Nigerian watch - Issue 057

e e r F

enjoy An AFricAn sUMMer your guide to our festivals in London pages 21-22

NIGERIAN WATCH THe UK’s LeAding AFricAn newsPAPer wiTH THe LArgesT circULATion

beFFTA coMMUniTy newsPAPer oF THe yeAr 31 Jul - 28 Aug 2015

Issue No 057

fortNIghtly

to Inspire, Inform and Entertain

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we MeAn bUsiness new word nigeriA Think our stories are not being told?

Think again. See our big summer read.

Pages 13 - 19

MPs endorse Ambassador’s wake up call to UK – page 12

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Important festivals hope you are ready for a summer of African festivals.

These public events are great statements of who are and where we come from.

It is here where our stories are being told and our culture and heritage is being celebrated. from museums to the South Bank, to parks and Notting hill carnival, it’s like the whole of Africa is celebrating.

And there is the Nigerian watch family favourite, the Nigeria School Sports family fun day.

These events show a facet of our character as important to us as academic success is. we wish them all every success and hope they are supported in large numbers.

I

‘1bn jobs needed in the next decade’ Conservative MP, and hot favourite to become the party’s candidate to be the next Mayor of London, Zac Goldsmith was the star guest at the 10th anniversary celebration of the youth empowerment charity Britafrique.

But, as ever, it was a gathering with serious intent

on Monday July 20, with little time for celebrating.

The charity stages meetings at the Houses of Parliament three to four times a year, allowing a primarily youthful audience to grill the invited guests, or quiz an expert panel – and demystify these imposing structures of state.

The evening was opened

Maryanne Jemide, Md

In Issue 55 of Nigerian Watch, headlined “British ‘til you’re 18”, we reported on the challenge being taken by students against shocking legislation that dubbed Nigerian students raised and schooled in the UK “foreign” when it came to Higher Education, barring them from taking out a student loan to go to university.

As we were going to press, the Supreme Court announced that it felt the policy was disproportionate and unjustified and should be modified. It means that hundreds of students previously denied loans should now be able to pursue their education, albeit belatedly. To see the full judgement, visit www.supremecourt.uk/cases/uksc-2014-0255.html

Publisher tevin Jemide Publisher/Managing director Maryanne Jemide Managing editor Jon hughes Art editor cathy constable contributors obah Iyamu; harriet ogbeide; AJ James; Ayo Akinfe; funmi odegbami; Samuel Kasumu; Ngozi Mbana; Ekanem robertson, Jessica onah, laura Adenuga; Edel Meremikwu chief cartoonist harold ogbeide office address Nigerian watch chartwell house 292 hale lane Edgware Middlesex hA8 8NP email editor@nigerianwatch.com marketing@nigerianwatch.com sales@nigerianwatch.com website www.nigerianwatch.com tel: 020 8588 9640 fax: 020 7160 5232 Nigerian watch is a fortnightly newspaper owned by green world Media ltd.

Views expressed in this newspaper do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the publisher.

All rights reserved. No part of the newspaper may be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the publisher.

ISSN 2051-4670

BVN registration in UK is extended until October 31 The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), has extended the deadline for the ongoing registration for the Bank Verification Number (BVN) until October 31, 2015.

There were heated scenes at banks and registration offices in Leicester and London on Thursday July 16, as the deadline loomed.

Without a BVN Nigerians cannot access their accounts.

While the deadline has eased pressure their remains much grumbling among the diaspora about the £30 fee each is being charged to register. There is no fee in Nigeria.

This has been explained away by the authorities as a service charge levied by Online Integrated Solutions, the company that overseas payment for visas and passports at the High Commission.

apprenticeships.

More apprenticeships have been created in the past five years than ever before, he said, and investment in the programme is to be massively ramped up over the next five years.

He said the policy, which skills-up the workforce, is “the most important thing we’ve done and most important thing we will do”.

He said he was “sceptical of the obsession by all political parties to get everyone into university, no matter what, whether they are suited or even know why they are going or what they want to do”.

He said we should follow the German model, that gives equal weight to vocational apprenticeships as degrees.

Ultimately, he said, it’s all about the economy; it is not the role of government to create jobs. All the government can do is create the enabling environment for businesses to thrive.

Mo fE lAtí dA AwoN oloPA* Metropolitan Police

StoP PrESS

with a brief introduction from Jeremy Lefroy MP (Con), who regularly hosts the charity.

As Chairman of the World Bank’s parliamentary network Mr Lefroy is involved in a study on what are the best practices that encourage work, employment and livlihood.

He addressed the issue of employment, saying their will be a need to create one billion jobs in the next decade to keep economies on the level.

He said the Hilton reckon the hospitality industry will create in the region of 70m.

Nursing, he said, will be a sought-after skill.

But it was the here and now situation that the audience wanted to talk about, and precisely the “poverty of opportunity” for young black people, including graduates.

Describing himself as not a “tribal, headbanger supporter of everything my party stands for” Mr Goldsmith said he was proud of its record on creating

If you know what that headline says then London’s Metropolitan Police Service would probably like to hear from you.

The Met is to pilot a recruitment drive that will make it a requirement for aspiring police constables to speak a second language other than English – and Yoruba is listed as one of the eligible languages.

It is one of 14 additional languages applicants must speak to be considered for one of the sought-after positions with the capital's police force.

New recruits must be able to converse in either Yoruba (Nigeria), Hebrew, Arabic, Hindi, Punjabi, Italian, German, Turkish, Greek, Spanish, Polish, Portuguese, Sinhala (Sri Lanka) or Bengali, in addition to English.

A recruitment update on the Metropolitan Police's careers website states, "Whilst our police officers are able to effectively carry out their duties without the ability to speak a second language, a police constable with this skill

is an asset in helping both themselves and their colleagues to more effectively engage with the community and deal with everyday policing situations."

It adds, "Unless you meet our eligibility criteria, you are unable to submit an application to become a police officer at this stage."

Those without a second language can still apply to be a special constable.

Scotland Yard said the pilot would be "evaluated and assessed but there is no information yet as to whether it will be repeated, or whether things will go back to the way they currently operate".

Sir Bernard Hogan Howe, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, said, "I am committed to providing a police service which looks and feels more like London.

"We know that almost 300 languages are spoken in the capital. We need to recruit and deploy officers with second languages in areas where those languages are spoken. I believe it will help boost confidence, help to solve crime more effectively and support victims and witnesses."

The new criteria follow last year's introduction of a London residency clause, which meant new police constables must have lived in London for at least three of the last six years. * Mo fe lati da awon olopa is Yoruba for “I want to join the police”.

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mps call for affirmative action on jobs thE crISIS of uNEMPloyMENt AMoNg youNg BlAcK MAlES IS “worSE thAN grEEcE”

Senior Labour MPs have called for "affirmative action" in the workplace to tackle the crisis of unemployment among the young black and minority ethnic population and to ensure institutions reflect the community they serve.

The approach, also known as "positive discrimination", is hugely controversial but has become an absolute necessity they said as past efforts to tackle the issues have failed.

The MPs to back the call are all vying to become the Labour party candidate to be the next Mayor of London, when Boris Johnson steps down in May next year; Diane Abbot, MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington; Sadiq Khan, MP for Tooting; Tessa Jowell MP for Dulwich and West Norwood; and David Lammy MP for Tottenham.

They spoke out at a Mayoral hustings organised at Lambeth Town Hall on Saturday July 25

by Operation Black Vote.

Chairing the debate, OBV's founder and chairman Simon Woolley opened proceedings by highlighting the issue.

"The unemployment rate for young black people aged 18-24 is comparable to Greece," he said. "Greece is bankrupt and facing economic trauma. So the question is how and why in a great wealthy city like London are our children faced with such inequality?"

The unemployment rate for this age group in Greece hovers at 53%, or one in two.

The situation for young black people in Britain is the same and has been for many years.

David Lammy was

unequivocal in his response, "I am absolutely in favour of affirmative action," he said and expressed dissatisfaction with his own party for failing to take a lead on the issue.

“The Labour party at the last election failed to select BME candidates to stand and were even de-selecting BME candidates. We should have BME lists to ensure fair representation.”

He pointed out that London is a 45% BME city, forecast to rise to 50% over the next five years. He said diversity targets had not been effective.

Affirmative action was adopted as a policy during the Atlanta Olympics, in America in 1996 to great effect. “Atlanta has become a powerhouse of black business,” he said.

In comparison, despite lots of talk about diversity and multi-culturalism, target and monitoring, London 2012 had left no such legacy.

Ms Abbot and Mr Khan were equally committed.

All three agreed the role of Mayor came with enough powers to deliver the policy, particularly through targeted use of the Mayor’s mighty procurement budget.

Ms Abbot said from the experience of joining young people trawling London looking for work, “Even today it’s not as straightforward for a young black man to get a job as it should be.”

From cafes and shops through to the boardroom she said “you don’t see black people”.

She continued, It should be made impossible to open a business in London that doesn’t look like London”.

The Mayor of London can take the lead she said. “The Mayor can set his own recruitment policies for City Hall and can use its mighty procurement contracts to stimulate black businesses and penalise those companies whose workforces do not reflect the diversity of the city.”

Mr Khan said, “I am in favour of affirmative action” and issued a stinging rebuke to Mr Wolmar the only dissenting voice on the panel. He said he thought it would be “divisive”.

Mr Khan responded, “I tell you what’s divisive, the young boys network that gives fasttrack training into the civil service for Oxbridge graduates and there are no BME faces among them. That’s divisive.”

Ms Jowell, however, while acknowledging the chronic and ongoing problem would not commit fully to affirmative action.

She said action was needed to ensure public institutions such as the police reflected the community they served.

Only 15% of the police service hail from BME backgrounds, in a 45% BME city.

Targets and monitoring should be used to tackle this disparity and make sure this happens “right across most of our public services,” she said.

Aside from affirmative action, all committed to supporting SMEs by easing access to finance and procurement contracts. Mr Khan said if he was elected Mayor he would establish an economics fairness unit to deliver this.

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Action speaks louder than words at inuential business forum

With high level delegations from Oyo, Kano and Port Harcourt, the UKTI, London Chambers of Commerce and business CEOs and Presidents from scores of companies this is a forum that dispenses with “talk� and gets straight down to the business of pitching.

Despite being a comparatively new boy on the scene the Forum has been given the full support and backing of the Nigeria High Commission in recognition of its positive impact in helping meet and exceed the trade target of ÂŁ8bn set in 2010.

The publisher of Nigerian Watch and a founding board

Maryanne Jemide, Nigerian Watch.

member of NILOBF, Maryanne Jemide, opened proceedings with an incisive overview of the current business climate.

She said the analysis of caution being expressed by some business chiefs in Britain was misguided.

She told the gathering, “You can have every in Nigeria. conďŹ dence President Buhari has committed his government to pursuing liberal economic policiesâ€?, to stimulate trade and investment and tackle unemployment and the urgent need to diversify the economy.

Nigeria would meet the challenges it faced to become a “powerhouse of the global economyâ€?, she said. Ms Jemide’s view was endorsed by Emmanuel Nweke, a senior oďŹƒcer Trade and Investment at the Nigeria High Commission, who spoke without notes for over 20 minutes.

