I have been wondering what my benefits were as a citizen of an ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) member state. I sadly watched on TV last week the fight between some students of the Lagos State University and the border officials in Togo over an attempted illegal extortion from the students. The students and their lecturer were said to be on their way back (traveling by road) from an excursion they had in Ghana. On reaching the Togo border, some uniformed Togo officials were said to have demanded for some money from them which they and their lecturers refused to pay. This action led to the condemnation of the officials by the lecturer which resulted into a fracas between the student’s and the officials. This incident was pathetic as I saw some students wounded as a result of the fight. The wounded students were later said to have received treatment support from the Nigerian embassy in Togo.
This scenario reminded me of my experience when I traveled last year to Republic of Benin, Togo and Ghana with my friends by road. We had a similar experience as we were made to pay our way through the border otherwise bear the consequences of an unstamped passport. We challenged this act however, not to the level that we would have wanted to as we felt helpless in a strange land.
I thought as an ECOWAS citizen with a valid passport and a yellow card, I could easily travel round ECOWAS states without hassles but unfortunately, the reverse was the case. What we have been made to experience is the bribery and corruption that has enveloped these ECOWAS states especially at the border area of these countries where money is being extorted daily from innocent persons unjustly.
ECOWAS was established to unite West Africans as a common community where they would share a common boundary and promote economic integration. However, I am unable to tell how far this has been achieved.
I hope our African leaders would look into this to avoid future occurrence as well as discipline officials who are into such ungodly acts. The primary focus of our leaders should be on achieving the goal of ECOWAS and ensure the excesses of these officials at the borders are disciplined. We should promote peace, unity and transparency amongst member states. ECOWAS should remain ECOWAS and not ECOWAR!
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Sunday, March 15, 2009
The Street Kid versus MDG Goal 2
Ever wondered what the world would have been like without education? I have tried to imagine this and actually chose not to because it is unimaginable. Education is very pertinent to human, national and global development.
This is why many time I travel along the road, and see children who are suppose to be in the classroom on the streets selling, my heart aches. I have come to understand that poverty plays a very significant role to the problem these children face. Poverty many times has been given as an excuse by parents whom their kids are always out on the streets.
The introduction of the 9-3-4 system of education (which includes 9 years compulsory education for children) for children in Nigeria is a laudable move. In the bid to make 9 years free and compulsory, what efforts are being made to ensure that these children enjoy that free education and not find themselves on the streets doing some kind of trading. Are the parents of these kids also being sensitized on the importance of education for their children?
The first stage of education is assumable free however; some parents still find it difficult to send their children to school because there are certain financial requirements despite of education being free. A free education should include everything free! (Free books and no levies) I look forward to an education, where it is said to be ‘free’, will be FREE indeed!
Teachers in Nigeria have gone on strike many times in their agitation for better salaries and improved system. In the real sense, the government of our country need not wait for these people go on strike before action is taken. These teachers deserve all the motivation they need for the children have to obtain the right education.
I look forward to the day when we would have no more children on the streets during school hours and when the quality of education is made a priority. The success in upgrading the quality of our education and taking the street kids out of the streets must include the support of parents and teachers. If we must achieve a universal primary education for the Nigerian child by 2015, we must take action!
This is why many time I travel along the road, and see children who are suppose to be in the classroom on the streets selling, my heart aches. I have come to understand that poverty plays a very significant role to the problem these children face. Poverty many times has been given as an excuse by parents whom their kids are always out on the streets.
The introduction of the 9-3-4 system of education (which includes 9 years compulsory education for children) for children in Nigeria is a laudable move. In the bid to make 9 years free and compulsory, what efforts are being made to ensure that these children enjoy that free education and not find themselves on the streets doing some kind of trading. Are the parents of these kids also being sensitized on the importance of education for their children?
The first stage of education is assumable free however; some parents still find it difficult to send their children to school because there are certain financial requirements despite of education being free. A free education should include everything free! (Free books and no levies) I look forward to an education, where it is said to be ‘free’, will be FREE indeed!
Teachers in Nigeria have gone on strike many times in their agitation for better salaries and improved system. In the real sense, the government of our country need not wait for these people go on strike before action is taken. These teachers deserve all the motivation they need for the children have to obtain the right education.
I look forward to the day when we would have no more children on the streets during school hours and when the quality of education is made a priority. The success in upgrading the quality of our education and taking the street kids out of the streets must include the support of parents and teachers. If we must achieve a universal primary education for the Nigerian child by 2015, we must take action!
