Fapohunda decries gender disparity in public service workforce

Success Damian:

Professor Tinuke Moradeke Fapohunda, a Professor of Industrial Relations and Human Resource Management, Lagos State University, has decried gender disparity in public sector workforce.

Professor Fapohunda, took the position in her capacity as the lecturer at the 73^rd Inaugural Lecture of the University at Ojo on Tuesday.

The theme of the lecture was ‘What is Sauce for the Goose is Sauce for the Gander: Managing Human Resources for Sustainable Development’

X-raying the formal sector which includes the public sector and medium/large private sector organisations that employ labour permanently and regularly for stable compensations, she said, women do as much work as men if not more but the natures of work plus the circumstances under which they work and their access to prospects for development vary from men’s.

According to Fapohunda, “The Beijing Declaration confirms national obligation to the immutable rights of women and girls and their empowerment and equal participation in all spheres of life including the economic domain. The National Population Commission puts the number of women and men at about equal in the Nigerian population; so, one would in general have been safe to assume comparable involvement in the labour force.”

She maintains that the National Bureau of Statistics (2018) in its survey of Labour Force Participation Rate entirely opposes this hypothesis.

Further, according to Fapohunda, “For the ten-year period reviewed 2008 to 2017, the average labour force participation rate (LFPR) was 64.3 percent for women and 74.2 percent for men. In 2017, the national labour force participation rate of women and men within the ages 15-64 years was 74.7 percent.

“Typically, 72.3 percent of senior positions in State Civil Services were occupied by men compared to 27.7 percent occupied by women for the period, 2008-2017. A parallel model was upheld at the junior level and across cadres. During the same period, the proportion of men employed was usually higher than that of women.”

On the other hand, Fapohunda made recommendations regarding making working condition of women on campus a lot easier, “Campus services for women regarding reproductive health, child care and victim resources are required. These services participate significantly in making everyday campus life more suitable, secure and friendly for women and convey the institution's feelings about the value of professional health care for women students.”

She said the availability of inexpensive childcare profits both mothers and fathers, but mothers most frequently require such assistance to help them in balancing their childcare responsibilities with the freedom to work the hours they need to in order to succeed, as students, faculty or staff,” she stated. 

She further recommendations to universities that since women now encompass a significant number in higher education in Nigeria, both as students and staff, but continue to face a number of obstacles, higher institutions like LASU must transform to institute services that distinguish the total woman, including her rights and her responsibilities and offering a curriculum that values evenly the inputs of women and men; and ' guarantee the even allocation and success of women.”

Fapohunda also recommended that Scholarship on women and resources in women's studies must be included in the curriculum since it serves as a pointer of the value an institution places on women's contributions, as the subject of study and often as scholars, as well as the value an institution places on women and / or issues of gender. In addition, there should be commitment of resources to women-centred activities and women's centre to present a "home base" for women students plus a physical safe space for students to gather. Such centres should sponsor lectures and other women-focused public programming and provide information and referral services for women students and staff.

She said adequate victim protection services should be proffered by the University Management by way of general and more specific counselling for sexual harassment, rape or sexual battery cases which are more predominant among women compared to men.

Moreover, workshops on crime prevention subscribe to the general environment on campus. This lecture recommends (self-defense) workshops that allow women to feel more comfortable with themselves or with the campus environment because this displays an institution's concern for the welfare of women on campus. Again, women must maintain obligation to mentor younger women to assume leadership.

Prophet attributes Nigeria's woes to FESTAC ‘77, says God appoints wrong leaders to punish the nation

Success Damian:

Bishop (Prophet) Olufemi Otusanya, popularly known as Omo Majemu, the General Overseer of True Covenant Church of God, has averred  that the problems of Nigeria began since Nigeria’s Festival of Arts and Culture (FESTAC ’77).

He maintained that the nation committed an atrocity against God as a result of which, God has deliberately been appointing wrong leaders for the nation in order to punish it.

Bishop Otusanya made this revelation while speaking to the media at the International Headquarters of the Church recently.

“We are serving God, but we made a mistake in the past, and that is why I said, the inability of Nigeria to move forward, or to be successful, is traceable to FESTA 77. Before FESTAC 77, Nigeria was well constructed and everything was going on fine. Immediately after Festac ‘77, even till 80s problem started, because then, may be they did it for tourism or because of culture, but to God it is not like that, because it is God that searches the heart. 

