International counter-terrorism experts’ meeting ends in Abuja
Member states must strengthen collaboration and properly coordinate their interventions to succeed in curbing terrorism in the sub-region, ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Brigadier General Mahamane Toure, has said.
Speaking in Abuja on Monday, 9 May, 2011 during the opening of a two-day consultative meeting of international experts to consider the Draft ECOWAS Counter-Terrorism Strategy and Implementation Plan; Brigadier General Toure said; “the region cannot afford to treat terrorism with indifference because it remains a critical challenge against the background of various incidents in Member States”.
Toure, who revealed that some Member States have signed and ratified existing international instruments on counter-terrorism, while others have enacted national legislation for domesticating such instruments for the prosecution and punishment of offenders; blamed terrorist activities in the region on complex factors related to political, economic, social and cultural issues exacerbated by widespread poverty and youth unemployment.
Brigadier General Toure added that ECOWAS Commission has also evolved various regional instruments with ‘robust framework and institutional capacity to assist Member States in their efforts to prevent and combat terrorism’ according to a press statement No. 62/2010 issued in Abuja on 9 May 2011.
“The challenge for the region is for Member States to coordinate their interventions and strengthen collaboration in the fight against the common threat” … “any success in our efforts to eliminate and prevent safe havens would require all Member States to be on the same wave length, particularly in the prohibition regimes and punishment of terrorism offences”, Toure stressed.
The consultative meeting ends today, Tuesday, May 10, 2011 at the ECOWAS Commission headquarters in Abuja.
Olusola installed African Renaissance Ambassador in Benin Republic, urges prayers for Ivory Coast
Chief Segun Olusola, Chairman of the African Refugees Foundation (AREF), is now also African Renaissance Ambassador. Chief Olusola was installed African Renaissance Ambassador in a remote settlement called Igbala Aiye in Benin Republic on Saturday, 15 January, 2011.
However, Ambassador Olusola’s decoration ceremony invoked both sadness and joy from the recipient; who said the regalia foisted on him would be ill-fitting, if he did not give voice to the fears that rankled in his mind.
Chief Olusola, who was Nigeria’s Ambassador to Ethiopia; in those dark days, when famine ravaged that Horn of Africa country; pointed out that by some coincidence, the date 15 January, Nigeria’s Armed Forces Remembrance Day, on which the honour of African Renaissance Ambassador was being conferred on him was an important one in Nigeria’s history; went on to express deep worries on the situation in Ivory Coast.
Ambassador Olusola observed that all the countries in West Africa faced grave burdens, if the crisis in the Ivory Coast took on a more explosive turn. The AREF chief, who expressed doubts about any West African nation’s capability or preparedness to cope with the consequences of war in Cote d’Ivoire called for fervent prayers to avert possible impending calamity starring the sub-region in the face.
According to this revered senior citizen, the best option in the circumstance was to pre-empt degeneration of the Ivoirian crisis into an all-out war because the consequences of such fratricide were potentially too grave. Reiterating his call for prayers for Ivory Coast, Ambassador Olusola said that having made public his thoughts and plea for prayers for the embattled West African country; he could then thank his hosts for the honour done him.
Chief Olusola, who is proprietor of Ajibulu Moniya Cultural Centre, had actually visited the site, where his installation took place at least twice in the past. Aside Ambassador Olusola, one other person, Hon. Francis X. Mihami, was also honoured on that day.
In a brief remark, after his decoration, Chief Mihami, a former Mayor of Cotonou’s 5th Department, lauded Ambassador Olusola’s call for prayers for Ivory Coast.
Recalling that the troubling crisis in Cote d’Ivoire, was fallout of an election; Mr. Mihami, an agricultural engineer, went on to pray to God to spare BeninRepublic, where general elections are due in March this year; from post-election conflicts.
Although the scene of the decoration, called Igbala Aiye (World Redemption) City, is currently little-known; the place could in the next few years morph into a most popular tourist attraction, if things go according to plan. As things stand, Igbala Aiye’s future as a prospective resort of choice is already primed by a few prospective heritage sites around which romantic myths have been spun.
The honour conferred on Chief Olusola and Hon. Mihami were part of a weeklong annual event organised by African Renaissance. Africa Renaissance is led by Vizir Olofindji Akande, who holds the title of Olofin II and Majeobaje of YorubaLand in BeninRepublic.
