BusinessDay 04 Nov 2018

BDSUNDAY BUSINESS DAY

Only true federation will get the best out of Nigerians – Archbishop Adewale Martins

p. 38

Unity Bank’s unimpressive results cost investors N1.2 bn loss in 5 days p. 43

Rivers is beyond oil, we are safe for tourism, investments - Wike p. 44 ??

Sunday 04 November 2018 Market & Commodities Monitor Brent Oil

5yr Bond

$72.89

-0.01 15.30%

Gold

10yr Bond

$1,233.90

-0.01 15.64%

Cocoa

20yr Bond

$2,301.00

0.08 15.33%

Vol 1, No. 239 N300

FG vs Shi’ites:

Disturbing trend Analysts urge caution on both sides

inside We are building a powerful momentum for natinational rebirth and renaissance - Mailafia

Innocent Odoh, Abuja

N

igeria may be paving the way for a new wave of terrorism following what some experts have called “ill-advised and ill-motivated” crackdown on Shiite protesters demanding the release of their detained leader, Sheik Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, who is still being

held in detention by the President Muhammadu Buhari government despite court orders to release him.

El-Zakzaky, leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), a Shia minority group, and his wife were arrested and incarcerated on December 14, 2015 following the IMN clash with the army on December 12 and 13 in Zaria, Kaduna State, which reportedly left nearly 400 members of the sect dead. El-Zakzaky’s house

and mosques were destroyed by the army, and some reports said his four sons were also killed earlier in July of 2015 by the army.

Following this concatenation of events, which culminated in the ban on IMN by the Kaduna State Governor Nasir El’Rufai and the proffering of murder charges against El-Zakzaky, analysts amply raised the alarm on the imminent danger arising from the pos-

P. 3

p. 12-13

APC has upper hand in South-East and SouthSouth in 2019 – Akpabio P.14-15

L-R: Mitchell Elegbe, GMD/Founder, Interswitch Group; Prasanna Kumar Burri, group chief information officer, Dangote Group; Akin Banuso, country manager, Microsoft Nigeria, and Akeem Lawal, divisional chief executive officer, Payments Processing, Interswitch Group, at the launch of Interswitch Blockchain Service (Supply Chain Financing Module) in Lagos.

p. 21

The itinerant tailor: Changing face of ‘Obioma’ business in Lagos p. 32

Fresh controversy trails Buhari’s WAEC attestation certificate OWEDE AGBAJILEKE, Abuja

F

resh controversy has trailed the attestation certificate issued to President Mu-

hammadu Buhari by the West African Examination Council (WAEC).

While the main opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) described the develop-

ment as a tragicomedy, the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), accused the Council of manufacturing result for All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential can-

didate, Buhari and tampering with records to shield him from disqualification by the Independent National Electoral

p. 3

2 BDSUNDAY

C002D5556

Sunday 04 November 2018

IssueOfTheWeek Minimum wage, maximum crisis …As labour set for strike amid FG’s preemptive move JOSHUA BASSEY

W

hat started off on a friendly note in 2017 between the Federal Government and organised labour with the constitution of a 30man tripartite committee to negotiate and arrive at a new national minimum wage for workers in the country is turning a big fight.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, labour is commencing full blast nationwide strike from Tuesday, November 6, that may further jolt the already shaky Nigerian economy, as public and private offices including banks, insurance companies, airlines, commercial transport operators, filling stations may be forced to shut down their operations.

Although the minimum wage is mainly to the benefit of public sector workers, private sector unions including those in the oil gas, power, aviation, manufacturing and beverage, financial and banking have signed on to join the strike in solidarity with their colleagues in the public sector even as the three labour centres- Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and United Labour Congress (ULC) led respectively by Ayuba Wabba, Bobboi Kaigama and Joe Ajaero say there is no going back on N30,000 as new minimum wage.

Their demand runs contrary to the position of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) which rose from a meeting in Abuja insisting that state governments can only pay N22,500. On the other hand, Chris Ngige, minister of Labour and Employment, has hinted of N24,000 from the Federal Government. But organized labour is taking none of these, as they are insisting that the tripartite committee set up by the Federal Government had concluded its negotiation between October 4 and 5, 2018 and arrived at N30,000 and therefore labour is not entering into any fresh negotiation with the government.

The position of labour has been backed by the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) whose Director General, Segun Oshinowo, on Wednesday, issued a statement in which he confirmed that the tripartite agreement of which the members of the Organised Private Sector (OPS) were a part, actually concluded negotiation on N30,000 although this may not have been acceptable to the government.

Oshionowo, who took on

Ayuba Wabba

Muheeba Dankaka, the president of Kaduna Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), expressed NECA’s utter disappointment in the earlier statement by NACCIMA’s representative on the outcome of the works of the tripartite committee on the national minimum wage.

Dankaka had in a letter to Ama Pepple, chairperson of the tripartite committee on the new national minimum wage, dissociated NACCIMA from the position of the OPS. But Oshinowo said: “Muheeba Dankaka was indeed absent from the sitting of the tripartite committee on the 4th and 5th September, 2018 when conclusions were reached. How then could she have been part of the discussions that led to the agreement?

The NECA DG further said: “The OPS representatives had consulted among themselves and were in touch with their primary constituencies through the process of negotiation which culminated in the agreement of N30, 000.00 as the National Minimum Wage (NMW).”

Oshinowo added that “Dankaka’s letter to the committee chairperson smirks, not only of mischief, but of utter ignorance on many fundamental issues and processes of the NMW fixing mechanism”. He noted that “at no time did NACCIMA proposed a contrary figure to that of the entire OPS which includes NECA, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) and National Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (NASME), all through the works of the committee”.

Oshinowo regretted that NACCIMA, through its representative, Dankaka, had unwittingly allowed herself to undermine the solidarity of the OPS at a time like this when integrity, candour and credibility would go a long way in resolving the burning issue of the national minimum wage conundrum.

“The other arms of the OPS (NECA, MAN and NASME) are on the same page and undivided on this matter. The NMW committee has indeed concluded its works on September 5, 2018 on the note that it would only reconvene on a date to be given by the Presidency to submit its report to President Muhammadu Buhari. The committee at plenary had concluded on the note of recommending N30, 000 as the NMW, while noting the Federal Government’s position of N24, 000” Indeed, abour seems to be getting wider support for the minimum wage increase, as the National Association of the Nigerian Students (NANS) has pledged its support.

According to Danielson Bamidele, NANS President, who issued a statement in Abuja on Friday, “the disturbing issues of the moment ranging from arbitrary increase in tuition fees, lack of adequate attention to education and poor funding of education.

“Also, the near absence of student welfare on campuses or welfare facilities and schemes for students by various governments, insecurity and among others; and in all these, students are the worst casualties, directly or indirectly.”

Bamidele noted that under the alarming atmosphere, some governors have continued to arbitrarily increase the tuition fees of the state owned educational institutions.

According to him, students are tired of dropping out of school and neglect of the education sector.

He said that NANS was ready and set to join forces with the organised labour to rescue the dying workers, saying that reasonable and acceptable increment in workers’ wages was long overdue. “NAN wished to state clearly that this issue of N30, 000 minimum wage is a challenge and we therefore demand that government and the Private Sector should immediately accept the meager N30,000 as minimum wage.

“Throwing helpless Nigerians into untold hardship that will be occasioned by the impending strike is totally needless as negotiation has been concluded,” he said.

As things stand, labour pushing ahead for the strike as the NLC, ULC, TUC at their joint Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting at the Lagos Airport Hotel, Friday, said all arrangements have been concluded in collaboration with their civil society allies.

Wabba, NLC president, who read the communiqué of the meeting, advised affiliate members of the three centres to commence preparation to ensure the strike was effective.

Wabba said the members should be steadfast and dedicated to achieve their objective as workers would never receive improved welfare except through struggle. He also said that the ‘no work no pay’ rule by the government was wrong as it negates the labour law and international convention to which Nigeria was a signatory.

He urged private employers to cooperate with labour for the strike to be successful.

Joe Ajaero, ULC president, reiterated that labour would not hesitate to stop the strike if the government fulfilled its N30,000 minimum wage demand. Ajaero said that labour would continue to meet and negotiate with the government until midnight of the expiration of the strike.

He however, said that the labour body had not received any court injunction to stop the strike contrary to any report.

“We are not aware of any court injunction. We will not discuss it because it is speculative.

We advise that the minimum wage committee be allowed to submit its report,” Ajaero said.

Kaigama , TUC president, said the door of the organised labour remained open for discussion and advised that the report reached by the committee be submitted to President Muhammadu Buhari.

Meanwhile, the Federal Ministry of Labour has said negotiation on the issue resumes today despite an injunction of the National Industrial Court (NIC) restraining the organised labour from embarking on strike.

Chris Ngige, in a statement

by Samuel Olowokere, director of press in the ministry of labour and employment, said that the conciliation meeting involving labour and the OPS government scheduled for today (Sunday, November 4, 2018) at the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation by 6:00pm will still hold.

This will be followed, on Monday, November 5, 2018 at 11:00 a.m, by the meeting of the national tripartite minimum wage committee at the same venue.

Endorsement

L-R: Deputy Chairman, Coalition of Progressive Political Parties in Lagos State (CP3), Hon. Akinola Obadia; All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship Candidate in Lagos State, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu; Chairman of the Coalition, Otunba Aderemi Fatukasi; Deputy Governoship Candidate, Obafemi Hamzat; APC Leader in Lagos State, Cardinal James Omolaja Odunmbaku and former Chairman of People’s Democratic Party, Lagos State, Mohood Salvador, during the formal endorsement of Sanwo-Olu, by the 45 political parties under the umbrella of CP3 in Lagos State, yesterday.

Sunday 04 November 2018

C002D5556

BDSUNDAY 3

Cover FG vs Shi’ites: Danger looms sible mishandling of the looming crisis. Headlines like ‘New risks on Nigeria’s Shiite fault line’, ‘Shiites and the simmering religious crisis in Kaduna’, ‘Nigeria must not transform the Shiites into enemies’, ‘Shi’ite crisis: Nigeria is playing with fire’, ‘Nigeria’s treatment of Shia minority recalls that of Boko Haram’, ‘Intelligence firm cautions Nigeria on handling of Shiite crisis’, among others grabbed the front pages, both in traditional and online media.

“With the killings and destruction of the last few days, and especially in the absence of Zakzaky, the late Turi and other senior leaders, who have usually been nonviolent in terms of action, more radical elements could take over and lead the group toward a more violent path.

And as Boko Haram has amply demonstrated, a violent minority can bring great grief to the entire country,” Nnamdi Obasi, Crisis Group’s senior Nigeria analyst, warned on December 16, 2015.

“Now that security forces have arrested the visibly

injured Zakzaky, the government must ensure that its officials and agencies comply fully with the law with respect to his rights and welfare, as well as those of all IMN members under arrest. It must avoid a repeat of the 2009 blunder when the extrajudicial killing of Boko Haram’s leader Mohammed Yusuf in police custody tipped the group into a deadly insurgency,” Obasi said in a blogpost on Crisis Group’s website.

Since then, IMN members have held periodic protests in Abuja and other cities, which often ended in clashes with security agencies leading sometimes to heavy casualties.

The Shiites, especially their leader El-Zakzaky, are not new to controversy. ElZakzaky has been detained periodically even during the military era for what previous governments considered the unruly behaviour of his followers, especially during their processions.

During Shiite processions, roads are blocked for several

hours making these roads impassable for other users.

The authorities also see the Shiites as agents of the Iranian government’s unwieldy agenda to peddle its influence in Nigeria.

The recent crisis In the last weekend of October, Abuja, the nation’s capital, was enveloped in panic as the members of IMN besieged the city in bouts of protests that lasted three days to demand the release of El-Zakzaky.

On Sunday, October 28, the sect members intensified their protests and, this time, the security agencies allegedly responded with a significant use of force. As at the last count, over 15 people, mostly members of the sect, were killed while many others were injured or arrested.

The Shiites had spread the protests in different parts of Abuja and environs. Sunday’s disruptive protests started in Zuba and engulfed DeiDei, two suburbs of the FCT, and the soldiers stationed in those areas allegedly hit

Beatrice Joseph, coordinator, Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme, Adamawa State, (m); flanked by other officials, during the launch of ‘TraderMoni’ in Yola.

the protesters with bullets.

When the dust settled, about five of the sect members were cut down, while many others sustained injuries.

On Monday, October 29, the sect regrouped and took the protest to a different part of town, this time to the Keffi-Abuja Expressway. In this axis which probably has the highest number of those living outside the main city, soldiers at a checkpoint at a place called Kugbo, along the expressway, said they were attacked by the Shiites and so they opened fire, killing about 10 people, according to eyewitnesses. The area, notorious for its endless gridlock even in normal times, witnessed perhaps the worst gridlock in recent times as commuters spent hours on the road while thousands went home on foot.

Undaunted, the Shiite members again unleashed protests on Tuesday, October 30, even in a more daring fashion as they spilled in larger numbers into the streets of Maitama and Wuse 2, two highbrow places in the heart of the nation’s capital. Along Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, which hosts important government institutions such as the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC), the Nigerian Universities Commission (NUC), the prestigious Transcorp Hilton Hotel, among others, the police dispersed the Shiites with canisters of teargas.

In the pandemonium that ensued, residents and business owners ran for safety and businesses hurriedly closed for the day. The incensed Shiites thronged Adetokunbo Ademola Street in Wuse 2 and set ablaze a police vehicle. The policemen swooped on them yet again after several hours and put down the protest. Unconfirmed reports said that three people were killed in

the melee but the police had since denied killing anyone in Tuesday’s protest.

Briefing newsmen in Abuja on Tuesday, Bala Ciroma, Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, said 400 Shiite members have been arrested over the incident and will be arraigned in court. He said the sect members were out to attack security agencies and innocent citizens of the country.

Although the Federal Government has beefed up security around strategic places in Abuja, the threat of more protests had not subsided as at Friday, November 2. Sources told BDSUNDAY that the Shiites are getting set for another protest that will cripple activities in Abuja and environs.

Looming danger Majeed Dahiru, a security expert, told BDSUNDAY on Tuesday that the government must desist from persecuting the Shiites and warned that there is a high possibility that the Shiites can turn to terrorism.

“It is important to understand the underlining division between Shia and Sunni Islam, which dates back over one millennium. You must understand that the current wars ravaging the Middle East are nothing but a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran, two leading nations of Sunni and Shia Islam, respectively,” Dahiru said.

“The current stand-off is between the IMN, a Shia minority group, and the Sunni in a predominantly Sunni Muslim Nigeria. This can be described as a Shiite uprising in a predominantly Sunni Muslim country and the Nigerian state has visited grave injustice on the minority Shiite community,” he said.

Dahiru also warned that the way and manner the security forces have handled

the Shiite issue, by not obeying court order and using disproportionate force instead, has now resulted into uprising from an otherwise peaceful procession.

“When you single out a religious group in a country that actually yielded law and order to culture and religion and persecute them, it is this persecution that will lead to sympathy of regional power like Iran, which sees itself as a protector of Shi’ism. This may plunge Nigeria into a sectarian war on a larger scale than we have seen in Yemen and Iraq. It’s an issue that must be handled with care,” Dahiru said.

“The Nigerian state has failed to respect its own laws. Several court orders have been issued to release El-Zakzaky, yet he will not be released and when his members protest peacefully to draw the attention of the authorities, the government clamps down heavily on them. And the fact that they come back each time in more numbers shows you how determined they are. And if nothing is done to check this uprising, it might escalate.

When you close the door to peaceful negotiation and resolution of issues, you open the door for violent extremism and I pray we don’t get to that,” he said.

Another security expert who does not want his name in print said Nigeria faces grave danger if the Shiites are forced to pick up arms like the Boko Haram.

“It is almost certain that they will get backing from the foremost Shia country in the world, Iran, which will destabilize Nigeria. Iran has more advanced military technology than Nigeria and it also has heavy budget on security, so they can provide logistics to the Shiites when it becomes a matter of surContinued on Page 4

described the sudden release of the document few days to the commencement of the suit seeking to disqualify Buhari from the 2019 election as laughable, unbelievable and a desperate effort to mislead the court and shield the President from disqualification from participation in the 2019 general election.

The CUPP in a statement issued in Abuja by the National Spokesperson Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere called on WAEC to produce the official ledger and booklet containing the scores and records of names of

students of the Provincial Secondary School Katsina, in 1961 now called Government Secondary School.

He insisted that there is no evidence to show that the President participated in the 1961 exams.

“Let Nigerians be reminded that few days ago the opposition raised an alarm that there was ongoing move to tamper with the records of WAEC and pressure the leadership into manufacturing a result for President Buhari. Today’s action of WAEC have vindicated our earlier fears and confirmed our stand

that WAEC is now competing with Oluwole Market in manufacturing documents,” Spokesperson of the Coalition said.

The CUPP challenged WAEC to publicly display the original 1961 ledger and booklet containing the names of the 1961 candidates who sat for the exam from the Provincial Secondary School Kastina to back up their confirmation of result issued to President Buhari or apologise to Nigerians for attempting to mislead with the booklet and destroy the credibility of the examination body.

Fresh controversy trails...

Coninued from Page 1 Commission (INEC).

On Friday, WAEC Registrar, Iyi Uwadiae presented attestation and confirmation certificate to President Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

The President had come under criticism following his comments that his WAEC certificate was with the Military.

Reacting to the issuance of the attestation certificate to the President by WAEC, the National Publicity secretary of PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, lambasted the Presidency for trying

to mislead Nigerians to say that the President has a school certificate.

Ac c o r d i n g t h e P D P spokesperson: “It is a tragicomedy. We never expected Mr. President to dramatically come this low because you cannot have a certificate and be calling it an attestation.

“What are they attesting to? We stand by our position that Mr. President has no school certificate.

It’s simply a political certificate. We have said that the Buhari presidency and his handlers are always fretting at the mention of a

certificate.”

He wondered why the President did not use the attestation certificate in previous elections, even as he questioned the passport photograph attached to the document.

“You remember the procured Martin Luther Award presented to our president which later was discovered to be fake? This is a similar award, a procured. We are waiting for the story of its declaration as another procured document,” the statement added.

On its part, the Coalition of United Political Parties

4 BDSUNDAY

C002D5556

Sunday 04 November 2018

News

3,000 members dump ADC, join Alao-Akala’s camp in ADP Akinremi Feyisipo,Ibadan

T

he camp of the gubernatorial candidate of Action Democratic Party (ADP), Christopher Adebayo Alao-Akala got a boost at the weekend as scores of African Democratic Congress (ADC) members dumped the party and joined the former governor of the state.Alao-Akala, who was a member and governorship aspirant under the All Progressives Congress (APC), joined the ADP after he could not secure the broom party’s ticket in the state.

The former governor was among the 33 gubernatorial

aspirants in APC but withdrew and accused Governor Abiola Ajimobi of imposition.

Since, he secured the ticket of ADP, he had remained a force to reckon with in the race for the Agodi Government House in the 2019 election.

To this end, his platform has continued to swell with over 3,000 defecting to his party from ADC which is now enmeshed in crisis over who will fly the party’s flag for next year.

Among the defectors were market women, traders, artisans and youths led to the ADP by Khalil Mustapha, a State House of Assembly aspirant in Ibadan North Constituency 1.

INEC cries out: ‘473,476 voters may not vote in Edo in 2019’ IDRIS UMAR MOMOH

T

he Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says a total of 473,476 eligible voters may not participate in the 2019 general election if they failed to collect their Permanent Voters Card (PVC).

Emmanuel Alex Hart, Edo State, Resident Electoral Commissioner, gave the hint during interactive awareness and sensitisation meeting with political parties in BeninCity on Friday.

Hart said the integrative meeting was part of the commission’s resolve to have regular meeting with criti-

cal stakeholders towards achieving a more robust free, fair, credible and stable electoral culture in the country as the 2019 get closer.

He said out of the 1,992,856 million voters that registered in the state a total of 1,519,350million have collected PVCs while 473,467 are yet to collect theirs.

He said when he assumed office; there were over 700,000 uncollected PVCs in the state but that it has reduced to 473,467 at the moment.

“The total numbers of registered voters in the state stood at 1,992,856 while 1,519,350 PVCs have been collected in the state”, he said.

FG vs Shi’ites: Danger looms Continued from Page 3 vival. I urge the government to stop this highhandedness and, above all, obey the court order because there cannot be peace without justice,” the security expert said.

But an analyst, who pleaded anonymity, told BDSUNDAY yesterday that the Shiites may have attracted government’s angst on themselves by the way and manner they carry out their protests or processions. While agreeing that the Shiites, like every other Nigerian, have their constitutionally guaranteed freedom to practice their religion and carry out protest, the analysts said such expressions of freedom must be done within the confines of the law. Otherwise, he said, the full force of the law should be used on them.

The Iranian connection Iran, the world’s foremost Shia Muslim majority country, has never hidden its disgust against the persistent ill-treatment meted to Shia Muslims in Nigeria.

El-Zakzaky, many believe, has been the protégé of the Iranians in Nigeria, and that perhaps accounts for the fear of majority Sunni Muslims in Nigeria owing to the historical and bitter rivalry between the two Muslim sects around the world.

After the December 2015 heavy clampdown, the Iranian Foreign Ministry in Tehran summoned Nigeria’s charge d’affaires and demanded “the Nigerian government immediately shed light on the incidents, treat the injured, and compensate for damages”, the official IRNA news agency had reported.

It said Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif also called for “immediate and serious action to prevent violence” against Shiites in a telephone call to his Nigerian counterpart Geoffrey Onyeama. Iran has not officially reacted to the latest violence against the Shiites in Nigeria as at the time of writing this report.

(Additional reporting by CHUKS OLUIGBO)

Internal crisis in APC deepens as Oshiomhole bombs Okorocha, Amosun …Submits Uzodinma, Dapo’s names to INEC ...Zamfara has no candidates, APC to conduct fresh congresses in Rivers James Kwen, Abuja

A

dams Oshiomhole, national chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has described the outbursts of Governors Rochas Okorocha of Imo State and Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State against him as the ranting of defeated men.

Oshiomhole said the vexatious comments by Okorocha and Amosun were informed by his refusal to support them in subverting the people’s will and illegally replacing the winners of governorship primaries in Imo and Ogun with their handpicked candidates.

The APC Chairman who spoke with journalists in Abuja announced that following due process and in some cases court orders, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party has submitted the name of Hope Uzodinma as the governorship candidate of APC for Imo State and

Abiodum Dapo as the governorship candidate for Ogun State to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as against the Okorocha’s anointed candidate, Uche Nwosu and that of Amosun, Adekunle Akinlade.

Both Okorocha and Amosun who got wind of this development a day before the last day (Friday) for the submission of list of governorship candidates ran to President Muhammadu Buhari but to no avail and they took a swipe at Oshiomhole, accusing him of sabotaging the party.

But Oshiomhole dismissed the claims of both governors, saying Okorocha for instance was angry with him because of his refusal to aid him to turn Imo into Okorocha dynasty where his Son - in - law will be Governorship Candidate and himself will be Senatorial candidate.

The APC National Chairman said his crime against Amosun is his refusal to collaborate with him to become an emperor in Ogun State

where he pronounced Akinlade Governorship Candidate, himself Senatorial candidate and all candidates for the National and State House of Assembly.

He recalled that in Ogun State, trouble started when, “Amosun in his wisdom decided to introduce a third element which did not feature in the resolution of the NEC on primaries. He announced that Ogun state was going to adopt consensus and he proceeded to define what in his view constitute a consensus.

“And having defined it to mean the pronouncement of the governor, he went on to announce who according to him was a consensus candidate, one Akinlade as the next governor. He proceeded to announce another gentleman as the deputy governor.

“He went on to proclaim himself as the next senator and also said the current senator in his own zone, Sen. Tejuosho, would step aside so that he, Amosun, at the end of his tenure would

proceed o the senate. And according to him, this is consensus”.

In Imo State, Oshiomhole said: “What I am not able to do for governor Okorocha is to assist him with the instruments of APC even as that will bother on the abuse of power on my side assuming I have the powers to help him to create Rochas Okorocha Political Dynasty in Imo state which Rochas Okorocha will be the Senatorial candidate, his son in law, Uche Nwosu will be the APC governorship candidate.

“I do not have the power to help him create the political dynasty in Imo State. I am convinced and this is where my friends governors tend not to understand me. Between the known interest of the people of Imo State who had reposed confidence in us by voting us to power as they did in 2015, I will resist every pressure particularly the pressure to assist on my part to undermine the wishes of the good people of Imo State.

Why we summoned Ghanaian envoy - FG Innocent Odoh, Abuja

T

he Federal Government has said it summoned the High Commissioner of Ghana to Nigeria, Rashid

Bawa to explain reports about the continued refusal of the Ghanaian authorities to reopen about 400 shops belonging to Nigerians in Ghana, which had sparked protest by National Association of Nigerian Traders

(NANTS) and Nigerian Union of Traders Association Ghana (NUTAG).

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, who expressed government’s dismay over the treatment of Nigerian traders in that country, said:

L-R: Shawn Graham, former premier of the Province of New Brunswick, Canada; Isa Odidi, CEO, IntelliPharmaCeutics International, Ontario; Pascal Dozie, chairman, MTN Nigeria; Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi, chairman, MTN Foundation, and Wole Soyinka, Nobel Laureate, during a private reception in honour of Julie Payette, governor-general of Canada, at the Lagos State Waterways Authority’s Five Cowrie Creek Terminal in Lagos, recently.

“There had been some horror stories that we have been hearing and a case of suicide of Nigerian lady. And when this broke out the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ghana came here and we were assured that Nigerians were not the target and that efforts were being made to calm the situation.

“Again in New York, assurances were made by President Nana Akufo-Addo and we were shown the text that the shops that have been closed that belong to Nigerians would be reopened,” Onyeama however, expressed concern that there are conflicting reports on the reopening of Nigerian traders’ shops in Ghana, adding that a committee was being set up at a highest level in Nigeria to look into the matter and to look at how the government can respond to the situation.

“And, we said as part of understanding of what the situation is now, legally and factually to give this opportunity to brief us on the current situation,” he said.

According to him, “The Ghanaian envoy was invited to give the opportunity to brief us on current situation” on the closure of Nigerian businesses in that country.

Sunday 04 November 2018

C002D5556

BDSUNDAY 5

News NUC approves 14 new undergraduate courses for Anchor University, Lagos …As VC lists varsity’s exploits since inception SEYI JOHN SALAU

T

he National Universities Commission (NUC) has given approval for 14 new undergraduate courses for Anchor University, Lagos (AUL). With the approval, AUL can now admit new students into the newly approved programmes from this 2018/2019 academic session in addition to the existing 15 programmes it started with in February 2017.

This feat was disclosed by the University’s Vice Chancellor, Joseph Olasehinde Afolayan, a professor of Engineering, at a media briefing held at the AUL main campus, Ayobo, Lagos.

“As part of our determination to offer competitive courses that will attract more students, and deepen

our heritage as a University, Anchor University applied to the NUC to allow us float new undergraduate degree programmes. The effort started last year and it resulted in the visit of the NUC Resource Verification Teams to our campus at the beginning of this month,” said Afolayan.

According to the VC, the approval is not just a confirmation of Anchor University’s readiness to take the bull by the horns despite its young age; it is also a proof of the trust the system has in what the university is capable of doing.

“It is uncommon to have such a large number of new courses approved at once even for universities that have existed for decades,” Afolayan said.

According to the Vice Chancellor, at the moment the institution has the ca-

pacity to accommodate 2000 students, with capacity for 50 students per programmes. On the other hand, he revealed that 60 million textbooks and journals can be accessed on the university library online.

The newly approved programmes are B.Sc Information Technology; B.Sc Physics with Electronics; B.Sc Biotechnology; B.Sc Industrial Chemistry; B.Sc Geology; B.Sc Applied Geophysics; B.Sc International Relations and B.Sc Banking and Finance.

Others are B.A French; B.Sc [Ed.] Chemistry; B.Sc (Ed.) Biology; B.Sc (Ed.) Mathematics; B.Sc (Ed.) Physics; B.Sc (Ed.) Computer Science.

Anchor University started operations formally on 1 February 2017, with a vision focused on becoming one of the top five Universi-

L-R: Abimbola Olulesi, acting registrar; Prof. Joseph O. Afolayan, vice chancellor, Prof. Johnson Fatokun, dean, Faculty of Natural & Applied Sciences, during the briefing.

ties in Nigeria within the first ten years of operation.

The university training programmes are tailored to ensure AUL students are self reliant through entrepreneurial skills.

The VC, who also spoke on AUL’s exploits within a limited time since inception, said: “In the first few months after our inception, Anchor University presented students for Professional Examinations in Accounting.

It will interest you to know that we recorded about 95percent pass in the examination; and that was just about six months after we started. Since then, many of our students have continued to prove themselves in external examinations.”

According to him, “Anchor University also became an affiliate institution to the Joint Universities Preliminary Examinations Board (JUPEB), and we successfully graduated the first set of the programme early June 2018. Successful candidates in the programme are qualified for direct entry admission into Anchor University or any other universities.

“Less than one month ago, three of our students in the Computer Science Department completed an international training in ICT through a Scholarship offered by the New Horizons System Solutions. Without doubts, our students are being prepared to get out of the University and compete courageously and seamlessly with their colleagues from any part of the world.

We have no doubts about this.”

Nigeria’s Remi Dada, other designers to feature on this weekend’s CNN African Voices

N

igeria’s creative office designer, Remi Dada, will this week feature as special guest in the Globacom-sponsored magazine programme, African Voices, on CNN International. He will be joined by health recipe designer, Andrew Draper of South Africa, and handbag stylist, Abai Schulze.

The edition is dedicated to various forms of creative designs in architecture, food and luxury handbags and

will be aired at 3.30 a.m. and 1.30 p.m. on Saturday and at 11.30 a.m and 6.30 p.m. on Sunday. There will also be repeat broadcasts at 10.30 a.m. on Monday and at 4.30 a.m. on Tuesday.

The 32-year-old Dada is the Chief Executive Officer of SpaceFinish. He is a former Product Marketing Lead for Google and You Tube. An architect by profession, Dada has pursued his interest in technology and is inventing creative office spaces. He

holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Architectural Studies and MBA in Marketing from the University of IIIinois, Urbana-Champaign, and Howard University, both in the United States. His vision is “to create working spaces which blur the gap between Silicon Valley and Africa”.

Andrew Draper is a celebrity chef, who once cooked for South Africa’s former president, Nelson Mandela.

He is expected to share his culinary experience in in-

novative food, memorable events and fine dining on the programme. He will also talk about how he re-invented himself by designing health recipes tagged “Shrewd Food” and how he became a culinary legend before age 30.

On the other hand, Abai Schulze is an Ethiopian-born handbag designer who grew up in the United States. He is expected to talk to viewers about his passions for fashion and improving life in Ethiopia.

3,000 APC members join PDP in Ondo ahead of 2019 YOMI AYELESO, Akure

A

bout3,000members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State last Tuesday defected to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

Similarly, about 2,000 members of the newly formed Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) in the state have also decamped to the PDP. The event took place at the PDP secretariat in Idanre town in Idanre Local Government Area of the state.

The leader of the defectors from the APC, who is also the party leader in the Idanre Local Government, Lanre Olurakinse, said the APC in the state was being run like an occultic group.

He said he and other defectors decided to leave the APC because the party had

not made any meaningful impact on the lives of the people of the state.

“The APC lacks internal democracy, that is why they are factionalised. Since they came to power they have not integrated many members of the party, they are operating the party like an occultic group. We can’t stay in such a party any longer.

“Also, they have brought more hunger and hardship to the state; all the projects left by the previous administration had been abandoned.

The party has lost its popularity in the state. We have to look for a better alternative,” he said.

Welcoming the defectors to the party, the PDP chairman in the state, Clement Faboyede, who was represented by the PDP chairman in Idanre LGA, Bolu Ogunmolu, said the umbrella of the PDP was wide enough to accommodate more defectors.

Lagos INEC begins display of voter registers Iniobong Iwok

T

he Lagos State office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) would embark on the display of names of registered eligible voters in all the 8,465 Polling Units in the state from 6th-12th November 2018.

A statement by the Public Relations Officer of the commission, Femi Akinbiyi, stated that the aim of the display is to allow all eligible registered voters check and correct their personal details and other information supplied to INEC during registration.

The statement further stated that registered voters

who have complaints on supplied information should lodge their complaints with INEC staff at the registration area designated centres located within their area for appropriate attention.

The commission said it would also use the occasion to distribute Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) to those that registered in 2011, 2014 and those that registered during the last Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise from April 2017 to March 2018, at the Registration Area Centres (wards).

The statement enjoined Lagosians who registered between the above mentioned periods to make use of the opportunity to collect their cards.

Minimum wage: Industrial court bars workers from strike Felix Omohomhion, Abuja

T

he National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) in Abuja, Friday, restrained the organised labour from proceeding on the nationwide strike which is scheduled to commence on November 6 over the minimum wage dispute.

Delivering a ruling in an ex-parte application by Justice Kado Sanusi, the court restrained the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TLC) from going ahead with the proposed strike pending

the determination of the substantive suit filed by the Federal Government and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF).

Justice Sanusi also restrained the NLC, TUC and the Incorporated Trustees of the Nigerian Governors Forum listed as the first to the third defendants from taking steps capable of destroying the subject of the dispute.

