PUBLIC TRANSPORT (rotational poverty 2)

I love public transport. I think everyone should too. It is one of the best things that have happened to Lagos. Imagine the confusion, congestion, pollution and all the other –ion, that would have befallen us if we all use our private cars everyday. As it is, I think we have too many cars on the road already, we should all imbibe the culture of taking the bus.

If you hate “Danfo” buses, then take the alternative- BRT or Okada (remember to put on your Helmet). Governor Fashola has audaciously rebranded Lagos by implementing different projects, including the Bus Rapid Transport system (BRT) and of course the rail system is on its way! “…we take another significant step that will set the stage for the holistic reformation of Lagos Transport System that promotes the use of land, water and rail. I assert that our word will be our bond: we will never rest on our oars until we deliver our pledge to bequeath a Lagos that symbolizes the genius of the Blackman and is a pride to all” said the Governor. That will hopefully drive more people to embrace public transportation.

It is poor mentality for anyone to think that public transport is for poor masses. As a matter of fact, I think the system is designed for everyone. Imagine how much space will be saved on our roads if more people are driven to ride on Buses instead of honking in frustration through the hectic Lagos traffic Jam caused by overpopulation of cars and impatient unskilled drivers. The fumes released by vehicles are also reduced in the process of getting more people to take the bus. The challenge of global warming should really lead us to increase our demand for public transportation, after all, we are part of the solution.

The only thing that bugs me about public transport system is the fact that it has no measure of control whatsoever! A driver can wake up one morning and hike up the transport fare just because a crowd of commuter are stranded at the Bus-stop. Without prior notice, they increase the fare each time there is traffic jam, when it rains or the sun shines too much, when they are harassed by hoodlums or “police check point”. And trust us commuters, a very resilient people, despite the unfair exploitation by the system we still jump in and pay the price. In *Danfo buses commuters are squashed together like sardines as a result of a driver's greed or ignorance.

The onus is therefore on the government and other stakeholders in the sector (e.g. NURTW) to ameliorate the public transport system. Drivers and conductors should be constantly orientated, a stated specific number of passengers a bus can take as well as the cost of travel. We absolutely need a better public transport system. It will sure contribute to the eradication of rotational poverty in all ramification.

THE SOLVING AFRICA PROJECT

Beginning January 11th 2009, Junior Kanu will be visiting seven African cities- Dakar (Senegal), Accra (Ghana), Lagos (Nigeria), Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), Tunis (Tunisia), Nairobi (Kenya), and Johannesburg (South Africa)- listening to young Africans' dreams about what’s right or wrong with the continent and their roles in its development. The final outcome will be a book tentatively titled Solving Africa. Part memoir, part travel log and part political commentary, the book will be the voice of young Africans’ dreams for their homeland and an attempt at a new way of telling Africa’s story. In this interview with Jennifer Ehidiamen (The Nation newspaper), Kanu talks more about what motivated him to embark on such project. Below is the excerpts:

When did you plan the Solving Africa project?
Kanu: Since the beginning of 2008, I'd been thinking about traveling around the African continent but because I was busy with school for most of the year, I couldn't do much to plan. In the summer, I created an independent study course focused on African literature to get my mind thinking of places I'd like to visit. And as things died down, I applied for a grant from the Soros Foundation in November and converted the grant application into a website that I launched on the 6th of November.

What inspired it?
Kanu: The idea for Solving Africa began as a conversation with some friends in early 2008. We were in a restaurant in Vienna when we decided we would solve all of Africa's problems with two roads. One road would run east-west, from Dakar to Addis Ababa and the other, north-south, from Cairo to Cape Town. Tributaries would eventually join these two main roads connecting all the major cities on the continent.