In what was universally acclaimed as an impressive performance, he told the gathering that they should invest and trade with Nigeria, not because of the country’s vast potential, natural resources and opportunities, nor because it was a gateway to a massive and largely untapped market, but because it oered the best return on investment in the world with the greatest safeguards.

He told the business chiefs to look beyond the negative headlines, which distorted the perception of the country.

The keynote speaker of the day was the His Excellency Abiola Ajimobi, the Governor of Oyo State. Returning for the

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Over 100 business leaders from Nigeria and the UK gathered at the Kingsway Hall Hotel in Holborn on Wednesday (July 29) for the third annual Nigerian London Business Forum (NILOBF), which has rapidly become the place to be for those actively seeking trade and investment deals between the two countries.

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LEFT: His Excellency Abiola Ajimobi, the Governor of Oyo State RIGHT TOP (l-r): Emeka Unachukwu of the Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce & Umar Farouk Rabiu Dansuleka of the Kano Chamber.

BELOW (l-r), NILOBF Director, Prof. Chris Onalo and Emmanuel Nweke of the Nigeria High Commission

second time, he said he liked NILOBF because there was always follow-up and it was not just a talk shop.

In a powerful presentation he agreed with Mr Nweke, saying, “The rumour factory is the greatest industry in Nigeria.�

Nigeria is doing business and oering high returns on investment, he said. He voiced

what is becoming the common complaint about Britain’s relationship with Nigeria. The country’s preferred partner he said was being “too careful�. “China’s in, where’s Britain? That’s the question being asked in Nigeria.�

He, like the representatives from Kano and Port Harcourt, had a long wish list for commercial and social

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partnerships to meet needs in health and education and mining, agriculture and energy development. the day, Throughout frenetic networking took place at what has become a redletter day on the business calendar.

For more information on NILOBF and how to join, visit www.nlbforum.co.uk

For someone who is in the business of selling snacks, it was little wonder that Chika Russell had all ďŹ ve of the entrepreneurs in the Dragon’s Den eating out her hand.

Every one wanted a piece of the action in her company producing tasty Nigerian and west African snacks, such as hand toasted peanuts and plantain crisps.

They could all see the global potential of the Chika’s brand and Ms Russell gave an excellent pitch. It was even suggested she could export her snacks to Nigeria – a market three times the size of the UK. Chika plumped to go into business with Peter Jones, who helped create the huge Reggae Reggae sauces range.

But the partnership was short lived.

Days after the BBC 2 programme was broadcast on July 19 Ms Russell revealed in the Daily Mail that after having second thoughts she had determined to go it alone – compelled to achieve the goal she set herself.

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Double decker out to defeat double whammy of prostate cancer in black men Men’s health charity Prostate Cancer UK is taking to the road this summer in a double decker bus to bring an urgent health warning to the nation’s black men.

One in four black men across the country will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime - double the risk faced by white men in the UK. But just 8% of the UK’s black men are currently wise to the increased danger they

face from prostate cancer and just under a quarter (23%) actually think they have a lower risk of the disease.

In a bid to address the problem head on, over the next six weeks, Prostate Cancer UK’s ‘One In Four Tour’ bus will be pulling up in cities across the country to reach black men with one vital message – know your risk of prostate cancer and if you’re aged 45 or over speak to your doctor about it as it

could save your life.

England’s first black footballer and long-time Prostate Cancer UK supporter, Viv Anderson is backing the charity’s latest drive to raise this issue amongst the black community and will be coming along for the ride to encourage guys to take action before it’s too late.

He said, “Every black guy needs to know that we face a considerable threat

from prostate cancer. The statistics are startling and simply can’t be ignored. This is a disease that discriminates against our community – our brothers, dads, uncles and friends.

“Awareness is essential to get us to where we need to be to beat this disease, which is why I’m so pleased to be supporting Prostate Cancer UK’s crucial campaign.”

The awareness drive comes as the latest research reveals that black men in the UK not only face double the risk of being diagnosed with prostate cancer, compared to white men, but as a result a greater

proportion of black men also die from the disease.

Shockingly, the ‘double whammy’ research shows that one in four black men in the UK will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime against one in eight white men; and one in 12 black men will die from it, compared to one in 24 white men.

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Ms Oyelade, from south London, graduated with a degree in politics, psychology and sociology from Britain’s leading university with her dissertation entitled, Changing Representations of Nigerian Identity: An Exploration Through Nollywood and Its Audience.

Ms Oyelade, whose parents hail from Nigeria, was inspired by her heritage to explore a new narrative in her 10,000-word paper that fed directly into her final degree grade.

“For me it was the issue of identity.

“I really wanted to look at how Nollywood impacts those who have

grown up in the diaspora, who identify as Nigerian but still see themselves also as British and what distance exists between us and those in Nigeria in relation to film,” the 21year-old explained.

“In my study, I found that we as a diaspora have the choice and an ability to decide which part of our identity we want to focus on.”

She said her tutors were encouraging her to have it published “because it’s opening a wider narrative about the Black British experience and the fact that we’re not a homogenous group.”

Ms Oyelade expressed a future ambition to work in the Nollywood industry, which she regards as having unlimited potential, but for now she is happy working with young people not in education, employment or training.

film conference on ‘soft’ censorship The 7th African Film Conference, organised by Westminster University’s Africa Media Centre, brings together academic scholars and practitioners, to discuss how policymakers, filmmakers and audiences are implicated in changing social relations, affecting the kinds of moving images they can make or want to be made.

Key questions to be explored relate to how film screen cultures in Africa have advanced or subverted social

change in Africa.

We are concerned to bring to the fore sub-themes of changing film production environments, shifts in funding mechanisms for African film, the role of audiences/users, regulation debates and African film’s potential for human development.

The conference will be held on November 7 & 8. To see criteria and make submissions visit, www.westminster.ac.uk/africa-media

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michael memorial appeal launched Thousands of pounds have been raised in the past few days to help pay for the funeral of the Nigerian teaching assistant who was stabbed to death after going to sell a laptop.

The loved ones of Michael Adegbite - the 28-year-old who was robbed and fatally stabbed as he attempted to sell his laptop in Enfield on Sunday July 19 - set up a crowd-funding site with the target to raise £10,000 to pay for funeral costs.

More than £3,927 (as of July 28) has been raised online so far.

The GoFundMe profile, says, “We’re raising money for Michael Adegbite’s funeral costs/memorial fund. Micheal was a personal trainer, teaching assistant and also a model.

“He was a good humble person who was always there to help others and I'd like to raise enough funds to make sure he gets the best send off that he deserves.

Thank you.”

Three men have been charged with the 28-year-old's murder.

On July 19, Adegbite, who was accompanied by a friend, had

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agreed to meet a potential buyer for his Apple Macbook from the classified website Gumtree when the pair were ambushed by three men who attempted to rob them.

The group became embroiled in a scuffle in which they were able to retrieve the laptop but according to a statement from Scotland Yard, after a third companion joined the pair they then went looking for the group that had attempted to rob them.

“They found the people they believed to be the robbers in Lackmore Road, Enfield, at around 6.55pm and an altercation took place in which the 28year-old victim was fatally stabbed," a police spokesman said.

“Police officers, paramedics and London’s Air Ambulance attended the location. The 28-yearold man died at the scene at 7.31pm.”

Montel Ajayi, Isacc Owen-Brady and Christopher Nzeh, all 18, were charged with conspiracy to rob and murder. Nzeh was also charged with possession of an offensive weapon. www.gofundme.com/Michaeladegbite

#uNdErAtEd lABEl clIcKS wIth ShoPPErS BIg StylE

Shoreditch rocked to the sound of Afrobeats on July 23 when Nigerian clothing label #UNDERATED marked the launch of their association with asos.com, the UK’s largest online fashion store.

What started out as a cottage industry three years ago is now set to go stratospheric. The label was launched by Chidi Nwaubani (above left), now 26, and his business partner Anthony Hermann.

At first Chidi designed T-shirts – on a sewing machine and overlocker in his bedroom – and then as interest in the urban brand of leisurewear grew the range expanded, picking up celebrity fans such as rapper Krept and footballer Darren Bent along the way.

With a sizeable cult following also developing, a shop in the ubertrendy Box Park was opened and manufacturers found to keep up with demand. The company is now also a sizeable employer of creative talent.

Always one with their ear to the street, asos.com trend-spotters swooped and bagged a deal with #UNDERATED and their latest line is exclusively available through the site. As a result of the deal #UNDERATED can look to growing much, much bigger.

For more information and to link to their asos.com range, visit www.underatedco.com

nigerian named as bank chief The World Bank has announced that Arunma Oteh is to be its new Vice President and Treasurer.

Nigerian Ms Oteh was most recently the Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) of Nigeria.

Appointed to a five-year term by the President of Nigeria in 2010, she led the transformation of the country’s capital markets

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industry into a major global presence.

She was a member of the Board of the International Organisation of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) and the Chairperson of the Africa Middle East Regional Committee of IOSCO. Prior to joining the SEC Arunma was Group Vice President, Corporate Services, at the African Development Bank.

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nigerian to be archdeacon of hackney A priest who trained at St Luke’s Church in Homerton has been announced as the new Archdeacon of Hackney.

The Revd Elizabeth Adekunle has succeeded the Venerable Rachel Treweek, who has been appointed the next Bishop of Gloucester and takes up the position next year.

Revd Adekunle, who has served as an on-call chaplain at Homerton Hospital, will take on the senior clerical position within the Diocese of London, overseeing parishes in Hackney, Islington and Tower Hamlets.

As the Archdeacon of Hackney,

Adekunle will perform a number of key roles, including supporting clergy, carrying out diocesan policy and taking responsibility for church buildings.

Adekunle read theology at Birmingham University and did a Masters degree at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in African Christianity and Development.

She trained for priesthood at Ridley Hall, Cambridge, during which she completed a second Masters in Pastoral Care and Counselling.

While a chaplain at Cambridge, Adekunle was heavily

involved in supporting welfare structures at the college, offering counselling support to the 850 undergraduates and research students, as well as over 200 staff.

Revd Adekunle said, “I am very much looking forward to returning to East London, an area which is close to my heart and to working with and serving the people of Stepney.”

The Bishop of London said, “Elizabeth is a hugely gifted priest and I am confident she will make a significant contribution to the area as well as to the policy formation and the life of the Diocese as a whole.”

footballer fashanu becomes ambassador for down Syndrome Nigeria Former England, Norwich City and Aston Villa striker, John Fashanu has been appointed the Ambassador of the Down Syndrome Foundation of Nigeria.

The former footballer was honoured during the recent 10th year anniversary celebration of Paceworking, the London-based business networking organisation.

The 1988 English FA Cup winner was honoured alongside Dr Wanle Akinboboye, President of La

Campayne Tropicana Beach resort, Lagos, who also doubles as the special advisor to the Ondo State government. The event was held at the Kensington Close hotel.

Announcing the appointment to the packed auditorium, Founder of Paceworking Seye Aina told the audience that the former football star would use his goodwill in working with the Foundation to raise the awareness of

down syndrome in Nigeria.

In a moving acceptance speech, Fashanu revealed the struggles he had when he took his special needs’ 20-year-old son to Nigeria for the first time last year.

He revealed that within days he had to return to the UK when he could not find any kind of support for the boy, particularly when some people insinuated that his son had demons that must be exorcised.

