Feature/OPED
A Cultural Journalist’s 15 years of Research on Ijaw Culture and Worship
By Jerome-Mario Utomi
No man, according to Aristotle, chooses anything but what he can do himself. And thus, choice is limited to the realm of things humanly possible. Aristotle further stated that there is no choice among impossibilities. Choice, by its very nature, is free. A necessitated choice is not a choice at all but a great sacrifice, he concluded.
The above lines from great Aristotle amply capture the ‘fate’ or better still the position of Asiayei Enaibo, Bobogbene community, a Warri, Delta state-based journalist who made a necessitated choice/sacrifice by opting out of conventional journalism to explore formation that is supremely foundational to knowledge and cultural production processes. This knowledge in question focuses on the heritage, belief, and values of the true origin and practical belief to commune with the gods and ancestors.
Adding context to the discourse, Asiayei Enaibo hails from Ayakromo, Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State. He is a thoroughbred journalist with great insight into political reportage as well as laced with in-depth knowledge of socioeconomic issues, development and analysis. Also working in his favour is the fact that he is well-foresighted and naturally at home when it comes to broadcast and any other form of commentary.
Despite these virtues, attributes and proficiency needed by the global community, Asiayei Enaibo, in what could be described as extraordinary sacrifice and response to a call for the highest level of spirituality, opt for little-known and less attractive cultural communication where he has since become both sign and symbol to the hearth of traditional worshippers in the whole of Ijaw land and Niger Delta region in general.
Also newsy is the awareness that Asiayei has remained resolute and laced with an unwavering commitment to this spiritual call for the past 15 years, precisely since 2009.
Like a self-willed prisoner, Enaibo has traveled a long windy road to be here.
Most profound about the country is his deep understanding of Ijaw in the African traditional worship institution which has given him both leverage and latitude to deconstruct negative arguments that posture the African traditional worship system as evil. He has not only changed the narrative but vehemently defended African culture and traditional worship system at local and international gatherings.
For instance, he believes and has argued beyond reasonable doubt that the consciousness of Ijaw spirituality hangs on the powers of Egbesu and Egbesu, according to him, is the deity of justice of the Ijaw people of the Niger Delta region. Egbesu, he said is also perceived as the spiritual foundational force for combating evil and cleanses them at every point of confession for forgiveness. The Egbesu force can only be used in defence or to correct an injustice, and only by people who are in harmony with themselves and the universe.
‘Before the coming of the Western religion, Egbesu worship had been in existence. The god of warfare and justice, Egbesu, is regarded as a divine guardian who protects the Ijaw people from their enemies. He is often invoked before battle and is believed to grant victory to those who fight with righteousness and integrity, those who go to the temple of Egbesu must go with a clean heart. If you abore any evil at the point of entrance, there is a pot for purification to cleanse and wipe every evil thought away’.
Enaibo’s investment of his time and talent in cultural journalism has equally seen him widely travelled on a fact-finding mission to the entire Ijaw nation, an ethnic nationality which happens to be the fourth largest in the country.
He has not only made friends and commanded followership but moved severally from Ondo to Edo state, Rivers to Bayelsa down to Akwa Ibom and back to Delta state among others, researching and documenting the undiluted fact that centres on Ijaw history, traditional worships and other critical knowledge areas-as well as participated in high profiled seminars and conferences that has Ijaw culture and traditional worship as its thrust.
This has undeniably made him a reference point for the present and future generations when it comes to Ijaw affairs and in the world of cultural journalism/communication in the Niger Delta region and the nation in general.
However, even as this feat is celebrated, it will on the other hand elicit the questions; first and very importantly, what got Enaibo fixated in this area of communication? Why is cultural communication in the face of other attractive areas of journalism that are considered more lucrative? Why not areas such as political and socioeconomic affairs?
