LELC Media Centre: Getting Inside Project

Getting Inside Project is a social-driven entrepreneurship endeavour with a three-prong focus: 

• Getting Inside Me Project
• Getting Inside Story and 
• Getting Inside Project. 

Getting Inside Me Project (GIME) is a Self-Awareness Vulnerability Indices Pointer targeted at all gender. It helps girls and women in particular to navigate personal challenges they face at school and workplace.

Getting Inside Story is an Investigative focus on gender-based issues, education, science, crime, health, environment, civic intelligence, and governance.

Getting Inside Project focuses on media career development, mentoring and training of young undergraduate journalists, up and coming journalists and broadcasters including mid-career practitioners in the media industry.

Between October and December 2018, Getting Inside Project trained over 30 journalists early and mid-career journalist and 28 mass communication interns across electronic broadcast organisations, print and online.

ABOUT GETTING INSIDE ME PROJECT (GIME)

On 11 October, 2018, Getting Inside Me Projected collaborated with the Ministry of Women’s Affair, NAWOJ, Association Against Sexual and Gender Based Violence (AASGBV) and CMD Foundation to Mark International Day of the Girl Child with 100 Girls of  Westend Secondary School,  Asaba.

The leadership goal of GIME was to mentor 100 Girls. I collaborated with Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Ministry of Women Affairs,  Association Against Sexual and Gender Based Violence (AASGBV) and CMD Foundation to deliver a speech-workshop tagged Getting Inside Me Project on how students can use a Getting Inside Me Diary to reflect their career options, career plans, personal thoughts, goals, challenges and solutions to them to help them see patterns in their life early on so they can spot on time their natural capacities and career options open to them to pursue: International Day of Girls: https://medium.com/@ladyeumukoro/international-day-of-the-girl-2018-every-child-matters-7777a338a8d8

                                  

Following this event, with the help of different school administrators, counsellors, teachers, students, police and anti-cult unit in Delta State, I was able to carry out a successful undercover story on why there is a Rise of Secret-Cult-Gangs in Secondary Schools Among Female Students. This in turn informed the idea behind the Mentor-A-School Project I began concurrently as a Social Civic-Intelligence response in giving support to the community to curb this menace. Thereafter, the investigative story was published online, posted on all social media and YouTube including a two-day spread on Pointer Newspaper.

A follow-up advocacy awareness about this menace to amplify the story to a wider audience was done on Bridge Radio 98.7 FM to talk about the undercover investigation into the menace of secret-gang-cults in schools affecting both girls and boys, how they are recruited, code words/dress codes they use, tips to help parents recognised if their child has been approached or joined, and how children can come out of these cults with support from their school, parents, the judiciary and police. The thrust of the investigation shows that it takes a village to curb the menace.

During the undercover investigation, it was found that:

Teenage girls from 10-16 years are given 3 initiation options: to pay registration fee between N3,000 – N4,000; have sex with several boys (up to 10 or more in number); or be severely flogged (a euphemism for physical abuse and assault).

Sex, money and power was at the root of why girls were targeted aggressively.

Gang rape masked as initiation rites exposed girls to demeaning acts, drugs, alcohol, emotional and physical abuse.

Girls who tend to ‘fall for’ secret-gang-cults are those more prone to lying, cheating, stealing, curious about sex, have strong sex drive, or come from home where they have been toughed-up with constant emotional abuse, neglect, condemnation, physical beatings or lack parental attention, discipline and love.

Mentor-A-School Project (Getting Inside Me Project, GIME)

This project was created in response to the investigative story about secret-cult-gangs in two secondary schools in Delta. Interested school administrators are currently working out how to establish a media club in schools to keep students creatively engaged with a view to introducing them to new career pathways in media, writing, speaking and tech skills development.

Two selected schools in Delta were chosen for this purpose. A total of 228 students from Westend Mixed Secondary School and Ugbolu Secondary School in Delta State were mentored.

