Chef or Genius? You decide

A friend of mine invited me for a culinary class, being the curious ... errr...person I am (cough**) I decided to stop by.
(I even got to taste)

I met Chef Priscilla Umeda, an extraordinary woman with a great passion and skill (the owner of Priscilla's Kitchen LLC) entrepreneur and Chef extraordinaire. I got her to share her story, ideologies and plans for Nigeria and Nigerians.

Q: Where are you from exactly?

I am from Odiabidi, Ahoada East, in Rivers State of Nigeria

Q: What made you go into food in the first place, or did you just have love for FOOD?

Growing up, farming was a must know as a girl child.

Understanding where food comes from; how it is cultivated, harvested and cooked, inspired me.

I’m from a large family of 8 and was the only girl child for a long time before my youngest sister came. My mother made it my responsibility to ensure my siblings were fed. 

Consequently when I left college with a degree in Business Administration and knowing that I lacked the connections to land me a plushy job I taught myself cake making. It became a business, so when I eventually traveled to the US I found out that food was way much more than I thought it was. That was what inspired me to go to the culinary school. I wanted to be the best at food.

Q: And how long have you been cooking professionally?

About 16 years now.

Q: You recently returned to Nigeria for this course, what would you say is the driving force behind this upheaval?

We need to change the dynamism of the food service industry in Nigeria. We have potential here; preparations and presentations are very important but we need to add business management to it. 

Nobody will give you their business to manage if you do not have a financial management background or know-how. It doesn’t take a lot. This is part of what I taught the first class. Food costs, plate cost etc.

Unfortunately, there are too few Nigerians in reputable food service industries here. Name one hotel or high end restaurant with a Nigerian as a F & B Manager or Executive Chef. If there are, it will be few.

We need to redefine our Nigerian food, put it on the 'global' map and present better without losing its authenticity.

So, I am here to bridge the gap through education, empowerment and mentorship.

Q: Wow, that’s all well and good but is this course really for Nigerians? You pointed out quite clearly that too few Nigerians are put in the position of F&B, surely there must be a reason for it?

Food is beyond cooking your Nationality. You need to learn to cook with cost in mind, like every other trend, you need to attune food to today’s refined palate.

If a diner’s palate is refined, then they no longer want what you have been cooking since the world began. They want food of today. In other to stay afloat in business; you must adapt.

I’m here to teach using Nigerian products to achieve International standards, not just to learn taste and techniques but to also learn presentation.

Furthermore, Nigerians are smart, industrious people. With the right know how, they can take over and overcome any challenge presented to them.

Q: That is indeed wonderful, is this the first time you have been back to the country since you relocated?

No, I’ve been here several times. I worked as GM of Genesis Center, I shot and aired a cooking show on CMTV,  I was also contracted by Rivers State Government to teach 100 women Catering Services. 

These opportunities were short lived because of restiveness in the area at the time, among other reasons.

Q: So why this? Why now? What would you say informed your decision to start a culinary course?

My experience in one of the places I worked did it for me. Nigerian cooks were not earning to their highest potential yet the expatriates that worked in the same kitchen were well paid and well respected even though they could ONLY cook Chinese/ International cuisines. 

My heart bled and knew I had to do something.  I grew up in this country and I know what it’s like not having someone to encourage you, not having someone to show you how to make a name for yourself.  90% of Nigerians are hard working, once you show them ‘the how’ they will go far.

Q: What did you do?

I am a Starbucks addict, so returning from the states I had cases of the product. I had 105 employees and when I got to work in the morning I made coffee for each and every one of them. In that brief span of time,(we all had to go back to work and could not be late) I encouraged them and let them know that they could be better. 

I told them they had the necessary skill sets and all they needed was to put it to work. 

I didn't focus on the cooks alone, I advised that they didn't settle at being security guards, cleaners, dish washers (except if that was their passion). 