Providing an answer to these questions recently, the Bobogbene/Ayakromo community-born creative writer described himself as a privileged channel chosen by the gods to write their stories, noting that cultural journalism depicts the cultural sensibility of the people and the consciousness of their true identity as their heritage, belief, and values to their true origin and practical belief to commune with the gods of their forefathers.
He said that as a cultural journalist, I feel awakened to the core values of our people. It is the root pride of people who believe in their existence and perception of the God of their creator. I am culturally conscious of the belief practice and worship of the ancestral God of the Ijaw land.
On Ijaw traditional worship, Enaibo has this to say; the great Egbesu is our being that protests the land in time of war, justice, and freedom as an indomitable supernatural power solely for the Ijaws beyond conquest in time of war for justice. Yes, the power manifestation of this spiritual being was deeply abandoned by the coming of the Christian faiths that painted everything in derogatory mental brainwashing. And the gods elude us, but now with Tompolo, there is a new paradigm shift of root consciousness to our Spirituality.
‘Tompolo who I often referred to as gods, begotten son of Ijawland communicates to the gods in the language of metaphysics and gods change its story and that has been with our forefathers. There is no new formation, but what has been. With morality and sincerity, there is no mistake in the story of the gods, and there is no deception, once you hand twist the wish of the land the gods dare you with death or you make an urgent confession and please for forgiveness at the sacred Temple of Egbesu or any other power you have offended’.
‘And it is a few journalists in Ijaw land like myself as part of this entity that the gods reveal their potential to. To me, in any temple I visit, I write their stories with ease because this is an old institution I was born into. Many because of this dislike distance themselves from Cultural Journalism’.
‘From masquerade stories to gods of the land that protect us, to God and man, when we understand the missing bridge, the better prosper us as we have returned to our original paradise lost and regain with full glory as the examples of Tompolo and other high priests of Ijaw land. Writers like Enaibo have an internal soul personality that attracts this energy, purity of thoughts at the same frequency beyond the mundane world,’ he concluded.
Essentially, going by his age and physical appearance, Asiayei in my view, is by no means an old man. But his understanding of and competence in promoting the culture of his people have conspired to confer on him, the enviable title; ‘Talking Drum of Niger region’ by his friends and admirers because of his creative writing prowess. He has proved that history does matter and that ordinary calculation can be upturned by extraordinary personalities.
Enaibo’s regular intervention in Ijaw culture and worship has blown fresh wind to the discourse in ways that accelerate the process of the reemergence of a fully functional historical document that will be trusted by both present and future generations.
Regardless of what others may say, the new awareness created by the cultural journalist can engineer disruptive as well as constructive ideas that will help shatter set patterns of thinking, threaten the status quo or at the very least raise people’s concern to further question time-honoured historical accounts.
A circle of learning and empowerment has been created by Enaibo’s 15 years of unbroken commentary that allows the people of the Ijaw nation to see things that others cannot see.
Another reason why Enaibo’s deep dive into Ijaw cultural journalism should be appreciated is that in population, Ijaws are the fourth largest ethnic nationality in the country. And the people, in material terms, have, through hard work, and planning, established themselves in all sectors-finance, science/technology, sports and education among others.
The above achievements notwithstanding, the people would have needed, yet, another generation to correct some sloppy traditional worship accounts that have invaded so many literary works currently in the public domain if not because of Enaibo’s correctional
Jerome-Mario Chijioke Utomi is the Programme Coordinator (Media and Public Policy) for Social and Economic Justice Advocacy (SEJA), Lagos. He can be reached via jeromeutomi@yahoo.com/08032725374
By Dalip Jaggi
Launching a real estate tech startup requires a lot of focus. But at its core, the primary goal is to eliminate pain points commonly seen in the industry.
Unfortunately, the process of buying, selling, and managing a property is rarely straightforward in real estate deals. For one, there tends to be endless paperwork to complete, regular back and forth between agents and clients, and long drawn-out closing periods.
If you can create a real estate company that actively eliminates these challenges, it can be transformative for both agents and clients alike. However, getting to this stage takes a lot of work in terms of strategy and vision.
