Dr. Kemdi Opara receives rave review for his book "The National Assembly Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

by | Dec 13, 2013 | News

The National Assembly Federal Republic of Nigeria, the first work by Page Publishing author, Kemdi Opara, received a rave first review this week. The review is posted below in its entirety:

REVIEWER: Professor Ike Azogu, MSc, PhD

I consider it a special honor and privilege to be called upon to review this new and exciting thought-provoking book written by one of the rising stars in Nigeria’s political firmament. The book titled: The National Assembly, Federal Republic of Nigeria: “What You Should Know and Why” is a treatise that has set out to identify the fundamental causes of the dysfunctional state of our nation’s governmental affairs and the disastrous consequences and setback to growth of true democracy, individual freedoms, and sustenable socioeconomic, political, and technological growth and development. It is clearly evident that there is considerable lack of awareness among the people of their rights and responsibilities in a democracy and the benefits derivable therefrom. The author, applying his professional skills as an educator and politician, has eloquently set out to accomplish this objective through this medium.
The book proffers ways to deepen Nigerian democracy through legislative approach. It also educates and informs the general public about their rights and responsibilities on ways to use legislation as a vital instrument to propel political proficiency, economic development, social stability and fight against corruption in Nigeria. The book challenges the various arms of government, the Presidency, the Legislative Houses (Federal and State), State Governance, political parties, the Judiciary, the populace and all stakeholders to push for these changes through the enactment, passage and implementation of enabling laws.

The author traces the history of constitutional development in Nigeria including that of the National Assembly since 1999. He describes the rudiments of a true democracy as good governance, fair and legitimate elections, justice, equity, accountability, transparency, responsible leadership, political education of the masses, efficient political institutions, respect for individual freedoms and the rule of law. It also affirms that a democratic environment creates an atmosphere where elections are free and fair. The National Assembly is the engine of our nation’s democratic governance. If it functions well, the democracy which is government of the people by the people and for the people will be achieved or realized. It draws from the constitution which provides the guidance for its legislative actions, management styles, policies, strategies and operational performance. The author also explains the meaning of oversight functions and how lawmakers as part of their oversight function should streamline credible monitoring processes, including establishing such laws to checkmate the excesses of the Presidency.

The author exhorts all political office holders and legislators at all levels to cultivate the spirit of good governance. It is important that they appreciate the fact that law making is a higher calling associated with great responsibility. They are required “to cultivate the spirit of visionary, courageous, selfless leadership and the will to restore the country to socio-economic, political and moral health. In addition they are each expected by the citizenry who voted them in to be quintessential statesmen who have the welfare of the people at heart and should work to make laws that will alleviate the deplorable living standard of the people”. The author also appealed to the lawmakers to produce leaders of the right quality and caliber to guide the affairs of the legislatures, adding that most lawmakers do not appreciate why they are elected to the National Assembly. He challenges the lawmakers to abide by spirit of statesmanship and minimize partisanship in all spheres of the system. They should build political will, which is needed to combat political corruption. The author further emphasized that the legislative system must foster personal integrity of legislators by enforcing codes of conduct for legislators-disclosure of assets, conflict of interest resolutions, campaign and political party finance, building transparency in wage levels and benefits, and ensuring that legislative immunity is not abused.

The book appeals to the National Assembly to address the common problems and challenges facing the nation and its future generations and advocates for a return to modesty and morality in a world that appears to be dominated by the excesses among the rich and the powerful. Problems such as youth unemployment, housing, urban-rural population drifts, inadequate and substandard health provisions, power sector reforms, educational systems which are in dire jeopardy as standards are fast fading with no one to the rescue, the monster of insecurity of lives and property and the need to re-position the security agencies, just to mention a few, are plaguing the country and degrading the socioeconomic status and living standards of its citizenry. The great divide between the Leaders and the Populace must be bridged to enable a strengthening of our democracy.

Poor Representation has denied the people the beneficial dividends of democracy. This is attributable to lack of awareness among the electorate to the necessity for electing the right candidates who would adequately represent their interests and make laws that will advance the value of democracy. The need to protect the voting rights of citizens was stressed and examples where one vote could make a difference in the welfare of a nation were used to illustrate the fact that “We the people can govern” if only we take our voting power seriously. To promote the growth of true democracy in Nigeria, the people should show greater involvement in the selection of their leaders by freely exercising their right to vote.