In the ex-parte application, argued by the Solicitor General of the Federation (SGF), Dayo Apata, held that there is the likelihood of the strike having a devastating effect on the nation, the economy and the people.

6 BDSUNDAY

C002D5556

Sunday 04 November 2018

News Population Commission flag-off birth registration/media campaign in Calabar MIKE ABANG,Calabar

N

ational Population Commission (NPopC) in collaboration with the United Nations Children and Emergency Fund (UNICEF) has flagged-off 3-months Birth Registration/Media campaign in Calabar.

The key component of the event was to sensitise the parents on the need for obtaining birth certificates for their children during birth, for the most part, to inform the public about the significance of civic registration.

Declaring the event open, the Cross River State Deputy Governor Ivara Esu, who represented the governor, Ben Ayade at the occasion, said: “One of the major challenges of Nigeria’s development is dearth of statistical data in many sectors of the economy.”

He further stated that “With all the wonderful benefits accruable from birth registration, it is worrisome to receive reports that coverage of the exercise in the state is still hovering around 35percent, stressing that the poor performance of the state has been attributed to ignorance of Cross Riverians about birth registration, who have a very low knowledge base of the programme and

its benefits.”

The governor further commended the management of the Commission and other stakeholders for organising the event at the right time.

On his part, the Cross River State Director, National Population Commission, Bassey Eteng, said: “Birth Registration which is a major component of the Vital Registration system is beneficial to both the individual and the society.”

He added that “The civic registration programme provides the government with information on trends and patterns of fertility and mortality which can lead to policy interventions, data for plan-

ning in Education, Health, Social security, and for the provision of consumer goods and services.”

He also decried that Cross River State remains one of the states with coverage not rising above 35percent since the inception of the civil registration programme in 1992 and called on every parent residing in the state to use the current opportunity to visit the commission to obtain the birth certificates for their children, stressing that birth certificate for babies is always free.

The highlight of the event was the presentation of the free birth certificates to mothers who attended the programme by the Deputy Governor, Ivara Esu.

L-R: Martins Emeje, national chairman, Nigerian Association of Pharmacists in Academics NAPA; Bhushan Akshikar, managing director, GSK Nigeria Plc; Mohammed Budah, former president PSN, and Chinedum Peace Babalola, vice chancellor, Chrisland University at the 91st Annual Conference of PSN held in Ibadan Oyo State recently.

Deeper Life fights unemployment, trains 200 young graduates in Ogun RAZAQ AYINLA, Abeokuta

A

s part of efforts to fight unemp l oy m en t a n d alleviate acute poverty in Nigeria, a skills acquisition and vocational training arm of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry Young Professionals Forum (YPF) - has trained 200 young Nigerian graduates that include finalists, post graduate students and youth corps members in Ogun State.

The vocational training and skills acquisition programme, held at the Centre for Entrepreneurial Studies, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), is the second in the series, focusing on youth empowerment and

modern skills acquisition that cater for employability and suitability of the crop of graduates in the labour market.

Speaking at a session held recently in Abeokuta, Daniel Bamigbayan, President of the Forum, noted that Nigeria needed series of economic interventions which could offer solution to perennial problems of unemployment, poverty and economic downturn staring Nigerians in the face.

Bamigbayan stated that the increasing unemployment, unfavourable economy and poverty prompted William Kumuyi, the general superintendent of the church, to establish the Young Professionals Forum in order to ensure that young graduates and

youth corps members do not join league of job seekers but employment providers.

“Young Professionals Forum is set up to help young people to become people of influence and impact. It is an initiative of General Superintendent of Deeper Christian Life Bible Church, Pastor W. F. Kumuyi and as we speak, it is a self-funded organisation; we have a number of programmes like skills acquisition and the rest.

“What we are doing is to raise young people to be role models of excellence and godliness, we are trying to help young people to come out from where they are and position themselves for opportunity that lie ahead.

Edo APC women threaten to boycott 2019 poll IDRIS UMAR MOMOH, Benin

A

ggrieved women of the All Progressive Congress in Edo state on Friday attacked the national chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole for enshrining godfatherism in the party as noticed during the just concluded primaries elections to elect candidates for the 2019 general elections across the country.

The aggrieved women also threatened to boycott the 2019 general election over irregularities during the primary elections and non-inclusion of women as candidates of the party for various elective positions in the state.

In a press conference, the coordinator of the aggrieved women, Aisosa Amadasun noted that the party’s primaries were conducted without recourse to equity, justice and fair play.

“The bizarre manner with which the party primaries were conducted had not only enthroned godfatherism, but has also exposed it as a party of hawks, swallowing chickens as its prey.

“The crisis, which has enmeshed the party following the just-concluded primaries to choose candidates for State Houses of Assembly, Federal House of Representatives and Senate, could have been avoided if the party truly practices internal democracy.

“But impunity, subversion of the wishes and aspirations

of the people have remained the hallmark of APC, since the National Chairman of the party came on board.

The irregularities that have characterised APC primaries in various states across the nation is a danger signal for the party in 2019 general election,” she said.

She also explained that the level of impunity in the party has assumed a frightening dimension under the leadership of the national chairman.

Aisosa, added that the national chairman of the party who once pride himself as an apostle of positive change, and the curative medicine to godfatherism but has today introduced godfatherism, high-handedness, imposition of candidates which negates democratic principles.

The women lamented that out of the 24 candidates for the state House of Assembly, no woman was given a ticket, adding that the protest was as a result of the failure of the party leadership to resolve their grievances.

Amadasun said before the emergence of the current National Working Committee, the party granted waiver to women in terms of nomination form fee to encourage them in contesting political position.

“I want to inform you that 10 women from the three Senatoral Districts of the state were denied ticket by the national leadership of the party in spite of the sacrifice and huge resources committed into the project,” she said.

WHPI inaugurates 500-unit housing estate for women in Abuja Innocent Odoh, Abuja

A

s part of the efforts to empower and enhance the status of women in the rural communities, the Women Housing Plan Initiative,

Hajia Binta

(WHPI) has inaugurated a 500-unit housing estate in Zuba area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) enable women to have their houses in the nation’s capital.

The project tagged, ‘Unity Hills Residence: City within a City,’ consists of 500 units

of well layout plots sitting on 30 hectares of land with land use approval from the Federal Capital Development Authority.

Speaking during the ground breaking ceremony of the project, the Chairperson of WHPI, HajiaBinta Ibrahim, described the housing initiative for women as the first of its kind in the country.

Ibrahim pointed out that the subscribers would enjoy easy payment terms, stressing that the project was meant to complement the government efforts at providing housing for all by 2020 even as she called for support from the government, noting that her organization cannot achieve the feat without assistance.

She said, “The Women Housing Plan Initiative is a shelter initiative which has the primary objective of empowering women and families to enable them to own their own houses through easy terms financing.

Sunday 04 November 2018

C002D5556

BDSUNDAY 7

PhotoSplash

L-R: Priscilla Vande, Head Coach, University of Makurdi Tillers; Sola Fijabi, director, PACE Sports and Entertainment Marketing, and Bridget Oyefeso-Odusami, acting head of marketing and communication, Stanbic IBTC, at the press conference for the 2018 Higher Institutions Football League (HiFL) Finals in Lagos.

L-R: Ayodeji Adelopo, programme director, SOS Children’s Village, Lagos; Sherifat Akinwonmi, head of technology, GSK; Gboyega Fadowole-Aje, national fund development & communication coordinator, SOS Children’s Village, Nigeria, and Bhushan Akshikar, Managing Director, GSK, during the Orange Day Campaign at S.O.S Children village, Isolo Lagos.

Petty traders on a queue for activation, during the inauguration of TraderMoni at Termnus Market in Jos... recently.

L-R: Patrick Olowokere, corporate communications/brand public relations manager; Grace Udensi, public affairs manager, Lagos, both of Nigerian Breweries Plc; Efe Paul Azino, founder/director and Adesola Fakile, director, Visual Design and Technology, both of Lagos International Poetry Festival; during the opening ceremony of the Lagos International Poetry Festival held at Freedom Park, Broad Street, Lagos

L-R: Abiola Otukoya, mall manager; Dapo Oluwasusi, mall managing director; Abiodun Balogun, chairman, Leisure Mall; Emmanuel Isangediok, marketing manager, SPAR Nigeria; Hargovind Daliyat, retail operation head, SPAR Nigeria and Vasudevan K, executive director SPAR Nigeria, at the opening of the new SPAR outlet at Leisure Mall, Surulere, Lagos, recently.

L-R: Nicolle Richards, Origination Operations and Strategy Associate, Lendable; Yinka DavidWest, Academic Director and Senior Fellow, Information Systems, Lagos Business School; Daniel Goldfarb, Cofounder and CEO, Lendable and Sandra Locoh, Head of West Africa, Lendable at the Responsible Lending Workshop for Data Privacy and Data Security which was held at Four Points Hotel, Oniru Chieftaincy Estate, Victoria Island recently.

L-R: Dennis Okoro, Director, MTN Foundation and Ifedilichukwu Chibuike, winner at the Life in My City Art Festival in Enugu.

A cross section of petty traders being assisted for activation, during the inauguration of TraderMoni, at Abakpa Main Market, Ebonyi State.

8 BDSUNDAY

C002D5556

Sunday 04 November 2018

CRIME WATCH Alleged N13.3m fraud: Retired Ede poly lecturer, associate arraigned FELIX OMOHOMHION, Abuja

A 130 Shi’ite members dragged to court, freed on bail

T

Stories by FELIX OMOHOMHION he Nigerian Police Force Thursday slammed a fivecount charge on about 130 members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN).

They were arraigned before a Magistrate Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), sitting in Wuse 2 over an alleged breach of public peace.

The police said they were culpable of criminal act bordering on disturbance of public peace, rioting and constituting nuisance to other citizens.

They were however, admitted to bail in vario u s s u m s . Th e y w e r e granted bail in the sums ranging from N50,000 to N500,000.00 In the First Information Report (FIR), the defendants are being charged with joint act, joining or continuing in unlawful

assembly knowing it has been commanded to disperse, disturbance of public peace, rioting and causing hurt, an offence the police said is contrary to section 79, 104, 113, 106 and 242 of the Penal Code.

Ac c o r d i n g t o t h e charged sheet, the defendants were said to have been involved in riotous act, disturbing public peace and blocking vehicular movement in different parts of the FCT and its environs on the 30 October, 2018.

The police further alleged that the defendants who were gathered in large groups were ordered by the Assistant Commissioner of Police in Charge of Operation FCT Police Command, ACP Valentine Olumesi to disperse peacefully but that they refused and started throwing stones at the police officers and other members of the public thereby causing them bodily harm.

However, the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges. Musa Yusuf, Counsel to 20 of the defendants arraigned before Justice Lateef Abolaji of Court 17, subsequently moved their bail application.

Though counsel to the police,EdwinOchei,opposed the application, the trail judge, however, admitted the defendants to bail, stating that the offences allegedly committed were bailable.

He consequently admitted the defendants to bail in the sum of N50,000 each with a surety in like sum.

They were asked to depose to an affidavit to keep peace and be of good behaviour as part of the bail conditions.

Their sureties must also be residents of Abuja with verifiable office and residential addresses. In addition, they are to deposit either their national identity cards, drivers’ licence or international passport

with the court.

Justice Abolaji subsequently adjourned till December 5, 2018 for commencement of trial.

Another batch of 35, who were arraigned before Justice Njideka Duru of Court 11, were admitted to bail in the same sum of N50,000 each with 2 sureties in like sum.

However, while those arraigned before Justice Musa Jibo of Court 15 were admitted to bail in the sum of N200,000 each and two sureties in like sum, those arraigned before Justice Elizabeth Jones-Woni were granted bail in the sum of N500,000 each.

The Shi’ite protesters had besieged the FCT and environs in their thousands calling on the Federal government to free their leader, Sheik Ibrahim El-zakzaky, who alongside his wife are being held by the Federal Government since 2015.

folabi Olufemi, a former lecturer at the Federal Polytechnic Ede, Osun State and Bashiru Aremu, accused of embezzling N13.3million have been docked before Justice Wasiu Oladejo Akanbi of Osun State High Court 3, sitting in Osogbo.

They allegedly obtained the sum of N13.3million from Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) under the guise of running a doctorate degree in the United States of America (USA) but diverted the said sum to other personal purposes rather than what it was meant for.

Afolabi was said to have, while serving as Head of Accounting and Finance Department of the Polytechnic, around January 2014, “with the help of his associate, Bashiru, who claimed to be the African Representative of Adam Smith University, USA, allegedly obtained the sum of N13,328,000 (Thirteen Million, Three Hundred and Twenty Eight Thousand Naira Only) from TETFUND under the pretense of running a foreign doctorate degree programme.”

According to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), the prosecuting agency, Afolabi, who has since retired, diverted the money to his personal use and was therefore charged for “engaging in criminal conspiracy to confer corrupt advantage upon selves contrary to section 26 (1) (c) and punishable under section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000”.

Af o l a b i w a s a l s o charged for “obtaining money by false pretense - an offence that contravenes Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act 2004”.

Other offences allegedly committed by the accused persons under the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000 were “fraudulent receipt of property contrary to Section 13 and punishable under Section 68; knowingly furnishing false statement in respect of money received, an offence contrary to Section 16; intent to deceive the Principal, contrary to and punishable under Section 17 (1)(c) and making a statement which is false to a public officer, an offence contrary to Section 25 (1) (a) and punishable under Section 25 (1) (b).

The accused persons pleaded not guilty to all the charges, when read to them.

Their counsel, Olateju Kolawole and Oyewale Dauda, thereafter moved their bail applications which was not opposed by ICPC counsel, Sulaiman H. Abdulkareem and Kehinde Adetoye.

Justice Akanbi granted the bail applications to the accused persons in line with the terms of administrative bail earlier granted them by ICPC, with the condition that their sureties who were expected to be present in court must be civil servants not below Grade Level 15 and above, working within the jurisdiction of the court and they should also produce N5million each in like sum.

The trial was adjourned to December 10 for further hearing on the matter.

‘Dancing’ senator docked, released over alleged exam malpractices

S

enator Ademola Adeleke, the People’s Democratic Party’s candidate in the September 22, 2018 Osun State governorship election, was Wednesday granted bail on self recognition by a Federal High Court, Abuja.

Senator Adeleke, alongside his brother, Sikiru Adeleke and Aregbesola Mufutau, Principal, OjoAro Community Grammar School, Ojo-Aro Osun State, Gbadamosi Thomas Ojo, school registrar and Dare Samuel Olutope, a teacher in the school, were arraigned on a four-count charge of examination malpractices.

In the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/156/2018, the defendants were accused of fraudulently,

through personation, registering as students of OjoAro Community Grammar School, Ojo-Aro Osun State to enable them sit for the National Examination Council (NECO) examination of June/July 2017.

In the first count preferred against the defendants, the prosecution alleged that the five defendants “conspired to commit felony, to wit: examination malpractices, and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 10 of the Examination Malpractices Act Cap E15 LFN 2004”.

In count 2, the prosecution alleged that the three members of staff of the school acted in concert by aiding and abetting “the commission of examination malpractice by impersonation” when the alleged

“registered Senator Ademola Adeleke and Sikiru Adeleke” while knowing or having “reasons to believe that they are not students of the school”.

The alleged offence was said to be contrary to Sec-

tion 9(1) of the Examination Malpractices Act Cap E15 LFN 2004.

In count three, the two Adelekes were accused of acting in concert, and “personated as students of Ojo-Aro Community

Grammar School when you fraudulently registered as students of the school in the June/July, 2017 NECO”.

The offence is said to be contrary to Section 3(2) of the Examination Malpractices Act Cap E15 LFN 2004.

The fourth count accused the three members of staff of the school of “acting in concert” and while “saddled with the responsibilities of registering students of your school in the June/July 2017 NECO examination, breached that duty by registering Senator Ademola Adeleke and Sikiru Adeleke as students of your school in the June/ July 2017 NECO examination when you know or had reasons to believe that they are not students of the

school”.

Upon their arraignment yesterday by the Federal Government, through the Inspector General of Police, the defendants pleaded not guilty. After their arraignment, counsel to Senator Adeleke, Alex Izinyon (SAN), informed the court of a bail application dated and filed on the 12 October, 2018.

He informed the court that Senator Adeleke is currently enjoying administrative bail granted him by the police and has not violated bail term since, adding that Adeleke was a serving senator and would always appear in court to stand trial if granted bail.

The judge thereafter granted bail to Adeleke on self recognition, while the 2nd and 3rd defendants

10

C002D5556

Sunday 04 November 2018

NewsFeature NDDC CEO slot: Camps fight to finish in Rivers, Bayelsa IGNATIUS CHUKWU

N

sima Ekere, the managing director/CEO of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), has achieved his long-standing dream which is to pick a ticket to fight for the governorship of Akwa Ibom State. He has left very big political appointments including deputy governor and left the party of his youth, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), just to land the ticket. Now, he has picked the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the February 2019 election.

By this development, and by the provision of the Electoral Act, he must resign from his position MD/ CEO of the NDDC three months on the dot to election day. This resignation deadline is drawing fast, thus opening a window for the appointment of at least an acting CEO. The slot has narrowed to Rivers and Bayelsa States so far.

It filtered into Port Harcourt at the weekend that the man that stood for then Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi in the Rivers State House of Assembly few years ago and involved in the mace fight has been approved by the presidency merely waiting for signing off by the Secretary to the Federal Government (SFG) but this is said to be held up.

Sources said the in-fighting in the Presidency is one of the reasons for the failure to announce the name from Emuohua area of Rivers State, a strong APC fighter that has stood all manner of pressure from the rivals in the state. He is a trusted Amaechi loyalist. It was further gathered that some big wigs at the Federal Government felt they were not taking into confidence in the nomination and may have crossed their feet. Negotiations are said to be ongoing to free the name.

Another factor is said to be the

Nsima Ekere Bayelsa angle. A former governor of Bayelsa State is said to have nominated himself but this was said to have been rejected because the presidency did not allegedly seem disposed to former governors taking turns at the NDDC. The man is said to eye a return to the seat of power in his state and may want a big financial lift as the NDDC could easily be. He was said to have later nominated a person but the suspicion had already grown very huge.

This is said to have opened a window for former top official in the state whose nomination is said to enjoy support from some top persons in Abuja and Lagos who are said to be pushing at the presidency to drop Amaechi’s candidate and sign off the new name from Bayelsa. This is said to be the stage of the matter as the region waits for the final announcement by the SFG. The matter has reopened the issue of who should be accorded all the trappings of leader of the APC

in South-South, a position many had taken for granted for Amaechi when the APC was not popular in the oil region. Now, many have seen how Buhari seems to respect regional leaders of the party and they have all allegedly come out to drag the title. Now, names such as Timi Sylva from Bayelsa, Adams Oshiomhole from Edo and GoodwillAkpabio seem to want that recognition. Some say a senator was higher than minister and so should be considered as leader of the APC in the south-south. Many are said to feel that Amaechi was getting so much, having appointed so many persons into federal positions since 2015.

In the appointment of an NDDC CEO, competence is said to be the last on the minds of the appointers, though some groups have started calling for merit instead of political patronage as the basis for arriving at the choice of the CEO for the commission. For now, the consider-

ation may remain the ability of the appointee to shovel out huge sums of money to help fund elections.

The NDDC budgets an average of N300billion per year and almost all of this is for capital expenditure unlike in most states that devote more than 70 percent of their allocations to salaries. This is why most people argue that their sons running the Commission as CEO should not relinquish the position to jump to governor because it would be a loss of one to get another, whereas if they held on to it, another son would be governor, thereby bringing two positions equal in budgetary allocations to that of a governor. It would be like having two governors in one state.

This seems to be so since November 2016 when Akwa Ibom’s Nsima climbed to the 7th floor of the NDDC Tower in Port Harcourt.

He has pushed so much funds and projects to Akwa Ibom that most persons there wish he stayed on.

Their loss may be that of Rivers or Bayelsa. Some however, say the position of governor has huge allure plus the power to appoint and control many local councils and parastatals and affect the lives of men and women.

It is not clear if Nsima met his set target in the NDDC in the short time he has been there, or if he ever wanted to achieve it. He had set his goals thus: Regional Development/ Integration; Ecological management & Healthcare awareness; Stakeholder Engagement/work with Development Partners and NGOs; Human Capital Development/Foster Youth Engagement; Developing the Non-oil sector thereby attracting new industries.

He had said his success would be measured thus: “For each of the listed priorities, key performance indicators designed to motivate behaviours in our communities and create transparency on our performance will determine success.”

It is not clear if he has seen this indicator in the communities. Those assessing him however, would not be using these indicators but by how much he or any other NDDC boss would be able to fund campaigns.

In his farewell address to newsmen, if there would be any, he would be expected to list his successes along these targets. What is obvious is that the much-abandoned NDDC permanent building at Marine Base which he swore to deliver has not progressed any much. The plan by his predecessor to build permanent structures for the state offices instead of huge rents that are often inflated has hardly continued after the Port Harcourt model.

This, according to Nsima’s admirers, is not to say much has not been achieved, but expecting him to transform the Niger Delta in so short a time is unrealistic.

Naira rain for Port Harcourt fruit market fire disaster victims

…As Tonye Cole/Amaechi/APC-FG shell out N15m or N80,000 per victim …Gov Wike (PDP) promises N400,000 per victim, plus immediate rebuilding project …Winners Chapel (church) gives N150,000 to its members affected …Ken Chikere (PDP) sends 100 big umbrellas IGNATIUS CHUKWU & FAVOUR ICHEMATI

T

he highly regarded Fruit Garden Market in the Garden City which services the expatriate community, top hotels, rigs, and other elite groups in the Niger Delta, was consumed in a fire disaster in the evening of September 27, 2018.

Victims of the disaster have started heave a sigh of relief. This is because those who promised help when it happened have started living up to speed, showing that political leaders could sometimes be counted upon.

Now, bank alerts have started hitting the mobile telephone handsets of traumatised traders.

The name may be called Fruit Garden Market but it is actually a highly sophisticated market where canned food from Europe is sold.

And it is this particular section, not the fruit section actually, that got burnt. This could explain why some traders lost as much as N15million

each. The average loss was put at N2.5million.

The support is also coming along political party lines and religious lines. The first to send down help was Ken Chikere, the PDP House of Reps member from Port Harcourt, who donated 100 big umbrellas which are needed by traders to manage in the open air while awaiting the reconstruction of the market into a modern structure. This was highly appreciated, according to sources in the market.

The traders were said to have argued over sharing formula since it would not go round, until they struck to the balloting idea, after the exco members had taken theirs. Only those whose shops were burnt were listed for the balloting, it was gathered.

The next is Winners Chapel located next to the fruit Garden which listed their members affected in the disaster and shared out cash support to enable them re-start their lives. Some were said to receive s much as N150,000.

The governorship candidate

of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Tonye Cole, led a delegation including Victoria Nyeche of the Rivers State House of Assembly (now contesting for the Federal House of Reps) to the market on October 18, 2018, and offered N15million to the affected traders.

Cole was said to have urged the victims and all traders there to only look upon the APC for support and rebuilding of the market. The leaders were said to have asked the donors to share the money themselves to avoid acrimony or accusations of diversion. They then collected the names and bank accounts of the victims numbering over 200. Few days later, alerts began hitting their phones at a flat rate of N80,000 each.

The next day, according to the traders, GovNyesom Wike sent his Special Adviser on Special Projects, Dax George Kerley, to assure the traders of immediate action and bigger support. He assured that the contractors would be mobilised to site this very week.

He said the new Fruit and Vegetables Market would have four buildings (one storey each) and eight buildings (bungalow), designed to promote commercial activities.

Other facilities in the market would include: 232 Open Stalls, 72 Lock Up Shops, Toilet Blocks, car park, drainage, internal roads, a warehouse, generator, transformer, perimeter fence and a security house. The market that burnt down had 600 shops and the traders said the governor had promised an 800-shop market after reconstruction.

“Governor Wike approved the release of N400,000 compensation to each of the 213 traders operating inside the market,’ according to a press statement later issued after the visit. The governor also approved the release of N300,000 each to 200 other traders operating around the market.

The traders were given up to Wednesday, October 24, 2018, to vacate the site to allow construc-

tion work to begin and probably end in two and half months, according to promises from the government.

The traders are said to be in a fix as to where to stay and carry out the much-expected annual Christmas sale without going too far from the market. Their request to use the nearby Igboukwu Field has been rebuffed by youths who play football there.

The traders are said to appeal to the Mayor of Port Harcourt to intervene. Others have suggested that they approach the Winners Chapel to spare their car park for the three months. Yet, some groups within the traders union want to appeal to the governor to shift the construction to January 2019 to allow them carry out Christmas sales.

Others cautioned never to deter the governor but allow him deliver a modern Fruit Market now that the opportunity has come and the governor is most willing and the contractor may have been mobilised to start, to avoid future regret.

12 BDSUNDAY

C002D5556

Sunday 04 November 2018

Politics

We are building a powerful momentum for n Obadiah Mailafia, a former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and currently the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), in this interview with OWEDE AGBAJILEKE, speaks on his 2019 presidential ambition and the state of the nation. The renowned development economist, banker and political philosopher, says he is the best man for the job this time around. Excerpts:

M

ay we know what informed your decision to join the presidential race?

Thank you for asking. I have observed and prayerfully reflected on the direction this country is going, and I am alarmed by what I see. It has reached a point that demands that all men and women of honour must stand up and be counted. It occurred to me that my entire career had been a preparation for this mission. The direction our country is going right now can only culminate in disaster. There is despair everywhere. Lawlessness, criminality, kidnapping, poverty and suffering. The North is actually worse off than the rest of the country. We have been fed a diet of broken promises. Government is being run by nepotism and hidden, sectional agendas. It is not a national government of the people, but a one-sided administration whose ultimate policies will end up destroying our country, God forbid!

Some of the so-called movers and shakers we see around are of doubtful origins. That is why they cannot feel the pain of our people – and this is why they behave with such callous wickedness and impunity.

We the true sons and daughters of this ancient land of our forefathers solemnly present ourselves to the people, with humility, honour and grace. We are on a mission to salvage our country. We seek your mandate to serve you as servant leaders, not your masters. My name Obadiah (in Arabic Obaid’Allah) means ‘servant of the Most High’. My destiny is to be your servant. My family name, Mailafia, in the Hausa language means ‘a bearer or harbinger of peace and well-being’. I was born to be the servant of the people and the one who brings them peace. During our reign, Nigeria shall enjoy a great peace. We shall govern with humility and the fear of God. We are taking over and we are going to show the world that Nigeria has statesmen of class and pedigree.

We are going to exercise leadership with vision, courage, compassion and justice. Ours will be a people’s government – a government for all Nigerians.

Nigerian politics is largely seen as a dirty game and you are entering the murky waters of politics with sharks and those ready to fight dirty. How will you convince those who say this is not your turf?

I agree with you that politics is murky and replete with bloodthirsty sharks and all manner of carnivorous animas. I think it was Obasanjo who wrote a book with the unusual title, ‘This Animal Called Man’. Believe you me, I have studied enough political theory to know how treacherous the terrain can be.

From Machiavelli to Thomas Hobbes and the Indian statesman Kautilya, I know that men can be beasts. But I have also read enough of moral theology that men and women can also demonstrate the better angels of our human nature. It is a mixed bag. One must have a tough skin. But this is also the more reason why I find it exciting and great fun.

For decades, our best talents have shied away from politics because of all the duplicity, treachery and muckraking. Believe it or not, I have weighed the costs. I know how terrible and wicked some of our so-called politicians are. As we enter into another electoralpolitical cycle, you will hear of many strange things: sudden disappearances, virgins being

kidnapped and killed and their private organs taken away. You will hear of ritual murders.

These things happen. This is even the more reason why men of conscience and honour – the lovers of God and of humanity – must stand up and be counted. The Greek philosopher Plato noted that the price for not going into politics is that you will end up being governed by your inferiors. I do not consider anyone my inferior, but we are definitely tired of being ruled by lower minds. Our campaign will be focused on issues rather than abuse of anyone, no matter how bad they are. We shall also eschew all forms of violence, physical or verbal or symbolic. We believe in the ideals of non-violence as taught by Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. But we will fight ferociously for what we believe in. We will fight for the centre through our moral and spiritual force. We will bring together the biggest coalition of progressive youths who share our vision of a New Nigeria. We are building a powerful momentum for a national rebirth and renaissance. Nigeria will fulfil her destiny as a great nation under God. Electioneering in this part of the world is capital intensive. Do you have the financial war chest to prosecute your campaign?

I am sorry to have to disappoint you. We have no war chest to speak of – I wish we did. Much of what we have done so far has been on a shoestring budget, from our modest family savings. One or two friends who believe in us have chipped in their widows’ mite. But we do not possess what you would call a ‘war chest’. The simple truth is that I have never defrauded this country or any institution for which I worked outside our country. Much of our campaign is being driven by youth and women volunteers. We are soon going to launch a fundraising campaign for donations to this cause.

At the same time, we abhor and condemn the extreme monetisation of politics in this country. My wife and I have received open abuses in some forums when we could not bring out the dosh. People angrily shouted: ‘What kind of idiots are you, you have no money and you think you can do politics in Naija?’

Well, we have bitten the bullet and we are not retreating. I know that politics the world over has become a game of money – humungous amounts of it. But we also believe that it can never be all about the god of Mammon. Barrack Obama started his career in politics with no money and no godfather. He had never really ever held down a steady job, unlike his wife he was a well-off partner in a prominent law firm. But it didn’t stop Obama from becoming President of the great American Republic. Young Emmanuel Macron similarly had no money and no godfather; an unknown quantity among the political gladiators of France. He defied all the odds and became the occupant of the high magistracy of the French Republic. We and the ADC are going to pull a surprise. We are the Third Force that this country has been waiting for!

If elected, how will you fix the economy differently from what is being done currently by the present administration?

We are resolutely committed to running an issues-based campaign. So we are not here to lampoon any individual. But let’s face it:

we are facing a case of abysmal failure. The current administration has failed. They do not even grasp the first principles of public economic management. Our country today has the dubious price of being the world capital of poverty. Some eighty million of our people live below the poverty line. Youth unemployment in Borno and Zamfara currently stands well above the 70 percent mark. Investors have fled in droves. The banks and manufacturers are laying off staff. Our beloved country has been thrown to the dogs, a Hobbesian nightmare where life is ‘solitary, nasty, brutish and short’. There is kidnapping everywhere, violence, cultism and nihilism. Our people, and, especially the middle class, are living lives of quiet desperation. Families are being squeezed. And yet we have a government that doesn’t seem to care at all.

As it happens, I am a development economist, banker and financial expert. Economics is what I do best. We at the ADC recently launched our blueprint for the nation. It is anchored on three pillars: peace and security, nation building and economic development.

Without peace there can evidently be no social progress. Security is everything. We must therefore actively pursue it. Peace in our context is constituted by four elements: tackling insecurity, restructuring and nation building and wrestling down the monster of corruption. The greatest challenge facing our people right now is insecurity. When we come into power in 2019 we will confront the demons of war and violence head-on. These monsters are enemies of our people and we will crush them.

The second pillar is nation building. Some would prefer to call it ‘restructuring’. I prefer to call it ‘nation building’. We are committed to pursuing the agenda of nation building that

will give all Nigerians a sense of collective belonging. The great Swiss historian Jacob Burkhart, in his epochal studies of the early modern state in renaissance Italy, famously described the political state as ‘a work of art’. The metaphor is very apt.

Nation states do not evolve by sheer chance or historical accident. They are created and nurtured by statesmen. A state, like a piece of art, must be built with vision, creativity, patience and dexterity. Franz Fanon also declared that the task of every generation is to discover its mission and to fulfil or betray it. I am persuaded that the mission of our generation of leadership is to re-imagine and reinvent Nigeria as a country that is both forward-looking and democratic; a progressive country anchored on the foundations of genuine federalism, peace, positive science, the rule of law, freedom and social justice.

The third pillar is economic development. Battling poverty and underdevelopment requires that we focus majorly on the economy. It is the key to our common prosperity. But it cannot happen in a vacuum. What will drive our prosperity is a new ethos of leadership based on development and social progress. We are committed to reinventing the state as a developmental institution that promotes poverty-alleviation and ensures long-term prosperity. The battle for development will be focused in four main areas: creating a developmental state, revamping our power and infrastructures, boosting agribusiness and food security, and implementing an industrial revolution. For a start, we shall issue an Executive Order requiring all government buildings from local government to states and the federation to install solar panels on their roofs. This will greatly alleviate some of the shortfalls in power. We have a policy of Electricity for All which we shall implement with zeal and passion. We are bringing back the tradition of economic development planning, including urban regional planning.

My running mate and Vice-President-to-be,

Sunday 04 November 2018

C002D5556

BDSUNDAY 13

Politics

national rebirth and renaissance - Mailafia Tanimowo Nuraini Bolanle Nasiru, a relation of the Alaafin of Oyo, is a renowned professor of Urban and Regional Planning. He will oversee the economic development planning process, in addition to power and infrastructures. We shall institute in the heart of government a Strategy Group that will drive our economic development strategy. All ministers, permanent secretaries and heads of government agencies and departments will have a performance contract. There will be regular monitoring and evaluation. Those who do not perform will be shown the way out. Action will speak louder than words!

