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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18, 2012
The Midweek Magazine E-mail:- ozoluauhakheme@yahoo.com
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T is common knowledge that understanding the language of a people or an industry is an advantage for those selling to participate in the affairs of such a people or doing business in such an industry. Their ability to comprehend and communicate issues clearly in an environment is contingent upon your understanding of the language. The oil and gas industry as the money-spinner of the Nigerian economy, no doubt, is a familiar but technical terrain, where those with the understanding of the terminologies are in a privileged position to seal up business deals without reservation. At a period like this when the sector is at crossroads over deregulation, the knowledge of the language of oil and gas is, therefore, critical to practitioners, businessmen, contractors and students whose business require frequent contacts and communication with the industry. Besides these categories of persons, energy journalists who report the oil and gas industry, and upon whom the general public depend for information and general development, also require a reference material to boost their reportorial capacity. Michael Honren Owhoko, author of The Language of Oil & Gas, had this category of persons in mind when he conceived the book in 1999. According to him, the book is aimed at boosting the understanding of the language of the petroleum industry, and encourages increased participation. The book is a complete explanation of oil and gas terminology containing current developments in the petroleum frontiers with detailed definitions. In putting the book together, the author was particularly concerned about the energy journalists who have the responsibility of reporting events of the petroleum industry to the public. He said since over 90 percent of them are non-science and engineering graduates, a material that will deepen their understanding of the language was imperative. The author who is also an energy journalist and one time Energy Editor, Business Times, Editor, Nigerian Gas, as well as Publicity Secretary, Nigerian Gas Association said, “I know as a matter of fact that a book of this nature will facilitate the reportorial capacity of journalists assigned to energy beat.” The book is a product of a well researched work and that care had been taken to comprehensively incorporate terminologies and expressions that are generally used in the petroleum industry in the book. The book which was published in October 2010 by Media Issues Limited was released into the market in last February. Only about seven months ago, yet, the book is characterised by unprecedented market appeal with an overwhelming demand. It is a known fact that the oil and gas industry thrives on standards, and this explains why every facet of operations is benchmarked against excellence. It is therefore imperative for businessmen and other stakeholders who want to operate successfully in the petroleum sector to come to terms with the reality of the peculiar industry terminologies with a deliberate effort to acquire the language.
‘It is a known fact that the oil and gas industry thrives on standards, and this explains why every facet of operations is benchmarked against excellence. It is, therefore, imperative for businessmen and other stakeholders who want to operate successfully in the petroleum sector to come to terms with the reality of the peculiar industry terminologies with a deliberate effort to acquire the language’
Succour for oil and gas LITERATURE The Language of Oil & Gas is therefore the vehicle for understanding the oil and gas business as well as promoting a free and enhanced relationship with the sector for those determined to stay relevant in the industry within the context of the language. With this publication, The Language of Oil and Gas,
Owhoko has raised the bar for capacity building among energy journalists across the world. The book is aimed at addressing the challenges faced by energy journalists, and this was why the book was primarily conceived in 1999 when the author was covering the energy beat. The idea of the book was born out of his initial experience when he had difficulties covering the technical aspect of the beat owing to his nonscience and engineering background. As a result he was under obligation to contribute to the growth of energy reporting in the country by providing a reference material that will encourage those currently covering the beat as well as those who may want to be assigned to it. Owhoko, who is a member of NAEC and was one time Energy Editor, Business Times and Publicity Secretary, Nigerian Gas Association, said a book of this nature will facilitate the reportorial capacity of journalists assigned to Energy Beat. The absence of a reference material that is easily accessible to journalists may have informed the popular newsroom maxim that if you want to expose the inefficiency of a journalist, particularly, a greenhorn, post him to the Energy Desk. The book is capable of overwhelming these fears. Apart from journalists, others such as students, investors, contractors, and businessmen who are venturing into the oil and gas turf for business opportunities will also find the book useful.
Oyadiran leads three others in Enigmatic Last Saturday, Pa Ben Oyadiran, one of the early fine art graduates from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, led three other artists – Kola Okanlawon, Ayo Elebute and Yemi Fakeye – in a group art exhibition entitled: Enigmatic. The exhibition was held at the Ben Oyadiran Gallery in Ibadan, Oyo State. In this chat with OZOLUA UHAKHEME, Oyadiran discusses the issues addressed by the exhibits.
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HAT are the objectives of this maiden exhibition? We are trying to achieve a revival of traditional original arts in Nigeria. We have to start somewhere and we start with this small gallery here in Ibadan. But we hope to grow from here and spread our tentacles of influence and knowledge to all the parts of Nigeria and eventually to all the parts of the world. Our identity as a people is irrevocably attached to our arts and our culture. Unfortunately, we are losing that. Our people both young and old think it is cool to pretend not to be able to speak or understand our indigenous languages. They would rather listen to rap than to ijala and think there’s nothing wrong in being rude to people both and young and old, all because they are wrongly thinking that whatever semblances of foreign culture they observe on television are somehow better than anything they may have at home. But the Chinese man, despite his years of sojourn in the West, continues to cherish his native language, his native arts and his native culture. While his children speak flawless English, they also speak flawless Chinese. While they talk about Picasso, van Gogh, and Monet, they also talk about Gu Kaizhi, Dong Yuan, and Zhan Ziqian. For our people to hold their own, in this fiercely competitive modern times, they must be proud of where they re from and who they are. Helping to see that, is what I am trying to achieve. How do you mean? Art is more than just paintings and sculptures. Art is all
encompassing. We are starting with this exhibition, which will feature paintings and then move on to the celebrations of dance, literature, drama, music, fashion, among others. People all around us have the gene of art in them but probably do not even know it. We will help people see what arts they can do, and then we’ll help them do them. Not many young artists can relate your face to your works. What are your antecedents? I am over 80 years old and I am still active in painting and sculpting. I still can lecture you about art history at any given opportunity, tell you about the importance of creativity and originality, and in one single breathe compare the life of Albert Einstein to that of Pablo Picasso.
‘Our identity as a people is irrevocably attached to our arts and our culture. Unfortunately, we are losing that. Our people both young and old think it is cool to pretend not to be able to speak or understand our indigenous languages. They would rather listen to rap than to ijala and think there’s nothing wrong in being rude to people both and young and old’
I am one of the first generation of artists to graduate from Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria. I am an erudite the educator and a master artist. The title of this exhibition is Enigmatic. Can you explain that? Ti omode ba subu, a wo iwaju. Ti agbalagba ba subu, a wo eyin wo. This means that when a child stumbles and falls, he looks ahead to fish for help. When an elder stumbles and falls, he looks back to search the cause. It is time for us as a people, to hold still, take stock, and reexamine our ways in order to move forward or make progress.
Our Error Last Wednesday, we erroneously reported in our story, Dele Jegede loses only son. The true report should read Dele Jegede loses son because the Jegede family has four children; a daughter and three sons. The late Ayo was the third and second son. We regret the error.