’Leadership is source, solution to societal challenges’

THE President of the Faculty of Engineering at Niger Delta University (NDU), Bayelsa State, David Patrick Dauduokumor, has stated that leadership is both the source and solution to societal challenges, urging students to recognise the importance of leadership and take action to create positive change in their lives and communities.

The faculty president said this during a recent event that was held at the university, themed ‘The leadership revolution: Igniting change starting from the student community in Bayelsa State’.

The programme – which was designed to inspire innovation, foster collaborations, and equip individuals with the tools they need to impact – aimed at making a difference where it matters most in the lives and studies of students, as well as in the social life of the university community.

Part of the faculty’s student leadership initiative, Dauduokumor noted, was to support five students of the faculty with grants to cover part of their tuition fees. He described the grant as a financial relief and validation that the faculty believes in the potential of the students.

He added that the gesture would create a ripple effect that shows that leadership is not about sitting in an office or making empty promises, but about creating opportunities, inspiring hard work, and rewarding excellence.

At the event, the Student Union Government (SUG) president, Tamatare Apere; president of all Bayelsa State Students Worldwide, Enrico Cavallari; and president of all Delta State Students, Efezino Oghenemaro spoke, encouraging students to imbibe the culture of true leadership in all their endeavours.

Heads of departments (HODs), academic staff, and other student union leaders in the university graced the occasion, admonishing students to be good leaders and ambassadors of the university, their respective communities, and the country.

Some of them spoke on characteristics of leadership, stressing that knowledge, character, competence, trustworthiness, respect, fairness, citizenship, patriotism, and care towards others are virtues they must espouse if they aspire to be true leaders.

Mr Alex Hezekiah, Director of PBO+ Network and PWAN MAX group; Engr. Ifiemi Tulagha, founder of Tech Girls Initiative; Dr Joyce Odu Okafor, lecturer at the Federal University Otuoke (FUO).

Others are Patrick Marcus Dauduokumor, CEO of PMD Films; Dr Ebipaduo Sapre-Obi, lecturer at NDU; Beauty Nyingi, founder of Youths-Uprise Initiative, delivered speeches and enjoined the students to be leaders today, not tomorrow.

They emphasised, in their respective speeches, that education matters in leadership and students should study beyond passing exams. They encouraged students to build meaningful connections and lead with vision, purpose, and influence. Finally, they charged students to be a powerful voice in a noisy world.

In light of the theme of the event, the university’s engineering faculty president, Dauduokumor, reiterated that leadership is not about being the boss, but about driving force behind every meaningful change, stressing, ‘Without strong leaders, visions remain unrealised and potential is left untapped.’

According to Dauduokumor, his accomplishments as the president of the Faculty of Engineering include, but are not limited to, organising the Nigerian Universities Engineering Students’ Association (NUESA) scholarships and fellowships, facilitating meetings with the academia and industry leaders, hosting events and workshops, organising the Dean’s and IT Cup tournaments, and renovating billboards and replacing of faulty electrical gadgets.

Nigeria secures $8b in energy investments

Nigeria’s ongoing economic reforms have attracted over $8 billion in new investments into the energy sector, reflecting growing international confidence in the country’s reform-driven growth agenda.

This was disclosed by the Ministry of Finance in a statement it issued yesterday on the happenings at the ongoing IMF/World Bank meetings in Washington DC.

According to the statement, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Olayemi Cardoso, who led the Nigerian delegation, stated that Nigeria’s economic fundamentals are strengthening as a result of disciplined fiscal management and structural reforms implemented under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

According to him, the government’s efforts have begun to yield measurable outcomes, including a decline in inflation, stabilization of the exchange rate, and an increase in the nation’s foreign reserves, which now exceed $43 billion.

‘We are moving in the right direction toward macroeconomic stability, fiscal discipline, and inclusive growth,’ Cardoso said.

He added that the country’s economic progress has garnered international recognition and renewed investor confidence, with the energy sector leading inflows of new capital.

