A DAY AT THE JACARANDA CASINO

Casinos are what I see in television and read about in novels but in the blink of an eye, one a wet Thursday evening, I found myself in one - The Jacaranda Casino at the Sheraton Hotels and Towers. Gambling is no doubt a beautiful temptation and the Casinos as most of us would think of it a place for the denizens of this cursed earth.

As I walked into this prestigious Casino with gambling machines and tables, the type I have seen in various Gangster films like Shanrukhan’s ‘Badshaar’ staring me In the face, It was into the waiting hands of fellow gamblers who had come on this same adventurer.

Only that, in this case however, the gamblers are members of Abuja literati and other literary enthusiasts, friends, families and associates made up largely of members of the Association of Nigerian Authors who had gathered for yet another reading by the golden voice of Nigeria’s broadcasting industry, Eugenia Abu who only recently was promoted to the position of an Assistant Director of News at the Nigerian Television Authority.

While Mrs. Bimbo Olusola - a friend and colleague who would rather be addressed simply as Aunty Angel describes the Author cum broadcaster as a wonderful person, a true profession – proactive, persuasive and capable of handling work pressure, Omale Allen Abdul-Jabbar, a national executive member of ANA describes Eugenia and her award winning book as ‘a Nigerian Brand’ and went on to commend her for being a writer with love of her country at heart.

The reading activities on the evening in the belly of the colourful Jacaranda Casino, was set off with a reading from the Author’s book ‘In The Blink of An Eye’ by Mrs. Lucy Mangu Tarka an Interior Decorator and Guest Reader at the reading who read Eugenia Abu’s Interview with Wangari Maathai. Poetry performances by Prince Toby and Ifueko Ogbomo who entertained the audience with their poetry and Ayo Babatope, the wonder-kid drummer boy who employed the services of this writer as a backup drummer to thrill the audience with his drumming skill.

It however turn out to be a night of new discovery as the versatile Eugenia Abu after reading a couple of stories from her published book, for the first time decided to show the poetic side of her as she read a couple of poems from are unpublished collection of poem titled ‘Don’t Look At Me Like That’ and a short story titled ‘From Umuofia’ the story of Okonkwo’s re-incarnation.

The audience was full of praises and encomium for the author who undoubtedly is gradually writing her name in the annals of Nigeria’s literary history as an accomplished writer, even with just one published work. Denja Abdullahi, ANA’s National Secretary-General commended Eugenia’s creative approach to her writings “We all know that this work is not a fiction but the creative approach with which Eugenia writes are story is what endears the work to must people and made it possible for her to win the ANA/Flora Mwanpa Prize for Fiction.”

Dr. Seyi Adigun, chairman of the Abuja chapter of ANA who chaired the reading session in his remark encouraged writers to emulate the relentless resolve of Eugenia by going all out to promote their works rather than wait for the publisher to do it for them. “Talking about reading habit, it is not the business of government but of every single writer. With reading like these, in Casinos, hospital, hotels, prisons and schools, we are indirectly promoting the inculcation of a good reading habit. Congratulations Mrs. Abu” he said.

Mr. Collins, the Manager of the Casino expresses his gratitude to all guests who attends the reading and thereafter led them on a tour of the casino. In addition to the sumptuous refreshment provided, each person at the reading went home with a free entry voucher of the casino. Like every other person, I collected mine but the question is would I ever want to go back there? Yes, if for another reading activities.

Other guests and writers at the reading include Senator Dangana Ndayako, Anthony Ibeachum, Dr. Ike Okonta, Dr. (Mrs.) Jennifer Braimah, Chiedu Ezeanah, Daniel Akpaida, Joy Okoduwa, Barrister Ahmed Maiwada and a host of others.

TEACHERS ARE CRITICAL TO NATIONAL INTERGRATION... Dr. Jerry Agada

(He is an author, teacher, public administrator, and a former federal minister of State for Education. Recently, he was re-appointed into the Yar’adua government as Board Chairman of the National Commission for Colleges of Education. He spoke to Jerry Adesewo on his new appointment and related issues.)

Vision for the Commission

My personal objective here is to influence the charting of a new course for the commission, to regulate the activities of all colleges of education for the purpose of turning out well qualified teachers from our colleges of Education.

