The Talking Picture

: L-R:  Mr. Oludare Kafar, Marketing Manager, GOtv, Mrs. Fatima Babanmallam winner of a Trip to the 2014 Grammy Awards and Mrs. Busola Tejumola, Consumer Insight Manager, MultiChoice Nigeria during the presentation to winners of the MultiChoice Nigeria @ 20 Anniversary Promo on 11th of October, 2013.

Photo Credit: Akin Farinto

The Talking Picture

L-R: Mr. Oludare Kafar, Marketing Manager GOtv; winner of a Trip to the 2014 Grammy Awards, Mr. Emmanuel Igoche along his wife Mabel and Mrs. Busola Tejumola, Consumer Insight Manager MultiChoice Nigeria during the presentation to winners of the MultiChoice Nigeria @ 20 Anniversary Promo on 11th of October, 2013.

Photo Credit: Akin Farinto

The "No Work, No Pay" Rule and the ASUU Strike

Photo Credit: Google

The industrial action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has assumed  a new dimension , as strong indications have emerged that the Federal Government may have implemented the “NO Work, No Pay” rule. By this, it is implied that the striking university lecturers may no longer be smiling to the bank at the end of the month, if they continue with their industrial action against the Federal Government for not implementing the agreement it reached with the body a couple of years ago.

Meanwhile, some members of ASUU have confirmed that their September salaries are yet to be paid, as against what was obtainable in previous months of the strike. It was however gathered that the government has passed a directive to the various universities governing councils to stop payment of salaries of the striking lecturers.

As the on-going strike action enters the fourth month, there is need for an urgent and a drastic step to be taken to forestall its adverse effect on the education sector. If this is not checked, it will result in fallen education standard and a great “deservice” to the youth- the leaders of tomorrow. Hence, the timely resolution of the impasse.

In conclusion, we therefore urge the Federal Government to reconsider and reverse its decision on the “No Work, No Pay” rule, in order to ensure a quick resolution with ASUU. I wish there was a “NO Performance, No Pay” rule for political office holders in Nigeria, as this will ginger and motivate them to deliver on their electioneering campaign promises made to the masses before they assumed office.

Let’s remember that education births knowledge, and knowledge is power!

NIGERIA- A CRUMBLING EDIFICE?

The Nigerian Flag

As I sat to work in my office, on a particular morning, I got an e-mail on daily news report, in which one of our nation’s leader described “Nigeria as a crumbling edifice”. Then I began to ponder if these words of his were actually true or just a figment of his imagination, or a mere balderdash. So I resigned from going deeper in my thoughts about the name given to Nigeria A CRUMBLING EDIFICE.  An edifice is said to be a structure that has foundation and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place. And truly Nigeria is stagnant, and then I came to realize the true meaning of an”edifice”. An edifice also means a building, but it doesn’t mean just any building that merits to be called an edifice, it must be a building of important value, a mini temple, or a towering sky- scraper.

Growing up I have always looked at Nigeria as a great nation, a nation that would build the future generation of great minds. But today it’s not all that glitters is gold, the Nigeria of today is different from the Nigeria of yesterday, some say is evolution but I say we are moving faster than our shadow. The leaders of yesterday are still the leaders of today, and if not checked they might remain the leaders of tomorrow. so tell me how can we move forward  if all we can think about is the downfall of one another, tribes against tribes, brothers against brothers?  It’s like all hell has been let loose in my beloved country- Nigeria. The youth are jobless as a result of turning out too many graduates at the same time, and high rate of unemployment .So this takes me back to my question,  “Is Nigeria an edifice?”
 And the answer is YES.

Nigeria is said to be a country blessed with rich human and natural resources, and it’s to be used for the well-being of every Nigerian.  But these resources are squandered amongst the rich, and the rich keeps getting richer, while the poor keeps getting poorer. Enriching the lives of people who live in the country is supposed to be our NUMBER ONE goal in this nation, but the reverse is the case. The politicians are there for their selfish interest, and they come out to say the nation is stagnant,  what have they done to make it a moving country, moving from greatness to greatness, promoting the rich heritage of our beloved country-Nigeria.  

Nigeria is said to be a crumbling edifice, because we are just a nation that is stagnant and not moving forward. But I feel the problem of Nigerians today is more talks, less action. Look at the ongoing ASUU strike, you would find out that the children of the people involved in the crisis don’t attend Nigerian schools. We need to take a stand, we need to set our priorities right, knowing the difference with our wants, needs and desires. Adapting to a life-style worth emulating.

I dream of a better Nigeria, where we would not be just a crumbling EDIFICE, but a structure built on solid ground, where the youth would get jobs immediately after school, where the statement  “the youth are the leaders of tomorrow ” would come to actualization. A Nigeria where you and I would live in peace and harmony without tribalism, discrimination, anarchy or doom, where there is no unlawful killing, where there is hope for all.