The focus was to achieve four key goals:

To promote anti secret-gang-cult awareness and the need to complete their education

To create deliberate awareness in boys about the synergistic value girls add in achieving a balanced society

To awaken students to their five capacities and how to tap into each for wealth creation, career choice and personal fulfilment

To inspire girls not to limit their career options or be carried away by negative peer influence

Introduce Girls to the Getting-Inside-Me-Diary Project for Self-Awareness and Mindfulness

STORY IMPACT:

On Monday 26th November at 9:21 a.m. following the publication of, and amplification of the story, Getting Inside Project (GIP) office received a call from a member of the Council of SPC explaining that one of the hideouts and area used for initiation by the cultists, the St. Patrick’s Church Asaba, began work on fixing broken walls and raising the perimeter fence securing the premises by two coaches to prevent access into the premises for such purposes.  Incidentally, I was informed that the premises was been used by armed robbers to hide away their guns used for operations, which they often go back to retrieve for future robberies. I was told that this story on secret-cult-gangs which I published gave them the jolt to take action.

On Monday November 3rd 2018, GIP went to verify this. The entire length of the perimeter fence has been raised by extra coaches and the holes in the fence have been closed up.

            

Following the report of the investigative report, many students became emboldened to quit cultism and gangsterism. In January 2019, One of the Principals’ whose students were victims explained to GIP in detail that a large number of the students (over 50) who were victims approached the school to renounce. The cult ‘leaders’ greatest concern was the drastic drop in weekly and monthly dues should they allow any reduction in the number of recruits. The more the members, the more money they make.

A follow-up impact assessment response was carried out to determine how schools, parents and affected victims of cultism and gangsterism are taking action since the story broke in October 2018 till date of this publication. It showed that over 30 students have since renounced their membership with many more students ready to come out. This is progress that must be sustained.

The story on Secret-Cult-Gangs Among Females in Secondary Schools in Delta was published in a 2-Part Series in Pointer Newspaper on Wednesday 24th October and Friday 26th October 2018 and on https://ladyechannel.blogspot.com/2018/10/secret-cult-gangs-disturbing-rise-of.html

News Agency of Nigeria also picked up the story and it was thereafter amplified by more than 25 online news outlets:

Radio Advocacy Awareness on female secret-gang-cults in secondary schools on Bridge Radio: https://youtu.be/JOi1qa9JNMg

Undercover investigation: Confessions of a Female Gang Member: https://youtu.be/l6-5VD3XdR8

Undercover report: How Secondary School Girls are recruited: https://youtu.be/R8Z9CTbqOow

Amplified Story: http://www.emerald.com/investigation-into-the-cult-world-how-secondary-schoolgirls-in-asaba-practice-high-level-cultism-during-school-hours-check-out-your-daughter-may-be-a-cultist/

GETTING INSIDE PROJECT (GIP) 

Media Career Development Training

To address the gap in career advancement among journalists in Delta State, GIP carried out workshop training with Female Journalists, Mass Communication Interns, Members of Nigeria Union of Journalists and Online Publishers.

Workshop, Panel Discussion and Lecture on Managing 'Fake News' in Traditional Media, Online and Social Media 

   GIP worked in collaboration with Delta Online Publishers Forum to run a lecture and workshop on digital skills for online publishers on. The training focused on the need to be intentional about how online and traditional media need to change their approach to covering and reporting

news.

It was equally important to heighten all aspects of self-check, professionalism and consequences of poor reportage during the panel discussion with stakeholders from across academia, civil societies, the judiciary, government and by journalists. Achieving this was at the heart of the call-to-action to all online publishers and reporters to improve our craft.

An online coverage of the panel discussion was produced based on the resolutions, suggestions and action steps to be taken by all stakeholders to tackle the menace of disinformation, malinformation, information disorders, rumours, and other false stories going forward and in preparation for 2019 elections.

The third goal of this collaboration was to be intentional about maintaining continuous advocacy on all media channels about the negative impact of fake news (a redundant term) by helping audiences differentiate between the different types of ‘fake news’: disinformation, malinformation, information disorders, rumours, weaponisation of information, conspiracy theories, false data, and false stories.

Online links: The Role of Media in 2019 election and Management of all forms of Fake News online and traditional media:

-          How Online Media Publishers can Prevent Proliferation of Disinformation:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpcQTYDQ_HE

-          Role of Media in Collaborative Investigative Journalism:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxG9xW7YFE4

-          Impact of Social Media on Political Campaign and Nigeria 2019 Elections

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDxzLmyxCz0&t=29s

 Media Career Development for 

Mass Communication Interns

     A 2-Day Training Workshop and Mentoring Session with Mass Communication Interns at Pointer Newspaper on: Gender Reporting and Career Path Options in the Media Industry:

The training focused on:

1. Writing authentic content
2. Developing a strong sense for news anywhere
3. Gender reporting,
4. Building self-confidence,
5. Collaboration and
6. Career choice options in the media industry

Interns were introduced to the Getting Inside Me Diary to analyse their self-development goals and career path identification in the media industry.