Fashanu, 53, told fellow awardee and President of the Down Syndrome Foundation of Nigeria, Rose Mordi, who attended with her daughter, that he was elated for the honour and vowed to do his best in his new role.

Other awardees included founder of Africans Unite Against Child Abuse (AFRUCA), Debbie Ariyo OBE, the Bank of Industry

(BOI), Councillor Michael Situ, designer Adebayo Jones, and motivational speaker and community organiser, Dayo Olomu.

Ms Ariyo was honoured for her “leadership in promoting awareness of child abuse and child trafficking ,” while BOI’s recognition was for “excellence in business and support of community projects.”

Cllr Situ, a Labour councillor in Southwark was honoured “in recognition of his community leadership and support of good causes.”

Fifty-year-old Olomu, who recently ran a marathon to raise funds for a Nigerian charity, was honoured for his “mentoring skills and support of good causes.”

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party with a purpose The reigning Miss Nigeria UK has launched an initiative to inspire her generation of young people to get active and pursue their dreams.

In a meeting with Nigeria's Ambassador to the UK Dr Dalhatu Sarki Tafida, OFR, CFR, she said, "Children have become less able to produce unique and unusual ideas. They are also less humorous, less imaginative and less able to elaborate on ideas. It is not being young that makes you unemployed it is being unskilled."

She said the Young Gifted Initiative aims to change this by delivering networking opportunities, mentoring and forums to enable the youths to speak their minds without fear of judgement and help them to find a positive direction and support them in pursuing it.

Dr Tafida welcomed the initiative and wished it well.

The launch event, which will feature a panel debate, music and food, takes place on Friday August 7, from 5pm at The Link, Belvedere Road, Off Harrow Manor Way, Thamesmead, SE2 9BS For tickets, visit www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ the-official-launch-event-of-ygi-speakout-tickets-177

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NEWSwATcH Thabo Jaiyesimi

10

fIrSt NIght

Ondo Monarch unveils City plan in London

EASt ENd BoyS, wESt ENd gIrlS One of the diaspora’s favourite playwrights Ade Solanke has made a brilliant return to the London stage, with a powerful drama about the pressure-cooker world teenagers today experience.

It is only Ms Solanke’s second play but East End Boys, West End Girls will cement her (EEBWEG) reputation for depicting the lives of the African diaspora.

Her first play Pandora's Box was a runaway hit, winning multiple awards and critical acclaim, being described "as touching and hilarious" (The Stage) and "enthralling and brilliant" (Public Reviews). EEBWEG continues very much in the same vein.

Four young students are thrown

together when they meet after undertaking an entrance exam to a “posh” school. The two girls are from Chelsea, the two boys from Newham.

What unfolds is at turns a hilarious and heartbreaking story of Spora Stories are running free devising workshops to give young people interested in drama a chance to create their own responses to the play, which they’ll perform in a special pre-show event. Suitable for ages 8 upwards.

CLF Arts Cafe; 5th-7th Aug, 3-7pm Saatchi Gallery, 10th-12th Aug, 2-4pm To book a place, please email; caleypowellcasting@yahoo.co.uk www.sporastories.com

the individual pressures each are under from all sides; from both their parents and their peers.

There was a full house at the Arcola Theatre in Dalston for opening night (Tuesday, July 28), and the play was received with a standing ovation, which was just recognition for the universally sterling performances from the young cast –Jennie Eggleton, Alhaji Fofana, Ismail Kamara and Montana Mascoll.

With EEBWEG Ms Solanke takes the pulse on the coming of age in an increasingly divided city, buzzing with the lives and tensions of real people. It is a must see.

At various venues, see www.sporastories.com for details.

The King of the Ondo Empire – the Paramount Ruler and Osemawe of Ondo – Oba Victor Adesimbo Kiladejo came to London on Saturday to promote the Ondo City Vision 2015.

As part of an ambitious programme to turn Ondo from a provincial town into a major and modern city, Oba Kiladejo has embarked on an ambitious fundraising campaign across the diaspora to raise funds for the development of the town.

For more information, visit, www.ondocityvision2015.org

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NIGERIAN WATCH 31st Jul - 27th Aug 2015

11

Letters to the Editor let us know what you think. Put pen to paper and send your letters to: The Editor, Nigerian watch, chartwell house, 292 hale lane, Edgware, Middlesex hA8 8NP, or email us at: editor@nigerianwatch.com letters to be included in the next issue must be received by no later than August 23, 2015.

Anonymous letters will not be published. Please include your full name, postal address and contact telephone number. Names and addresses can be withheld, if preferred. letters may be edited for publication.

Slow and steady wins the race; Nigerians should exercise a super-extraordinary patience on President Buhari My fellow Nigerians, what is your hurry? What has led some of you to refer to President Baba Buhari as “#Baba_Go_Slow”?

Call him whatever you want but remember, “A journey of many miles starts with one step”, and “Rome was not built in a day”. PMB’s silence is the best answer to the disturbance.

My dear Nigerians, President Buhari needs more time to form a well structured government, especially when you consider he inherited a totally damaged system, with an empty treasury.

Naturally, he needs time to study things before

moving forwards.

Similarly, this was the first time Nigeria ever experienced such transitional process, the transfer of power from one party to another is not an easy thing.

But the complaint is anyway baseless. We have started witnessing some achievements on the ground under PMB’s plenipotentiary that can translate to dividends of democracy, among which includes:l Giving extra funds to 12 states to settle unpaid salaries inherited from their predecessors. l Undertaking trilateral talks with Niger, Chad

and Cameroon leaders on how to stamp out Boko Haram once and forever. l Reshuffling the National Security Chiefs as part of tackling the country’s insurgencies. l Giving the marching order to Military Generals to move out of their Abuja air-conditioned offices and relocate to the battlefield. l Refusing to interfere with the National Assembly leadership selections. l Reducing recurrent expenditure by cutting the number of Special Advisers from the 136 that Jonathan had, to just 15 for him.

My esteemed Nigerians, time would not permit me to enumerate his achievements in just 48 days in office.

I also vehemently believe that PMB has good and strong ambitions for Nigeria.

Finally, my word to Baba Buhari is, he should be mindful and careful of his greatest enemies, they are the people that are bent on manipulating him towards achieving their conspiracy aims. So, goahead Baba you are on a right way, just be a man of your own.

Lets not base important issue on partisan politics.

When Baba Buhari said, “I belong to nobody”, he means no godfather or ethnic group, including his own, can influence him.

That’s as it should be and that’s why we must be patient.

Comrade Kassim Abubakar Gamawa (a concerned citizen) & Sardaunan Gamji.

AdvErtorIAl

thE loSS ANd BErEAvEMENt grouP “Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted” (Matthew 5:4 KJv) Are you or is someone you know suffering from any type of loss or bereavement?

If the answer is yes, please accept or extend our invitation to come along to our Loss and Bereavement Group.

tEStIMoNIAl “The counselling I received from The Loss and Bereavement Group provided support during my very difficult times. Having the opportunity to speak about my loss has allowed me to adjust to my new life with all its changes.

The classes have allowed me to express the anger and sadness that I kept bottled inside, to the point that I was denying the sadness which only prolonged my pain. The Loss and Bereavement Group accepted me as a person and it didn’t matter if I was a known Minister, I still had feelings that I needed to acknowledge in order for me to move forward.”

lIvINg loSS is the term we use to describe something that is lost that causes us to grieve, be unhappy and live below our best. If we lose something important, even if relatively small like a set of keys, we can go into a mild state of panic, being barely able to focus on anything else until those keys are found.

Throughout life, there are so many losses that afABout uS The group was set fect us in a similar way. The up to meet a need within loss of a relationship, loss of the community to provide health, loss of family and support to those suffering friends through migration, from loss or bereavement in etc. We can become anxABovE; Rev. Sharon Townsend and Dorothy Dwyer their life, offering them a ious, lose focus and function safe place where they can below our best. We can also become aware that we explore their thoughts and feelings. are living with a ‘gap’ in our lives and it can feel as if Rev. Sharon Townsend, who is a psychodysomeone has died. namic counsellor – practising within the ethical At Junction Community Church, bereavement framework of the British Association of Counsupport groups have been a part of our work for selling Psychotherapy and the Association of four years. We have been supporting those who Christian Counsellors – leads the group along with have lost loved ones and interestingly, out of this, Dorothy Dwyer, a trainer and certified life coach. many have told us that they are grieving, not just for a lost loved one, but for a living loss. This idenThe loss and Bereavement group is held every two tified to us a further need. People are carrying grief weeks on a wednesday, and the course runs for 10 due to a range of life experiences and are ‘carrying sessions. on’ with life even with the feeling that ‘something to register for our next session in october, is missing’. Out of this, we have extended our supplease call 0208 769 5174 and ask for Sharon or port to those experiencing a ‘living loss’. dorothy.

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NIGERIAN WATCH 31st Jul - 27th Aug 2015

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EMBASSYwATcH

News from the

NIGERIA HIGH COMMISSION London

MPs pledge the fly the flag for Nigeria The four Nigerian-heritage MPs elected to the UK parliament in May paid a courtesy call on the High Commissioner Dr Dalhatu Sarki Tafida, OFR, CFR, on Wednesday July 12 and used the opportunity to endorse his excellency’s call for Britain to stop dragging its feet over engaging with Nigeria.

Labour MPs Chuka Umunna, Chi Onwurah and Kate Osamor and Conservative MP Helen Grant all spoke of how proud they were of the Nigerian heritage and their determination to ensure that relations between Britain and Nigeria were strengthened.

Shadow business secretary Mr Umunna said that “collectively” the MPs were going to ensure Britain is central to the future development of the Nigeria.

Mr Umunna, MP for Streatham, said, “One of the things about the UK is there’s a lot of talk about trade and investment opportunities regarding China and India and other BRIC economies, but one of the things I’ve sought to emphasise since taking up my role as shadow business secretary is the UK must not forget about Africa, otherwise we’ll be behind the

l-r: Helen Grant, Kate Osamor, Dr Tafida, Chi Onwurah and Chuka Umunna

curve.

“There’s a massive win-win here.

The UK has a massive trade deficit, the highest it’s been since the 1830s. We need to be doing more trade with the outside world.”

He continued, “Of course, Nigeria must continue with its structural reforms and UK companies can help with that. So, aside from the

emotional connection, increased engagement is common sense.

“I don’t want to be going to Lagos or anywhere else in Nigeria to be told the Chinese are everywhere and asked, ‘Where are the Brits?’ We have to be right in the middle of things in Nigeria and collectively we’re going to make sure that happens.”

Mr Umunna’s comments were

AMBASSAdor EASES BuSINESS fEArS Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the UK Dr Dalhatu Sarki Tafida, OFR, CFR, has told the British business community that Nigeria is a country deserving of investor confidence.

In an executive briefing to the Business Council of Africa (BCA) at the Nigeria High Commission on Thursday July 23, he said the new government of President Muhammadu Buhari had set a clear direction of travel that should dispel any concerns.

His Excellency was responding to anxieties expressed by the BCA’s chairman David Lamb, who told the gathering, “Our

members are anxiously awaiting announcements as to key appointments and policy changes, changes that will further encourage business. I ask you, sir, to reflect back to Abuja the continuing concerns among our membership about what is seen as a lack of momentum by the Nigerian government.”