The IMF/World Bank Annual Meetings, which brought together global financial leaders, provided Nigeria with an opportunity to showcase its economic resilience and reform milestones to the international community.

Minister of State for Finance, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, who was part of the Nigerian delegation, commended Cardoso’s leadership and the teamwork exhibited throughout the meetings.

‘The outcomes we have achieved this week are a direct result of our strong collaboration,’ she said.

Uzoka-Anite further stated that the delegation’s engagements in Washington have reinforced Nigeria’s commitment to delivering on its economic priorities.

‘We return home with renewed vigour and vitality, with renewed hope and determination to deliver on our national priorities,’ she said.

The Minister noted that Nigeria’s assumption of the chairmanship of the Intergovernmental Group of Twenty-Four (G-24) on International Monetary Affairs and Development marks a significant milestone in the country’s growing influence in global economic governance.

The Nigerian delegation included key government officials such as the Senate Committee Chairman on Finance, Senator Muhammad Sani; Deputy Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Finance, Hon. Saidu Musa Abdullahi; Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Finance, Mrs. Lydia Shehu Jafiya; Special Adviser to the President on Finance and Economy, Mrs. Sayande Okoli; and CBN Deputy Governor, Mohammed Abdullahi.

Others were Directors-General and heads of relevant federal agencies, who participated in high-level discussions with global policymakers and development institutions on systemic reforms to drive inclusive and sustainable growth.

With renewed international confidence and strengthened domestic policy coordination, Nigeria appears set to sustain its trajectory of stability, fiscal discipline, and shared prosperity.

Macron calls for promotion of African creative industries

French Prime Minister Emmanuel Macron has called on Europeans, Americans, Asians and Africans at home and in the diaspora to come together to harness and promote African cultural and creative industries.

He made the call at the opening of a forum titled: Forum Creation Africa Lagos. Speaking to the conference via zoom, Macron noted that Nigeria is the hub of African creative ideals.

He said that the first edition of the cultural and creative industries forum which took place in France in 2023 was a prelude to this year’s edition happening in Lagos.

The three-day international conference, according to Macron, is to build the momentum in this digital era where the youths have the freedom to develop and grow their talents.

For him, at the intersection of arts and cultural industries is the yawning space for entrepreneurs to come together and make money from the creative industries in Africa and other places.

He commended Nigeria as ‘the greatest home where music, crafts, paintings, writings, and all forms of the arts reside.’

Vipers must switch off Power Dynamos

It will be all systems go for Vipers’ Belgian gaffer Ivan Minnaert on Sunday under the glittering St Mary’s Stadium-Kitende floodlights when his side takes on Zambian giants Power Dynamos in the Caf Champions League second preliminary round first leg.

After weeks of domestic uncertainty and off-field league wrangles, Minnaert’s Venoms know there is no room for excuses – not the league fiasco, not the lack of match rhythm.

In fact, Vipers had a sparring session with league side Maroons that they won 1-0 at Kitende to fine tune for today’s clash.

What matters now is delivering a venomous bite that can propel them toward the lucrative group stages.

The Ugandan champions are expected to come out of the blocks with hunger and precision, aiming to draw first blood in front of their home faithful.

Dynamos who?

Having eliminated African Stars of Namibia 2-0 on aggregate in the previous round, Vipers are expected to shift into a higher gear against a Power Dynamos side that is both unpredictable and battle-tested.

The Zambian outfit, famously known as Aba Yellow, earned their ticket to this stage the hard way – edging Asec Mimosas of Ivory Coast on penalties after a 1-1 aggregate stalemate.

Their resilience, especially in hostile Abidjan where they played much of the second half with a man advantage, underscored a team that thrives under pressure and plays with tactical discipline.

Power Dynamos are no strangers to continental football. The 1991 African Cup Winners’ Cup champions have a proud tradition of entertaining, high-tempo football and are known for their precision passing and positional play.

Under the guidance of coach Lombe Chipupu, they have rediscovered their spark, topping the Zambian MTN/FAZ Super Division last season.

That form, coupled with their continental pedigree, makes them a formidable test for Minnaert’s Vipers. Yet, for the Ugandan side, tonight is about rising to the occasion.