The book preaches the benefits of good governance based on veritable democratic principles and presents a message of new hope for good political environment which has eluded the country for so long. An appeal is made to all citizens including students in the Universities, Polytechnics, Colleges of Education and other educational institutions to digest the message and join forces to ensure the sprouting, nurturing, and sustenance of true democracy in Nigeria which is the only panacea for propelling the country into a new era of economic and social progress.

How Facebook Works For Authors

How Facebook Works For Authors

by | Oct 1, 2010 | Blog

The power of social media is undeniable. Whether you’re a business, celebrity, or individual looking to gain a foothold in your career, you need to make sure that your brand is visible. This post will examine how writers can use social media for self-promotion and its importance in the literary world. We’ll be looking at a few choice examples and offering actionable tips on how the average writer can harness this relatively new medium to their advantage.

Facebook and Twitter have taken over the world; today, everyone and their mother owns a smartphone, guaranteeing fast access to the internet and social media through the use of apps that come pre-installed. Authors are thought of as people who have their noses stuck to the grindstone, hard at work trying to pen something meaningful and groundbreaking. Most wouldn’t even think of mixing with the ‘unwashed masses’ on social media, given the fact that writers are more concerned with focusing on producing a great piece of literature. This has changed, and prominent authors are stepping into the social media limelight.

For instance, Booker Prize winning author Michael Ondaatje’s page was abuzz with information on his new book The Cat’s Table, weeks before his nomination. This is one author who is not afraid to get into the mix of things; he is known for actively interacting with his fans on a personal level, taking the time to answer questions posed by enthusiastic and loyal fans. If a Booker Prize nominee can do this, it follows that any author that seeks elevation and a boost to his book sales should follow in this writer’s footsteps. Through the use of a fan page, timely interaction will ensure that readers are kept engaged in the creative process, fostering a sense of community and book-club feeling, which will eventually boost a writer’s profile in social media.

Facebook isn’t just a spam dump. If you visit a famous artist’s page today (say Michael Jackson or Britney Spears), you’ll probably be bombarded by hundreds of spam comments on the walls of these celebrities. It’s hard to find something meaningful on these walls; in the same way gems aren’t found easily. However, Facebook helps when it comes to marketing products. In fact, one exciting aspect of this social media site is the fact that one can set up a virtual shop to sell products, such as eBooks. Facebook charges an individual a small fee to come up with a shopping service, complete with a secure checkout service that allows fans to buy these products. A great way of making this work would be to create a page that has shopping capabilities so that if a fan were ever to want to buy a book from an author, they would be offered the convenience of shopping without leaving the comfort of Facebook, and at the same time interacting with other literary enthusiasts, friends, and family.

Facebook interaction presents another interesting aspect that seeks to find out what readers really want. For instance, if a reader liked a page you created for one of your upcoming books, you’d be able to get a rare insight as to what this reader likes thanks to data offered by Facebook in terms of what this individual likes, their hobbies, and activities. This is information that is easily available to marketers who are able to examine the information contained in the profiles of fans. They can then create targeted posts that mirror what the readers prefer by examining data and creating a campaign that will produce a positive result and increase the likelihood of fans buying a particular book. Page post-targeting by age, gender, and likes is now available for marketers, which essentially is done to influence reader behavior.

Facebook allows a writer to establish a ‘base camp’ of sorts, where they will be able to post interesting tidbits on future projects. Additionally, this is a great place to share pages from your blogs and encourage a conversation that will grow exponentially. The premise of social media lies in the fact that people will share information in social circles, making concepts reach a larger audience in a short time. Repetition and broadcasting allow your fans to act as carriers who will influence their friends and market your work on your behalf, setting off a chain reaction that may even turn viral, leading to overnight success in some cases.

Social media is a good place to make that connection with your fan base from an authentic standpoint. For example, you could post a photo every second day that chronicles your creative journey as you pen your next book. Readers are said to have a photographic memory, and what better way to butter them up than giving them images that show them the behind-the-scenes on what it takes to come up with a great book. The video diary phenomenon is also available on Facebook, allowing you to come up with vlogs on a fortnightly basis, where you get to answer reader questions. At the end of the day, readers want to know the human being behind the books and will respond more positively to an author who is open and authentic and makes them feel that their input is appreciated.

Social media is a great place to build a name and market your books to a target demographic in a convenient and fast way, which eventually translates to increased book sales and name recognition on a wider level.