With the cooks, I knew I had to do something and to empower them through education. Sometimes I would personally do a hands-on demo, Other times I would instruct and let them carry out by adding their touch to it.

Food is a billion dollar industry and Nigeria is a virgin market for what I have to offer. A lot of people do not understand culinary arts and that’s why am here…to make a difference. 

It’s time that our brothers and sisters who are passionate about food be motivated and trained to be at par with today’s Food service management trend and be given opportunities to be in high places as well as ignite new passion for culinary arts.

Q: How has advertising for this program been conducted?

For now, it has mainly been by word of mouth. 

These are my first set of students on this program and we are currently looking for a bigger kitchen in order to accommodate all the culinary students we are bound to have. 

As you can see, we’ve already outgrown our current space which tells you that the land has been yearning for this and am glad I yielded to this call. 

We need lots of publicity. I am self-sponsoring it for now. It is my hope that ministry of women affairs, churches, food and hospitality sectors, government and even individuals etc. all come on board to support what we are doing here. Think of how many job opportunities and entrepreneurship skills we could generate after graduation. 

While we may not solve everyone’s problem, we can assist them get a skill set to generate their own income.

Q: What advice do you have for this first graduating class?

Complacency is death sentence! I teach you techniques, you put them to creative use. I am one email away; if you have a question, tweet me, email, drop a line on my website and we will continue empower you unto creative productive end!

FIRST GRADUATING CLASS.

Priscilla's Kitchen Live in Lagos

FUEL SCARCITY

In  e-mails sent to customers by GTBank


Dear Customer, 

Notice of Early Closure of Branches 

The current shortage of petroleum products in the country has limited our ability to supply diesel to all our branches, in order to continue normal branch operations.

Due to this, we unavoidably have to close our branches nationwide at 1pm, from tomorrow Monday, 25th May 2015.

Whilst we have had to take this step to close branch operations early, we would like to seek your understanding at this time, and assure you that we will continue to work hard at finding alternative solutions to this situation and will advise you once the situation has abated.

One begins to wonder, is this the norm... are we to hang on with abated breath for our government to remember we exist? 

Having light at home seems like such a distant yet pleasant memory.

God help us all. 

DOING WHAT'S BEST FOR YOU

Have you ever bothered to sit back and maul over that?

What is best for you?... not mind you, what others think is best for you but ...

Here's a little food for thought

#14. Stop focusing on what you don't want to happen 

Focus on what you do want to happen.  Positive thinking is at the forefront of every great success story.  If you awake every morning with the thought that something wonderful will happen in your life today, and you pay close attention, you’ll often find that you’re right.

#13. Stop being ungrateful 

No matter how good or bad you have it, wake up each day thankful for your life.  Someone somewhere else is desperately fighting for theirs.  Instead of thinking about what you’re missing, try thinking about what you have that everyone else is missing.

#12. Stop acting like everything is fine. (If it isn't, then it's not) 

It’s okay to fall apart for a little while.  You don’t always have to pretend to be strong, and there is no need to constantly prove that everything is going well.  You shouldn’t be concerned with what other people are thinking either – cry if you need to – it’s healthy to shed your tears.  The sooner you do, the sooner you will be able to smile again.

#11. Stop overlooking the beauty of small moments (you might never have them again) 

Enjoy the little things, because one day you may look back and discover they were the big things.  The best portion of your life will be the small, nameless moments you spend smiling with someone who matters to you.

#10. Stop letting others bring you down to their level 

Refuse to lower your standards to accommodate those who refuse to raise theirs.

#9. Stop complaining and feeling sorry for yourself, but even more important - stop blaming others for your troubles 

 

Life’s curveballs are thrown for a reason – to shift your path in a direction that is meant for you.  

You may not see or understand everything the moment it happens, and it may be tough.  But reflect back on those negative curveballs thrown at you in the past.  You’ll often see that eventually they led you to a better place, person, state of mind, or situation.  