Nigeria’s public debt stock has risen from $63.8 billion in 2015 to $73 billion this year, yet bedevilled by infrastructure deficit. The present administration has said the loans are judiciously utilised. Do you agree?

Unfortunately, I will have to say a capital No! You would recall that during the very first official visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to the United States in 2015, he received a US$1.2 billion loan ostensibly for the rehabilitation of the North East. Well, I am sorry to say that we have not seen any major rehabilitation or reconstruction in the North East. Boko Haram, even in its death-throes, has continued to wreak havoc on defenceless communities. The money was presumably dissipated on ‘grass cutters’ and other such rodents. It is a disaster. Our national debt in 2015 was about N11 trillion. This is what the PDP administration accumulated over a decade of grand larceny. The APC government nearly doubled the debt to over N23 trillion in 2018. And what are they using the loans for? They are building railways to Niger! This is not only an incompetent government, it is a wicked one. It is treasonable, in my view, to borrow foreign loans to build railways leading into another country.

It may interest you to know that during the Gowon era in late sixties and early seventies, Finance Minister Obafemi Awolowo did not borrow one dollar from the international financial markets to prosecute the Nigeria-Biafra war. Same applied for post-war rehabilitation and reconstruction of the South East. This is what we call leadership. As matters now stand, our debt is reaching a dangerous threshold. Our revenue growth is not sufficient to cope with exponential growth in debt. In principle, I cannot say we should not borrow. But we must borrow only for projects that have a guaranteed return on investments – in such sectors as power and infrastructures. We do not need to borrow to prosecute the war against Boko Haram. Let’s empower our armed forces and unleash the spirit of our communities. Our ancient warrior tribes are more than enough to call the bluff of the bastards.

As a seasoned economist, banker and administrator of distinction, does it make economic sense to borrow to pay salaries as currently being experienced?

Like I said earlier, it obviously does not make any sense whatsoever to borrow for consumption. Former Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala actually did reveal that, towards the tail end of the Goodluck Jonathan PDP government, they had reached a low point where they were borrowing massively to pay salaries. This is foolhardy. Economics, Oeconomicus, as a practical science was founded by the ancient Greeks on the concept of the household and how the mother of a family balances her incomes and expenditures. Imagine this scenario: she has suddenly found herself in shortage of food to feed the family and then has to go to the bank to borrow at 20percent just for consumption. It does not make sense whatsoever.

Left to me, I would not even use oil money from FAAC to pay salaries. In the early seventies when the southern African nation of Botswana suddenly discovered huge deposits of diamonds, their first president Sir Seretse Khama, decreed that no money earned from diamonds should be used to pay salaries. He insisted that the state cut its coat according to its cloth - that dollars earned from diamond exports be used strictly for infrastructures and for savings to boost the value of the national currency. That is economic and financial wisdom. We need a new national compact in this country to en-

sure that we never borrow for consumption but for projects with cast-iron guarantees on investment returns.

Parliament should also demand a full report and evaluation on what all previous loans have been used for. External borrowing is a national sovereignty issue. We understand that our government has even pledged some of our oil fields to the Chinese as collateral in the event that we are unable to service our loans. This is dangerous.

Although there are 79 presidential candidates, analysts say the contest seems to be a two-horse race between President Muhammadu Buhari and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. How bright are your chances?

Please, let me correct your miss-statement.

It is actually a three-horse race. The African Democratic Congress (ADC) is the fastest growing party in our country today. We were contesting the third position with the Social Democratic Party (SDP), but the latter are no more in the reckoning. After their primaries they have gone to court for one issue or the other. Until they resolve their legal contestations, they will really be of no consequence.

The ADC is a formidable machine of patriots who believe in democracy and social justice, in solidarity, peace and pan-Africanism.

Some of us are in touch with the grassroots and the youths of this country. The truth is that they are completely fed up with both the APC and the PDP. Nigerian youths are disenchanted with old recycled politicians. They represent the Old Nigeria. We represent the New Nigeria. Do you know that none of them have come out with an economic blueprint? We developed our economic blueprint months ago. Last week we unveiled it to the public. But it is not cast in stone. We are still consulting with experts and key stakeholders with a view to fine-tuning it and make it more practical and relevant to the needs and expectations of the Nigerian people. Please, watch this space. The ADC will spring a big surprise in this country. We represent the last hope of the so-called ‘common man’.

We are the true Nigerians. We are not coming with a sectional agenda. We are for all Nigerians – North and South, Muslim and Christian, women and men, children and youths, old and young. Some wicked people have dubbed me ‘a hater of Fulanis’. I spoke out against the killings of innocent people in the Middle Belt of Nigeria. I am a public intellectual and a humanist – a corresponding member of Socialist International. I believe in humanity and solidarity. I can never hate anyone, least of all our beloved Fulani people with whom we have lived and intermarried for centuries. I suspect that even I myself have some Fulani blood in me.

But make no mistake about it: I am sworn enemy of murderers of innocent women and children. And I will forever remain the enemy of such murderers and scoundrels.

They will have me to deal with when we are in power. What has discomfited my traducers is that my strongest show of support has been in places like Kastina, Kano and Zamfara. In Enugu, in Yenagoa, in Oyo, Lagos and Ogun and Osun, the gospel of a New Nigeria is spreading like wild Holy Ghost fire. Youths and women are ferociously campaigning for us, giving generously, their resources, time and energy. I pray our Almighty to bless them mightily. I promise that they will not be disappointed. I will be their president and I will serve all Nigerians without fear or favour. I will protect their rights and liberties like a lion from the mountains of Lalibela. We symbolise the hope and glory of the New Nigeria that will soon be revealed.

If elected, how many jobs will you create in one year?

Politicians have this penchant for throwing up wild figures and fake promises, all with an eye to winning the hearts and minds of voters. We do not believe in making fake promises. We are practical realists.

One thing for sure is that the thrust of our economic strategy is founded on work, job creation and human capital development.

In our twenty-first century digital industrial civilisation, people are the new wealth of nations. We know that a country that invests in the education, training and health of its people will be at a more competitive edge than those that do not. The youth of our country face enormous challenges. For one thing, our system offers them little hope and little or no job opportunities. Most are scheming how to leave the country for so-called ‘greener pastures’. When their talents find a creative outlet, our youth will astonish us. Some of the creative industries flourishing at present are driven by youths. Everywhere I have visited in our glorious continent, young people are wild about film stars such as Omotola Jelade and Genevieve Nnaji and musical artistes such as Tiwa Savage and Tu-Face. They are a form of soft power for Nigeria.

A major challenge facing our young people is, of course, unemployment. Much of this derives from low educational opportunities, skills deficits and the mismatch between jobs and educational curricula.

And there is some evidence that women are worse hit than men when it comes to unemployment. Our strategy will mainstream women and youth into the heart of our economic development and governance process. We believe in the girl child. We believe that when we empower women we empower the family. And when we empower the family we empower the nation. The ADC has a policy of allocating not less than 30 percent of positions to women. We will aim to go higher. We intend to boost jobs by having a public works approach to infrastructure development and expanding agribusiness opportunities. Our Electricity for All campaign and our commitment to sustainable energy systems and to unleashing a new Industrial Revolution will create massive job opportunities for our people. We expect to deliver some 5 million jobs in our first year alone. And in the space of 4 years, it will be possible to generate over 16 million additional jobs if we do the right things.

How will you solve the issue of insurgency that has ravaged a section of the country - the North East?

The insurgency has had a devastating impact on our country, no doubt; a war that has ravaged our nation virtually for 10 years. Added to it is the murderous

mayhem by armed herdsmen militias. I do not regard them as Fulanis at all. We have lived with Fulanis since ancient times. They are part and parcel of our communities.

These people are mostly foreigners, most of them armed by shadowy foreign powers and local collaborationists, all with the goal of destroying our beloved country. To echo the language of Sir Winston Churchill, British wartime Prime Minister: ‘we will fight them on the villages; we will fight them on the streets; we will fight them in the creeks; we will fight them in the cities and towns. And we will defeat them. We will defeat them because we are the children of light and they are children of darkness’.

The majority of Nigerians across all faiths love peace and cherish tolerance for their neighbours. They are tired of war, lawlessness, violence and disorder. We will pitch our tent with the majority. We shall deploy sophisticated technological warfare to confront the enemies of our people. I cannot reveal everything we will do in this interview. We will not be foolish enough to supply ammunitions to our enemies. But be rest assured that we will crush them.

It may interest you to know that, although a development economist, I am also a student of military warfare. As a fellow of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, I did a lot of work in security and military strategy. One of the main weaknesses with the current approach has been an obsession with counter-terrorism measures that require mobilisation of the army, police and intelligence services. The singularity of this strategy has its inherent dangers. The ideal approach is a comprehensive strategy that not only dislodges the insurgents but also eliminates the social conditions that generate their wicked ideology of violence and death. Linked to the foregoing is the need for a social development fund for waraffected communities.

Our approach is anchored on a Defensive Engagement and Reconstruction Strategy (DEAREST). It is a comprehensive approach anchored on mobilisation of citizens, institutions and security agencies in confronting violent insurgents.

We advocate a strategy of ‘total defence’. It is clear that military solutions alone will not destroy violent extremism; on the contrary, they may serve to radicalise otherwise neutral groups. We must tackle the social conditions that give rise to radical ideologies, in addition to winning the propaganda war and enhancing the capability of government to deliver social services and critical public goods to the citizens. Our approach fundamentally differs from all the others by its inclusion of the elements of state building, socio-economic reconstruction and political engagement. It comprises seven key elements, namely: Prevention; Protection; Preparation; Prosecution; Rehabilitation; Reconstruction; and Political Engagement.

We are committed to political engagement with key stakeholders, ruling elite, civil society, traditional elders, religious leaders and the organised private sector. There must be a national dialogue on how to remove culture of violence from national politics and how to tame the menace of religious extremism. It also requires a new national compact redefining the fundamental contours of the Nigerian national project. We are committed to reinventing our country as a progressive and forward-looking nation that is at peace with itself and its neighbours – a moral force in international politics. Equally crucial is the creation of a new national security paradigm anchored on human security, solidarity, economic empowerment, inclusive development, welfare, participatory democracy.

14 BDSUNDAY

C002D5556

Sunday 04 November 2018

Politics

APC has upper hand in South-East and South-South in 2019 – Akpabio

Godswill Akpabio, former governor of Akwa Ibom State, former chairman of PDP Caucus in the National Assembly and immediate past Minority Leader of the Senate, who recently defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress, in an interview with select journalists in Abuja, claims that unlike what happened in 2015, President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC will win South-East and South-South regions in 2019. JAMES KWEN was there and brings excerpts

L

ooking at political developments in the country, especially as it relates to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), what are your projections for the coming elections?

I am not God and I am also not a prophet but sometimes God reveals things to people that he loves, and God loves me because I love God. The projection is that in spite of the political rigmarole going on in terms of alignments and realignments, 2019 victory belongs to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and, most especially, President Muhammadu Buhari will be returned for a second term in office. Why do I say so? I am saying so because God loves Nigeria.

This is a man who has tried for so many years to be president of the country.

One time he gave up and said he was no longer going. He thanked all his supporters but from nowhere, a group of people came together, some from PDP, some from ACN, some from his party the CPC and they went back to appeal to him to come and they even opted to buy a form for him.

In spite of his resistance, he came and then, of course, confusion entered into the PDP family and the man emerged president of Nigeria. When he emerged, the incumbent president that time did not wait even for the final results of the election, he immediately called Buhari and congratulated him and Nigeria had a very smooth and peaceful transition. I believe that in 2015 we all had our ways, we all had our choices but God had his way.

And when God has a hand in something, I believe he completes his projects; I don’t think God is a master of uncompleted projects.

This was not the decision of man. This was a decision of God and, therefore, I believe God will give him second term through Nigerians.

Why I could be bold enough to say so is that you can see the calibre of political personages that he has continued to attract despite the rigmarole by some members of his own political party, the APC.

at that time, first in the Senate where we had almost 14 senators going at once, then the Senate president, the number three citizen, abandoning his party together with his governor, together with the governor of Sokoto, governor of Benue, and I could see more people that were going to defect, I saw the need for me to put an end to this. Sometimes people could be enjoying the movie that was going on in the political arena at that time but they would not know that the wider implication was an attempt to ensure the failure of the government before even the election.

That was why I came out.

And much later the Speaker of House of Representatives also defected. He no longer defected with 40, 50, 60 members as initially contemplated, he had to defect on the social media because after the uncommon defection that occurred with my emergence in the APC, I believe that any right-thinking Nigerian would have known that the pendulum has swung in favour of the APC more than 75 percent with just that singular defection.

There are fears even

Godswill Akpabio

People are still wondering why you left PDP for APC considering your position in PDP while as governor and senator. What is the main reason you left PDP? I left PDP in the national interest and I keep emphasizing this. I believe that the nation has to survive first before you can have election.

If you saw what was going on in the country, there was an amalgam of forces trying to truncate the administration of President Buhari even before the election, but those conspiratorial actions were also capable of bringing democracy to an end. In other words, the intention then was to crash the government even before the election. The major forces including state governors of the APC extraction were defecting to my then party, the PDP, and this was capable of destabilizing the polity. At the time we had

a lot of security issues in the country, when we were managing to contain most of the security problems from the North East, there was a major distraction coming. When I looked at it, I said that some of these characters were also the people who crashed the then PDP in 2014 and 2015.

They did so not for national interest but for their personal interest, and they went with a man who has following, who starts election with 9 million votes in his pocket before elections because of the number of the less privileged people in the country that support him, and they won the elections. But the same people, probably because they were not satisfied or their aspirations were not met, came again and attempted to gang up and conspire not just to remove the president but to ensure the failure of the government even before

the elections. So, there was need for us as people who have stake in the country to come out to stabilize the polity before the election.

That was why I said I came out in the national interest. There was need for me to come out to support the president to stabilize the polity so we could have the elections next year. And when I was coming out, I pointed out that I would like to join conspiracy where we conspire to end Boko Haram, where we conspire to bring peace to the South East region, to end IPOB, to see the end of militancy and pipelines vandalism, to bring employment to Nigerians – not conspire to bring down government.

It is not a good idea if people bring a government into being and turn around to conspire to ensure the failure of that government.

So, when I saw the defections that were happening

If you saw what was going on in the country, there was an amalgam of forces trying to truncate the administration of President Buhari even before the election

among your party members that Atiku Abubakar may end up defeating President Buhari in the coming elections. Do you share this view?

Who are some of the party members? Well, if Atiku were to defeat President Buhari, then the tsunami that is happening in many states, including Akwa Ibom, will not be happening.

PDP members are moving in droves, in thousands on a daily basis declaring for the APC to support President Buhari. Does that not send the signal that all is not well?

Even when the PDP organized their convention, didn’t you hear the confusion?

Have you ever seen where you bring out a running mate and the whole region will reject the running mate? I don’t want you to dwell on the attitude of the speeches of the elite who have access to social media.

There are a lot of people in the villages, farmers who know very well that President Buhari is a man of integrity, he loves Nigeria and if he has his way, this country will change for the better and, therefore, they will do everything to support him.

I have no doubt in my mind that the APC and President Buhari will win in 2019. I know. Let me say that every politics is local; maybe my spirit is as result of what I see around the South-South region. Today, even when we are complaining, we have three senators in APC from in Rivers State. The last senator, Osi Odegwu, has just defect from PDP to APC. So, after the PDP convention in Port Harcourt, the senator representing Port Harcourt defected to APC. It tells you there is something he saw. You come to Akwa Ibom that we never had even a councillor, we have two senators, at least three or four members of the House of Representatives, and then we have many members of the House of Assembly. Politics is about people. As I speak, the deputy chairman of PDP in Akwa Ibom State has decamped, and many commissioners and special assistants have left the government. In fact, the latest one that left was Special Assistant on Electoral Matters.

Sunday 04 November 2018

C002D5556

BDSUNDAY 15

Politics

Godswill Akpabio

Have you heard thousands of PDP members defecting to APC on account of the convention that produced their candidates? Every day you hear PDP members dumping their party to go and join APC. What does that tell you? That should signal the fact that it is almost impossible for the PDP to win election today. I am in the centre of it and I know.

My wife is from the South East. I talk to the people from the South East; I talk to the governors of South East.

I talk to the people of South South. I was privileged to also make contributions to their emergence when I was a major PDP chieftain. I was chairman of PDP Governors in 2015, so if I am talking to you please take it seriously.

Even the governors of South South are talking to me and asking me what percentage they can give the president, not to talk of the governors of the South-East. So, my belief is strong.

Let’s look at it from the angle that in 2015 the president did not make much impact in the South-East/ South-South because a son of the soil, President Jonathan, was contesting, but in 2019, the entire South-

East and South-South is a battleground for both PDP and APC and APC has upper hand. I don’t know how much impact they have been able to make in the North.

As far as PDP is concerned, I don’t think they made any impact in the North. I have not seen.

Even in Sokoto, there was no major earthquake when the governor left, it was as if he left alone with some commissioners, I hope you know that. And then, you go to a place like Kano where Ganduje seemed to have had a problem, but what has happened? Shekarau, former governor, has left PDP and gone back to APC with a lot of people and today he is a senatorial candidate and you are telling me that PDP is going to win. Win where?

When we came in 2015, PDP was in control of Ondo State.

Who is controlling Ondo State today? Is it not APC? Ekiti State was controlled by PDP. Which party is controlling Ekiti State today? Is it not APC? As I speak, APC is also in control of Osun State.

In the South-South, APC is still in control of Edo State.

Instead of PDP making gains, it has lost. Of course,

you know that the people of Kwara may not necessarily be with their leaders. That the leaders left does not mean the ordinary people in Kwara left. No. The ambition of my brother, the governor of Sokoto, who was contesting for the presidential ticket of the PDP made him leave, not the people of Sokoto. So, I haven’t seen much impact that PDP has made in any state in the North West with 18 million votes.

I haven’t seen any much impact it has made in any state in the North-East outside Taraba that they control. Even Adamawa, the governor is still in APC, Yobe is still in APC, Borno is still APC, Plateau is still in APC, Senator Akume and others in Benue are still in APC. The whole South-West now, is there any state that is still controlled by PDP? So, I believe that the APC has even gained more than it had in 2015. I don’t know how you do your own calculation.

You come to South-South that was totally PDP in 2015 today, unless you don’t read the political barometer very well, you think that all the movements you are having in Akwa Ibom with thousands of people, in Rivers

State, in Bayelsa, in Cross River State, you think these things are for nothing sake?

Can you expect President Buhari to lose election?

Well, our people are very determined to link with the national politics. We are minorities and we never believe in opposition politics and so our people are very determined and that is why they are happy with me that I am taking them to the centre politics of Nigeria so that they can join and contribute their quota. The region that brings out the resources that run the country cannot afford to be in opposition.

Your explanation differs from what people said are the main reasons you left PDP. It has been argued that you ran to APC for the fear of EFFC and that Governor Emmanuel Udom was going to deny you reelection ticket in PDP. Is that true?

If Godswill Akpabio, the former governor of Akwa Ibom State, so much loved by his people decides that he is going to APC, it means that thousands of Akwa Ibom people who believe in him were impressed by his uncommon transformation are also going along with him. When I was declaring for the APC, I did not give invitation to anybody but didn’t you see the thousands of people? That is actually the effect of Godswill Akabio defecting. Coming to your question about defecting because of corruption, in fact, the law firm that wrote petition against me to the EFCC just gave me an award in BON Hotel.

The reality is that the head of the firm was being used and then realized that those allegations did not carry any atom of evidence and so he withdrew his petition before the EFCC. The boy went and swore an affidavit in the court that he was withdrawing the petition voluntarily.

So, there is nothing like me defecting because of EFCC harassment.

If I had to leave PDP because of EFCC harassment, I would have said no because former Governor Dariye who left PDP and went to APC, where is he today? Unfortunately, he was jailed even though his case is on appeal, so also a lot of people who have left and have corruption cases are still answering. Seeing such experience, will you want to run into APC? It is not a sanctuary for you to hide. So, I don’t think people should link my movement with either ticket or EFCC because some people do things on the basis of their personal conviction.

I was a ticket giver in the PDP. I actually come from a senatorial district that my people have a lot of respect for me and they even show it. The entire opposition in Akwa Ibom state, APC

As I am talking to you, there are so many other uncompleted projects yet to be commissioned, classrooms, water, electrification and all that, giving transformers to some places

was formed against me as a governor so when I went there they were overjoyed, it was like reconciliation and they honoured me. There were about two people who bought forms for senate, I also bought form for the senate and the two persons stepped down to honour me, so I was unopposed.

In the PDP, nobody would have bought form against me in my senatorial district.

What have been your achievements in the National Assembly in the past three years?

I don’t like to be boastful, I believe that when you are in leadership, you really have to help to make sure that things function well. When you have a specific role, you must set up certain specific motions and also make your contributions. Many of us don’t just sit there in the National Assembly. On a personal note, I think my people never had this kind of representation before. In my many senatorial briefings I highlight what and what I have been able to do for my people. The major one I will remember is that within two years I was able to do constituency projects that were earthshaking.

We trained over 1,600 people in different skills and the first year we did the training, I also gave them money to buy implements and thereafter did a major empowerment project nobody has ever seen. It cost over N2.6 billion and I thank President Buhari for the assistance because most of these things came from various agencies. At the same time, we gave out buses to about 274 young people and then we also gave out scholarships to university students, about 20 of them that will take up to masters level.

I have 10 local government areas, so if you look at

that, it means at least 27 per local government and that was in the first phase and I have helped a lot of them to also secure employment by making recommendations here and there. At the same time, I gave about N250,000 grant to about 430 of my people, majority of them women, to assist them in agriculture and also for those who are involved in one kind of trade or another. I also have at least 68 constituency projects and some of them have to do with solarpowered boreholes. We also built at least two market stores per local government area; the first set was about 20 and now we have increased the number. And then we have six classroom blocks completed with solar-powered boreholes and electricity in all the local government areas in my senatorial district. As I am talking to you, there are so many other uncompleted projects yet to be commissioned, classrooms, water, electrification and all that, giving transformers to some places. So, as I said, 68 projects and still counting under constituency projects. I am not actually that senator who sits in Abuja. Monthly, I meet with either stakeholders, youths in my area or women. I am a grassroots politician; I am very close to my people, that is why I got effective representation.

Some alleged that you are trying to wage war against your perceived enemies in your state. What is your reaction to this?

The APC in Akwa Ibom is actually the victim but the facts on ground are different. I am not trying to wage a war, it is based on understanding. I always tell people that the person who reports a case to the police station does not always win when serious investigation is done. The DG of the PDP campaign in Akwa Ibom, a retired air commodore, made a statement on the 5th of August, 2018 during a town hall meeting when the rumours hit town that I may be entering APC. He said, ‘Your Excellency, this is the time to recruit your own army. It is going to be war and survival of the fittest and it will be winnertake-all’. So, when I met with stakeholders of the APC after my defection, they asked, ‘How do we prepare ourselves for this impending war that PDP has already declared on APC?’ What I told my people was that they should behave like the shrub. When the hurricane is coming, the shrubs will bend and the hurricane will pass but those that get cut down are the iroko trees and palm trees that refuse to bend.

We must bend for them, we must be meek and mild because victory belongs to God. That was what I told my people.

16 BDSUNDAY

C002D5556

Sunday 04 November 2018

Politics

‘Presidential candidates must tell Nigerians not just OSITA OPARAUGO, a lawyer, is the president/CEO, Footprint to Africa Limited, a leading business and financial news resource and investment bridge company.

In this interview with CHUKS OLUIGBO, Assistant Editor, Oparaugo speaks on the investment climate ahead of Nigeria’s general elections next year and the key issues that should dominate the electoral campaigns. He also shares his thoughts on the presidential candidates of the two major political parties. Excerpts:

N

igeria is in an election year. The experience over time has been the shrinking of foreign investments at a time like this. As president/CEO of Footprint to Africa, an investment bridge company that handles requests for foreign investors intending to come into Africa, of which Nigeria is a part, what is the current situation?

It is worrisome. Nigeria in the last seven years or thereabouts has only benefitted from hot money. People understand the uncertainty in the country and they invest short term. Six to eight months to elections, they pull out; eight months after the elections, they come in, and the cycle goes on. Such investment never builds an economy; it has never built any economy in the world. In the last seven to eight months, the requests that we receive at Footprint to Africa have reduced drastically to less than 17 or 18 percent. Two months ago I was out of Nigeria for nearly six weeks. I worked between Kenya, Ethiopia and Rwanda because these are the areas investors are looking at the moment. You see, sometimes when these politicians are out to grab power, they don’t realise the effect of their body language, the effect of what they say and what they do, and what these things do to the economy. They always give the impression that it is either they win the election or they rig it, or people will die, or blood will flow. Words like these don’t go down well with investors. As one American ambassador would always say, investors go to where they are invited, and they stay where they are well treated. How will they feel well treated in a state of near war? So, it is a problem and it has affected our business negatively.

Political parties in the country have concluded their primaries and elected their candidates for different positions. From every indication, the presidential election will be between the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Muhammadu Buhari, and that of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar. Between these two candidates, who do you think

is better positioned to move Nigeria forward and who do you support?

At the moment, I am not sure any of them has convinced me how they intend to move Nigeria forward. You see, it is not about who I think will move Nigeria forward. These are two different things. It is not about saying, ‘I am a better person. I can better manage Nigeria. I have managed businesses’, or saying, ‘I am a better person. I can manage Nigeria because I am fighting corruption’.

These things have been said over and over again. We want clear manifestoes. If Buhari says he wants a second term, first and foremost, Nigerians want to know his health status. At some points in the last three-and-ahalf years, he was sick and he was out of the country. No one is God, but we want to hear him say, ‘Ok, I was sick at some point but I am very strong now to run the country’. Then he will tell us what exactly he wants to do to move Nigeria forward. Fighting corruption is good. I have always maintained that corruption is on

steroids in Africa, especially in Nigeria. Nevertheless, that alone will not put food on anybody’s table; it won’t create jobs; it won’t take out-of-school children back to school. So, we want to know what it is that Mr. A wants to do for Nigeria, and what it is that Mr. B wants to do. When the two of them put out their plans on how to move Nigeria forward, we will be in a better position to choose.

Until then, my support and my vote will not go to either Buhari or Atiku because I have not heard anything from them. All the things flying around the media, I think they are coming from aides. Until they tell us what they will do, then we will know how to assess them based on what they have done previously.

But a lot of people believe that a sitting government seeking reelection should campaign based on what it has done in the last three-and-a-half years and not what it plans to do...

Of course. It is not enough to tell us what you will do, but you will

also tell us how you have done it in the past, and how you will do it. So, let us take the APC presidential candidate, for instance.

Buhari will tell us what he will do, he will tell us what he has done in the last three-and-a-half years, and how he will do what he said he will do. The PDP presidential candidate, Atiku, will tell us what he will do, and he will tell us how he will do it. You see, people don’t understand that this election is not going to be about religion or about tribe; this election is going to be about the economy of the nation and about security. These are the two issues that Nigerians want to hear. Don’t tell us about who is corrupt or who is not corrupt, who looted or who didn’t loot. We are tired of all those talks.

That era is gone. Tell us, how are you going to get 45 percent of our youth who are off the school system back into school? Tell us, how are you going to stabilise our economy? We thank God for the Aliko Dangotes, we thank God for the Eleganzas, we thank God for the Innosons, but we want a vibrant SME base. Nigeria needs

Sometimes when these politicians are out to grab power, they don’t realise the effect of their body language, the effect of what they say and what they do, and what these things do to the economy.

They always give the impression that it is either they win the election or they rig it, or people will die, or blood will flow.

Words like these don’t go down well with investors

Sunday 04 November 2018

C002D5556

BDSUNDAY 17

Politics

t what they plan to do, but how they plan to do it’ 50 million millionaires controlling N10 million each rather than just five trillionaires. So, you will tell us what you want to do about the economy. People are suffering in this country.

But we have seen politicians make promises and renege on their promises. The current sitting government made a lot of promises that have not been fulfilled. How can the citizens hold politicians accountable for the promises they make?

Permit me to deviate a bit. I am beginning to see the late Fela Anikulapo Kuti as more than just a musician. I think Fela was prophetic when he sang about ‘suffering and smiling’. I say this because if what happens in Nigeria happens elsewhere, that country would cease to exist. I am being very honest. If you know the hardship in this land, you will understand where I am coming from.

The politicians have failed the country.

I hate to talk about APC or PDP. APC is PDP, PDP is APC. No difference. What they change is just colour. It’s the same people. And Nigerians will sit back and watch the same people play them over and over again? It’s unfortunate. But I think the way out is that there has to be a very strong labour union that is able to say, ‘We cannot take this’, and stand by what they say. There has to be a very strong student union. In a country of nearly 200 million people with about 40-60 percent youth population, those in the student union circle should know that these promises, whether the politicians keep them or break them, it is the youths that are affected the most because it is about their future. Let me tell you, if today Nigeria has a very vibrant labour union and a very vibrant student union and they come together and say, ‘We don’t want this’, if they put their foot down and one morning we all wake up and hear that the whole students in Nigeria are on the street, from 100 of them to 1,000, to 10,000, to 100,000, to 1,000,000, to 5,000,000, before the number gets to 10,000,000 the whole world would tell whichever government it is, ‘Step down!’ How many people are you going to kill?

So, going into the 2019 elections, what would you want to hear candidates aspiring to political offices talk about?

You see, unfortunately, these guys just make noise and don’t understand what building an economy is. I will give you an example. If between Atiku and Buhari, they understand that this election is about the economy, they would come out and tell Nigerians, ‘You know what?

We have looked at this situation. We have 774 local government areas. If I become president in 2019, I will float 774 factories, one in each local government area. Not with government

money, but I will put out a tender and say to business people: if you are interested in setting up an industry, a factory in any of the local government areas and you are going to employ 250 people upwards, the Federal Government will support you with a single-digit loan from the Central Bank development fund that is lying idle. We will support you to get these factories developed’. Do you know what Nigeria is going to get? We are going to get at the minimum 250 x 774, that is nearly 200,000 jobs created within one year. This is the kind of thing I want to hear from someone who wants to be president of Nigeria. Do you know that if you dam two rivers in the North to provide proper irrigation to the farmers there, over 50 percent of the almajiri there will go off the streets? At Footprint to Africa we took a study of the almajiri system and what we found was that during farming season the number of almajiri on the streets reduces because they are engaged in the farms. But once the farming season is over, they are back on the streets because the farmers have disengaged them. So, you ask yourself, how can I make these farmers constantly engage these individuals year in, year out? The answer is, by providing irrigation. Simple.

Dam three rivers in the North.

Most Nigerian embassies across the world, including in Africa, have prime properties, massive properties here and there – the embassies, the ambassadors’ residences and all of that. I have been to about 33 countries in Africa and I know what I am saying.

Turn those properties into proper investment promotion units. The staff they have at the Nigerian Investment Promotion Council office in Abuja are not enough

first’. I will put him on the ballot.

I will go to Igboland and say, ‘Give me Moghalu’. I will put him there.

These are among our finest. But the political structure in Nigeria has a way of promoting our worst – not the first eleven, not even the fourth eleven, but the fifth to 10th eleven, that’s what we constantly put out there because it is a very dangerous terrain.

to do the job. They are fantastic individuals, but they are not enough. They are not more than 4,000 people or so, so how can they promote 200 million people with the image we have created outside Nigeria already? Turn the entire Nigerian embassies and missions into investment promotion centres where they begin to preach the new Nigeria.

These are the things we want to hear. These are the things that you will hear from someone who wants to be Nigeria’s president, and even if you don’t understand investment, you will know that this man or that woman is on the right path.

But there are a few candidates who seem to be saying the right things, someone like Kingsley Moghalu, for instance. What about them?

I have listened to Kingsley Mogh-

Don’t tell us about who is corrupt or who is not corrupt, who looted or who didn’t loot. We are tired of all those talks. That era is gone. Tell us, how are you going to get 45 percent of our youth who are off the school system back into school? Tell us, how are you going to stabilise our economy?

alu and I will tell you that he is a fantastic individual. I have listened to him speak. I have listened to his tapes. But unfortunately, the political system in Nigeria is badly structured in such a way that such individuals hardly get the opportunity to serve. Look at what Akinwunmi Adesina is doing at African Development Bank (AfDB). Are you not proud of him, that he is a Nigerian? Look at what is happening at African Export-Import Bank with Dr. Benedict Okey Oramah there as president and chairman of the Board of Directors and Kanayo Awani as managing director of Intra-African Trade Initiative. These are very fantastic Nigerians. Anywhere you find Nigerians outside Nigeria, go and check out their records of performance. You know why? Those people are able to identify our best. If I have the opportunity to become God for a minute, for instance, I will tell Atiku and Buhari to go and sit down. If you say to me that it is supposed to be an all-North affair, I will say: Okay, is that what you say it is? Fine then. Give me the ballot. I will go to the North and pick the former EFCC boss, Nuhu Ribadu, and put him on the ballot. I will go to the same North and say to the Emir of Kano, Sanusi, ‘Your Eminence, sir, I respect your office, but please forget this your emirship and come and rescue Nigeria’. I will put him on the ballot. I will go to Yorubaland, and I will go to AfDB and say to Adesina, ‘Please leave Africa, come and rescue your country

Are by any means interested in going into politics now or any time in the future?

