An Egyptian start-up company, Bassita, has won emerged first in the 2015 Orange African Social Venture Prize in South Africa. The company was said to have developed the idea of “click funding” that allows businesses to host their social, cultural or environmental projects and receive donations depending on whether the project reaches its objectives in terms of number of clicks or times shared on social networks. The award which was given during the AfricaCom Awards ceremony in Cape Town last night, also saw a socially-responsible start-up company, upOwa, from Cameroon, clinching the second prize. The company was said to have developed an intelligent solar-powered solution that aims to provide electricity to rural areas of Western and Central Africa that have not yet been connected to the national electricity grids. The third prize was won by the Malian company myAgro / N’Ga Sene that has developed a mobile application which enables farmers to buy high-quality seeds and fertilizer, and to benefit from a range of training programs. myAgro is set to play a role in improving agricultural productivity in Africa and facilitating working conditions. Information from the award centre said that a “favourite project” was also selected by web users on the StarAfrica portal, adding that over 22,000 visitors voted for the Moroccan project Kezakoo, which is an e-learning platform that publishes free online educational material (school documents and videos) by allowing members to share their own content with the community For the fifth year in a row, the Orange Group has recognized and awards prizes to projects that are set to stimulate development in Africa. The prizes are aimed to encourage entrepreneurs as they launch initiatives using technology to meet the needs of people living in Africa. It was said that more than 600 candidates responded to the call for projects, which ran from May to September 2015, reflecting the potential of the telecommunications sector to support development in Africa in fields as diverse as healthcare, agriculture, education and energy. Eleven projects were selected by a panel of judges, consisting of Orange specialists, the media and institutions that promote development. The shortlisted projects were presented on Orange’s pan-African web portal, www.starafrica.com. The three prize-winners received grants of 10,000, 15,000 and 25,000 euros, along with six months of support from Orange experts. The first prize will also be offered a patent registration. [myad]
Federal Government is continuing with the privatisation and commercialisation policy of its companies, but with a difference. The government is now to give much emphasis to the technical and managerial competence of prospective buyers of government-owned companies. President Muhammadu Buhari dropped this hint today when he granted audience, at the Presidential Villa Abuja, to the Executive Vice President of Peugeot in Africa and the Middle-East, Mr. Jean-Christophe Quemard. President Buhari emphasised that his own kind of privatisation would give greater consideration to the technical and managerial competence of prospective buyers of government-owned companies. According to him, a higher premium will also be placed on the financial clout of bidders in future privatisation exercises to avoid the running aground of privatized companies by ill-equipped and incapable investors. President Buhari who spoke after being briefed on plans by Peugeot to stage a comeback to Nigeria after the collapse of the privatization of Peugeot Automobiles Nigeria Limited, noted that privatization could only succeed and yield desired benefits if buyers of government-owned companies possess essential skills and resources. Mr. Quemard had assured President Buhari that Peugeot was ready to reinvest in vehicle assembly in Nigeria, provided that the right indigenous partners are found. The Peugeot Chief Executive for Africa and the Middle-East briefed the President on the company’s three-phased plan to resume vehicle assembly in Nigeria with 4,000 cars next year, rising up to 10,000 cars by 2021. He said that the plan, which he pleaded with the Federal Government to support with appropriate policies and actions, will entail higher local content in the assembly of Peugeot cars in Nigeria and the exportation of locally assembled Peugeot cars from Nigeria to neighbouring African countries. Peugeot Automobiles Nigeria Limited which was privatized some years ago, has technically reverted to government ownership with up to 85 per cent of its shares now held by the Federal Government and the Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON). [myad]
Lagos State government has taken custody of two girls who were allegedly raped by their father’s friends and co-workers recently. According to the state commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Lola Akande has said, the children, ages five and three, have been rescued from the abusive environment and taken to one of the Children Homes for proper psychotherapy and guardianship. She said that the Ministry will henceforth be responsible for their upkeep and educational pursuit. Akande added that the Ministry is working with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp to ensure that the perpetrators of such crime do not go free and are prosecuted according to the Law of the State. She commended the NGO that brought the children’s plight to public domain and urged the citizens of the State to be vigilant and report any case of child abuse or domestic violence noticed in their vicinity to the Ministry by calling any of the dedicated help lines for child abuse or domestic violence on numbers: 08102678443, 08085754226 and 08085594141. The Commissioner said that the Ministry would also assist the parents whose circumstances gave way for the molestation of their children, but enjoined parents to create time for their children/wards and monitor them and their activities at home and in schools. She promised that the present administration will assist the victims’ father to be gainfully employed by enrolling him in one of the Ministry’s Skill Acquisition Centres to learn a vocation after which he would be empowered to practice the trade on completion of his training. It would be recalled that the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps paraded four suspects last week for allegedly sexually abusing the sisters. [myad]
Although, Nigeria has over 120 public and private conventional universities, but it is unarguable that they are far from meeting the educational needs of the country’s teeming population. The illiteracy level in Nigeria remains very high.