The event, which was flagged off with departure observances at the Palais des Congres in Cotonou on 15 January, climaxed with a grand closing ceremony on 22 January. The opening date was decidedly chosen as it marks the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, described by the organisers as The man of peace.
The first day of the annual fiesta featured a Humanism Feast in Akpotokou, where site of an underground village is located. Olofindji said the underground dwelling is as old as 450,000 years and is where “First inhabitants of our planet” or the builders of ancient Egypt emanated.
According to Olofindji, humans lived in the bowels of the earth in those ancient days. For safety concerns, humans rarely prowled the earth as we do nowadays; that, put simply, is how subterranean villages came to be, said Olofindji; who added that the University of Benin at Abomey-Calavi was aware of the site’s existence and had even sent scholars, including a professor of history, to investigate the claims.
However, it is doubtful that the 450,000 years age, ascribed to the yet unexplored underground village, has been scientifically authenticated. Nonetheless, Olofindji assured that scholars were at work on this project. He even mentioned the name of Dr. Catherine Acholonu, Presidential Adviser on Culture during the Chief Obasanjo Presidency, as one of the researchers that had visited the site.
BeninRepublic boasts a famous archaeologist in the person of Professor Obare Bagodo. Prof. Bagodo, lecturer at University of Benin in Abomey-Calavi, is an executive member of the West African Archaeologists Association (WAAA); and, if such a wonder as a 450,000-year underground village existed in BeninRepublic, he had to be aware of it.
Olofindji said Prof Bagodo was aware; but, when it came to the issue of whether a telescopic probe was ever distended into the earth for insights into what lay beneath; he explained that in due course all of these and more would come to pass.
The other Akpotokou wonder is The memorial of the repatriation of the souls of deported and enslaved African ancestors. In a nutshell, this site boasts a sepulchre of some sort; a white-painted cylindrical protrusion from the soil represents a mega-grave for the returned souls of peoples taken out as slave. Although their remains had earlier been buried elsewhere, African Renaissance had sent out functionaries to collect sand from 228 countries; and, these sands, which symbolize the remains of those departed ones, were reinterred at Akpotokou.
Vizir Olofindji, who said the tomb could not be opened for one to see its contents; added that the sands were not ordinary at all, and that those with effective eyes could see the spirits inherent in them before the reburial. Nigeria is listed as number 71 among the 228 lands and territories from which slave trading took place.
The organisers variously described Igbala Aiye as TheAfrican Promised Land, Headquarters of humanism, Centre of universal friendship and Origin of humanity et cetera. Ambassador Olusola had also submitted that “Igbala Aiye will eventually become a place of worship for all Yoruba-speaking peoples of the world. Every year, they will come together here to re-establish contact and to ensure that the memory is not erased”.
Both sites are located in Akpotokou, which stands roughly 32km from Ketou. Ketou is an aboriginal Adjache settlement and stands some 135km northeast of Cotonou. Many natives of Ketou were keen to inform one that their ancestor, Alaketou (Alaketu) was the first son of Oduduwa. Right or wrong; for us, the most important issue here is the fact that there is no argument as to their common ancestry with the Yoruba of Nigeria.
To get to Ketou; the wayfarer coming from Cotonou would travel through Seme-Podji, Porto Novo to Sakete, Pobe, which is home of an aerodrome; Onigbolo, which hosts a notable cement factory; Idjou (which is the same as Iju), Odometa (same as Three Streams in Yoruba) and Idigny et cetera.
Although the total length of motorway across BeninRepublic is little compared with Nigeria, the road network of the former is much better; even though the highways are simple two-lane affairs. Across BeninRepublic, the roads are not crater-infested as is taken for norm in Nigeria.
However, after travelling the relatively smooth avenue all the way to Ketou, a 12km bumpy ride down a dusty earth-road, which leads in and out of Akpotokou; is the classic anti-climax.
Although Ambassador Lawrence Akindele, Nigeria’s envoy to BeninRepublic, was unavoidably absent; he was represented by Mr. Yusuf Abdul-Rauf, Head of Chancery. The head of chancery was accompanied on that assignment by two other embassy staffers; Mrs. Esther Umoh and Mrs. Akinola Abiodun. Mrs. Umoh served as translator for the Nigerian embassy delegation.
