The Past, Present and Future of Nigeria at a Glance
Fellow Nigerians, the devil is a liar. Let me confess that everything that could go wrong went wrong and I almost didn’t write this column. In fact, I had sent a message to Yemi Adebowale, the Editor of Thisday on Saturday to that effect. The worst nightmare of any publication is when your writer suddenly goes blank or, worse still, has issues that make it impossible for him to write.
My ordeal started with a frozen shoulder after catching some terrible cold in England. It’s been very inclement weather in recently with the rain pouring down as if it is raining the proverbial “cats and dogs”! The pain that regularly shot through my shoulder, as I tried to manage whatever was wrong with me, was of excruciating proportions. I trawled through all available airlines, looking for a seat urgently and at the same time, looking for a bargain. I finally managed to get a flight that would take me to Accra via an indirect route, have had the skies to myself in peace. Amsterdam and then Accra. Anyway. She woke me up and mumbled
It was thus that I found myself in the something like “it is time for food...” Why situation that I had a flight to catch to not,” I soliloquised? “We paid for the Amsterdam which I was determined services.” But trust me to always prepare not to miss. From Amsterdam, I had a for disappointment, I had branched at the connection to make. Just imagine a writer Caviar House inside Heathrow Terminal and traveller without one of his two arms. 4 to pick up some well-packaged salmon. My left shoulder was virtually frozen and Though I manage to indulge in the acquired practically numb. It was as if that part of taste of caviars, I have never been able to my body now belonged to someone else, understand the hype behind the funny But, thanks to the wonderful KLM crew, looking delicatessen. I had scanned the they made my journey more bearable. KLM menu and the Lobster caught my
I had not slept a wink the night before attention. So, I told Jacqueline to secure and I was dog-tired. The once seemingly me one. powerful painkillers had been virtually After my meal, I felt refreshed and useless and hopeless for my present rejuvenated. There and then, I challenged condition. Oh, how I hate those poisons the demonic pain that won’t let me interact except on occasions such as this when with my fervent readers this week. I was I’m desperately helpless. But they didn’t convinced that I would win. I decided to work anyway. Mercifully, nature won the write and here we are. My next challenge battle as a natural tranquilizer. I thank was what topic to treat that would be God that I was able to sleep on the flight topical and current? like a baby, and oftentimes I am asleep Then I remembered a message sent to me even before the aircraft takes off. As soon by my protege, Goke Dokun, a fine and as we took off yesterday, I was in La-La refined gentleman, I’m blessed with many land. The last thing I remembered was of them. The short info was: “Dele Momodu the big bird taking off at such speed that is the richest Photographer in Nigeria...” I marvelled in my sleep-induced stupor according to the ace Photographer, Dayo at how such a gigantic feat of engineering Adedayo, a very restless, patriotic and could manage to lift up into the skies with ambitious Nigerian who has taken over four that humongous weight. It reminded me million shots of the amazing landscapes of of the Biblical story of Jonah, the world’s Nigeria, hitherto hidden, for an unaware greatest sleeper in history, who found public to appreciate and bask in. himself in the belly of a whale. Here I I promptly claimed Dayo’s title for was in the belly of a bigger whale. myself on TVC, one of the biggest
I soon dozed off and must have slept television outfits in Africa. Why not? I sonorously. I was obviously enjoying my do not measure success and wealth in sleep when I felt a tap which I initially terms of Bank balances and statements, ignored. I was enjoying my trance on but by the Legacy assets acquired and I’m this astral level. The tap soon became a certain no publication in Africa has been gentle shove. Reluctantly, I opened my able to cover the lifestyle of the rich and somnambulist eyes and saw the beautiful famous the way Ovation International and affable KLM hostess, Jacqueline staring has. We were determined from the very down at me. I didn’t want to be rude by beginning to build an enduring legacy saying she should just leave me alone. and we are proud to have tenaciously
The fault was mine. I should have maintained our numero uno position in warned her earlier not to dare touch the journalistic lifestyle genre. Without a sleeping elephant, an African Chief. sounding immodest we have built a That would probably have thrown her reservoir of robust history of people into panic and trepidation. And I would and events since 1996 which no other
THISDAY Newspapers Limited. publication has managed to replicate.