When I hear ‘poli’, before you even complete the word, I have taken off. I tried in the past to be part of the system thinking that I would bring the change, but what I saw in that arena are men so unfair and ignoble in many ways that I told myself that this was not meant for me. And to be very honest with you, I don’t have to be in politics to make an impact or contribute to the growth of my country. What I am doing, Footprint to Africa based out of Nigeria, is already a huge sacrifice because I know what it costs us to operate out of Nigeria. If what we have established here in the last three years was based in Kenya or Rwanda or even Ghana, the records and the statistics would be different than what it is today. But, of course, I don’t have any other home than Nigeria.

In the face of all this, what would be your message to the Nigerian electorate going into 2019?

If the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) would let the votes count – because what happened in the Osun State governorship election is disgraceful, and I am speaking as a lawyer. So, if INEC would allow the votes to count, my message to the Nigerian electorate is simple. Don’t go by the social media discussions. We will all wait till INEC lifts the ban on electoral campaign, and then let’s hold these people accountable to what they tell us. From what they tell us – remember, not just what they will do but also how they will do it – we will be able to understand who can accomplish it or not. By the time they tell us what they will do and how they will do it, we will know whether they are able to do it or not. I will end with an Igbo adage which says that we wear clothes only for the sake of outsiders, otherwise everybody knows the state of his kinsman’s body.

18

C002D5556

Sunday 04 November 2018

Politics ‘The antics of opposition on imaginary insecurity in Akwa Ibom is laughable’

Charles Udoh, Akwa Ibom State commissioner for information and strategy, in this interview with ANIEFIOK UDONQUAK, speaks on the achievements of Governor Udom Emmanuel since his assumption of office in 2015. He gives reasons why the governor deserves a second term. Excerpts:

A

s the next election approaches, why do you think Governor Udom Emmanuel deserves a second term?

The governor’s re-election is one thing that any group that wants the progress of this state should take seriously. His re-election should also go beyond personal and ethnic interests, even beyond party line. His re-election will determine how Akwa Ibom will be seen in the national arena. Beyond sentiment, I have opportunity to look at the scorecards of other states, I am not sure there is one state that had a score card that is overtly more impressive than Governor Udom Emmanuel’s.

This is just in three years and is combined with a cross sector development from health to infrastructure, industrialisation, agriculture and education you can see landmark development doting across the state. This is being driven by the 5-point agenda of the governor. On each of this agenda you could see government actively trying to demonstrate its commitment to achieving them. Let me look at one of those points, political and economic inclusion.

In the last one month or so we had scenario where the governor clearly demonstrated his passion to allow political inclusion to take its right of place. Recall that on September 23rd which was the state anniversary, a day before then the governor granted the opposition the use of the sports stadium, the same facility that the state was going to use for its anniversary. That is in line with his political and economic inclusion. Not many state governments will do that even the previous state administration. Just a few weeks back a presidential aspirant had paid for a facility which he was denied being used in Abuja. Political tolerance- for us to develop like a state we must have a conducive investment climate for the investors to thrive and for new ones to come in. For the last three years we pride ourselves as having peaceful environment is not by any dramatisation, it is through the efforts of government.

A lot of young men and women have been taken off the street into gainful employments and that naturally translates into the peaceful and serene nature we have in the state in last three years. We talk about industrialisation; today we can see mix of industries springing up. Just a few weeks ago we commissioned, a mini industrial estate where you have three or four cottage industries sited there. Four jobs and wealth creation and that will also help the economics of the state. The syringe and metering factories are thriving, the flour mill is about to be commissioned, the coconut refinery is also getting toward completion.

This is a pointer to the fact the state is secure and safe. The antic of the opposition in the last few weeks to draw up

Charles Udoh

imaginary insecurity is laughable. In the last three years people have been sleeping with their eyes closed compared to the years of the past administration where assassinations and all kind of violence vices walked on two legs.

Today, we can proudly say that the effort of government in ensuring there is peace and security in the state is yielding result. A few days ago over 200 young people who before now had constituted themselves into a terror group terrorising parts of this state voluntarily came out and laid down their arms and said we would not have more of this violence; we want to meaningfully create employment.

So government has taken steps to see how to rehabilitate those who want to go to school or learn a trade. Interestingly, we also have women in this group. That is a pointer also that government is succeeding in this line. And if you compare that to other parts of this country where you have insurgency, it is a landmark thing that Akwa Ibom state government has been able to connect with these people, get them to see reason and get them to hear the voice of reason to come out to support peace and allow development to thrive. We are determined not to allow some divisive elements who are trying to orchestrate violent situation for personal gains to thrive.

Before the defection of GodswillAkpabio and others, Akwa Ibom State was seen as 100 percent PDP state.

Now it appears the tide has tilted, can PDP still win the forthcoming election in the state?

I like working with data and statistics.

All the local government chairmen are still PDP members, all the councillors are PDP members, in the House of Assembly only three out of 26 are not PDP members.

That clearly indicates that it is not one man moving and making a lot of noise.

It is about the will of the people. You will recall that the so-called defection was trumpeted that it would be like a tsunami which never came to pass.

Until the ballots are drawn, until fresh statistics are shown, Akwa Ibom State is still 100 percent PDP. It is not about noise.

If you go to football match everybody thinks he is going to win, when you got to the pitch the reality will dawn. There is no cause for alarm, the agenda of the opposition is to clearly perpetrate violence, the agenda is to create a situation in the state to paint a picture that Akwa Ibom State is not safe. But of course, Nigerians and security agencies know better. The latest drama staged by the opposition everybody knows that they are trying to stage scripted drama.

The truth is that they are doing these

things for pure selfish interest. If for anything the investors are going to move out from the state. The factories we brought in that are functioning will leave in drove and those foreigners will leave. Your children and relatives will suffer because there will be job losses. With those industries working we will have moved people on the streets that do not have something to do.

It is selfish reason when you run down the economic and put the state in ruin what are you going to govern. That is the message I want Akwa Ibom people to understand, that it is not about political party now it is about seeing aspiring leaders who are selfish and want to destroy the state because they want to get to power at all cost. Even the so called leaders in opposition go to the factories established by the state government to apply to be contractors and distributors, but when they will get to radio stations they will say the factories are not working, nothing is there.

The issue is comparing Governor Udom Emmanuel and those characters and actors on the other platform who is sincere? Who really wishes Akwa Ibom well? We see somebody who wants to be a governor of Akwa Ibom State today he controls a budget of nine states, he has direct access of 2 per cent of profits of all International Oil Companies in Nigeria and you want to leave that to control budget of one state. What is your goal; what have you done with budget of nine states’ resources you have got? How have you impacted in your state, do you have a road to your village and you want to be a governor; that is clearly selfish interest?

Governor Emmanuel in more than three years in office has embarked on many projects; which of those projects could be tagged as his signature project?

When you talk about signature project, some people can turn monument to call signature project. Some people can build flyover that is useless and call it signature project. What becomes signature project in my mind of this administration is how the governor has been able to transform the economy in a sustainable manner.

Today, we talk about job creation; today we have almost eleven factories in the state. You can aggregate that and say industrialisation effort of the government is the signature project of this government. We have seen governor in this state that commissioned a building and called it a signature project. Today we have more industries than any administration in the state, that is the signature project of this administration. Today Akwa Ibom is rated as the second highest destination of foreign direct investment in Nigeria that is the signature project that this government has achieved in the first term in office.

Forget that this government has not built stadium but to maintain the Nest of Champion stadium, is like building a new

19

C002D5556

Sunday 04 November 2018

Politics Buhari, travel ban and the Nigeria project Emmanuel Umohinyang

O Charles Udoh

stadium. Experience has shown that Abuja national stadium cannot be maintained and is like a game reserve and the one in Lagos has turned out into beer parlour. So maintaining the Nest of Champion pitch alone to save Nigeria embarrassment of hosting international matches is a huge amount of money is a signature item. The fact remains that some states of the federation cannot pay salaries, but today we pay salary as and when due; pensioners get their pensions.

Anybody who says he has not got his pension, look him very well it must have been a documentation issue. The Head of Service has also challenged everybody that if you have not received your pension, the person should come up, but nobody has come up. Pensioners get bank alerts for payment the same time workers get for salary. We are not playing politics with development and to build monument. The signature project of this administration is the industrialisation, peace and agriculture. The governor clearly has the people in mind to develop them. The signature project of this administration is clearly the manifestation of its 5-point agenda.

There is this rumour of mass defection by aides to the governor due to lack of job satisfaction and motivation; as one of the key aides in the state administration; how bad is the situation?

Those are mere excuses. To be realistic there are a few people who are allergic to other people. Some of the aides were nominated by former governor, GodswillAkpabio. Naturally, because the former governor has moved away, some of them who probably cannot articulate what the consequences will be are bound to tilt towards that direction. The good thing is that there is just a pocket of them. The governor has over 500 aides, so if two or three of them resign, it is quite an insignificant number. After all, two commissioners were dropped. Aides are those you cannot put in the same basket as commissioners. Clearly those aides leaving are in the minority. If three resign that is not the problem.

The governorship candidate of APC reportedly escaped assassination recently and also an aide to the governor who resigned and defected allegedly was shot. While a cross section of people is alleging insecurity, others said it is fake or false insecurity alarm being played up. Is the state government not worried about this development in this political season?

The good thing is that the security

operatives are on top of the situation.

On the assassination, we know if there was anything close to that they would have shown us pictures especially where the bullets hit or passed through. Video clips as we speak we have not seen those things. Knowing them they would have flooded the internet with those pictures but I will not pre-empt what the police will say. As the governor has said the police have been given the mandate to go ahead and find out. If it is found to be false, the law will take its natural course.

A few weeks back, something like that happened in another local government area where we found out it was a robbery attack where a young man came out claiming that it was an assassination attempt by 15 people and they gave him a small scratch on his thigh and police have also come out to say it was robbery attack.

Those are things clearly orchestrated by the opposition to paint picture which they have in mind, the good thing is that these people on the other side had this antecedent.

The bulk of them were in charge of this state in eight years before the current administration. We know what happened in those years; it was a period we didn’t sleep with our eyes closed so they are coming back with the same antic. The good thing is that Akwa Ibom people have experienced peace, tranquility, harmony and trust, Akwa Ibom will not allow themselves to be dragged to that ugly situation anymore.

Recently, over 200 militants, kidnappers and cultists surrendered their arms and keyed into government amnesty programme. What is the state doing to properly rehabilitate them so that they will not slip back?

The government in collaboration with different agencies, the Police, Directorate of State Security (DSS), and National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) are working hand-in-hand to fashion out modalities to properly rehabilitate them.

The engagement is on-going. If they are meaningfully engaged, it is easy to keep them out from those bad habits. They came out voluntarily following an appeal from the state government.

If you look at the three local governments, Ika, EtimEkpo and Ukanafun they are the least developed areas for the last three years because no contractor will want to go to violence-prone areas, or risk being kidnapped or killed. It is a good sign that these young men have come out.

This government is going to harness their potentials in a positive way.

ne of the issues that have dominated the political space in the past few weeks is the travel ban on 50 Nigerians by the Federal Government.

This is a fallout of the Executive Order 6 signed by President Buhari recently as part of instruments to tighten the noose on looters of our commonwealth who virtually brought Nigeria to her knees by massively looting her resources.

Naturally, there has been a lot of noise about the propriety or otherwise of the ban on this group of people who have been most uncomfortable with the policies and programmes of this administration. Curiously, the said list has been a matter of conjecture as the Federal

Government has not made the list public.

fight to recover stolen wealth, one of the promises it made to Nigerians in 2015.

Critics may condemn some of the strategies employed by this administration, but the message to all is that this administration remains committed to that which it promised.

It is even commendable that the court of law has validated what the opposition cried against, which is a pointer that this government is on track.

Those who feel aggrieved by the E06, nay travel ban, have also been given a window of opportunity to approach the court if they feel their rights have been trampled upon.

Thankfully, some members of the opposition some time ago approached the court over the publication of their names on the looters’ list.

opinion

What it did was to hand it over to the appropriate agencies of government for implementation.

On such a sensitive matter, it is unsurprising that Nigerians are divided, depending on who is speaking about the development.

For some of our elite, especially those who had one thing or the other to do with the corridors of power recently, it is absurd. And for ordinary Nigerians who have had to bear the brunt of corruption, maladministration and bad leadership, the travel ban is in order.

It was therefore, unsurprising that the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) again kicked against the travel ban almost as soon as the policy was made public, apparently against the backdrop of the backlash that greeted the release of the looters’ list some months ago.

The position of the party is that the ban was targeted mainly at its members.

For the PDP, such a funny position is not unexpected given its antecedents on opposition that has always kicked against every move made by this administration to tackle corruption.

But, how do we place some of our elite who naturally should be partners against corruption, but kick against every attempt to battle the menace?

Curiously, these are the same set of people who either collaborated to bring us to the level we are or watched as our commonwealth was being stolen before their very eyes under the PDP administration, which many today refer to as the years of the locust.

For the PDP, it is natural that they are the wailing wailers because there is no way the sword of Damocles of the anti-corruption fight will not hit them as President Buhari has always blamed the PDP severally for mismanaging the nation’s resources.

Would it not have been crazy to overlook sixteen years of massive corruption that the party was in power, at a time we made so much from oil?

Didn’t PDP members own up to more than half of the humongous money both in naira and other foreign currencies retrieved from them by this administration?

The good thing about it all is that the Buhari administration is doing well in the

The position of the court on the matter has

even vindicated this government of any wrong doing.

In our recent history, the war against corruption has never been fought this way it’s been done by the present administration because there is no doubt that the PDP serially raided Nigeria for close to two decades.

It is therefore, an uncommon battle that this administration is fighting in view of the fact that corruption remains our greatest enemy today.

It is also not an accident that all manner of innuendoes are being thrown at the Buhari government for facing the battle with so much energy.

This is quite so when considered the quantum of resources in the hands of those who are being targeted by the government for prosecution.

Such people will go to any length and use all means to thwart whatever means government is using, not minding the cost involved to keep what they stole from our collective patrimony.

What is however, gratifying is that the Buhari administration has not slowed down a bit despite our closeness to the next round of election.

In the recent past, the anti-corruption agencies are always quick to apply the brakes whenever election is approaching for fear of losing election.

This was a major feature of the feeble efforts put into fighting corruption, if any, in the sixteen years of the PDP, not so for President Buhari.

That he has demonstrated that the fight against corruption must go on despite his second term bid is legendary and has shown he is a leader for now and the future.

This is what separates him from his adversaries who have or would want to rule Nigeria, but would not want to discuss corruption which we either kill or left to kill us and the unborn generation.

The Buhari we know has taken up the anti-corruption gauntlet and would not drop it for anything, as he has shown since he came on board as President in 2015.

Thankfully, Nigerians will not allow themselves to be articulated back to the era when stealing is not corruption.

Never, again!

•Umohinyang, a lawyer, lives in Lagos.

20

C002D5556

Sunday 04 November 2018

AssemblyWatch From the Red Chamber

OWEDE AGBAJILEKE

E

fforts to get a new legal framework for the conduct of the 2019 and other future elections in Nigeria received a major boost when both chambers of the National Assembly passed the fourth version of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill.

The bill has become an ‘Abiku’ of some sort, going back and forth between the Legislature and the Executive. It would be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari had declined assent to the bill on three occasions this year, citing contentious clauses.

But I am afraid the National Assembly is yet to learn from mistakes of the past. And without sounding like a prophet of doom,

Electoral Act: Has NASS prepared another ground for Buhari to withhold assent?

I won’t be surprised if the President again withholds his assent to the bill.

I say this for two reasons: it appears the National Assembly is setting banana peel for itself by not restricting itself to the issues raised by the President in declining assent to the bill.

For instance, presenting the report of the Senate Committee on the Independent National Electoral Commission, its chairman, Suleiman Nazif (PDP, Bauchi State), admitted that while all the issues raised by the President had been ‘captured and addressed’, the committee went further to add ‘new insertions’ to the proposal.

Hear him: “Also in an extra effort to address some other issues right observed in the provisions of both the Principal Act and the amendment Bill, the Committee went further to amend some other Sections of the Principal Actshmade some additional new insertions of SubParagraphs appropriately in the amendment Bill”.

The new amendments of the Principal Act affected Sections: 31, 33, 34, 38, 44, 67, 76, 78, 82, 85, 87, 91, 99, 112, 120, 138, 143, and 151

respectively.

Secondly, the National Assembly should have done itself a whole lot of good by splitting the bill into individual clauses before passing them. This is because the President’s rej ection of any aspect of the bill will again render the whole process null and void.

In my September 16, 2018 column titled, ‘2019: Is NASS afraid of Smart Card Reader?’ I stressed the need for the Legislature not to make the mistakes of the past.

I argued that: “With the President withholding assent to the bill for the third time in 2018, it is high time lawmakers deviced another means by transmitting the clauses in piecemeal to the President rather than as a whole just like the constitution amendment bill. This way, the President’s rejection of any clause does not invalidate the whole exercise, as witnessed in the last three amendments of the bill. Fortunately, this has already been successfully carried out when the National Assembly transmitted over 12 individual constitution alteration bills to the President for assent. He signed

some of the bills into law and rejected others”.

The last minute amendment also shows our penchant for fire brigade approach. The last General Election was held in March 2015 and the Eighth National Assembly inaugurated on June 9 of the same year. However, it took the National Assembly about three years to get the first version of the amendment bill passed. It is less than four months to the 2019 elections and here we are, still battling with a new legal framework for the conduct of the exercise.

The same scenario played out when the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) gave a sevenweek window for the conduct of party primaries, unfortunately most political parties concluded theirs at the dying minute. Similarly, most political parties submitted Forms CF001 and CF002 at INEC headquarters on the very last day (October 18, 2018) with some calling for extension.

Meanwhile, the two-week suspension of plenary by both chambers of the National Assembly has put a

Time to reconsider productive part-time legislature, governance

T

he recent decision of the leadership of National Assembly to embark on another two week break has further reinforced the need for overhaul of the Legislature, in the wake of consistent clamour for part-time Legislature. I strongly align my thought with the calls by the academia to revert to Unicameral legislature, especially where their economies are fast developing, including China, South Korea, Singapore, Chad, Egypt, Iraq, Senegal, Turkey, Ghana, rather than remain a figure-head ‘leading economy in the African continent with lesser clues to effective and desirable governance.

Haven practice uninterrupted democracy for 29 years, I will recommend the introduction of Standards and Assessments in the bid to drive the productive reform in the Legislature.

I was taken aback seeing some political aides of the principal officers who are seeking boasting about pocket of Constituency projects on facebook as if they expend personal money to construct them! For the ignorant members of the public, they were not informed that the allocation came from Federal Government! They never know they need to demand for full implementation of the funds channeled through those representatives at both Senate and

House of Representatives, with the view to ascertain that they have been shortchanged over the years! For me, Nigerian must not only hold the Legislature to account, but the Executive must be accountable to us all, knowing fully well that they are custodians of of Commonwealth. I believe Nigerians deserve more than we have ever gotten from past and incumbent governments.

A former Senator and Deputy Governor of Ogun State, Senator Gbenga Kaka was quoted as saying that opting for part-legislators isn’t a bad idea, considering the nature of our democracy and interest of our economy. Haven gone through the system and institution, he submitted that there is need to ascertain the level of productivity of full-time Parliament. Of course, as done in the private sector, adopting the Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timely (SMART) approach for the Nigerian Parliament, won’t be a bad yardstick.

I am not particularly worried about the amount of money being paid to the federal lawmakers, because by my calculation when juxtapose with the allocation being given and managed by the Executive arm, our focus should be on how the Executive utilize the N9.120 trillion for 2018 (23.6% increase from the N7.441 billion for 2017 fiscal year).

Likewise, the Judiciary col-

lected total sum of N110 billion against the N100 billion approved in 2017 fiscal year, while National Assembly got approval for N150 billion. Meanwhile, nobody cares about how the Executive spends N886 trillion in 2018 fiscal year! So to start raising alarm on such issue against the Legislature and Judiciary will be unfair and sycophancy on my part.

As I’ve earlier canvassed in the previous columns, the leadership of both chambers must be decisive and proactive by ensuring that anyone who performs below expectation as chairman of any of the Standing Committees is relieved of such position! Of course, such offices ought to be assigned to people with requisite knowledge of the portfolio rather than turn it to be an avenue of rewarding loyalty.

Of course, nobody familiar with the activities and operations of various Standing Committees will agree less with my position.

Of course, out of the 98 standing committees in the House of Representatives, less than 30 are functional and carried out at least 10 assignments over the past three and half years of the 8th session of the national Assembly.

The most nauseating issue is that most of the reports of the investigative public hearings (including the functional

standing and Ad-hoc Committees) were made public or laid for consideration on the floor of the House to the best of my knowledge. If that is the case, then wasting public funds on such self-serving venture is antipeople and should be challenged by whatever legitimate means. I had also queried the rationale behind the floating of a Standing Committee on Legislative Compliance which has never interface or make itself available for media engagement, is worrisome.

I recall my engagement with the chairman of the Constituency Outreach in the wake of the constituency scandal that rocked the Seventh Assembly, what mechanism was put in place to ensure implementation of those zonal intervention/Constituency projects across the 360 federal constituencies of Nigeria. As expected he gave a lame position that the Committee has been carrying out its assignment and will sustain it. That was the only and last instance I can remember he interfaced with me and my Colleagues till that Assembly shut down. I also made reference to the Committee on Poverty Alleviation in the current 8th Assembly and questioned the existence of such a committee without any action taken so far over the past 40 months of the 8th Assembly.

All of these, made me to

setback to the passage of the much-awaited Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB) and 13 other critical bills rejected by the President.

The Eight National Assembly will wind down by June 9, 2019 and there are strong indications that the bills may not see the light of the day, especially as politics takes centre stage.

The bills which Buhari declined assent to included the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB), Stamp Duties (Amendment) Bill, Industrial Development (Income Tax Relief) (Amendment) Bill, National Research and Innovation Council (Est.) Bill, National Institute of Hospitality and Tourism (Est.) Bill and National Agricultural Seeds Council Bill.

Others are Chattered Institute of Entrepreneurship (Est.) Bill, Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences (Amendment) Bill, Subsidiary Legislation (Legislative Scrutiny) Bill, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (Amendment) Bill as well as five constitution amendment bills.

From the Green House With

KEHINDE AKINTOLA question the versatility of Nigerian Legislature and the understanding of true democracy and governance. As we speak, many countries with similar economic rating like Nigeria in the 70s, including Malaysia, China, Korea, Brazil, have left us behind, making giant stride in various human endeavours while Nigeria is still begin for aids and development assistance from its peer group, yet some people are laying claims on the fact that we have professionals (whom I called portfolio contractors operating in the oil & gas) in various fields in key positions in this country.

How has the legislations passed impact on the country and the citizenry?

So for how long are we going to be on this spot?

BDLife Sunday 04 November 2018

SHONIBARE: It is Africa’s time to dominate global art scene

inside

LIFE&LIVING OFF DUTY ARTS REALGIST ENTERTAINMENT KIDDIES C002D5556

BDSUNDAY 21

22

C002D5556

Sunday 04 November 2018

Life&Living

Do’s and don’ts of the famous ketogenic diet Jumoke Akiyode-Lawanson

I

t all seemed like magic to me.

Maybe this is a miracle. I had always heard of miracles happening but I had never seen one for sure. Such a drastic and sudden change.

Bukola Olaope was an old time friend; my high school class mate, who has been regarded as the fat, round girl all her life. I don’t think ‘Bukky’ as she was fondly called, had ever been anything slimmer than a UK dress size 20, and suddenly, just like magic, Bukky had dropped four dress sizes and is now a perfect size 12. I could not believe my eyes.

I probably hadn’t seen her in about 10 years; the last time I saw bukky, she was still fat and had just been admitted into University of Lagos to study Law. We talked a little bit before we said our goodbyes, hugged and I left. I remember thinking to myself, “I really hope she loses some weight because she has such a pretty face”. Bukky wasn’t one to care so much about her weight, I admired her self confidence regardless of her size. However, she might have cared less because we were in an all girls school, she was in boarding house and so she didn’t have to bother about getting any male advances. What will happen now when

she is in university and there were so many handsome young boys looking to chase model looking, beautiful girls? I almost immediately dismissed the thought (It’s not my business).

15 years, after graduating from secondary school, the girls were reunited through social media, a chat group was formed and we all decided to have a secondary school reunion party so that we could all catch up and re-connect. I knew everyone was going to try hard to look their best and show of top achievements but I was not at all prepared to see the biggest shock of my life.

W H AT D I D Y O U D O ? I screamed, as soon as I saw Bukola

Adeyeye, nee Olaope. How possible is it that she could be this slim, even after birthing three children?

KETO diet, she said in her soft voice. The ketogenic diet is becoming a trend among people looking for quick, dramatic weight loss. The diet is a high-fat, moderate protein, low-carbohydrate food plan that shifts the body to burn fats as opposed to carbohydrates. I knew this, but I didn’t believe anything could help Bukky look this good. I had to go and do some indebt research on the diet plan.

Ketosis occurs when the body is burning fat for fuel and producing ketones (in the liver). We might all

want a quick fix to look trim but here are some ground rules when following the diet.

DO eat real food. Veggies that grow above ground, beef (organic, grass fed), chicken (organic, pastured), salmon (wild-caught), butter, heavy cream (organic is a must, raw dairy is even better!).

DO replace your electrolytes, but not with diet Gatorade or sugary energy type drinks. Drink bone broth or chicken broth. Think sea salt. Make sure you get at least 2 tsp per day.

DO eat plenty of healthy fats!

Coconut oil, avocado oil, avocados, butter, heavy cream, extra virgin olive oil, animal fats (preferably from

grass fed animals) butter and MCT oil. Fat is a source of energy and provides mental clarity – it’s brain food!

DO use natural alternative sweeteners vs. artificial ones – i.e.: don’t use sucralose/Splenda, DO use stevia or erythritol.

DO avoid fast food. Even though you can get burgers without a bun at McDonald’s or wherever, fast food just isn’t healthy. It is full of chemicals and preservatives and they usually don’t even use real cheese and the meat often has fillers. Even the salads could have hidden sugars.

DON’T eat low carb tortillas, “sugar-free” candies or jello, low-carb packaged bread, diet soda, low carb bars, shakes or frozen microwaveable meals or zero calorie artificially sweetened drinks or water flavoring.

DON’T eat low-fat food. Avoid buying fat-free or low-fat cheese or yogurt. You need to eat full-fat cheese, and plenty of healthy fats.

If your Keto diet includes yogurt, make sure it is full fat yogurt (no sugar added).

DON’T eat bad fats! Corn oil, vegetable oil, soybean oil, hydrogenated oil and canola oil are the worst!

DON’T look up nutrition information after you’ve eaten something – always look it up before!

This diet has become so popular that supermarkets in Nigeria have special sections for ketogenic foods.

Plussize Fashion Week Africa: Celebrating women of all shapes and sizes Ifeoma okeke

G

one are the days when models needed to slim, tall and with the perfect hour glass figure. There are women that are big, bold and beautiful and still have strong modelling potentials.

It is time to get ahead of the curve with our African women and celebrate their sizes. African women of various shapes and sizes can now flaunt their figure in confidence and work elegantly on the runway. This can only be possible with the Plussize Fashion Week Africa.

This year’s Plussize Fashion event which kicked off yesterday is featuring some of the best and most beautiful curvy babes and the activities to celebrate the event include, runway shows, exhibitions, a Masterclass and a Fashion Gala night where awards will be given to those who have contributed to the Plussize community in Africa.

Another exciting highlight is the 16 influences spanning across various walks of life that will also be on the runway. These influencers include Nansy Mrshustle, Monalisa Stephen, Immaculate Dache, Mor Okonkwo, Feyi Luther Mbanugo, Dumebi Agbakoba, Adefalujo Ronke, Chisom Ogbummuo, Oluwabibs, Deborah Ofure Umoren, Lisa Omorodion, Ruby Gyang, Moyo Lawal, Nkechi Blessing, Dekunbi Kuye and Obianuju

E.O. Yesterday, there were two showcases and today the Master Class will hold and this is the maiden because it is the first time the Master Class will be kicking off. The gala night show promises to be very exciting as all the

influencers will be on the runway and get to be a model for the day.

Temi Aboderin-Alao, the Founder Plussize Fashion Week Africa told BDSunday that the Plussize Fashion Week is the celebration of the African women as the show offers a platform for African women to be celebrated.

“If you look at the fashion industry and the standard, they tell you, you need to be skinny and they categorise you from 12 below. I feel like that is a very unfair standard and I feel like the average woman is around size

12 or 14. So, Plussize Fashion Week is that variety starting from size 12 and above.

“We are celebrating the diversity of models. You will see those that are not very tall, those that are tall, those that have the different shapes and sizes. The differences we have are what make them unique and great,” Aboderin-Alao who is also the CEO JPKOUTURE, JPKingdom& Golden Curvy Modeling Agency said.

Speaking on the criteria that influenced the selection of the influences for the Plussize Fashion Week, she said the influencers are people who understand the Plussize vision and what they are trying to do.

“We were so happy that a lot of people came on board. They understood what we are trying to do. They have spent their time to support this initiative. We have 16 influencers. Everybody is going to be in JP Kouture.

JPKouture is the Kouture line with sequence customised pieces and very high end.

On Saturday, a sea of women wore Kimonos in the hall and today, Sunday they will be on JPKouture.

Olakemi Obi, Founder, Plus is Diverse who is also a Plussize model in the UK said when Temi AboderinAlao approached her and told her what she wanted to do, she Obi was excited because she knew plus size women need to be celebrated as well.

“This is something of a high standard. We have the London and NewYork fashion week and the African woman is not really celebrated, how much more the Plussize women. I am a Plussize model in UK and also the founder of Plus is Diverse. I agreed to come on board.

“This year we have upped it. We have Plussize models from other continents such as Asian coming on

board. This is going to be interesting.

This is beyond just Africa.

She said one unique feature about Nigerian women is that they work very hard, as there is so much perseverance and pushing that the Plussize models here have that she hadn’t witnessed.

She stressed that this perseverance has inspired her on the need to work harder. “I love the spirit here.

Everyone loves the positivity that comes with it. Women are positive about themselves and they still keep going.”

On how she started as a Plussize model in UK, she said, “I wasn’t into modelling before now. I got started with the Plussize modelling competition and I made it to the final 20 and then final five and I have been using my potentials since then. I want this to keep on growing and this is not to tear down any one but to include everyone and celebrate everyone.”

Sunday 04 November 2018

C002D5556

Off Duty With

Bolatito Adebola Mobile: 08053859391, email - iambolatito@gmail.com twitter - @iambolatito

Uzoma Dozie in ‘two-score’ celebration of Life!

L

ike the saying that the best inheritance a father can leave for his children is a good example, just like the foremost banker, philanthropist and big time businessman, Pascal Dozie, his children are living up to his legacy of benevolence and generosity in all ramifications. Uzoma is living large to this opinion and his father is proud of him because of the legacy he is also living behind will not be touched by anybody except his children. Uzoma, son of financial giant, Pascal Dozie, the founder Diamond Bank plc, is now making big waves in the banking sector, as he holds sway as the MD/ CEO of Diamond Bank Plc. Recently, he completed his twenty years at Diamond Bank, two sparkling decades of his life where he had the opportunity to learn, achieve, connect, support and give back to the community.

Without any doubt, these two decades have defined his professional and personal life. For the last twenty years

in the banking industry, he has been transformational at the bank, with digital banking, moving towards a cashless society. Dozie is aiming for financial inclusion and moving it towards ‘beyond banking.’ As the helmsman of the new generation bank, Uzoma is daily proving pundits wrong that age is not a big factor when it comes to efficient service delivery and well-focused administration. Since he came into

office by a stroke of fate, the youthful bank chief has continued to remain focused, stoically and steadily delivering growth to the bank, with several products and services that can make other banks go green with envy. He is a professional banker par excellence with an intimidating pedigree of two decades within which he has garnered relevant banking experience across key banking functions including Branch Services,

Commercial Banking, Public Sector and Institutional/ Corporate Banking. Uzoma’s achievements began in 1998 when he joined the bank as Head of Oil and Gas Unit, in his two-score journeys in the banking world, he was promoted and appointed as the Executive Director for Retail Banking in 2006, while in 2011 he introduced Online banking services followed with the launch of Diamond Bank Mobile App in 2012 and mark 2 Million Users cross in 2017. With his fast-rising profile in the banking system, he was appointed as CEO of Diamond Bank in 2014, and joined Women’s World Banking as a Trustee in 2016 which led to Diamond Bank being appointed as a Forum Member Adviser to the World Economic Forum in 2018. With all his achievements as the bank helmsman, Uzoma has made Diamond Bank a transparent piece that has been polished with valued as a precious gem in the banking industry.

He got married to beautiful Adesua, in 2000 and became father of three kids by 2004.

Nedcom Okas boss, Kennedy Okonkwo’s heart of gold

Y

outhful and enterprising Kennedy Okonkwo is a man of proven immense wealth, a lover of humanity and an embodiment of philanthropy whose milk of human kindness, like an inestimable fountain, has endlessly flowed to whet parched throats and soothe frayed nerves across the land.

He is highly regarded, respected and honoured in the society.