Those concerns arose because Nigeria is seen as a “significant player” of political maturity, following the peaceful handover of power after the recent election, with a significant role to play in the global economy.

Dr Tafida assured the gathering they had every

reason to be confident in the country’s stability and future prospects.

“As you are aware, the new administration is yet to form its cabinet, but this notwithstanding, it has set out its core economic policy direction as it has convened the meeting of the National Economic Council to ensure that investors are not left in any doubt about its disposition towards providing an enabling environment for foreign direct investment and other business.

“While there are expected to be changes in personnel and the approach of the new administration, the core liberal

endorsed by Edmonton MP Kate Osamor, the newly elected chairwoman of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Nigeria. She told Dr Tafida, “We want to ensure Nigeria is a place people want to do business with.”

Ms Osamor added: “We have to improve the relations back home and here in the UK and start looking at

economic policies will not be altered.”

He said it was a misreading of the facts to suggest there has been a lack of momentum and that to the contrary much was being done. The fight against corruption and leakages from the revenue account is underway; the latter has been streamlined seeing a $2bn increase in funds deposited into the Foreign Reserve Account over just one month.

Plans have been announced to revamp agriculture and cotton output, the Central Bank of Nigeria is primed to support investment in the Palm Oil business.

He said President Buhari’s government has intimated it is ready to “privatise its transmission assets grid in line with international best practice”, to boost power generation and supply, adding, “There is much potential for investment here to interest UK companies who may want to taker advantage of the reforms in the power sector”.

Such partnerships the government has indicated will be looked on favourably in all non-oil sectors. The need for diversification of the economy has never been more evident or indeed “more urgent, and the current government has

ways we can include Nigeria in the trade with Europe. Members of the diaspora want to benefit from the growth of our economies ‘back home’ but it is also about responsibility and how we use our position to be influential.”

She welcomed the meeting as an opportunity to connect with key individuals at the High Commission.

Ms Grant, who introduced herself by sharing the fact that all her children and grandson have Nigerian names, said she shared her colleague’s intent and would be actively involved in Nigeria through her role on the International Development Select Committee.

Ms Onwurah said she and her colleagues all felt the double honour of representing both their constituents and the diaspora.

Dr Tafida told the MPs they had made the nation proud.

He then presented each with a glorious plaque from Nigeria “to celebrate and appreciate you” on behalf of more than 170 million Nigerians “for making them proud”.

This, he said, is our little way of saying thank you very much for what you have accomplished.”

affirmed this in words and actions”.

The ongoing issue of security is clearly being addressed, with President Buhari having played an instrumental role in developing a regional joint task force to tackle the insurgency and having secured over $2bn from the US for the reconstruction of north east Nigeria.

Dr Tafida said, “One can therefore safely conclude that with this new global and regional support the end is clearly near for the Boko Haram menace in Nigeria.”

The forces to lead the fight against corruption in the country have been similarly marshalled, including civil society, government agencies charged with oversight and indeed international help in tracking money stolen from the country and lodged in foreign bank accounts.

“The efforts of the Federal Government in the fight against corruption and insecurity, including the improvement of infrastructure, are meant to provide an enabling ground for business to thrive. These efforts are geared towards improving bilateral trade with the UK and the rest of the world.”

On exports he said the Government was working hard to ensure non-oil exports to the UK meet the required standards.

His Excellency concluded by saying, “I would like to reiterate the commitment of the Federal Government towards sustaining the new tempo in trade and investment relations between Nigeria and the UK, with particular emphasis on the non-oil sector. I hope that some of our clarifications will enable the BCA and its associates to better understand the issues in Nigeria and help to enlighten investors to invest in Nigeria.”

BcA lAgoS At the briefing the BCA announced that it is to imminently open a chapter in Lagos later this year.

In making the announcement, BCA chairman David Lamb said, "Dr Tafida, under your tenure as High Commissioner, we have seen an enormous strengthening of the relationship between Nigeria and UK. And the BCA has benefited from that friendship.

"We are hoping to launch a BCA chapter in Nigeria in Lagos later this year to further strengthen and enhance those relations."

BOOKwATcH

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NIGERIAN WATCH 31st Jul - 27th Aug

13

new word nigeria It is an often voiced complaint of the African diaspora that our stories are not being told.

They are. The problem is, outside the continent, they are just being whispered about…

H

ere we set out to put the record straight by celebrating just a few of the authors who are writing the wrongs of this neglect.

Those selected have delivered stories of global significance, with themes and ideas that will resonate with any reader, debunking the myth that black stories don’t travel.

We present the new wave of Nigerian authors tackling universal issues through the prism of Nigeria, from a

gripping detective novel about the political intrigues of letting a genie out of the bottle; a glorious panoramic novel of diaspora identity that takes us on a journey from the Benin Empire, through the first diaspora to the modern day; and the hilarious and angry novel about how we look and how people respond to how we look.

Then we have an Al Jazeera journalist who has delivered a heroic war story, at long last giving just recognition to the

critical and long-forgotten and neglected role west African fighters played in delivering victory for the allies in World War II. The south London chefs who have delivered the surprise cookbook of the year, putting African food on the map and offering food for the mind as well as food for the belly.

The memoir of a BA flight attendant, who lifts the lid on the world’s but not Nigeria’s favourite airline; the diplomat

poet from the High Commission, who is a best-seller in America; and Elnathan John, a famed northern Nigerian blogger, who has given us an exclusive extract from his soon to be published debut novel.

We hope you read this supplement and share it with your friends and acquaintances – particularly your oyinbo friends. The more people we can get to buy our books, the more we will hear our stories being told.

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NIGERIAN WATCH 31st Jul - 27th Aug 2015

burying the ghosts of our unknown histories butterfly fish

By IrENoSEN oKoJIE (Jacaranda Books)

Reading this book put me in mind of a quote from the legendary sprinter Jessie Owens. “The battles that count aren’t the ones for gold medals. The struggles within yourself—the invisible, inevitable battles inside all of us—that’s where it’s at.”

It is the case for everyone but often doubly so for those in the diaspora, seeking to make sense of living in the hinterland between the here and now and the then and there of their parents.

In Butterfly Fish, we embark on a journey of discovery with London born Nigerian Joy who’s mother Queenie came to England in the 70s. When she suddenly dies,a grief-stricken Joy inherits a Benin Bronze and a diary that take her back to the last days of the Benin Empire and the bronze’s own cursed beginnings.

It is a panoramic story, a herstory of Nigeria, that is at turns harrowing and hopeful but always sublimely and captivatingly poetic.

Butterfly Fish has been described as “unique and imaginative” and Irenosen “original and innovative”.

This is storytelling from the dark side of Nigerian tales by moonlight at its very best. desua recalled the advice Mama Uwamusi had given her earlier that morning. The secret of good Nmebe soup is balance and employing a light touch. All the flavours combined must play their part for the overall taste. The wild tomatoes should be ripe but not overly so, the onions sparsely added, a small portion of peppers for the required burst of heat, a sprinkling of bitter leaf. All cooked in the juices of a tender fowl. All around her, people were milling to and from the various stalls, their raised voices an everincreasing hum. She often wondered

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BOOKwATcH Adesua resisted the urge to laugh in whether people who came to the market thought they were in competition so keen response, knowing full well that Emeka was each person to out-shout and out- talk would have sold it to a giant grasshopper had it presented him with a half decent the other.

Apart from Adesua’s duty of cooking the offer. “It is beautiful,” she whispered, soup, today was a special day for the bridal stroking the bold print of deep blue and choice ceremony was to begin at The Royal orange angular lines that your eyes traced Palace after the setting of the sun and the until you touched the outer edges kissed market was rife with gossip and high with gold.

“My father will give you a week’s supply energy. The scent of peppered meats lingered in the air and children with small of farm produce in exchange for this cloth sugar cane sticks in their mouths, were and the matching head dress,” Adesua said roaming freely, happy to escape their careful to keep a pleading expression on mother’s heavy hands, their eager fingers her face.

“What? No, no, no,” Emeka responded, quick to reach out and touch whatever shaking his large head from side to side caught their restless eyes.

At the furthest stretch of the market adamantly. “You want people to laugh and next to Ijoma’s fish stand, Adesua saw a say Emeka is a fool. No, you will pay me like young boy eating watermelon who everybody else.”

“But I am not trying to get out of paying helped himself to another healthy sized piece whilst Ijoma’s back was turned, and sir, I am simply giving you another choice was soon chased. There was a juggler of payment, please I am like your daughter. dressed in red with multi-coloured pieces I have nothing to wear for the king’s of string tied across his head and two sets ceremony.”

At last Emeka agreed, biting heavily into of white feathers tucked near each of his ears. In the middle of the market, as well the chewing stick dangling from his as various fruit and farm produce stalls mouth. He made a show of packing her was Esemuede the palm wine seller who item for her, folding and tying it so it rested was always remarkably merry. Next to neatly and addressing people walking past, him sat Ahere, the one armed beggar “Let nobody say Emeka is not a kind man oh! Let nobody say Emeka accompanied by his dog does not have a heart that who was quick to imitate “Today was a gives.”

He gestured his master and stick a pulling at his ear lobe needy paw out at passers special day for the urging people to listen, by. On the opposite side bridal choice instead they were only across from them was fleetingly distracted.

Emeka the tailor who ceremony was to “Thank you sir,” sold some of the finest begin at the Palace” Adesua responded. “You cloths and materials, all will be well rewarded.” laid out in an elaborate “Yes, just make sure your father is ready fashion to tempt the most disciplined of market visitors. Beside Emeka was the to give me what I am owed, I will pass by in curious figure of Ehinome, the medicine a few days to collect my payment.”

“Yes Papa Emeka.” man surrounded by bags of herbal “Be sure to tell him I am coming, I do not remedies, each designed to resolve ailments such as back pain and bowel want to be a bearer of bad news.”

It was only after she picked up her cloth trouble.

This was what she loved about market and walked away that Adesua saw the day, the familiar comfort of mayhem that monkey approaching. Before she could surrounded her. The women with their react it had jumped on her back, generous hips and ample bosoms, desperately clinging on. She tried to ply its chopping fish and slaughtering chickens, wily brown body off her but it would not ignoring the sweat that glistened on their relent. It brought its pinched face close to furrowed brows and the sheen it left on hers and bared its teeth, grabbing at her their taut skin. The men wielding produce hair and pull- ing tufts out, noisily in their powerful arms, jokingly screeching while her hair fell to the exchanging banter across the amused ground. It scratched her face and neck heads of customers who would at times drawing blood and she felt a stinging burn pass judgement and salute their chosen on her skin. She screamed at the top of her winner; smoke rising to the sky and the voice, furiously flailing her arms about and distinctive aroma of goat roasting, your hopping up and down, yet the stubborn stomach growling, mouth watering and animal remained there, boring its black tongue snaking across your lips in eyes into hers, hissing and spitting angrily.

She raised her palm in defence but it shot approval.

It was during this moment of reverie its head forward and bit her finger. By the that Adesua saw what she was destined to time Emeka and a few others reached her, purchase on Emeka’s stall. It lay right at the she lay in a heap; there was no hair on the no very bottom under a weighty pile of ground, displayed attire and she’d never have even marks on her noticed it had it not been for the left corner body, and no folded up, like a crooked finger beckoning blood.

The monkey her towards it.

Emeka smiled knowingly when she had vanished but momentarily reached him.

