ONE CHANCE

The story of “one chance” used to be an ordinary story to me until I almost fell victim today. Well, that is what I was made to believe. And boy, was I scared! A friend once told me about his “one chance” experience which left him penniless, phoneless and black eyed- for a few weeks.

Well, he said one day he was going home from his friend’s and he heard this conductor screaming for one more passenger in the bus that was actually going his way. It was quite logical that he boarded the bus since he was equally in a hurry. A few minutes drive from where he was picked up, the conductor and the driver turned to another route and phew! That was how his trouble began. First, he and a few others in the bus were ripped of their valuables and a little struggle on their part gave them a black eye. It was a really bad experience but thank God he lived to tell the story.

For me, well, I didn’t have any screaming bus conductor calling for “one chance passenger” in any bus. I literary stopped a cab to take me from one stop at Ahmadu Bello way in V/I to another. The cab stopped quite alright, as I was about to enter, this lady matched up to me and brushed me off the cab. I was dazed as I watched the lady walk off as quickly as she had come. Immediately I noticed the cab speeding off. Now the first thing I did was to check myself, and I noticed everything was still intact. After which I hurried after the lady to ask what the problem was.

“Hmm. Don’t just enter any cab you see only two people inside, most of them are kidnappers posing as drivers.” She said. I thanked her and went my way. “An angel in disguise” I thought.. But I couldn’t also help but wonder if we are not really over reacting to this issue of “one chance”. Anyway, I am grateful to God for sparing me that gory experience of falling into a “one chance” cab. This would have probably been a different story you know.

We must really be careful when we enter public transport. Say no to empty cabs, especially unpainted ones (normal Lagos cabs are painted Yellow and black). And most importantly, risk access any area you visit before wandering off alone. Experience they say is the best teacher, but I know this is one of the few cases we can learn from other people’s experience. Stay safe.

EARLY MORNING ICE CREAM RUSH

“Ice cream, Ice cream” the old woman called out as young school children scrambled one after the other in a rush to buy one or two. I checked my time to be sure I was not imagining. “8.10.am” I recoiled in shock. It was a cold Monday morning, the cloud still cloudy with a promise of rainfall.

The rate at which the secondary students struggled to buy this Ice cream this early morning was appalling. Right in front of the school gate, no teacher or security guard to chase the woman away or at least caution the children from the risk which they exposed themselves to.

If the Ice cream they so much were rushing after was the normal healthy Yogurt produced by recognized and approved company, then my concern would have been about the timing of the sales of the Ice Cream. But this Ice cream was a locally made one; even an illiterate would know that the contents/ingredients composed of water, color and sugar, sold cheaply at the rate of N10 per one.

Parents give their children pocket money to spend in school every morning, but little do they know what these kids spend the money on. I must confess that as a child I also suffered from the aftermath of buying “unhealthy” food in school which led to constant stomach ache and mild food poisoning. I would have acted differently if I knew better then.

Those who do not spend their money on purgative snacks, make countless visits to video game centers, or the hard ones among them even experiment on alcohol or weed with pressure from their peers who count it as part of growing up.

If I could change one thing about this, I would have parents become more interested in knowing what their kids spend their pocket money on or at least be interested in their leisure activities. Secondly, the school authorities can also help by monitoring the food vendors that come around the school. Thirdly, is there any way NAFDAC can set up local monitoring team to act as watch dogs on these locally made snacks?

A healthy Nation is a wealthy nation. This young generation certainly needs more enlightenment on eating healthy to keep healthy.

If I make my way through the public secondary school I saw these kids hustling for the Ice Cream tomorrow, I wonder if I would see any change, probably not I guess. It has always been there and it may always be there…

Life Long…
Hey! So are you still wondering what to do with yourtime this long holiday? Bored of the ASUU strike? Or are you one of the newly Junior secondary school graduates? Or a High school leaver whose parents havegot an issue against taking up an after-high-schooljob? Well here is some good news: you can actually emulate what fifteen years old Oluwaseun is doing at the moment.

Young oluwaseun has just finished her Junior school leaving certificate examination (JSSCE) and like most of her mates, she was burdened with the question of what to do with the long holiday. Will she experience the severe depression most people suffer due to idleness? Or better still, will she be gallivanting from one auntie’s place to another uncle’s to spend the holiday? She would have loved to take up a holiday job but that is definitely out of the question because she is a minor and that will be considered child-abuse. Well, her mother had a better plan for her. What do you guess the plan is?