Okello must rise

Their creative fulcrum, Allan Okello, fresh from national team duty in Botswana and Algeria, must quickly shake off the fatigue and rediscover the attacking rhythm that saw him score 20 goals as Vipers clinched the domestic double.

Twice hapless against African Stars, Okello will now be called upon to dictate play and unlock Dynamos’ backline with his trademark precision and vision.

Minnaert is unlikely to tinker much with his winning formula.

Goalkeeper Denis Kiggundu, who has kept two successive clean sheets, is expected to retain his place ahead of Alfred Mudekereza.

The backline of Ashraf Mandela, Kevin Brady, Hillary Mukundane, and Enock Luyima will stay intact, tasked with nullifying the dynamic Dynamos forwards.

In midfield, the trio of Taddeo Lwanga, Enock Ssebagala, and Karim Watambala will provide both cover and attacking transitions.

Upfront, the lethal trio of Yunus Sentamu, Okello, and Kane Hney will shoulder the goal burden.

‘We know Power Dynamos are a very organized and unpredictable side,’ Minnaert admitted recently.

‘They play fast, technical football and can hurt you if you give them space. But playing at home gives us the edge – our fans at Kitende make the atmosphere electric, and we want to reward them with a strong performance.’

For Vipers, the stakes are crystal clear – deliver a clinical, lethal display at home and make the return leg in Ndola a formality.

Under the lights of Kitende, Minnaert’s Venoms must sting with purpose, precision, and pride.

Caf Champions League

Second Preliminary Round

Sunday, first leg

Vipers vs. Power Dynamos, 7pm

October 24-26, second leg

Power Dynamos vs. Vipers

It’s never too late: KPop culture’s unlikely fans

Mary never imagined that at nearly 80, she’d end up gushing about a Korean boy band. During lockdown, binge-watching Korean dramas became her lifeline.

‘They got me through it,’ she says with a warm smile. Then came BTS. ‘Finding something new to love at my age feels like a gift,’ she laughs.

Then I read about Elisa, 58, a newly retired woman who devours K-dramas. ‘I thought I was too old for this,’ she says, ‘but these stories have so much heart. They’re about family and growth. and there’s hardly any sex or violence.’

Elisa is far from alone. From Manila to Manhattan, women in their 50s and beyond are falling into the Korean Wave with the enthusiasm of teenagers, as recently covered by Prof. David A. Tizzard in his opinion piece for The Korea Times, titled ‘Why mid-life women are falling in love with Korea.’

A Comforting Hug of a Story

K-dramas often feel like a warm hug. Watching these characters face hardship and still find kindness can be uplifting if you’ve been through hard times yourself. When I asked Elisa what she loved most, she said it’s the way problems get solved by community and kindness: family and neighbors come together, elders are respected, and love wins out. It’s a comforting message, a reminder of the values we grew up with.

And, oh, the beauty. K-dramas can be breathtaking with rolling hills and stylish cityscapes on one screen, but it’s not just pretty pictures. There’s beauty in everyday decency, too. These shows find humor in simple moments and treat romance with a gentle, old-fashioned charm. (Yes, fans freely admit they love the attractive actors and those catchy KPop tunes, with a bit of eye candy and a sweet melody that brighten anyone’s day.)

From Screen to Community

For many grandmas and aunts, finding KPop or K-drama means finding a new circle of friends. During quarantine, Ana’s daughter-in-law introduced her to Crash Landing on You.

‘It became our thing,’ she said, testifying to the saying that a family that watches together stays together, even across generations.

Outside the home, tita fan clubs meet for easy bibigo tteokbokki, Korean fried chicken and drama marathons, squealing over K-drama heartthrobs. Online, older fans join friendly forums and apps made for all ages. ‘Walang pakialaman ‘yan kung matanda na. Fans lang naman tayo dito, ‘di ba?’

For many of these fans, the next step is to bring their enthusiasm into real-world fan projects. FanFlare, a Philippine-born fan platform, has quietly become a favorite place to do that. It helps groups of all ages organize charity drives, put up birthday billboards, and support artists in transparent, well-managed campaigns.