Several reasons account for this development. Tight schedules at workplace and the financial wherewithal to foot conventional studies among others have deprived most Nigerians who desire higher education to achieve this feat. Efforts to bridge this gap compelled the government of former President Shehu Shagari to launch the idea of a National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) on July 22nd 1983.
Over the decades, NOUN has not only experienced turbulent times, in a competitive market, but more interesting, it has survived it, as evident in its manifest visibility on the national scene today. Analysts’ contend that never in its history has the vision and mission of NOUN articulated and vigorously pursued by its Chief Administrators than obtained at the moment under its current leadership led by Professor Vincent Ado Tenebe, an agronomist of repute.
He encapsulates his vision for the varsity as; “NOUN is more concerned about the entire Nigerians and especially those in the rural areas, those boys and girls on the streets, who have necessary academic qualifications for university admission.”
Upon appointment as Vice Chancellor, Tenebe met a promising institution like NOUN at the verge of extinction. The portrait of the varsity was smeared to the extent that aside the stigmatization imposed on it by conventional universities in the country, lack of accreditation of courses, the non-inclusion of graduates of NOUN in the Law School and NYSC scheme were some of the multiple bruises suffered by the university. Public interest waned and students’ enrolment into NOUN was on its record low.
But when Tenebe ambled on the stage as the varsity’s chief administrator, he confronted these challenges and unchained the hidden treasures of the varsity instantly. And the gains have kept appreciating, as exemplified in increased students enrolment, accreditation of courses, expansion in academic programmes and the uncommon interest of even elder statesmen and high academics in acquiring NOUN’s Open and distance learning education.
Professor Tenebe and his team at NOUN have ensured that its graduates no longer suffer any stigma arising from improper packaging of the varsities’ policies and programmes. Tenebe has set out the modalities for NOUN graduates to now participate in the mandatory one-year NYSC scheme. To concretize the deal, the varsity leadership has sealed an agreement with the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), to henceforth issue admission letters to every graduate eligible for the NYSC scheme after the payment of prescribed fees by NOUN. By implication, with effect from the next academic session, NOUN graduates below the age of 30 will be proud participants in the NYSC programme.
Another striking aspect of Tenebe’s innovative leadership of NOUN is his conviction that the varsity is the mother of all varsities in Nigeria; hence its limitless capacity to admit interested and qualified candidates. He believes that NOUN can effectively accommodate five million to 10 million students without hitches. And he has not relented on his oars to maximally exploit this opportunity for the benefit of all Nigerians, to replicate what NOUN counterparts in other parts of the world have also achieved.
Therefore, from the initial 15,000 students enrolment figure Prof. Tenebe met on assumption of office about five years ago, NOUN has multiply doubled the figure currently. NOUN students population under Tenebe’s watch has hit 400, 000, with active students in the range of 180, 000.
But feels it is just a tip of the iceberg, as the target is primed to hit half a million enrolment figure in the nearest future, without compromising standards, an ambition that would undoubtedly materialize in the next two academic sessions. He also, plans to erect NOUN study centers in each of the 774 councils in Nigeria, as he targets the 1.5 million enrolment figure. From the initial 36 NOUN study centers he inherited, the number has surged to 55 across the country and he is still counting.