Friday, January 9, 2009
CORPER PLUS: INSPIRE A GENERATION!
Are You A Young Person?
Have You Just Completed Your National Youth Service Corp?
Are You A Change Maker?
If you answer in the affirmative to the above questions, then here’s the opportunity you’ve being looking for:
Corper Plus is a one-year volunteering programme, which gives young people the opportunity to give back to the society and contribute to raising the standard of education in Nigeria. Volunteering on Corper Plus requires you to provide selfless service without monetary gain or financial incentives. While it is a uniquely rewarding opportunity, it provides a platform to be different, it is challenging and you’ll have to be a special person to make it work.
Corper plus is a powerful social change initiative aimed at tackling educational disadvantage in challenging schools in Kwara and Nasarawa state. This programme harnesses the energy and enthusiasm of exceptional graduates to provide leadership and motivation to students in schools and at the same time it transforms those graduates into inspiring leaders ready to excel in management careers.
Minimum requirements:
• 2.2 Degree or HND in either English Language, Mathematics or any of the Science Courses.
• Flexibility to teach in secondary schools in Kwara and Nasarawa State.
Package for Volunteers• A modest allowance
• Modest accommodation
• Potential to form social relationship with local communities
• Skills training and development
• An acknowledgement certificate
If you are interested in becoming an inspirational leader and participating in the Corper plus, then please send an email to corperplus@gmail.com requesting for an application form.
Have You Just Completed Your National Youth Service Corp?
Are You A Change Maker?
If you answer in the affirmative to the above questions, then here’s the opportunity you’ve being looking for:
Corper Plus is a one-year volunteering programme, which gives young people the opportunity to give back to the society and contribute to raising the standard of education in Nigeria. Volunteering on Corper Plus requires you to provide selfless service without monetary gain or financial incentives. While it is a uniquely rewarding opportunity, it provides a platform to be different, it is challenging and you’ll have to be a special person to make it work.
Corper plus is a powerful social change initiative aimed at tackling educational disadvantage in challenging schools in Kwara and Nasarawa state. This programme harnesses the energy and enthusiasm of exceptional graduates to provide leadership and motivation to students in schools and at the same time it transforms those graduates into inspiring leaders ready to excel in management careers.
Minimum requirements:
• 2.2 Degree or HND in either English Language, Mathematics or any of the Science Courses.
• Flexibility to teach in secondary schools in Kwara and Nasarawa State.
Package for Volunteers• A modest allowance
• Modest accommodation
• Potential to form social relationship with local communities
• Skills training and development
• An acknowledgement certificate
If you are interested in becoming an inspirational leader and participating in the Corper plus, then please send an email to corperplus@gmail.com requesting for an application form.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
VSO World AIDS Day event with Dutse Community in Abuja
Bwari Local Government, Abuja stood agog as VSO Nigeria picked Dutse Alhaji as the venue to celebrate the 2008 World AIDS Day themed “ Leadership”.
The event, which kicked off at 10:00 a.m. with some upbeat music, drew the attention of both the young and old in the community. The programme, which was organised by VSO Nigeria, was comprised of the Global Xchange Volunteers (Akure/Newham Xchange), VSO staff and Partners. The partners involved were Youth Advocates from Education as a Vaccine against AIDS (EVA) and Life Impact Foundation International. The representation which had everyone dressed in a T- shirt which had the sign of the HIV red ribbon as well as a message on the back “It pays to know your HIV status” were there to celebrate the event and create more awareness on the HIV Scourge.
Everyone went out en-mass into the market and its environ to distribute Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials in English and Hausa to the residents and people who had come to shop at the Dutse market. The people were sensitized on HIV prevention methods, encouraged to know their HIV status and care & support for PLWHA. Condoms were also distributed to those interested.
The GX Volunteers and the Youth from EVA presented dance choreography and a drama on HIV & AIDS to the public. There was also a quiz session where questions on HIV/AIDS were thrown open to the public and prizes given out.
The event had the media representation of the Nigeria National Television Authority who was there to cover the event. The event, which lasted for about 4 hours, was successfully concluded and the Bwari community were glad VSO, chose their community for this memorable event.
Sorry, this report is being posted quite late however, its better late than never.