Today, Oluwaseun is a happy teenager, gaining afirst-hand experience in a fashion-design school. Hmm, now what better thing could her dear mother have done for her? Oluwaseun’s mother is a visionary woman andwe certainly need more of her type in today’s society. Mind you, one does not have to be aFull time-Stay-at-home-mum to have such wisdom.

Every year, millions of young people find themselves at home for long holiday (After graduation, ASUU strike and the rest of them), amazingly, only a trickle of these young people have a faint idea of how to maximize their time. Some actually use their timeto experiment what it is like to be young, good forthem. Little do we know that we can actually use the opportunity created by these holidays to acquire lifelong skills.

Life skills are skills that enable youth to be resilient, active, and productive members of their community. These skills are -academic, personal,social, and vocational. You would agree we need to create a balance in these areas.Fashion and Tailoring school, Hair Dressingschool/Salon, Catering School, Mechanic workshop to mention but a few are fields of interest we young people can actually explore to acquire practical skills that will empower us for the future.

Imagine someone who during this ASUU strike spent his time tolearn how to Style hair and give creative hair-cut. Do you think such person will ever go hungry in school?Of course unless people stop having hair cut, which we know will never happen.

This is not just another motivational piece you read in this column, it is more than that. This is a call,to every young person and parents out there. Grab the moment… instead of allowing the economic depression in our country to overwhelm you, create your own market. Empower yourself with life long skills. Education +vocational skill= A secured future undaunted by economic instability.

Jennifer Ehidiamen
~Active Global Citizen, committed to working for a positive Change. "Keep Adopting a Positive attitude towards life. Fear God, Live, Laugh, Love, grow and enjoy life. The best is yet to come by God's grace."

DIARY OF A STUDENT-JOURNALIST
Not everyday is the same for a Journalist...even a student-Journalist can testify to that.
Monday- Wake up early. Beat the heavy traffic jam and arrive in time. No truancy today...serious business. We even close late, thanks to our Principles of Economics lecturer. Mondays for me begin with laughter. Yep, our first lecturer combine his very serious course with an amazing level of comic dispaly. Ha ha ha.
Tuesday- Oh ho, History class- a two-hour lecture on how newspaper came into existence, in a more organised thought:The evolution of print industry. The beauty about tuesday is that we sometimes have a three-hour lecture free period unlike other days. Today, our History lecturer came to class with a bottle of chilled Maltina, in-between sip he intelligently explain to us how the Missionaries contributed to the establishment of Newspaper in Nigeria. For some reasons, I found me enthusiastically looking forward to "Newswriting class" but of course the history class will have to end first. "Focus girl, one step at a time" I chided myself.
Wednesday- I literarily slog my way through most wednesdays. We take a tough lecture on broadcasting and the rest of the day is scheduled for seminar and sports. Personally, Wednesday is the day I take time to update myself with news from everywhere.
Thursday- Even though my bed is begging for more company and my body is yearning for more rest, I am more determined to make it to school in good spirit today. Aside the interesting English class, enlightening Science class, and mind-building Communication class, fieldwork is what excites me the most. Talk about hands-onskill learning experience. Here we are on our way again, with our midget, Camera, reporter's notebook and of course our uncommon sense to gather news like real professionals on a beat... no compromising to practise Yellow Journalism.
Friday- Vendredi. Dieu merci. Friday is for french class... perhaps in my next entry, this will be written in french. We also religiously attend our not so well-stocked library on fridays too...afterwards, my close mates and me co-host our online radio show.
Saturday- Learn. Think. Tell. That's how we Journalists do it. Do you know there is no "off-duty" for Journalists? Even while clubbing, Shopping or Just being, we still find ourselves nosing for news. Part of our duty is to give voice to the voiceless... we inform,educate, entertain and delight our world.
Sunday- I find my way to my Father's house for worship and also tell Him a few things bugging me. The beauty about going to Church is that it reminds you of the body you belong... once again, our Pastor reminds us to remain a radical oppostion to corruption, in 5 words: "You can win by Righteousness." An accurate tip I need to succeed as a growing Journalist! A new week, a new experience at NIJ tomorrow...God Bless us.

