The callous and unfeeling tendencies of the average today’s Nigerian was again manifest when a man who had almost escaped death aboard an airline nearly slipped away on account of negligent airport officials.

Once deciding on a matter bothering on negligence, Hon. Justice SBA Candide Johnson said: “It is this type of reckless impunity and consciencelessness that makes many people complain about callousness and wickedness in Nigeria.”

A Nigerian doctor, James King, on his Facebook narrated how he helped save the life of a passenger who almost died aboard a flight from Kano to Lagos.

 Hear his remarkable story:

“It’s getting clearer now, …why I was born. I just saved a life who would have possibly died mid-air in the aircraft I was a passenger in.

“I was on seat 14F of BOEING 737-300 of AZMAN AIR from Kano to Lagos.

“Suddenly, his head dropped. A passenger on seat to my far left on the other side of the aisle. The Indian man sitting beside him screamed and called the attention of the air officials.

“The Indian said it seems the man passed out. We were still several miles above sea level. Far from Lagos our destination.

As it is with my nature, I was listening to some music with my earpiece on board this flight. I was rocking myself head forward and backward, my hands slightly moving up to the powerful music of SHOW US MERCY by Will Adiks.

“The movements to the unconscious passenger got my attention. I removed my earpiece.

“In five powerful long strides I got to the dying patient. To the Air Hostesses, ‘I am Dr James King. I want to take over. He is deteriorating fast.’ The Air Hostess said, ‘Ok sir. Go ahead.’ And she gave me way.

“I quickly checked his pulse around his radial artery. It was small volume, irregularly irregular rhythm. I shouted, ‘Any doctor, nurse or paramedic here?’ No response.

“All the other passengers on board were staring at me with a forlorn look. As if there was an impending danger to all of them. I turned to the immaculately dressed three Air Hostess around me. ‘We can save this life together. His life depends on us now.’

“I turned to one of the hostesses, ‘Can you please get us all the medical boxes and kits in this aircraft?’ She responded, ‘Ok sir’ and walked fast away.

“I asked two other male passengers to help me lift the dying man from his seat to the aisle between the airfraft seats, …so I can have more space to start my intervention on him. We placed him on the ground.

“I immediate positioned him supine and also freed his respiratory airways by tilting his head backwards a bit. I again asked, ‘please can I have any cloth or anything to support his neck.’

“The air hostesses removed their top suits clothing and handed them to me. Obviously well trained. Thank you AZMAN Air.

“I was surprised at such empathy by the Air Hostesses. I was truly encouraged and energised. I folded two of them and placed them under the neck the of dying man.

“At this point the dying man was already having rolling up eyes, …all white. I listened to his apex heart-beat. It was very weak and faint.

“I knew in seconds, he would be dead if I don’t do something fast. I commenced CPR (Cardio-pulmonary resuscitation) on him.

“He responded. Then he began to convulse uncontrollably. At the top of my voice, I shouted ‘Can someone get me Diazepam please?’

“An air hostess ran somewhere to get it. It was 30 minutes before landing. If nothing was done fast he will die in less than 10mimutes. I repeated CPR again. And again. And again…. I listened to the heart using my stethoscope. Some mild activity commenced.

“I turned to the chief air hostess, ‘please call Murtala Mohammed Airport and tell then to arrange an Ambulance before our landing.’ She said, ‘Right away’ and began to rush toward the cockpit to inform the Pilot to do so.

“When I was sure the patient’s ventilation improved a bit, I quickly withdraw 5mg of Diazepam and gave him straight intramuscular on his buttocks.

“Returned to the supine position again. Commenced CPR. Checked his radial pulse. I then announced to everyone that… ‘I AM buying time. He will survive.’

“I was on the floor of the aircraft kneeling around him. Monitoring every single thing I can pick from his reflexes.

“The chief air hostess came back. I asked her, ‘How many minutes do we have more to land?’ She said, ‘in 5 minutes.’ I again announced to everyone on board, ‘HE will survive.