I believe in a better Nigeria, I believe in a better Nation, together we can make our beloved country a standing edifice in the sight of all, and together we will. Stand strong for one another because united we stand, divided we fall. Together we can make Nigeria a Nation of important value.

I believe in our future, I believe in the leaders of tomorrow, I believe in hope,  I believe in truth, I believe in love, I believe in  the colours of our skin, I believe in trust ,I believe in the nation at large, I believe in Africa, I believe in Nigeria, I believe in you, I believe in me.

Author: Anita Eiremiokhae

The Talking Picture

L-R: Mr. Segun Fayose, Head, Public Relations, MultiChoice Nigeria; Dr. Wesley Okiei, Senior Lecturer, University of Lagos; Mrs. Aderonke Bello, Chief Executive Officer, Innovative Technology Literacy Service Limited and Prof. Funso Falade, Facaulty of Engineering, University of Lagos during the Nigerian adjudication of the 2013 DStv Eutelsat Star Awards at Golden Tulip Hotel, Festac, Lagos on 2nd of October, 2013.

Photo Credit: Akin Farinto

Nigeria @ 53

As a patriotic Nigerian, I strongly believe in the Nigerian Project and its future. But if the truth must be told about the state of our nation and if we must tell ourselves the truth, Nigeria is almost becoming a failed state. At 53, i.e. after five decades and three years of Nigeria’s existence as a nation, we cannot boast of constant power supply, adequate security and greater prosperity for the citizens.

As a die-hard optimist I know that Nigeria will survive all these ordeals, but not on a platter of gold and not without sacrifice. The question here is, for how long will the period of sacrifice last? Nigeria as a nation is plagued with problems such as bribery, corruption and injustice both in high and low places, by both the rule and the ruled. Our leaders are unable to deliver the goods and services to give Nigerians a decent standard of living and dignity.

Nigerians are a very reasonable people, and all they expect from the government is provision of basic social and infrastructural amenities that would make life easy for them. But unfortunately, our leaders have performed below this expectation, and as a result, the people have lost hope in the ability, policies and programs of the government. What then is the way forward?

The  remedy to this national calamity is to imbibe a spiritual- psycho-socio-political rebirth i.e. to have a rethink and entrench positive change in all spheres of our national life. As a social crusader and a prophetic voice to the nation, I am glad to announce to Nigerians that our REDEMPTION is near, if not nearer than we think. Some people may think the succor will come as an aftermath of the 2015 general elections in the country, but I am sorry to announce  that 2015 will only provide the much needed platform for the change to come, the so-called Nigerian dream(s) will come true in 2019, and the dividends will start pouring in come 2020.

God bless Nigeria!

The Talking Picture: The Nigerian Who Bought the London Gatwick Airport

Mr. Adebayo Ogunlesi

Mr. Adebayo Ogunlesi



Mr. Adebayo Ogunlesi


Mr. Ogunlesi was born to the family of Prof. & Mrs. T.O Ogunlesi of Makun, Sagamu Ogun State Nigeria. His father is the first Nigerian professor of medicine. Mr. Ogunlesi attended Kings College Lagos, Nigeria after which he received his B.A. with first class honors in Philosophy, Politics and Economics, from Oxford University, his J.D. magna cum laude, from Harvard Law School and his M.B.A. from the Harvard Business School.
Adebayo Ogunlesi is currently Chairman and Managing Partner of Global Infrastructure Partners, a $15 billion joint venture whose initial investors included Credit Suisse and General Electric. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of Goldman Sachs. Prior to his current role, he was Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Client Officer of Credit Suisse, based in New York. He previously served as a member of Credit Suisse’s Executive Board and Management Council and chaired the Chairman’s Board. Previously, he was the Global Head of Investment Banking at Credit Suisse. Since joining Credit Suisse in 1983, Mr. Ogunlesi has advised clients on strategic transactions and financings in a broad range of industries and has worked on transactions in North and South America, the Caribbean, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. In 2009, Global Infrastructure Partners acquired the majority in London Gatwick Airport in a deal worth £1.455 billion.
Prior to joining Credit Suisse, Mr. Ogunlesi was an attorney in the corporate practice group of the New York law firm of Cravath, Swaine & Moore. From 1980-81 he served as a law clerk to Associate Justice Thurgood Marshall of the United States Supreme Court.
Ogunlesi is a member of the District of Columbia Bar Association. He was a lecturer at Harvard Law School and the Yale School of Organization and Management, where he taught a course on transnational investment projects in emerging countries.
He is married to an optometrist Dr. Amelia Quist-Ogunlesi. ( Culled from Wikipedia)