“Telling all the African countries to bring their gods to your nation, to come and worship there, and never allowed one day, all Nigerians, let us fast for a day or let us gather ourselves one day and praise the almighty God, the one that created heaven and earth, and you know according to Exodus Chapter  20, God said, do not have any other God, If you trace Nigeria problems you know that the problem started from there. 

“And from that God was the one that is appointing all the leaders, and what God did was to give us wrong leaders, God has done it for the Isrealites before, He appointed leaders that will suffer them. God did it knowingly, deliberately,” he stressed. 

With headquarters in Ikorodu and branches all over Lagos State, South Africa and Republic of Benin, Otusanya  said he has travelled to many parts of the world and came to the conclusion that Nigeria needs God “When I am going from one country to another, I have been to Asia, many African countries, I can see that Nigeria needs God.

One of the youngest Bishops in Nigeria, Otusanya relived his experience from International Conference for Christian Communicators which was held in Budapest, Hungary of which he was a participant.

 “It involves journalists from Europe, also men of God, majorly men of God and Journalist from different countries of the world. We had Japan, Pakistan, European countries. So I am, out of the two men of God that came from Nigeria, I am one of them. It was a very lovable conference. I put in my idea also and I really thank God that they appreciated our contributions. 

“I met a Bishop from India, he gave an invitation to come to India to minister, there is another one from Pakistan, once I leave India I have to go to Pakistan for a Crusade. There is another from England that also invited me to come and minister, so we met a lot of people, it was so awesome. The Hungarians are very good people, they love one another and they love blacks also. If you ask them for direction, they stay and search the internet, even if it takes them 30 minutes. You can see they are very lovable. As you know, Europe is not like Nigeria, everything is somehow perfect there. But we have to come back to Nigeria.”

On how what was discussed at the conference affected Nigeria, he answered, “Yes, they talked about prosperity, success, success in the ministry and success of the nation. How does success affect the nation and the ministry?  A man of God from Ghana spoke on that especially about Africa and we supported his ideas on that. Talking about Nigeria and other African countries, we lack a lot of success, when it comes to national success. What I remember vividly is that they mentioned three basic things.  Number one, fear of God, most of our leaders they don’t have fear of God, second they don’t put the populace first, that what we need for Africa to be successful is God, because the bible says when righteousness leads the people enjoy, but if the person leading is not righteous, then the people suffer, and that is what is happening in Nigeria. 

“You see, America and most of the European countries, they are Christians and things are working and they are enjoying , Saudi-Arabia, Dubai, Kuwait, Cater, that fear God, they are okay.

“We are serving God, but we made a mistake in the past, and that is why I said, if you trace the inability of Nigeria to move forward, or to be successful, it is traceable to FESTA 77,”Otusanya maintained

Fagbohun harps on inclusive governance as strategy for success, peace

Success Damian:

Vice Chancellor, Lagos State University (LASU), Professor Olanrewaju Adigun Fagbohun, has reiterated the essence of inclusive governance as strategy for achieving success and peace.

Olanrewaju made the disclosure in an interview at a book presentation in his honour by the Faculty of Law of the institution on Thursday.

“I am able to achieve good relationship with all the unions simply because I don’t do things alone. Everything I do is inclusive. Look, it is not rocket science, when you involve people in what you want to do, they will not go back when it is time for implementation of that thing, and why do people do things alone? People do things alone because they have another agenda, they want to cut corners, they feel that I can manage this to myself,” Fagbohun stated. 

Speaking on the process of realizing inclusiveness, he disclosed ”We have something we want to do and I invited everybody, Directors, Deans, HODs, Students, and I say this is what we want to achieve, how best do we go about it? And while we are discussing it, I am even so free that I can work out and go and do some other things, which means I have not conceived of how they should arrive at that thing”

Fagbohun reveals what happens when a leader decided to run a non-inclusive governance “You are tele-guiding, we have our own agenda, you now want to play games, you say this is where it should go. People are no fools, they see through it. Because they know where you are going, they will just be watching you, oga when you get there let us know. If I want to do something that concerns media, why should I be the one to be calling the media?  Tell the man in charge of media; just give me full briefing of what you want to do so that when he is giving me the briefing, I can tell him, there is a gap here, I think there is a dislocation here.” 