“Aha, I know what you want, it is the Adesua had felt only one of its kind that I have,” he said that there was smoothly removing the desired garment nothing she could from its position and spreading it on the do to get that top where it truly belonged in all its glory. monkey off her “You will be a vision in this; I have been back.

It was a sign of waiting to sell it to the right person, a things to come. person who truly deserves it.”

The terror of big men and power plays satans & shaitans By oBINNA udENwE (Jacaranda Books)

Fans of hardboiled detective fiction from the likes of Raymond Chandler through to Walter Mosley will love this book’s style and panache. What seems like a simple kidnapping becomes a sinister expose of political intrigue – revealing an unholy alliance that unleashes a wave of terror in Nigeria – and the crushing social customs that conspire to outlaw a pair of young lovers. The combination of the two results in a thrilling read with more twists and turns than the snake on the cover. Obinna is a political animal by birth. The DNA of truth is evident from first to last.

Buckle up. he house where the girl lived was quiet. All the maids were calm. The two security men, one of whom doubled as the gateman, were silent. They sat on the cushions in the large sitting room. Their eyes showed fear.

The gateman was worried; he had his hands on his head the whole time. He was not sitting like the others but stood in the corner of the room, just beside the entrance. The gateman was of average height and dark in complexion, with eyes that bulged as if about to jump out of their sockets. He had a little potbelly that looked like a beehive. He wore a uniform with a badge saying Towers Security. His boots looked larger than his feet and the sleeves of his shirt were longer than his arms.

The oldest woman among them sat on the edge of the leather sofa, just beside the telephone on a side stool. Her name was Miss Spencer, and her left hand was on top of the phone while the other hand flipped through the large book on her lap.

The other maids occasionally stared at one another. Miss Spencer picked up the receiver and dialled the number of the divisional police office. She turned on the speaker of the phone and a thick male voice said, ‘Hello.’

Miss Spencer did not know how to begin. She took a deep breath. ‘Good morning, Sir. Is that the police?’

The silence in the room surpassed that of a graveyard. The strain in Miss Spencer’s eyes showed that she had not slept. There were no sounds from the television in Adeline’s room and no

T

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muffled noise of pages turning from her frequent novel reading binges. This new silence, a product of Adeline’s absence, unnerved her.

They had phoned all of the Chubas’ friends but got negative responses. Miss Spencer had to make another call, a very difficult one – she needed to call Evangelist Chris Chuba. The entrance of a stern-looking man with a cleanly shaved head, wearing a starched black uniform, interrupted her.

‘I am Officer Leonard Omelu, the DPO, Ishieke Police Division. Our station received a call to come to this household.’

‘Yes, I called. My name is Miss Spencer.

I work for the Chuba family. I have a report to make – our mistress is missing.’

‘Mistress?’

‘Yes, Sir. The Evangelist’s daughter, Adeline, is missing.’

‘The Evangelist’s daughter?’

Miss Spencer sighed impatiently. ‘Yes.’ ‘When did you see her last?’

‘We haven’t seen her since...’ she looked at the others in the room. They all looked away, avoiding her eyes. ‘Since yesterday afternoon.’

There was a pause.

‘What about the Evangelist?’

‘He is not in the country now, Sir.’ ‘And the girl’s mother?’

‘Madam travelled with the Evangelist.’

There was a brief pause.

‘Chris Chuba’s daughter? Hmmn? My God.’ Miss Spencer said nothing. She was sure that the police officer could hear the sound of her heart beating heavily, as if a talking drum was sounding inside it. She wiped some sweat off her brow.

‘I want to call my oga,’ she announced.

‘Heey! Heey!’ one of the maids cried.

‘God! We are dead!’ the gateman said.

Miss Spencer looked sternly at the staff around her.

‘Please be quiet... the line is ringing.’

The humming of the air-conditioner could now be heard as silence enveloped the room. As soon as the thick masculine voice of the Evangelist said hello, Miss Spencer placed the phone on loudspeaker.

‘Sir... Sir... good morning, Sir.’ ‘Miss Spencer... Ah, good of you to have called. Is everything all right? You rarely call me when I travel—’ ‘Sir. Please... Sir... there is trouble—’ ‘What’s happened, Spencer?’

‘Adeline, Sir. Our Adeline is missing...

We have not seen Adeline since yesterday afternoon—’ ‘Are you drunk, Spencer?’

‘No, Sir. But—’ ‘Are you sick?’

‘No, oga.’

‘Then where is Adeline? Where is my daughter?’ ‘Adeline... we haven’t seen her since yesterday.’ ‘Jesus! Jesus!’

‘Sir, we have called everyone. We don’t know where she is—’ ‘When did Adeline leave the house?

When, Spencer?’ the Evangelist yelled at the woman. ‘Sir—’ ‘Spencer? Spencer? My God. Spencer?’

The Evangelist fell silent until Miss Spencer feared he was no longer on the line. ‘Sir,’ she began tentatively, ‘we have the DPO here.’

‘Put him on the line!’ the Evangelist snapped. Miss Spencer passed the phone to Officer Leonard, watching as the man

BOOKwATcH tried to speak but was prevented by the screaming voice of Evangelist Chuba barking demands on the other end of the line.

Suddenly the screaming stopped, and Leonard returned the phone to her, realizing Chuba had hung up.

a seriously funny look at appearances blackass

By A.IgoNI BArrEtt (Chatto & Windus)

This book opens with our hero Furo awaking to discover that overnight he has turned white.

In downtown Lagos! What transpires is no simple “Trading Places” comedy – although there are many absurdly hilarious moments in the book. But beneath the laughs is an incisively observed study of how appearances impact on how we relate to each other. A modern classic on a global scale. uro couldn’t help admitting that some part of his gratefulness was due to his new appearance. Syreeta was helpful to him because he looked like he did. He was almost sure of that, because why else would she do all she had for him?

She had paid his bill at the café, allowed him into her bed, massaged him to sleep last night, and now, at some risk to her relationship (odd affair though that was, one where she made her man jealous by sending him a staged photo of herself in the arms of another man), she had solved his problem of a place to stay. He was grateful to her, and yet he was mindful of who she thought he was and why women like her usually moved with men like him.

Her big new jeep, her well furnished apartment in Lekki, her living alone in style and among gadgets, her ease with money and trendy places, her apparent lack of an office job or a home run business, all of these pointed to her status as a woman who knew what was what. A woman who knew how to handle men.

Who knew how to live off them. Who knew the value of a white man in Lagos.

And Furo, for all the street savvy and survivor skills he prided himself on, had no idea where Syreeta was leading him.

The sky had faded into seashell blue.

Birdsong assailed the air. Voices shouting

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NIGERIAN WATCH 31st Jul - 27th Aug

15

in greeting filled the street. A nearby car don’t have trouble later.’ She glanced down at his crotch and gave him a soft vroomed into life. A new day rising.

Syreeta rose with the day, strolled across laugh. ‘As for that one, I don’t know. It’s to her cluttered vanity table, and stopped now complicated. We’ll see how it goes. beside it to open a cabinet fridge. She Here, have some juice, maybe it will cool straightened up and turned around to face you down.’ Still laughing, she brushed the bed with a Five Alive carton clutched in past him as he raised the carton to his lips.

Furo’s eyes avoided the vanity table in her hand. Left arm akimbo, she threw back her head and gulped from the carton. Red front of him, the tall mirror affixed to it. juice spilled down her chin, flowed down Through the window above the fridge he saw the morning face of her breasts and into the the sun suspended in the trimmed V below her “Syreeta was cold-coloured sky, and belly. With an ‘Ah’ of behind him he heard pleasure she pulled the helpful to him becarton from her lips, and cause he looked like Syreeta tumble into bed.

Then a muffled scream looking at Furo, she raised punched the air, and it to him in question. he did. He was Furo, coughing up juice, When he nodded yes, she almost sure of that” whirled around to see said: ‘Come and get it.’

Syreeta staring. She She watched with a knowing smile as Furo searched through raised her hand, pointed a stiffened finger the rumpled bedclothes for his boxer at his groin, her movements slow, her eyes shorts. Giving up, he swung his legs to the round as she said: ‘What happened?’ rug and stood up, his hands hanging by his He glanced down in fear. ‘What?’ sides. He smile widened to reveal teeth as ‘Your ass, your ass! I mean your ass!’ he walked towards her. He reached for the Furo spun juice carton, but at the last moment she whipped it behind her back. ‘I have some around, saw his then rules in this house,’ she said. ‘You’ll wash reflection; your own plates. You won’t drop rubbish turned and looked on my floor, or leave your clothes over his shoulder.

‘Your ass is scattered about. You’ll do your own share Syreeta of housework. You must inform me black!’ whenever you plan to stay out late. And if cried, and Furo you ever bring a woman into this house–‘ stared in the mirror, She left the threat hanging and stared him frozen in shock, she flung up her arms, in the eye. ‘I hope we’re clear?’ flopped on her ‘Very clear,’ he said.

‘It’s just better you know my rules from back, and wailed the start,’ she said, holding his gaze, ‘so we with laughter.

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NIGERIAN WATCH 31st Jul - 27th Aug 2015

BOOKwATcH

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The groundbreaking south-london groundnut boys The groundnut cookbook By duvAl tIMothy, JAcoB fodIo todd & folAyEMI BrowN (Penguin)

This is possibly the most controversial book in this section. Putting down in black and white how African food should be cooked!

Plenty wahala from kitchens all over the land. But the Groundnut cookbook is superb. The chefs behind it hail from the continent but are from south London, three likely lads who set up a pop-up restaurant that became a cult destination. They have succeeded in taking African food mainstream.

Hats off to them. And looking at them, there must be a TV tie-in.

THE GROUNDNUT STEW The Groundnut will always hold a special significance. It was the dish we chose to serve at our first event because it never seems to fail to impress people, and it is the dish that kindly lent us its name.

SERVES 6 Time: 1 hour 30 minutes 1 chicken, skinned and chopped into 8 pieces 2 teaspoons salt ½ teaspoon ground black pepper 1 teaspoon white pepper 5 tablespoons groundnut oil 1 Scotch bonnet pepper 4 small onions 3 cloves of garlic 2 heaped tablespoons tomato purée 125g groundnut butter, or smooth peanut butter 500ml chicken stock START COOKING Place the chicken pieces into a large bowl, add the salt, black pepper and white pepper, and mix well.

In a wide frying pan, fry the chicken with 3 tablespoons of olive oil on a medium heat. The chicken should not overlap, as this will prevent it from browning. If you are using a small pan, fry the chicken in batches.

Pierce the Scotch bonnet pepper with a sharp knife and add it to the pan. Piercing the pepper means that as the stew develops it absorbs the flavour of the pepper, but if it becomes too spicy it can be removed at any point. Shake the pan regularly so that the chicken does not stick. Turn over after 5 minutes. While the chicken is browning, finely dice the onions and crush the garlic to a paste. Keep separate and put to one side.

After 5 minutes, add half the garlic to the pan and fry for a further 5 minutes, so that the garlic and chicken brown together. When given room in the pan, garlic caramelizes very quickly – this gives a lovely rich flavour and texture which attaches itself to the chicken. When the chicken has browned nicely on both sides, remove it from the pan and put to one side. Using the same pan, slightly increase the heat to medium-high and add the diced onions and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Cook the onions for 12 minutes, stirring regularly. When they are very soft and dark, turn the heat down to medium and add the tomato purée and the remaining garlic.