During the training, data gathered showed that: 

• Out of the 25 attendees, only 3 were males
• More than two-thirds of the students were bored-stiff with print journalism
• Many said it was not a course of first choice
• Others complained of poor teaching styles, tools, and incentives to study
• Many did not think a story idea can come from them unless they were told what to cover
• Of the 25 who were given a story idea to report, only 3 had completed their stories for submission one week after assignments were given
• All of them were OND students. Many said they won’t follow-up the course at HND level.

Day 2: Media Career Plan – From Internship to Professional Practice.

In attendance were 21 interns: 7 males and 14 females. Of these number:

• 3 indicated they wanted to be bloggers and wanted to know how to achieve this
• 4 indicated they would like to be reporters
• 8 preferred to work on radio or TV stations as presenters or newscasters
• 5 were unsure which field to settle in
• One was an NYSC member who schooled in Ghana and was back to Nigeria for his NYSC
• Age range was 21 – 28 years

Workshop covered: different types of beats, storytelling, blogging, approaches to investigative journalism, intentional search for developmental stories, developing strong nose for news, improving gender reporting lens, balance reporting, self-development opportunities, skills development in writing, researching, interviewing, speaking, and amplifying stories to bring about impact.

POST TRAINING:

Students were more revved up to pursue journalism after the workshop.  Acting General Manager of Pointer Newspaper requested for a similar workshop on gender-balance in storytelling for upper management in 2019.

TESTIMONIALS:

Lovelyn Oseji (ND2): “After the training with Lady E, I was able to confidently write 3 stories. Something I was afraid I couldn’t do before. I wrote a story on Water Scarcity in Ogwashi-uku, edited a police press release on Cultists Killing Cultists and now I know how to analyse and report a charge sheet from court after I covered a criminal case of a man who stole from a woman who owned a filling station. The man turned out to be the woman’s friend.”

Kingdom Zorzor (NYSC Batch B1): “I am now a more confident speaker since the training and I speak more freely than I used to be. Unlike before when I used to keep to myself, after I was taught the importance of collaborating with my colleagues, I now do it easily.  I have also become more observant of people’s attitude too, and have also written more than 6 stories since the training. I intend writing a report about this training and have it published in Pointer.”

Ugah Juliet (ND2): “My confidence has seriously improved. I used to be very shy before but after the training I learnt how to communicate better and I have been using my GIME Personal Career Diary taught to us to use to write my career plan. I also wrote two feature stories after we were encouraged to think of more stories we find interesting to write. I wrote one on general entertainment and the other on food spice.”

Nwakpa Gloria (ND2): “The Getting Inside me Project about having a career plan by Lady E has helped me to see that for me to be a good journalist I must always do thorough research, associate more with my colleagues and learn to accept all kinds of beats and cover them. Now I know how cases in court are to be reported and the requirements and consequences of being a surety for someone as a guarantor.”

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     Training members of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) and Nigeria Union of Journalists

On Friday 14th November 2018, special training for female reporters of NAWOJ on:

Media Entrepreneurship Opportunities for Female Reporters – A Career Plan. Journalist were introduced to the many areas of start-up journalism and use of innovation as an effective tool and means for impactful.

During the Question and Answer session, it was observed that reporting ‘activities’ of government’s social programmes was considered the equivalent of detailed journalistic report. In addition it was observed too that many beats were under-reported or not covered by journalists in Delta State. They include:

• Defence
• Oil and Gas
• Agriculture
• Business, etc.

GIME project in 2019 aims to collate all beats covered by journalists in Delta State to determine areas of over representation, under-representation, under-reporting including those beats left unassigned to address some of these needs. Another important module to be added to this training is data journalism, storytelling and fact checking. Many of the attendees were hearing of these terms for the first time. Added to this modules are workshop on Gender Reporting and Work Life Balance Effectiveness.

Future collaboration to bridge this gap will be done with WSCIJ, Africa Check, Media Career Services and Code for Africa to run these trainings.

