Surprising Road to an Awesome Future

By Bayo Ogunmupe Before you commence with Christmas festivities, and crafting of your New Year resolutions I want to draw your attention to the notion of whether you could be someone else? For now you’ve been a totally different personality from the one that would clinch the success you want. Perhaps you could become a better version of You. From experience, I know we all sometimes, like to change something about ourselves. In the past I used to be a reticent, quiet listener, never ever offering my opinion in conversation. But now, I am too talkative, sometimes interrupting others in conversations. It is as if I would like to return to the introversion of my past. The phrase, character defects, exists for a reason. Thus, to be less stressed and better organized might be nice. But the benefits go a lot deeper than that. You might be at a dead end of your career at present. And you want to be more successful in your career. And you want to be happier; for personality has a lot to do with these traits. From the research thesis: Be Who You Want: Unlocking the Science of Personality, we found a study of 26,000 people in the USA, where, independent of their family’s social status, an individual’s personality traits at high school were related to their longevity. Personality traits also correlate with future career success more than factors related to family and parental background and nearly as much as intelligence. In terms of happiness, a recent estimate placed the monetary value of a small reduction in trait of a propensity for negative moods, stress and worry (neuroticism) as equivalent to an extra $314,000 income per year. For a very long time in the past, psychology said you couldn’t change your personality to any appreciable extent. But new research is showing we have more power over our disposition than was previously thought. With effort and resolution, you can change aspects of who you are, especially your levels of extroversion and neuroticism. I am not saying you can completely overhaul who you are, or that it could be done easily. But certainly an effort will make a difference. As that research shows, even a small tweak can help. Therefore after that your career standstill, it might be an appropriate time for a personality spring cleaning. And you will get some solid insight from Christian Jarrett’s book: Be Who You Want: Unlocking the Science of Personality. Thus, if you ever felt boxed in by people’s labels of you or felt aspects of your personality were holding you back from a richer life, help is available; get to it. But first of all accept that you are a personality which could be made a subject of scientific study. You may have heard of the Myers- Briggs personality test. Go for it, it is available in the United States. Buffeted by prejudice like saying astrology is unscientific; certainly it is like saying an atomic bomb may cause some property damage. Whenever you want change listen to experts and professionals, not the herd. When psychologists measure personality, they use the Big 5 traits. Each one exists as a spectrum. It is natural for you to score high, low or be in the middle. One, Extroversion is how sociable and energetic you are. Extroverts are more upbeat, optimistic and happier. Two, Openness to experience, it means you dig new ideas, culture and travel. Three, people high in Consciousness; timely, well organized and who send me emails correcting my grammar or tense on this column. People low in consciousness don’t finish important things because they are often derelict and easily distracted. Four, Agreeable people are warm, friendly, patient and trusting. Five, Neuroticism is about frequency of negative emotions like sadness and anxiety. You know where you fall in each category but let’s not guess. Just go and take a quick test. But how do you change your traits? Well, don’t worry, there is one incredibly easy way: do nothing. With age, extroversion, openness and neuroticism drop while consciousness and agreeableness usually increase. But if you’re looking for something faster, you are going to focus on behavioral change. By deliberately and consistently acting in a certain way you can inch yourself in the direction you want to be; much like how re