So smile!  Let everyone know that today you are a lot stronger than you were yesterday, and you will be. The extent to which you can achieve your dreams depends on the extent to which you take responsibility for your life.  

When you blame others for what you’re going through, you deny responsibility – you give others power over that part of your life

#8. Stop getting involved in relationships for the wrong reasons 

Relationships must be chosen wisely.  It’s better to be alone than to be in bad company.  There’s no need to rush.  If something is meant to be, it will happen – in the right time, with the right person, and for the best reason. Fall in love when you’re ready, not when you’re lonely.

#7. Stop trying to hold on to the past ( leave it where it belongs... in the past) stop berating yourself for old mistakes and most importantly... stop being scared to make a new mistake. 

You can’t start the next chapter of your life if you keep re-reading your last one.

We all make mistakes, have struggles, and even regret things in our past.  But you are not your mistakes, you are not your struggles, and you are here NOW with the power to shape your day and your future. 

Doing something and getting it wrong is at least ten times more productive than doing nothing. 

Every success has a trail of failures behind it, and every failure is leading towards success.  You end up regretting the things you did NOT do far more than the things you did.

#6. Stop trying to be someone you're not 

One of the greatest challenges in life is being yourself in a world that’s trying to make you like everyone else.  Someone will always be prettier, someone will always be smarter, someone will always be younger, but they will never be you.  Don’t change so people will like you.  Be yourself and the right people will love the real you.

#5.Stop exclusively looking to others for happiness

 

If you’re not happy with who you are on the inside, you won’t be happy in a long-term relationship with anyone else either.  You have to create stability in your own life first before you can share it with someone else.

 

#4. Stop putting your own needs on the back burner

 

The most painful thing is losing yourself in the process of loving someone too much, and forgetting that you are special too.  Yes, help others; but help yourself too.  If there was ever a moment to follow your passion and do something that matters to you, that moment is now.

 

#3. Stop lying to yourself 

You can lie to anyone else in the world, but you can’t lie to yourself.  Our lives improve only when we take chances, and the first and most difficult chance we can take is to be honest with ourselves.

#2. Stop running from your problems

 

Face them head on.  No, it won’t be easy.  There is no person in the world capable of flawlessly handling every punch thrown at them.  We aren’t supposed to be able to instantly solve problems.  That’s not how we’re made.  In fact, we’re made to get upset, sad, hurt, stumble and fall.  Because that’s the whole purpose of living – to face problems, learn, adapt, and solve them over the course of time.  This is what ultimately molds us into the person we become.

#1. Stop spending time with the wrong people 

Life is too short to spend time with people who suck the happiness out of you.  If someone wants you in their life, they’ll make room for you.  You shouldn't have to fight for a spot.  Never, ever insist yourself to someone who continuously overlooks your worth.  And remember, it’s not the people that stand by your side when you’re at your best, but the ones who stand beside you when you’re at your worst that are your true friends.

HELLO AGAIN

Good morning,

Have you missed me?

I sure have missed you.

Does anyone remember the old movie "Hello Dolly" with Barbra Streisand and Louie Armstrong?
That's exactly how I feel, and I have no plans of leaving again... SO YOUR STUCK WITH ME.
Lol, just kidding, but you get the idea right?

When I planned this great come back, all in my head mind you I had plans to do some thing grandiose, something spectacular, something... well... lets just say... I'm going to take it one day at a time but you can be sure that any news related article as usual will be properly researched and verifiable.

I'm on the hunt for Advertisers so if any one of you, my wonderful readers can point me in the right direction I will be most grateful.

Don't go away now, great things are in store.

The office of the first lady

A lot has been said about the illegality of the office of first lady and the abuse of power. In some publications, reference has been made to her involvement in the search of the “Chibok girls”, she has been termed meddlesome and a disruption of justice.

The fact that it is not written in the constitution does not make the office illegal.