The Executive Secretary is in charge of the day to day running of the commission while the board plays a supervisory role. What this means is that the board is not involved in the administration and management of the commission in the discharge of its regulatory role on our colleges of education. The board which I head is in charge of ensuring quality control, policy formulation, direction and implementation as well as performing some oversight functions. We are here to ensure that everything the commission does is in accordance with laid down rules.

On the essence of a teacher

The essence of a teacher is, first, one who is embodied with all characteristics of goodness, honesty, commitment and dedication with the purpose of impacting knowledge to pupils. He is one that is looked upon as being above board to direct, motivate, inspire and provide direction for those enthrusted into his hands. The teacher is the best being in the universe because of the unique role he has to play.

On Restoring the Novelty of Teaching Profession

The problems facing the teaching profession in Nigeria are legion. Today, not many people want to be a teacher because our society has put the teachers at the lowest rung of society ladder thereby making it not as dignified as it used to be. Teachers are seen as the wretched of the earth such that hardly can you get two out of ten pupils who want to be a teacher if you ask them what they would want to be in the future. In view of these, this board has lined up some programmes intended to use in turning around the fortunes of teacher education and restore the novelty of the teaching profession. Thus, the role of the teacher in the society will be further enhanced.

The board also intends to ensure that the quality of teachers produced by our colleges of education and other institutions of learning meets up with international standards.


On the relationship between NCCE and NTI

These are two different bodies. One is an institution and the other a regulatory body. They are not doing the same thing. The NTI is an autonomous body just as you have the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria and such other bodies involved in ensuring the professionalism and improved quality of the teacher education. Thus, the NCCE is responsible for the accreditation of courses and certificates of any institution responsible for the production of teachers in Nigeria. And that includes the NTI. It is an institution that trains teachers subject to the accreditation of its courses and certificates by the NCCE.

On Curriculum and Literature Development

Curriculum development is a continuous process. You continue to look at the curriculum by asking yourself: What should be there? What should not be there? What is in vogue? What to do to bring about the desired type of development, especially the introduction of technological approach. It is not true to say that curriculum development is not taken seriously. The problem is that those who say this don’t even understand what curriculum development is all about. It obviously is not all about cramming the curriculum with both relevant and irrelevant things. That is why here, we have a well programmed curriculum department which liaise with the different colleges of education to develop the right curriculum which will enhance the quality of teacher training.

And talking about literature development, our colleges of education do have standard texts specifically designed to meet up with the curriculum in use. While it may be true that the use of handouts has become a culture in our tertiary institutions generally – not just colleges of education – we have recommended texts for each of the courses in the curriculum. So, if anybody is saying otherwise, it is either such person is using just one institution as a yardstick or has not bordered to visit our colleges of education to see that we have standard text books. Having said that, I wish to add too that we are not looking away from this scandal of the use of handouts, the commission will continue to encourage lecturers to engage in publications of standard texts as academics.

Teaching Practice and the 7 Point Agenda

We are working very hard towards making Nigeria one of the 20 most developed economies in the world by the year 2020. And remember that one of the 7-points agenda of Mr. President is human resources development under which we have education which includes the teacher’s training. I think we have what it takes to achieve that. The important thing is to work towards it. For instance, the Ministry of Education recently launched its Roadmap for the development of Nigeria’s education, I heard the Honourable Minister, Dr. Sam Egwu saying that he has a four point agenda for Nigeria’s education which if dutifully implemented, the education sector would have been revamped in such a way that it would have contributed to the overall objectives of Mr. President’s agenda. And if you look at this roadmap, you will discover that it gives priority to teacher training. The Minister had set up an Implementation Committee to ensure that the provision of that Roadmap is implemented. And that is a giant step towards repositioning the education sector.