The K-Wave Knows No Age

I read about a 76-year-old American K-drama fan who started a YouTube channel. When his favorite singer IU toured the U.S., she invited him backstage. The photo of that grinning grandfather with the pop star went viral. It’s proof that in this fandom, age really is just a number.

Even in Korea, a new ‘grey pop’ generation is emerging: stylish grandparents dancing to K-pop on social media, or older women modeling fashion trends. They might have silver hair, but as one dancing grandfather says, ‘I feel 25 inside.’ It’s a powerful reminder: pop culture has no expiration date.

Never Too Late to Catch the Wave

So, what does this all mean? Seeing grandmothers fangirling is both quietly powerful as it is contagious. Who doesn’t yearn for stories that move us and music that lifts us? Truly, it’s never too late to find joy.

‘Finding something new to love at my age feels like a gift,’ Mary said. Like a wave carrying anyone willing to surf it, the Korean pop boom shows that joy and belonging can come at any age.

Miniature Heroes: What collecting big-headed football figures revealed to me about fan culture

If you ever visit my office, you’ll be greeted by a crowd of tiny footballers frozen in mid-stride.

These are Corinthian football figures-the big-headed, plastic, caricature miniatures that once filled the shelves of 1990s stores and the pursuits of football-mad kids like me.

For me, what began as a childhood hobby has evolved into something more meaningful. In my academic life, it is now a lens through which I explore how communities co-create value, preserve culture and sustain brand legacies long after the original companies disappear.

Corinthian Marketing Ltd, the firm behind these figures, ceased operations several years ago. Yet the brand lives on. Not through corporate revival, but through the passion of collectors.

Fan-led online communities, social media content, websites and even a convention to celebrate the figures’ 30th anniversary have helped restore prominence. Many collectors buy, sell and trade figures with one another. Some go to great lengths to catalogue and showcase their collections.

A handful of more artistically minded fans even repaint them into different retro kits or sculpt and 3D-print new ones. This grassroots revival is more than nostalgia-it’s a form of co-creation.

In my doctoral study and subsequent work I have explored the concept of creating shared value (CSV). It’s an outlook originally advanced by Michael Porter, often considered the father of modern business strategy, and Mark Kramer, a social impact strategist focused on social change. CSV encourages organizations to generate both economic and social value through collaborative engagement. It has gained traction in a variety of contexts, where value is increasingly understood as emerging from networks of people rather than isolated firms.

The Corinthian collector community exemplifies this. This community has re-energized and evolved a brand without any formal commercial backing, demonstrating how value can be cultivated and shared through community-led action.

Collecting as co-creation

This co-creation is deeply emotional. The figures tap into powerful memories-from family holidays spent hunting for rare finds in unfamiliar shops to negotiating swap deals with school friends between (and sometimes during) lessons. They also evoke the thrill of watching childhood footballing heroes in action.

Their exaggerated features and iconic kits aren’t just design quirks-they’re symbolic anchors for identity. Recent research shows that emotional branding and brand love are key drivers of consumer loyalty, especially when products evoke personal and cultural meaning.

In my own research, I have examined how emotional engagement fosters brand attachment, particularly in sport where fans form lasting bonds with teams, players and merchandise.

I still remember the thrill of stumbling upon my first ever figure on a trip to the local corner shop-right-back Warren Barton in England’s iconic Euro 96 kit. While Barton only ever made three appearances for England and didn’t even make the final Euro 96 squad-and the model itself isn’t worth anything monetarily – it represents the beginnings of my passion for collecting, and remains the most treasured piece in my collection.

Collecting is in itself a form of shared value creation. It generates cultural and emotional value, not just economic. The act of curating a collection, trading with others and preserving football history contributes to a broader ecosystem of fandom and identity. In CSV terms, this reflects the idea of ‘value in context’ – where meaning is derived through interaction, not passive consumption.