Time To Remove Insincerity From Resource Control

By Bayo Ogunmupe Now is the time to remove our politicians’ penchant for insincerity from the resource control controversy. Because this is the time to begin again; time to review The 1999 Constitution in order that Nigeria may survive. Unknown to many, possibly owing to ignorance, carelessness or perversity, The 1999 Constitution is a unitary document rather than a federal constitution. In fact the people didn’t realize the enormity of atrocity committed against federalism until the advent of the Buhari nepotism. With the ongoing environmental degradation in the oil producing Niger Delta region, anyone with any sense of justice, will sympathize with the challenges facing oil producing areas. It is in anger for the neglect of the Niger Delta that Chief Edwin Clark proclaimed that the monthly allocation to each of the 36 states of the federation comes from oil revenue from the Niger Delta. However, that Nigeria solely depends on minerals produced from the Niger Delta is well known. That no change has been effected on the Constitution over resource control since 1999 is an indictment on Niger Delta elite. They have been corruptly enriched by the opponents of resource control. Yet for another time, it is proper to put the insincerity of resource control supporters in proper perspective. Under the 1999 Constitution, the ownership of natural resources, oil, solid minerals like gold, and gas. Which is why in section (162(2) the 1999 provides a revenue sharing formula for states with natural resources being exploited within their territory. The 1999 Constitution grants them a percentage of the revenue accruing to the federation account from their territory. Although, the revenue allocation principles of the Constitution include population, equality of states, landmass, land terrain and population density. The Constitution is hardly adhered to, resource control contenders are often bought off with juicy contracts, ministerial positions or the amnesty programme. Even then with other regions such as South West, South East and North Central where rivers are rampart, offshore resources are placed under the Federal Government without qualms. It is noteworthy that this matter was laid to rest in 2002 with the landmark Supreme Court case between the Federal Attorney General and the Attorney General of Abia State and 35 Others. The court reaffirmed federal control over the resources of the states offshore and the adjacent continental shelf on Nigeria’s coast. That the Supreme Court reaffirmed the anti federalism of the 1999 Constitution never prompted the federalists to amend the Constitution. As long as graft in dollars are rolling into bank accounts of our governors and legislators, federalism can go blazes. That federalism has not been reinstated as Nigeria’s accepted form of government is proof of insincerity by our politicians. And when you practice insincerity as a habit; it gradually becomes ingrained in you. You no longer recognize you are being insincere to yourself as you are doing to others. Which is why our political office holders are not ashamed of not delivering their promises to the people. It is my long held view that Nigerians have been made lazy by oil money; that they only read to pass exams. Which is why studying creative problem solving, doing personal research have not empowered them to increase the tally of one Nobel prizewinner to 200 million people as against the nation state of Israel with 14 Nobel laureates to 8.06 million people. That is why they never recognized the flaws in the 1999 Constitution until herdsmen attempted exterminating the people of Oyo State and massacred thousands in Benue and Plateau states. According to current protocols, oil producing states get 13 percent of Nigeria’s oil revenue account. But from where did Chief Clark get his idea that derivation should be increased to 25 percent. From what obtains in the most prosperous federations we know: United States and Germany; the states own their oil, offshore or not; their mineral resources and their ports. The federal authorities only tax them. It is the intellectual weakness and lack of courage that have robbed federalists and resource control advocates from achieving their goal of true federalism through constitutional review. Though Nigeria has depended on oil to date; she has been borrowing to finance her budget from other countries and internally. Of the 2022 budget, 38 percent will be funded through external loans. Revenue from oil will pay 35 percent of the budget. The governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria has indicated publicly how it prints money to lend to the Federal Government. The international Monetary Fund has provided loans to Nigeria to breeze through the COVID19 pandemic. Since it will take a quarter century before an indigene of Niger Delta takeover the helms as chief executive of the federation, if is better to predicate cleaning of oil spill on amending the Constitution for true federation rather than looking for someone as president who would stop gas flaring in order to stop killing crops, stop polluting water and damaging human health. But Nigeria can effect the needed change if we desire it. The necessary Constitutional change to true federalism can be achieved within a week. According to his pamphlet “To save Nigeria: Let’s Talk,” the late legal luminary and doyen of Nigerian journalism, Prince Tony Momoh said the forum is the Council of State. This is provided for by section 153 (1) (b) of The 1999 Constitution. The Council has power to discuss any matter referred to it by the President. The President should table before the Council of State the problem behind the present structure which the military imposed. “He should tell the Council the high cost of running the government and show that we cannot grow or develop at the rate we are going. A restructuring that would slim down the system of government and lead to more accountability should be presented for discussion.” When the Council agrees that we should make sacrifices, for growth and national greatness and prosperity, the Federal Attorney General and his colleagues in the states will prepare necessary documents that will reflect changes needed. Then, the documents will be sent to the law makers at the National Assembly and state assemblies through the appropriate channels of the members of the Council of State – the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives for passing into law by the National Assembly without debate. The governors of the states will pass it to the state assemblies for endorsement. Section 9 of the Constitution settles the procedure for doing this. This is the way forward for the President in 2023 and the only way to save Nigeria.