The office of the Chief of Staff cannot be found in the Nigerian constitution either but this is an accepted norm.

The office of the first lady has been in contention since after independence with some school of thought believing that the office should be more of a social one, dedicated to hosting dignitaries and being a quiet decoration on the arm of the president.

But nullifying the power behind the man is tantamount to claiming the woman’s role beside her husband is useless. The duty of the first lady is to first and foremost be a wife.

A wife’s job, contrary to popular belief does not stop with cleaning the house, cooking the meals and looking after the children rather the wife serves as a back bone to her husband, his confidant and his sounding board for his issues. In the case where the wife has a good head over her shoulders and can think, she aids her husband in the running of the house hold, his businesses and SHE DOESN’T TAKE over but she supports.

Why should the case of the first lady of Nigeria be any different?

The First Lady is an International celebrity, she can and should leverage her title to serve as an advocate for social issues.

Looking back at history we see various first ladies leave their mark in the sands of time, acknowledged some of these marks are better served erased than remembered but those marks remain indelible. 

Every First Lady is different; she has a different set of ideals and manner of approach. Dame Patience Jonathan has proven to be first a mother and then a woman of peace. 

During the passing of bill of marriage to under age women, the media was bombarded with videos from Nollywood actors  complaining about her inaction in preventing the bill for child marriage. It was conveniently forgotten at the time that the first lady has no power over the senators and bills of legislature and cannot force them to take any stand that favours her

If I recall correctly the statement was

“Oh wait a minute, where is the first lady of Nigeria, Patience Jonathan? Why haven’t we heard your voice? You derive pleasure in lending your voice to issue that do not concern you but this issue is right under you and we expect to hear your voice because you are the mother of Nigeria…mother of the nation…If you do not stand up and put a stop to this madness, then I’m really sorry, it’s a shame!”

There was a huge consensus as the video went viral. 

Nigerians being a vocal set of people were in agreement therefore it is strange that when the same woman takes an active role in bringing back our children, the same people criticize her.

She has been quite vocal of her pain in the abduction of the girls, this shows that she is human. She broke down in tears when it was obvious that those who claimed to be stake holders in this affair showed a lackadaisical attitude when it came to the investigation of the series of unfortunate events, this shows that is a mother.

How many people can claim to (and believe me, I verified this) provide surgical care to 43 children with holes in their heart, work in collaborative partnership with governmental agencies on maternal and child health programs, reach out and offer a sense of validity to over 3000 persons living with HIV and AIDS, provide an opportunity for skill acquisitions of which to date, over 3000 Nigerian women have benefited of.

I can hear you say, so what? I’m sure she could afford it. And to that I ask you, how many other well to do Nigerians who can afford to be philanthropic, actually spend their own money, or take the time to raise the funds to better the lives of their fellow man? Yet these people are not criticized on every turn. Rather they are praised in hopes that bread crumbs may one day drop from their tables into the awaiting masses mouths.

Let us call a spade a spade.

Dame Patience Jonathan has always been an advocate for women and the girl child in general. 

Becoming the wife of the President did not mean that she would abandon her inherent beliefs and ideals or that she would change from the person she is. Rather she entered a position where lives can be positively affected by her actions and she utilizes it to the fullest of her abilities. 

No one should be prosecuted for caring.

INTERVIEW; RIVERS STATE SPEAKER SPITS FIRE!

The political turmoil in Rivers State took a different dimension, as the Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi pulled out with his supporters from Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to join All Progressives Congress, APC.

The Hon. Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Evans Bipi, spoke to some journalists about the political situation in Rivers State and some national salient issues.

Excerpts:

In your opinion, what necessitated the defection of the Governor to another party?

Nobody drove him away; he became power drunk, obsessed by the little money he had seen and decided to dance naked in the market square. So we have no other alternative, but to make the party unbearable for his maladministration, foul language usage and mannerisms.