If you’re part of a collector community like the Corinthian Collector’s Club, you’re not just helping to shape how a brand is remembered and talked about, you’re actively reviving and reinvigorating it. This kind of involvement is what research calls ‘actor engagement’: the process of investing time, emotion, and creativity into shared platforms that keep a brand’s legacy alive.

What’s striking is how this mirrors the dynamics I have studied in sport sponsorship. In my research, I have explored how sponsors and event hosts co-create value with other stakeholder groups such as fans-not just through advertising, but by enabling meaningful interactions, such as educational initiatives or reducing plastic waste.

Similarly, Corinthian collectors have taken on the role of sustaining and evolving brand meaning, not through corporate strategy, but through dedicating their energy, sharing information, and taking collective action. In both cases, value is co-created through relationships-whether that be between brands and fans, products and memories, or communities and culture.

The Corinthian story shows that even in the absence of the very company that founded the product themselves, shared value can flourish when people care enough to keep it alive.

In a world increasingly dominated by digital platforms and ephemeral content, these little plastic figures can remind us that tangible artefacts still matter. They offer lessons in emotional branding, community cultivation and the enduring power of nostalgia. And they show that real, resonant value can be created not only by commercial organisations, but by the people who love what those companies once offered.

Cyprian Ekwensi: Echoes of the city, whispers of the soul

Lately, I have returned to the African authors of my youth. As a secondary school boy, I read them for marks, for the exam, for the pass. Their stories left an imprint, yet I have always felt I was not faithful to them-that I had missed the point. As an adult, I have read literature for every reason: for fun, for lessons, for escape. But a question began to haunt me: what if the authors who wrote from this very soil, from this air, do I have something urgent to say about the life I am living now? My return has not been a mistake. It has been a rediscovery-a reckoning.

I share these gleanings not as a scholar, but as a seeker. Not to analyse, but to absorb. Not to teach, but to testify.

Ekwensi’s work is not just literature-it is lived experience, etched in prose. He wrote Nigeria not as a polished dream but as a pulsing, bleeding reality. His characters are not saints; they are survivors. In their restless contradictions, I have found my own.

These 15 quotes are more than literary gems; they are emotional excavations. They speak to the Nigeria I know: the hustle, the heartbreak, the hunger for meaning in the noise. They talk to a world that is fractured, fast-paced, and full of people pretending not to bleed. I write these reflections not to admire Ekwensi from a distance, but to wrestle with him. To let his words interrogate my life. To learn to live more intentionally – not perfectly, but truthfully.

1. ‘IN THE CITY, A MAN COULD B E ANYTHING HE CHOSE TO BE, IF ONLY HE HAD THE COURAGE.’ (People Of The City)

This quote is the scent of possibility that hits you the moment you step into Lagos. I arrived with a suitcase of dreams and a heart full of fear. The city was indifferent to my past; it only asked who I dared to become. Ekwensi’s city is both a mirror and a maze, offering transformation but never guaranteeing safety. I have reinvented myself countless times, not out of vanity but out of necessity. This quote is a reminder that becoming demands a bravery far greater than merely surviving.

2. ‘MONEY WAS THE LANGUAGE THEY ALL UNDERSTOOD, THE ONLY MASTER TO WHOM ALL BOWED.’ (People Of The City)

This line holds a painful truth. I have watched integrity dissolve in the face of desperation. I have seen good people bend, break, and barter their souls. And I, too, have bowed. I have compromised and rationalised. In Nigeria, money is not just currency; it is identity, access, and power. Ekwensi does not judge; he observes with a clear, unflinching eye. And in that reflection, I see my own compromises. This quote challenges me to choose values that outlast any currency, especially when the bills are due.

3. ‘HE FELT ALONE IN THE CROWD-A STRANGER AMONG STRANGERS.’ (People of the City)

I have stood in rooms buzzing with conversation and felt utterly invisible. I have laughed at jokes I did not find funny, all for the fleeting warmth of belonging. Ekwensi captures the profound alienation of urban life with painful precision. In our hyperconnected world, loneliness has become a deafening silence. This quote reminds me that genuine connection is not about proximity, but about presence. It is an intentional act of seeking real kinship in a world that encourages us to hide.

