A Writer Can Not Be Quiet

March 11, 2009 at 200900000031p00000031: 2:19 p03 (Africa Poets Society, Community, Journalism Education, NIGERIA, Nephrological society, africa, africapoets, business, create the change, education, god is not a lie, health, investment, leadership, niger delta, politics, science)

 

They flow, the writers, that is, through the lanes,from different professions into the writing sphere.There are also born writing individuals.

First, they get the inching; worried about the need to make public the content of their thoughts.By this, they devise the best technique of approach to tackle the write-able topic.

This could be propelled by what they have observed,heard or read.Others,spontanously,flow into it without understanding the reason for the drive.

They write a first copy,cancell it ,write a second copy and cancell again.If that copy is not good enough,satisfying what they intend to give out,they write again and lock it away from the public eyes.A few of such writers make further effort to go public.

They are so dicouraged because of the cost implication of publishing.Even the internet could be very expensive for them to use.

The traditional publishing avenues may not look in their direction because they are not a ‘name’ that could be accorded attention.Some of such desirous writing prospects,move further to seek a freelance opportunity to do so for free,giving out their thoughts on paper to contribute to public pool of information.

Most publishers may accommodate this position because it removes all financial obligations on them. All such times the published items are judged on the premise of their relevance to comtemporary issues and the beauty of the language used.

Sometimes, the approach/angle the issue is discussed also becomes an attraction.When the writing propect knows that he is now and always, an accepted contributor, his morale grows daily and gradually, he becomes a pro.

The pro’ writer never would cease to contribute his quota to enrich the columns,pages,weblogs and the stalls the daily published books must fill.This consciousness keeps the writer alive.

He lives and is active because he is writing and attending talk sessions that his written works has created/elicited for him.But can the writer stand at the rostrum and not utter any word? The audience would think that he must have suffered a momentary speech ceasure and would sympathize with him.

They could also want to volunteeer assistance to move him back to his seat or home.Such writer would feel a greater sickness not for what he said verbally but for what he was unable to say.

The writer would not always desire such situation, so will crave another opportunity to correct whatever impression that must have been built..This urge is what qualifies the thinking that to be silent is unlike a writer.

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Imperative of mentoring

March 11, 2009 at 200900000031p00000031: 2:19 p03 (Community, Journalism Education, NIGERIA, Nephrological society, africa, africapoets, business, create the change, education, god is not a lie, health, investment, leadership, niger delta, politics, science)

 

It will be a great comfort if one had come to your assistance to solve or get a task done that you have spent longer time fixing. This is what mentoring avails the ill experienced individual and helps him/her attain set or required goals faster and maximize potentials.

We all want gain but at what price? If gain was free and easy we would all sign up. However, it is not. In order to gain something we need to lose something. Trying to plow our way through life and accepting the rewards of  hard work often times seems like a good enough gain. What seems like great gain and steady progress to you, might be far less than what God has planned for you.

One form of being mentored is discipleship. A disciple is simply a learner. If we take what we learn from another guy who has traveled the long and dusty road before us, and apply it to our life we gain wisdom.

Want some mentoring help then look for a mentor in your community.

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Cultural Festival 2008

December 5, 2008 at 200800000031p00000031: 2:19 p12 (Africa Poets Society, Community, Journalism Education, NIGERIA, Nephrological society, africa, africapoets, business, create the change, education, god is not a lie, health, investment, leadership, niger delta, politics, science)

The procession of floats and troupes that participated in the Rivers State cultural festival christened ‘Carniriv 2008,our culture our pride’ began at about nine thirty five this morning 5th December 2008 when the Nigeria motorcycle club members led by Charley Boy drove their powered bikes, not only to pull out more spectators from where they lurking but to trill them.

 

Thereafter, the floats, numbering about 29, depicting various indigenous sea animals, birds and other cultural identities of the accompanying groups, drove out from the premises of the Catholic Institutes of West Africa along the Port Harcourt Aba expressway unto the road.

 

All  the twenty local governments have floats including some corporate organization ,hoteliers, Nollywood actors as well as National Youths Service Corps members that lined up the stretched of Port Harcourt Aba expressway between the Rumuomasi, market and the artillery junctions.

 

It was at this point that the State government right honourable Chibuike Amaechi and members of the State executives councils joined in the procession climbing up to the leading float, a well decorated typical canoe.

 

From this point , the floats processed to Airforce, Rumuola  and the Waterlines junctions where some of the cultural groups found some convenient spaces to display their dance steps with  enormous excitement at with repeated cheering by spectators.

 

Some of the spectator expressed great joy for the carnival, noting that it has provided a forum for common sharing and play together to show case the rich culture of the state.

 

They said the carnival has defied the fear that has enslaved the people and given them the liberty to come out without any doubt to display the rich culture of the people of Rivers State.

 

Already, Governor Amaechi said the carnival would be a yearly event.

 

The last time such carnival was organized in Rivers State was in 1988.

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What Government is Doing With Local Content Policy

April 15, 2008 at 200800000030p00000030: 2:19 p04 (Community, Journalism Education, NIGERIA, Nephrological society, africa, business, create the change, education, god is not a lie, health, investment, leadership, niger delta, politics, science)
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A new business environment is being created.One of transparency, commitment and productivity.A rejuvenation that accelerates the attainment of industrial status for the nation’s economy.Government is setting up practical standards that would transform domestic technology into a world class.

 

The challenge it brings, is to create, where there is an obvious absence, a climate for entreprenuers to take, seriously, the option to acquire technology and to transfer it to local partners productive activities.

 

The National Assembly is currently deliberating on the local content bill.When passed and assented to, as law, by President Yar’Adua, it would give verve to the effort geared at enforcing a strict adherence to the policy.