We all know that Amaechi has been a mole in our midst before now; cross carpeting is good for democracy, especially only if the opposition is constructive and has an alternative idea. Amaechi’s exit from PDP has been long overdue; he had insulted elder statesmen of the party in Rivers, even at the national level, including his mentors who brought him to politics, believing that he would be given a plum job by the bunch of strange bed fellows whose only interest is to grab power at all costs for their bellies.

Show me one progressive in their midst?  Show me one progressive in Nigeria? They are all crying foul because the present administration of Goodluck Jonathan is not only focused but determined to change the destiny of Nigerians through various reconstructions within the economic spheres of our nation.

I am saddened and pained when people refer to Amaechi glowingly with regard to the development of Rivers State. Amaechi right from day one has not meant well for the Rivers people; he had harmed the people, starting from demolition of the waterfronts, to people’s houses and shops, and yet he is consistently buying the press over and feeding the public with propaganda. Can you call his actions achievements? Or is it the monorail you can call an achievement when it has no economic value to state?

With every sense of duty, Amaechi had done more harm than good! Rivers PDP was one of the strongest in the South-South before he became governor. But look at what he had succeeded in doing to the party that took him to a place he never imagined in his life-time. He has failed the people, polarized the people across ethnic, religious and geographic boundary lines, but we are ready to re-build the party to where it was before. His exit is a good riddance to bad rubbish.

Now that the governor had gone, how can you rate the party?

We are very strong at the grassroots and with leaders like the former governor of the state, Sir Peter Odili, elders, senior party faithful, stakeholders and the present Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike, the party is right back to recovering its lost glory. We are more than focused, united in our common goal and objectives and ready to face any splinter group, whose sole and only purpose is to castigate every policy and plan of government, including throwing stones at or name calling the President.

Amaechi and his ilk are so lucky that he is the most educated, forthright, God fearing and good natured person, Nigeria has ever had as a president. If not, by now all these rogues, criminals in government stealing the people’s wealth, would have been rotting in jail. Could they have tried this during the OBJ’s days?

Their only ideology is their stomach and the ‘I and my family’ slogan. None of them is a nationalist in approach, not to talk of ideals. Nigerians know them very well. They are no alternative to the PDP led government but a bandwagon of people who have pauperized their people for their own benefit and self-aggrandizement in their various leadership positions.

The governor said recently that the PDP has failed the nation. What is your opinion?

How has the PDP failed the nation? When people like them go about funding different groups to disrupt development and change the focus of government. We thank God that in spite of all their plans the government is focused and on the path to recovery from the security challenges which are not only peculiar to Nigeria but across the world. The present government is just two years in power and has done a lot for Nigerians in terms of agriculture, power, education, economy, among others. And if not because of the flurry of their planned and systematic distractions, by now the Jonathan administration will have taken Nigeria to Eldorado. But all is not lost, as the administration is daily working on some national issues to see how Nigeria can be better compared to what we inherited.

The governor insinuated that the Federal Government had never given him free hand to govern the state, how true is this assertion?

 I had said this before that the President has a lot to cope with at the national level and will not bog himself with small issues of Rivers State. Instead of blaming himself for not being able to govern a state successfully, he goes about looking for people to hang his ineptitude on. All the stories emanating from Rivers today, if the governor was mature, forthright and steadfast, the problems should have been all resolved by now. But because he does not have leadership qualities, he is busy governing Rivers on the pages of newspapers, and on television, and throwing stones at the President for his personal failures. Up till today, has the President said a word or replied to him? The answer is well known to all Nigerians.

Amaechi is the cause of all the problems confronting Rivers State; nobody has held him down, but he has held himself down due to his nonchalant attitude and disrespect for superior authorities, and his vituperations against the elders of the party both at state and national levels. Looking at the body language of Amaechi, do you think he is mature? The answer is capital NO! He does not have what it takes to be a leader. He had been weighed in the scale of governance and found wanting. He cannot give what he does not have.

