

It is time for people all over the world to reflect on the reasons for Christmas celebration. We need to count the cost to know if Christmas deserves all that waste of food in our homes, and our large boxes and wardrobe of clothes. Many people all over the world are suffering. It will be more fun when we identify such people; either at the home of the less privileged or around us, and show them that Jesus Christ came for them too, by sharing what we don’t need and all our excess possessions. Some people are homeless, hungry, some wear clothes that can best be described as rags while some go bare footed. They are all around us. In the spirit of our Christmas celebrations, let us give the hopeless and helpless people reason to live to appreciate life.

Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year!

Written by Olive Chinyere Amajuoyi

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Who Are Nigerians?

Nigerians are hard workers. They work like an elephant and eat like an ant. They struggle from morning till night, six or seven days a week to make ends meet, neglecting their health.  They are not corrupt but only reacting to the harsh economic conditions, of which anybody anywhere in the world will react negatively to if exposed to such conditions.

Nigerians are strong people; strong emotionally and physically. They have endured so much suffering and pain that they turned them to fun, jokes and comedies to get on by. Nigerians are good managers of damaged vehicles; they can pack themselves like sack in a bus and get to their destinations safely. Nigerians are those who can manage extreme hot weather without fan or air conditioner. Nigerians are good managers.

Nigerians are those who keep sleepless nights studying to pass their exams to graduate with flying colours only to serve those who bought certificates and climbed the ladder of success through connection. Nigerians are those who say yes to everything that proceeds out of the mouth of their boss whether favourable or not to avoid a sack letter. Nigerians are those who find it difficult to balance their diet but surrounded by fellow Nigerians who spend their fortunes on fashion accessories, and to ride expensive cars. Nigerians are those who dress and look beautiful outside but crack nuts for their meals in their homes.

Nigerians are those who queue up to pay heavily for the services they do not enjoy.  Nigerians are those who attend occasions with a nylon bag so that they will not miss the opportunity of packing food. Nigerians are those who pray for manna to fall from heaven and go ahead to lift their plates towards heaven expecting manna to actually fall. Nigerians are those who think before they act because of their many problems.

Nigerians are those who sing praises to those who buy their conscience with sweet talks and peanuts during elections. Nigerians are those who queue to cast their votes to chose a leader and suffer abuse and humiliation when the candidate of their choice is elected into power.

Nigerians are those victims of hunger who have taken what does not belong to them by crook or by force, and were imprisoned, jailed or sentenced by the criminal chieftains whose own crime were swept under the carpet. Nigerians are those who are imprisoned or sentenced for the crime they never committed, because an officer must get promoted by proving to higher officers that he or she is working.

Nigerians are those whose definition of intelligence is the ability to speak the white man’s language and behave like the white man. Nigerians are those who claim to be who they are not because the conditions of life have confused their reason. Nigerians are those who use white man’s eating utensils to eat black man’s food.

Nigerians are those who the tension, frustration and problems of living in Nigeria have sucked away their sense of decency. Nigerians are the only ones that can live and survive anywhere in the world. Nigerians will create the best economy in the world if they are opportune to live and work under favourable conditions. If you are not a Nigerian, then you are not the right person to judge Nigerians because if you are a Nigeria, you might do worse things.

Written by Olive Chinyere Amajuoyi

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AFRICA – A POLITICALLY FREE BUT ECONOMICALLY CHAINED CONTINENT

African countries were only granted political independence from their colonial masters to govern themselves; that explains why Africans still live like slaves till date. From the look of things, there is no evidence that Africans are truly independent. After independence, the foundations of exploitation and self depreciation laid by the colonial masters for Africans were raised higher, been painted and furnished by the sequence of African leaders from then till date. 

Before colonization, Africa is blessed with mineral resources, efficient manpower, good political culture and well grounded culture. If there is nothing good in Africa, nothing could have attracted the whites. They spied and saw so much wealth and ability in Africa and craved for it. They therefore came armed, to subdue Africans and exploit them. Africans, being so gullible, became victims of circumstances till date. The whites made away with African treasures and able bodied men of Africa to develop their place so that they can Lord over us. Africans developed Europe and America, yet they remain underdeveloped.

Boateng, Osei once wrote: “The African people so dominant in America’s southern states did not go there as tourists. Their ancestors were dragged screaming and wailing into the ships that took them there as slaves. They were full-blooded Africans whose sweat, tears and unpaid labour built the wealth of the country and empire we now called the United States of America”.

Consequently, Washington Alcott wrote: “The transatlantic slave trade caused the forced removal from Africa of millions of Africans. This number included a large percentage of skilled tradesmen and women from a range of occupations and professions who were making their contribution to African societies. Without them, African societies themselves were weakened”.

Africans have been under pressure ever since and even much more now that we govern ourselves. African wealth has been in circulation among the few smart Africans among whom are not even qualified to be in authority while the unprivileged many wallow in abject poverty. The worst case among them are the unemployed who are neither working to receive their salary nor self employed, as those amenities that encourages self employment like power supply, good and accessible roads, fair policies, etc are not in place. Others are peasant farmers, traders, labourers, house helps, etc. who eat from hand to mouth on daily basis and who suffer so much abuse and humiliation in the hands of government agencies; official and unofficial and in the hands of their masters and mistresses respectively, because justice for them is very hard to come by. To the leaders of Africa, these people don’t exist and therefore, their opinion will not count, yet their votes fix these leaders in their offices. If the educated ones, who are barely considered while making policy are being deceived and exploited during campaign and elections, how much more the citizens who are considered nonexistent?

Any little favour from the government is applauded by most enlightened Africans, how much more those who are menial workers and who do not have access to Radio, TV, not to talk of social media tools. These set of people are only remembered when it comes to population statistics for election engineering, resource allocations and international relations. These set of people are those that frequent prayer houses and churches most because they know that something is wrong somehow with them and to them, it could be witches and wizards from their villages, and curses from their fore fathers that is hunting them. They don’t ever link their problems and suffering to selfish leaders and politicians who have taken over from the colonial masters. At that point of mental imbalance and frustration, they take the men of God or pastor they trust as their messiah; then the so called man of God will complete the evil of exploitation and abuse that politicians and leaders have engineered.

This group that fall in the lowest class is the first to be affected whenever there is a new policy or government decision to expand road, renovate the market, beautify the roads, etc. They are the most affected when flood or any natural disaster occurs. They are always affected in all these without any plan or pre-arrangement to protect them or make sure they get on by. They are usually the ones used as thugs by selfish politicians, they are ones easily recruited into gangs and terrorist groups and when they die, they perish like animals, as if they are not citizens.

African countries celebrate their independence yearly, not minding how these lower class people are fairing. This class of people has over the years been treated by their fellow Africans the same way the whites treated Africans in the time past. It is therefore not wrong to say that Africans generally are politically free from the whites but are still slaves to white men ideology which the smarter Africans have long cultivated and applied to oppress the unfortunate ones.

Written by Olive Chinyere Amajuoyi

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