On Teaching and National Intergration

The best and only way to achieve national intergration is through the teacher. When you talk about national intergration, just look at the whole segment of the society and tell me which one you can talk about without the teacher. If you talk about power generation, the people that are working there today to ensure that we have constant electricity supply. Is it not a teacher that trained them to become engineers, scientists and whatever they are? What about politics? To be a politician you need to have knowledge. You need to go through series of tutelage because you don’t just wake up overnight and announce that you are a politician. The teaching profession is at the fore front of all professions and it is the teacher that is at the middle of it all. So, teaching is about the best means of achieving the much desired national intergration. Unfortunately, as at now, the teacher is being looked down upon but by the time that essence of a teacher is fully displayed, our people will realize that it is a mistake we are making by relegating teachers to the background. If we want progress, if we desire sustainable development, we must give teachers the pride of place in our society. We must take the welfare of the teacher, the comfort of the teacher more seriously. The teacher is the missing link in Nigeria’s developmental quest. The teacher is a critical partner in national intergration.

On the face off between teachers and Benue State Government.

The situation in Benue State is not different from what obtains in other parts of the country as regards the clamourng for the implementation of the Teachers’ Salary Scheme. The Federal Government has made it very clear that request for the implementation of the TSS should be directed to the various state governments as provided for in the constitution. And the state governments, under the auspices of the Governor’s Forum met with the leadership of NUT and had agreed on what to do. What is left now is for the various governments to implement the TSS has agreed. Therefore, what teachers in Benue are supposed to do is to meet with the leadership of the state for the implementation of the TSS as agreed by the Governors. My advice therefore is for the state government to find a way of resolving the matter as amicably as possible so that the teachers will not suffer because, if the teachers suffer, our children who are the students will suffer and the state as a whole will also suffer. It’s like the ill-wind that does not blow any good.

On possibility of undergoing a teacher’s conversion programme

It is a truism that some students in colleges of education today are not there because they are interested in teaching as a career but because they see it as the last resort and opportunity to get into higher institution. Many of them pursue other trades as soon as they obtain their certificates. One sure way to avoid this kind of situation is the new converged examination programme being introduced by JAMB. All candidates for higher institutions will now take one single examination and will be placed according to their marks into Universities, Colleges of Education and Polytechnics respectively. With this arrangement, even those who see the colleges of education as the last resort may even find it difficult to get admission.

As for conversion programmes, it is not a new thing. It’s been tried before and it had worked effectively. I am a very good example; I did not go to any Teacher Training College. After my secondary school, I went to Kaduna Polytechnic for my Ordinary National Diploma. There was shortage of teachers then and so those of us who didn’t have teaching qualifications were ask to go to National Technical Teachers College for a One-year program to do the Pedagogy of teaching which would help you impact knowledge effectively. NTTC Yaba in Lagos and the present Federal College of Education, Technical, Gombe State were the two centres in Nigeria then. That is the conversion programme we are talking about.

On his life as a Teacher

I have no regrets for being a Teacher. If I ever say I have regrets, God will not forgive me. I can say for sure that if I have the opportunity to relive my life, I will prefer to be a teacher again and again. I will even want to do it better by going into the Teacher Training College from the beginning and not through a conversion programme like I did so that by the time I come out, I will be a well rounded teacher. This is because as I have always told people, there is no height you aspire to reach as a person that you cannot reach being a Teacher. I have risen from being a classroom Teacher to become a Principal (On a Special Grade Level 16). I became the Executive Secretary of my State’s Examinations Board and later Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education. At a point I was the Acting Commissioner of Education in my State. To crown it all, as you all know, I was appointed into the Federal Executive Council as a Federal minister of State for Education. What more could I ask for? So, if through being in the teaching profession I have achieved all these, why would I have any regrets? If I had been an accountant, engineer, lawyer or doctor, it is possible that I would not have been what I am today. Teaching has always been and will remain a prestigious profession.

BEHOLD! THE NEW SLAM CHAMPION

Ifueko Ogbomo, after three rounds of keenly contested poetry performance of three minutes each brushed aside ten others which includes Toby, the defending slam champion to emerge as the new Slam Champion with a record score of 49.2 in the last round and a total of 142.1 from the three rounds put together from the 150 point obtainable.

For the first time in the history of the slam, more than ten poets contested which includes two Slam Champions, The Storyteller and Toby, the defending champion. Others are Ambassador Ayo olukanni, Gospel, Mac Captain G and sixteen years old Shallom Sunday, a student of Government Secondary School Garki and President of the school’s Rugged Writers Club who came third in the last edition amongst others who are first timers.