This article was also influenced by two speeches of Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, during the Independence festivities this week. The first was the powerful one he delivered at the huge Cathedral in Abuja. He delivered a message of hope quoting copiously from the Holy Bible. As I watched him speak, confidently and effortlessly, I saw a glimpse and glimmer of hope in the horizon. I do not know if Osinbajo is without blemish, and frankly, I think it is a non-starter to look for spots when there are much bigger issues that confront us. The crux of the matter is that none of us is a saint, otherwise we would not have a world as we know it. The important thing is that the Vice President’s speech reasonably reassured me that he is definitely one of the brightest stars of Nigerian and African politics and power today. Why then do we want to humiliate and even possibly destroy such a blessing to Nigeria by circulating unfounded and baseless rumours and stories?
Osinbajo’s second speech that took my fancy was the one at the Independence dinner. Mine oh mine, that was so hilarious. He took us on a tour de force of Nigeria’s positive peculiarities. He wove a story of how united we should, and can be, by picking examples of how special we are, individually and collectively, across party lines. He even showed clips of Senators Ademola Adeleke and Dino Melaye dancing, members of opposition party, PDP. So that the dynamic duo would not take all the plaudits, he displayed former President Olusegun Obasanjo dancing as well. He presented Aliko Dangote. He even showed President Buhari and called him a man of swag. In his own inimitable way, he demonstrated the greatness of Nigerians globally.
I was pleasantly delighted to watch this powerful delivery. No one does it better than Osinbajo. But I must admit how disappointed I was when a foreign magazine was mentioned, gleefully, as promoting our fashion. Had we at Ovation International not laboured to showcase the best of Africa and forced our strides into the consciousness of the foreign media that was rabidly obsessed with famine, wars, diseases and poverty, there would have been nothing to promote today. That is why we are not only recognised in Africa but also the rest of the world. The international awards we have won complement the various local awards lavished on us. The numerous invitations to cover local and international events, in well over 60 countries, and spanning all continents, gives us great pride even as we are humbled by the accolades. We believe that our leaders and our people must continually appreciate the efforts of our own local entrepreneurs who have managed to thrive despite incredible challenges.
This is why I will continue to plead with Africa’s corporate leaders and governments to support homegrown initiatives. Many of our CEOs are happy to appear on the foreign brand names that restrict their success stories to Africa. They rush to advertise in those publications and media platforms. They forget that charity must begin at home.
Every effort should be made to identify those with capacity and capabilities to market Africa to the world and help create opportunities for our youths. You can only best imagine how many fashion designers and tailors, musicians, event planners, make-up artists, beauty therapists, caterers, Deejays, technical crew, equipment rentals, security companies, different suppliers, producers, stage builders, MCs, event centres, and so many others who have emerged and blossomed since we started promoting lifestyle vigorously. Not a few of them have since made it to the global stage and we are proud to be part of their humble beginnings.
Also, we must remember where we were before 2007 when Ovation Red Carol was conceptualised. Leke Alder (aka Professor Socrates) designed the event as a way of catching potential talents and giving them hope to shine and grow bigger. It was planned to be a Christmas event with a difference. The emphasis being not only on a time-worn and time-honoured religious activity, not on an event where love, happiness and a bright future is shared and nurtured. Special thanks must go to the global banker, Mr Tony Elumelu, who bought and invested into the idea immediately and supported us for many years. Trust the Spirit of Africa, Dr Mike Adenuga Jr, whose philosophy is “what is worth doing at all is worth doing well”. He took us beyond our dreams and has enabled us to empower many Africans from all over Africa and beyond who flew to Nigeria for the first time at the invitation of Ovation International. The only woman who has supported the vision of empowering African youths through our medium and other channels that she is constantly evolving and developing, is the world-acclaimed Philanthropist and woman of God, Reverend Mother Esther Abimbola Ajayi who has made it possible for more artistes to get the necessary exposure and has additionally supported primary healthcare, Entrepreneurship, education – by awarding scholarships, and so on.
The Christmas season is nigh upon us again and with it comes another season of the Ovation Carol. This year we plan to improve on our best. Our people, our country and our continent continue to grow and develop. In doing these, we can be critical, but must not be malicious. We must stand on fact not fiction. We must recognise what binds and unites us, we must focus more on the positive while not ignoring the negative, we must put our best foot forward. Above all, we must nurture and support our youths because they are the salt of the world and our future assets.
There is much more we can achieve, together...