I'd been traveling around Europe for five weeks in the winter between 2007 and 2008 on what some North Americans call, "The Europe Trip". This trip is done somewhere between school and real life, for most middle-class Americans of European descent, and it is a rite-of-passage, a tradition of sorts. Young Americans traipse all around Europe, backpacks slung over shoulders, staying in cheap hostels, catching cheap flights and generally discovering the land of their ancestry. I had stopped in England, Scotland, France, Holland, Germany, and Belgium. Austria was my last stop before I returned to school in New York. If I was looking for my ancestry, it was finally starting to dawn on me that I wasn't going to find it here.

As a result of my trip around Europe, I had got it in my head that a road trip around the African continent was an imperative for every privileged African youth. Not only would visiting other African countries result in ethnic tolerance, my friends and I argued that there was ample opportunity for inter-African collaboration. This was one thing our parents' generation had overlooked after independence and it showed as a so-called "independent Africa" remained in a posture of counterfeiting western developments even after independence. It is why imported goods are automatically better than African goods even if the raw materials were bought from us. It is also the reason why there is very little inter-African trading. Road trips, we surmised, would solve all of it.

What is your ultimate goal?
Kanu: The material I get from this journey will make up the bulk of a book I'm writing by the same name, Solving Africa. Because it's hard to love a place you don't know, I am proposing a trip to seven African cities to get to know, and hopefully, fall in love with, some of the people and places my education in Nigeria failed to mention.I was a science student during secondary school in Baptist High School Jos and during that time, history and literature weren't required. I was trained to excel in math, physics, chemistry and the like without any idea of whom my education was meant to be serving. So like most young Nigerians, or even Africans, I saw this continent as something to escape. I want this book to capture the the voice of young Africans' dreams for their homeland. I want Africans to take a look around and see what God has blessed them with and learn to be proud of who they are and where they come from. And maybe, with this change of attitude, we'll all be more interested in making this nation and continent at large, a place we want to live in and not run away from.

Besides the writing of a book, this project will be about connecting the young Africans I meet during the trip to like-minded Africans in the other continents. I also hope to establish an annual Solving Africa Conference, where promising Africans from all over the world, between the ages of 18 and 35, meet to discuss issues related to the continent's development and their role in its advancement. It would be amazing if each year, young Africans from every corner of the world made their way home for one week to enjoy the natural beauty of this land while being inspired to implement the many ideas they've been dreaming about. Imagine the kind of difference it will make when all these great minds get together and start riffing on new ideas and ways to elevate the livelihood of fellow Africans. We're a blessed people; and from what I hear among young Africans in the U.S., we just might turn things around and make our parents prouder than they'd anticipated by sending us abroad.

Because I want to entice young Africans to visit these places for themselves, I will be doing some touristy things. However, I'll also be staying with residents, locals who live there and can show me the city from their perspectives.

How are you funding the trip and overall project?
Kanu: The trip is being funded by various people. Some of them are friends from university. Others are members of my church. But what's humbled me the most has been the support from people I've never met. People who call me up or send me an email and say that they are excited about the project and what to be a part of it in some way. So far, I'm halfway done with fundraising and I don't think money will be an issue because as people read updates from the journey, the stories will stand for themselves.

I would like to involve whomever is interested in the project. It's not mine per se. It's a great idea and I happen to be the random guy with a few months to spare. If there people, organizations or other agencies you think would find this interesting, please don't hesitate to tell them about it. The project is definitely bigger than Jr Kanu and I don't intend to stifle it.

What has been a major factor that prepared you for it e.g good education?
Kanu: When I told my mom and dad that I was applying for a master's in journalism, I was surprised at how calmly they responded. I had graduated with honors in mechanical engineering and here I was telling them that I was going to go be a writer. All they wanted to know was that I had sought God's opinion on the decision and I think that the scholarship I received sealed the deal as evidence that my prayers were answered. Having their support was key. I also think that my experience as an international student makes it easy for me to get along with people of various cultures. That attitude of having friends who don't look, dress, talk or think like you has been a huge blessing. I won't be staying at any hotels during this trip because a friend of a friend knows someone in every city I'm visiting. I also have a healthy dose of faith. I'm the kind of person who believes that if God opens the door for me to start this project, He will prepare me along the way to complete it.