TESTIMONIALS:

SHULAMITE OWHOEKEVBO (Ministry of Information): “I especially enjoyed the training, particularly in the area of how we tell and present our stories in such a way that people can impact on the lives of people and not just write a report just for the sake of writing one. As an information officer, I’ve learnt about writing balance report about women and children and not just men alone in the society.”

AUSTIN AZOR (NUJ): “It was a well-planned and well-delivered workshop by the trainer, Lady Ejiro Umukoro who deemed it fit to come train our female journalists on the need for media entrepreneurship. Many of us in the Nigeria media space have this thinking that we cannot diversify but the training has helped us to see how we can diversify our ideas and the money-making opportunities that exists in the profession.  There was a lot to learn in terms of report, content development and be known for what one does. This has been a great opportunity for me and I’m glad I didn’t miss it and will put my training into good use.”

Stella N. Macaulay (Directorate of Orientation): “A new vista has just been opened to me.”

EUNICE EMEYAZIA (Delta Broadcasting Service): “I have learnt how to raise the bar higher in my profession. As a journalist we’re responsible for educating members of the public. So if we don’t know the report or stories we cover well enough, how do we educate the people? If we’re misinformed, we equally misinform our audiences. I also leant about 5 Specific areas on how a female journalist can utilize beats to make some cash (lol)…”

RITA AKPOTU (Ministry of Information): “I learnt a lot about knowing other opportunities that exists for journalists to pursue their career.”

EFENURE OGENERO (The Urhobo Voice Newspaper): “Great value. But I need the resource person to mentor me so I can do well as a journalist.”

OBUNSELI PATIENCE: (NAPRO): “Equipping female journalists with tools to work to maximum capacity.”

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     GETTING INSIDE PROJECT: Civic Intelligence Keynote Lecture and Workshop

A Civic Intelligence Training Workshop targeted at Youth on spotting disinformation, youth thuggery, political violence, issues on voters rights and amplifying stories using Civic Intelligence Value Chain and Road map to do so through intentional critical thinking with members of Young African Leadership Network, YALI.

Friday 8th, December 2018. Members of Yali, NYSC, students, young professionals, youth out of job, and Electoral officers were beneficiaries of the training on: Civic Intelligence, The Missing Link to Nigeria’s Democratic Future. The training workshop was tied in with the formal launching of YALI NaijaVotes: Make It Count; a nationwide campaign based on 5 key areas:

a.            Boost voter participation

b.            Promote voting with integrity

c.             Encourage truth and accuracy in information-sharing

d.            Speak out against hate speech

e.            Inspire communities to reject violence

The training helped those in attendance understand what Civic Intelligence is, the roadmap, and value chain of Civic Intelligence. Using real life examples, participants using real life examples, Q&A, and peer interaction, participants got ownership of the term, inspiring them to become change agents. The significance of the power of information literacy in managing ‘fake news’ and abuse such as weaponisation of information, disinformation, helped participants identify the dangers of illiteracy and alliteracy and how it affects, promotes and limits electorates and citizens.

Practical session of the training empowered members to tap into their problem solving skills using context, data, demographic targets, etc., in solving social issues.

The goal of the workshop was to equip attendees with the mindset, skillset and brainstorming approach to be intentional and critical thinkers who deliberately provide solutions to many of the social problems in Nigeria that has to do with our collective thinking and psyche covering issues on rape of young children (Ochanya), domestic abuse, election violence, political thuggery, voters rights, respect for rule of law, the need to follow-up and aggressively amplify stories that otherwise would not have been heard, and proffering solutions to these using Civic Intelligence Value Chain and Roadmap while consistently measuring impact to ensure suggested approaches work: https://youtu.be/nWzLYMaHGOc.    

   

Over 50 youth ages 21-36 years, including adolescents (14-15 years) from across secondary schools,  members of the Young African Leadership Initiative (YALI), NYSC members, young professionals and electoral officers in Delta state and from other parts of Nigeria were in attendance.

Video coverage of the event was published on YouTube: https://youtu.be/nWzLYMaHGOc and www.emerald.ng titled: Civic Intelligence:  The Missing Link in Nigeria’s Socio-Political Success.