 

While government is re-organizing the regulatory and monitoring agencies for effectiveness and efficiency in their roles, a review of the tarrif regime on essential goods and services is also on-going.These are identified indicators needed to establish local industries and encourage them to expand.

 

Attractive incentives are being articulated to encourage local hybrid centres of excellence and to improve relevant local infrastructure towards capacity building.

 

Deserving local industries are said to be receiving the encouragement to set up,with  demonstrable ability and commitment, an investment that is long term,to create huge economic opportunities.Government is now willing to  assist local companies to access affordable funding for contract implementation as well as to review tax and royalty regimes.

 

Local Content Benefits

Local entreprenuers are chided to be adventuristic in their investment undertakings, to dare the odds,break the wind and begin the production of local goods that meet the consumption needs of both local and international markets.

 

The more creative the ideas they develop become, accompanied with the investors’ confidence, the more likely the success they could make.There are greater economic prospects local entreprenuers can charge at, to break the total dependence on the foreign technology, especially the challenge, technology transfer had posed.

 

It is because technology and technical expertise dominates modern business environment,globally,Nigeria is diving out of the deep waters.A countrry should be a producing economy to be relevant,producing goods and the machinery.The operating firms should be value creating outfits.Not only in the commercial market but in its staff constitution.

 

How much of what is lost can the staff regain? Of the years, time, skill and relationship.This is a petinent concern.But firms must replenish the resources of the worker.Of course, a firm and the country are known for what they produce.

 

Providing local workers requisite technical training and capacity can increase their productivity.The continious and substantial investment in local capacity builds a workforce competence, increase technical experience and create a national pool of professional that can hold their horns in the international  market place.

 

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building corporate bridge

November 19, 2007 at 200700000030p00000030: 2:19 p11 (africapoets)

hello, here i come

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BANKS:MARKETING PRODUCTS OR FEMALE STAFF

November 14, 2007 at 200700000030p00000030: 2:19 p11 (africapoets)
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 Banks’ overt culture of  marketing pattern of their products and services has become absurd and condemnable by some members of the public, particularly, those who are  morally rational to demand  a quick repair and  respect for the cultural and moral values of the society. Banks as corporate citizens are expected to be at the forefront of joining effort with government and traditional authority to uphold the moral dignity of the society.

The resultant outcry emanating from these debasement of humanity, overtime, was not heeded by banks. May be, because the power of the regulatory agency was not as commanding as expected. But as banks strive to sharpen their competitive edge against each other, their marketing operations deepens so that it became easy to play down on moral conscience.

There was also the need to raise a solid finance base to remain in business. Using female staff to maintain this status as well as grow the fortune of the banks  therefore become a common place.In some quarters of the society, this use of ‘girl staff’ to drive for the needed fund that keeps the some bank in business is believed to be the reward or the business success of the marketing effort of these girls who do untoward things.It is therefore seen as banks indulging in morally debasement of their employees by setting unrealistic conditions of service for them. 

When professor Chukwuma Soludo took over the leadership of the apex banks,CBN, some changes were noticed in the consolidation of banks and the raising of public confidence in their operations.It is therefore uncommon to think that this position has made them to pose  unrealistic targets to recruited  female staff which they have groomed for cash mobilization.

It is good, however, to market for clients,drive at a target and contribute to company’s growth and continual stay in business but it should be on a realistic premise of goal getting.

 Innocently, while young graduates are happy to have gained employment with banks, the monthly,quarterly and yearly financial target given to them is now seen to be outrageous.Sometimes the female staff had also complained but some of them have not had the courage to resign especially because they fear or do not have an alternative income source.

But the  stake to keep their jobs keep mounting pressure on them to go all the length to get big account,real clients and are seen as productive and hard working.It is said that some banks urged these marketing female staff to wear indecent dressing  to discharge their responsibility.

This dress code has showed them off as enslaved workers.The one focus of this dress code is to persuade prospective client, seductively, to patronage their banks.Most of them possibly would have sealed up the business deal with their clients at some overnight hotel lodgings.

The Nation’s senate,senator David Mark who had observed the trend  said banks are encouraging prostitution. He noted that all the girls going out on a daily basis to bring funds into the banks end up doing  things they ideally should not do.Mark worried why there is an absence of a system to regulate the deposit-hunt activities of banks especially as they put lives of employees in danger.

He said the banks know that such activities are not beneficial to the female  employees and urged them to check the practice.He expressed worry about the huge sums of money published regularly by banks as profits,noting that such was only possible because the banks do not invest in the real sector as they should.

The central bank of Nigeria, Director, Banking Supervision,Mr  Otufa Imala said the Apex bank is having difficulty in controlling indecent dressing as the practice is. He said CBN has resolved that since it is a case of all banks involved in the practice, all banks’ chiefs have been mandated to look closely at  the issues of culture in their operation. This must be emphasizes at the point of recruiting and continuously..There is the need for banks to re-engineer their products to attract customers.

Marketing is about selling produtcts not exploiting the female nature of the worker. This de-emphasis is petinent to revoke the seemingly culture that is associated with the banking sector. This is unconnenected to the fear most people have expressed over seeking for employment in the sector.

Already, Oceanic bank Managing Director,Mrs Cecelia Ibru has said that her bank enforces proper dress code among the staff; a corporate suit for week days and natve attires for Fridays to ease work for the staff. She said any staff  especially the female staff who dresses indecently is asked to go home.

 But Senator David Mark at the plenary session of the sixth National Seminar on 13th,November,2007,on Economic Crimes,organized by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, in Abuja said the  senate would intensify the screening of the financial system in the country.He decried the lack of interest by the banks to develop the real sector. He urged the banks to work with the government towards the economic development of the country.He affirmed of their role in checking acts of financial corruption which hampers the economy.  

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