4. ‘EVERY MAN CARRIED HIS OWN SORROWS, AND IN THE CITY, NO ONE PAUSED TO SHARE THEM.’ (People of the City)

This line makes my soul ache. I have walked past people whose eyes held stories too heavy to tell. I have buried my own grief beneath a mountain of deadlines and distractions. Ekwensi’s city does not stop for sorrow; it swallows it whole. This quote is a call to resistance. To live intentionally is to slow down, to ask, to listen. Sometimes, the most radical act is to care.

5. ‘WOMEN IN THE CITY WERE LIKE THE RIVERS-BEAUTIFUL, DANGEROUS, AND ALWAYS MOVING.’ (People of the City)

I think of the women I know-resilient, radiant, and relentlessly in motion. They navigate patriarchy and pressure with impossible grace and grit. Ekwensi does not romanticise them; he reveres their power. This quote reminds me that femininity is not fragility; it is a force of nature. It shifts, it shapes, it survives. To live intentionally is to honour that untameable complexity. 6. ‘TO SURVIVE IN THE CITY, YOU MUST LEARN TO WEAR A MASK.’ (People of the City)

I have worn masks to interviews, to celebrations, even to places of worship-smiling when I wanted to scream, performing competence while crumbling inside. Ekwensi does not condemn the mask; he acknowledges its grim necessity. This quote reminds me that intentional living means knowing when the mask protects you, and recognising the moment it begins to suffocate you. It is about finding spaces where you can be bare-faced and still be safe.

7. ‘MUSIC WAS HIS REFUGE, THE ONE PLACE WHERE HE COULD BE HIMSELF.’ (People of the City)

I have found sanctuary in music-in lyrics that understood me better than friends, in rhythms that held me when words failed. Ekwensi knew that art is not a luxury; it is a lifeline. This quote is a reminder to cherish our refuges and return to them often. In a world that demands constant performance, we need sacred spaces that allow for pure presence.

8. ‘THE CITY’S LIGHTS NEVER WENT OUT, NOT EVEN FOR THE WEARY HEARTS THAT WALKED ITS STREETS.’ (People of the City)

I have felt exhaustion so deep it felt like a second skin, yet the world expected me to shine. Ekwensi’s city is a relentless pulse that does not pause for human frailty. This quote is a permission slip to honour our fatigue. Intentional living means carving out pauses in a world that never stops and admitting that even the strongest hearts need moments of darkness to rest.

9. ‘THE SILENCE BETWEEN THEM WAS NOT EMPTY-IT WAS FULL OF THINGS THEY COULD NOT SAY.’ (An African Night’s Entertainment)

Some of the most profound conversations of my life have been held in silence. The weight of unspoken truths, regrets, and loves is too vast for vocabulary. Ekwensi masterfully portrays the density of what remains unsaid. This quote reminds me that communication is more than words; it is the courage to sit in the quiet and acknowledge the universe of feeling that exists there. 10. ‘NOTHIN’ IS IMPOSSIBLE, FREDDIE! YOU MUS’ HAVE HOPE.’ (Jagua Nana)

I have clung to hope by my fingernails when everything else was falling apart. Ekwensi’s characters do not have perfect lives; they have a persistent, dogged hope. This quote is a battle cry. Intentional living is the active, gritty choice to believe in possibility, even when the evidence mocks you. It is dreaming with your eyes wide open.

11. ‘I TOO YOUNG TO SELL MY LIFE LIKE DAT.’ (Jagua Nana)

I have felt the seductive pull of trading my essence for acceptance, stability, or a moment of peace. Yet, Ekwensi’s character draws a line in the sand, choosing dignity over desperation. This quote is a powerful declaration of self-worth. Intentional living means protecting the core of who you are, even when survival tempts you to surrender it.