This guide will outline key strategies you can implement to help you launch your real estate tech startup.
Address a Specific Industry Need
The foundation of a successful real estate company rests on its ability to solve a specific, ongoing problem. Overly general solutions usually don’t resonate in the market, but a focused approach can build a loyal customer base over time.
To begin, you need to carefully analyze the market, looking for consistent challenges. This is more than just a surface-level skimming of the market. It means finding overlooked areas or specific pain points that significantly impact a particular group of users.
Try to focus on problems that might be solvable with new technology or unique market approaches. This ensures that your startup’s efforts are directed toward creating solutions that people genuinely want and are willing to use.
Clearly Articulate Your Brand Value
After finding a relevant market need, you need to clearly define what makes your new company different from existing competitors. This is your unique value proposition.
A strong value proposition requires more than just listing your product or service’s features. It should also explain the real, tangible benefits users can expect to experience. Articulate precisely how your offering solves the problems in your target market, and highlight the specific ways it stands out from other options available.
Create a Proof of Concept
Most startup companies that develop software will start with a Minimum Viable Product (MVP). An MVP has the fundamental features that software will have, but won’t include more sophisticated components that the customer may expect in a complete product. This keeps costs down while trying to develop a full-functioning platform or service.
The main goal of an MVP is user testing. They help capture a user’s first impressions of how the software performs in real-life scenarios. To gather meaningful feedback from your MVP users, you’ll want to ensure that only the most essential functions are present. Over time, feedback from MVP users helps you to prioritize relevant product additions.
In the iterative process leading to a fully launched marketable product, ensure that you try to incorporate any mission-critical improvements before launch. This will help to avoid major setbacks post-launch that might impact brand perception.
Gain Enough Financial Support
To move from a simple prototype to running an actual real estate technology company, you will need the right level of funding. There are different ways to obtain this capital, each having its own benefits.
At the outset, self-funding can help you continue to maintain control of the venture, although you may be a bit more limited in terms of initial growth opportunities. Working with a private investor, on the other hand, can lead to a sizeable cash injection in the business along with experienced mentorship to help you through the initial growth stages of your business. Unfortunately, though, this will likely come at the expense of giving away equity in the company.
Build a High-Performing Team
A successful real estate company needs a strong team. It’s important to try to source new individuals with a wide range of professional experiences. Among other skills, you should be looking for employees with strong real estate knowledge, a technical background, and a good understanding of sales and marketing principles.
Aim to source candidates who not only master these skills but are also passionate about the company’s goals. This helps build a sense of ownership and responsibility with all your team members, keeping everyone focused on ensuring the startup’s success.
Consider Integrating Helpful Renovation Tools
Homeowners and property managers are always looking for ways to increase a property’s value by completing various types of home renovation projects. By integrating helpful renovation tools into your software, you can help your new real estate technology quickly stand out in a crowded market.
Adding helpful features that let users estimate the costs of their renovation, plan different elements of a bathroom remodel, or track the statuses of their home projects can add significantly more value to your solution.
Put Together a Digital Marketing Strategy
Having a solid digital marketing presence is critical for new businesses to attract clients and expand their user base. This includes the use of SEO, paid advertising, and content marketing to increase brand visibility and create more touchpoints between businesses and potential clients.
Social media is equally important for helping to raise brand awareness. This helps you connect with clients directly and network with other industry professionals. By partnering with other real estate organizations, agencies, and commercial businesses, you’ll further help your brand’s visibility and credibility as you start launching new services.
Focus on Customer Engagement
Building lasting relationships with customers all rests on being able to provide excellent support. Earning their trust requires consistent dedication. This means responding quickly to questions and concerns that come up and keeping your focus on ensuring their satisfaction.
Actively soliciting user feedback, through surveys and reviews, allows you to take the necessary steps to improve their experience. It’s also important to keep users informed with regular updates and offer additional support to show them that they are a top priority. All of these initiatives add a personal touch to your brand, helping you stand out from others.