Fagbohun also maintained that in as much as Nigeria is undergoing numerous challenges politically, legally and economically, the country is not doomed as claimed by some people.

“People talk about Nigeria; some people go to the extent of saying that Nigeria is doomed. But I don’t see Nigeria as doomed in anyway. As a matter of fact when people say, will Nigeria change in our own lifetime, I tell them yes. Let me tell you what is going to happen, Nigeria is part of the global system, rules and regulations of international laws are going on, that is also going to be applicable to Nigeria. For instance, is it possible for Nigeria to say I am not going to operate an email account? Is it possible for Nigeria to say I am not going to operate internet transaction? You cannot, because the global system will catch up with you. Any one of us that is not able to use email, or internet service gonna have a challenge in life, there would be a limitation as to what you can do.

“”In the same way it will happen in the country, you find out that it is ^going to get to a point where some countries that we need to have critical relationships will tell us, if you do not amend your law to reflect this we will not deal with you. Those are the things that will compel Nigeria to sit down and do what is right, because you cannot operate in isolation,” Fagbohun explained. 

The Vice Chancellor also spoke on technological innovations that would make Nigeria do things right especially in the face of globalization.

“What is happening in technology, you see what it did to Nigeria, that is what is going to happen in Nigeria beyond whatever the leader may say, otherwise, the way it is happening, you will not be able to do international money transaction, why do you think Nigeria is saying now that they want to lay emphasis on internet banking? It is because the international community is putting pressure on them. The only thing that I am interested in; I am always concern that when we now want to key into this global relationship, we should key to them on terms that will work for us in the context of our own country.” 

Fagbohun also spoke on issue of transferred technology. He maintained that rather than a technological transfer for the country, there should be a system of co-creation of technology in Nigeria in such a way that it will benefit the nation, “Look at transfer of technology, I don’t believe in transfer of technology. Look at the history of transfer of technology, what has it given to anyone of us, zero, but I believe in co-creation of technology. 

“Let us work together, have Hakaton, have technology hub, come and work with our students there, you find out that all our children, all of us, the way they operate this gadgets, is amazing, we use this gadgets, just  may be 5%, our children use this gadgets 50-60%. By the time they work with somebody who understands the nuances of this gadgets better, they would use this gadgets 110%. So those are the kind of things we gonna see. 

Prof Fagbohun also advised Nigerians not to lose hope in the nation. “None of us should lose hope about Nigeria at all. All of us should be confident about Nigeria and continue to push the frontiers of what we are doing, complaining about irregularities, complaining about malfeasance, and we will get there.”

Emulate your Vice Chancellor, Justice Kekere-Ekun urges LASU students

Success Damian:

Hon. Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, has urged students of the Lagos State University to emulate their Vice Chancellor, Professor Oranrewaju Adigun Fagbohun.

To the students she said, “You are privileged to be a part of history; privileged to be studying at this time under this Vice-Chancellor. Please strive to emulate him. The sky is not the limit, it's the beginning.”

Hon. Justice Kekere-Ekun made the plea in her capacity as the Chairperson at a book presentation in hnonour of Prof. Fagbohun by the Faculty of Law of the institution.

The book presentation which took place at the main campus in Ojo is titled Reflections on Dynamics of the Law.

Kekere-Ekun said Prof. Fagbohun, within 30 years, has achieved what some may not achieve in their lifetimes.

She also commented on the area of specialty of the Vice Chancellor which is Environmental Law “He has done extensive research in his field of Environmental Law. His projects have attracted sponsorship from both local and international bodies. The protection of our environment from oil pollution is very topical. Case in point is the Niger Delta. The contributions of scholars like Prof. Fagbohun will be of immense assistance in solving the problems in that area.  He has a reputation for excellence, leadership and commitment. With all these qualities, I cannot think of a more worthy individual to be honoured,” the revered Justice stated. 

The book presentation attracted the crème de la crème in Lagos State including the Hon. Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Dr. Mudashiru Obasa.  Other eminent personalities while the book was reviewed by Mr. Olatunde Adejuyigbe.