Kennedy’s philanthropic activity cuts across many spheres of the society and transcends ethnic, social and religious boundaries, with a devoted chunk of his private resources towards the care and service of not just the less privileged in society but also to humanity as a whole. Dr. Kennedy Onyekachi Okonkwo, the MD/CEO of Nedcom Oaks, a property development company, was recently at his element again as

he single-handed championed the 2018 Oba’s Cup in honor of His Royal Majesty, Oba Tijani Adetunji Akinloye, JP, OON, Sateru II, Ojomu of Ajiranland to celebrate his 25th Coronation Anniversary by fostering the spirit of sportsmanship among the youths in Eti-Osa community and its environs. Eventual winners of

the competition, apart from the Gold Cup, got a whopping Five Hundred Thousand Naira; the matches were played inside the new Ajiran Stadium complete with flood lights, built and donated to the community by the large-hearted Kennedy Okonkwo, a millennial real estate entrepreneur who is also Group CEO of Victoriacrest Homes and LaundryKingNG. In tow, he was given meritorious awards of Excellence by the host Oba, Tijani Adetunji Akinloye. It was on the occasion of the Oba’s 25th Coronation Anniversary where illustrious sons, daughters and visitors to the land were given honorary titles for their numerous contributions to the development to the community. Kennedy Okonkwo, who was still basking in the euphoria of his 41st birthday, which he celebrated amidst pomp among the less privileged and widows, showed during this period that he is a man full of compassion for the needy, despite his wealthy status and stupendous riches.

Debisi Omoniyi, a consummate corporate communications strategist

H

e is one of the formidable image makers in the Nigerian corporate communication world; as a crossover marketing communication professional, brand and image publicist, who has spent over two decades in contributing through impactful practice across broadcast journalism, advertising and financial services. Debisi Omoniyi is the MD/CEO Fusion 360 Degrees, with responsibilities like crisis management, media and external relations, stakeholders’ engagement, digital media strategy formulation and management. He is known to be a resourceful communication strategist,

BDSUNDAY 23

who constantly keeps the objective(s) of any task in view and works assiduously to accomplish its cost effectively and very efficiently too.

Debisi, a consummate public relations officer, though a graduate of Biological Sciences from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, started his career with NEM Insurance in the year 2000, later moved to Strika Entertainment Nigeria Limited as Marketing & Distributions Manager. In 2006, he partnered with Debbie Hornecker and reknowned Data Okorodudu to start Runway Dreams, a national model scout competition where he was the creative director.

He worked with Jimi Delaja,

Frank Oshodi and Nombelulo Mazibuko for 3 years where he moved to Richardson & Briggs; a PR and events company in Nigeria as the Creative manager, where he managed the Michael Power Movie Pre-

miere Screening in Abuja. His last place of work was at 24-7 IMC as a manager; where he resigned to start Fusion 360 degrees limited. As a successful events practitioner, he has been able to manage large scale events shows, market and consumer activations in Nigeria. Debisi pioneered the tutoring on the 5 Domains of Event Management which is an in-depth analysis of the Event Management Book of Knowledge (EMBOK) structure globally. He was given an Excellence Award by Nigerian Top Executives in the Advertising, Marketing & PR Industry 2015 Publication and Rating published by Elvis Krivokuca, MBA Editor-in-Chief.

Enterprising Tony Ezekiel, Taking Furniture Business to Enviable Heights

H

ardworking and ind u str ious Tony Ezekiel, the founder and CEO of Itex Furniture is a complete gentleman in terms of character, vision; honest of purpose in the volatile business of furniture making he has found himself.

Apart from these, he is at the same time a dependable fellow, a humanist, welfarist, man of the people and above all a man of proven integrity, whose achievements and activities over the years are pointers to his potential and ability to make things happen. Today, Tony, with his incomparable qualities, continues to advance himself in an industry that is not grouped among the key sectors of the economy, but with a combination of integrity, humility, dint of hard work, and professional competency, he has broken the ceiling in the industry.

The exceptional ‘Carpenter’, as the general name for furniture makers was born in 1958 in the Northern city of Kaduna, while his background and experience have left him devoid of all tribal or religious sentiments whatsoever; and have ultimately made him a versatile and amiable character, gifted with cross-cultural people-

management skills. This is further evident of his fluency in English, Yoruba, Hausa, Edo and Ora languages.

His Itex Furniture has been privileged to furnish various landmark buildings and has contributed immensely in transforming the aesthetic look, feel and comfort of offices and homes in Nigeria, all of which have made ‘Itex Furniture’ one of the leading furniture manufacturing companies in Nigeria.

Tony has no doubt raised the bar with his ingenuity in several areas of human endeavours and recognition of his achievements in business, humanitarian works and other spheres of life.

Virtuosic family man, Tony is happily married to charming Adeola Olowu-Ezekiel and they are blessed with three lovely children.

Realtor Businessman, Babatunde Gbadamosi’s big dream

H

e does not make any pretence or disillusionment about his genuine dream for his country, and he has been silently actualizing this dream for a while now, using his personal abundant resources to advance this course. Being a governorship aspirant of the Action Democratic Party, ADP, Babatunde Gbadamosi, a trained lawyer and now real estate practitioner, had twice contested unsuccessfully the governorship ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party in 2011 and 2014. Defecting last year from the party, he has not given up his hope of becoming the governor of Lagos State, his original state of origin.

Ahead of the 2019 gubernatorial election in the state, Gbadamosi is banking on his personal integrity and not party affiliation to realize his dreams. Reeling out his master agenda for the people of Lagos State, BOG, as he is fondly called by many, said the most important concern of his administration will be the provision of affordable accommodation for the people, adding that a people without a roof over their heads will never have implicit confidence in those who govern them, and it is that confidence he is going to restore when he gets

into office next year hopefully; because over the years he has tried and provided affordable shelter for the people in his domain, with all the facilities like water, light and good roads in place and he is still not yet done.

Babatunde Gbadamosi is not a green horn in the politics of Lagos State and will sure give his opponents a run for their money, because he believes the people are now wiser and brave, not carried away by the party of any candidate but the personality and antecedents of a candidate irrespective of his party platform. Outside politics, BOG is the Chairman of the sprawling AMEN Estates, which he co-runs with his wife, and also operates a majorly corporate law chambers.

24

C002D5556

Sunday 04 November 2018

Arts

‘It is Africa’s time to dominate global art scene’ With works that cut across painting, sculpture, photography, film and performance, Yinka Shonibare is truly a multidisciplinary artist. The British-born Nigerian artist decorated with the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE), is sought-after by art galleries, collectors, art auction houses and even artist across the world for his creative ingenuity. He is in Nigeria for Art X Lagos 2018 as keynote speaker. In this interview, he bares his mind to OBINNA EMELIKE on the art fair, his career and related issues.

Welcome back to Lagos for Art X, how has it been with you? t has been great. So, it is fun being here because Lagos has energy. I am trying to keep up with Lagosians, exchange with them, tap into their energy, resilience and also learn.

I love doing what I do. I think art is culturally very important and I can express myself, say what I need to say and hopefully, educate and entertain at the same time.

What do you think made the organisers of Art X Lagos to choose you as the keynote speaker this year?

It was Tokini Peterside’s idea. She is the founder and director of Art X Lagos and I was pleased to accept the opportunity to speak at the art fair. I think the organisers appreciate my personality, works and contributions to the arts as well.

Are you exhibiting any work at the Lagos art fair?

Well, some of my works will be on display. I will show a broad range of the different ways in which I work. Most importantly, I will be having a conversation with Chika Okeke on art related issues.

Do you have current works that are making waves like the

I

Fourth Plinth?

Recently, I have been doing a lot of public sculpture. I just put a sculpture in Central Park in New York; “Wind Sculpture”. It is painted in the style of African textiles and inspired by a sail blowing in the wind. There is photograph of the sculpture downstairs as you are coming, it greets you. That has been phenomenally successful.

I like the fact that I can share my work with ordinary members of the public in the street who possibly may not be able to go into gallery or afford to pay to see art; that is very important to me.

Also, I am doing small scale works for people who cannot afford the big ones. I am doing print and I am also enjoying that as well. I just try not to be bored, I have different ways of working and I constantly keep changing in the things that I do.

How do you get inspiration for your art?

I think, if you love art, you will want to try different things.

I am still learning. It is important not to stand still, keep pushing yourself and that is what I try to do.

What about your artists’ residency project?

I am in the process of starting an international artists’ residency in Lekki. We have bought

Yinka Shonibare at Civic Centre for Art X Lagos

the land and we are breaking the ground this year to start the building. There will be a small gallery there, rooms for artists to stay, among other facilities.

I will bring some international artists to Lagos to present their works and to show the artists here what the possibilities are and then those artists will hopefully learn from the local artists as well. So, it is an international exchange programme because education is very important. If you want to improve your arts,

you need to be having constant conversation with people internationally. If you do not do that, you might think that your work is the best, but you need reviews to improve.

One of the things I want to do with my residency is to create platforms where lots of topics can be debated by people and hopefully people find solutions to these things.

But we have to have a platform and forum to discuss all these issues. That is something I hope

I can be part of.

How do you see African art market?

I think that American and European art have been dominant for a long time. It is Africa’s time to dominate global art scene and there is a lot of talents in Africa. It is good that the world has started to notice African art.

What about the quality of the works?

The question of quality is an evolving one. Quality grows overtime; it develops. Already, the quality of works African artists are doing now is much higher than what they did 10 years ago. I do not know what is going to happen in 20 years time. I think the more international exchanges that people have, the more they really understand that they have to challenge themselves.

Do we have enough art auctions, galleries and exhibitions?

I think there are more galleries and spaces now. But more spaces will be needed and the market needs to grow. But it is starting. I know that two museums are being built at the moment. There is one at Onikan, then Shylon Museum and hopefully more spaces will open as well. There are more private galleries as well and Art X Lagos is also a great opportu-

nity for artists and I think with time, these things will grow. It will take time. I am optimistic about the growth.

Do you think we have spaces here to preserve Nigerian artworks in abroad?

Benin City is building a museum that will house the works that are about being returned to the country from foreign museums. When the Benin museum is ready, they will collaborate with a number of institutions to conserve the works. I think, politically, it is the right thing to do. Those works should go back home and be appreciated by another generation because it is very painful when your culture is being stolen from you. I think that more influential people in Arica should be vocal about these things; we need to bring those things back. I know they are returning on loan, but actually, we need to have our things back permanently.

Where do you see your art in 5 years time?

In five years from now, I hope to be a catalyst for empowerment for many upcoming artists and art projects. In London for example, I run a gallery for emerging artists for over 10 years now and I hope to continue to make big impact on the generations after me.

‘Of Fractals and Embryos’ thrills at Alexis Galleries

O

f Fractals and Embryos, an exhibition of creative works by Promise O’nali and Godwin Arikpo opened yesterday Saturday, November 3, 2018, at the Alexis Galleries, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The two talented and upcoming artists with diverse ideas and philosophies are of the strong view that arts should evolve consciousness and transcend beyond certain boundaries. In other words, the exhibition depicts human evolution and ever-evolving society.

Earlier at a media parley heralding the exhibition, O’nali said that humans have always been surrounded with events and people that teach them certain ideas about life, these experiences form the nucleus of each individual’s circle of consciousness.

He mentions that each individual’s way of life is highly dependent on a level of consciousness and in hindsight and everybody is surrounded by a consciousness bubble.

According to him, “Of Fractals and Embryos” encapsulates the idea of embryos as an artistic exploration of the evolution of collective

A work by Promise O’nali

consciousness and how it enhances human development.

“Our circulatory system, our lungs, our brains are like trees. They are fractal structures. Most natural bodies - and that includes us human beings - are composed of different types of fractals woven into each other, each with parts which have different fractal

dimensions.”

He noted that how the mind works is highly dependent on what someone feeds it with.

“If we only think and consume ideas that move us to the next level of human development, then our immediate environment will be a lot more conducive and inviting both for human interaction and economic

growth,” Said O’nali.

He drew an analogy of how physiologists discovered an empirical understanding of how much blood flows through our circulatory system, and how this relates to the physical size of the vessels that carry it.

In view of this, he said the kidneys, liver, and pancreas are all organs created along self-similar fractal rules. “The human brain, which is without conviction, is a very fractal piece of art. It has a fascinatingly fractal structure. You only have to look at it to see that. It is visually crumpled and wrinkled and highly intricate, as it folds back and forth on itself.”

Consequently, Patty Chidiac-Mastrogiannis, curator and CEO, Alexis Galleries, disclosed that the works of the two artists are on view at the Gallery for the first time

with about 30 paintings and mixed media masterfully created works. “The exhibition is primarily targeted at telling the world that these young talents are out,” she said. “Promise O’nali and Godwin Arikpo are truly talented and we happy to show their recent works,” said Chidiac-Mastrogiannis.

However, she fears that young artists are usually stuck when they get to a certain phase of their career, “this is not what I wish these guys, if they are able to cross that phase, then the sky will be their limit.”

Being an art curator for many years and helping young artists, she said the uniqueness and originality of their artwork remain mind-blowing and urges them to trade in that direction and refute stagnation as they journey for greatness.

The exhibition runs till November 17, 2018.

Sunday 04 November 2018

25

C002D5556

Arts Victor Butler’s nuanced whisperings of the soul Obinna Emelike

I

n the midst of Lagos’ “bursting at the seams” art calendar this week, Nuance, a highly anticipated solo exhibition of exceptional works by Victor Butler, a leading international artist from Ghana, opens to the public at Temple Muse on November 1, 2018.

Curated by SMO Contemporary Art, the exhibition showcases 23 paintings on canvas and two prints, which draw viewers into Butler’s multilayered landscapes of myriad perspectives, subtly referencing traditional narratives in surreal spaces influenced by mathematics, science and natural history. Nuance is a one-of-a-kind journey of discovery into Butler’s world, exploring the meaning of community, culture, time and space, permanence versus relevance.

Born in 1964, Victor Butler

is a self-taught artist with over 30 years of studio practice. His works have been exhibited internationally including in Canada, England, France and the United States.

He studied medicine and has worked at the cutting edge of auto mechanics, information technology, and furniture design. His impressive painting technique and deeply philosophical approach to life is evident in his surrealist style and subject matter.

Nuance is Butler’s first exhibition in Nigeria and shows the breadth of his signature surrealist style, celebrating relationships on the personal, family and community level.

Butler speaks to the soul and identity of African communities as they draw on ancestral roots within futuristic mindscapes, which reference cultural identity and traditions vis-à-vis the need to preserve and conserve the natural world.

He invites his viewers to stop and look below the sur-

others have either one or two eyes missing or altogether lack the ability to speak in mouth-less faces. In Interrupted, there is subtle dynamics within a group of six women dressed identically, casting questioning looks in the same direction, as if disturbed in mid-sentence.

Butler is able to capture the subtle power struggle in these different scenes and groups, through nuanced expressions revealing the

intricacies and complexity in people’s interpretation of the same thing. The works unveil Butler’s poetic interpretation of the world is deeply rooted in his profound understanding of how community and culture is inextricably linked with science, the natural world, and technology.

In his artist statement, Butler speaks about the peculiarity of “objectivity and subjectivity within the mind and soul of the community”

which he explores on each canvas.

“We are excited to showcase Victor Butler’s work for the first time in Nigeria at two venues, Temple Muse and at the Art X Lagos fair,” Sandra Mbanefo Obiago, founder/ artistic director, SMO Contemporary Art, said. “The complexity, sophistication, and subtle depth of Butler’s art definitely set him apart as an African Master.”

“Butler’s fantastic art also cross references the evolution of African design in a very futuristic way, commented Avinash Wadhwani, director of Temple Muse. “Nuance fits perfectly into both visual art and contemporary fashion as Butler’s futuristic designs and forms resonate with a renaissance creative community in Lagos and beyond.”

The exhibition, which is sponsored by Access Bank and Veuve Clicquot, opens to the public on Thursday, November 1, and runs until December 7, 2018.

Nigerian prison is hard, inhuman and cruel. Only this month the newspapers reported an official of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre saying 12 million Nigerian children have grown stunted owing to malnutrition this year.

Mohammed, who in his case was not sentenced to death, was one of the 46 inmates in Kano Prison who died that time as a result of bad conditions. Many more died of pneumonia, sclerosis of the liver, tuberculosis and meningitis.

A second case was Saminu Lawal, who had survived three years in detention without trial could not survive another day to prove his innocence.

When an Ilorin magistrate called his case the next morning, Lawal has already died last night and his body has been taken to the mortuary.”

These stories were pointers to the fact that the state of the Nigerian nation in the second half of the 20th century was a pathetic one.

However, the next article titled ‘A Prison to Desire’ is totally different from the Kano prison; this is in Cardiff, United Kingdom. What appears to be a level narrow road stops suddenly on a wrong note.

The huge remote controlled glass door slid open to admit Newswatch to her Majesty’s prison. There was hardly any black man in sight except then author, Usen. Here, 486 inmates are behind bars in three blocks of three-storey built in 1884. In the visitors’ hall, about 50 of the inmates sat opposite their relatives across a row of five long tables, trying to say as much as they could within the 30 minutes.

Alan Rawson, the prison governor, was ready with explanations. “A degree of overcrowding is expected in a prison like this because we keep short term prisoners not

exceeding 12 months. Virtually all British prisons of this kind are overcrowded,” he said.

Of the 486 inmates, 152 were non-convicts awaiting trial. Non-convicts in Cardiff however, do not await trial for nine years as in Nigeria’s Ikoyi prison. They are taken to court every seven days until their cases are disposed of. The prison governor told Newswatch that Cardiff prison alone services 26 magistrates and three Crown courts. Such is the content of Audacious Journalism. The stories are told incisively and comically, arrested so vividly in scraps of well-crafted and trendy prose.

No doubt this book is recommended for mass communication undergraduate, graduate and those currently practices to help broaden their understanding of the professional and what it takes to practice journalism professionally.

It is also a must-read for government and law makers as it draws a vivid picture of some of the histories that shape us as a nation. This will inform them on what to avoid ensure we do not make mistakes we made far back that still affects us today.

Every other set of persons not mentioned above can also do well to get a copy as the book clearly informs, educates and entertains readers.

The Lure Of The Moon by Victor Butler

face at issues, which he references through arid worlds revealing intertwined forms and rich textures, which speak volumes once they are recognised in the shadows.

Taking a look at some of his works, in Witnesses, Butler paints an abstract sea of faces with interwoven eyes, each fixing their stare on the same scene but with different interpretations, looks, and depth of reasoning; some faces appear complete, while

Victor Butler

Book Review Title: Art of Audacious journalism, its art, style and depth Author: Anietie Usen Pages: 710 Publisher: Parresia Publishers Reviewer: Ifeoma Okeke

A

uthors, filmmakers and historians over the years have struggled getting information to make references because of the lack of documentation. Life and times have passed without having traces of reasons behind some phenomenon.

However, a few writers are beginning to set the pace right and one of them is Anietie Usen who wrote an amazing book ‘Audacious Journalism,’ that chronicles events that shaped Nigeria till date.

Usen is an alumnus of Harvard Business School, Oxford Business School, Manchester Business School and the University of Calabar. As a pioneer reporter at Newswatch, Usen rose to become the general editor. Later, he became an Editorial Board member of Thisday and Editor at Large of Africa Today Magazine, London. Currently, he is the commercial and industrial development director, Niger Delta Development Commission, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

With 710 pages, an index of two pages and a foreword

by Des Wilson, a professor of Mass Communications, the book tells an interesting story of Nigeria, amusingly by a witness.

The huge manuscript was published this year by Par-

resia Publishers, Ikeja. Lagos, Nigeria. The book is properly designed and quite appealing to peruse.

The author starts the chronicle with his own story; on how he journeyed from the ‘wilderness’ of scary wars onto the ease of the boardroom in middle age.

Audacious Journalism is segmented into seven parts. The stories are grouped as those on Nigeria, his columns, on Africa and America. Other stories are on the world, his interviews and the sports reports. The largest contribution among them is the section on Nigeria.

There are 42 chapters in the first section, opening with Usen’s experience at Newswatch magazine and concluding with an account of the maiden speech of Nigeria’s head of state, Abdulsalami Abubakar. Section two contains his columns; hosting 19 articles. Africa has 11 chapters, America: six; the world: seven; interviews: five and sports: three.

The stories reflect both his varied interests in various journalism beats. By its title the book seeks to serve as a director for entertainment, education and a sourcebook of journalism practice.

It offers cherished material for learning and entertainment as a sub sector of Mass Com-

munication. The Prison in Hell is an article providing much information on the condition of our prisons.

The unfortunate death of the prisoner sent bad vibes to readers. The eroded iron that confined him to the bed had left his ankle badly injured, his ribs could be counted and he had the ugly look of a drought victim. The doctor’s report simply said Muazu Mohammed prisoner No 1519/86 of Kano Central Prison, died of acute malnutrition. Life in a

26 BDSUNDAY

C002D5556

Sunday 04 November 2018

THINGS TO DO IN LAGOS It is another Sunday Funday and as always, I have somewhere for you to be at! Here are a few events happening today that will thrill you:

Movie Review Of A Star Is Born By Linda Ochugbua

I

t looks like the movie producers have saved the best movies of the year till this last quarter, it’s been a full month of back to back fantastic movies, but for a few. I am excited and thrilled again this week to bring you a well written, heart touching, soul shaking Hollywood movie called a “A Star is Born”. The ads and posters for this movie did no justice in explaining what to expect from this beautiful movie, all we could get was that it was going to be a romantic love story and that was it. The music and singing aspect of this movie was really very nice and even though there were loads of intervals with live performances, we were never bored. Guess what, I really had to hold myself from shedding tears towards the end.

Based on a true life story of a young girl who desperately wanted to sing and show the world what she was made of. The movie was quiet simple with a few key actors, nothing extraordinary about the shoot, but the storyline and cast made all the difference.

“A star is Born” started slowly with “Bradley Cooper” who was referred to as “Jackson Maine” having a live performance at a very big event Centre. When he was done he felt really sad and unfulfilled, he was going through a lot and people couldn’t really understand him.

So he decides to walk into a bar, where he stumbles on this lovely young talented lady, and the whole movie takes a new twist. He met “Lady Gaga”, who was known as Ally.

Ally was young talented and vibrant. Ally wrote songs for people but didn’t sing her song, for fear that she didn’t feel comfortable in her own songs, why because all the producers, she had met with confirmed that she had an amazing voice, but wasn’t pretty enough to be a star. When she met Jackson, all these changed, but you’ll have

to watch the movie yourself to see how it all ended.

Cast: Bradley Cooper, Lady Gaga, Sam Elliott, Andrew Dice Clay, Dave Chappelle, Rafi Gavron, Anthony Ramos, Alec Baldwin, Marlon Williams etc Genre: Drama Director: Bradley Cooper Ratings: R (for language throughout, some sexuality/ nudity and substance abuse) Written by: Will Fetters, Eric Roth, and Bradley Cooper Running: 135 minutes Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures To my verdict I would say an amazing 9/10 for A Star is Born. It’s a 100% recommendation from me to you.

Sunday 04 November 2018

Bliss with Nonye Ben-Nwankwo

C002D5556

BDSUNDAY 27

Email: chiwuagwu@yahoo.com Phone number (SMS only) 08057511893

How I’ve managed to remain relevant – Alariwo

R

otimi Martins, popularly known as Alariwo of Africa is one musician who has managed to remain relevant over the years despite the high influx of musicians and entertainers in the entertainment industry in the country.

In a recent chat with Bliss on the phone recently, the musician would relate his relevance to hard work and being consistent in the industry.

“Relevance is something people manage. If you don’t know how to manage your celebrity status, it would go down like a pack of cards. I am a PR person and I was a broadcaster before I went into music so I know that relevance is key for me. No matter what happens, on needs a USP to remain relevant. My USP is that I have to be at the right places at the right time and make sure that I am doing what is supposed to be done to maintain my celebrity status.

“I attend events that I have been invited and I don’t attend the ones I have not been invited to. But if I feel the event is important to my brand, I buy my ticket and attend. Some people are not celebrities but they are still relevant in their field. Consistency is the key to relevance.”

Music wise, Alariwo has yet to release any song in recent times but he claimed it was not because the younger ones came and took over the scene.

“No younger one took over the scene. The young ones are doing what they are doing. Everything has its time and season and when God says this is your time for you to push then you push. I am still in the music business but I am doing what I studied in school and it is Public Relations. Eighty-five per cent of these young ones don’t have passion for music. They have the passion for the name and the money. But I have passion for music. If the time is right for me to come back, I will come back and I will do my music. I am still relevant because I have a lot of things I am doing.”

Alariwo said if he would come back to music after all, he might not go into the brand of music being peddled at the moment.

“It is not as if I can’t do it but my kind of music is unique. Some of them are now calling their brand of music afrobeats. No. What they are doing is afro hip hop. We have ‘musitainers’, entertainers and musicians in the country. It is just about 10 per cent of them that are musicians. Sixty-five per cent are ‘musitainers’ and the rest are entertainers. A musician must learn how to perform with a live band and not performing with a live band and a CD playing at the background.

That is a no. We played live band and anytime I was on stage, I arrested my crowd.

“Then again, most of them are too fake for my liking.

They claim they have bought houses in Lekki and the next day, they are being given a quit notice by their landlords. I don’t claim what I don’t have. The enmity among them is also annoying. Most of them also have this, ‘I have made it and I don’t need to give you respect’ attitude. The industry is polluted but then, they are making us proud internationally. Our music is known everywhere.”

Also known for his love for wearing African fabrics, Alariwo said he would still not be caught dead not wearing any African item in his ensemble.

“I am Alariwo of Africa and I will not deviate from that direction. Worst case scenario, I could wear English shirt on a native pants or native shirt on English pants. I can’t change my concept. I have been doing it for close to 27 years. That is the way I am. There must be an African fabric or design infused in what I am wearing. That is my identity and it has to remain there.”

At the moment, Alariwo is consulting for Oyo State government on Pacesetter entertainment Award which started last year.

“We call it PERA. We celebrate indigenes and residents of Oyo State who have made indelible mark in their chosen field. The second edition is coming in December. I am the consultant to the state’s military of culture and tourism as regards the award.”

Separating from my husband was a difficult decision – Anita, former MBGN

T

he internet went agog few days ago when former Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria , Anita Uwagbale, posted on her social media handle that her marriage has broken up.

In her post, the former beauty queen said separating from her hubby, Tom Iseghohi, was a difficult decision to make.

She said, “Following our almost 15 years relationship as well as a lot of recent thought and careful consideration, I have made a difficult decision to separate from my husband.

We are still a family and will always be loving, dedicated parents to our three lovely children.”

While adding that she was not going to talk more about the break up, Anita said, “I won’t be commenting beyond this and I thank you all in advance for respecting the privacy of our young children and of our family. Love and respect from us to all of you.”

An i t a w o n t h e c o v e t e d MBGN crown in 2004 and got

married to Tom, a former Transcorp boss in 2008.

King of the Boys hits the screens

K

emi Adetiba stunned the movie industry with the highly acclaimed Wedding Party and now, the movie director is all set to do it again with another blockbuster titled King of Boys.

Like Kemi’s feature film debut, The Wedding Party, most films with the big box office numbers in Nollywood in the past few years have been romantic drama, with very few or none, going the King of Boys route.

Dabbling its hands in scenes filled with intense dialogue, thought-provoking decisions by the main characters, and a portrayal of the lead protagonist in a way yet to be seen in Nigerian cinema, King of Boys follows the story of Eniola Salami (Sola Sobowale), a timid little girl, molested until she runs away from her parents’ toxic mar-

riage, into the welcoming hands of a questionably enthused brothel owner.

Eniola does not find life easy as expected, in fact, as audiences would predict, she finds her ‘job’ as a local prostitute hard and difficult to do. As a baby prostitute, she is forced into a life of strive; she, however, uses her street smartness to become a fearsome ruler of the Lagos underworld.

The movie also marks the acting debut of veteran hip-hop artist Reminisce who puts in a performance that will shock many. He, alongside Ill Bliss, shows impressive acting prowess, which brilliantly complement the other A-list cast.

King of Boys is currently in cinemas nationwide and stars the likes Jide Kosoko, Paul Sambo, Adesua Etomi, Toni Tones, Sharon Ooja, Ademola Adedoyin, Lanre Hasan (Iya Awero), Osas Ighodaro, Funlola Aofiyebi, Sani Mu’azu, Paul Sambo and many others.

MI storms Abuja with Legend Real Deal Experience

T

he nation’s capital was practically lit up last weekend when the Legend Real deal Experience landed the city with Mr Incredible, MI, headlining the show.

It was as if nobody was left at home as fans hurried to the Apo Resettlement Park Abuja for another taste of the Real Deal Experience, the final show in 2018.

Apparently, the brand saved the best for last as the show was incredible and would remain talked about in a long while.

Mr. Incredible was on his A-game as he got a responsive Abuja crowd cheering to the performances of many of his

songs, from the throwback ones to those from his latest album, Yxng Dxnzl.

The lyrical King, who himself had a great time with the fans, expressed his gratitude to Legend Extra Stout for once again bringing him face to face with his fans.

The show was hosted by comedian, De Don and Big Brother Naija’s Ifuennada who got a lot of fans reminiscent of her wit, slangs and mannerisms on the Big Brother show.

During the Taste, Tell and Win game, lots of fans showed their long lasting loyalty to the Legend Extra Stout brand and were rewarded with all kinds of prizes ranging from electronic gadgets to crates of stout.

28 BDSUNDAY

C002D5556

Sunday 04 November 2018

Kiddies

Lions Club equips youth for greatness .....Hold’s empowerment programme, reading exercise NGOZI OKPALAKUNNE

I

n order to inculcate reading habit among the young ones in the society, Lagos Achievers in collaboration with Lagos Metropolitan Lions Clubs recently organised a reading exercise for school children in the state.

The event which tagged, “Reading in to the future” was packaged for pupils of Police Children Schools 1 and 2 Obalende. Lagos.

Speaking at the event, President of Lagos Metropolitan Lions Club, Yinka Lambo, said the reading exercise was necessary as it would encourage the participants to develop interest in reading important materials that will make them future leaders.

Lambo regretted the dearth of reading culture in the country and attributed it to the inability of parents and teachers to encourage the young ones to read educative materials.

There was also an empowerment programme held simultaneously by the same organisations for students of Ireti Secondary School, Falomo and Girls Grammar School in Obalende, Lagos.

The programme came under the theme, “Say yes to life” and it addressed prevailing societal ills and how to curb them.

The highlight of the exercise was Spelling Bee Competition amongst

the pupils. Prizes were given to the winners, 1st and 2nd runners-up in various categories.

President, Lagos Achievers Lions Club Lion Esther Ajuma Ogo was on hand to present gifts to winners of the competitions.

Reading books and branded writing materials were given to all present including parents and teachers The highlight of the exercise was the Spelling Bee Competition amongst the pupils. Prizes were given to the winners, 1st and 2nd runnersup in various categories. President, Lagos Achievers Lions Club Lion Esther Ajuma Ogo was on hand to present gifts to winners of the Spellin Bee competitions.

Reading books and branded writing materials were given to all present including parents and teachers Giving a brief background of Lions Clubs International, Bridget Osakwe described the Club as one of the world largest service organisations with 1.45 million members in over 210 countries and geographic locations around the world.

Osakwe also affirmed that the organisation provides opportunities to inspire and support leadership in young people by giving them the chance to learn, grow and serve through participation in community service projects.

Members of Lion’s Club with some of the participants at the event.

The Elephant and the Animals

T

he animals in happy valley were sad. They were all troubled that some creatures were unkind to the others. The strong, kind Elephant was their leader, so the animals ran to him and told him the reasons for their unhappiness.

The Elephant wanted to know which animals were bad. So, he called the animals for a meeting and told them to stop their bad habits.

He said that being lazy, cruel, selfish or jealous would spoil the happiness of the whole forest.

All the gentle animals like the Dog, Camel, Sheep, Dove, Ant and Bee, listened carefully to the Elephant’s words. They nodded in agreement. However, animals like the Tiger, Wolf, Snake, Wasp, Hornet, Fly, Grasshopper and Ape became very angry with the Elephant’s words. These animals were cruel and mean to the weaker animals. They grumbled and murmured loudly.

The Elephant trumpeted for silence.

Then he continued, “I gave my advice to everyone here, but only some of you were happy to hear me!” He explained that those who agreed with his advice were the good animals, but the ones who were angry with his words were the real troublemakers!

Lesson: Good advice hurts those who do wrong things.

The Parrot An Old Man was very lonely because his wife had died. He missed her very much, especially their mealtime talk and laughter.

One day, the Old Man decided to buy a Parrot. He thought a Parrot would be the best pet to have, because it could actually talk to him.

The next morning, the Old Man visited the Pet Shop. The shop owner showed him several Parrots. One called for a coach, another asked for a drink and one just made noise!

Only one Parrot sat quietly.

Pupils of Sharon Montessori School, Lagos during a forum organised by the school to mark this year’s International Girl Child Day’s.

U.S. Consulate partners RoboRave to train students on robotics

T

he United States Consulate General in partnership with RoboRave International, a U.S.-based tech academy, has concluded a week-long robotics workshop for 303 teachers and 187 students.

The participating students and teachers were from 29 public and private schools across Lagos, Ogun, and Edo states as well as the Federal Capital Territory.