What are the limiting factors and challenges you foresee?
Kanu: My French is not as good as it once was. So while I'm in Tunis and Dakar where French is one of the main languages, I might sound like the equivalent of someone speaking Pidgin instead of something more respectable. And my football playing skills are very rusty so I hope people won't mind if I'm cost them a goal or two. Other than that, I am excited to see how this turns out. I'll take the challenges in stride; one day at a time. I know I have a host of family and friends supporting me.

Is your project in anyway aimed at discouraging Human capital flight/brain-drain?
Kanu: The project is aimed at engendering pride in where we come from. I've found that I didn't have this kind of pride until I left the continent and that's almost a shame. If people have to leave, let them leave. But they should understand what they're leaving behind and how much their presence after they return is needed. It helps to leave sometimes, I'm a proponent of traveling. But with the brain drain thing, I think it's a shame that all our geniuses are across the Atlantic when we so badly need them in Africa.

To learn more about the solving Africa project you can visit http://www.solvingafrica.com/

This interview was first published in The Nation Newspaper. (c) THE NATION Newspaper January 11th, 2009.

YOUTH-TO-YOUTH MENTORSHIP

The popular Ecowas Cosmopolitan College in Otta recently organized a student interactive program, a mentoring session aimed at educating the students about Leadership and personal issues such as adolescent Reproductive Health. I was at the event and was awed at the approach which Miss Modupe Ajewole, the organizer of the program adopted. Honestly, when I walked into the hall, I was expecting to see a high table with distinguished adults all dressed up to address the students who were eager to learn but instead found only youth workers in jeans and trainers who were selected to train the students.

The framework of World Health Organization defines health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. Youth mentorship can thus propagate a responsible, safe and productive lifestyle among youths. Youth-to-youth mentorship refers to a strategy where experienced, successful and knowledgeable youths are able to directly counsel or “coach” their peers with the aim of influencing them positively. Such Mentorship has become a popular trend that facilitates a formal relationship to further their peer’s knowledge, skills, or career aspirations.

According to Mr. Wole Adegbola, the principal Ecowas, the approach was adopted as a result of its interesting and effective way of having a direct impact on the participants. One of the invited youth mentor, Francis Anyaegbu while expressing his support for the strategy said “The importance of Youth-to-Youth mentorship is that youth connect better to each other, that is why peer-to-peer education remain one of the most effective HIV preventive method.” Francis considers himself an active youth mentor who is consciously and consistently challenged by his peers which inspires him to aim high. “The major challenge I have with that older generation is that they don’t tell you the truth, they are very theoretical. Youth-to-youth mentorship is very sincere and practical. After all we learn better by stories told and shared and youth are the people who can do that and influence their peers.” He added.

The positive effect of youth mentorship includes the enhancement of the potentials of protégés who benefit from learning first-hand the success recipe from their successful peers. Meanwhile Stephen Oguntoyinbo, another youth mentor advocates for a forum where business entrepreneurs like Wale Adenuga will have the privilege of mentoring an average Nigerian youth entrepreneur who aspires to set up a Telecommunication company in future. “A lot of young people out there have business entrepreneurial spirit in them and mentoring is one of the tools that can help them attain greater height.” However, he points out that one of the reasons why mentorship programs fail in this part of the world is because of our culture do not allow young people to freely relate and share ideas with adults “There is this egocentric spirit that creates gap between the two generations”.

LOOKING FOR AN IDEAL AGE

Do you know how much different our lives would be if we spent as much time feeling positive about getting older, as we spend trying to stay young. Just the other day my 22 years old classmate after writing his CV declared that he wanted to change his age. “My mum suggested that I should change it…” he said. Do people lie about their age for spiritual, employability or other socio-economic reasons?

Age falsification is a subtle corruption we rarely hear mentioned until victims are brought to book. Prominent people in the past have been associated with such scandal. Many people also remember Alhaji Salisu Ibrahim not only because he once served as a speaker of the House of Representative but also for lying about his age and claiming to have graduated from the University of Toronto that he never attended.

