By Patrick Nkpan, reporting from Abuja

Following high rising cost of living, Nigerians began to observe rapid attitudinal and behavioral changes amongst the gender folks. The level worsened at the turn of the 90’s with widespread implications in daily human interactions. But the women folks were the most hit with many of them throwing caution to the winds.

Indiscipline became rife and though the churches did their best, very little could be done to salvage the downward trend. By the turn of the millennial period the mode of dressing especially amongst the women folk was a problem; though they call it “fashion”, a large section of the society viewed the changes with dismay.

However, all that is about to change with the arrival of Nse Isoni, a certified Internal Youth and Social Etiquette Consultant, who is well equipped to inspire the changes. Trained at the prestigious Minding Manners International Etiquette and Protocol Academy, London, Nse has continued to be a blessing to humanity in the area of social etiquette and appropriate social behavior. She has impacted so many in this largely ignored area and what a huge relief for humanity to have such an expert take this profound challenge to revive that circle.

Etiquette for those who don’t know is an integral part of existence and mastering the role can open great doors of opportunity. Nse,the 3dr child and first daughter of late Professor Abel Ekpo-Ufot and Mrs. Helen Ekpo-Ufot had cut her teeth at the University of Lagos Staff School, from where she proceeded to Federal Government Girls College, Ikot=Abasi and thereafter the University of Calabar and from there began to develop the passion for this assignment. In December 6 and 7th, 2019, Nse had launched a life-changing seminar titled: “The Lady, her style, her health and her purpose” which held at the ENVOY Hotel, located the precinct of the American Embassy, in Abuja.

The seminar aimed to empower ladies through acceptable social etiquette in business relationship and generally acceptable manners that will enhance their feminism. The seminar was to promote the culture of politeness, manners and unspoken etiquette rules for women.

If this is true, then the days of revival amongst the women folks is here. What a delight it would be to see women jettison those factors that drew opprobrium in the past; truly, some of those vices may have been the result of the suffocating poverty that systematically enveloped the land which threw women in quandary; not a few had to find ways for “survival” by employing unacceptable manners including greed, avarice and indecent dressing.

Now, with the February seminar coming on the 24th, the question is: would Nse’s revolutionary drive be embraced? This is the support that she needs. Ideally, all hands should be on deck to help her pull through because this is the tonic needed for success in the coming decades. The seminar tagged “Understanding and Implementing the essentials traits, virtues and skillset of a high value woman for personal and professional success in the 21st century is apt.

Women should be equipped with the right virtues for success; they should be sheparded back to basics.

This passionate drive by Nse Isoni deserves all the applause especially for its goals and purpose. From Abuja, Nse plans to extend the seminar to Lagos, Port Harcourt, Akwa Ibom and lastly Abuja, for her, it has been seven years of exhilarating competence and awareness creation in this mostly ignored department.

Her mission is to catch especially the younger generation young; “I want to help people to become better, behave well in social gathering and dine properly”, she says. She observed that business people dine out regularly and often wants people who are confident and have the requisite skills to attend to them. “I give consideration to respect, kindness and gentleness and I like to teach people to be polite and imbibe acceptable manners in the society”, she explained.

According to her, the nation can be built in better ways if this spirit catches on. “if everybody is considerate, the environment will be a better place for us all; we won’t be where we are today”, she stressed. And truly, she is correct; there won’t be kidnappers, ritualists, bandits and all that jazz! Over to Nigerians; this is a glaring opportunity to succeed!