RoboRAVE International Director of Global Programms Russ Fisher-Ives and RoboRAVE North America Director Brian Montoya facilitated the series of workshops in Benin, Lagos, and Abuja from October 21-27.

Throughout the training, stu-

dents were taught the basics of programming a robot to perform various tasks while teachers learned various aspects of implementing an integrated approach to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education.

Speaking at the grand finale of the workshop held at the Zone Tech Park in Gbagada, Lagos, U.S. Consulate Public Affairs Officer, Mr. Russell Brooks, explained that the workshop was designed to stimulate the interest of the participating students in math and science, as well as careers in the STEM fields.

Mr. Brooks discussed the importance of STEM education to

Nigeria’s future prosperity and economic competitiveness. According to him, developing robotics skills can place students on a track to future careers in computer science and artificial intelligence.

“The U.S. Mission in Nigeria is committed to supporting programs that provide youth with access to quality technological learning opportunities. We are also passionate about building teacher confidence and capabilities in the areas of robotics and STEM,” Brooks said.

The robotics workshop supports the U.S. Mission’s goal of promoting STEM education in Nigeria as a driver of sustainable economic growth.

Dufil Prima Foods celebrates courageous children …Gives N3m award

T

he 2018 edition of the Indomie Independence Day Award (IIDA) has come and gone, but the memories are still fresh in the mind of the winners who were awarded with scholarships.

This year’s edition which was the 17th in its series produced three outstanding Nigerian children who have demonstrated courage and bravery in the face of adversity receiving three million naira reward.

At this year’s award, which took in Lagos, masters Elijah Ephraim Umanah, Victor Olayiwola and David Nengi Ayomide Pepple won the Intellectual, Physical and Social Bravery categories of the award respectively. The award fetch them the sum of N1 million each.

Deepak Singhal, Group managing director, Dufil Prima Foods who spoke at the event reiterated the company’s commitment to positively affect every Nigerian child.

Deepak said: “As a company, we believe that in every child lies the seed of greatness. This is in consonance with Indomie’s core values. We believe that in the Ni-

gerian child lies the qualities of excellence. This award mirrors the belief of our company that children with extraordinary qualities should be celebrated.

“We are not only encouraged and inspired by the stories of courage and selflessness displayed by these children, we also take delight in the fact that we are able to celebrate and empower these children”.

Also speaking, Founder of Rise Networks, Toyosi Akerele-Ogunsiji, described children as key to Nigerian’s future development and growth.

Akerele-Ogunsiji therefore emphasised the need for the empowerment of the Nigerian child adding, “for any nation to develop economically, there is need to improve the nation’s human capital by investing heavily on her education”.

Umanah, a 13-year-old Senior Secondary (SS1) Student of Centenary Staff College in Uyo won the Intellectual Bravery category for creating reading glasses, using torchlight, solar panel and universal serial bus (USB) ports.

Receiving the award, Umanah, who was overwhelmed by emo-

tions, said: “I feel extremely happy and very proud of this award. I thank Dufil Prima Foods for finding me worthy for this award. This award has encouraged me to continue on the path of invention,” he said.

Olayiwola, a 15-year-old boy from Lagos and whose story of heroism evoked compassion from the IIDA audience, was adjudged winner of the Physical Bravery category for saving his mother from a car accident, which later resulted to his left leg being amputated.

Nine-year-old Pepple from Port Harcourt won the Social Bravery category for using his art talent to seek financial assistance for his younger brother who has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy.

IIDA is a corporate social responsibility initiative from the stable of Dufil Prima Foods, the maker of Indomie Instant Noodles.

The award, which began in 2008, is geared towards recognising children below the age of 15 who have exhibited extraordinary acts of heroism in the face of danger or societal challenges. The IIDA initiative has so far benefited 40 Nigerian children who have shown exemplary heroic character.

Sunday 04 November 2018

C002D5556

BDSUNDAY 29

Controversy

Who is afraid of Peter Obi?

Drop Obi or lose – Northern youths No going back on it – S/East youths ZEBULON AGOMUO

A

tiku is an experienced politician, and he knows what happened and as a northern Nigerian, he cannot ignore that group. I have spoken to almost all the Southeast governors and they told me that they remained in PDP because of their governorship elections and after their governorship elections, they will vote somewhere, not PDP. And for us to ignore the stakeholders, it is political suicidal, so we must agree with that fact. That was what we told Obasanjo yesterday, that as far as we want Atiku to succeed, he has no alternative than to drop Peter Obi and with the contention between Peter Obi’s group and Ike Ekweremadu’s group, it is not political convenient again to pick a running mate from the Southeast.

Because whichever group

you pick from, the other group will work against them.

Then, in the North, we consider Peter Obi as antiNorth. This is no sentiment. Apart from the way he treated the northerners when he was the governor of Anambra State, we consider him as a bonafide member and major sponsor of IPOB. In fact, 70 percent of emirs, traditional rulers from the North will not support Peter Obi as the vice president. We don’t work on sentiment.

As I have told you before, our group staked our lives in 2015 for Buhari.

Personally, I was placed under house arrest for two weeks throughout the extension of the presidential election in 2015. I was fighting with the hope that Buhari would change things but there is a cabal and Buhari is completely caged.

Also, mind you, Atiku is not a saint, anyone that

prison and after, he did not have any contact with Mr. Peter Obi. The humility and simplicity of Mr. Peter Obi and his subsequent nomination as running mate to PDP presidential candidate have sent shivers and political jittery to enemies of progressive Nigeria.

We the grassroots Eastern Nigeria-based groups condemned in its totality,

Peter Obi

becomes president, there must be a cabal, so we need a vice president that will tell the cabal ‘no’ and Peter Obi doesn’t have the courage and boldness to be the vice president to challenge the authorities.

But if Atiku fails to heed our warning, then, APC will win. Buhari will win hands down because we cannot support a failure. We will work for APC.

R

eacting to the threat over Obi, several Igbo groups under the aegis of National Igbo Youths Council (NIYC), affirmed the sacrosanctity of Atiku’s choice.

“Mr. Peter Obi has never sponsored or be a backbone of Biafra agitation as alleged by northern youths. It is on records that before the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from

Ndigbo have never opposed to the candidature of norther region on elective positions

the statements credited to the Coalition of Northern Youths groups that AtikuAbubakar should drop Mr. Peter Obi as his running mate.

Ndigbo have never opposed to the candidature of norther region on elective positions, why should norther youths think that they will dictate or direct which candidate will emerge from Igboland?

This sponsored statement from our counterpart in northern region is a political insult to Ndigbo, it is capable of igniting political rancor among the Arewa and Igbo youths.

Peter Obi has been a nationalist that has grassroots base and followers in every state of Nigeria; he has established his philanthropic, youth empowerment, academic/economic and human development projects in the northern region and other parts of Nigeria. He has a good relationship with leaders of northern Nigeria.

The minimum wage conundrum

N22,500 we’ll pay – Governors

N30,000 or strike – Labour

The debate over minimum wage for civil servants across the country has continued to rage. The parties concerned in the negotiation have been going back and forth on the issue without a resolution. Last week, several meetings were held between the representatives of Federal, state governments and those of Labour. The meetings were deadlocked.

T

he Organised Labour, made up of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), and the United Labour Congress (UTC), believe in action.

Labour has since threatened to commence a nationwide industrial action on Tuesday, November6.Apartfromplanning to ground the nation, Labour said it would frustrate the forth-coming 2019 general election. The Labour, represented by its president, Ayuba Wabba and his colleagues from the other two trade centres, accused the representativesoftheFederal Government in the dialogue of manipulating facts.

Wabba was incensed that despite the agreement reached by a Tripartite Committee on the National Minimum Wage for N30,000 minimum wage, and that report of which was being made ready for submission to President Muhammadu Buhari, the Labour Minister, Chris Ngige, appears to be

stammering on the agreement. Ngige’s claim that the committeehadagreedonthe Federal Government offer of N24,700 for federal civil servants and N20,000 for their state counterparts, riled the Labour leaders to no end.

The NLC president frowned at the alleged manipulation and bending of facts in an attempt to delay or derail the processes needed to promulgate a new minimum wage act by the minister.

“The demand of organised labour is not N30, 000.

Our demand is N66, 500.

N30,000 is the compromise figure arrived at the end of negotiations by the tripartite partners – government, employersandorganisedlabour.

Thenewminimumwagewas a product of intense negotiations that lasted for almost one year,” Wabba said.

According to him, “The governors had six representatives on the Tripartite Committee – one state governor represented each of the geo-political zones. The

S

Ayuba Wabba

Abdul’aziz Yari

representatives of the state governors were part and parcel of the work of the negotiating committee from beginning to the end.

“It is important to note that the national minimum wage is not an allocation to workers. It is a product of negotiation by the tripartite partners. The unilateral pronouncement by governors of N22, 500 minimum wage is an abuse of every known principle of industrial relations, labour laws, processes and international best practices.”

peaking for the state governors, Abdul’aziz Yari, Zamfara State governor and chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), said: “The welfare of all Nigerians is our ultimate concern. In all our states, we are concerned about the deteriorating economic situation experienced by the vulnerable segment of our population.

In agreeing to a national minimum wage, however, the Forum is even more concerned about devel-

It is in this sense that we feel strongly that our acceptable minimum wage must be done in such a way that total personnel cost does not exceed 50 percent of the revenue available to each state opment, particularly in the health, education and infrastructure spheres.

“It is therefore, our considered position that since the percentage of salaried workers is not more than five percent of the total working population, our position must not just re-

flect a figure, but also a sustainable strategy based on ability and capacity to pay, as well as reflective of all our developmental needs in each state.

“After all, Section 3 of the National Salaries Income and Wage Commission Act provides that ‘the Commission shall recommend a proposition of income growth which should be initiated for wage increase and also examined the salary structure in public and private sector with reasonable features of relativity and maximum levels which are in consonance with the national economy.’

“It is in this sense that we feel strongly that our acceptable minimum wage must be done in such a way that total personnel cost does not exceed 50 percent of the revenue available to each state. Governors therefore, agreed to pay a national minimum wage of N22,500.

30

C002D5556

Sunday 04 November 2018

Tribute From policeman to political juggernaut: The story of Tony Anenih

K

Zebulon Agomuo ing Solomon, the son of King David, took a cursory look at the activities of man on earth, said: “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven. A time to be born, and a time to die…” (Ecclesiastes 3:1,2a).

And so it was for Anthony Akhakon Anenih, who came into this world on 4 August 1933 and departed 28 October 2018.

Anenih came into the world, saw and really conquered. Early in life, it was not all rosy for him, but by dint of hard work and determination, he made his tables with kings and the mighty.

Before his retirement from active politics in November 2016, he had been many things in the then ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP). His “go-getter” spirit earned him the sobriquet, “Mr. Fix It”, which he relished and cherished greatly.

Tom Ikimi, a former minister of External Affairs and member, Board of Trustees (BoT) of PDP, alluded to this in his tribute to the departed power broker, when he said: “Nature has once again struck to claim from this terrestrial planet, a political giant who in the last three decades or so traversed our country Nigeria menacingly and emphatically recording historic political victories and conquests which earned him the befitting title of “Mr. Fix It’. When he said there was no vacancy in Aso Rock, indeed, there wasn’t any vacancy.”

While bowing out of politics at an event in Abuja during the public presentation of his autobiography, ‘My Life and Nigerian Politics’, he had told the erudite audience that “I am persuaded that I have no more ambition nor any point to prove in politics. I am therefore, glad to declare that from today, I shall be withdrawing from active partisan politics.”

“I shall, however, continue to avail the country of my experience, give suggestions and offer advice, a statesman,” he said.

While he was active, he helped the PDP in no small way to maintain a hold on power for so long. He was very close to the former President Olusegun Obasanjo and worked tirelessly for the party in that dispensation.

In December 2010, while addressing PDP leaders in SouthSouth geo-political zone in Benin City, for the commissioning of the President Goodluck/Sambo Campaign Organisation office, he pointedly issued a warning to the opposition that there was no

Tony Anenih

vacancy in Aso Rock come 2011.

Having handed out the warning, he added: “I do not waste my words.”

The late Anenih was feared and respected in equal proportion. His background as a former cop gave him the air as a hard man, who could break the bones of a foe, even though he appeared frail-looking, bodily.

A few years ago, Anenih, decided to marry a young lady, Hon. Justice Maryann, who at that time was said to be 25 years old, at a time the husband was over 82.

In their separate tributes at his death, Edo PDP, Governor Okowa, and former governor Lucky Igbinedion, described the man as a colossus, bridge builder, and detribalised leader.

In a statement signed by Dan Osi Orbih, chairman, PDP, Edo State chapter, titled, ‘Our patriarch, Chief Anthony Akhakon Anenih, passes on’, said: “It was with a heavy heart that we received the news of the death of our leader, father and mentor, Chief Anthony Anenih, The Iyasele of Esanland, former minister of Works and Housing, and former Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of our party. He was 85 years old.”

Lucky Igbinedion, described the late politician as an enigma of note and a bridge builder with a large heart, noting that his death has created a huge vacuum in the political life of Edo State and Nigeria at large.

Ifeanyi OKowa, Delta State governor, in a condolence mes-

sage, titled, ‘We have lost a patriotic Nigerian’, remarked that as a democrat, the late Anenih etched his name in the annals of Nigeria’s democratic advancement by working courageously for the emergence and consolidation of the Fourth Republic in 1999 when he joined forces with other leaders to form the Peoples Democratic Party.

“He was a committed patriot, an astute politician and a former Minister of Works who worked to better the lots of his people and Nigerians in general, adding “through his purposeful leadership and development strides, the late Anenih influenced the dualisation of the Benin Asaba Road, Benin Warri Road and the Benin bypass road which brought about unprecedented development to the Niger Delta region”.

“Before venturing into politics, Chief Anenih retired from the Nigeria Police Force as a Commissioner of Police and bestrode Nigeria’s political landscape like a colossus where he mentored several successful politicians across the country,” he said.

“His good works as a dedicated family man, selfless politician and great philanthropist as well as his ability to consistently, at every turn, resolve knotty political puzzles would later earn him the sobriquet – “Mr. Fix It” which would continue to live after him”.

“On behalf of my family, the government and people of Delta State, I convey our deepest sympathy to the Anenih family, the people of Uromi and Esan Land,

Edo State, and the rest of the country,” he further said.

Anenih was born in UzenemaArue in Uromi. He joined the Nigeria Police in Benin City.

Working at home, he obtained secondary school qualifications.

He attended the Police College in Ikeja, and was selected for further training in the Bramshill Police College, Basingstoke, England in 1966 and the International Police Academy, Washington DC in 1970. He served as a police orderly to the first Governor General of Nigeria, Nnamdi Azikiwe. He worked as an instructor in various police colleges, and in 1975 was assigned to the Administrative Staff College (ASCON), Lagos.

He retired from the police as a Commissioner of police.

He was State Chairman of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) between 1981 and 1983, helping Samuel Ogbemudia become elected as civilian Governor of Bendel State. However, the governorship was cut short by the military takeover of December 1983. He was National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party from 1992 and 1993, when he assisted in the election Chief M. K. O. Abiola as president. He was a member of the Constitutional Conference in 1994.

Anenih was a member of the PDM until early April 2002, when he transferred to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). Anenih was said to have masterminded the 26 April 2002 declaration of President Obasanjo at the International Conference Cen-

tre Abuja. He was deputy national coordinator of Olusegun Obasanjo’s campaign Organisation in the 1999 and 2003 elections.

He was appointed Minister of Works and Housing in 1999.

He subsequently became Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the PDP. In October 2009, a senate committee issued a report on their investigation into the use of more than N300 billion in the transport sector during the Obasanjo administration. The committee recommended prosecution of thirteen former Ministers, including Anenih, saying he had awarded contracts without budgetary provision. In November 2009, the Senate indefinitely shelved consideration of the report.

He was married to Josephine Anenih, a lawyer, who was the chairperson of the Federation of Women Lawyers from 1994 to 2000, and also was the first National Woman Leader of the PDP from 1999-2005. She was appointed minister of Women Affairs on 6 April 2010, when Acting President Goodluck Jonathan announced his new cabinet.

Anenih incidentally died during the regime of the man who was the head of the military administration that kept him in jail for 18 months between March 1984 and August 1985 because he was a rich man.

This account was contained in ‘My Life and Nigerian Politics.’

He said when Buhari came into power through a military coup in December 1983, he went about arresting politicians arbitrarily and he was one of those picked up because he was the Chairman of the defunct National Party of Nigeria in old Bendel State.

Anenih said, “The military regime of General Buhari and Tunde Idiagbon threw me into detention for 18 months on the basis of an anonymous petition that as a prominent and wealthy politician and leader of the NPN in Bendel State, the military administrator would not find his footing unless I was removed from the scene.

“I was sent to Kirikiri Prisons where I spent three months before I was transferred to Ikoyi Prisons.”

Anenih until his death maintained that he did nothing wrong to warrant such treatment.

He said, “I must emphasise it again and again that I did nothing wrong to anyone, the government or the state to merit a detention. My crime was that I was a wealthy, influential and highly respected politician.”

Sunday 04 Noverber 2018

C002D5556

BDSUNDAY 31

Feature

‘We don’t have time to live like human beings’ DESMOND OKON

…truck drivers in Apapa narrate their ordeal

bdullahi Sulaimon, 43, has not seen his wife and children for over two months now. It is not because he hates his family, the never-ending Apapa gridlock is the culprit.

“It is not easy for anyone to stay on the road for so long and not have time for his family, no time for any social or other activity,” says Sulaimon, a truck driver whose vehicle has been stuck on queue on the road to Apapa, Nigeria’s premier port.

“So, it’s very difficult for us, but no one knows this. We don’t have time to live like normal human beings. Where you are in traffic is where you live, bathe, eat, and pee. Majority of the drivers may have a bad health because of the environment. So they are exposed to diseases. But there’s nothing we can do as we must feed our families,” he says.

Despite the reconstruction and opening of portions of the Apapa-Wharf Road, which was expected to ease vehicle movement into and out of the port, the constant gridlock which has been a troubling narrative to commuters on the road has not eased up. Rather, there seem to be more tankers and articulated trucks on the roads, impeding traffic flow and posing security threats as usual.

Aside from insufficient holding bays, a new policy by the management of Nigeria Port Authority (NPA) which orders

all trucks to first go to a shipping company’s loading bay from where they would be called into the port adds to the list of problems.

In spite of efforts by the Lagos State government to find palliatives to the situation, and in spite of the intervention of the Federal Government, no commendable improvement has been seen.

In the end, road users bear the brunt. Even the truck drivers are also not spared the pain felt by other road users. Yet, the truck drivers usually bear the blame as they are accused of being responsible for the bitter gridlock.

Tayo Aboyeji, zonal chairman, National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Lagos Zone, however, said in an interview with a national daily that it was unfair for Nigerians to hold tanker drivers responsible when the blame should go to NPA. The tanker drivers are victims as well.

BDSUNDAY findings show that the life of an articulated truck driver cannot be envied at all as he tries to find his way into and out of the port. For tanker drivers, the situation is unbearable because they spend the most part of their lives on the road, cut off from their families and every other activity.

“We spend over one month in traffic. I live in Ibadan, and I hardly see my family members.

Even if I want to see them, it’s once in a month, and I spend just two days with them because the

A

truck will still be on the road most times,” says 28-year-old Dauda Rilwan, who has three years of experience on the job.

Rilwan, who is married with a three-year-old daughter, says he is still on the job because he has nothing else to do and does not want to be seen as idle.

“The suffering is too much, but you don’t want a situation where

If they can help us open other ports, then this hold-up will reduce. The Port Harcourt port, Calabar port are all closed, only Lagos is working, and everyone in Nigeria comes to Lagos

you’d just sit down and not do anything, that is why we are doing this job,” he says, squeezing a sachet of Chelsea gin down his throat and dragging on a stick of cigarette.

Personal hygiene is also a problem, according to some truck drivers who spoke to BDSUNDAY. They say that taking care of themselves – having their bath, eating, sleeping and going to toilet – is extremely difficult and those who manage to do these things do so at the risk of their trucks.

Behind the driver’s seat of Toheeb Afolabi’s truck is a benchlike structure. It is a makeshift bed. On it are three old and dirty oil paint buckets stacked on each other, a mosquito net covered in dust, and ragged clothes hanging on a loose rope tied from one end of the truck to the other. This is where Afolabi, 22, lives in traffic and tries to protect himself from the malignant elements that prowl day and night.

“There is nothing I can do because I don’t have a house in Lagos, so I sleep in my motor. I have everything I can use to take care of myself and cover myself because of mosquitoes,” says Afolabi, who hails from Ibadan.

“I have my bath at night because by then, there won’t be any movement. We bathe outside in the open and defecate in a nylon bag and throw it somewhere,” he says.

Not only Afolabi, but other truck drivers live the same way.

They have the same bedlike structure, either constructed by them underneath the truck using a net or built inside the truck.

Bathing is usually done in the deep of the night. Sometimes, bathing is skipped entirely depending on several factors.

Olushina Gbolahan, who is based in Osun State, says he goes home to his family only once in two months. The frail-looking 47-year-old says life as a truck driver is a very difficult one.

“There is no other place to sleep except in your truck or on top of the bonnet or inside the container. To bathe sometimes, we use a public toilet and pay 50.

But you can’t leave your family without feeding them, that’s why we are doing this job,” he says.

It is not uncommon to see human excreta littering the roads and gutters where the trucks are parked. Also, the surroundings give off malodorous emissions owing to the excreting activities of these drivers.

“Forget about having your bath. I have my bath before coming to Lagos, because I know once I get to Lagos, I won’t bathe till I go back. This is a problem to me because when you look at it, I could stay for weeks without bathing,” says Sharibu Lawal from Katsina State.

“We sleep inside the motor and mosquitoes disturb us. Even to urinate is a problem. Sometimes, I stay three days without urinating because there is no space to do it, and sometimes we have to walk a kilometre in search of a place to do it because the security will disturb you if you urinate indiscriminately,” he adds.

Government should open other ports Truck drivers say the government should do something about the traffic because of their daily ugly experiences. They say government should intervene by opening up other ports to ease the congestion in the Lagos ports.

“Please, if they can help us open other ports, then this holdup will reduce. The Port Harcourt port, Calabar port are all closed, only Lagos is working, and everyone in Nigeria comes to Lagos,” says Gbolahan.

This plea is not the first. In fact, stakeholders have been encouraging government to think along this line, spreading all the economic benefits on the tables, but it seems to have been ignored.

Rilwan insists that government’s laxity to ameliorate the situation and ease their pain is politically motivated, saying he knows “they have a hand in what is happening”.

For Lawal, he can only hope and pray that things get better.

“We are praying to God to intervene through the leaders.

Drivers have families. Some drivers have two wives and seven children, so it’s not good to spend months outside your home without seeing them. It’s not good,” he says.

32 BDSUNDAY

C002D5556

Sunday 14 October 2018

Feature

The itinerant tailor: Changing face of ‘Obioma’ business in Lagos

G

CHINWE AGBEZE loria Samuel, a housewife, stood looking out from her veranda. She had just heard the familiar sound made by itinerant tailors and was out right on time to beckon on one of them.

The tailor, who was from northern Nigerian, approached the gate and Gloria let him in.

“Sit down there,” Gloria said, pointing at a seat close to the gate. “Let me get the clothes.”

The tailor settled beside the gate while Gloria dashed into the house to fetch the clothes.

She soon reappeared with some which she heaped in front of the tailor.

After bargaining, the tailor got down to work, with Gloria watching to see if he was getting it right and calling his attention to areas that he ignored.

Done sewing, money exchanged hands after which the tailor took his leave.

Back on the street, he announced his presence to everyone by hitting his scissors repeatedly on the sewing machine balanced on his shoulders.

The itinerant or mobile tailors are a familiar sight in many parts of Lagos. Popularly referred to as ‘Obioma’, which literally means ‘Good heart’ in Igbo language, the mobile tailoring business gained prominence shortly after the Nigerian Civil War in 1970. It was dominated by the Igbo.

In a bid to survive after the war, some Igbo people made a living mending clothes. They moved from one place to another with portable sewing machines firmly balanced on their shoulders.

In those days, the ‘Obiomas’ were warmly welcomed into the homes of those they go to mend their clothes. They were not only granted access to the living rooms, but sometimes their customers shared their meals with them.

However, due to the high level of insecurity in the country, that access is now denied.

These days, the mobile tailors are only allowed to perch on the corridors or around the gates of those who desire their services.

Ibiam Aruo, a 58-year-old tailor in Tejuosho market, Yaba, was one of those who worked as a mobile tailor in Lagos in the 1980s.

Dressed in combat jeans trousers, a T-shirt and a cap, Aruo, who said he was way older than all the tailors in the market, attended cheerfully to his teem-

ing customers who trooped in to mend their clothes.

“I learnt how to sew in Aba and in 1984, I came to Lagos.

Sewing was the only skill I had.

I had no money to rent a shop,” Aruo said.

“Anyone I sewed for would ask me why I was carrying the sewing machine around and that I should go and look for shop. Seven years later, I rented a shop at Tejuosho market,” he narrated.

Time has, however, taken a toll on the mobile tailoring business.

The Igbo who started the business have abandoned it and the Northerners who are now common sights around streets in La-

Musa Garuba

gos have taken up the business.

Aruo said most of the Igbo who were previously engaged in the business took a bow when they rented shops, just like him, while others were forced to leave. “I stopped mobile tailoring when I got a shop, but some people stopped when the Hausa people joined the business. The new entrants accept any amount of money handed to them. The customers would heap clothes for you but there was no money in it. The business became very cheap and discouraging,” he said, inserting a thread through the eye of a needle.

“It is very rare to see an Igbo mobile tailor today. Some have shops rented by them or their children who could not afford to see their father walking around. Some people have also left the business for another trade,” he said.

“This is where the ‘Obiomas’ are now. When people come here, we take our time and mend the clothes to their taste.

Customers are sure of excellent services,” he said, smiling.

On why the mobile tailors were called ‘Obioma’, Aruo said it was due to their high level of patience.

“We are easygoing and we always take our time while sewing clothes to ensure that we satisfy our customers,” he said, attending to a customer who had come to mend clothes.

“We liked it whenever we were called ‘Obioma’. Sometimes, when the customer called us by that name even from the top floor of a building, we would climb up to meet them there,” Aruo said.

A lucrative business

At the Tejuosho market, Aruo said he makes up to N10,000 mending clothes, but sometimes it could be more.

“I charge between N200 and N300 to mend a cloth, but if it’s home service, the price is N500 per cloth. The customer will transport me and my machine to and fro his house,” he said as he handed a customer a cloth he had just mended.

“Some people prefer sewing clothes from the scratch but I don’t.

While they are cutting the material, I would have mended five clothes and by the time they are done sewing, I would have mended 20 clothes or more,” he said.

Aruo got married and the marriage was blessed with three daughters. Unfortunately, his wife died in 2000. Again, when Tejuosho market was gutted by fire, his shop was one of those affected.

Rather than rent another shop, Aruo chose to pitch his tent under a tree by the railway at the market where he paid a token. “I needed all the money I could get to train my girls to be the best they can be in life,” he said. With the proceeds from the tailoring business, Aruo was able to singlehandedly train his daughters.

“My first two daughters graduated from University of Lagos. My first daughter studied Estate Management. She is married with two boys and resides with her husband in London,” he said.

Kabiru

Due to rising unemployment in the country, many people, driven by the need to feed themselves and their immediate families rather than passion, have embraced mobile tailoring “My second daughter studied Economics. Her result was impressive and she was able to secure a good job here in Lagos,” he told BDSUNDAY. His third daughter, however, decided to toe his footsteps.

“My third daughter said she desired to be a tailor. She is doing well and owns her own tailoring shop here in Lagos,” he said.

Aruo said his children built him a house in the village and whenever he decided to quit the business, he would retire to his village.

“I am doing this job to keep myself busy because my children are always there for me.

When I leave Lagos, I will go with this machine back to my village and to my church to testify of the Lord’s goodness in my life. For now, I enjoy what I do,” he said.

At 4pm, someone came in to collect N300 from each of the over 30 tailors in the cluster. The tailors paid happily, having made enough money for the day.

“We used to pay N700 as tax before but after we protested, it was cut down to N300,” Aruo said. “The touts representing the Lagos State government always come for the tax daily and since we all make enough money, we have no problem paying.”

Influx of mobile tailors from the North Due to rising unemployment in the country, many people, driven by the need to feed themselves and their immediate families rather than passion, have embraced mobile tailoring.

Sunday 28 October 2018

C002D5556

BDSUNDAY 33

Feature

Ibrahim Sani Many of them, mostly from northern Nigeria, are coming into Lagos in droves and are being sheltered by their relatives or friends who work as security guards in the state.

When they move around, the noise they make when they hit their scissors on their machines announces to potential customers that they are passing by.

One of such people is Garuba Musa, a 35-year-old man from Kano, who ditched his job as a cobbler for mobile tailoring.

The father of two daughters, who lost his wife four years ago, said he is driven by the need to fend for his family.

“I left my children with my mother in Kano. When I make money, I send to my mother in the village to take care of herself and my two daughters,” Musa said.

“I learnt this job in Kano.

I have done this job in Kano, Akwa Ibom, Port Harcourt, Calabar, and now in Lagos. I decided to stay in Lagos because the patronage here is encouraging when compared to other states,” he said.

Musa, who resides in Apapa, complained that patronage has been dropping in recent times.

Pricing too, he said, has been poor.

“I sleep in an office in Apapa, where majority of people from my state stay. My customers used to work in companies but the companies have closed down. People don’t have work like before,” Musa said.

“A work of N500, someone will be bargaining for N300. A

cloth I used to mend for N100, they price for N50. At the end of the day, I make about N1,000.

If I am lucky, I make N2,000,” he said.

Musa said the mobile tailoring business was lucrative until recently.

“I was working as a cobbler in 2002 and in 2008, I started work as a tailor. Before, I was making money from the work but this Buhari time, it’s very difficult. If I see another job or business that pays more, I will quit mobile tai-

loring,” he said.

Kabiru, 31, is another person who joined mobile tailoring to keep body and soul together.

The father one learnt how to sew in Kaduna and then came to Lagos in search of greener pastures.

“I am one week old in Lagos, but I have been doing this job in Kaduna. It’s not about when you started but what you can do,” Kabiru told BDSUNDAY. “My brother who is a security guard invited me to come live with him. I want to help my family through this business,” he said.

Ibrahim Sani from Kebbi State is also driven by survival instincts.

“I have been doing this job in Lagos for five years, not because I like it but that is what is available,” said 28-year-old Sani, who resides close to a mosque in Mafoluku, Oshodi.

“I live with my village people in the mosque. We are plenty there and this is what we do for a living,” Sani said. “Before, I used to make above N1,500 a day but these days, I struggle to make up to N1,000.”

All the mobile tailors who spoke to BDSUNDAY said they would love to own shops like other tailors but the economic situation of the country has not made that easy for them.

“When I make enough money, I will rent a shop and buy sewing machines but since I don’t have that kind of money yet, I will make do with what I have,” said Musa. “Because we move around, most people don’t take us seriously and they price us cheaply. Since we have no choice, we have to accept it.”

For Kabiru, some of them that walk around with machines sew better than those that have shops, but it is the bad state of the economy that has compelled them to remain itinerant.

Mixed reactions from Lagosians Some Lagosians said they still patronize mobile tailors,

A mobile tailor in the 1970’s while others said they are not pleased with the services of mobile tailors and prefer to take their clothes elsewhere.

Austin Ibegbulam, a security guard who has lived in Lagos for 40 years, said he patronizes mobile tailors very often because they come cheaper and are more convenient.

Ibegbulam said he has a steady mobile tailor, a Northerner, who does minor stitches on his clothes and that the tailor has always impressed him with his sewing.

“One of my clothes had a tear. I asked my mobile tailor if he could fix it and he said he could. He did a perfect job on it and that was the cloth I wore for a wedding ceremony on Saturday,” Ibegbulam said.

“Some of them are very good. They can do the work just the way other tailors do it, but you have to be there to direct them,” he said.

Laide Owolabi, a petty trader, said she engages the services of mobile tailors because their

It is very rare to see an Igbo mobile tailor today. Some have shops rented by them or their children who could not afford to see their father walking around.

Some people have also left the business for another trade

price is right.

“I call them once in a while to amend my children’s clothes.

Some of them can sew while others will use your cloth to learn,” said Owolabi. “I always monitor them when they are sewing to ensure they get it right but their prices are very cheap.”

Chinedu Obiegbu, a computer scientist, said the mobile tailors sometimes come as a saving grace.

“On Sunday morning while preparing for church, I discovered a button was missing from one of the clothes I planned to wear to church. Apart from the button, the collar was torn.

I was just thinking of what to do because tailors do not open for business on Sunday,” said Obiegbu. “Then, I heard the sound from a mobile tailor and rushed outside to call him and he fixed the shirt so well.”

“I don’t give my clothes to them to sew anymore because they are always in a hurry to move to another place and this reflects in the kind of work they do,” said Ebere Agwu, who sells clothes in a Lagos market. “My uncle was a mobile tailor and he built a house with the proceeds before he died because he took the job seriously, which the tailors of today do not do.”

Yinka Olayeye, a banker, said she quit using mobile tailors when they almost condemned one of her choice clothes.