TESTIMONIALS:

EDITH ENEMUWE (Yali Member): “I am most thrilled by the fact that Civic Intelligence acts like a tap on one’s shoulder to get up and “DO” rather than just sit and be a passive observer. It is like taking a sneak peek into a vista of possibilities simply opening one’s mind and defining one’s roles in the society within the aspects of civic intelligence according to one’s capacities. The most interesting thing is that Civic Intelligence doesn’t require that one develop or grow an entirely new set of skills or capacities, rather it taps on the intelligence one is already gifted with and hones it for better use.”

ARINZE O. AUGUSTINE (Electoral Officer, INEC): “What struck me most on how Civic Intelligence works is the fact that it is a result-solution oriented principle that caught me.”

Obimma Uchechukwu (Corp Member): “Your delivery on Civic Intelligence is unlike anything I have ever seen before. I wish to invite you to speak in some of the events I organise in schools.”

Austin Okorodudu (Yali Coordinator, Delta):  “Today was not just fulfilling, it was, to say the least, awesome!”

LightRay Reviews

A Book Review: Assessing The 1914 Amalgamation Of Northern And Southern Protectorates Of Nigeria – The Journey So Far 

We are often shaped by our history. And in telling our stories, we draw from our individual perspectives, experiences, familial lineage, indigenous beliefs, folk wisdom, folklores, culture and value systems to tell our side of history (quick voice-over intro: https://youtu.be/DkcgB57PnYs).

In reading the much anticipated memoir of Ogbueshi John I. L. Nwokolo who launched his book,  Assessing the 1914 Amalgamation of Northern and Southern Protectorates - The Journey So Far on his 80th birthday 5th January 2019, (video documentary here: https://youtu.be/naQvDV_IRMQ), at St. Patrick’s College Asaba, Delta State, Nwokolo takes us through evocative timelines, some of which are not often as remembered as others. But a few he recollects poignantly re-ignites contentious issues still seen today in Modern Nigeria, especially in this season of elections in 2019 – an election many feel may change, albeit slightly, the dynamics of elections in Nigeria with more women vying for positions of presidents and key political offices alongside ‘youthful men’ across the political spectrum – and many Nigerians praying, as they often do, that this election will bring about the needed paradigm shift so yearned for.

The Journey So Far hits the nail again on the topical issue: the amalgamation of Nigeria, questioning again and again an ongoing debate many take different sides on: was it a mistake, a curse or a blessing? But his approach in questioning this heated topic is more of a throwback on what he considers an important part of nationhood: teaching history in primary and secondary schools. Chief John Nwokolo noted that when he wrote his West Africa Examination Council exam (WAEC) in 1959, his history subject taught him that “a nation that cannot learn from history cannot make the kind of progress we expect.” The history subject he sat for was the British History and European History: 1066 to 1945, where a quote from Winston Churchill said that “Those who failed to learn from history are doomed to repeat it. So, it is only a fool that allows the same to happen to him twice.”

If you are in doubt, let’s try your knowledge on this quick history test. How long did the Nigerian Civil War lasted? How long was the first Nigeria Republic? How long did the second republic last? And what about the third republic, how long did it last too? When did the fourth republic began? Too many questions? Did you get all, some or none? The answers are as follows: 3 years, 5 years, 4 years, aborted after 3 months with no president elected, and 1999. Each time Nigeria’s republic was truncated, its by-products has produced more confused values, widespread mortality, monumental corruption, terrorism, violence and war. 

To buttress why it is important to teach history, especially to children from early on, Nwokolo recounts in this book when he asked a senior secondary 2 (SS2) student: who Chief Obafemi Awolowo was. That question is like asking a British high school student who Winston Churchill was. The young man in question replied: “Obafemi has stopped playing football for Nigeria.” The student in question obviously meant Obafemi Martins, the footballer, and not the late sage and erudite politician. Some might be quick to say ‘oh it was just a common mistake’ but if a prize was attached to that question, certainly it would no longer be looked at with those same sets of eyes, right? 

For 34 years out of the Nigeria’s 57 years of Independence, history was not taught as a mainstream course in primary schools and up to some secondary school as a full independent course. It was not until June 2016 that the Nigeria Education Research and Development Commission (NERDC) woke up from its slumber, and in March 2018 an executive directive from the federal government was given to have history return to the school’s curriculum that saw a massive drive and social movement advocating strongly for this. The Minister of Education Mallam Adamu Adamu stated that “the directive became imperative to bring about the desired social and behavioural change which, studying and learning about history, is key to realising this goal.” This has led to the disarticulation of history from social studies curriculum where it was buried, like something unworthy of being a stand-alone course or subject. This in turn resulted in the shortage of teachers of history and lecturers specialised in this field. The removal of history led to the abysmal drop in the number of people seeking admission to study it in the universities as there were no job prospects in the field upon graduation. 