Around 9.10am, there was a brief stopover in Porto Novo, the official capital city of BeninRepublic. Although most people mistake Cotonou for capital of Republic of Benin, this country’s capital is still Porto Novo; even though the seat of virtually every organ of government has been replicated in Cotonou. Nonetheless, it is worth noting that the construction of a new National Assembly complex in Porto Novo is nearing completion.
We berthed at the old National Assembly premises located opposite a cenotaph near the Haute Cour du Justice (High Court of Justice) during our stopover. A member of BeninRepublic’s Parliament, Hon. Fikara Sacca, who was on hand to receive the entourage; was briefed by Olofindji Akande as to the purpose of the visit.
The head of chancery at the Nigerian Embassy, who stood in for the Nigerian ambassador; also gave a brief address after which he passed on a donation of CFA 100,000 from the mission to the organisers of the Caravan.
During his remark, Mr. Abdul-Rauf said the token was more important in its symbolism as identification with the objective of the exercise, which aims at promotion of African culture and global peace. The Nigerian mission, through the ambassador’s representative, went on to advise the organisers to explore the possibility of collaborating with the local Nigeria House in subsequent years.
After the exchange of pleasantries and the presentation of the gift from the Nigerian embassy, Hon. Sacca and others appended their signatures on the travelling banner; and, by 9.45am, we were through at the Benin National Assembly complex and were heading out of Porto Novo on our way to Ketou.
Around 12noon, there was another short break at Maire de Ketou (Ketu Local Government Secretariat); where our convoy waited, so that more tourists travelling in other vehicles could join us. In fact, some others had actually assembled there, so we could catch up with them. After resuming our journey from Ketou, by 12.57pm; we had since traversed Ofia and Igadji towns and were heading out of Idigny into Akpotokou, where we alighted around the site of the memorial for repatriated souls at 1.13pm.
We departed the memorial around 13.25pm and headed to the site of the underground village. By 1.42pm we were through at the site of the underground dwelling and finally got to Igbala Aiye at 1.45pm. At 4.50pm the day’s ceremonies, which included delicious meals at Igbala Aiye’s conference centre, were over; and, less than 10 minutes after departure from Igbala Aiye, we sighted the memorial site in Akpotokou on our way out. Around 6.10pm we were traversing OnigboloTown and by 6.30pm had passed Pobe on the way toward Porto Novo.
The organisers deservedly got glowing tributes from Mr. Gregoire C. Glowe, Coordinator of Coalition of Civil Societies in Cotonou; among others. The Caravan tour featured numerous other participants/observers, including; Mr. Sikiru Sule, Counsellor at Consul-General of Benin Republic in Lagos; Fr. Yves Richard, a Jesuit Priest working in BeninRepublic since 1986; his brother, Mr. Claude Richard; and, Claude’s wife, Mrs. Anne-Marie Richard; Mr. Marck-Desire Alocheou; and Mr. Loukmon Bakary. Gbedan Mathias, Mayor of Seme Podji; Croix Rouge (Red Cross), Francois Houessou, are among others, who signed the Caravan Banner.
As to how to rationalize the involvement of Reverend Father Yves in an event that some could put down to pagan exercise, this is what the Catholic cleric had to say: “I am here with the knowledge of my archbishop. Vizir Olofindji had visited my archbishop since last October to explain the aim of this programme to him. Interestingly, our mission had a similar programme to promote peace before, during and after the forthcoming elections. So, seeing that this programme aims at the same goal of peace, I am here as representative of my archbishop”.
For us, Igbala Aiye symbolizes tolerance, and by extrapolation, peace. Here, people of every race, tribe and creed enjoyed several hours shrouded in harmony, tranquillity and reason.
Truly, as Ambassador Olusola did forecast; if properly managed, Igbala Aiye could easily evolve into a destination for pilgrimage by those interested in archaeology, religions and tourism generally.
By MAURICE ARCHIBONG
PS: This piece, originally published in Daily Sun on 20 January, 2011; has been reproduced by popular demand.
‘God made Jonathan President, he should treat all Nigerians equally’
Secumus seramus clarutus, which roughly translated; means that tears do not make us blind or we can still see, while crying; is one of the countless adages spawned by the ancient Romans. As the Yoruba version goes; T’aban su’kun aan ri’ran.