“I was busy in the kitchen. So, I showed this guy what I wanted him to do. When he was done, I was furious because what he did was entirely different from my instructions. I ended up taking the cloth to a professional tailor who managed the damage,” Olayeye said.

BDSUNDAY findings showed that the snag with the mobile tailors from the North, sometimes, is language barrier. Many of them can hardly communicate even in Pidgin English and would gladly tell you, “English na small small” (“I understand only a bit of English language”). This may be responsible for the situation where they sometimes do the exact opposite of what a customer

34 BDSUNDAY

C002D5556

Sunday 04 November 2018

Interview

‘It is wrong to say that Buhari’s anti-corruption war is one-sided’ Mba Emmanuel is the director, Social Media and deputy director, Media and Publicity, Re-elect Buhari Movement (RBM). In this interview with INIOBONG IWOK, he spoke on the objectives of the body and why President Muhammadu Buhari deserves to be re-elected in the 2019 election. Excerpts:

W

hat is the objective of the Re-elect Buhari Movement and how long has the organisation been in existence?

Our primary objective is to drive forces for the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari into office. We operate all over the federation. We zoned the body according to the six geo-political zones of the country. Thus, we have the North East, North Central, North West, SouthSouth, South East and South West zones.

We have a unique structure to ensure that we cover every part of the federation. Each zone has a Coordinator. The Coordinators in turn appoint State Coordinators who are in charge of each state and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The State Coordinators in turn appoint Local Government Supervisors, who in turn appoint Ward Supervisors.

The essence is that we cover the federation. So, I can tell you that we have the RBM in all the 744 local government areas and the FCT. At the top, we have the National Coordinator and the Convener.

You said that the Reelect Buhari Movement has members across political parties. Does that also include members of the People’s Democratic Party?

No. We do not have People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as RBM members.

But I have to add that the Re-elect Buhari Movement has supporters even in the Diaspora to project the agenda and good governance of President Muhammadu Buhari. This is to ensure that people in the Diaspora will know what the President is doing.

Thus, we have people in the Diaspora who are saying what we are saying now.

To what extent would you say that these objective of the organisation as you enumerated above has it been met?

The Re-elect Buhari

Mba Emmanuel

Movement was formed early this year. It has a central register for each state.

The coordinators will go to the local governments, supervise those who will go to the wards to identify the supporters of President Muhammadu Buhari.

That proves that we have people who support the re-election of President Buhari. So, each state has a big register of supporters.

This way, we mobilise supporters for the re-election of President Buhari.

Why do you think that President Muhammadu Buhari deserves re-election?

President Muhammadu Buhari deserves to be re-elected because of the good governance principles he put in place.

We support his re-election because of his efforts to

restore sanity into the Nigerian system. This is the major reason we are supporting his re-election.

I must add that the Reelect Buhari Movement cuts across political parties. Since the emergence of President Muhammadu Buhari, he has tried to restore sanity in the scheme of things. That is why we support his re-election.

What would you consider the major achievements of President Muhammadu Buhari administration?

From the reports we are getting from the zonal coordinators, we have discovered all the job activities and all the projects being handled by the administration, both completed and on-going. We report on the on-the-job projects. We take pic-

tures to ensure that there is work going on, on the projects. We authenticate these projects to the purpose of using them to mobilise support for the re-election of President Buhari. From our findings, President Buhari has achieved much in areas of agriculture, road constructions. Even abandoned projects by the former administration were not left out. The projects include bridges, like the Second Niger Bridge.

Now that you have mentioned the Second Niger Bridge; to what extent would you say that the project has effectively reached?

Work on the Second Niger Bridge has not effectively gone into the waters. The job is starting from the land. We do not

report hearsay. We take pictures of the projects.

When work is going on, our will pictures indicate that.

A cross section of the populace believe that President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption war has been one-sided.

What is your view on this?

People are politically biased. President Buhari is not one-sided in his anti-corruption war. As he deals with the Southerners, he does the same with the Northerners. He tackles anyone found to be corrupt, no matter where he or she comes from.

Because people are biased, they see, hear more of what the opposition is talking.

But it is being said that the anti-corruption war is targeted against members of the opposition and that if one is an All Progressives Congress (APC) member, such a person will be a sacred cow, even if such a one is enmeshed in corruption. What is your take on that?

This is not true. Those that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) recently tackled in Kogi State, are they not APC members?

Even people who served in his government and found wanting had been

As the opposition, people try to run down President Muhammadu Buhari.

That is the type of politics we play in Nigeria

dealt with, including ministers and other top officials. When there are allegations, he mounts investigations and people go through the allegations to establish if they are true.

That is done before the EFCC will go after such people. The EFCC operatives are well trained to do that.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) seems to be Buhari’s strongest opponent so far. What does the Reelect Buhari Movement feel about Atiku’s candidature? Don’t you think that the Atiku challenge is real?

As the opposition, people try to run down President Muhammadu Buhari.

That is the type of politics we play in Nigeria. It is not possible that Atiku will defeat President Buhari. A lot of things are working and speaking against Atiku Abubakar. We know what happened when he was the Vice President under former President Olusegun Obasanjo. We also know what happened in United States of America.

Although he has a university, no poor man can send his children there. If he is allowed to enter into power, he will not remember the poor. President Muhammadu Buhari, unlike Atiku, is not like that.

One of the things Nigerians have been clamouring for is restructuring, which Atiku Abubakar has promised he will do if elected, but which President Buhari has not done.

What is your view on restructuring?

It is not true that President Buhari does not support restructuring. But everything is procedural.

Everything is done step by step. President Buhari does not jump from one thing to another. President Buhari has not spoken against restructuring. But he follows due process. If there will be restructuring, there will be a process.

When the issue is properly presented, he will handle it and at the appropriate time.

Sunday 04 November 2018

C002D5556

35

Interview ‘My vision is to ensure universal access to ICT’ William Ijeh is Nigeria’s candidate for the post of Director of Telecommunications Development Bureau (BDT) of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU). A technology guru and broadband penetration advocate, he has worked in ITU in different capacities for over 21 years, repositioning, restructuring and reforming various departments in which he worked. In this interview with ODINAKA ANUDU, Ijeh outlines his ICT vision for the world, stressing that if elected in early November, he will strive to ensure that every living creature has access to the ICT.

W

hat will your representation mean to Nigeria and the telecommunication industry?

First of all, the important thing for us to know is that Nigeria is seeking re-election into the council. Nigeria has been playing a very active role in the ITU since independence. Nigeria has been the first African country to chair the conference since 152 years of ITU. So, it is important for Nigeria, it is important for the telecommunication industry and the ICT industry in Nigeria. The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is very active in the ITU. It helps us to be able to meet world standards, exchange views, understand what is happening in other areas and negotiate issues like frequencies, to be able to discuss our platform where the world is debating on how to use the global frequency in different areas. In terms of my particular election, this will give Nigeria a better platform and bring the country to limelight. I think Nigeria, at this point in time, with the level of ICT development and the different sectors ranging from agriculture to schools, aviation, television and broadcasting, deserves a place as an important African country. As we all know, our population is quite large, so the use of ICT in Nigeria is extremely important and we need to play an important role in the decision-making at the world level.

How do you intend to build the capacity of service providers to ensure privacy is achieved in the course of information dissemination?

The European Union has come up with a privacy which a lot of countries in different parts of the world are adopting, using that as a benchmark, to be able to set their own privacy with some restrictions. Africa may have to do the same to be able to catch up with what is happening. In terms of Africa, Nigeria needs to work on that. We also need to work on the issue of data control, but we have to be able to work with the operators, find ways of keeping up data and protecting it, especially child online protection and security. The ICT we are talking about ranges from security to school, protection to the set of information put out also to the world. So, our role is to be able to advise to work in partnerships with countries with different ICT stakeholders around the world to be able to ensure maximum security and protection for people. It will be difficult to say that you will have 100 percent security because you all know that as we are working, some of the unfortunate people are also working to breach the security, but we would do our best to ensure maximum security around the world.

My interest in the BDT, which is the development bureau, is to help developing countries to be able to build their own capacity. Once you begin to build capacity, you will see the impact automatically taking shape. Take for example, Nigeria, we need to get to the grassroots level

Ijeh in terms of capacity to be able to build the critical match. The capacity we are going to build doesn’t mean everyone is going to be an IT person, but they will be able to understand how to use IT in different ways. Talk about security, health, communications in different schools, we can go further but something now that is growing is the artificial intelligence, which is supposed to help in production.

What we can do is to see how we can use it for good of the people, assist people to be able to build their own cybersecurity to improve production, to improve whatever they do and that’s some of the things BDT would work on.

What are you bringing to the table if elected?

What I am bringing to the table is to reposition the Telecommunication Development Bureau of the ITU to be able to work in partnership with countries to understand the requirements or priorities of different countries in order to tailor and address their respective issues. I am bringing partnership to the table. I want to ensure that the resources of the bureau are being used efficiently and effectively to address issues in a transparent manner. Thirdly, I want to ensure that we partner with all ICT stakeholders around the world in order to put civil societies, develop public-private partnerships to ensure the drive in developing countries and also to link up the north, south and the south-south operations to be able to improve that in order to ensure that technologies we are bringing will address

issues within the countries. Also, we want to ensure that the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations are met. ICT is an enabler. It facilitates all aspects of the SDGs. So, what we are trying to do is to assure people that we will promote this and ensure that it is being used adequately in different areas of the SDGs by the United Nations.

A lot of development countries would be looking up to you to improve broadband penetration across Africa.

How will countries like Nigeria and other developing countries benefit from your representation?

Well, one of the things that I will work on, if you look at my background in investment banking, is to set up a structure that addresses some of those issues.

Because some of the projects that we had or most countries produced today are un-bankable, I will like to set up a system that will address and revise those issues to make the projects more bankable so that we can now be in a position to approach more investment institutions, private investment organs and possibly donors that will like to assist countries in providing them access to ICT. Like I have said, broadband is one of the key areas that I will like to promote, to make it more affordable for people to have access and probably work on getting that into their local languages so that people will understand. If you look at the case of Africa and some other countries, the level of education is, to some degree, segmented. You have people with little or

no education, basic education and people at the advanced level. So, it will help if we have local content to encourage people to work on a set- up in their local content to allow them to understand better how to use it on a day-to-day level.

What is keeping investors from pumping money into the ICT sector in Nigeria?

Investment in general, not just in ICT, is an issue of confidence. This is where the telecommunications industry could work as a custodian to provide the needed confidence so that they understand through us that the market is there and the market opportunities would be available. Nigeria has great potential and I think NCC is working on that. The issue is that most operators focus on urban areas, basically the cities. This is one of the issues that are being addressed. We need to work harder to be able to get there. We could also use or apply a mix of technology. Satellite operations are now becoming more affordable in terms of covering wider space and there are new technologies coming out which are being tested. Systems app, which is being tested by the people like Google, Facebook and others, is still in the pipeline.

If these systems are proven to be effective, we now have to look at other issues that countries are looking for in terms of data security and also the over-flight and approvals and commissions of payment, royalties and incentives that would come to the countries. So, those are issues that we are looking at and we are confident that with time, those technologies will take place and be used to complement the platform that we have.

What is your vision for the global telecommunications industry?

My vision is to be able to provide access to every world citizen and this why I will like to promote broadband beyond where it is today in order to allow everybody, every living citizen in the world, to have access to ICT. Do you see video on demand or video streaming as a challenge to service operators like DSTV and the like?

Well, these are what we call internet of things (IoTs). It is an issue that is being discussed. It is being looked at today— regulators and member countries. It’s an issue that they are looking into, trying to find a win-win solution, but we have to admit that it is making it more accessible on social media. ITU is working on that, but that is an issue that goes to member states to debate. The Telecommunication Development Bureau would promote the desire for that. Because our job is to ensure that access is given at the same time, we in BDT will promote technology because we cannot get away from new technology. It is actually coming up almost every day and our job is to promote new technology. It is going to be an issue of adapting it, tailoring it to the requirements of that particular environment to ensure that people have access to what they want, but we have to promote it.

ITU has a position where we promote technologies without any discrimination and this is something that we like to do.

Continues on page 18

36 BDSUNDAY

C002D5556

Sunday 04 November 2018

Interview

Education most neglected, badly polluted and traumatised sector in Nigeria - Olatunji

Sunday Olatunji is the chairman, Royal Masters School, CBD, Alausa, Lagos. In this interview, he spoke, among other issues, about the state of the country’s education system, what is needed to be done and the celebration of four outstanding men who were recently awarded Doctoral degrees in academic fields outside their core banking field. Excerpts:

C

ongratulations on the celebration of men of letters. At what point did the idea to specially celebrate the four scholars for their academic attainment occur to you?

Well, when these guys are our bankers, accountants and all of that, they were not in academics and of course they made their marks in banking at various levels.

We worked together and they were marvelous. Remarkably, they went on beyond banking to do what is very rare in Nigeria for their dogged pursuit of academics to the highest level.

That shows commitment, vision, sacrifice and determination.

The kind of virtue that made them successful in their careers and for them to have conquered the first mountains in their lives, in their careers to that level and still pursue another career, another mountain in another sector entirely and to the highest level is truly commendable.

I was immensely impressed and excited at their achievements.

How often do you monitor their career and academic progression?

They call me from time to time concerning the progress they are making in their lives. These are a remarkable team of resourceful men and they are doing well in their various endeavours. Those that remain in banking and others still in the banking profession have continued to do well. You can’t have so many blessings and blessed people around you and will not want to celebrate them. Life is too short to ignore such things.

Obviously, these are not the only ones that have passed through pupilage under your watch; what is your advice to others still struggling to make a mark?

Everybody is facing a challenge at any point in time. It is a question of degree, type, shape, size and all of that. Like I said one common ingredient is, these guys have all done very well in life. The virtues of determination, integrity, hard work, of visionary and organised life, is there and those things will always see people through. They were well resourced, well equipped for life and that is why they’ve continued to weather the storms and move on.

Also, we try to get in touch with one another and support one another as much as we can.

That is why we gather once in a while to discuss, brainstorm and of course,to fellowship together because the community is a great asset to anybody and we are enjoying that by God’s grace.

Sir, you are known to be a banker yet you still have a passion for education, what is your

Sunday Olatunji thought and impression about the sector in this country?

It is the most neglected, the most afflicted, the most traumatised. That explains why we are not making progress. Schools and education systems reform society and when we ignore education it becomes a time bomb. and we are going to pay dearly for it. Things are not getting better, they are getting worst. There is a flood of illiterate graduates at all levels coming out with certificates that are said to be good but they are good for nothing, either for the individual or for the community. It is a disaster and we need to address it seriously.

What should the government do specifically and parents as well?

The government needs to take education seriously and as much as possible they need to create jobs.

There are ways they can do it. The value system is a bit challenged.

I am just waiting to see how the miracle of the government running schools successfully the way it used to be some 14 to 15 years ago. I am still trying to see how that miracle can work.

It is just to take truly visionary people, truly committed people, patriotic people that are prepared

to make a sacrifice. People that are prepared to think about the society, think about Nigeria, the next generation and the future of this country. Unfortunately, we cannot say about people in power who are unconcerned about the destiny of the nation, about the building blocks of a vibrant nation. There are many countries of the world with no natural resources and they are doing excellently well because they’ve nurtured the human capital so well that they are leaders in many areas of human endeavours.

We can see the calamity that has befallen us despite the resources that we have and all of that because we have neglected the human capital side of the enterprise. With that the vandalism of values in the society where from primary to secondary, all levels, children are no longer inspired to achieve anything meaningful in terms of academic pursuit. They are looking for great ways to make money, to become celebrities, to go into entertainment and things like that, thinking of quick ways of making money rather than old-fashioned ways of hardwork, integrity, skills building, and resilience to weather the storm and challenges whether they will be able to survive under adverse

circumstances.

We understand you have an investment in the education sector.

Can we have an insight in terms of your contribution to the sector?

Contribution to education is hard to measure. The physical contribution is easy to measure but the success of a school is far more than physical contributions. I stand here today by the grace of God, I am a product of the contribution of many teachers. Some of them are dead but their work continues in the things I have done today by the grace of God. But in terms of the physical things we can talk about, we have the Royal Masters Montessori Nursery and Primary School. We have a day college here as well and boarding college along the expressway in the name of Christ College as well.

We have the Trinity International College that has been there for a quarter of a century and has turned out many hundreds of graduates who have done excellently well in every continent on earth. By the grace of God, Trinity University is going to take off shortly by the grace of God. We are expecting a licence anytime from now.

By November, politicians will be going around the country making promises to up the game in the education sector. Specifically, what agenda would you want to draw for politicians as the 2019 approaches?

You see it is a big challenge.

The first thing about education is

They are looking for great ways to make money, to become celebrities, to go into entertainment and things like that, thinking of quick ways of making money rather than old-fashioned ways of hardwork, integrity, skills building, and resilience to weather the storm

the learning environment that has been badly polluted and that has created an immediate challenge first for the education curriculum.

There are many unintended elements in the curriculum. The curriculum is the totality of the exposure of the learner in the setting in which they are learning. So, there is corruption in the curriculum as you can see at all levels.

If there is abuse against the curriculum, whatever people are exposed to in the environment of learning is part of the curriculum and it called the unintended curriculum and it affects them. That is why you find children come home with negative habits they pick from schools. That is one and it is a big issue.

The next of course, is instruction, teaching. Teaching is fundamentally about quality teachers who have expert knowledge, who are genuinely committed and interested as the single and most important factor to educational success when the environment is right. You cannot deliver what you don’t have. There are corps members posted by NYSC who could not write essays that grade five primary schools could write during an interview. We had to keep them because at one time NYSC complained that we are always rejecting corps members.

We told them that we are looking for graduates, not illiterates. We have evidence in the essays they wrote that are inferior to what our grade five pupils can write. That is the truth.

The next thing is the assessment and you can see what is happening to assessments. Assessments don’t measure anything anymore.

You can find a school in the middle of nowhere where the students are scoring A’s yet they can’t write correct English. They can’t answer any question correctly but they have results showing A’s. There is a challenge with the curriculum, challenge with the teaching and challenge with the assessment. So, they carry about certificates that are meaningless. It is a big issue and we must have to look at all that. The society itself is not helping matters whatsoever. Thus, we have the environment, the curriculum because of the environment, the curriculum which is outdated in many respects. Imagine a school using a typewriter and examining in typewriter when there are no typewriters to buy any more. It does not make sense. People come out of school and they can’t write a simple application for a job and you want to read it. That is the problem from the curriculum to the teaching to the assessment, and what it really represents is a big challenge.

Sunday 04 November 2018

37

C002D5556

Interview Our priority is to empower, and develop our members’ capacity - Abdulwahab Abdulwahab Umar is the chairman of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kwara State Council. In this interview with SIKIRAT SHEHU, he declared that welfare of members in the state remains top priority of his administration. He also discussed about rationale behind the establishment of NUJ Model School, his plans for journalists’ empowerment. Excerpts:

A

s the new chairman of the state council of NUJ, what are your plans for journalists in Kwara?

We are working with the National Secretariat to ensure that we provide training for our members. The other time former president Abdulwaheed Odusile was here, he talked about training opportunities that are coming, some in China, and some in other African countries and even within.

Within the first three weeks of our coming in, we were able to sponsor two of our members; we secured a training slot for them with the assistance of National Secretariat. Two of them have benefited from a 4-day training workshop by PIP Petroleum Industry.

Because we need training and retraining, we are also partnering with National Orientation Agency (NOA), to organise training and even with Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), here in Kwara State before 2019 general election. So, we want to ensure that we train members on ethics of election coverage in particular.

Concerning our journalist estate, the first phase has been fully subscribed and we are moving to the second phase. It is part of measures to ensure that journalists own their homes. The payment will be paid gradually.

Again, we are also working with the Lower River Niger Basin to secure a land for farming. There is arrangement by the Federal Government for land and the River Basin is to provide the land, the NIRSAL, a unit within the Central Bank of Nigeria.

They are to do the funding so, as a member, you don’t need to engage your capital, all you need is just to show interest in the land, River Basin will provide the land and NIRSAL will provide the funding then you supervise the project. Part of ways of ensuring food sustainability and again thinking of

Abdulwahab Umar how we can diversify, our members after retirement what will they settle for? So, that is our own form of empowerment. We have met with the people in charge and they have given us assurance. With cooperation and support of our members, we should be able to move the council forward.

Recently, you commissioned NUJ Model School, what is your mission and vision?

The NUJ Model School is one of the initiatives of immediate past administration of the state council headed by Abiodun Abdulkareem, who conceived the idea of the project, right from the period of execution and completion, but it was commissioned immediately after our inauguration.

We believe it is a project that we must consolidate on. I was part of the committee that started the project so; I knew all

it entails to ensure we got it completed.

Having done that, we have started our programmes, the first set of pupils have just resumed two weeks ago. We started with the crèche.

The main reason for establishing the school is part of our own effort to improve on the welfare of our members; especially female journalists by keeping their children within the press centre.

The fee is reasonable and affordable. We treat our members specially, because the fee we charge our colleagues is different from what we charge outsiders.

We have a block of three classrooms for now and we want to control the population as much as possible, we just want pupils like 10 in a class. So, as the kids are graduating – we will be expanding the school and we will later move to our permanent site.

That is our plan to improve on every

stage; we are hoping to get more support from people out there, because it is not easy, financial commitment is very tasking, the project is still ongoing but for now, we have spent about two million naira now, we started with contribution from our members. We hope that we get support from philanthropists that will come to our aid because we still want to expand beyond this level.

Election is around the corner, what is your message to Nigerian journalists?

We are moving to a very sensitive period and what we need to do at this time is to make sure that we follow the ethics of the profession.

Already, guidelines of the election coverage and monitoring have been spelt out, we have a small election code which was distributed before 2015 election during our workshop with INEC so we are equally hoping that we have that kind of workshop this year where we remind our members.

One area that we need to be very cautious and careful is the announcement of the result, we must understand that it is only INEC that has the mandate to officially declare result, and so, as journalists, we should not be carried away or be overtaken by emotions. We must detach ourselves from politicians; we must detach ourselves from politics and do our own job by providing a level playing ground for all political parties.

I believe if we do that then, at the end of the day we will have our minds at rest.

Again, we are also putting up the committee that will ensure the safety of journalists during the period of 2019 general election.

We are talking with relevant agencies and NGOs in the state.

We have equally liaised with INEC on the issue of accreditation of our members; they should be given priority, we will ensure that we will not leave any stone unturned towards the safety of our members before, during and after the election.

‘Nigerian youths need to do what they have passion for’

Ibukun Ayeobasanmi is the chief executive officer of Desire Cakes and Confectionaries. She is an OND holder in Mass Communication from Osun State Polytechnic Ire. In this interview with JONATHAN ADEROJU, she shares her experience in rendering catering services in Nigeria’s commercial city of Lagos. Excerpts: Tell us about your business?

D

esire Cakes and Confecti o n a ri e s , whi ch st a r t ed about four years ago, does catering services for big events. We bake cakes and also make pastries for weddings, birthday parties and other events.

What motivated you into starting catering business?

I g rew u p i n S u r u l e re a re a o f Lagos State. At that time, I had the passion for cooking such that I would go to church to help the elderly women to cook. Then, I noticed that many young people did not have the passion to cook and I had to learn more about food-related business. When I left school after my OND, I could not continue with my HND. Then, I decided to go into catering as a

means of supporting myself and the family.

What is your staff strength?

You know people come in and go out when they feel tired or want a change and this is a business with lots of competition and not many youths want to venture into it. Catering requires a lot of time and perseverance to make money from it. Right now, I have about four people working with me.

How much do you make at the end of the month?

In this business, it is the more you get events that determine how much you can make at the end of the month. Though, the rising price of baking ingredients in the market today is eating into our profit. Nevertheless, I still go home with enough to be able to pay my staff and maintain my business.

Ibukun Ayeobasanmi

I would not say I do not make profit because definitely I do.

Did you get any bank loan to set up this business?

Well, it was a rough start. I did not get any support from the government or any financial institution.

The only assistance I got was from my mother who put in the little she had. Then, I decided to make small chops and started hawking from street to street, that was how I was able to raise some money to buy baking equipment to start.

What is your advice to unemployed youths in Nigeria?

My advice first to the youths is for them to ‘Be themselves’ and do something they have passion for. If you know you are good at anything, do not wait for anybody to tell to start. Try and take the bull by the horn by starting.

38 BDSUNDAY

C002D5556

Sunday 04 November 2018

TheWorshippers Only true federation will get the best out of Nigerians – Archbishop Adewale Martins Most Rev. Dr. Alfred Adewale Martins, the Catholic Archbishop of the Metropolitan See of Lagos, in this interview with SEYI JOHN SALAU, speaks on a number of national issues, including the increasing spate of insecurity in the country, restructuring, and the way forward. He also touches on Leah Sharibu, the Nigerian Anglican Catholic Commission, among others. Excerpts: The rate of attacks on the clergy seems to be on the rise in recent times, especially Catholic priests.

What is the church doing to checkmate this trend? t seems to me that that is part of the bigger insecurity in the land. People get kidnapped from time to time; there are priests among those who get kidnapped, there are religious people among them. I do not know if there is a specific attack on Catholic clergymen, but I know that the general insecurity in the land affects Catholics and other denominational people. In Benue State, there was an attack on a church where two priests were killed; I am not sure whether we can say it was directly focused because they were Catholic priests. These were just criminal elements who were just carrying out their criminal activities.

Well, of course, that of Benue had a story behind it – the herdsmen who are carrying out their own agenda which every right-thinking person has condemned over time. So, as I said, I am not sure whether we can say there is a targeted attack on the Catholic church/priests.

Directly related to the high level of insecurity is the division in the country. Many agree that Nigeria is more divided now than ever.

Why is this so?

In recent times there have been complaints about the lopsidedness in the appointments to positions in government, particularly at the federal level. There have been complaints about the lopsidedness, about the fact that people are unhappy, and it seems that some government policies have been directed towards certain group of people than to others, and there are the religious elements also with the fact that the herdsmen who have been creating chaos in many parts of the country are perceived as having an ultimate religious coloration. All of these created a kind of division that we have in this country now. Of course, government has its own explanations for why these different things are happening, but the Federal Government just needs to convince people that its own explanations are correct and are believable. We have people in IPOB, for instance, who are constantly crying about marginalization and, of course, we know that it is not all the Igbo that are united behind IPOB. Nevertheless, there are feelings of marginalization and the government needs to prove them wrong. Indeed, this is the more reason why most people are asking our government to reconsider the structure of this country. That is, if you reconsider and reconfigure the

I

Most Rev. Dr. Alfred Adewale Martins

structure of the country, some of these elements of complaints, divisions and conflicts will probably just fizzle out and there will be a better dispensation and sense of relationship among different peoples of the nation.

If I get you right, you just mentioned something related to restructuring. Do you see restructuring as the way out of the present predicament?

Honestly, in every kind of discussion there will be two sides to it, but

And, in any case, there is no point in pretending that we are operating a federal system of government when, in actual fact, we are operating a unitary form of government

it is important for us to consider the following: the present structure of government that we are practicing, is it solving the problems of Nigeria in terms of economy, diversification of the economy, in terms of giving everyone in this country a sense of belonging? Is it making Nigeria get the maximum that we can from the resources that are available all over this country? I think these are the basic questions that should underline what is the correct position on this matter. We have been pretending to be operating a federal system of government, but the fact is that we are not operating a federal system of government. The federal structure is not there. Everybody still carries their bowl at the end of the month to Abuja in order to get federal allocation, and the drive to generate revenue from the different parts of the country is not there.

We know that oil is the basket from which all of us take food – the security and stability of the nation depends on whether oil price is stable or not. So, that is why it is necessary that we think of a way of decentralizing things in such a way that the different parts of this country will be motivated to generate resources, generate revenue. And, in any case, there is no point in pretending that we are operating a federal system of government when, in actual fact, we are operating a unitary form of government. If any government is truly interested in getting the best out of Nigerians, it needs to work towards ensuring that there is a real federation of the different elements of the nation. And, in some ways, there are indications that it is not impossible in the sense of the fact that

if you take the different areas of the lives of the nation that are gradually being unbundled, so to say, then you will see that it is truly not impossible to have a structure that is truly a federal system of government.

Many have argued over time that there is so much of religiosity and less of spirituality in Nigeria.

What is your take on this?

It seems to me that many people are able to arrive at that conclusion because many times there is a gap between the faith that people profess and the way they live their lives; that is how people are able to come to conclusion that there is more religiosity than spirituality in Nigeria. Therefore, what we need to continue to do for the different religions is to begin to get our people to recognize that religious practices by themselves do not constitute a religious person. A truly religious person is also one who is able to live the value of the faith he or she professes. And when we begin to judge people by the value that they live rather than by any other measure, then we begin to see that it is not impossible for religiosity and spirituality to co-exist. The only way by which you can show that you are spiritually strong is by external practices of the different religions – they are part and parcel of what constitutes a religious person. But if a person that is religious does not show the value of the faith, that is when you can divulge the religion from the spirituality. So, we hope that as people get involved in their faith, they will be able to rise above this divide.

Recently, when the new Anglican Bishop of Lagos paid you a

courtesy visit, you made mention of the Nigerian Anglican Catholic Commission. Could you tell us what this commission is about?

There was this body that was constituted by the Catholic Church in Nigeria and the Anglican Communion in Nigeria. It was constituted a long time ago to create a platform for Catholics and Anglicans to meet and discuss issues and areas of their faith that bind them together so that we can witness together. That is the way it was in the beginning, but then, there was a divide as a result of historical matters, but we know that as believers in Christ, the witnessing to Christ is affected by our division.

So, that is why Catholics and Anglicans decided to come together to discuss theological matters, pastoral matters, social matters in which we can cooperate to give common witness to Christ in our nation Nigeria. I am aware that discussions have been going on for some time.

Leah Sharibu is still with her captors months after abduction.

What, in your view, can the state do to ensure her release?

You know the Leah Sharibu case in particular is a very sad one for many reasons. This is a little girl that is just beginning her life and she has been brought into that kind of situation. It is even sadder because there are many of them that were kidnapped, others were released but she was held back and continues to be enslaved. The feelers we are getting is that she continues to be there because she refuses to deny her faith in Christ. We feel it is very un-Islamic in itself to keep a person against her will just because she professes another faith And we have been told over and over again that Islam respects others’ religion, it is not coercive. So, these people are obviously putting Islam in a very bad light and we think that if government took the steps they took in order to ensure they were released, they should be able to take steps necessary to ensure that this girl is also released, especially as it has a very serious religious connotation. And, the more the government is unable to bring her out of her incarceration, the more we continue to believe government is not doing enough because this girl is a Christian girl; that is the implication that arises from there. We hear that they are beginning to demand ransom, from some news reports I heard recently. While one is not advocating ransom as a way out for criminal behaviour, it is important that government does its best with collaboration with international bodies that have been part of this to ensure this girl is brought back to her parents.

Sunday 04 November 2018

C002D5556

BDSUNDAY 39

Inspirations Courage to Face your Fears

PASTOR I.S JAMES 2 TIM.1:7

T

Continued from last week

he loss of a friendship is one reason people remain ensnared in a relationship.

‘People come, people go’, but God’s love remains constant. That is one of the unfortunate REALITIES of this life. We can get into real trouble when we seek to ignore such truths out of misplaced feelings.

That was one of David’s many mistakes. Michal was David’s past and he should have simply been content with the sweet memories of the past, instead of insisting on recreating it. But what does the Scripture say? “Now as the ark of the Lord came into the City of David, Michal, Saul’s daughter, looked through a window and saw King David leaping and whirling before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart. (2Sam.6:16). Have the courage to say ‘No’ to yourself, your children or relations if that is what is needed. Only

God can give life to the ‘dead’! Do not empower any relationship that despises your values, your beliefs or your worth, and neither should you “cast your pearls before swine.”

Other times when we need the courage to face our fear is when we are faced with the choice of following our personal convictions. There comes a time when destiny beckons. And the path of destiny, it has been said, is a lonely one. But when the sudden but loud voice of destiny calls, forcing you to veer off the popular route or go against the grain, like Moses was, how would you react? Acts 7:23 said when Moses was “forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren, the children of Israel”. That little word “it” pulled Moses out of the palace into the pit, from luxury into penury, from comfort to uncertainty. It changed his address, his friends, his plans and his profession.

Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King Jr. were people of destiny who had the courage to make difficult decisions knowing exactly what was involved when they made their choices. Timidity can make the difference between a life of obscurity and a fulfilling life of purpose and meaning.