What Most Productive People Do Everyday

By Bayo Ogunmupe It is January 2022. I have the ambition to achieve five goals this New Year. But it’s like we’re always getting closer to accomplishing everything but never ever managing to arrive at the doorstep of the goals. You want to kill two birds with one stone. But you’ll be lucky to kill one bird with three stones. It is like your brain can’t manage it all. However, if you lock yourself up in one room all day with nothing but the goal of your dreams. In eight hours you could get your stuff done but that turns life to a stultifying shade of monochrome real fast. In any case, there are good news, there are solutions. We just have to look at the problem differently. Instead of reducing your life to nothing but the task at hand, you only need to expand your mind. Look at it this way, how will you feel losing your phone or laptop? Certainly you will feel it as a panic attack, feeling you’d lost part of your brain. In modern life, those things are pretty much are expansions of your mind. They amplify your abilities. Since the invention of phones, the iPad and laptops, people have had a lot done marshaling these gadgets to improve their focus, attention and creativity. The good part of applying phones and computers to enhance your productivity is realizing your brain isn’t a computer. Your brain has moods and feelings which machines don’t have. But when you work with those gadgets you accomplish so much more. As a literary critic and lover of books, I found a book that can really help us. Annie Murphy Paul’s research packed new tome, The Extended Mind: The Power of Thinking Outside the Brain is the exact book you need. Sitting still is now an aberration. The Israeli winner of the 2002 Nobel Prize in economics, Daniel Kahneman does his best thinking while walking. In fact he’s so aware of this that he even knows his best walking speed for coming up with great ideas: 17 minutes per mile. He’s not the first genius to realize the power of walking. The German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche said, “Only thoughts which come from walking have any value” and the American essayist Ralph Waldo Emerson concluded that walking is gymnastics for the mind.” And science agrees. A study by the US university, Stanford showed that students came up with more creative ideas when walking around campus as against sitting in a classroom. The researchers wrote: “Walking opens up the free flow of ideas and it is a simple and robust solution to the goals of increasing your powers of creative problem solving and increasing physical activity.” Isn’t that right? But it goes beyond that. Movement sharpens our minds. If you’re ever facing a cancer diagnosis, hide your radiologist’s chair. According to The Extended Mind:… radiologists who remain seated spotted an average of 85 percent of the irregularities present in the images, while those who worked identified, on average, fully 99 percent of them. But why the heck walking is such a powerful creativity enhancer? Scientists believe it goes back to our hunter- gatherer origins. We’re wired to be scanning the environment while engaged in physical challenges. When we’re moving around, our mental faculties are dialed up. So how can we leverage this brain booster? It’s well known that being fit makes us smarter in general but new research shows quick bouts of exercise make us smarter in the short term as well. Try working out before you need to do your best thinking. Or go for a brisk walk during your breaks. After a moderately intense exercise, your mind gets a 2 hour power boost. Moderately intense exercise, practiced for a moderate length of time, improves your ability to think both during and immediately after the activity. The positive changes documented by scientists include an increase in the capacity to focus attention and resist distraction; greater verbal frequency and cognitive flexibility; enhanced problem solving and decision-making abilities; and increased working memory as well as more durable long- term memory for what is learned. The beneficial mental effects of moderately intense activity have been shown to last as long as two hours after exercise ends.