The collective modern history of Nigeria is written by Europeans covering much of the time when the British empire, European colonisers, sea pirates masquerading as entrepreneurs held sway. The narratives of such documentation has often times been disproved and in a number of cases found to be outright falsehood, misrepresentations, myopic, pro-British, and distorted. Only in very few cases was the truth of our ancient cultures, civilisations, achievements, technologies, and way of life told exactly as they were. The recently concluded Edo FEST held in December

2018 was a reminder of those long buried untold truths tracking the 121 years in absentia of stolen Benin Bronzes scattered all over the world from Britain to Germany, in France and other places. Dr. Lutz Mukke, a German-Journalist and Africanist who is the initiator and manager of the Benin-Bronze-Project has put together a strong argument to have these pieces looted in 1897 be brought back to their original homeland.

“Unless the lion learns to tell his own story, his history will always be written by the hunter.” So goes an Igbo proverb fondly quoted by Chinua Achebe and Chief John Nwokolo.

The book, The Journey So Far takes us into the history of 5 important points of national history: The Amalgamation of Northern and Southern Protectorates of Nigeria 1914; The 1951 Regional Elections in Ibadan in the Western Region; The January 1966 Coup d’état; The Nigerian Civil War of 1967-1970; and The Unprecedented Increase in the number of insurgencies, agitation and militancy since independence. 

How we interpret often influences how we use it to move forward, the quality of leaders we choose, and even the electoral processes that brings about those given the mantle of leadership responsibility in key positions of power at both the states and national levels. 

It is interesting to note in Chapter 1, with the title: The Making of Nigeria how it made a simplistic division of Nigeria into 3 distinct ethnic lines, using the term RACE to delineate them into: Fulani / Hausa Race, Yoruba Race and Igbo Race. Using this as its standard, the book states that indigenous settlers of Northern Nigeria who spoke varied dialects and languages are lumped together based on the ‘unification’ by the Usman Dan Fodio’s Jihads, another ‘amalgamation’ of sorts into a caliphate, with its roots extending up to the Northern fringes of Yoruba and westward into the Northern parts of present Dahomey and the northern parts of Cameroun. 

The Yoruba were divided into 2 main groups based on one: their ancestral descendants, an older indigenous stock whose religious centre was the City of Ife, and the second of the same stock, who traces their lineage to founders of Borno and Hausa states. According to book, the Yoruba kingdom was founded by Oduduwa, son of an Arabian King who was driven out of his father’s kingdom in the East who went on to conquer the people of Ife, settled there and by the 16th century an empire emerged that stretched itself into the forest lands of the Benin Kingdom who claimed relations to the Yorubas. In other words, the Benin Ruling Dynasty also have connections of Yoruba origin. The book goes on to say that some lineage of the Ijaws say they are from Ife. Even the great Zik had descendants of Bini extraction. People of the Ezechima and Ika extractions all lay claim to the Benin stock and by some extension, Yoruba. However, it is important to note here too that there’s an on-going debate about the origin of the word ‘Oba’. Is it of Yoruba or Benin origin? Interestingly, in both instances, before the word ‘Oba’ became commonplace in modern usage to both ethnic groups, the Yorubas used terms such as Ade for king. In the case of the king of Egba however, his ancestral title is Alake of Egbaland, and that of Ooni is Ooni of Ife, and that of Oyo as Alaafin of Oyo. Today the viceroys are known as Baale, meaning Father of the Land. 

Similar findings can be seen in that of Benin too. For as long as tradition had it, the title king in Benin was known as Ogie or Ogiso (which by the way were used both as title and names of the rulers in Benin Kingdom). It is claimed that it was from the time of Eweka I, son of a Yoruba Prince, Oranmiyan, when he came to the throne that the title ‘Oba’ became synonymous with kings of Benin monarchy as a title. This marked a shift in how kings of Benin from that extraction came to be so labelled. In order words, the title Oba was a coinage created to mark this differentiation after Oranmiyan overthrew Ogiso during a tumultuous political saga when imposition of candidates to settle home-grown dispute over who has the right to rule was, instead, settled by fiat in the 12th century. Incidentally, Oranmiyan was the one who transformed Benin into an empire.  Only until recently, was the head of the Oba of Bini buried in Ile Ife. 