Mix well and cook for 5 minutes, then add the groundnut butter and stir.

Put the browned chicken back into the pan and add the stock slowly while stirring, so that it is incorporated with the sauce.

Leave to cook on a low heat for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. It should reduce slightly and take on a thicker consistency. Serve hot.

SPINACH & GREEN BEAN SALAD WITH PEANUT PESTO This is a very wholesome and attractive salad with a rich flavour and a nice amount of crunch. You will

be left with extra pesto, which can be stored and used as a spread, a sauce or simply to make this salad quickly on another occasion.

Serves 4 Time: 50 minutes 80g raw red-skinned peanuts 400g spinach ½ a clove of garlic 1 teaspoon table salt, plus a pinch a wedge of lime 150ml extra virgin olive oil 300g green beans 200g spinach START COOKING Preheat the oven to 200ºC/gas mark 6.

Place the peanuts in a tray and bake in the oven for 10 minutes, shaking the tray once after 5 minutes.

When the peanuts are brown and beginning to crack, remove them from the oven and leave to cool.

Crush the garlic to a fine paste with a knife or using a mortar and pestle.

Wash the spinach, then place half of it in a blender with the salt, crushed garlic, a squeeze of lime juice and half the peanuts. Gradually add the oil a little at a time and blend until the mix forms a pesto with a rough, crunchy texture and all the oil has been added.

The pesto can be kept in a jar in the fridge for a week.

Bring a small pan of water to the boil with a pinch of salt. Prepare a bowl of cold water with ice. Wash, top and tail the green beans, then boil for 2 minutes.

Drain the beans and put into the bowl of iced water for 2 minutes, then drain again.

With a sharp knife, slice in half lengthways so that the inner beans are revealed. Put to one side.

Holding the rest of the spinach in a tight bunch, cut across the leaves to form 5mm wide slices. Start at the top of the spinach leaves and work your way down the stems, discarding the base.

In a large bowl, mix the sliced green beans and spinach. Add 2 tablespoons of peanut and spinach pesto and toss well. Roughly chop the remaining peanuts and sprinkle over the salad.

CHICKPEA EGUSI In West Africa, the seeds of the egusi melon are a common component of the soups that are integral to daily life.

Coarsely ground up, they thicken stews, adding texture and another layer of flavour. Egusi soup is usually prepared with fish and or meat but given its nutritional profile – the seeds are composed of mostly natural fats and protein – it works perfectly as a vegetarian alternative to the Groundnut stew.

SERVES 4 Time: 40 minutes 100g whole egusi seeds 3 teaspoons salt

1 large red pepper 200g baby plum tomatoes 3 medium onions 3 cloves of garlic 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 Scotch bonnet pepper 400g fresh plum tomatoes 1 tablespoon tomato purée ½ teaspoon soft dark brown sugar 2 teaspoons black pepper 1 teaspoon hot paprika ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika 400g cooked chickpeas 300g baby leaf spinach 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil START COOKING Preheat the oven to 180ºC/gas mark 4.

Roast the egusi seeds on the middle shelf of the oven for 12 minutes, turning once. The egusi should be crunchy and some will have taken on a golden brown colour. Remove from the oven and grind half the seeds in a pestle and mortar. Leave the rest whole and set all the seeds aside.

To make the base sauce, finely dice the onions and gently fry in the oil for 5 minutes on a medium heat.

Deseed and finely dice the Scotch bonnet pepper.

Chop the garlic and crush to a paste. Add both to the pan and cook for a further 10 minutes on a low heat.

Add the tomatoes, tomato purée and dark brown sugar. Stir and taste. It should have a pleasant sweetness from the tomatoes, onions and sugar, with a spicy undercurrent from the Scotch bonnet pepper.

Add the black pepper, paprika and the other 2 teaspoons of salt.

Pour in 200ml water or vegetable stock, then cover and simmer on low heat for 20 minutes. This allows the flavours to meld together. Remove from heat and blend base sauce. Taste and add more salt if necessary.

Add the ground egusi to the base. Simmer on a low heat, uncovered, for 5 minutes. The sauce should thicken and become a creamier colour as the seeds absorb liquid.

Rinse the red pepper, then remove the stalk and seeds. Cut it into 5mm squares.

Quarter the baby plum tomatoes. Then add the chickpeas, red pepper and plum tomatoes and simmer for a final 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the spinach and the extra virgin olive oil. Serve just as the spinach begins to wilt, and scatter the reserved whole egusi seeds on top.

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The seeds of independence were sown in the trenches another man’s war

but also at church, most people agreed that, if Britain fell to this man Hitler, they would come under "Ja’man" control, and

By BArNABy PhIllIPS that would be a bad thing.

Some even argued that what Hitler (One World Publications) really wanted was Nigeria itself. They said, "He knows all about our gold, our precious The West African stones, our cocoa and our groundnuts, and Frontier Force are now he wants to take them." This seemed the unsung heroes to fit with another rumour that a trader of World War II – yet had heard in Lagos, that Their Majesties the King and Queen had fled there from VJ Day on August 15 London, and were now living in will pass with Government House. They went for short walks along the Marina after dark, barely any cereapparently, taking some care not to be mony here in the UK. 10,000 solrecognised.

The officer took up his position by the diers from Africa served. Al Jazeera Olowo’s palace, and began his speech. He journalist Barnaby Phillips met one was talking about what Hitler might do to of those who put his life on the line Africans, but that wasn’t all. He was urging for his colonial “king and country”, the men who’d gathered round him to sign up and fight. Not just for Owo, but for Isaac Fadoyebo. In this thrilling Nigeria, the British Empire and King page-turner of a book Phillips George. At that, someone in the crowd cheered, and Isaac’s curiosity got the shows how on the battlefields of Burma the seeds of independence better of him. He was barely sixteen, but he was an imposing boy, already almost six in Africa were sown. He has set the feet tall, and he knew his own mind. He pushed his way through, closer to the record straight on a sacrifice too lorry, so he could better hear what the long neglected. A brilliant book. recruiting officer was saying.

Isaac joined the British Army and saac Fadoyebo’s journey to the travelled to Burma. On March 2nd, 1944, Burmese jungle began by the gates of his unit was ambushed.

The commanding officer, Major Robert the palace of the Olowo, in December 1941. An olive-green army lorry groaned Murphy, looked at his watch. Half-past and slid up the sandy streets to the seven, time to load up the rafts. The mist meeting place under the palace walls in over the river had burnt away, revealing the small hilltop town of Owo, in the the outline of the trees on the far side. He British Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria. wondered if he should tell the men to Market women, squatting on the ground make less noise. He didn’t like this beside their little piles of beans or soap or complacency. Looking down the sloping palm oil, or black coils of smoked fish, muddy bank, he saw Isaac sipping his tea and chatting to looked up. An excited Company Sergeant crowd gathered and “The officer was talking Archibong swelled around the about what Hitler might Major Bassey Duke, a vehicle.

From a fellow Nigerian. gramophone came the do to Africans. That was Bassey Duke was distant, tinny voice of not all, he was urging the a giant of a man. He Winston Churchill. wore blue shorts Everybody in Owo men to sign up” and a white vest, knew about the war.

For two years now, they’d seen the and would have been easily visible from posters all over town. Some depicted the far side of the river. It was the end of stern and merciless German soldiers the dry season, so the opposite bank was shooting a group of defenceless Africans only a hundred or so yards away. Behind lined up against a wall. Others showed it, the sun was rising over the steep hills, the same Germans, wearing big black the dark jungle still in shadow.

Bassey Duke jerked and spun, and only boots, whipping the Africans who laboured for them. The Germans then did Isaac hear the shots. He watched displayed no emotion, but the Africans his friend fall to the ground, still clutching were depicted as terrified. "Hitler has his red enamel mug. Tea spilled from it and already said that ALL AFRICANS MUST BE trickled down the bank. There were SLAVES FOR GERMANS!" the posters flashes of light in the jungle on the opposite side of the river. Bullets buzzed screamed in red letters.

People had looked at these posters in past Isaac’s head. Like angry wasps, he morbid fascination. It was true that thought. He fell face down into the reeds. everyone now called it "Hitler’s War". That His heart thumped against the cold the Nazis were "wicked people", and that ground. They were in a terrible position, Hitler was behaving like a wild beast, was exposed on the steep, slippery bank. beyond dispute. Well, almost. One woman Machine guns had opened up now. How in the market had been overheard saying many? One, at least, probably two. He that this Hitler must be a real man, if all of caught a glimpse of Major Murphy Europe was so afraid of him. The woman stumbling past, walking like a drunk. That was shouted down. Not only at the market, was strange. From higher up on the bank,

I

NIGERIAN WATCH 31st Jul - 27th Aug

BOOKwATcH he could hear screaming. Then he saw that Major Murphy’s head was covered in blood. The shooting stopped. Someone nearby was gasping in a quiet voice. "Take me, O God, take me, O God." It sounded like Private David Essien, but Isaac could not be sure. He tried to crawl towards the voice, but as soon as he moved the shooting resumed. More angry wasps spun through the air. The Japanese had Isaac in their sights, and bullets ripped through the reeds around him.

When the shooting stopped a second time, Isaac reached out with his left hand for Essien, who was no longer gasping. It was strange how still Essien was, how cold he felt, for Isaac could see no blood on his uniform. Isaac tried to crawl up the bank, but one of his legs did not seem to be working properly. He looked down and saw that his khaki trousers were soaked with blood. So was his shirt. His leg had started to ache, sending spasms right through his body. Tears rolled down his cheeks. Tears of fear or pain? He didn’t know. He was sure of only one thing: he was going to die.

Isaac survived his ordeal, and in August 1945, he returned home to Nigeria and his village of Emure-Ile, where everyone had already assumed he was dead.

It was his sister, Adedeji, who first heard the commotion. People seemed to be shouting, up by the track that ran past the Anglican church. She wondered why, and went outside. A young man with a bicycle was coming down the hill, walking in a strange way. He looked like Isaac, only taller and thinner. But it was unmistakable

Curious about the RAS?

17

now. The crowd was saying his name, again and again: "Isaac, Isaac, Isaac."

There were drummers, and people were dancing, and a procession was forming round him, as they approached his family’s house. He tried to push his way through the crowd, but it was no use. "So many people," he would love to say for the rest of his life, "you would have thought I had stolen a goat!" Some people were shouting that he had come back from heaven, but there were others who were frightened, who said that he was a ghost. The crowd stopped Isaac from going into the house.

They chanted, "Ma wo’le, ma wo’le!" – "Do not enter, Do not enter!" Emure-Ile had mourned the loss of Isaac. Now the villagers needed to perform a ritual, to confirm that he was not a spirit, before he would be allowed to cross the doorway of the family home.

They threw dust at him. If he were a ghost, he would disappear, but, if it were really Isaac, the dust would stick to him.

And so they all bent down to fill their hands. He saw his grandmother, Aleke, bending down with them. Then the red dust of Emure-Ile was in Isaac’s eyes, in his throat, on his sweating black skin.

He was choking. But the dust stuck to him, and he did not disappear. He was not a ghost, just a young man who had cheated death and come home.