2022 Expectations from Nigerian Power Sector

By Bayo Ogunmupe With a fortnight gone from this year 2022, it’s time to ruminate on Nigeria’s expectations from Nigeria’s power sector. At the time of writing, insecurity in Nigeria is still very high. Life expectancy remains as low as 55 years and economic growth stands at 1.5 percent. Moreover, Corruption Perception Index is 143, poverty rate is 43 percent but inflation is galloping by the day though on record it’s 15.4 percent. As at the fourth quarter of 2021, unemployment rate inched up to 14.2 percent according to the National Bureau of Statistics. Among reasons for the surge in insecurity are staggering poverty with Nigeria taking over from India as headquarters of world poverty. Carrying along with the foregoing is out of school children which are now more than 10.5 million people. You may as well ask what has electricity has to do with all of these? The answer is that uninterrupted power supply is the panacea to poverty, economic development and optimum employment. When the representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Nigeria Mohammed Yahya opined that military could not end insurgency he meant poor power supply is a factor of unemployment which is breeding insurgency. Which is why we must tell government what they must do to achieve uninterrupted power supply in Nigeria. On the electric power sector, it is noteworthy that the tenure of the commissioners of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) ends this February. Thus, it’s the best time to revitalize the commission by injecting new blood into the Nigerian power sector. Poor power supply has led to various companies to flee Nigeria for it has led to high cost of doing business in Nigeria. Therefore, new leaders for NERC board will invigorate efforts to improve the current epileptic power supply in Nigeria today. Thus, we expect electric power distribution improve distribution in areas where people pay for electricity supply as against some areas where consumers don’t pay. Distribution companies (DisCos) must adopt new strategies, particularly franchising models such as metering, billing and collection. The NERC guidelines allow DisCos to enter into third party agreements with another DisCo, making it easier to manage some specific functions through franchising. This mitigates some the problems many DisCos face concerning metering, power distribution and bill collection. Happily, the movement toward integrated grid with efficiency working in tandem with consumption for mutual benefit is making progress. Other improvements include the deployment of small scale units of power or mini grids which can operate locally and connect with larger power grids at the distribution level. Nowadays support for mini grid development has increased. According to our electricity laws, mini grids are stand alone power generation systems. They have capacity to provide electricity to multiple consumers through a distribution network. They are different from independent power plants connected to the central grid at the distribution level. By the same token, mini grids are more available, reliable and customer friendly compared to other alternatives. Indeed, the mini grid regulation of 2016, is designed to promote investments in rural electrification. It will also provide a framework for engagement between mini grid developers, rural community stakeholders and existing distribution companies, private tariff arrangements and compensation for developers in the event of operational expansion by the distribution company licensed to cover the relevant community. The available mix is an evolving landscape for solar, wind, battery storage and new technologies in the power sector. This allows the incorporation of new technologies for power generation. The year 2022 is the time the German electric company Siemens promised to create a new and improved power sector infrastructure. The challenges of power supply are negatively affecting industrial and agrarian growth and hindering the industrialization of the Nigerian economy. Therefore, in an effort to bridge the huge infrastructural gap in the power sector, the FGN in July 2021 signed an implementation agreement with the Siemens Company of Germany. In the agreement, Siemens promised to create an electrification roadmap in a bid to resolve existing challenges in this sector and expand Nigeria’s capacity to manage her future power needs. Thus, Siemens is to deliver 7000 megawatts of electricity by 2022. This three phase agreement spans six years from 2020 to 2025. The various projects are to be implemented between Siemens and the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE). Of course BPE is a parastatal of the FGN. While FGN controls transmission through the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) the generation segment is controlled by the private sector with BPE holding shares in distribution companies. It is expected that this arrangement will improve power supply to the country. If existing transmission and distribution problems are resolved and customers pay for services rendered, it is expected that the power sector will thrive better. However, the planned sale of five power plants under the National Integrated Power Projects (NIPP) this year will boost efficiency and augment effective power supply to Nigerians. Additionally, some concession programmes are ongoing in respect of some government owned energy assets. These are expected to be concluded by the third quarter of this year. In conclusion, it takes 20 years for a country to migrate from agrarian or poverty stricken status to an industrial nation. That much was what took China, South Korea, Taiwan and Japan to transition to industrial societies. Thus, if we refused to fix our power sector now, as the lynch pin of industrialization, it may take another forty years for us to break loose from poverty. In such length of time Nigeria cannot sustain unity in poverty for another ten years.