In a research paper by Adeyemi Adegoju titled “Corruption of Language and Nigeria’s Debased value system”, he noted that the falsification of certificates have been synonymous with Nigeria’s moral decadence such that Nigeria was once banned for some years from participating in under-age tournaments organized by The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA). But age falsification is not limited to political figures, footballers or celebrities, even in our local communities, people indulge in such appalling act leaving one to wonder what level are the vices more popular.

What is the lasting solution to such social phenomenon, one that will help stop people from looking for an ideal age (age falsification)? “Age aint nothing but a number. But age is other things too” said late Mariam Makeba. “It is wisdom, if one lived one’s life properly. It is experience and knowledge. And it is getting to know all the ways the world turns so that if you cannot turn the world the way you want, you can at least get out of the way so you won’t get run over.” A Chinese proverb says “Men grow old, pearls grow yellow, there is no cure for it” so why won’t people just accept the fact that it is a natural course for one to grow older?

A STRANGER TO SKIRT

Skirt is one of the thoughtful things that have ever happened to the female clan since Eve established the first clothing line in the Garden of Eden. I mean, what other way can us girls, ladies and women express our feminine and sensual nature if not to don our skirts and dresses, which are solely designed for us? But the dawn of this twenty-first century has seen more ladies shirking skirts for trousers, thus leaving me wondering if we are approaching an age where trousers, especially Jeans Trouser, will dominate the feminine clothing while skirt and dress will be plunged into obsolescence.

Jeans has become more popular among female youths throughout the world. Perhaps this is because it is one of the quintessential clothing items that bridges through any barrier created by differences in economic or social status. The young lady living in the Ghetto wears Jeans trouser, so does her rich counterpart who lives in a castle. These Jeans comes in different color and designs- straight cut, flare cut, Bell Bottom, skinny Jeans, Pencil Jeans or low-waist/below-the-waist Jeans (the low-waist/below-the-waist Jeans Palaver is a story for another day!).

My attention was drawn to the popularity of Jeans trouser among female youths by a Bus Conductor who after observing the ladies alighting from his Bus sighed aloud and shouted in exasperation “How will Trouser not become expensive when that is the only thing you girls wear these days. Maybe we (men) should just leave it for you.” There is no question that as long as I can remember, I have always enjoyed living in Jeans trouser. I shudder to think that I have unconsciously joined the league of ladies who are obsessed to the clothing item, thus becoming strangers to skirt. For months, I have been donning Jeans exclusively and I have even contemplated totally eliminating skirt from my wardrobe.

It is a fact that a lady who wears a skirt is telling the world she is proud of being a woman but what is a woman looking good in skirt without character? Those of us who prefers Jeans Trouser is by default, we are equally proud of our feminism but skirt limits our ability to express ourselves fully. Unlike Jeans Trouser, Skirts are really tough to get right- in terms of length, shape, fabric etc. to suit one’s frame. Jeans looks so practical and perfect for anyone who does a lot of running around. That is one of the top excuse we have for wearing Trouser- it is the only smart item that allows one easily move around, especially in a city like Lagos where running, jumping and walking is indispensable. However, so that we don’t totally extinct Skirt in this generation, let all the Jeans fans consider having a change of heart about being a stranger to skirt and acquire a new skill of recycling all our Jeans Trouser into Skirt!

A HUNGER MESSAGE TO LAGOS STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY

Youths from the Activista Group in Lagos delivered Hunger free messages and petitions written by concerned Lagosians on the Hunger situation in Lagos State as part of the Action Aid International hungerFREE Campaign to Principal Officers of the Lagos State House of Assembly in December 2008.

Some of the Messages from Lagosians: “The cost of food is very high; please make proper and effective measures to curb this”- Bolaji Olabisi, Orile-Iganmu. “We should please improve on our food reserves and hunger can be treated to a minimal level.” “Empower women and you will feed the world. An empowered woman is the key to a hunger free world.”- Mrs. Blessing Dan-Egua, Surulere. “The society can only be hunger free is we all go back to the land.” “Food talk is a serious talk. The time to act if now.”