“Then there was a loud sudden noise in the aircraft. Then we landed on the runway.

“Three men/passengers carried him. We evacuated him very fast out of the plane.

At the foot of the plane there was no ambulance waiting. I was visibly angry and now shouting at the top of my voice to all the airport officials. That the ambulance is at the other side.

“In a rage I said to them, ‘This is wickedness. We did all our best with God’s help to keep this man alive for 30 minutes and you people could not even get an Ambulance to wait here?’

“Someone suggested that he should be taken in one of the Toyota Hilux van. I said ‘No, it will kill him before we get anywhere.’ I screamed, ‘Any clinic in the airport?’ That was when their brains came back to default reset and they chorused, ‘Yes.’

“I said to the good men still carrying him let’s go.

“That was when we rushed him to the clinic you are seeing in the photo of this post. It’s the airport clinic that is close to the Arrivals of the Murtala Mohammmed airport, Lagos.

“I explained everything I did and the medications given to the doctor on call. She took over.

“Then I walked out and looked up to heaven and said, ‘I know You are involved in this. Thank you Lord.’

“I stayed on the case thereafter. He survived. And presently in a government tertiary hospital in Lagos for expert management.

Addendum:
“I actually came to Lagos for a humanitarian programme, an absolutely FREE Medical outreach, poorly funded, meant for the sick and abandoned Prison inmates. We are all born to save lives. Thank you.”

… 2,300 Nigerian children under five die daily

As the world marks another Children’s Day, the plight of the Nigerian child, albeit the girl child has again come under scrutiny.

Earlier in the year, the Ogun State Police Command, announced that its operatives had arrested a 45-year-old man, Idowu Owolabi, for allegedly raping his 21-year-old daughter. Owolabi, who has three wives, was accused of having carnal knowledge of his daughter since last year.

Unfortunately this kind of news no longer generates shock or the type of response a reasonable man would ordinarily express under such circumstances. From tales of a father having carnal knowledge of his three daughters to men defiling months old babies, the media in the last five months, not counting the last few years have been awash with incredible tales of the travails of the Nigerian girl child.

Olawale Fapohunda, Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Ekiti State gave a very incisive Children’s Day message.

“Last week I led the prosecution of a man accused of child defilement. He sexually assaulted a 12-year old girl. No matter how many times one prosecutes sex offenders, nothing can possibly prepare anyone for this experience. The child was the first prosecution witness.

“How do you examine a 13-year old rape victim (she was 12 when she was raped) in a manner that complies with applicable Law and Practice? How do I ask a 13-year old if there was penetration? As if reading my mind, she described in a very matter-of-factly and with the innocence of a child, how the defendant who she frequently referred to as “Daddy” stuck his penis into her vaginal and she bled. 

“I expected the usual Naija exclamation or show of emotions from court personnel. When none came, it struck me that the abnormal in our society has now become the normal. Our collective sense of revulsion has been so abused by the frequency of child defilement, that the revelation of a child that “a daddy” stuck his penis into her vaginal did not as much as get a “haaa”. 

“Girl-child victims of defilement are being let down on multiple fronts in Nigeria -The Law, Family, Society and the State. In Ekiti State, the Fayemi Administration has adopted some of the most stringent punitive measures against child defilement. “Apart from the vigorous prosecution of offenders, we have made sure that convicted sex offenders do not benefit from early release or Mr. Governor’s Powers of Prerogative of Mercy. We have also opened a Register of Sex Offenders to enable us keep proper record of offenders and with a view to seeking tougher punishment for repeat offenders.  

“Recently, following our findings that these measures are not as effective as we envisaged, I announced new measures including compulsory psychiatric tests of sex offenders especially where a minor is a victim, publication of names of convicted sex offenders on the website of the MOJ (Ministry of Justice) and pasting their pictures in their communities with an added advisory to their traditional rulers on their status. 