Give Your Startup the Best Chance for Success
Starting a successful business in real estate comes with its own set of challenges that need to be tackled. However, by following the strategies discussed, you’ll be sure to stand out in the industry better while introducing high-value solutions to your user base.
Dalip Jaggi is an entrepreneur, technologist, and passionate business leader sum up the core of Dalip Jaggi, co-founder of Revive Real Estate, a PropTech company to democratize house flipping. Since its 2020 inception, Revive has become the smartest solution for homeowners to maximize their home’s sales value across the nation.
By Ahmad Dambazau
The National Assembly is a constitutional locomotive for any purposeful democratic government, it provides checks to the government of the day and a legal basis for the system in general .This basically accounts for the high respect usually accorded and, of course, the attendant high expectation placed on it. The legislative arm of government like any other is saddled with the responsibility enshrined in the constitution and among such major functions includes representation, oversight and law making in addition to many other numerous functions.
Be that as it may, it has been a genuine cause for worry for Nigerians that, despite our series of experimentation with democracy, our legislators have performed below expectation. Their handling of national issues has especially remained without constitutional decorum and political experience required of people of their exalted status. Part 2, Section 4 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, vests the legislative powers of the federation on the National Assembly which comprises the Senate and House of Representatives.
Dawakin Tofa ,Tofa and Rimin Gado Federal constituency is one of the few constituencies in Nigeria represented by the same legislator for 18 years(2007-2005) despite poor representation .
As the federal constituency searches for the best man to represent them for this serious legislative task. One name keeping ringing bell is Hon Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa ,Media and Communication Expert and Director General of Media and Publicity to Kano State Governor.Sunusi has earlier served as the Chief Press Seceretary to the Governor in the early days of the administration .
Mallam Sunusi is a seasoned PR guru, development communication and stakeholder engagement expert with 21 years working experience in both international development, private sector and the Media in Nigeria.
He is a winner of the Cambridge education award on investigative journalism in 2008, Bature has worked at different capacities in various national, International and Bilateral organizations such as the British Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO), the United State Agency for Internal Development (USAID), Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Save the Children International, Discovery Learning Alliance and the Rockefeller Foundation.
He held several positions which include General Manager Corporate Services at Dantata Foods and Allied Products Limited (DFAP), Director Stakeholder Engagement at YieldWise Project, Country Program Manager at Girl Rising (ENGAGE) Project funded by the US Government, State Project Coordinator for MNCH Campaign Project of the BMGF, Deputy Director Operations at Discovery Learning Alliance, State Program Officer, Policy Advocacy and Media Development, Communication and Knowledge Management Specialist among other positions.
Graduated with a Bachelor’s degree (B.A. Hons.) in Mass Communication from University of Maiduguri, Sanusi holds a National Diploma in Mass communication from Kaduna Polytechnic, a Higher National Diploma (HND) and a Postgraduate Diploma in Public Health Education and Promotion.He also bagged MSc. in Social Work with specialization in Community Development from Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, (LAUTECH) Ogbomosho, Oyo State and another master’s degree in Public Relations (MPR) from the prestigious Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria. He participated in the MSc program on Project Management at Robert Kennedy College, Zurich, Switzerland.Until his appointment, Sunusi Bature served as the Vice President, Nigeria operations for a UK based firm, Kingston Organic PLC.
Hon Dawakin Tofa has opened yet another vista of debate among electorates on the value of quality representation with vigour,expertise and experience of having a wider constituency responsibility and coverage .He has vindicated his mettle among his constituents that even as an appointee of the Governor his eloquent consistent and fearless voice always seeking the improvement of lives of his constituents accountability among representatives of the people.