The medium: Activista is a global network of young people, students, artists, musicians, filmmakers and friends across rich and poor countries. It began in 2007 and focuses on the campaign for the Right to Food, on the platform of ActionAid’s HungerFREE programme running about forty countries around the world including Nigeria.

The receiver: The Speaker- Rt. Hon Ikuforiji and some of other principal officers of the House, including the Deputy Speaker and majority Leader of the House, received the group. The group lead by Francis Anyaegbu shared some of the views expressed by a cross section of Lagosians and also requested that the House should ensure that they make laws that will help Lagos State and Nigeria as whole meet the targets of the Millennium Development Goal (MDGs), especially Goal 1 which focuses on Eradication of extreme poverty and hunger by the year 2015. The group later presented a plaque to the house capturing some of the messages collated from the 20 local government area and 37 LCDAs in Lagos .

The response: The Hon. Speaker appreciated the laudable initiative of the HungerFREE programme and more especially the effort of the Activista youths who are spearheading this effort. He acknowledged that the issue of hunger was a global one and he informed the group that the leadership of the House is a listening one and will continue to make laws that favorable to all and also address the impact of hunger in Lagos . He then promised to have other members look at these messages on resumption of sitting for the next legislative year. The Deputy Speaker- Hon. Funmi Tejuosho also expressed commendation on the activity of the Activistas and also thanked them for bringing the messages to the doorstep of the House.

What type of society will we have if more communication channel between those at the grassroots and the government is encouraged? The youths remain a prominent partner in executing such assignments because of their exuberance and passionate drive, thus this segment of the society must not be neglected by stakeholders at any level.

BUMPER STICKER: PLAN AHEAD

One of my friend’s bumper sticker reads “Manifestation, 2009”, predicting what the year holds in store. But nothing will change if we don’t apply an active approach to make them change, Faith without works is dead says the Holy Bible. January is synonymous to the door of the year, a month when hopes are rekindled and most people determine the direction they want their year to turn, thus the importance of planning. According to Alan Lakin (a writer), planning is brining the future into the present so that you can do something about it now. Richard I. Winwood says planning is a process of choosing among those many options. If we do not choose to plan, then we choose to have others plan for us.

What goal do you want to accomplish this year? Are you aiming for a better grade at school? Choosing a career? Getting into university? Or taking a gap year to travel and broaden your horizon? Planning ahead will help shape the way you take decisions in the course of the year. For example, if you flunked JAMB or WAEC exam last year, it means you need to look beyond the embarrassment of failing, anger, excuses or frustration and study harder. Your plan may include dedicating more time to study. A good plan is like a road map that shows how to achieve your goals.

Not everyone believes in the need to plan ahead, yet they are successful. For example, award-winning actor, Heath Ledger once said “I’m not good at future planning. I don’t plan at all. I don’t know what I’m doing tomorrow. I don’t have a day planner and I don’t have a diary. I completely live in the now, not in the past, not in the future.” But in the words of former British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, “those who plan do better than those who do not plan.” Thus it is imperative to plan ahead in order to stay ahead.

Most plans fail because of lack of direction, like Alice , we wander with no sense of purpose and expect things to change. Alice ’s Adventures in Wonderland as told by Lewis Carrol: “Would you tell me which way I ought to go from here?” asked Alice . “That depends a good deal on where you want to get” said the Cat. “I really don’t care where” replied Alice . “Then it does not matter much which way you go” said the Cat. If it matters where you are going to this year then please draw out a good plan on how to get there. Even the Bible says in Psalm 90:12 “Teach us to make the most of our time, so that we may grow in wisdom.” Planning skills is critical to achieving your goals at all levels. So whatever your Bumper sticker reads this year, stick it to a moving vehicle of good plan, keep an open mind that it may be interrupted, but work hard and have faith.