After traversing several West African countries gathering the views of numerous Nigerians about the election of President Goodluck Jonathan; the summary of our harvest is reminiscent of the above muse: caution tempers the euphoria sparked by Dr. Goodluck Jonathan’s electoral triumph.
In deed, as one respondent put it: “President Jonathan has four years of hard work ahead”. This man could hardly be more right; for, Nigeria needs radical transformation after almost 40 years of stagnation with regard to development and nation-building.
Ideato North, Imo State-born Chief Ukachukwu Ozokwere Ezenwata is Chief of Igbo Community in Togo. Chief Ezenwata was officially elected Igbo Chief, Togo; in 2000. Speaking with mauricearchibongtravels inside his office in the Togolese capital, Lome; on his impression of the recently concluded general elections in Nigeria; Chief Ezenwata said: “The last presidential election in Nigeria is the first time since June 12, 1993; when we had a very good, peaceful and transparent election in our country. In fact, this recent election brought us joy as Nigerians”.
This chief observed that until the 2011 polls in Nigeria, everybody across ECOWAS held up Ghana as a model: “But, after the latest ballots in our country, a lot of people; not only in West Africa but across the world; now respect Nigeria, too. At some point, it was thought that we would have to call on former colonial master, Britain, to come and conduct election for us; but, we have shown the world that we can do it ourselves. We are really happy as Nigerians, and we have cause to be”.
As we had pointed out in an earlier piece, there are examples across the world, where the election of a leader elicits much joy; but, after the euphoria; that ruler eventually loses popularity over failure to arrest the suffering of his people. What was Chief Ezenwata’s take on this: what should President Jonathan do, in order not to disappoint his nation?
“Our president should not deceive the people: he should stick to his electoral promises. He should invest more on infrastructure, education and health. These three sectors are the most important because they touch the lives of ordinary Nigerians on daily basis”.
Does the government of Togo, where Chief Ezenwata has been resident for 35 years consider the three sectors he just listed as priority? Hear him: “As a matter of fact, no government should joke with these things. Take electricity for instance; we don’t have power failure in Togo. In this country, it is abnormal to have power failure; sadly, power failure seems to be the norm in Nigeria. I hope with our new president, things will fall into shape in Nigeria”.
After our chat with Chief Ezenwata, we had travelled to Kpalime Town, which lies some two hours north of Lome to engage Alhaji Idrissou Gbadamosi, President of Nigerian Community in Togo since 2000 on similar grounds.
Speaking with us in flawless Yoruba, even though he has been resident in Togo for 30 years; this is what Ejigbo, Osun State-born Alhaji Gbadamosi had to say regarding the latest general election in Nigeria: “We are very happy with the result: the outcome was expected because all of us wanted Goodluck Jonathan as President of Nigeria. We thank God that He answered our prayer for Jonathan to be elected president”.
On what President Jonathan should do, to get Nigeria back on its feet; this is what the President of Nigerian community, Togo had to say: “We do not suffer from blackouts in Togo; so, I want him to solve Nigeria’s electricity problem urgently, and once and for all. It is shameful that Nigerians, with all our oil and gas, should suffer epileptic power supply. In fact, this is a measure of the kind of governance Nigerians have been having over the years. But, yesterday is gone and we are now thinking of tomorrow: we thank God for Jonathan’s election as our president, and hope that he will bring an end to electricity crisis, which is a big shame on Nigeria”.
Aside electricity, Alhaji Gbadamosi observed that urgent provision of pipe-borne water is also necessary. “In my state, Osun; and, everywhere else across Nigeria; power and water are scarce. Industry should not rely on electricity generators because a lot of money is usually spent on diesel oil: this drives up the cost of production and ultimately the price of manufactured goods. This means that we cannot compete in the open market, leading to closure of industry and loss of jobs. So, President Jonathan should arrest epileptic electricity urgently”.