This is why historical documentation matters from early on to forestall distortions while promoting ‘alt facts’ as was seen during British colonisation. He who wields power, often writes history that benefits him and ensures its propagation to outlive those of others. We see this to be true when the term Fulani-Hausa Race is used as a one-size-fits all classification of indigenous persons who reside in Northern Nigeria. Many indigenous settlers in the North are not comfortable to have their identity lumped into that single phrase even if they are lumped together geographically as ‘Northern Nigeria’, a more palatable reference. In telling history, therefore, it is important that ‘minorities’ are not merely glossed over because of their size or number. The once British Empire has today being reduced to Britain. That doesn’t make it any less relevant or insignificant. It is also important too that in telling history, separation be made between similarity in behaviour and race. That a certain race has a strong dominant personality or trait when observed in others doesn’t mean other ethnic group or tribes with similar disposition necessarily come from the same stock even though we are all part of the human race. 

According to the book under review, Assessing The 1914 Amalgamation Of Northern And Southern Protectorates Of Nigeria – The Journey So Far by Chief JOHN I. L. NWOKOLO, the Igbo tribe is said to share behavioural traits, values, beliefs, ancient practices with the Jews (a topic still in contention even amongst Igbos). He however noted that there is a stock of Igbo descendants who came from the land of Aro, Igbo Ukwu and Otuocha who can lay claim to being descendants of Jews. In addition, some other clans of Igbo extraction trace their origin as coming from Benin-Oduduwa extraction who settled at the riverine areas of Ika Igbo speaking tribes from the 17th century. The third genealogical trace of the Igbos are from the Benue-River origin who migrated from Igala country of the Benue River Country into the belt of Igboland in the 17th century to avoid the Fulani slave trade in towns such as Ebu, Illah and Asaba. This group who settled in the northern part of the Igbo territory are known as the Igala-Igbos. It therefore implies that the narrative that lumps the entire Igbo nation as descendants of Jews is an example of ‘alt fact’. It bears the error of sweeping generalisation. 

The Journey So Far, reminds us that the success of colonial rule in Nigeria was as a result of the use of indirect rule through the use of forced treaties with conquered local rulers and chiefs, obtained recognition of formal sovereignty over the territory of Nigeria at the Berlin Conference of 1885. It takes our mind to the time when Lokoja, the capital of today’s Kogi State was the first capital of the country Nigeria, having served as the administrative headquarters of the Northern Protectorate. It became Lord Lugard’s base after the amalgamation in 1914 of the Northern and Southern Protectorates. The River Niger and River Benue meet in Lokoja.

Chief John takes us to a nostalgic era of his past and the city that holds special place in his heart: Kaduna. He and his 9 siblings were born in Kaduna, notable for its bureaucrats, academics, jurists, and other professionals. He remembers Kaduna as a very vibrant place where citizens and foreigners alike found it safe and viable for trading, learning, and a good life where many persons today still bear the name ‘Kaduna’ while some the streets in Kaduna are also named after persons who made it home. 

Many historians and individuals reflecting back into history who bore the brunt of colonisation agree that it was a one-armed bandit that raped, plundered, kidnapped and destroyed whole cultures and resources of a people and their way of life. Of the 195 countries in today’s world, about 90% at the height of the British empire were invaded or colonised. Only 22 countries escaped the British invasion. In Africa that means 55 countries were colonised by the British and 7 others were colonised by power-hungry-colonialist-thinking Europeans. They include Burundi, Central African Republic, Congo Republic, Sao Tome, Chad, Mali and Cote d’Ivoire. The largest colony invaded was that of India that has since given birth to countries like Malaysia, Myanmar (Burma), Sri Lanka, Nepal, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Singapore.

Remember the opium war of 1841? Also known as the Anglo-Chinese Trade War? The British turned Singapore into the go-to trade hub for the production, sale and distribution of opium. China witnessed first-hand the debilitating effects of opioid in the lives of its citizens after they lost the Trade War to Britain and were forced to buy opium from Britain. 