POETICALLY SPEAKING
Free and fairy:
The drums of elections are heard again,
Muscles are flexed to display eligibility.
Boards of campaign feel every corner,
To portray portraits of eligibility.
Pictures of different colours and shapes,
Promises of different aroma of better life.
Qualified citizens trudge out in millions,
One by one they stagger on
To cast their votes into a leaking box?
Democracy has come to stay!
As April’s poll in Nigeria draws closer, I cannot help but reflect on the political campaigns that have stormed our media and street these past months. I must compliment all the politicians for their fancy sloganeering, attractive manifestos and remarkable speeches.
The ball is set rolling and obviously in a few days, we Nigerians will be carrying out one of our constitutional rights and have the privilege of choosing our leaders.
Should we cast our votes based on trust? That is, choosing to vote for leaders we believe are sincere, honest and who will not try to harm or deceive us after they have been elected.
Should we cast our votes based on the mouth watering manifesto that excites us the most? Or the name of the political party that thrill us the most? Or bitterly cast our votes against the politician we just don’t like?
The success of April's election does not only lie in the hands of God, INEC or the political parties and constituencies, but also on us all as individuals. Be optimistic, watchful and prayerful all through this period. Most importantly, let us think well before we cast our vote and hopefully, it is the vote we all cast that will be counted!

CHOP AND CLEAN MOUTH NGOs
Have you noticed the alarming rate at which youth-led Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) are growing? It seems every youth these days are excited about starting up one activism group or the other. Well, is there anything wrong if young people are inspired to roll up their sleeves and take action to solve the numerous problems arising everyday in our beloved society? There are other unprintable things these youths can channel their exuberance, if starting up an NGO is a way for them to express themselves positively, why should they be discouraged? Well like the saying goes, there are two sides to every coin.
Just the other day, I read an interesting article written by a young Nigerian who thinks most youths have taken to running NGOs of all sorts as a way of making quick money. He also raised the issue of these NGOs run by unskilled CEOs sending appalling emails to international organizations to literarily beg for money to save humanity. No longer are these NGOs to actually motivated by compassion but aggressive ambition.
This aggressive ambition has led most of those NGOs to actually compromise themselves to “chop and clean mouth” activities that includes getting grants and funds and then channeling half of it, if not more, into private purse after which they write up fake reports of activities they never had. The CEOs attend all sorts of conferences and workshop but never make any effort to use the skills and ideas they gained during these programmes for the benefit of the community they claim to serve.
Maybe if the existing adult-led NGOs start working and leading by example, youth-led ones will follow suit. Organizations that train young people should direct its efforts towards equipping these youths to go into the field and take action instead of encouraging them to start up NGOs. I also recommend that networks of Non-Governmental Organizations and concerned government organizations should pay attention to this issue and set up a regulatory framework to separate the wolves from the sheep.
If young people really want to take action, they should be encouraged to join/volunteer in existing NGOs- collaboration not competition should be encouraged because it is through combined strengths that they can affect significant change.
I stumbled on a new teens magazine called “CURIOUS” published by a teenager, aside the fact that it needs a few professional touch here and there, I think it is a good idea for a change which I hope have come to stay. I trust other youths take a cue from this to discover their passion and start building up their entrepreneurial skills instead of starting up a chop and clean mouth NGO!

THE YOUTHS OF 2015
I cannot really figure out what exactly motivated me to sign up to facilitate the One World Youth Project in Nigeria but since the programme kicked off in 2006, it has been a very exciting initiative. Aside the first hand pen-pal writing experience with our sister-group in Vermont, this programme have so far given young people the opportunity to project the image of Nigeria in the way that some international media is failing to do.
Few weeks ago, I was making a one-minute video with the Creative participants at Yeshua High school, who intrigued me with their impeccable presentation skills. These are kids between the ages of 8-12 years. I can’t remember exhibiting such skill that age! With such bundle of talent in one generation, it is inevitable that Nigeria will bloom in days to come.
Basically, One World Youth Project is a unique programme set up to link groups/students in US/Canada with groups from all around the world together in a learning partnership for the purpose of community service towards the achievement of the UN Millennium development goals. The intent is that through this process of cultural exchange and collaborative action, youths will build up their practical leadership skills, vision to use one’s own passion for positive action and become more knowledgeable, compassionate and understanding.
We are building a culture of people living positively to affect the world, as we don’t want this generation to end up as tired and detached politicians, activists and economists. By 2015, these kids will obviously become youths taking up responsibilities in their individual field of interest and passing on the knowledge that one’s action or inaction can either have a positive or negative effect on the world.
There is nothing wrong with our environment, climate or position of Nigeria on the world map that makes our land a place where dreams cannot be fulfilled. With right tools and mentoring, an average Nigerian youth can be a first class active global citizens making positive impact!
Like we say it on One World Youth Project: Youths are Interested when you treat them with Respect, Engaged if you make things Interesting, Excited if you are passionate, Helpful if you give Responsibilities and if they feel needed, Impacting if given the Forum and the Trust, Leaders if given the time and space to Practice leadership.