Next, we turned to Alhaji Mohammadu Mounirou Garba Nakura. Alhaji Mounirou Nakura, who is Vice President of Nigerian Community, Benin Republic as well as Leader of Nigerian Hausas in that country; said of the elction of Goodluck Jonathan as President of Nigeria after the 16 April election: “The elction is the work of Allah. I advise President Jonathan to see all Nigerians as one. Only God gave him victory; and, all of Nigeria is for him. So, he should treat every Nigerian fairly. I know we had small problems here and there after the results were announced; but, it was a credible election as rightly observed by the African Union (AU), European Union (EU), ECOWAS et cetera”.
As to what President Jonathan should do, to justify the faith reposed in him; Alhaji Nakura, who hails from Dukawa in Kano Municpal area; advised: “Our president should address the issue of electricity, security, water and education urgently. With good security and uninterrupted power, many investors would come to Nigeria and establish industries and factories, which will boost the economy and provide jobs”. Speaking further, Alhaji Mounirou, who has been resident in Benin Republic for 25 years; reckoned that, where President Jonathan was able to address the areas mentioned above, crime rate will naturally drop.
Through Mounirou Nakura, we were privileged to meet Alhaji Ibrahim from Kwulkwul, Kano State. Our joy was boundless, when the reverred senior citizen, who is 106 years old; stretched out his hand to shake us.
According to Nakura, Alhaji Ibrahim relocated to Cotonou, Benin Republic some 70 years ago. After seven decades in Benin’s economic capital, where Alhaji Ibrahim, who is married to an Hajiya from Ilorin; has made good as an extraordinary entrepreneur, a descendant of the grand elder had gone to Kano and built a tidy appartment preparatory to the return of Alhaji Ibrahim to his root.
Interestingly, after a few days in Kano; Baba seemed to have had enough of Nigeria. Kano was one of few states, where morbid violence trailed the last presidential election and Baba Ibrahim’s brief stay upon homecoming coincided with that mayhem.
Quietly, the reverred old man had made his way back to Cotonou around 23 April, 2011. After settling down on his return to Benin Republic, he had sent word of his return to Cotonou to Alhaji Nakura, who is maternal grandson to one of Alhaji Ibrahim’s cousins. That, in a nutshell; is how we followed Alhaji Nakura to Pa Ibrahim’s residence, which is vicinal to Cotonou’s Zango neighbourhood.
In the course of our latest West African survey, mauricearchibongtravels also spoke with Chief Ebuka Onunkwo, Benin Republic Igbo Leader. As regards his views on the last general elections in Nigeria, the choice of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan as President and what the president should do toward ameliorating the plight of Nigerians; this is what Chief Onunkwo aka Odozi-obodo I had to say: “The latest general elections in Nigeria can be described in one word; successful. Every honest Nigerian was impressed with INEC (Independent National Electoral Commission) and INEC Chairman Prof Attahiru Jega’s efforts. Now, with the election of Dr. Jonathan as President, there is hope that our country will rise again. I believe in him and I believe there is the hand of God in what is happening in our country today. I also believe that since God has a hand in the election of President Jonathan, God will also guide him and help him to successfully pilot the affairs of Nigeria throughout his tenure”.
With regard to moves President Jonathan should make urgently; Chief Onunkwo opined: “Corruption and epileptic electricity supply are the first things President Jonathan should tackle. If he can take care of these, I believe so many other problems would be fixed. The president should also address the issue of killings in some parts of the country. There is the lingering issue of some tribes not being welcome in some parts of the country. If, we say we are One Nigeria, then we should be one in all things.
“We should not only be one, when it comes to sharing oil money; we should be one in accepting all Nigerians as our brothers and sisters, irrespective of ethnic group or religion. This segregation is partly responsible for Nigeria’s lingering underdevelopment because Nigerians from some ethnic groups are wary of going to invest in certain areas. If the president can address this issue, it will foster national integration and unity”, Chief Onunkwo concluded.
Meet Funke Ifeta, sculptress, educator and museum curator
Funke Christiana Ifeta, Head of Department (HoD) of Creative Arts at Tai Solarin University of Education (Tasued) was President, Society of Nigerian Artists (SNA) from 1996 to 2001. To date, Mrs. Ifeta, who holds a PhD in Art History; is the only woman to have held that office in the over 40-year history of the SNA.
Ifeta succeeded another sculptor, Opku Eze (now of blessed memory), as SNA President; and, practically stabilized the artists’ body, which had been racked by dispute for years. It could also be recalled that during her tenure as SNA chief, SNA’s annual conference took place regularly.