The Audacity of Resilience of Toyin Ogundipe at 60

Being a review of the biography of the sitting Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe. The festschrift marks the golden jubilee anniversary of Ogundipe. Titled Oluwatoyin Temitope Ogundipe @60, the book was edited by academicians namely: Chukwu, Lucian Obinna, Falaiye, Muyiwa; Ogwezzy-Ndisika, Abigail Onuminya, and Olabisi Temitope. Published in 2021 by the Unilag Press & Bookshop Ltd, it has five parts, 16 chapters and 340 pages. This festschrift celebrates the life and achievements of the 12th vice chancellor of Unilag Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, a professor of Botany. Part1: The Cradle was anchored by Prof Abigail Ogwezzy-Ndisika of the Department of Mass Communication, Unilag. Other contributors therein are Dr Tope Onuminya of the Department of Botany, Unilag; Dr Aghughu Okiemhen of the Nigerian Rubber Research Institute, Benin City. The Unilag Deputy Vice Chancellor, Management Services Prof L.O.Chukwu chronicled the career trajectory of the subject. In chapter 4, covering the Work Life Equilibrium of the protagonist Chukwu gives a raving rendering of a workaholic. “Despite the fact he is a Christian and an ordained Pastor in RCCG, Prof Ogundipe demonstrates unique spirituality that cuts across religious chasm and he epitomizes religious tolerance; as he is known to fraternize with Muslims and this is a function of his background.” On his lifestyle generally, his doctoral supervisor, Dr Adebayo Olatunji and the co-supervisor Prof Omotoye Olorode greatly influenced him. Then, Ogundipe thought of becoming a socialist like Olorode. Free Nelson Mandela was their campaign as socialists. But after Mandela was freed, Ogundipe asked himself: “when I am I going to free myself”? That was how he opted out from being a socialist, thouh he remains a socialite.` Part 2 has just two chapters. It explores Ogundipe’s prowess as a quintessential researcher. Chapter 5: Musings from the Research Group written by Dr Tope Onuminya of Unilag Department of Molecular Systematics in the Department of Botany. The writer avers that research begins by first asking the right questions and then choosing an appropriate method to investigate a problem. Subsequenty, findings are collated and analyzed so as to draw appropriate conclusions. Having learned the rudiments of scientific research through his undergraduate project, Ogundipe went on to serve his motherland and gave back to the society by serving as Senior Science Teacher under the Rivers State Teaching Service Commission, between 1984 and 1985. The experience instilled in him the desire to make academics his career. Thereafter, Oluwatoyin was admitted to read for a masters in Botany at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife where he investigated the vegetative anatomy of the Nigerian species of Echnochloa P. Beauv—a common grass in Nigeria. His success at the masters level spurred him to pursue a doctorate in the same subject and at the same school between 1986 and 1990. For Plants in the service of Man in chapter 6, the Director, Institute of African and Diaspora Studies, University of Lagos, Prof Muyiwa Falaiye chronicled how the protagonist showed his love for plants from his early life to the extent that he wasn’t surprised he would devote his entire academic career to the study of plants, becoming a professor and eventually the vice chancellor of Unilag. In Part 3, titled University leadership and administration, a coterie of professors regaled us of the acumen and prowess by which Ogundipe engaged the Unilag community as leader and vice chancellor. The part encompassed chapters 7 to 13. It hosted among contributors some of the most distinguished academics in Nigeria. It was anchored by the former Unilag Deputy Vice Chancellor, management services, Prof Folasade Ogunsola; the sitting deputy vice chancellor, management services, Prof Obinna Chukwu; Prof Ogwezzy-Nisika; the former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan Prof Abel Olayinka; the Unilag Director of Research and Innovation, Prof Bola Oboh; the Vice Chancellor, National University of Lesotho, Prof Sola Fajana. Indeed, this part parades more distinguished academics than any other part of the book. Professor Olayinka’s essay is the toast of this festschrift. He considers the role of the vice chancellor as the academic and administrative head of a university. Olayinka then showed us his experience as vice chancellor of the University of Ibadan. He showed us the qualifications of an aspiring candidate for the post of vice chancellor. According to the erstwhile university chancellor whose tenure was more turbulent than that of Ogundipe, a vice chancellor must possess a good university education. He/she must be a distinguished scholar with the rank of professor. He must have served with a minimum of five to ten years as a leader in an established institution. “He must be a person of proven integrity; be not more than 65 years old as at the date of possible assumption of duty.” There’s where I disagree with the rules. Researchers from Harvard University have established that the most productive decade of humans is between the ages of 60 and 70 while the second most productive period of humans is between 70 and 80 years of age. Moreover, what Nigerian universities need most are centres to collate worldwide research, not research itself because Nigerians neither have the finance nor the ingenuity to conduct worthwhile research in the modern world. Israel with a population of 9.4 million people boasts of 14 Nobel laureates, while Nigeria with 200 million people has only one Nobel prize winner, we must acknowledge creativity isn’t our forte. Part 4 extols the virtues of Ogundipe as a God fearing padre. In her contribution on the ecclesiastical thoughts of Ogundipe, the director, Institute of Continuing Education, University of Lagos, Prof Mopelola Olusakin gave glowing tribute of Ogundipe as a detribalized and multi-religious academic. In a preliterate Nigeria being religious could be commendable. Otherwise it isn’t expected of an academic to be religious. This is a contentious area of panegyric of a university chancellor. On the whole this festschrift is a must read for anyone aspiring to be a vice chancellor. It is also noteworthy that of the 16 research universities in Africa only three are in Nigeria.