The Royal African Society is a membership organisation for individuals and corporate organisations dedicated to promoting African business, arts and culture in the UK. We think of ourselves as a ‘Big Tent’ for everyone interested in Africa.

We promote a better understanding of Africa in the UK through our publications, websites, annual film and literature festivals, and our regular events, which are mostly free and open to the public.

Our membership is open to all and is made up of people and organisations from a wide range of cultural and professional backgrounds. Join us to become part of a network of individuals and organisations committed to Africa’s advancement.

Find out more at: www.royalafricansociety.org Find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/royafrisoc Follow us on twitter: www.twitter.com/royafrisoc

Audience at Africa Writes, The Royal African Society’s annual literature and book festival

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NIGERIAN WATCH 31st Jul - 27th Aug 2015

a turbulent travelogue fly girl

By AMANdA EPE (Blossom Books)

Amanda Epe’s gem of a memoir tells of her life as cabin crew with BA. There were many highs, but it wasn’t all plane sailing. A fascinating travelogue of public attitudes to race and gender around the world. h, bloody hell, not a LOS, I am doing a sick.” The usual crew reporting off sick when scheduled for routes to the developing world, in particular, Lagos. There were the exceptionally popular African hotspots at the time, such as Abuja, Accra and Lusaka.

Abuja was described as clean, calm and modern and poles apart from its sister city of Lagos, where the congestion and crime put fear in the staff. Accra was a place where many crew enjoyed the beach life, namely Labadi Beach as a favourite, and the crew loved the temperament of the friendly locals. Lusaka had a combination of elements both Abuja and Accra offered, it was rapidly developing and

O

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BOOKwATcH of military rule. This time I was on a business trip with a few night stops, hardly enough time to see relatives and impossible recommended for feeling safe in the to supply everyone’s needs. Being in the friendly city with lots of interesting western hemisphere did not mean that I activities. Crew spoke fondly about their was wealthier than my family back home, exciting visits to the world’s largest contrary to widely held perceptions; in waterfall at Mosi-oa-Tunya (Victoria Falls) fact, often it could be vice versa.

When I received the call that I was going as well as having visited game reserves.

However, for certain destinations, in to Nigeria I was delighted. My work was particular Lagos, the crew didn’t have a taking me back to my roots. It was exciting good word to say about the city. The because it would bring back the memories passenger’s overloaded hand luggage of my first trip a few years back; it was which cabin crew had to force into the exciting because it was my country, having overhead lockers causing the female crew dual nationality had benefits; and it was members nails to snap in the process gave also exciting because a year earlier the staff more reason to complain. I had nation had started its transformation to a become nonchalant of who the crew liked democracy, which meant abundant and disliked by then, but all the complaints opportunities for growth.

In the briefing room we were advised on about Lagos and Nigerians - too many – the current concerns of made me label the the city, no-go areas and employees as Naijaphobic.

“Exotic was the to keep in groups on I should have known excursions.

Despite that if one is on a standby name usually being told not to leave shift the only likely the hotel under any destination one will fly to is associated with circumstances, for me it Lagos, Nigeria. So I was us, by the men of went in one ear and out going to my motherland of the other. I was again, this time not fully course” determined to go on a prepared but ready for the venture. How prepared I needed to be Lagos rampage, there was so much to see depended on the nature of the trip. If it was and do in this over-populated African city a family visit, then I was definitely under that I loved. I was surprised to see two packed. “Whey ring you dey bring for me other black crew members in the briefing from jand?” was the initial welcome I got room; it was somewhat unusual to have a from family and friends back then in 1995 total of three of us on one flight. The three when I first visited Nigeria to visit family. of us bonded instantly and the soul sister When I landed in Lagos, the first time I felt and I knew we would link up for the awakened as I stepped on African soil. It evening meal and drink in the crew room. was an unforgettable visit during the time On the outbound journey we gained adoring attention from other male staff, she was supposed to look like one celebrity and I another, and we laughed about it. I guess being ethnic minorities we were unique, and for some crew members from far away villages and shires it was a first or a rarity to speak to dark skinned people, be it positive or negative.

Exotic was the name usually associated with us, by the men of course, and especially the pilots. I read between the lines which meaning of exotic they referred to depending on the pilot’s admiration or deprecation. On this trip it was nice to be able to have hair conversations amongst other topics with my sister. “Bite your tongue, I don’t ever mention my roots,” she said as we chatted in the galley after serving dinner in economy class, she wanted to save me the humiliation of mockery if the crew knew my origin. I found it absurd and a shame to hear my colleague voice this. I felt that she believed the origins of ethnic minorities should be concealed in order to avoid ridicule or in order to accommodate attitudes and other people’s perception.

She must have felt that up in the air and in our world the minorities were subjected to ignorant and offensive remarks about their countries of origin in the workplace.

The irony of it was that I could see her point; many times in life I wanted to become a wall flower in conversations about my heritage.

The pen is my sword world contemporary poems

By AhMEd INuSA (XLibris)

Ahmed Inusa will be known to many in the diaspora. He is by profession a minister at the High Commission, the Head of Chancery. But he is also the resident poet, introduced in this volume by Nigeria’s High Commissioner Dr Dalhatu Sarki Tafida as “our Young poet”. It is a fine collection and having sold over 1,000 volumes in America, a bestseller for poetry.

The poems range in tone and style, and the volume includes the celebrated “Two Sisters Exchange Rings”. Whether satirical (some are very funny) or didactic (some are very angry) the poems ask us to reflect on who we are and who we want to be. Mr Inusa tackles contemporary issues without fear, that is his raison d’etre for writing.

A meaty volume, placing Nigeria and Nigerians at the centre of global and social concerns.

Provocative and evocative.

WHEN MAN IS MERCHANDISE From time since pre-history, Through oral rendition of stories, Down to the time Neolithic , Matter not man was the merchandise.

The slave dark days were aberration, Which came our way for plantations.

When man not bag is carried Or captured for modern cowries, It pricks our common conscience.

Such a case must be killed trace-lessly.

So all should rise to rout it out, to Rout it out from all our hearts.

GOODBYE SUMMER In a modern bird they came to fight An epic fight for real, Cheering Stratford a witness to wonders.

Yes! This time the spectators goofed.

They missed wholesale another spectacle, Another gaffe not for the paralympians, Who came at the end of the summer sales, Making the medals their only wears, Acquiring them in numbers, To prove our resilient lot , To point of fact not faux pas, Of ability in disability, of ability in disability.

Bravo! Our ‘paralympians’,

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You all are able Nigerians.

Adieu 2012, Nigeria was in London.

THE LAD MUTTALLAB An offspring of a culture with compassion, Was victimised by clash of cultures, Coming from a soil laden with norms And natural checks on anomie, The Lad Muttallab cannot symbolise The greatest pride of his society.

A bouncing boy skidded away, On his marks frazzled and proud, On appointment with a perfidy.

He ran still and heady And crashed in a bumpy highway.

To the weight of cultures he bowed, Leaving all in buried bewilderment.

northern lights born on a tuesday

By ElNAthAN JohN (Cassava Press)

Here we publish an exclusive extract from Elnathan John’s first and forthcoming novel (out in the UK 2016) about a young northern Nigerian, Dantala’s coming of age in the most turbulent of times in northern Nigeria’s history.

A story rarely told, and we can expect, never with so much precision. John is a serial blogger and commentator in Nigeria, a recent runner-up for the Caine Prize, and famed in the global media for a measured put down of fellow Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, after she referred to him dismissively as her “boy” in a Boston Globe interview. Eagerly anticipated. ast month Malam Abdul-Nur stopped me at the entrance of the mosque and asked me if there was anything I wanted. First I was confused, thinking that perhaps he wanted to scold me for having done something wrong.

But then his eyes were relaxed and the lines of his forehead weren’t so many and he wasn’t breathing hard like he does when he is upset. Reluctantly I told him I wanted a radio that has stations outside Nigeria – something like the big one in Sheikh’s office, but smaller, so that I can

L

BOOKwATcH carry it around. At some point it crossed my mind that perhaps he wanted me to do something for him.

A few days after, he sent for me. He had just moved into his own office at the back of the mosque not far from where our rooms were. The new office has white walls and tiles and a small toilet inside.

Since Sheikh has decided to make Malam Abdul-Nur the headmaster of the new school that is to be built on the land adjacent the mosque, the office will also be the office of the headmaster. I wonder about toilets that are built inside rooms.

Will the whole room not smell when someone uses the toilet?

The office has a ceiling fan and a standing fan. The curtains in the office are not the normal type hanging from a rope nailed into the wall. They close and open when you pull a rope that has tiny plastic balls like a small chasbi. Alhaji Usman’s workmen built the office and they finished the construction and painting in only three weeks. The same men will build the school.

I chewed on my nails as Malam AbdulNur picked up two small cartons from under his table, and made some notes in his exercise book. I could not read what he wrote because it was upside down from where I was sitting, but I could see that he was writing in Arabic.

Malam Abdul-Nur did not raise his head from his exercise book when he asked: If Allah asks you to do something, will you refuse?

When I did not answer, he stopped writing, dropped his pen slowly and massaged his eyeballs. Then he looked at me.

‘No,’ I said, confused.

‘Are you just saying it, or do you understand it, what it means to do what Allah wants without any question?’

‘I don’t understand.’

‘Are you ready to do what Allah wants when He wants it, without asking why?’

‘Yes.’ ‘Yes. I know you will.’

He pointed at the two cartons.

‘Your radio is in the bigger carton. And because of how well-behaved you have been since you came here – I have been watching you; I see everybody, those who are bad and those who are good and those who are just here eating our food – the smaller carton is also for you.’

‘Thank you Malam.’

‘Will you be able to use it or do you want me to show you how to set up the phone?’

‘Let me try Malam.’

‘If you have any issues let me know.’

In my heart I should have been happy but I was not. I have a funny feeling about Malam Abdul-Nur, Allah forgive me. It is hard to describe. It is a little bit of fear, a little bit of anger that he doesn’t want Jibril to talk to me, and a little bit of confusion because I don’t know what is going on in his mind. I cannot say that he is kind because he slaps people when he is angry.

I cannot say that he is wicked because he also gives people gifts; and Allah only judges what is inside a person’s heart.

I came back into the room and saw Jibril opening a small carton just like mine. He got a phone too. I watched how he opened it and put the SIM card inside it. Then I did the same with mine.

Tuning the radio to find stations, I find BBC Hausa and BBC English. I like BBC Hausa. Especially the news. It is surprising

that I learn new Hausa words from a foreign radio station. Comparing the news on BBC English to that on BBC Hausa is interesting. Sometimes I do not know a word in English and I hear it in Hausa and I understand. Other times there is a Hausa phrase I have never heard before, like Majalisar Dinkin Duniya, which BBC English calls United Nations. If I had not heard the English, I would have translated it to mean ‘Association of Joining the World’. But then if I had heard United Nations I would have called it Dinkakun Kasashe in Hausa. Words turn into something else when they change from Hausa to English and back. *** Sheikh has been planning a fundraising campaign and launch for the new school.

We sent lots of invitations out and we expect the local government chairman to come. Alhaji Usman has already pledged to give most of the money once the plans are ready.