He is truly a representative of the people though unelected going by the amount of work he was able to do for the overall benefit of his people. In fact, it is worth elucidating that this PR guru was able to touch the lives of the people in his stewardship in the private and public sectors. So far he has proved to be one of the few politicians that attracts government presence to his community. No matter what anyone would say, the amount of dividends of democracy that this community leader was able to bring to the door step of the people is unmatched.
Sunusi Bature’s development credentials and landmarks speaks volumes. The highlights of which were stellar achievements of re-positioning the educational sector in the more definitive ,radically ,progressive and futuristic manner , not to mention the capacity building, empowerment and educational scholarship for his people ,all shone brightly for both his admirers and detractors to access.
The Director General of Media and Publicity to the Governor of Kano State, Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, has been honoured with the prestigious Most Outstanding Spokesperson Award by the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Information. Dawakin Tofa was selected for this esteemed award in recognition of his instrumental role in promoting not only the positive image of the Kano State Governor and his giant strides also for effectively showcasing the only NNPP ruling state in Nigeria.
In the award citation, Mallam Sunusi was hailed as an unwavering proponent of non-violent communication, renowned for his extensive network and adept delivery of practices with clarity in objectives, and strategic framing of engagements with his audience.His profound impact and effectiveness in perception and reputation management are highly commendable.
In whatever one indulges in there are always people to observe and give their verdict .It is a well- known fact that there is nothing stronger than the people’s verdict.it shows a collective desire which inevitably is the voice of reason. The momentum of Hon Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa legislative bid is gathering amongst all strata of the constituency is enough testimony that experienced count in the race for the parliamentary seat.
Dambazau wrote in from Kano
Over the past two years, Nigeria has implemented key policies and reforms to revitalize its mining industry, attract investment and strengthen the sector’s contribution to GDP.
Recent government-led initiatives have streamlined licensing processes, removed bottlenecks and simplified market entry for international investors, enhancing production across the country’s 44 solid mineral types.
As Africa’s premier mining investment event, African Mining Week (AMW) 2025 will convene Nigerian and African stakeholders with global investors and industry leaders to drive deal-making and accelerate sector growth.
Launch of Mineral Resources Decision Support System
In May 2024, the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency unveiled the Mineral Resources Decision Support System to provide global investors with easy access to geological and policy data.
The platform markets Nigeria’s vast mineral resources and critical infrastructure, assisting investors in making informed decisions about the country’s mining sector. By enhancing data transparency and accessibility, the system aims to streamline investment processes and boost investor confidence in Nigeria’s mining industry.
Restructuring of Ministry
To improve efficiency, Nigeria restructured the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development in August 2023, creating two separate entities. The Ministry of Solid Minerals Development focuses on upstream activities and investment facilitation, while the Ministry of Steel Development oversees the development of steel and metallic resources to drive industrial growth. This restructuring aims to enhance sector-specific governance, attract targeted investments and accelerate the country’s mineral and steel value chain development.
Approval of Nigerian Minerals & Mining Bill
Approved in April 2023 and currently under public review, the Nigerian Minerals & Mining Bill aims to introduce incentives for foreign investors while strengthening local content requirements. Once enacted, it will become the sector’s primary legal framework, enhancing transparency and investor confidence.
The bill is also expected to modernize regulatory oversight, ensuring sustainable resource management and aligning Nigeria’s mining sector with global best practices.
Implementation of Nigeria Mineral Value Chain Regulations
Implemented in July 2021, the Nigeria Mineral Value Chain Regulations mandates local processing of raw minerals such as gold and lithium, encouraging downstream investment.
Following this policy, China’s Avatar Energy Materials Company launched a 4,000-ton-per-annum lithium processing facility in Nasarawa State in May 2024, while Ming Xin Mineral Separation Nig Ltd. is developing a lithium processing plant in Kaduna State to support EV e battery production.
These investments mark a significant step toward positioning Nigeria as a key player in the global critical minerals supply chain. Against this backdrop, AMW 2025 will provide a platform for industry leaders to explore Nigeria’s evolving mining landscape and engage with global investors.
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