His philosophy for this Open University is unbeatable. In dogged pursuance of the mission of the varsity, Tenebe has created special study centers for the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW). Military and para-military are also beneficiaries of Tenebe’s foresight for NOUN. Study centres have been established for the Nigeria Air force, the Immigration, the Police, Navy and the Nigeria Prisons. And plans are in top gear to extend similar gestures to the army and other such establishments in the determination to accord Nigerians affordable education.
It is Prof. Tenebe’s overhauling of NOUN that has gingered enrolment into the varsity by both the young and the old. Even serving Vice Chancellors of other Universities; traditional rulers and other highly placed Nigerians desirous of knowledge are now its students. And the bait has been his strictest application of standards in NOUN, as obtainable in conventional universities in the country.
To broaden the scope of learning, Tenebe has ensured that the 10 schools/faculties spelt out in the varsity’s academic development master plan or blue print are operational currently. And NOUN now trains students in Arts, Social Sciences as well as courses in engineering and the core sciences.
NOUN has also surmounted the barrier created by the National Council on Legal Education which hitherto rejected the inclusion of law graduates of NOUN in the Law School in order to be called to the Bar for legal practice. The School of Law in NOUN is duly approved and accredited by the National Universities Commission (NUC) like applicable in conventional universities.
Apart from this leverage, Law students have a direct interface with their lecturers from time to time, as Tenebe admits NOUN uses, “State of the act technology inclusive of the print media, electronic media and other integrated and strategic forms of communications to tutor students.”
But in spite of everything, Tenebe’s ovations sound louder in public domain for his zero tolerance against corruption and the mindless exploitation of students through dubious levies which cumulatively pep-up tuition fees. To keep fees at its lowest ebb, Tenebe, introduced revenue initiatives for the varsity. The establishment of the National Open University of Nigeria consults and investment limited (NOUNCIL), is a direct response to the financial needs of the university. The company offers consultancy services and Extra-Moral studies. But it is also into hospitality business, transport, catering services, agriculture, bottled and sachets water production among others.
Professor Tenebe’s abhorrence to corruption is legendry and he lamented the effects of this cankerworm in a recent public book presentation by saying;
“Corruption is dangerous and inimical to the systemic existence of any polity.The future of this country lies in the hands of the younger people undergoing educational training in the universities and other colleges of higher studies, so for this initiative to be sponsored by the academia, it shows clearly the acceptability by the generality of the people to eliminate or eradicate corruption in the society.”
Based on his towering accomplishments in the running of NOUN, Nigerian students, under the auspices of National Association of Nigerian Universities Students (NANUS), recently raised the ovation louder for Tenebe by conferring on him the award of the most Innovative and Transformative Vice Chancellor and University in the country.
National President of NANUS, Comrade Peter Bassey, captured the essence of the award in these “Having done a thorough assessment of the private universities, public universities, conventional and non-conventional universities, a fact, which stood out remained the innovative and product-driven learning approach adopted by the NOUN under the leadership of Prof. Vincent Ado Tenebe as the Vice Chancellor. For a university that had less than 15,000 students enrolled prior to the Tenebe administration, the students’ population has risen to over 300, 000, thereby bringing mass literacy to the hitherto un-reached and making NOUN the largest university in Africa and one of the world’s largest open universities.”
Therefore, with Prof. Tenebe on the saddle at NOUN, students under his tutelage would also imbibe his leadership qualities. It is believed that they would leave NOUN with a positive perception about their country. They would know that corruption is a plaque to avoid, hence Tenebe, their Vice Chancellor, never exploited their innocence in exchange for the university degree they desired. It is quite germane that a university administrator with such leadership drive and qualities be allowed more time to impact on his generation, especially as NOUN is a special university, outside of the conventional universities bond by a five-year single term.