The event, which kicked off at 10:00 a.m. with some upbeat music, drew the attention of both the young and old in the community. The programme, which was organised by VSO Nigeria, was comprised of the Global Xchange Volunteers (Akure/Newham Xchange), VSO staff and Partners. The partners involved were Youth Advocates from Education as a Vaccine against AIDS (EVA) and Life Impact Foundation International. The representation which had everyone dressed in a T- shirt which had the sign of the HIV red ribbon as well as a message on the back “It pays to know your HIV status” were there to celebrate the event and create more awareness on the HIV Scourge.
Everyone went out en-mass into the market and its environ to distribute Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials in English and Hausa to the residents and people who had come to shop at the Dutse market. The people were sensitized on HIV prevention methods, encouraged to know their HIV status and care & support for PLWHA. Condoms were also distributed to those interested.
The GX Volunteers and the Youth from EVA presented dance choreography and a drama on HIV & AIDS to the public. There was also a quiz session where questions on HIV/AIDS were thrown open to the public and prizes given out.
The event had the media representation of the Nigeria National Television Authority who was there to cover the event. The event, which lasted for about 4 hours, was successfully concluded and the Bwari community were glad VSO, chose their community for this memorable event.
Sorry, this report is being posted quite late however, its better late than never.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
2008 INTERNATIONAL YOUTH DAY CELEBRATION WITH GLOBAL XCHANGE VOLUNTEERS
The Global Xchange volunteers with support from the Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) and the British Council on 11th – 12th August 2008 organised a 2-day event to celebrate the International Youth Day (IYD) as well as to take action on Climate Change.
The theme of this year’s IYD was “Youth & Climate Change: Time for Action”. The event was well represented by youth drawn from the six geo-political zones of Nigeria and the Global Xchange Volunteers. The first day of the event was a sensitization forum where the youth had the opportunity to increase their knowledge on Climate Change and the causes of global warming. Mr. Taiwo Adewole a consultant from Sustainable Energy, Lagos gave a detailed presentation on “Climate Change: Youth Call to Action on Environmental Sustainability”. This session gave the participants an opportunity to a better understanding to Climate Change and Global Warming. Mr. Joe Adusei of United Nations Volunteers did a presentation on “Volunteering as a means to mitigating the impact of Climate Change”.
The day 2 of the event was an outdoor event where the youth went out to the streets and parks of Abuja to sensitise the people on Climate Change, recycling, some human effects of Global Warming and how to take personal responsibility in mitigating these actions. The youth also undertook some actions by cleaning up some of these parks which had some waste littered around the environments.
After the outdoor event there was a debriefing session where the youth who were involved in this activity shared their experiences on the outdoor activity while out on the streets and parks of Abuja.
At the end the 2 day event, the youth were not just better informed but geared up to take personal responsibility and action towards mitigating those personal actions that also contributed to the effects of Climate Change. A communiqué was drafted and the final version to be sent to the Federal, State, Local Government, leaders and policy makers to call them to action to initiate policies that will guard the citizens and bring into consciousness the need for the involvement of the citizenry to this cause as well as ensure the implementation of existing environmental policies.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Volunteerism: Tapping into Nigeria’s Human Resources.
Everyday we consciously or ‘unconsciously’ volunteer. You would ask, why the word ‘unconsciously’? Nigeria is one great country still developing in terms of volunteerism with about 70% population, inspite of their involvement in one form of volunteering or the other, fail to neither recognize it nor understand the concept of volunteerism.
Nigeria is delimited with challenges such as Poverty, Poor access to quality education, unemployment and lack of basic health facilities. However, in our limitation lie our strengths and opportunities to tap into our vibrant human resources available at our disposal.
About 5.8% of the Nigerian labour force is currently unemployed which has translated into increased poverty in the lives of the people. The question now is; how can Nigeria strategically utilize her human resources to better her economy and improve the standard of living of her citizenry?
Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) has demonstrated that volunteerism is a strategic tool for improving standard of living, strengthening educational delivery systems and effectively responding to HIV/AIDS scourge.
With 50 years experience in Nigeria delivering services through her international volunteers and partners for the development in our educational sector, health and the supporting of income generating activities in securing the livelihood of the people, shows that Nigeria can thrive in development challenges if we are committed to what we call our own and investing our skills for a positive change.