The contestants stepped on the ‘hot stage’ for their performance, one after the other with each providing such sterling performance that it not only becomes difficult for the audience to give their cheering support to any particular contestants but for the five judges to discern what scores to give to who because of the in-depth quality of all the contestants in terms of the content, delivery, presentation and demonstration.

From the time she stepped out for the first of her three rounds of performance, Ifueko won the heart of the audience. Her choice of poem, her velvety honey coated voice and the ease of her body movement endears her to the audience, Judges and her co-contestants who cannot help but applaude her poetic brilliance. The first runner-up, Gospel and second runner-up, Storyteller who took home N20,000 and N15,000 respectively have no problem in conceding defeat to this worthy champion.

Anchored by Ken Ike-Okere, the Slammaster and assisted by his long running Co-Slammaster, Jide Attah, the night was not just about poetry performance as Ayo Babatope, one of Abuja’s promising talking drummer who entertained the audience and Ben Sar, a guitarist whose music seared through the heart of everyone in that Borno Room of Transcorp Hilton Hotel and reverberate beyond its walls.

While Miss Ayo Momodu, a staff of Junior Achievers, an Abuja based NGO describe it as ‘exciting, revealing, beautiful, the best of poetry in motion’ Dr. Kabura Zakama, popularly referred to as Fulani Poet describes this edition of the slam as the best ever “The quality of the performance was better than the poems.” He submitted adding that “Ifueko’s performance was exceptional but her poems needed to be tightened up.” As an observer and a veteran poet himself, Dr. Zakama without prejudice to the Judges decision believes that in terms of content which is an important element of poetry slam believes that The Storyteller’s poems stood out but performance gave it to Ifueko.

Earlier in his address, Mr. Ken Ike Okere reiterate the society’s promise that the slam has come to stay and that the prize money for the champion will continue to be on the rise. “For the first time, the prize is a record N30,000 and I can assure you that for as long as we have the required financial support, the prize will continue to improve. It will get to a stage where poets will fly in to Abuja from across the nation to participate in the slam. That is our dream – A Nigeria Poetry Slam Contest” He said and went on to request interested individuals and organizations not to shy away from supporting this noble project.

The Abuja Poetry Slam is an Abuja Literary Society initiative aimed at promoting the art and power of the spoken word otherwise known as poetry performance. The slam is a quarterly event usually rounded up with a Grand Slam in December of each year where all the Slam Champions slugs it out. Ekene Atusioba popularly known as Poet for Life and the Storyteller are currently the two Grand Champions of the Poetry Slam.


Jerry Adesewo

MISS INSPIRATION WINS THE 9TH ABUJA POETRY SLAM IN GRAND STYLE

The 9th edition of the Abuja Literary Society’s performance Poetry Contest popularly known as Abuja Poetry Slam was held on Friday 3rd May at the Borno room of Transcorp Hilton Hotel, with Ifueko Ogbomo, a poet and motivational speaker emerging as the new Slam Champion.

Ifueko brushed aside ten others in a keenly contested performance to emerge the Slam Champion, the second female to do so in the history of the slam after the very first edition was of the slam was won by Halima Ali in 2005.

Described by Professor Ojimma Umelo of the Nassarawa State University who was one of the five Judges as ‘refreshingly spectacular’, Ifueko, no doubt is everyone’s choice of a champion at the slam. “She blends quality and performance to give poetry that is scintillating” he added.

Ifueko Fex Ogbomo a.k.a. 'Miss Inspiration' Ifueko is a writer, poet, singer and speaker who focuses on inspiring people to achieve successful and fulfilling lives, irrespective of background, gender, age, race and/or challenges. She is the Creative Consultant for InspiroLogos World, an Abuja based

With Three Little Word, a poem which describes the all-encompassing power and appeal of the simple words 'I Love You', Miss Mosquito, Fairest of All; a comedic outlook on life from the mind of a female mosquito and Beneath My Lovely Mask: a dramatic piece on the desire for people to look beyond your outward beauty, talents and or fame, see the flawed person within, and still love you; she unleashed her unique voice and performance of the judges and audience.