Ifeta took her first degree from Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), where she bagged BA, First Class in Sculpture in 1978. She later taught at the College of Education, Ekiadolor, near Benin City before landing an appointment at The Polytechnic Ibadan, where she also rose to become HoD Fine and Applied Arts.
While teaching at The Polytechnic Ibadan, the lady concurrently pursued a Master of Art (MA) programme, which she completed successfully at the Institute of African Studies (IAS), University of Ibadan. At Tasued, Dr. Ifeta also doubles as Curator of the local CulturalHistoryMuseum.
She practically cut her teeth for that job in 1997, following a month-long sojourn in the United States, that took her to five cities; Washington DC, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, San Francisco and Los Angeles, both in California as well as Baltimore, Maryland. In each of these cities, Ifeta toured virtually all local museums as part of an International Visitors Leadership Program (IVLP), sponsored by the United States Information Service (USIS).
Museums as interpreters of Culture was the theme of that year’s IVLP, and participants were drawn from some 17 countries across the world. As to her impression of that exercise, Ifeta declared it was very “educative and revealing”.
Speaking further on the impact of that programme on her, Ifeta mused: “It opened my eyes to so many possibilities”. However, her recall: “It was a month-long trip, but it virtually covered a year’s work”, simply means that this lady has not forgotten the rather hectic pace of the tours’ schedules. Nonetheless, this “labour of love” prepared her for the job of Curator, Tasued’s CulturalHistoryMuseum, which she currently holds.
The Senate of Tasued gave positive nod for the establishment of that institution’s museum in August 2007; and, barely two months later; the repository was formally launched with an exhibition to coincide with the school’s accreditation in October 2007.
That premiere exposition featured artefacts produced by the college’s Creative Arts Department over the years. Interestingly, a second exhibition quickly followed for visitors from University of Colorado, US; who were at Tasued as part of a Linkage Program.
During our visit to Tasued, we met the third exhibition mounted by the local CulturalHistoryMuseum. The theme of the display revolved around the life and time of Prof Afolabi Olabitan, the founding Chairman of the Governing Council of Tai Solarin College of Education (TASCOE), which metamorphosed into Tasued.
The CulturalHistoryMuseum at Tasued is housed within the OGD Modern Library block; and, apart from temporary exhibitions; the museum also boasts an impressive permanent collection, which includes traditional Yoruba textile, religious items and even drawings of the human figure as well as a sculpture representing Esu, the devil.
After many years, we saw Dr. Ifeta again in November 2008 at TASUED during a conference on Review of the Visual and Creative Arts Curricula. The conference, which revolved around the theme Designing suitable creative arts curricula for Nigeria's development in the 21st century; featured many sub-themes, including Museum Education CurriculumCeramics Curriculum, Sculpture Curriculum, Photography Curriculum, Painting Curriculum, Textile Curriculum, Graphics Curriculum and Creative Arts Curriculum.
Dr Peju Olayiwola (University of Lagos), Dr Ken Okoli (Ahmadu Bello University), Dr Kunle Filani, Provost, Federal College of Education, Osiele, Abeokuta and Dr Barth Chukwuezi, Director, Planning and Training Services at the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), each presented a lead paper on Creative Arts, Sculpture, Primary and Secondary Schools Arts Curriculum and Museum Education respectively. Other lead papers came from Prof Rom Kalilu of Ladoke Akintola University, Ogbomoso (Painting), Prof PSO Aremu, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife (Textiles), Mr. John Amifor, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka (Graphics and Photography) and Mr. Clement Emoda of the Federal Polytechnic Auchi (Ceramics).
Interestingly, the most telling revelations came from the sub-theme; Primary and secondary schools art curricula, which hinted at a tendency to place the cart before the horse as regards art curriculum design in Nigeria. The participants came away with a unanimous view that all the efforts targeted at enhancing the study of art at the tertiary level would be tantamount to building a castle in the air, without a solid foundation at the formative stages of one's education: the primary and secondary schools.
Given the huge success that summit turned out to be, one had hoped there would be follow-ups; however, it is doubtful this vital next step took place. One can reasonably presume that want of funding is responsible; however, countless attempts to speak with Dr. Ifeta on phone proved fruitless.