Targema, a public affairs commentator, wrote from Federal University Dutsinma, Katsina State.[myad]
One of the numerous reasons why African nations in general and Nigeria in particular are still under developed could be located within the ambit of less emphasis being given to the culture of dignity of labour. It is with the dignity of labour that makes all types of jobs to be respected, presupposing that no occupation is superior. It is to be noted that one of the major contributions of the Protestant faith to the world is the culture of dignity of labor. At the time Martin Luther, John Calvin and other leaders of the protestant reformation started their works of reformation in Europe, Europe was as backward and as underdeveloped as most countries in Africa today. Some of the countries we now respect in Europe, like Germany and England, were so backward and underdeveloped that Germans were known as lazy drunks who despised any form of hard work. In England, things were so bad that the streets of London had homeless people everywhere dying of poverty, prostitution, alcoholism without any hope of things ever getting better. “Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their sleeves, some turn up their noses, and some don’t turn up at all.” -John Carmack When the protestant preachers began delivering their extremely fiery messages in the churches and in the streets of Europe, one of their main focus was called the dignity of labor. Which entailed the following facts; Everybody must get a job. All jobs must be respected, because they are being done unto God. By working we become co-workers with God. Work is a form of service to God. No occupation is considered superior since everyone is doing his best where he is. You need to work even if it is a menial or dirty job, because every job is participating in the process of creation. Everybody must work even if you are not working for money. You must work to actualize yourself. “He who has a slack hand becomes poor, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.” Ancient Proverb What this very commendable efforts of preachers did to Europe is that: It took people off the street. People were taught that they were created by God and they themselves must become creators like God. There came a respect and dignity for work. People began to understand that wealth and success is not a matter of luck. Superstition regarding work and wealth was broken. Everybody now knew that wealth comes only from hard work, not from some superstitious beliefs. The society was taught to respect all workers. Each worker no matter the level, knows he is participating in the process of creation with God hence the dignity. Every worker knows that by working, he is releasing the nature of God in him. He is becoming creative just like God is creative. In the process, factories, industries began to spring up all over the place. It led to industrial revolution with 75 percent of inventions and discoveries being credited to Protestants who were taught in the culture of dignity of labor. I believe that for Nigeria and other third world countries to truly become developed, we must change the culture and attitude of our people towards work. I see that the culture that is prevalent right now in Nigeria and indeed Africa is the culture of Get Rich Quick. “The dictionary is the only place that success comes before work. Work is the key to success, and hard work can help you accomplish anything.” ― Vince Lombardi What the culture of get rich quick does to our people is: Young men only wish to do prestigious work. Our young people look for quick answers and solutions. People want to get something for nothing. They look down at people who are engaged in manual labor. Fraudulent money schemes are prevalent in the society Armed robbery, theft becomes the order of the day. People don’t believe that hard work is worth it. People begin to think that there is no natural process to success, hence the fraudulent novel rich (swindlers, drug pushers, 419 scammers etc.) begin to become respected in the society People forget that they have to create their wealth in their nation. They rather think they must be given. The escapist mentality becomes prevalent, giving birth to the syndrome of economic refugees. What the new government of Nigeria and other African governments must do, is to start a massive reorientation campaign in the culture of the dignity of labor. We must bring back dignity to hard work. Our people must once again realize that it is only hard work and excellence that leads to wealth creation. Wealth gotten from dishonest means will reduce and a diligent worker will enjoy increase It must once again become a common knowledge to our people that it is only the wealth that we create that we can share. From our primary schools to secondary schools, to tertiary institutions, there must be a mass campaign to educate our people in the value of labor. Every major outward change must first begin in the mind. So for us to expect development in our nations, we must first bring development to the minds and understandings of our people. The change we quest for outwardly must first be attained inwardly. One destructive mindset that must be altered in our society is the thought that work is a curse. Some people advocate that if you are truly blessed you don’t need to work hard. Because as they say the “race is not to the swift,” I even heard statements like “a day of favor is better than a thousand years of labor.” To make things worse, this type of teachings are actually coming from our pulpits. We call ourselves Protestants, but we have totally departed from the teachings of the early Protestants. Martin Luther, John Wesley and John Calvin would turn in their graves, if they hear the kind of teachings we are now feeding the people of God with. While they, the early Protestants focused on forming the nature of God in people, the Protestants of today are focused on gratifying the needs of the people. As a result of their teachings, the early Protestants created a new society that we now refer to as developed and advanced countries. It is the descendants of these early European protestants that later scattered throughout the surface of the earth. Everywhere they went, they took the same message and culture of dignity of labor with them. As a result, these Protestants that moved to Australia, brought about a quick and accelerated growth and development. When they went to America with the same work ethic and culture of dignity of labor. America quickly became a developed and advanced nation. The descendants of these early Protestants took this same culture to South Africa, New Zealand, and everywhere they went, they were able to replicate the same work ethic that resulted in growth and development. Even today in modern Europe, it is a known fact that the most developed countries are the countries with the Protestant tradition while the dominantly Catholic nations like Spain, Italy, and Portugal are less developed. What I am trying to say is, we must change the minds of our people towards positively relating to work, labor, etc. Our government, media houses, schools, must focus on creating a new culture in our society. A culture of work. A culture of labor. A culture of diligence. A culture of hard work. A culture of perseverance. A culture of persistence. A culture of DIGNITY OF LABOR.
