In the year 2001 or thereabout, I was a member of a delegation of
the Nigerian American Chamber of Commerce (NACC) that visited President
Olusegun Obasanjo at Aso Rock. The delegation was led by the President of the
chamber at that time, Chief (Mrs) Priscillia Kuye (SAN). When Kuye finished
addressing the President, she graciously requested if I had something to add.
I
rose up to grab the opportunity. But before I would speak, she introduced me to
the President as a pharmacist and chairman/ CEO of Neimeth International
Pharmaceuticals Plc, a successor company of Pfizer Products Plc. As I tried to
open my mouth, the President charged at me, “You pharmacists, you are the ones
that import fake drugs into the country!” I was stunned, but quickly
remonstrated that his statement was untrue.
Showing posts with label Sam Ohuabunwa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sam Ohuabunwa. Show all posts
Monday, November 12, 2018
Monday, October 15, 2018
With Atiku And Obi, Nigeria’s Political Space Lightens Up
By Sam Ohuabunwa
The drab Nigerian political environment has lightened up. The
expected ‘unexpected’ happened. Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President of
Nigeria was elected at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primaries held in Port Harcourt recently.
It looked like this was never going to happen. Not just that this was the fifth
attempt of Atiku to become presidential candidate, but so much obstacle was put
on his way by seen and unseen forces. As if those forces were not strong
enough, the competition became even stiff in his new ‘old party.’ For the first
time in the history of PDP, there were 12 solid contestants, each who could
easily have become a formidable presidential material.
Indeed, the choice was a very tough one for the party. The party
was very conscious that the country was looking up to it to produce a
formidable candidate that will square up with President Muhammadu Buhari who
has received endorsement from 15 million All Progressives Congress (APC)
members to stand as the party’s candidate for the 2019 elections. Talking about
15 million APC members, reminds me of the video I recently watched of one Mr
Biggi who was trying to commit suicide by hanging on a plantain stem.
*Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar |
Monday, October 8, 2018
Why Have They Thrown Gov Ambode Into The Lagos Lagoon?
By Sam Ohuabunwa
Many Nigerians will
remember the story of the threat which the Oba of Lagos was said to have issued
to Ndigbo who lived in Lagos
during the 2015 political season. Those who decide what happens in Lagos State
were in great panic. They looked into their crystal balls and found that a
majority of Ndigbo in Lagos had planned to vote
for Jimmy Agbaje of PDP as governor of Lagos .
All the political principalities in APC in Lagos went beserk.
What to do? Oba of Lagos
was recruited. He summoned some of the so called Eze Ndigbo in Lagos and issued the infamous threat. They
must vote for Ambode of APC or they better be prepared to be thrown into the
Lagos Lagoon. It was a desperate situation that demanded desperate action.
*Ambode |
Wednesday, September 26, 2018
Nigeria: A Fake Nation Or A Nation Of Fakes?
By Sam Ohuabunwa
Nigeria is an intriguing
nation.
Many ordinary folks in Nigeria have
raised their hands in desperation as they find themselves daily pushed into
poverty despite their best efforts. This is evidenced by the fact that Nigeria the
seventh most populous nation with a ‘tiny’ population of about 198 million
People has become the global poverty headquarters, beating India (with a
population of over 1.2 billion) according to the Brookings Institution.
A 58- year adult nation that is still crawling
like a toddler, while most of its mates are running on sure feet. Many people including political, traditional
and religious leaders have expressed their bewilderment with Nigeria ’s
chronic inability to truly rise. Never mind that a tiny minority including some who earn 12 billion Naira as
annual dividend will argue differently that Nigeria is rising.
*Nigerian President Buhari |
Monday, September 3, 2018
Presidents’ Health: Missed Opportunities For Nigeria’s Health
By Sam Ohuabunwa
I believe that I am not alone in feeling distressed about the
situation of healthcare in Nigeria .
Everywhere you look, the problems stare you on the face.
In the public health care space, you face poor
infrastructure, old or inoperative equipment and generally, poor attitude.
*Buhari |
Even skill and competency levels are often
suspect. If you have taken a seriously ill patient to our public health
facilities – primary, secondary or tertiary institutions, you will know that
many more people are healed by faith in Nigeria than by medical care. If you go to the private healthcare institutions, may be infrastructure and
equipment may be better, attitude and skills are subject to national averages.
Monday, August 13, 2018
Nigeria: Dancing Naked In The Market
By Sam Ohuabunwa
Those who are familiar
with how madness begins to manifest in a person, will tell you that no man
becomes mad in just one day. Madness follows a sequence. Of course
psychiatrists and those who work in the mental health area can easily notice
when a patient goes through the stages or sequence. But for the ordinary folks
like us, we also sometimes notice this sequence more so when the subject
is closely related to us. Signs of mental illness may start with the subject
being unusually moody which could represent depression or in some cases the
subject may become unusually aggressive and hyperactive called hyperactive
disorder.
If the subject is subjected to treatment at
these early stages, psychiatrists tell us, the mental health can be corrected
but if not, the situation could deteriorate. Soon the subject begins to neglect
his personal hygiene and then may begin to speak incoherently similar to what
is called psychotic disorder. I am told that even at this stage the situation
can still be remedied if urgent medical attention is sought and the patient can
be persuaded or compelled to take the prescribed medicines. Monday, August 6, 2018
PDP And The Burden Of Managing A Windfall
By Sam Ohuabunwa
So very often, we pray for something. And sometimes when the payer
is answered, a new problem emerges and that of managing the outcome.
The problem is sometimes exaggerated when God
decides to ‘embarrass’ you and give you more than you asked for or were
expecting.
There was this story of an Okada driver who
had been praying for a child for seven years and eventually his wife became
pregnant. Throughout the pregnancy he was full of joy, but could not afford to pay for a
scan for his wife and so, had no idea what was on the way.
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