“Today, I have directed the Solicitor-General to review the relevant provisions of our Criminal Code Law. In particular, we need to ensure that victims of sexual violence including minors are not subjected to re-victimisation by the provisions of our laws. Our response to child defilement cannot be limited to prosecution. We need to ensure that child victims benefit from free counselling, psychological support and medical assistance. We will continue to pursue and with added energy our plan for a One-Stop Sexual Assault Referral Center in Ekiti State. 

“On this day, I assure all the Children in Ekiti State that the MOJ will continue to work for a child defilement free society.”

Ekiti has taken decisive steps.  More is still required by other players in the society.

While it is commendable that the First Lady, Aisha Buhari, other First Ladies, individuals and groups on this day hosted kids to parties and fun fares, it is imperative that more focus be on the general welfare of Nigerian children.

If indeed Nigeria’s future depends on her children, that future will be grim should government fail to confront those pressing concerns affecting them.

Above all, the bothersome state of healthcare delivery at primary level is alarming. Presently, a state of public health concern has been declared on maternal, new born and child deaths as nearly 2,300 children under five die daily and about 145 women die day-to-day in Nigeria from pregnancy and childbirth related matters.

Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr Faisal Shuaib at an event once announced that: “Every day in Nigeria, approximately 145 women die from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth, this is equivalent to having 1 Boeing 737-300 series airplane, fully loaded with 145 women crashing every single day in Nigeria, killing everyone on board.

“Every day in Nigeria, approximately 2,300 children under five years die mainly from preventable causes. Similarly, this is equivalent to having 15 Boeing 737-300 series airplanes fully loaded with 145 children under five years old, crashing every single day in Nigeria and killing all the children on board. One out of every eight Nigerian children dies before having a chance to celebrate his or her 5th birthday.” Certainly this calls for concern.

On November 20, 1989, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), whilst the OAU Assembly of Heads of States and Governments adopted the African Union Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (CRCW) in July 1990.Nigeria signed both International Instruments and had ratified them in 1991 and 2000 respectively. Both protocols reflect children as human beings and as subjects of their own rights. The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) outlines the human rights to be respected and protected for every child under 18 years and requires that these rights be implemented.

Despite the domestication of the Child Rights Act by many states in the country, the right to health, education and LIFE in itself of Nigerian children is far from assured. More action than rhetoric is required.

Many Nigerians for instance wondered at the choice some government officials to pray for the release of Leah Sharibu and other children in captivity rather than take decisive actions. Leah’s only crime is that she dared to go to school.

As multifaceted as the problems confronting Nigerian kids are, many have overachieved; an indication that under the right setting, they can only soar. All said, the onus beyond talk is now on all concerned to make it right for the Nigerian child.

…as Reps pass bill allowing married women to choose state of origin

On Tuesday May 7, 2019, Nigeria’s House of Representatives passed a bill allowing married Nigerian women to choose their state of origin. The women will have the alternative of choosing either their father’s or husband’s state of origin if passed into law.

Titled: ‘Bill for an act to amend the Federal Character Commission (Establishment, etc.) Act, 2010, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, Cap F7 to give married women the option of indigeneship and for related matters,’ married Nigerian women who had always been regarded as indigenes of their husband’s state now have a choice.

At the end of the process, Section 2, Part 11 of the principal act was amended and a new section introduced. The amended Section 2 now provides that: “A married woman shall have the option to lay claim to her State or Local Government of origin for the purpose of implementation of the Federal Character formulae at the National level or State as the case may be.”

Sponsor of the bill Edward Pwajok, SAN, representing Jos South/East Federal Constituency of Plateau State said it was worrisome that women face challenges on account of choosing state of origin in official matters particularly for the purposes of political appointment or election.

More so, Women’s Right Activist, Abiade Olawanle said the move is momentous as it paves way for many more women to take up leadership roles in local politics.