A group of five men from England came to visit Sheikh recently and only one of them was white. The rest of them were black and had names like us. The difference was the way they spoke English, just like the people on BBC English. And they spoke Arabic too. It was exciting. I do not know much about this, but I think I prefer England to America. Or maybe it is that I don’t like America at all. I did not realise there were black people and even Arabs who call England their country. They don’t just live there - they call it their own, just like the white people.

Malam Abdul-Nur raised his hand when one of the men from England had finished

NIGERIAN WATCH 31st Jul - 27th Aug

19

speaking. The man had said that Islam means peace and that all Muslims should be examples of peace in the community.

Malam Abdul-Nur said he wanted to make a correction.

‘Islam does not mean peace,’ he began.

All of us went quiet in the room apart from the boys who follow him everywhere he goes and shout Allahu Akbar after everything he says. They are very annoying, those boys.

The way he spoke English, I did not believe it was Malam Abdul-Nur speaking.

I was taking notes so that I could find out later from Jibril any words I did not understand. Malam Abdul-Nur’s voice was different. He sounded almost like the men from England, as if there was a small man inside his chest pushing the words out from his nose.

‘Islam means submission. Submission to the will of Allah. And the will of Allah is not the will of the infidel or the will of America.

Islam means that we do not submit to anything or anyone but Allah.’

It is not that I do not agree with Malam Abdul-Nur. It was the way he tried to make them look like they did not know what they were saying. We all understood what they were saying. They were telling us to be good and kind to change the way the world sees us Muslims. One of the men said that after the planes entered the tall buildings in America and killed people, many people started talking of Islam as if all Muslims were bombers or terrorists. He said that we must change the way people think of our religion and always ask ourselves if anything we are doing will give Islam a good or bad name.

20

NIGERIAN WATCH 31st Jul - 27th Aug 2015

EDUCATIONwATcH

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World-class World-class b business usiness e education ducation in in the the heart heart of of London London Generous scholarship opportunities for Nigerian and Kenyan students.

Business courses in the heart RI /RQGRQ¡V ÀQDQFLDO GLVWULFW In the top 1% of global universities (QS World University Rankings 2014–15).* WK IRU PDUNHWLQJ WK IRU DFFRXQWLQJ DQG ÀQDQFH DQG 19th for business studies in the UK (Complete University Guide and THE World World University Rankings 2016).* Strong focus on employability. * Newcastle University rankings.

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NIGERIAN WATCH 31st Jul - 27th Aug

21

August

AfrIcAN SuMMEr fEStIvAl

rouNd-uP

AuguSt IN AfrIcA SuMMEr fEStIvAl Curated by Yinka Shonibare MBE, The Africa Centre’s summer festival will showcase the best of contemporary African arts and culture, including music from Fuse ODG and Asa (above), exciting emerging artists, a fashion show, and visual art exhibitions.

The Africa Centre is also looking for striking, fun digital images to celebrate people, London, diversity – and their important connection to each other, in their photo contest themed ‘August in Africa’.

Aug 1st, noon - 10pm, FREE. Covent Garden Piazza WC2E. www.africacentrefestival.com/

and Caribbean food !

8th Aug, noon until 7pm. FREE. Lordship Recreation Ground, Lordship Lane, N17 www.haringey.gov.uk

river Stage

ghana Party in the Park Forget you are in London and get a taste of Ghana right here, with music, food,

dance, live performances, comedy, fashion show, football, kids activities and Dj’s & Mc’s.

Aug 1st, 12:00 Noon - 8:00pm.

Tickets from £10, Children £5, Under 5 Free.

Trent Park, Cockfosters Road, Enfield www.akwaabauk.com

A free outdoor season taking place on the River Stage, in front of the National Theatre, on the recently created Riverside Square.

Featuring; Traditional West African sounds fused with blues and afro-beat from diabel cissokho and The family atlantica Quartet with their cooking grooves of Ghanaian highlife and Calypso See website for further details Ongoing until 30th Aug. FREE. National Theatre, South Bank, SE1 www.nationaltheatre.org.uk

Africa live festival 2015 Africa fashion week london 2015 Bigger than ever, with a great lineup of designers and events showcasing the best in the world of fashion 7th Aug, From 1pm & 8th Aug, From 12 Noon. Tickets from £15 London Olympia, West Hall.

Kensington, W14 africafashionweeklondon.com

Blockorama

AFWL

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5 steel bands from across London will be coming together to battle it out, with DJs

The Africa Live festival will again this year bring the very best of African culture to the Elephant & The Nun – a festival within a festival The Africa Live team will participate as the sole provider for African influenced bespoke goods, arts and crafts, fashion, holistic therapies, live music and cuisine to the broader.

Aug 15th, noon. FREE The Elephant & the Nun, Burgess Park - Camberwell theafricanmarketday.com

The zim Summer festival Join the people of Zimbabwe in a celebration of where

22

NIGERIAN WATCH 31st Jul - 27th Aug 2015

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LEISUREwATcH Aug 23rd, 7pm-11pm. From £15 Jazz Café, 5 Parkway, Camden, NW1. www.thejazzcafelondon.com

AfrIcAN SuMMEr Throughout July and now August, the Horniman plays host to live music, photography, museum displays, film and dance – including carnival parades and Afro-jazz picnics, as well as African inspired family favourites such as arts and crafts, object-handling and storytelling.

Ilaje day Come along and find out more about the indigenous Ilaje people at the Ilaje Community Welfare Association With a fun, educational day, full of interesting facts and history about the Ilaje community. we’re all from, with a vibrant and eclectic choice of music and traditional food, arts and craft.

congo Party in the Park

Aug 15th, 12:00 pm - 3:00 am.

From £10.

Elite Venue, 1 Dunkirk Close, Gravesend facebook/zimsummerfest

A family day out filled with food, music and Congolese culture in what will be an experience that everyone can share.

African cartoons family day Presented by Black History Walks a double bill of African Cartoons hosted by Obi and Titi who produce graphic novels featuring African children solving mysteries and discovering their history.

The double bill features; Michel Ocelot’s Kirikou and the Sorceress (above) and Kirikou and the Men and Women, both inspired by African fairy-tales.

Aug 16th, 2.00pm. Tickets from £6.

Phoenix Cinema, 52 High Road,

East Finchley www.phoenixcinema.co.uk

Aug 22nd, 12 Noon - 8:00 pm Raynham Doorstep Green, Raynham Road - Edmonton congopartyinthepark.com

Afrobeats live Afrobeats Live will be back for another round of explosive performances from some of the hottest Afrobeats acts in the UK. Headlined by Donaeo, will be hosted

by Capital 1xtra’s DJ Abrantee, who will present acts such as NSG, Belynda, Skata Valentine and Jay Cee.

29th Aug, 3pm-10pm. FREE The Round Chapel, 1 Powercroft Road, Lower Clapton, E5 For more information; contact Mrs Fagbemi on 07940788754.

The 4th Annual Nigerian Schools Sports & family fun day One of Nigerian Watch’s favourite days out, come along and enjoy this Inter Nigerian

Schools event with all your favourite school sports day events including; egg & spoon races, sack races, relays and Football, all in a rather serious dose of fun for the coveted Principal’s Cup! Aug 29th,11:00 am - 7:00 pm.

Norman Park Athletics Track, Norman Park - Bromley www.nssff.co.uk/

Nigerian corner Notting hill carnival Wrap up your summer with some banging beats and sweet spicy suya and head down to the Nigerian corner at Notting Hill Carnival. Last year, we enjoyed a great atmosphere and brilliant performances by Afrobeat artists. Although acts for this year have not yet been confirmed, we know that it is bound to be a day to remember.

31st Aug, All day.

FREE. Adela Street, W10. www.nigerian corner.com

Highlights include; African late A programme of evening performances celebrating contemporary artists from all around Africa and the African Diaspora, including vocab dance company, fanti Acrobats, Storytelling by usifu Jalloh and African Shorts, films and documentaries from Africa and the Diaspora, curated by Suzy Gillet.

And finally; Africarnival, an afternoon of extravagant concerts, dance and carnival performances in the gardens to celebrate the end of our African Summer with Mandinga Arts, Afrospot Allstars and yaaba funk.

Until Aug 30th. FREE. See website for details. Horniman Museum, 100 London Road, Forest Hill, SE23. www.horniman.ac.uk

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From page 24 is an unfortunate fact that, like his compatriot Olusegun Ajose, had either boxer been British or American they would be world champions by now.

It is a constant source of wonder to British boxing experts that a country like Nigeria, with a proud history in boxing, have not supported two of its most talented sons to bring sporting glory to the country.

Let us hope, with the recent change of leadership, that the country’s new Government get behind their elite athletes, and help deliver a new generation of boxing champions that will give the whole country something to cheer about in the coming years.

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Africa’s foremost women quarter-miler, Falilat Ogunkoya, and Nigeria record holder in long jump, Yussuf Alli, have urged corporate Nigerians and the wealthy to support sports by sponsoring championships and other sporting events aimed at discovering and nurturing young talents.

Speaking at the ďŹ nal of Athletics Federation Nigeria Golden League, sponsored by Kingsley Kuku, a special adviser to former President Goodluck Jonathan, in Akure over the weekend, Ms. Ogunkoya said if corporate Nigeria and wealthy Nigerians emulated Mr. Kuku by supporting sports, they would be creating employment for many youth, and combating crime. “The board of AFN and the athletes are immensely grateful to Hon. Kuku for coming to our assistance in sponsoring this championship at short notice,â€? she said. “He not only

sponsored the meet, he added glamour by mobilizing hundreds of Akure residents to attend the championship. “Then apart from the prize money we pay athletes, Kuku also gave best performers special money, this is highly commendable. If we have 37 Kuku in all the 36 states of the federation and FCT, hundreds of Usain Bolt and other great talents in all the nook and crannies of Nigeria will be discovered in short time.�

The technical manager of the Golden League, Mr. Alli, shared similar sentiments. “Studies have shown that there are three ways societies can help the children of the down trodden,� he said. “They are education, entertainment and sports, and of the three sports is least expensive and most adaptable.

So we are appealing to well to do Nigerians to join hands with like of Hon. Kuku to assist masses and use sports to solve socio-economic problems.�

ABovE falilat ogunkoya (centre) rIght yussuf Alli

24

NIGERIAN WATCH 31st Jul - 27th Aug 2015

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INSIdE

There are hundreds of usain Bolts in Nigeria

Sportswatch LArry MAKes iT THe PerFecT Ten

The undefeated 2012 SkyTV Prizefighter winner put on an impressive display of boxing to break down the heavier and awkward William Warburton.

The early rounds were dominated by Ekundayo’s patient body shots and wonderful elusive boxing.

Warbuton barely managed to land a punch on the Lagos man throughout the bout.

When he had the audacity to try and hit Ekundayo he was severely punished with a barrage of accurate counter punches.

The fifth round saw Warbuton taste the canvas for the first time in the evening, after a well-placed body shot from Ekundayo.

The Englishman was floored again in the final round but managed to recover and fight on to the bell, when the referee raised the Natural’s hand signalling a welldeserved shut out points win.

Ekundayo is sponsored by Arik Air, and with this most recent win it looks like his career is sure for takeoff, with first a British Title fight opening the door to a Commonwealth and World Title fight. It Turn to page 23

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Nigerian boxing sensation Larry “The Natural” Ekundayo returned to the ring on Saturday (July 25) at the historic Liverpool Olympia to record his tenth straight victory.

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