In Chapter 3, The Journey So Far explains that after two decades of British occupation, the Northern provinces were yet to produce a single native who was sufficiently educated to fill the most minor clerical post in the office of any government department. The shortage of English-speaking educated class in Northern Nigeria made it necessary for the British to move thousands of Southerners into Northern Nigeria as clerks, teachers and artisans. These slots were mostly filled up by Easterners and very few Yourubas. By 1966, according to the book, an estimated 1,300,000 Easterners already lived in the North and another 500,000 had taken jobs and residence in Western Nigeria. The contrast in this migration showed a situation where Easterners lived as a segregated people from their Northern counterparts in ghetto quarters outside the walled towns known as Sabon Gari (Strangers Quarters); whereas in the West, Easterners were completely assimilated into Yorubaland. 

In this chapter, we also journeyed into that dramatic era of the Aba Women Riot in 1969. A revolt by the women in response to the draconian demands of the European Warrant Chiefs as they attacked European-owned stores, Barclays Bank, including Native Courts run by colonial officers, razing many of them and even broke into prison and released prisoners. But the British colonial officers who intervened killed more than 50 women and wounded over 50 others. The Aba Women Riot however, prompted the colonial authorities to drop their plans to impose tax on the market women which curbed the powers of the Warrant Chiefs. 

In 2009, the Akwa Ibom State Government under Chief Godswill Akpabio commemorated the gallantry of these slain women who stood their grounds and died for a just cause by erecting an obelisk at Ikot Abasi Local Government Secretariat. Every 16th of December, women gather at the arena to honour them. In addition, the Government erected a Hall of Fame Monument in remembrance of the courageous women killed in the riot. Senator Helen Esuene donated an Art Gallery Event Centre to keep alive the memory of these warrior women as martyrs worthy of celebration. 

The Clifford Constitution of 1922 is noted for introducing the elective principle that stimulated the formation of political organisations in Nigeria. Between 1923 and 1952, at least 8 notable parties had been formed:

1. National Council of Nigeria Citizens later became National Council of Nigeria and Cameroun, NCNC (defunct)

2. Action Group, AG 

3. Northern People’s Congress (NPC)

4. Northern Element Progressive Union, NEPU

5. The Nigerian National Democratic Party (NNDP) – 1923, Herbert Macaulay’s party.

6. Lagos Youth Movement (1934)

7. The Nigerian Youth Movement. (NYM) – 1936

8. United Middle Belt Congress (UMBC)

Ever wondered how Western Nigeria got successful with free education for its indigenes? Chief Obafemi Awolowo introduced the Capitation Tax. It required all adult male to pay ten shillings and six pence that facilitated Free Education and other development programmes in Western Nigeria. Did you know that in the 1950s (1953) Nigeria had a Federal Minister of Social Services and Natural Resources? Its first minister was Alhaji Adegoke Adelabu a member of the NCNC and leader of the opposition party against AG. He was known to use terms such as “Peculiar Mess”, a phrase which was later altered by local traditional praise singers, musicians and drummers to “Penkelemessi, Adegoke Adelabu, Penkelemessi” when they began singing their hailing songs!

In the Journey so far, Nwokolo teases our memory once again as he reminds us of Chief Dennis Osadebey (GCON) who wrote a book in 1985 titled One Hundred and Ten Years of Christianity in Asaba and Neighbouring Towns. When you extrapolate that to 2019, that’s 144 years since the introduction of Christianity in Asaba. Osadebey was the leader of the Midwest Movement (Delta + Asaba) to become the first administrator in 1963. He was the first and only Premier of the Midwest Region. He was also Senate President in 1960; served as acting governor General in 1961 when he relieved Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe who went on leave in England. He established a cement factory in Okpilla, a Glass Factory at Ughelli and Textile Mill Factory in Asaba in 1964. 

Also remembered fondly is Mazi Mbonu Ojike in the 1950s who advised Nigerians to “Boycott the Boycottables”, a clear instruction to Nigerians to only patronise made in Nigeria goods.

Chapter 4 to Chapter 26 takes you on a worthwhile journey into the mind of a man who has lived to see 80 years of Nigeria. History sure offers us great insights into what worked and did not work, including the wisdom of hindsight to help us navigate the future better if we can just learn the lessons. 

Assessing The 1914 Amalgamation Of Northern And Southern Protectorates Of Nigeria – The Journey So Far By Chief John I. L. Nwokolo JP, is a reference book worth sitting in the shelves of your library; a book full of anecdotes that gets you seeing another perspective of the Nigeria story.