Previously, women were barred from holding political offices in their state of origin when they get married. Mrs. Abiade said she had personally missed out on opportunities in her father’s state because of marriage.

In spite of the still subsisting law, a few Nigerian women have held and still hold positions switching between their father’s or husband’s state. Supreme Court’s Hon. Justice Mary Peter Odili for instance was appointed to the Court of Appeal under Rivers State where she was former 1st Lady. But, at the time of her elevation to the Supreme Court, she elected to choose her birth state which is Imo.

Similarly, Dr. Grace Folashade Bent was in 2007 elected as senator representing Adamawa South Constituency of Adamawa State. Many saw it as novel that the Ilesa, Osun State born politician clinched the senatorial seat in Adamawa State.

There are varied views however. Lady Ngozi Okogbue, an Abuja legal practitioner spoke with Law & Society.

Hear her:

“I do not feel happy about this bill. I’m not comfortable with it at all.

“I must think that our society and its authorities including its lawmakers at times appear to act in ways that undermine the position of our women as normal and legitimate human beings!

“It might thus indeed be safe to hold the view that some people operate under an illusion that we in Nigeria still live in the Stone Age where humans lived no differently from animals, and might was right; where life was lived without decent values and without regard to the higher standards; or that perhaps we still operate under that Hobbesian state of nature where life was said to be brief, brutish, nasty and short!

“It is therefore to be imagined that by giving a married woman in today’s Nigerian society an option to elect to claim either the State of origin/Local Government Area of her father or that of her husband (and therefore, her children) in political matters, they probably think that they are performing wonders of a favour and privilege for the woman!

“On the contrary, I personally feel that such a position is patently and pathetically patronising and infra dignitatem the status of the woman, married or not, as a human being deserving, like her male counterpart, of necessary and due respect of the society of which she is unapologetically part. This is because such a line of action or even of thought would tend to reflect and remain a state of mind of not only the sponsors and framers of such an obnoxious and ill-advised piece of legislation but that of the society at large, the society which the legislators themselves are deemed to represent. I do not think that such a law would be in the best interest of the woman at all.

“Indeed I think that it should be the submission of every thinking, wise human being, the Homo sapiens aptly so-called, to accept  that the human species has long moved on in the ladder of life to higher ideals and values  and even to articulating a charter of rights, both fundamental and inalienable. We must thus accept that certain human attributes and qualities are by their nature completely inalienable and cannot purport to be legislated away by any fellow human. One of such human attributes is the fact of human relationships by blood. Human relationships by blood are powerful. It is sacred.

“By purporting to attempt to pass a piece of legislation that seeks to alienate women from their kith and kin, either their children, or their parents and siblings as the case may come to be, I would strongly hold the view that this penchant for thinking of and regarding our women as mere chattels or cold objects clearly without so much as feelings or emotions, is disdain for the womenfolk taken too far! One wonders whether the full implications of this singularly obnoxious legislation are lost on its proponents with respect to what they would further portend not only to the life and psychological health of the woman already suffering the social deficit, but also to that of her children and relatives on both sides going forward in the near and long term; and therefore on the rest of society willy-nilly.

“Just for daring to get married, a woman suddenly loses her voice in her father’s house as it were, or more subserviently and pathetically, in her children’s house! Unnatural as it might sound, that is what it becomes in real and practical terms. Mute! Siddon look, as it is referred to in local parlance.

“It is therefore my well considered opinion and position that we should not only tread carefully but really slowly on this matter with a view to dispensing with that proposition in its entirety in the clear and unequivocal realization and understanding that a woman is as much a human being as any other and a bona fide member of the Nigerian society, under the protection of its Constitution in all its provisions, letters and intendments.

“I think that we are at that stage of our development in Nigeria where all good hands and minds irrespective of gender and marital status must be on deck to contribute all necessary and possible, to further the fortunes of our dear nation in all appropriate directions. It would therefore be a great disservice to the nation that we continue to labour in the wrong direction. We persist in deploying mundane considerations in cutting our nose to spite our own face. We should not be seen short-changing our common system and heritage on the altar of discrimination against the women, an otherwise potent force and partner in the development process.