12. ‘IF A PERSON HAVE SOMEBODY HE LOVE, I MEAN – REALLY LOVE – EVERYTHIN’ MUS’ COME RIGHT IN DE WORL’.’ (Jagua Nana)

I have experienced the healing power of love that observes your chaos and remains steady. The kind that doesn’t fix everything but makes the brokenness tolerable. Ekwensi does not idealise love; he recognises its grounding significance. This quote reminds me that intentional living involves loving wholeheartedly-not just romantically, but with presence, patience, and honesty. True love doesn’t eliminate chaos; it gives you the courage to face it, hand in hand.

13. ‘YOU KNOW, JAGUA, I DON’T THINK I’M THE SAME MAN I WAS WHEN I CAME TO THIS CITY.’ (Jagua Nana)

This confession is a mirror. Cities change us. Lagos sandblasted me smooth and rough in equal measure. I have lost parts of myself in the noise, but I have also discovered strengths I never knew I possessed. This quote reminds me that intentional living is about being an active participant in your own transformation-choosing who you are becoming rather than merely enduring the change.

14. ‘THE CITY WAS A PLACE OF MIRACLES, BUT ALSO OF MANY DECEPTIONS.’ (People of the City)

I have chased dreams that turned to mirages and trusted people whose kindness was a carefully laid trap. Ekwensi’s city is both a golden opportunity and a gilded cage. This quote is a lesson in discernment. To live intentionally is to walk with your eyes open-to celebrate the miracles, but to question the glitter. It is known that not every open door leads to freedom.

15. ‘THE CITY HAD TAUGHT HIM THAT LIFE WAS A GAME, AND ONLY THOSE WHO KNEW THE RULES SURVIVED.’ (People of the City)

This is a sobering education. I have learned the social rules-the codes of speech, dress, and demeanour that grant access. But I have also questioned them. Who made these rules? Who do they truly serve? Ekwensi’s city is not fair; it is strategic. This quote challenges me to know the game well enough to navigate it, but to refuse to let my soul be the price of admission. It is about playing wisely while living truthfully.

Cyprian Ekwensi is a foundational pillar of African literature, often celebrated as a pioneering chronicler of the modern African city.

The Ekwensi Autograph

A selection of his seminal works:

People of the City (1954)

The Drummer Boy (1960)

Jagua Nana (1961)

Burning Grass (1961)

Beautiful Feathers (1963)

Rainmaker (1965)

Lokotown and Other Stories (1966)

Divided We Stand (1980)

Jagua Nana’s Daughter (1986)

Key Themes in His Work

Several powerful, interconnected themes define Ekwensi’s writing:

1. The Urban Experience: He was the first primary Nigerian writer to make the city the true protagonist of his stories. His novels explore Lagos as a place of both opportunity and moral decay, where old tribal ties break down and new identities are forged.

2. Moral Ambiguity: His characters are rarely heroes or villains. They are survivors-corrupt politicians, cunning market women, ambitious hustlers, and disillusioned idealists. He portrayed the grey areas of human nature with unflinching honesty.

3. The Role of Women: Ekwensi created some of the most memorable and complex female characters in African literature. Jagua Nana-a vibrant, ageing, and cunning ‘high-life’ woman-is arguably his most famous creation. His women are often powerful, independent, and use their wit and sexuality to navigate a patriarchal world.

4. Social Change and Conflict: His work documents the tension between traditional rural values and the fast-paced, often impersonal, urban lifestyle. He also explored themes of political corruption, generational conflict, and the quest for wealth in a rapidly changing society.

Rereading Ekwensi has been like returning to a city I once fled-familiar, overwhelming, and utterly necessary. His words are a testament to the fact that literature is not an escape from life, but a deeper engagement with it. It is not merely about what we read, but how we allow it to reshape our lives.

Executive Bookshelf: The Nigerian prizes

Dr Okwudiri Anasiudu Awarded Final $10,000 NLNG Prize for Literary Criticism

LAGOS: In a ceremony on October 10th, academic and literary scholar Dr Okwudiri Anasiudu was awarded the $10,000 Nigeria Prize for Literary Criticism. This award marks a significant milestone, as Dr Anasiudu is set to be the final recipient of this national honour for contributions to literary critique.