Adelaja is a Pastor and lives in Kieve, Ukraine. [myad]
The Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode has called on the Chief Executives Officers of private companies operating in the State to partner with the State Government to effectively tackle the menace of environmental degradation. Ambode made the call at the Muson Centre during the Greening Stakeholders’ Forum organized by the Lagos State Parks and Garden Agency (LASPARK) with the theme: ‘Sustaining Our Green Lagos.” The governor who was represented at the event by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Tunji Bello said that private companies are in a vantage position to complement government efforts toward a sustainable greening programme. He said that environmental regeneration and sustainability have been an integral part of the programmes of the State Government since 1999, with tremendous achievements recorded in the transformation of the state’s environmental landscape. “The responsibility to restore the glory and beauty of our environment is a collective one. The government cannot do it alone. We must all unite to salvage the environment; it is in our own best interests. I want to see more corporate bodies take environmental projects as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility programmes.” He said that in spite of the high cost of the greenery programme, his administration is committed to sustain it and take it even further because of its immense benefits to the society. Apart from its proven capacity to generate employment opportunities, the programme has enormous potential to improve the well-being of the citizenry and ensure security of lives and properties, the Governor said. He urged the private sector to adequately support the activities of LASPARK through the adoption and maintenance of the parks and gardens or even the creation of new ones. Governor Ambode disclosed that there is a proposal for the construction of a Metropolitan Park that would be sited at Ayeteju in Ibeju Lekki ona 5 hectares of land, adding that the proposed recreational park will serve the people of Lekki, Ajah, Ibeju, Epe and its environs. According to him, when completed, the Park when would be the biggest publicly owned in the whole of sub-Saharan Africa, and would feature a mini zoo, playing area for children, fitness centre, multipurpose game court, and many other features. Earlier, the Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Samuel Babatunde Adejare, said that in most developed countries, private sector support greening programme and renewable energy in the face of various environmental challenges and that Nigeria should not be an exception. He said that of the 300 parks and gardens in the state, only 73, representing 23 percent, are being maintained by private companiesand called for more partnership in this regard. Adejare acknowledged and commended those companies that are supporting government efforts towards achieving a cleaner, safer and healthier environment, while also appealing for more funding for a sustainable greening programme to the benefit of all. [myad]
Unidentified robbers have burgled the hotel room of a veteran Nigerian Journalist, Martin-Luther Chukwuemeka King, in Accra, the federal capital of Ghana, making away with his communication gadgets and other valuables King, who is the President of Journalists for Regional Integration (JORIN), a pan-West African organisation, was in Accra on official assignment for West African Post, a weekly publication of The Sun newspapers, in partnership with Tempus Communications. Amongst the valuables that were carted away by the robbers at Hotel C’est Si Bon, Kokomlemle, Accra, were the Nigerian passport, a return ticket to Lagos; sums of money in various currencies; 2 Dell Inspiron laptops with vital documents and official work at various stages of completion on them; one Samsung video camera; one Samsung still camera; one ipad; one world receiver radio set; one solar-powered audio bible; two mp3 voice recorders and one Vodafoneinternet modem with data, among other valuables. Narrating his ordeals to newsmen, King said: “I returned from an appointment the night of Friday October 23, 2015 to discover that someone, or some people, had entered my room at Hotel C’est Si Bon, Kokomlemle, Accra, tampered with my suitcase and stolen my property. “Curiously there were no signs of violent entry on the door or anywhere, suggesting an insider job and that the criminal (s) may have had access to the pool of room spare-keys that hotels normally keep.” He said that the case has since been reported to the Nima police station, the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), Ghana’s tourism sector’s supervisory authority, the Nigeria High Commission in Accra as well as the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA). But he regretted that it took 19 days before the Ghana police could make the first arrest of the security man on duty at the hotel on the night of the robbery – on November 11. According to him, between the date of reporting the incident and the date of the arrest, no searches were conducted, thereby giving sufficient time for the stolen items to be disposed of and chances of recovery to whittle down to nil. King is convinced that the police is not showing diligence in investigation and possible recovery because the victim is not a Ghanaian. “Being a Nigerian makes the case worse. I’ve been resident in this country for years and I know how prejudiced Ghanaian officialdom can sometimes be towards Nigerians.” [myad]
Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Idiat Adebule has warned Principals and Teachers in the State’s public and private schools to imbibe the new Information Communication Technology (ICT) in their teaching career if they must remain relevant and meet the 21st Century teaching and learning requirements. The Deputy Governor, who spoke at the 29th Annual Conference of the All Nigeria Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS) held at the Secretariat, Alausa, said that technology has reduced the world to a global village. According to the deputy governor, any educational system devoid of the use of integrated information technology teaching and learning aids would end up turning out half baked graduates who would be dysfunctional in the global setting. She observed that ICT has become indispensable to effective teaching and learning process in this new age, stressing that educators are left with no other option than to embrace the new teaching methodology or take a risk of becoming irrelevant and out-dated in current education policy. She underscored the importance of the new information technology in effective teaching and learning, even as she said that ICT has made the world to become a global village where information and educational material from any part of the world can be accessed faster and easier. She emphasised that anyone that fails to be ICT compliant would be irrelevant in the new scheme. The Deputy Governor affirmed that the state government has over the years included information communication technology in training teachers and schools administrators to enable them compete favourably with their counterparts from other civilized climes in line with government effort to meet the challenges of ICT development in the State. She reassured participants at the conference that the Governor Akinwunmi Ambode led administration would redouble its efforts in ensuring that the State’s education system is ICT compliant, while urging them to always update their knowledge of ICT as well as make use of relevant teaching and learning tools that would enable school children compete globally. She however implored ANCOPSS to use the Conference as an avenue to appeal to their members from the State to corporate with the government in its effort to bridge infrastructure gap and improve public school environment. She also urged them to rededicate themselves to duty and show good leadership quality so as to justify government huge investment in education. Earlier, in her welcome address, ANCOPSS Chairman, Lagos State branch, Mrs. Omotunde Lawson stated that ANCOPSS is a professional organization of principals of post primary schools approved by government to advance the development of education and welfare of its members. She stated further that their annual conference has provided members the opportunity to exchange views and make recommendations on matters affecting education in Nigeria. [myad]
The United Nations Children Education Fund (UNICEF) has seen the lack of access to toilets as endangering millions of the world’s poorest children$ According to UNICEF, there is emerging evidence of links between inadequate sanitation and malnutrition. In a statement today to mark World Toilet Day, coming up tomorrow, and to highlight the link between lack of toilets and malnutrition, UNICEF disclosed that about 50 million Nigerians are among the 946 million people around the world who do not have access to toilets and are obliged to defecate in the open. “Nigeria is among the five countries in the world with the greatest rates of open defecation,” the statement said, adding that lack of sanitation, and particularly open defecation, contributes to the incidence of diarrhoea and to the spread of intestinal parasites, both of which cause malnutrition. “More than seven million Nigerian children under five years old are stunted – short and underdeveloped for their age as a result of malnutrition – a staggering 37 per cent of the country’s under five population. They are among the estimated 159 million under-fives globally who are stunted. “A global report issued to today to coincide with World Toilet Day,for the first time brings together years of research and case studies that demonstrate the link between sanitation and malnutrition. The report, Improving Nutrition Outcomes with Better Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, from UNICEF, USAID and the World Health Organization, also provides guidance for action. “We need to bring concrete and innovative solutions to the problem of where people go to the toilet, otherwise we are failing millions of our poorest and most vulnerable children,” said Sanjay Wijesekera, head of UNICEF’s global water, sanitation and hygiene programmes. “The proven link with malnutrition is one more thread