“Among the comity of nations, one should be hard put to imagine what such an export would signal. It is an export we as a country can ill-afford. It is common knowledge that many of our women, married or not, in other countries of the world and on the international stage are holding down high profile positions, elected or appointed and doing their utmost to hold up the Nigerian flag and to place their motherland on a high pedestal without undue encumbrance as to their origins, personal performance being the only consideration. What a ridicule would befall such women from among their peers should the Nigerian state pass such a discriminatory law based on marital status as the one under reference!

“May I therefore submit that if Nigeria is indeed our collective patrimony and if it is no crime to become married, the rights of the woman whether as a married citizen or otherwise should never then be alienated, abridged or compromised in any way or form by the instrumentality of the state or by any other.”

…… launched his first program at six!

“Child prodigies evoke awe, wonder and sometimes jealousy: how can such young children display the kinds of musical or mathematical talents that most adults will never master, even with years of dedicated practice? Lucky for these despairing types, the prevailing wisdom suggests that such comparisons are unfair — prodigies are born, not made (mostly). Practice alone isn’t going to turn out the next 6-year-old Mozart.”  Maia Szalavitz, July 10, 2012

His dream is to educate over one Million Nigerians for free on coding! With 25 programming languages under his belt, 14 year old Gerald Maduabuchi Ogbonnaya, tech advisor, Artificial Intelligence (AI) expert, machine learning algorithmist, software/app developer, author and many more, is on his way to becoming the world’s latest discovery in science.

Here is Gerald’s timeline before he turned 13:

• Coding at five
• Launched his first program at six
• Started networking hacking at seven
• First algorithm at eight
• First AI software/Neural network at nine
• First App at ten
• Commenced teaching coding at eleven
• Became world’s first DeepQA assistant chatbot at twelve
• Authored first EBook on coding
• Technology advisor & speaker at thirteen.

Few IT professionals can boast of this manner of curriculum vitae not to talk of a 14 year old.  Boys his age are mostly concerned about amusements, acquiring the coolest gadgets and all the latest fads. In contrast, this student of Community Secondary School, Asokoro (SS1), a school managed by Nigeria’s Department of State Service (DSS) has other interests.

At 13, Gerald who lives in Abuja, Nigeria with his mum and three younger siblings is probably Nigeria’s and perhaps Africa’s youngest AI expert. Believing that AI will change the world, he enthused: “It is a technology that will benefit humanity. Something so powerful that has no restrictions to any economic sector.”

At this age, he already had about 14 whatsapp groups and four Telegram channels. One of his telegram channels had 7,789 subscribers!

When he was 11, he initiated a group called ‘LetsCode,’ and began teaching coding, and computation. This group had 154 members, comprising of Nigerians, Indians, Americans and other nationals. These were experts, specialists and individuals who had been coding for a long time; the oldest participant being in his mid-twenties.

“I launched Gerald Codes at 11. There I taught thousands of aspiring coders, geniuses in the industry, intellectuals and professionals”, quipped the young wiz. When he uploaded tutorials particularly videos on computation, AI and neural networks, members were often left in shock. Above all, the most amazing was that tasks which would take others who were supposedly more versed in these matters weeks to accomplish, took him two days or less to complete, leading to his being addressed as ‘sir!’ With laugher in his voice, Gerald said: “I told them I’m not a sir; that I’m just a boy, but they didn’t believe me.”

By the time he clocked 12, he changed ‘LetsCode,’ to ‘GeraldCodes;’ sent out broadcasts, which people forwarded along with the group link and joined until it was full. He then made a second, third, up to the eleventh which is nearly filled up. There he posted videos, tips, and tutorials on computer science. Participants would often seek his assistance, counsel or even contact him privately. These shockingly include Harvard, MIT undergraduates and PhD students from Ivy League universities.