A lecturer and researcher at the University of Port Harcourt, Dr Anasiudu was recognised for a body of work that demonstrates innovative theoretical approaches to African and diasporic literature. His winning entries were:

‘Afropolitan Identity and Afrodiasporic Otherness in Selected African Novels’

‘Allegorical Conjectures in Helon Habila’s Measuring Time’

‘Mimetic Designs in Helon Habila’s Oil on Water’

His research focuses on the intersection of language, culture, and ideology, often drawing on African and Diasporic Literature, Conceptual Metaphor Theory, and Cultural Linguistics. Dr Anasiudu has published extensively, with notable analyses of authors such as:

Bessie Head, examining the linguistic construction of ‘Otherness’ in Maru.

Nnimmo Bassey, exploring the aesthetic imagination in poetry about the Niger Delta.

Chimamanda N. Adichie investigates themes of trauma, identity, and diaspora in Half of a Yellow Sun and Americanah. The panel also commended the other finalists for their exceptional submissions:

Ekikereobong Aniekean Usoro, for essays on Igbo cosmology in Chigozie Obioma’s work, male privilege in Cheluchi Onyemelukwe-Onuobia’s novel, and the politics of gender representation.

Uchechukwu Peter Umezurike, for exploring masculinity in Adichie’s *Purple Hibiscus*, agency in Tayeb Salih’s writing, and receptive masculinity in Achebe’s *Things Fall Apart*.

Onyeka Ike, for analyses of war in Flora Nwapa and Adichie’s works, corruption in public office, and character archetypes linking Achebe’s Okonkwo to Adichie’s Eugene Achike.

In its final commendation, the panel praised all the entries, noting that the ‘published articles in both institutional and professional journals offered valuable insights into a wide range of novels. They explored diverse areas of human concern and deftly interrogated the selected works, offering interpretations and novel, concise findings.’ Dr Anasiudu standing with the Literature prize winner Oyin Olugbile.

CEO who unwinds by swimming underwater, wild terrain driving

James Odongo, the CEO of the Kenya Extended Producer Responsibility Organisation (Kepro), likes to think of himself as a handyman.

He carries out his own electrical repairs. He rides a motorbike. Well, he used to. He also thrives off-road, packing his 4×4 wheeler to a wilderness somewhere, adrenaline throbbing through his veins.

PM green lights new committee to drive electric train fare reform

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has signed an order establishing a committee to drive policy on electric train fare reform, aimed at easing the cost of living. Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn has been appointed chair.

The directive, signed by the Prime Minister’s Office on Wednesday, tasks the committee with devising strategies for fare structures. Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas will serve as vice-chair.

Members include the permanent secretaries of the transport, finance, and interior ministries; the secretaries-general of the Council of State and the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC); the Budget Bureau director; the attorney-general; and the heads of key state transport agencies including the State Railway of Thailand (SRT), the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA), and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA). The Department of Rail Transport will serve as secretariat.

The committee’s formation follows the government’s policy declaration to parliament on Sept 29, which prioritised reducing daily expenses such as public transport and toll fees to boost household purchasing power. The cabinet subsequently resolved on 30 September to have the Transport Ministry establish a working body.

The panel will study the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of the 20-baht flat fare policy across all electric train lines. It will also develop long-term frameworks to ensure sustainability and minimise fiscal burdens.

Responsibilities include drafting policy frameworks and fare structures, considering the integrated management of electric train systems under a single ownership model to improve coordination, and reviewing concession and joint-investment contracts.

The first meeting is due on Oct 29, when members will discuss strategies for policy rollout and long-term system management under the single ownership framework.

Mr Phiphat stated the panel aims to finalise a clear direction for new fare structures early next year.

“We aim to conclude the study by the end of January so the public can benefit as soon as possible,” Mr Phiphat said, adding that similar principles will be applied to bus fare reform.

The current 20-baht flat fare scheme for the Red and Purple Line trains is due to expire on Nov 30. Mr Phiphat confirmed the policy will be extended, and revised to improve efficiency.