Why FG Should Not Borrow From The Pension Fund

Early this year, the Federal Government (FG) expressed the desire to borrow N620 billion loan from the National Pension Fund. Every worker’s union and retiree opposed the plan. We The Guardian join every Nigerian to vehemently oppose the plan to further impoverish Nigerians through this domestic borrowing. Already, FG is owing the world N40 trillion, thus making President Buhari to have borrowed more than all former presidents combined. Upon this, deficit financing of the 2022 budget at N6.25trillion, which is 3.4 percent of Nigeria’s GDP and more than the 3 percent allowed by the Fiscal Responsibility Act. As we are borrowing more, debt servicing swallows a larger chunk of our resources, compounding the social welfare challenges of our people. Worse still both federal and state governments promise more taxes, taxation of commuters in Lagos and removal of oil subsidy by Buhari. Government is making Nigeria unlivable by these multiple taxes. The general level of inflation is intolerable, insecurity is at its highest since the civil war; life expectancy is as low as 55 years, economic growth stands at 1.5 percent, poverty rate is 43 percent, unemployment rate is 14.2 percent and galloping inflation is 15.4 percent. Where do we go from here? More worrisome is growing corruption in high places. Only recently, the secretary to the Government of the Federation openly declared that Nigeria is exporting corruption, since on the once clean highways , Federal Road Safety officials now contract pure water hawkers to collect bribes from drivers who do not want to be delayed. Which is why we don’t need more loans to sustain corruption in high places. The high cost of governance in Nigeria is unsustainable. But the solution is unpalatable to the president. Just as the creation of regional police and the devolution of police powers to that of National Guard is not acceptable to the president, the ensuing suggestions may not be acceptable him as well. To scale down government spending, in this age of paperless administration half of the civil service should be retired. Like in the United States, the offices of minister of External Affairs and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation should be merged into one: the office of the Secretary of State. By the same token, the ministry of Police Affairs should be returned as a department in the ministry of the Interior. Both the national Orientation Agency and the National Youth Service Corps should be scrapped. They are merely duplicating the duties of others. To believe that NYSC is contributing to national unity is false belief. There can never be unity in Nigeria without justice and the observance of the federal character principle. There should be 36 ministries in obedience to the Constitution which requires a minister for each state. Government should budget for our needs not our wants. Great Britain our mother country has no royal fleet with which the Queen and her Prime Minister travels. The Nigerian President does not need a fleet of planes. As host to the poorest people on earth the Nigerian president can only charter planes to travel. Therefore, Nigeria cannot borrow to indulge our wants. Thus, we join other Nigerians to oppose borrowing loans from Pension Funds. Besides, the FG isn’t trustworthy. Government has not honored promises it gave to the Academic Staff Union of Universities. It didn’t honor its pledge to restructure the country as given in its manifesto. The FG will not return the loan if it is allowed to borrow from the Pension Fund.

Nigeria Becomes Second Most Corrupt Nation