The bomb blast at the courts was instigated by you according to the governor.

For Christ’s sake, I am still the Speaker of the House, and as a noble man from a good background. You do not expect me to behave in an uncivilized manner like Amaechi. I will never do such a thing, not to talk of contemplating doing it or sending people at my level to do it. It takes a minute to destroy but years to rebuild or build anything that is tangible, so how can I decide to bomb the court, my last hope, which is the conscience of the common man? The people should ask the governor because he is the Chief Security Officer of the state. He is the person orchestrating all you are seeing in Rivers State just to elicit sympathy and public support, all in a bid to achieve his selfish ambition and to satisfy his paymasters.

I want to say this for all to hear: how many governors do you see fighting with their Police Commissioners, and shouting everyday on the pages of papers? There must be definitely something wrong with Amaechi, that people should pause and take a second look at! You cannot see a single respected elder in the state behind him or supporting him because he is fighting a lost battle and cannot be trusted. Look at how my other colleagues hurriedly passed and assented to the budget behind closed doors. It was a sad day indeed for democracy; it is very unfortunate and undemocratic. The governor is treading on a path very alien to the state and I say it with all sense of purpose that he shall surely crash.

Knowing full well, what I intend to do next, they went bombing the court. On the day of the bombing, I was supposed to have been heard at the court. Then how can I stop myself from getting victory or how will I plan against myself? So it was Amaechi and co that bombed the courts to disallow me from getting a fair hearing and justice in my case.

Look, let me tell you – all the drama going on in Rivers State including the bombing, the melodrama acted by the Senator, about tear-gas or not, and everything you see today, is being orchestrated by Amaechi, all in a bid to paint the President in a bad light. The police in Rivers State do not use rubber bullets and I thank God you heard it from the Commissioner of Police himself. Magnus Abe is just acting a script written by the APC because he is being promised a governorship slot, all to drag the good name of the present administration into the mud. But they will certainly fail because the truth cannot be hidden for long.

Can you comment more on the passing of the budget in an office in Government House?

What a rape of democracy, trying to get legitimacy for fleecing the state funds, the budget approved by the house is null, void and illegal! You cannot pass a budget without the Speaker on seat. I am still the Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly; Nigerians can attest to that and the fact that it was conducted in a Kangaroo office in Government House shows you the desperation of Amaechi to fleece the people’s wealth at all costs. So whosoever has financial dealings with Amaechi as regards the budget is doing so at his/her own risk. The endorsement is a private arrangement and a grand gangsterism by Amaechi and his rubber stamp loyalists, who do not mean well for the people. Where have you seen that brazen act by any governor or President endorsing a budget outside the hallowed chambers of the State Assembly or National Assembly and without the presence of the Speaker? It is unacceptable, unlawful and inconsistent with the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It is ultra-vires, null and void and cannot be acceptable to Nigerians.

Where in the world have you ever seen a governor presenting a budget in his residence or office? It then means the President of a country can as well present a budget in the Presidential Villa. You can see people condemning it from far and wide and prominent lawyers and persons across the country have castigated the illegal approval in its entirety. But you can see how silent APC has become as regards this shameful act. Lai Mohammed and others known for always shouting nunc dimitis and crying foul, are now shamelessly silent. But because it concerns them, they have all kept quiet so as to continue to rip off Rivers people.

We will not accept it and whatever money that is spent out of this illegal budget will be returned by Amaechi and his co-travellers. You can see the mass exodus of commissioners from his cabinet. It shows that he is leading them to nowhere. The will of the people will prevail over Amaechi’s maladministration in Rivers State and he will be made to account for every kobo he spends in Rivers State.

Mark my word. We have decided to challenge him in the court of law. Amaechi has failed the people who elected him to power. He has exhibited his real melancholy to the people and he can do anything and everything to corner the funds meant for development of the state to his personal use and for cronies in APC.