that reinforces how interconnected our responses to sanitation have to be if we are to succeed.” The statement said that Worldwide, diarrhoea accounts for 9 per cent of the deaths of children under 5 years old each year. “It is essentially a faecal-oral disease, where germs are ingested due to contact with infected faeces. Every year, Nigeria loses over 150,000 children to diarrhoea. After pneumonia, it is the biggest killer of Nigeria’s under-fives; 88 per cent of diarrhoea cases in Nigeria are attributed to unsafe water and sanitation. Where rates of toilet use are low, rates of diarrhoea tend to be high.” The statement said that the highest frequency of diarrhoea is in children under 2 years old, who are weakest and most vulnerable. Multiple episodes of diarrhoea permanently alter the gut and prevent the absorption of essential nutrients, putting children at risk of stunting and even death. “Intestinal parasites such as roundworm, whipworm and hookworm are transmitted through contaminated soil in areas where open defecation is practiced. Hookworm is a major cause of anaemia in pregnant women, leading to malnourished, underweight babies. “Nigeria has made major progress in addressing both access to sanitation and the nutritional status of its children. “In 2008, we had only 15 rural communities that were free of open defecation. Today, thanks to concerted efforts by the Government and partners, including UKAID, the EU and UNICEF, there are more than 12,000,” noted Jean Gough, UNICEF Representative in Nigeria. “That is wonderful progress, but there is still a very long way to go. We continue to work with communities to encourage rural Nigerians to build and use toilets, which can be simple and made from local materials. For a small investment of just 200 Naira per person per year, we could eliminate open defecation in Nigeria by 2025.” [myad]
The Lagos State Government, through the State AIDS Control Agency (LSACA) has embarked on sensitizing the people in the state against the HIV scourge. It has deployed three mobile HIV Control and Testing Trucks across the State to intensify efforts towards controlling the epidemic Addressing Stakeholders in his office in Lagos, the Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Agency, Dr. O. Ogboye said that the trucks, apart from public enlightenment, would also help to convey officers to conduct test on the virus. Ogboye said that the Agency has enlarged its dragnet to include Faith Based Organizations, Civil Society Organizations and non-governmental organizations in order to further enlighten Lagosians on the dangers and implications of contacting the virus. According to him, the Agency is collaborating with organizations such as the Diocese of Lagos West Church of Nigeria, Ansar-ur-deen Central Mosque, Bolorunduro Health Matters Foundation, Jenarius Peter Health Care Initiative, GIPEC Chaplaincy Corps, Cherubim and Seraphim Church in some Local Government Areas and Local Council Development Areas of the State. The benefiting Local Government and Local Council Development Areas include Ikeja, Oshodi- Isolo, Ikotun-Idimu, Mosan-Okunola, Ayobo-Ipaja, Ojo, Ori-Ade,Eti-Osa and Surulere, he said. [myad]
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An Egyptian start-up company, Bassita, has won emerged first in the 2015 Orange African Social Venture Prize in South Africa.
Role Of Dignity Of Labour In Nation Building, By Sunday Adelaja.
One of the numerous reasons why African nations in general and Nigeria in particular are still under developed could be located within the ambit of less emphasis being given to the culture of dignity of labour.
It is with the dignity of labour that makes all types of jobs to be respected, presupposing that no occupation is superior.
It is to be noted that one of the major contributions of the Protestant faith to the world is the culture of dignity of labor. At the time Martin Luther, John Calvin and other leaders of the protestant reformation started their works of reformation in Europe, Europe was as backward and as underdeveloped as most countries in Africa today.
Some of the countries we now respect in Europe, like Germany and England, were so backward and underdeveloped that Germans were known as lazy drunks who despised any form of hard work. In England, things were so bad that the streets of London had homeless people everywhere dying of poverty, prostitution, alcoholism without any hope of things ever getting better.
“Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their sleeves, some turn up their noses, and some don’t turn up at all.” -John Carmack
When the protestant preachers began delivering their extremely fiery messages in the churches and in the streets of Europe, one of their main focus was called the dignity of labor. Which entailed the following facts;
Everybody must get a job.
All jobs must be respected, because they are being done unto God.
By working we become co-workers with God.
Work is a form of service to God.
No occupation is considered superior since everyone is doing his best where he is.
You need to work even if it is a menial or dirty job, because every job is participating in the process of creation.