Family planning use will enable women engage in enterprise, politics, says Ibeawuchi

Charity Ibeawuchi, Senior Technical Advisor, Advocacy, John Hopkin University, Centre for Communications Programme


Nigerian Urban Reproductive Health Initiative (NURHI) has been in the vanguard of advocacy for Family Planning in Nigeria, especially for people in the reproductive age bracket since 2009. No wonder the stakeholders gathered at Development Communications (DEVCOMS) Headquarters in Lagos on Wednesday, to review the activities of the initiative, scope of work, challenges, sustainability and community Focus and other related issues.  Mrs. Charity Ibeawuchi, the Senior Technical Advisor, Advocacy for the John Hopkin University, Centre for Communication Programs, Nigerian Urban Reproductive Project, Phase Two (HURHI) granted interview to SUCCESS DAMIAN, Excerpts.

Why the meeting today?

The HURHI 2 Project has been in Nigeria since 2016 and it is a follow up project of Nurhi, Nigerian Urban Reproductive Initiative Project which focuses on urban areas, and started in 2009, so as a result of the success of the Phase 1 project Bill and Millinda Gate Foundation, provided additional funding for the sustainability that the first phase innovated, and established to promote increases use of family planning, child birth spacing services in Nigeria. Because at the beginning of the project, Nigeria CPR which is Contraceptive Prevalence Rate on use of modern family planning method, was very low, and this was consistent for more than three decades, so the project came on board, as part of global Initiative, to promote other family planning use, Nigeria being one of the countries. 

Other countries were Senegal, India and Kenya. So Nigeria with a large population and poor population of women that do not have access to modern family planning services was chosen and we spent the first five years trying to change behavior  of Nigerian women, targeting women of reproductive age, increasing opportunities for them, particularly those leaving in poor urban slums, that  are highly and completely deprived of the services, to really use the services, to see family planning as life saving investment, and that helped to increase the number of women, so we were able to increase modern family planning use, CPR, from very low national 10% and we achieved an average of 11.5 increase in six Nigerian cities, Abuja FCT, Ibadan, Ilorin Kaduna, Zaria, and Benin City, so that is a remarkable improvement. 

Discussion about family planning improved, women are more confident to go to clinic to use family planning services, conversation between husband and wife about child birth spacing improved,  family planning use improved, young people received information that would help them build their future, in spacing and being healthy, and that was very important.

On the role played by the media

I want to use this opportunity to thank the media; the media played a very important role in this. We could hear about family planning discussion on air, religious leaders were there, discussion were placed on the print, television, the entertainment people were even very supportive, we heard Tiwa Savage and P-Square (Paul) being part of the family planning songs, and the household word was get it together, No dolling, know about family planning, talk about family planning, go for family planning services.

Your comment on some religion having as many as four wives

Even when a woman is having children she needs to space, you cannot be getting pregnant every year, it is a big risk, that woman will have challenges and complications that may even make her lose her life, so you need family planning to encourage women to space birth in a healthy way, well timed, so even the religion of Islam, even Christian religion encourages us to space, in Islam women are encouraged to breastfeed for 24 months, and by the time the next child is born, the older sibling is three years, so that is family planning. We are not looking at the number of children you have, we are looking at the opportunities you give to your wife to space and live longer, to do that which the woman has been ordained to do.

We are not looking at marriage, we are looking at the woman, the right of every woman in Nigeria of reproductive age between the ages of 15 to 49, the right of every man between the ages of 15 to 50, that is what you call the reproductive age, to have proper information, and to use family planning services as a right, and it has to be voluntary, and the woman understands the benefits of using family planning, it is to make her healthy, because we know that family planning reduces maternal mortality  by about 40%.

And we know also that it prevents child mortality, promotes the health of the child, reducing their death by 25%. Because when a woman uses family planning, she gives birth to a child when she desires it, when pregnancy is needed and wanted, and loved, now when the baby is born, the baby is nurtured, breastfed properly, and you can breastfeed your child as long as two years or one year, and by the time you have the next one, the older one will be three years, so the mother is healthy, has time for herself, has time to look after her baby before she gets the next one.

And talk about increasing opportunities of women in the economy, things are hard, and all husbands know that things are hard, When a woman uses family planning, she will have an opportunity; more time to even engage in economic enterprise, even to engage in politics because we want affirmative action for women, so family planning is healthy, and it increases the quality of life of every family.