Arising to her responsibility through the active involvement of government, public, private and civil society sectors, Nigeria can adopt volunteering as one of the tools to tackling unemployment, poverty, health lapses and social vices. The culture of civic responsibility and patriotism needs to be imbibed for a successful application of this tool to effectively intervene in terms of service delivery and for economic growth.
Our human resources should not be allowed to wallow in ignorance and abject poverty in queue for when over-populated labour market will manifest with job opportunities. Individuals can be better productive if there is increase in sensitization on volunteerism as well as active involvement of the government.
Just like our tapped petroleum resources, let us arise today and explore our untapped human resources for volunteerism and for our development.
Nigeria is delimited with challenges such as Poverty, Poor access to quality education, unemployment and lack of basic health facilities. However, in our limitation lie our strengths and opportunities to tap into our vibrant human resources available at our disposal.
About 5.8% of the Nigerian labour force is currently unemployed which has translated into increased poverty in the lives of the people. The question now is; how can Nigeria strategically utilize her human resources to better her economy and improve the standard of living of her citizenry?
Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) has demonstrated that volunteerism is a strategic tool for improving standard of living, strengthening educational delivery systems and effectively responding to HIV/AIDS scourge.
With 50 years experience in Nigeria delivering services through her international volunteers and partners for the development in our educational sector, health and the supporting of income generating activities in securing the livelihood of the people, shows that Nigeria can thrive in development challenges if we are committed to what we call our own and investing our skills for a positive change.
Arising to her responsibility through the active involvement of government, public, private and civil society sectors, Nigeria can adopt volunteering as one of the tools to tackling unemployment, poverty, health lapses and social vices. The culture of civic responsibility and patriotism needs to be imbibed for a successful application of this tool to effectively intervene in terms of service delivery and for economic growth.
Our human resources should not be allowed to wallow in ignorance and abject poverty in queue for when over-populated labour market will manifest with job opportunities. Individuals can be better productive if there is increase in sensitization on volunteerism as well as active involvement of the government.
Just like our tapped petroleum resources, let us arise today and explore our untapped human resources for volunteerism and for our development.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Vous parlez Francais? (Do you speak French?)
I have always loved languages and wish I can speak as much languages as possible. Although English is our official language in Nigeria, we have 3 main ethnic languages which are Ibo, Yoruba and Hausa. Fortunately, I speak 2 out of the 3. The first, Ibo, which is my mother tongue and then Yoruba, which I was privileged to grow up with having been born and lived in the south-western part of the country most of my years.
I am currently learning to speak Hausa and have also have realized that I have more task ahead…which is, learning to speak French! While in secondary school, I dropped French out of my chosen subjects because my teacher at that time was very strict and for this reason, the French students were very few as many students wouldn’t choose French as a subject. I had regrets at the end of the day because I lost that opportunity!
I have just returned from the Republic of Benin and Togo where French is their official languages and have come to realize that it absolutely pays to be at least bi-lingual.
My stay in these countries in the course of my visit was very interesting! I didn’t speak their language, and only very few of them could speak mine (English). Luckily for me, my friend who I traveled with is got French skills so she did all the rescuing in times of translation and negotiation!
While in Togo, I met some Nigerians who traveled all the way to the University of Lome to study the language and some exchange students which I found really fascinating!
I am happily learning to speak French, and I encourage you out there to make it a point of duty to learn other languages besides your country’s official Language…as you would one day find it useful.
As a Global Citizen, what more can I say than…Il faut apprendre francais. A tout a l’ heures!!
I am currently learning to speak Hausa and have also have realized that I have more task ahead…which is, learning to speak French! While in secondary school, I dropped French out of my chosen subjects because my teacher at that time was very strict and for this reason, the French students were very few as many students wouldn’t choose French as a subject. I had regrets at the end of the day because I lost that opportunity!
I have just returned from the Republic of Benin and Togo where French is their official languages and have come to realize that it absolutely pays to be at least bi-lingual.
My stay in these countries in the course of my visit was very interesting! I didn’t speak their language, and only very few of them could speak mine (English). Luckily for me, my friend who I traveled with is got French skills so she did all the rescuing in times of translation and negotiation!
While in Togo, I met some Nigerians who traveled all the way to the University of Lome to study the language and some exchange students which I found really fascinating!
I am happily learning to speak French, and I encourage you out there to make it a point of duty to learn other languages besides your country’s official Language…as you would one day find it useful.
As a Global Citizen, what more can I say than…Il faut apprendre francais. A tout a l’ heures!!
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