Everybody must work even if you are not working for money. You must work to actualize yourself.
“He who has a slack hand becomes poor, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.” Ancient Proverb
What this very commendable efforts of preachers did to Europe is that:
It took people off the street.
People were taught that they were created by God and they themselves must become creators like God.
There came a respect and dignity for work.
People began to understand that wealth and success is not a matter of luck.
Superstition regarding work and wealth was broken. Everybody now knew that wealth comes only from hard work, not from some superstitious beliefs.
The society was taught to respect all workers.
Each worker no matter the level, knows he is participating in the process of creation with God hence the dignity.
Every worker knows that by working, he is releasing the nature of God in him. He is becoming creative just like God is creative.
In the process, factories, industries began to spring up all over the place.
It led to industrial revolution with 75 percent of inventions and discoveries being credited to Protestants who were taught in the culture of dignity of labor.
I believe that for Nigeria and other third world countries to truly become developed, we must change the culture and attitude of our people towards work. I see that the culture that is prevalent right now in Nigeria and indeed Africa is the culture of Get Rich Quick.
“The dictionary is the only place that success comes before work. Work is the key to success, and hard work can help you accomplish anything.” ― Vince Lombardi
What the culture of get rich quick does to our people is:
Young men only wish to do prestigious work.
Our young people look for quick answers and solutions.
People want to get something for nothing.
They look down at people who are engaged in manual labor.
Fraudulent money schemes are prevalent in the society
Armed robbery, theft becomes the order of the day.
People don’t believe that hard work is worth it.
People begin to think that there is no natural process to success, hence the fraudulent novel rich (swindlers, drug pushers, 419 scammers etc.) begin to become respected in the society
People forget that they have to create their wealth in their nation. They rather think they must be given.
The escapist mentality becomes prevalent, giving birth to the syndrome of economic refugees.
What the new government of Nigeria and other African governments must do, is to start a massive reorientation campaign in the culture of the dignity of labor. We must bring back dignity to hard work. Our people must once again realize that it is only hard work and excellence that leads to wealth creation.
Wealth gotten from dishonest means will reduce and a diligent worker will enjoy increase
It must once again become a common knowledge to our people that it is only the wealth that we create that we can share. From our primary schools to secondary schools, to tertiary institutions, there must be a mass campaign to educate our people in the value of labor.
Every major outward change must first begin in the mind. So for us to expect development in our nations, we must first bring development to the minds and understandings of our people. The change we quest for outwardly must first be attained inwardly.
One destructive mindset that must be altered in our society is the thought that work is a curse. Some people advocate that if you are truly blessed you don’t need to work hard. Because as they say the “race is not to the swift,” I even heard statements like “a day of favor is better than a thousand years of labor.” To make things worse, this type of teachings are actually coming from our pulpits. We call ourselves Protestants, but we have totally departed from the teachings of the early Protestants. Martin Luther, John Wesley and John Calvin would turn in their graves, if they hear the kind of teachings we are now feeding the people of God with.
While they, the early Protestants focused on forming the nature of God in people, the Protestants of today are focused on gratifying the needs of the people. As a result of their teachings, the early Protestants created a new society that we now refer to as developed and advanced countries. It is the descendants of these early European protestants that later scattered throughout the surface of the earth. Everywhere they went, they took the same message and culture of dignity of labor with them.
As a result, these Protestants that moved to Australia, brought about a quick and accelerated growth and development. When they went to America with the same work ethic and culture of dignity of labor. America quickly became a developed and advanced nation.
The descendants of these early Protestants took this same culture to South Africa, New Zealand, and everywhere they went, they were able to replicate the same work ethic that resulted in growth and development.
Even today in modern Europe, it is a known fact that the most developed countries are the countries with the Protestant tradition while the dominantly Catholic nations like Spain, Italy, and Portugal are less developed.
What I am trying to say is, we must change the minds of our people towards positively relating to work, labor, etc. Our government, media houses, schools, must focus on creating a new culture in our society. A culture of work. A culture of labor. A culture of diligence. A culture of hard work. A culture of perseverance. A culture of persistence. A culture of DIGNITY OF LABOR.
Adelaja is a Pastor and lives in Kieve, Ukraine. [myad]