At age five, the young man was already coding. “I met the computer first when I was four years old. It was a Compaq laptop that had windows vista running as its operating system. It was a really old computer; but with it, I began my coding journey.

“Then at six, I ran my first ever computer program in C. The first was a calculator, and the second a cool game then, but with a poor gaming interface. Then at seven, I had run another program. What was remarkable at this age was, when I took interest in hacking and operating Systems. I furthered my interest in computer science, before writing an Algorithm, in C, which was a recursive algorithm, as a solution to the brahma tower. This I did at eight!”

Likewise at seven, he began teaching himself how to develop apps for Windows that could run on iOS or MacOS. Meanwhile, while playing online games on the internet, he stumbled on a video about flowcharts and algorithms. “After that video, I was just interested in it,” he remarked.

There was a little popular game at that time, which seemed to be the next after chess. The game was the Tower of Hanoi. Playing the game online, he figured out simple ways to win the three disks and rods. “I used recursion to always conquer the game, I never knew about it, till I created the algorithm at age eight.” At eight he designed a flowchart, on MS Paint, and then a week later, he created the recursive algorithm.

But it was after watching the Sci-fi, Iron Man 3 at age nine that he was inspired to explore AI. Gerald recounts: “When I was Nine, I watched a movie, Marvel’s Iron Man 3. Inspired I learnt about an upcoming powerful technology, AI. Immediately, I developed huge interest for Machine Learning and Artificial Neural Networks.  Months later, I developed an intelligent Device Driver, I called FlashIN. My passion for AI is so huge. I want to use AI for good. AI isn’t a destructive technology, but only in the wrong hands.

 “I like computer and video games and when I was seven I hacked and patched in-app purchases, and online game accounts. I was a little menace. Some people tried to lead me into cyber-crime but I refused. Knowing my capacity, I would rather become a white-hat hacker than a black. I swore it’s something I’ll never put my hands into. I’m so passionate about technology, AI and science. Imagine a world that is tech driven, that makes AI its means of economic stability and growth!

“Just a year after, my Windows app, a text-editing tool for programming languages, was accepted and placed in the windows store! I have contributed to Cogntive Computing, and provided solutions by integrating Quantum Computing. This I did at twelve. As a technology advisor, I have advised lots of business owners, technology entrepreneurs, and company owners, on what to integrate in their company at just twelve.

“Discovering IBM Watson, and mostly AI, was one of the best thing that happened to me. My passion drives me into doing unimaginable and esoteric things. I want to teach over 1 million Nigerians coding for free! I will and can as long as I get support!

“I have attended technology driven conferences, at the same time, delivered speeches, advice, to intellectuals and professionals. I am an Algorithmist, and I try my best to enhance various sectors of the economy through AI. Today know about 25 programming languages, AI, Neural Network architecture. I know it sound surprising! AI is a technology that will give women the chance to explore their full potential. I’m trying to work with schools, to make sure girls can code and I am a host of iGirlzCode Online.

“I am determined and aim towards applying my vast knowledge on Artificial Intelligence and machine learning to augment various sectors and concepts such as healthcare and finance. I love to speak and share knowledge and projects to the open-source community and other developers.”

At Treasure House Montessori School, Abuja where he had his primary education and first contact with computer tutorials, he ended up being the school valedictorian; graduating as the highest average scorer.

Using his mother’s data to power these endeavours on his laptop and in fact, on her phone before the laptop arrived, Gerald has also began training women in matters related to technology, and supporting them online. He hopes to work his way up his way to become a champion for Cloud at IBM and Twilio’s Hall of Doers.

Currently, he is working on a project towards heath care, applying nanotechnology and electroencephalograms, for disabled and quadriplegic people. Another is a software that uses machine learning to analyse one’s state of mind.

Hopefully, the world will celebrate Gerald Maduabuchi Ogbonnaya in a short while.