If she was happy to have won the N30,000 prize only on her first attempt, emotion never gave out any such. She was cool, calm and collected even as she walks up the podium to receive her prize. Ask her who Ifueko is and she begins another round of poetic performance:

i am creative, intelligent, insightful; i am warm, nurturing, giving; i am influential, positive, innovative; i am soft, gentle, beautiful; i am humble, gracious, virtuous; i am the glory of man - a WOMAN; I am Ifueko - the one who CANNOT fail!

And indeed, she did not fail. However, it remains to be seen if she can afford to hold on to the title when the next edition come up in July and whether she is good enough to challenge for the Grand Slam in December.

NIGERIANS PRAY FOR THE MWALIMU

The Inspector General of Police, Mike Okiro, Corp Marshal/CEO of the Federal Road Safety Corp, Mr. Osita Chidoka, Minister of Transport, Alhaji Isa Biu, DG of National Orientation Agency, Dr. Idi Farouk and TV personality and award winning Author, Mrs. Eugenia Abu, in Abuja on Tuesday 28th of April 2009 join other Nigerians to pray for the enthronement of patriotism, discipline and selfless services among other virtues that can propel Nigeria to become the bride of the entire African continent and the world at large.

The venue was the National Press Centre at the Radio House in Abuja and the event is the public presentation and launching of a nationwide reading tour by Seyi Adigun of his new book, a collection of poem titled Prayer for the Mwalimu.

Presenting the book, Hajiya Bilkisu Bashir, the Executive Secretary of Federal Judicial Service Commission and financier of the Engineer Bashir Karaye Prize for Hausa Writing which is already becoming the toast of literary competitions in Nigeria, who read a poem ‘Let Memory Fade’ from the collection extols Seyi’s creative talent as well as the social relevance of the collection. “My happiness is that the poems in this collection speak to readers differently. I have just read a poem which speaks to me. I am sponsoring the Karaye Prize for Hausa Writing not because I have the money to throw around or for want of something to do but because I do not want the memory of my late husband to fade”

Others who spoke after her finds one relevant point of view or the other to the poems in the collection. ACP Prince Chukwu, the Force PRO who represented the Inspector General of Police charged Nigerians to pray for what the Mwalimu is known to stand for “It is not the poet here that is praying for the Mwalimu but everyone of us. We need to imbibe the good spirit of a good people in order to ensure a good nation. This call is not just for good leaders but good followers as well.”

On his part, and corroborated by Mrs. Eugenia Abu who spoke after him, Commondore Enebong Akpabio reading a poem titled ‘Song of the Road’ on page 34 believes that Road Safety is the responsibility of all and so commended the poet. “We are all stakeholders in the road safety business and one of the best ways to ensure this is through education. That is why to us Seyi’s collection makes a lot of sense for using his craft to educate the people”

As is the case with literary and educational gatherings in Nigeria, the bulk of guests expected at the presentation which includes the Minister of Information and Communications; Professor Dora Akunyili did not make it to the presentation which was made up of what the representative of Minister of Transport, Dr. Agha in his remarks refers to as quality audience. “I am not surprise that this hall is not filled to the brim. This is an intellectual gathering. If it had been meant for some other activities like comedy, political meetings or birthday party, it would have been a different case. My consolation however is that what we have her is the right kind of audience – quality audience” he commented and had some support in the words of Mrs. Eugenia Abu who challenged writers to ensure they support one another. “If Seyi as the Chairman of ANA Abuja is launching a book and this hall is not filled with writers, then we must start asking ourselves questions. If we don’t support ourselves, who will?”

Others present at the presentation are Mr. Joseph Ojo who represented the Postmaster-General, Alhaji Yahaya Dangana, Hon. Dr Wale Okediran, Ms. Teresa Ameh, Barrister Ahmed Maiwada, Mallam Denja Abdullahi, Mr. Kunle Yemitan, and Mr. Alasa, the Medical Director/CEO of Kingscare Hospital among others.

Prayer for the Mwalimu will commence a nationwide reading and interactive sessions of the major cities across Nigeria beginning from the poet’s home state of Kwara later this month.

Jerry Adesewo