(First Published without the picture in Dis Generation Column in The Nation Newspaper (sunday), Nigeria)

WITHOUT PERMISSION!? Moderator dear...

Post by Sa'adu: Hello every one,
The Commissioner Ministry of Education Adamawa State had issued aletter to all Secondary Schools in the State banning any externalcandidate from registering for WAEC or NECO from this year.The reasons of the Ministry are given below;
1. Result orientation.
2. Financial fraud.
The first reason is taken because of the poor performance of studentin their SSCE results. It's believe that, the external student werenot groom enough when writing the exams and that contribute inbringing poor results in the school they have registered and sat forthe exams. While, the second reason is the problem arising from fewprincipals that were not sincere in giving out accurate number oftheir internal student in the schhol. They add external studentamong the list they are giving to the Ministry as their internalstudent.I believe the Ministry shouldn't have taken such decision because ofthe following reasons;
1. How sure and prepared that the internal student that arepreparing to write their SSCE this year would make it, atleasthaving credits in five subjects they want that fit the course theyare applying in University.
2.What about those that have deficiency the their papers and arealready in University and are needed to resit back.If you read it and have any contribution on the likely consequenciesthe would face, you can reply back. I'm thinking of having a meetingwith some concern youth and write to the commissioner of Educationin the State.
Thank you,Sa'adu.

Replies by O:
Dear Friend,

I agree with you this is not the decision that should taken, Please conduct a meeting of young people in that state and lets have a letter campaign to the commissioner and governor, this is a good time to do something like that when they want the mandate of the people.

But before this we have to identify what the consequences of this decision by the govt of the state can be.

Thanks for sharing this with us and I hope you will take the lead.

reply post by S:
Its so sad when one discovers the level of reasoning of most of thepeople we have as decision makers in our country. How can aCommissioner for Education make such a decision. Is that the solutionto the problem on ground? Will that solve the problems? did he stopto think about the effects of that decision? What is he motive forthat? Is it that they are not making returns to him? One cant stop towonder!!!What then is the fate of such students who need to resit for somepapers? Could it be that he is not concerned because he doesnt havewards involved? These are questions that need answers.This decision will always lead to
1. Increased level of iliteracy and it is coming when the world iscombating Iliteracy.
2. Increased level of crime. THis could come in 2 ways
a. Students will strive to pass as all means at first sitting and thatincludes examination malractice and bribery and corruption
b. When eventually they did not pass and there is no opportunity towrite it again, the turn to some other vices to secure a living forthemselves since education, they think is the security of a future.I think you are on the right track to meet with those involved andprotest this new policy which may ruin the lives of some promisingyouths. Please take the fight serious.I trust other members of the group will send in some effects this willhave because the more the effects, the better our points for areinstatement.
Thanks

reply by R: Hello,
im so happy that you are taking an action on youth problems in your state and being the active global citizen you are.
itz very sad that the Commisioner Minister of Education Adamawa State should say something like this when he knows very well about the low educational level of the Notherners which we should all be trying to put an end to,I totally agree with you that you should go on and have the meeting and write the Commisoiner about the various views you have received.good luck

reply by T: Hi Everyone,

Our responsibility is not to debate on this but to act and DO something cos we can tlk and talk.... yet if we refuse to act, nothing will happen.

culled from: Re: [youthsmakingchange] Re: Adamawa State external student left behind in writing SSCE this year.
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/youthsmakingchange/message/221