Life is one consistent stream of difficult decisions. Every right decision we make gives us a leap in life, and every time we refuse to act, we rob ourselves of growth, progress, time and opportunity. Like we’ve already noted, ignoring

a bad situation hoping that it becomes better with time is not a winning strategy. I encourage you, dear friend, to summon every courage to deal with any bad habit or behavior, addiction, attitude or sin TODAY! Procrastinating will not help. You need to also understand that one of Satan’s most popular words is ‘tomorrow‘, as against God’s, which is NOW or TODAY -“… Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation”. (2Cor.6:2). Have you noticed that whenever God tells us to do something right away, Satan will suggest that we take it easy; that we can still do the same thing ‘tomorrow‘, just to throw us off God’s timing? You may as well deal with it NOW. Take this example. Through one careless utterance, Joab, his nephew emerged to become David’s army captain. But for most of the time he was also his chief tormentor for life! Twice, David made a feeble attempt to kick him out of that position but failed. And twice he killed the people David preferred to him – Abner(2Sam.3:27-39) and Amasa (2Sam.20:4-13). Listen to David lament, “And even though I am the anointed king, these two sons of Zeruiah—Joab and Abishai—are too strong for me to control. So may the Lord repay these evil men for their evil deeds.” (2 Sam.3:39 NLT). It is true that Joab was a great help to David having stood with him from the beginning to the end, but he also had a very little re-

gard for David. May our dear heavenly Father NEVER allow one mistake of your life to become your ‘prison’ for the rest of it in Jesus’ name! At the end Joab almost succeeded in thwarting God’s plan for Israel by installing Adonijah as king. (1Kg.1:7). Solomon was the one who had to clean up after his father (1Kg.2:5-6). The lesson – the right decision or action you don’t take TODAY might even threaten your future!

My dear friend, the Lord has not given to you “a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.“ I want you to have the COURAGE to ‘rebel’ against any peer pressure, popular opinion and every negative aspect of your culture and tradition. Let today be your last day of conforming, behaving or talking like everybody else. I declare over your life; ‘You have the POWER to say ‘No’ to every sin, the COURAGE to follow your personal convictions and the boldness to take whatever decision the Lord wants you to, so that you’ll become all that He has called you be in Jesus’ name’. And the time to it is now!

I love you.

Dr. Iruofagha James is the Founding Pastor, Glory Christian Ministries, Odo-Olowo Street, Apapa/Oshodi Expressway, Ijeshatedo, Lagos. www.isjames.org Tel: 08060599144

OJUKOKORO... Evil Eyes

REV. YOMI KASALI

@rev.yomikasali

I

preached a sermon on this topic in 2015 and while on the plane catching a flight from Turkey to Israel, I felt a burden, glanced through the verse of scriptures again and it penetrated my very soul to the core of my being. This is the major challenge of believers in walking with the Lord, OJUKOKORO. The word, ‘ojukokoro’ cannot be found in Webster’s dictionary because it is a Yoruba word that basically means ‘greed’, but I will take this word beyond Greed today and share my thoughts on the Words Of The Lord concerning the evil eyes.

“But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!” – Matt. 6:23.

I do not know if you observed the warning in the above passage, “...if your eye be evil, your whole body shall be full of darkness...” very scary and frighten-

ing when we take a survey or do a fact check on how many people may have evil eyes, which means they live their lives in darkness.

Let me Inspire you today on 5 kinds of Evil Eyes Mentioned in the Bible that plunged people into utter darkness in their walk with the Lord. I am sure many believers are also living in darkness not in the light of God’s word because they have Evil Eyes indeed.

5 EVIL EYES MENTIONED IN THE BIBLE EVIL EYES OF ENVY: Saul casted this evil eye of envy over David in 1 Sam. 17 v 8-11, he sought to kill him but the Lord protected David from the Evil eyes of Saul. I pray the Lord will deliver you as well from having the Evil Eyes of Envy.

EVIL EYES OF LUST: Potiphar’s wife possessed this satanic Evil Eyes of Lust over a young man called Joseph in the employ of her husband but God preserved his servant from the snare of those eyes. (Gen. 39 v 7-10)

EVIL EYES GREED: The Mother of all Living, Eve has this Evil eye that desired what she did not need in the garden.

Greed is a deadly Vice that kills morals and chokes the word of God. Many of us are just greedy and covet things that we rarely need or use in life. (Prov. 28 v 22; Gen. 3 v 5-7). This is the NIGERIAN

DISEASE! EVIL EYES OF PRIDE: This is the Evil Eyes that looks down on people and acts with an air of superiority over people without regards for the Grace of God that lifts men up and pulls men down.

Haman had this Evil Eye and he looked Dogs on Mordecai with his entire race to the point of being filled with so much Hatred for the Jews. Esther 5 v 9-13, remember God hates proud look (Prov.

6 v 16)

EVIL EYES OF WITCHCRAFT: This is the Jezebel Eyes Of manipulation

through witchcraft and sometimes sorcery (2 kings 9 v 30-34). I will not want to write more on that today because I intend to do a piece on Witchcraft as a topic with 7 signs to know who a practicing witchcraft is.

Please make a covenant with your eyes today (Job 31 v 1), not to be Evil or else your whole body will be in darkness.

Shalom.

Rev. Yomi Kasali is Senior Pastor, Foundation of Truth Assembly (FOTA), Surulere, Lagos

40 BDSUNDAY

C002D5556

Sunday 04 November 2018

SundayBusiness Is model mortgage system a fading dream?

T

alk, it is said, is cheap, but one thinks that dreaming is even a lot cheaper which is why individuals and institutions never cease to dream.

At individual level, dreams can be as frivolous as they can be ludicrous and serious depending, however, on the subject. But overall, dreams are elevated, especially at institutional level, where organizations set goals and work hard to see such goals through to fruition.

The dream of every adult Nigeria is to own a home he or she can call his own. But for reasons of finance and others, these dreams are largely unrealized, leading to the desire by those wishing to build or buy homes that there are functional mortgage institutions that can create a model system that will respond to their dreams and desires.

When therefore, the Nigerian Mortgage Refinance Company (NMRC) was set up as a secondary mortgage institution, expectation was high that it could be part of a systematic approach to creating a model system that would help solve the country’s intractable housing problem.

Essentially, NMRC is Nigeria’s private sector-led secondary mortgage institution with public purpose. It may not have been

Spiritonomics

Debo Atiba

www.spiritonomics.org

A

portion of the scripture that never ceases to amaze me and on which faith is anchored is found in Heb.11:1,” faith is the substance of things hoped for...”Hope is defined as “a feeling of expectations and desire for a particular thing to happen”.

Many a times we adjudge God to be unfaithful to His words.

Though we may not out rightly say that, but our actions and reactions show it, when what we have asked God for does not show up, or when it looks as though it is taking too long. Silently we have licked our wounds and our inner systems begin to interpret God to be unfaithful without us knowing it. The Bible says the labor of fools weary

a smooth sail for the company in terms of meeting people’s expectations, but the it is not resting on its oars. Riding on the relative successes it has achieved in the past couple of years of its establishment, the company went out on an aggressive drive towards the adoption of a model mortgage and foreclosure laws.

The company is said to be driving a legislative reform in the mortgage sector by proposing a model mortgage and foreclosure law by key pilot states including Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Enugu, Kano and Ogun states.

According to one of its directors, whose primary mortgage bank (PMB) is a major shareholder in the company, NMRC is out to get various states houses of assembly to pass foreclosure laws as a prelude to a mortgage-backed affordable housing delivery.

This is good news for home seekers who need mortgage facility because foreclosure law, upon adoption, aims to fast tract the process for creating legal mortgages, ensuring timely resolution of disputes and creating an efficient foreclosure process.

But there are concerns now.

This very good initiative seems to have become a mere dream because not much is being heard about it, hence the question as to

why it is a fading dream. Experts are of the view the initiative is commendable but much needs to be done.

According to the authorities of the mortgage refinancing company, the model mortgage and foreclosure law is in its final form for engagement with 21 pilot states committing to the implementation of an enabling environment for the development of the mortgage market. But the market is becoming impatient.

“We will be embarking on an aggressive drive towards the procurement of an ICT infrastructure for the mortgage industry, the completion of our second tranche equity capital raise, and most importantly the completion of our first round of mortgage refinancing; we will work hard to meet our mandate to revolutionize the Nigerian mortgage landscape”, Charles Inyangete, former CEO, assured.

Arguably, the company has demonstrated uncommon resolve to live out its mandate with refinancing of some mortgage institutions including Imperial Mortgage Bank Limited whose existing mortgages were refinanced to the tune of N1 billion.

Mortgage operators have described this refinancing as a milestone and, according to Ben Akaneme, Imperial Mortgage’s

Talking Mortgage with CHUKA UROKO (08037156969, chukuroko@yahoo.com)

managing director, “this is an outstanding achievement in the march towards the realisation of affordable and single-digit interest rates for mortgages in Nigeria, and assured that the bank would continue to strive to achieve its mission of enabling easily accessible and affordable mortgages to Nigerians in order to ensure housing for all.

NMRC seems to be conscious of the demands and obligations inherent in the Nigerian business environment and says it will continue to anchor all its services on global best practices, good corporate governance and strict risk management practices.

NMRC came into the Nigerian mortgage market on a very high pedestal, promising a major shift in the interest rate regime in the market. But the authorities of the company have said that, though it is a partnership between the government and the private sector, the company is

Your expectations are your realities

them because they are not wise unto what they are supposed to do (Eccl.10:15 paraphrased).

In the kingdom of God you do not get result by magic or luck.

You get result by understanding and following principle. Many believers profess faith in God for great things but deep down in their heart, the image they carry is contrary to what they profess with their mouth. As a result there is no way they are going to experience the power of God in their situation. They have put themselves in a position of disadvantage. The truth also is that your life will print out the picture in your heart. If you are poor, check the picture in your heart. For us to get result in the kingdom of God, the picture in our hearts must align with the scripture in our mouth. If you are loved or unloved, check the picture in your heart. When a land is not fertile the power in the seed become useless. So when we miss it in this regard it looks like God has failed us.

When occurrences like this become too frequent, we begin to operate in great unbelief and

our systems harden up to receiving from God. Outwardly people see us as being prayerful and devout, our church attendance has not dwindled, but inwardly we are hurt and bitter. Myriads of questions going on in our minds concerning the faithfulness of God. A lot of times as believers we operate on assumptions and not on the truth as designed by God. We are like a fresh student in the primary school just enrolled, enthusiastic and excited only about being a student but never ready to study to pass as a student. We put on the uniform, we carry our bags and school bus drops us in school but we are neither reading not studying. We participate in the extra curricula activities but not in the exact things that makes us student. The world sees us as dutiful and serious minded student but never know we only have the appearance but the substance is missing. You can guess what becomes of such student when it is time for exam, they fail woefully.

The same thing happen to us in life, as Christians we possess

the form of godliness, very pious looking, but when we are confronted with the EXAMS OF LIFE, the result is there for all to see. So sad! Scripture says...

When we fail in the days of adversity, or the time of our testing then our strength is small (Prov.

24:10). The intention of God for His children is to do as admonished in Matt. 6:33 ...seek ye first the kingdom of God and its righteousness... What is being communicated to us in all seriousness is to exercise ourselves in the operational methodology of the kingdom of God, for all that we would ever need for the beautiful life Jesus spoke about are resident there. The emphasis is so great and the result will be grave if we fail to do as admonished – your realities are a product of your expectation!

Looking at the problems that men face in life, the same scripture made it clear to us that as we give attention to this understanding, those problems will be non-existent in our lives. He even said we would have the things that the gentiles (unbelievers) seek after. The day we receive

private sector-led, relying on the market to determine interest rate on mortgage loans, meaning that the rate that applies to commercial loans also applies to its mortgage.

“The desire of NMRC, the Primary Mortgage Banks (PMBs) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is to achieve single digit interest rate, but we are not there yet because the market does not allow single digit interest rate”, the former CEO once told BusinessDay, adding, “as it is today, we cannot meet the single digit interest rate until we are able to reach that point where the market allows it”.

Right now, the company is working under market conditions hoping that, over time, as the market deepens and grows, the issue of single digit interest rate will be expected. It assures that whatever the rate is today, its desire is to drive the rate down to single digit.

Jesus is the day we are given birth to into the kingdom of God as new born babies, irrespective of our chronological age. God knew the importance of this hence, the reason He gave us 1Pet.2:2, that as new born babies we should desire the sincere milk of the word of God that we may grow thereby. Growth in every area of our lives, which implies understanding of the purpose of the kingdom, our own purpose in the kingdom, and working of the kingdom etc. They all form part of our growth and are critical to our performance in life. Once we are not in on this truth, our growth will be anemic and we would be so frail in the affairs of life that instead of us being victors, we would be victims.

What are your expectations?

You must consciously let the word of God paint the picture of your future on your mind. It is not your responsibility to make it happen, it is God’s. All you need to do is believe.

Remain blessed as the expectations of your heart matches your conversation. @spiritonomics

Sunday 04 November 2018

Comment

comment is free

Send 800word comments to comment@businessdayonline.com

2019 elections and the imperative of peace

Publisher/CEO

Frank Aigbogun editor Zebulon Agomuo DEPUTY EDITOR John Osadolor, Abuja assistant EDITOR Chuks Oluigbo NEWS EDITOR Patrick Atuanya EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, OPERATIONS Fabian Akagha EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, DIGITAL SERVICES Oghenevwoke Ighure GENERAL MANAGER, ADVERT Adeola Ajewole ADVERT MANAGER Ijeoma Ude FINANCE MANAGER Emeka Ifeanyi MANAGER, CONFERENCES & EVENTS Obiora Onyeaso SUBSCRIPTIONS MANAGER Patrick Ijegbai CIRCULATION MANAGER John Okpaire DIGITAL SALES MANAGER Linda Ochugbua GM, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT (North)

Bashir Ibrahim Hassan

GM, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT (South) Ignatius Chukwu HEAD, HUMAN RESOURCES Adeola Obisesan

11

C002D5556

Tayo Ogunbiyi Ogunbiyi is of the Lagos State Ministry of Information & Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja

F

or some time now, the nation’s landscape has been characterized by massive political activities. This is quite understandable as the much awaited 2019 national elections are just around the corner. By next February, the die will be cast for major political parties and their gladiators. It is, therefore, important to address the need for a peaceful electoral process, as nothing much could be achieved in an atmosphere of needless chaos and protracted crisis.

It is quite vital for political leaders and their followers to toe the line of peace, especially in view of a few crises we have been witnessing in some parts of the country, of late. It has been stated, over and over again, that elections should not be a do or die affairs. If the overriding interest of all aspiring public office holders, as it really ought to be, is to better the lives of Nigerians, it would be contradictory for them to turn the political scene into an orgy of violence. Doing this would only compound the woes of the people as violence could further complicate the economic and security troubles

of the country.

Going down memory lane, our previous attempts at democracy were grossly hampered partly because of acts of violence that engulfed the electoral process.

In the First Republic, the ‘wild wild west’ chaos and other such political violence that followed the 1965 general elections heralded the coming of the military.

A series of events that followed eventually culminated into the civil war (1967-70). In the Second Republic (1979-1983), yet another attempt at entrenching democracy was bungled, partially as a result of the tension and crisis that followed the 1983 general elections, which were widely alleged to be heavily rigged in favour of the then ruling National Party of Nigeria, NPN. It took us another fifteen years, from 1984 to 1999 to be precise, before we could have another go at democracy. Presently, we have had an unprecedented nineteen years of uninterrupted civil rule. This should be enough motivation for principal actors in the political process and all stakeholders to play according to the rules. Doing anything to the contrary would only make a mess of whatever gains we have made in the past years, in our bid to build a virile democratic culture.

This is why it is vital that political parties and, indeed, all concerned Nigerians, must maintain decorum in all they do, with regards to the coming elections, so that the future of the nation’s democracy

will not be jeopardized.

The coming elections, therefore, offer us another huge platform to get things right. We should no longer hide under the usual pretext of a ‘nascent democracy’ to do things crudely.

This is the time to get it right.

The only interest that should be paramount in the ensuing political contest should be that of the country. It is not in anyone’s interest for the country to be engulfed in crisis because of election; something that is a mere routine in other climes. We have had enough of blood shedding in the country. We have lost enough innocent souls to the criminal activities of insurgents across the country.

It is, therefore, irrational to adjoin political turmoil to the growing lists of our national troubles.

In the 21st century, killing or maiming people in the name of an election portends backwardness and barbarism. If relatively smaller and less endowed neighbouring countries could conduct peaceful and credible elections, it behooves on the most populous Black Country in the world to demonstrate the needed political leadership, worthy of emulation across the continent.

However, as it is often said, there can be no peace when justice is compromised. It is, thus, very crucial for INEC and the various security agencies to be fair to all in the coming elections. From past experiences, the inability of past electoral umpires to conduct

fair and credible elections had been largely responsible for the resultant chaos that trails the outcome of previous elections.

Hence, INEC officials, at all levels, must not compromise the electoral process. The vote of every Nigerian must be made to count. Same goes for the security agencies. It is unethical for security agencies to display partisan tendencies while overseeing the conduct of a national election.

The police, in particular, should be civil and impartial in their conduct before, during and after the coming elections. Their allegiance should be solely to the country, and not any parochial political interest.

The media, political parties, civil society organisations, the academia, faith based organisations, electoral monitoring groups, NGOs and other related bodies come up with well streamlined political education and enlightenment campaigns that would center on the need to embrace peace in the political process.

As it has been rightly highlighted, irrespective of our varying political leanings, we remain brothers and sisters living in the same landscape. It, hence, behooves on us to ensure that the peace of the land is not endangered. It will be foolhardy to do otherwise. God bless Nigeria.

Ogunbiyi is of the Ministry of Information & Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Dick Kramer - Chairman Imo Itsueli Mohammed Hayatudeen Afolabi Oladele Vincent Maduka Keith Richards Opeyemi Agbaje Amina Oyagbola Bolanle Onagoruwa Fola Laoye Chuka Mordi Mezuo Nwuneli Charles Anudu Tunji Adegbesan Eyo Ekpo

Enquiries NEWS ROOM 08023283822 07031029998 Lagos 08033160837 Abuja

}

ADVERTISING 01-2799108 08034743892 08033225506 SUBSCRIPTIONS 01-2799108 07032496069 07054563299 DIGITAL SERVICES 08026011296 www.businessdayonline.com The Brook, 6 Point Road, GRA, Apapa, Lagos, Nigeria.

01-2799100 Legal Advisers The Law Union

Mission Statement To be a diversified provider of superior business, financial and management intelligence across platforms accessible to our customers anywhere in the world.

OUR Core Values

BusinessDay avidly thrives on the mainstay of our core values of being The Fourth Estate, Credible, Independent, Entrepreneurial and Purpose-Driven.

• The Fourth Estate: We take pride in being guarantors of liberal economic thought • Credible: We believe in the principle of being objective, fair and fact-based • Independent: Our quest for liberal economic thought means that we are independent of private and public interests.

• Entrepreneurial: We constantly search for new opportunities, maintaining the highest ethical standards in all we do • Purpose-Driven: We are committed to assembling a team of highly talented and motivated people that share our vision, while treating them with respect and fairness. www.businessdayonline.com

Sunday 04 November 2018

C002D5556

BDSUNDAY 9

CRIME WATCH Lagosians who tempt policemen with bribe will be arrested - CP STORIES BY CHINWE AGBEZE

I

mohimi Edgal, Lagos State commissioner of police has said that the command w i l l a r r e s t La g o sians who tempt policemen with bribes. Edgal disclosed this during a press briefing recently in Lagos. ‘‘Let me also appeal to Lagosians, do not tempt my men with bribes. It is an offence to offer bribes,’’ Edgal said. ‘‘This time around, if you offer my policemen bribes, you risk being arrested and charged to court. Don’t tempt my men with bribes.’’

Th e s t a t e c o m m i s sioner of police called on all the transport unions to reactivate their task force and ensure their members meet up the standards required for being on the road. ‘‘Tell you members that if they don’t meet the requirements, they should temporarily park their vehicles, motorcycles and go immediately to the relevant agencies and get what is required of them,’’ Edgal warns. ‘‘If they don’t have a number plate and basic requirements by law, they should go and get it before they come on the road else they risk their vehicles or motorcycles being impounded.’’

Edgal said the exercise is not geared towards

generating money for the government. ‘‘If we impound your motorcycle or vehicle, we will not insist that you go and pay any fine anywhere,’’ he said. ‘‘Mobile courts have been set up by the Lagos State ministry of justice.

Offenders will be tried on spot.’’

According to the comm i s s i o n e r, h e r e c o m mended that offenders be given the opportunity to go and make amends for the reasons why their motorcycles or vehicles were impounded. ‘‘The offender will get the documents and ten-

der them before his/her vehicle will be released,’’ he said.

Edgal also said that the message is not only for the commercial bus drivers but for all Lagosians and visitors to Lagos. ‘‘The law is clear, we are not inventing the law, we are enforcing the existing Lagos laws and more importantly, this is not an avenue for extortion,’’ he said. ‘‘We are not playing politics here. This is routine normal traffic enforcement because of the debasing and abuse of traffic laws and lawlessness on our roads

Togolese arrested for alleged murder

T

he State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), Panti, has taken arrested a Togolese for alleged murder. 22-yearsold Sunday Anani, a cook was nabbed in connection with the murder of Chief Opeyemi Bademasi. ‘‘Bademasi was allegedly murdered on Wednesday 31 October, 2018 at his No 3A Onikoyi Lane residence, Parkview estate in Ikoyi barely three days after he employed Anani as a cook,’’ said CSP Chike Oti, Lagos police spokesman.

Anani was said to have fled and was arrested on Friday November, 2018 at about 9.30am at Yaba area in Ondo State.

CSP Oti said: ‘‘The fleeing cook, later identified as Sunday Anani, 22 years of age, was arrested by homicide detectives attached to State Criminal Investigation And Intelligence Department (SCIID) Panti Street, Yaba, is right now undergoing interrogation.

CSP Oti recalled that the Lagos state commissioner of police had earlier promised Lagosians that the suspect will be arrested and made to face the law. ‘‘He said that the suspect can only run but not hide. At the end of the investigation, the Command, in its usual manner, will give the public detail by detail account of how the suspect committed the crime,’’ said CSP Oti.

leading to accidents.’’

He also said that any policeman caught demanding or collecting bribe will be tried summarily and recommended for nothing less than reduction in rank. ‘‘I have told the area commanders and the DPOs in any of these locations,’’ he said. ‘‘The accident statistics in the state is at an all-time high because of abuse of traffic laws, because those who are not supposed to be as drivers behind the wheel are there and nobody is checking them. This must stop.’’

Four policemen, three LASTMA officials nabbed for extortion

T

h e La g o s s t a t e police command said it has arrested four policemen and three Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA) officials for trying to extort money from one Waheed Lamidi in FESTAC area of the state.

CSP Chike Oti, Lagos police spokesman, said the men were caught when they gave Lamidi a Diamond Bank account number with the account name Femi Adebanji to transfer the sum of N75,000 when he complained that he had no cash.

The names of the arrested policemen are Inspector Charles Omokaro, Inspector Idara Akai, Sergeant Chidi Mordi, and Sergeant Joseph Bernard while the names of the arrested LASTMA officials are Sam Adekunle, Omolaja Ige and

The state commissioner of says the Command will always welcome opinions, comments and criticism geared towards helping the Force rid bad eggs in its midst and improve service delivery and not comments designed to debase or ridicule the Force

Modinat Folashade. ‘‘The Lagos commissioner of police, has directed that the suspects be brought to the Command Headquarters, X-Squad section, for thorough investigation and appropriate disciplinary action if found guilty,’’ said CSP Oti. ‘‘The state commissioner of says the Command will always welcome opinions, comments and criticism geared towards helping the Force rid bad eggs in its midst and improve service delivery and not comments designed to debase or ridicule the Force.’’

According to CSP Oti, the attention of the Lagos Commissioner of Police, was drawn to a publication in the Nation Newspaper on Tuesday captioned, ‘Police as cesspit of corruption’. ‘‘The reporter drew attention to the underhand dealings of some policemen he ran into on his way to Festac town Lagos,’’ CSP Oti said. ‘‘He alleged that the men took him to First Gate of Festac Town which they have turned to an extortion point.’’ ‘‘Armed with the information from the publication, the state commissioner of police, directed ACP Yusuf Ajape the Area Commander in-charge of Area E, Festac, and SP Aliu Abubakar, the officer in charge of the Command XSquad Section, to carry out a covert operation around the aforementioned location,’’ CSP Oti said.

The operation, CSP Oti said, lead to the arrest of the four policemen and three LASTMA officials.

Operation Velvet: Police suspends exercise for one month

T

he Lagos State Police has suspended the operation velvet for a period of one month to enable motorists to regularise their documents.

According to CSP Oti, the police spokesman, the operation was put on hold for one month based on the appeal of Akinwunmi Ambode, state governor and members of the state house of assembly. ‘‘However, the Command wishes to warn all road users that the grace period should not be interpreted as a period of lawlessness on the city roads,’’ said CSP Oti. ‘‘It is a time allowed to get the vehicle documents and necessary permits together.’’

‘‘It warns that the Command will continue to enforce laws against driving on BRT lanes, parking at unauthorised places thereby causing gridlock and driving against traffic,’’ the police spokesman said.

The command had announced the commencement of Operation restore sanity on Lagos roads/Velvet billed to commence on October 29, 2018.

The operation is aimed at enforcing all relevant traffic laws to decongest the roads and restore orderliness on the highways. ‘‘However, the aspect of the operation that deals with the checking of vehicle documents will be secondary as the Police will focus on clearing all

encumbrances that give rise to gridlock in order to ensure free flow of traffic throughout the state,’’ CSP Oti said earlier.

The command expects motorists to use the period of the one month grace to regularise their vehicle documents and be prepared for the second segment of the operation. ‘ ‘ Th i s i s g e a r e d t owards ensuring that we bring to normalcy the expected standards in traffic control and management in Lagos state,’’ said Imohimi. ‘‘ The impunity with which this Lagos state traffic laws are being disobeyed in the state now is a cause for concern for every well-meaning Lagosian and we will not accept it.’’

Sunday 04 November 2018

C002D5556

BDSUNDAY 41

SundayBusiness Effects of sea piracy on fish production Food & Beverages With Ayo Oyoze Baje

A

s at April, this year, the International Maritime Bureau’s (IMB) Piracy Reporting Center once again identified Nigerian waters as being extremely dangerous. According to figures available for the first three months of 2018, Nigeria alone recorded 22 incidents. Of the 11 vessels fired upon worldwide, eight were off Nigeria — including a tanker more than 40 nautical miles off Brass, in Bayelsa state in the Niger Delta, with a capacity of 300,000 metric tons. In 2017, the IMB reported over 20 attacks on vessels in the same area.

Fast forward to August, 2018 and it was reported that for the second consecutive quarter the global maritime report on piracy put Nigeria on the spotlight, occupying number one position as far as the number of recorded attacks against vessels in the second quarter 2018, Q2’18. In fact, the first six months of 2018

saw a significant rise in the number of recorded piracy and armed robbery incidents in the Gulf of Guinea region compared to the same period in 2017. All these have serious negative effects on fishing activities in our territorial water.

Though Nigeria boasts of the two major Rivers Niger and Benue with many tributaries, as well as the vast Atlantic Ocean bordering the South with an inland water mass of about 15 million hectares, including natural and man-made lakes, rivers and reservoirs, there is insufficiency in fish production.

According to Mrs. Folake Areola, then President, Fisheries Society of Nigeria,(FISON) the total local fish production stood at 511,000 metric tons compared to the national demand of 1.5 million metric tons, as at 2005. This left a gap of about a million metric tons. Back then, the country had to import 700,000 metric tons with 300,000 mt still required. By 2008 it was ranked as one of the world’s largest importers of frozen fish. And the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) listed Nigeria as one of the proteindeficient countries. This, according to Areola is unacceptable because fish is the best source of animal protein given the presence of health-promoting Omega-3 fatty acids. Besides, fresh fish as obtained by the Nigeria Trawlers Owners Association of Nigeria (NITOA) is far more nutritious and safer than imported frozen fish. Nigeria also boasts of the best quality of shrimps in the world. She further stated that Nigeria consumes about 2million metric tons of fishes every year but can only produce less than 800,000 metric tons domestically thereby necessitating the importation of about 1.2 million metric tons. She

disclosed that over 70 per cent of the fishes domestically supplied are produced by small scale fishermen whose activities litter the coast line.

Sad to say however, that ten years down the line, as at 2018 it is estimated that Nigeria spends over N288 billion ($800 million) on the importation of fishes annually. But this could have been drastically reduced if the nation’s deep ocean resources are optimally developed and harnessed. That is according to the Director/Head, Fisheries Resources Department, Nigeria Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research, Dr. Parcy Ochuko Obatola. According to him, these resources have been left untapped over the decades thereby leading to huge economic losses.

Compounding this deficit are the illegal activities of sea pirates visà-vis the inadequate security at the high seas such that trawlers from neighbouring countries have a field day stealing what rightly belongs to us all. When the sea pirates strike they set off a chain of reactions that are economically disastrous to the country. Members of NITOA refuse to go to sea bemoaning the loss of the precious lives of their colleagues killed in the course of doing their legitimate business.

The quantity of fish taken away without revenue to the country runs into millions of naira. Yet, the country would still spend our scarce oil revenue to import frozen fish. Those in the oil sector who market Automotive Gas Oil(AGO) lose revenue. And of course, so are the retailers and the millions of consumers denied a wholesome source of valuable protein.

An intervention mechanism is therefore, required to curtail the impact of such effects. It is

for this reason that FISON came into existence on June 30, 1976.

Its mandate is to promote the professional development of individual and corporate members involved in agricultural practices and fisheries, including research and development in Nigeria. It also fosters the interest in aquaculture and fisheries programmes at all levels of government, from the Federal through the states to the local government councils. That is why FISON organises seminars, conferences, training in fisheries and related industries.

It has similarly raised alarm on the querulous issue of sea piracy, alerting the nation on the dangers its citizens actively engaged in fish trawling at the high seas face from sea pirates. Some of its members have been maimed or killed. They have lost equipment meant for navigation.

In order to stem the tide of sea piracytherehasbeenastakeholders meeting to protect our territorial waters. According to Mr. Patrick Taggert, one of the Directors with the Ministry of Agriculture and Liaison officer, Federal Department of Fisheries, Lagos the collaborative efforts between NITOA,NIMASA and the Nigerian Navy has been instrumental in seeing to it that the menace of sea pirates is curtailed.

According to Taggert, sea piracy became more noticeable in 2002.

The unfortunate incident escalated in 2007. Now, it is far worse. Said he:“They are killing more people than they have ever done before.

We are seeing a scenario where they are getting more emboldened, more sophisticated and more violent in their attacks that call for concern. This alarm was first raised in 2003 when sea piracy was

worsened by militancy in the Niger Delta region of the country. This resulted in the loss of revenue to the tune of $60 million because Nigeria exports cuttlefish, oil fish, crabs and shrimps of great economic value.

The way out of the challenge is for more pro-active measures to be taken, especially in policing our territorial waters through an effective workable synergy between the Navy and NIMASA. More money should be earmarked in the budget to equip the sea faring security officers to have the requisite sophisticated arms and ammunition, well-trained personnel and speed boats that could take on the sea pirates. More credible data are required to plan with, so as to work on the frequency, the types of arms/ammunition and methods employed and the number of security personnel needed to stave off the attacks on our armless fishermen.

According to security analyst and head of the Beacon Consulting security risk management company in Nigeria , Kabeer Adamu, monitoring by the IBM plays a major role in assessing the threat posed by piracy. This seriously impacts the use of the corridor in the Gulf of Guinea for trading purposes. There is also the issue of insurance — as a matter of necessity, ships must now insure their crews as well as the vessel, on top of additional high security costs.

Also, the Federal Government should do much more in funding research institutes that have to do with adding value to our aquatic life.

Baje is Nigerian first Food Technologist in the media ayobaje@yahoo.co.uk; 08057971776

Econet media refocuses When WIIN shaped the career path of 15 business towards a digital future young female undergraduates

I

n order to maintain its position as a leader in broadcasting innovation in Africa, Econet Media, a subsidiary company of the globally networked Econet Group, has reviewed its business strategy and service offerings, to align them to changes in the global digital and satellite broadcasting sector, and growth in access to mobile and fixed broadband on the continent.

The strategy review will see Africa’s leading multiplatform broadcast network focus on three core services; Kwesé Free Sports (KFS), Kwesé iflix and Kwesé Play. KFS is Africa’s largest free-to-air TV service, Kwesé iflix is Africa’s leading mobile video-on-demand sports and entertainment platform while Kwesé Play is a leading-edge video streaming service with more than 200 sports, entertainment, kids and news channels including Red Bull TV, NBA, YouTube, TED and Bloomberg.

With increased focus on these three services, Econet Media will streamline its direct-to-home satellite television service. This will see the reduction of third party channels available on the bouquet, as well as the removal of Kwesé branded sports (excluding KFS) and general entertainment channels. The broadcaster’s new bouquet will carry FTA, religious and

free news channels which will be available to viewers for a minimal fee, as the broadcaster will waive monthly subscription fees. Kwesé subscribers, who have already paid their subscriptions for the month of November, or in advance, will receive a full refund.

Kwesé was launched at a time when the global pay television industry was in transition. Business models were evolving from traditional content rights linked to linear broadcast channels, to premium content rights moving towards digital media platforms.

Kwesé has built a satellite TV business with presence in 11 markets, a free-to-air business across 27 countries, delivered the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ across Africa to a network of 115 sub-license broadcasters across 37 countries – reaching over 200 million households, acquired a controlling stake in a leading mobile video-on-demand service, and launched its own OTT service Kwesé Play.

The business has also managed to secure leading sports rights and general entertainment channels to build a compelling content offering across its platforms, making a significant shift in the continent’s complex and competitive media industry.

KELECHI EWUZIE

S

even years into the first quarter of the 21st Century, commentators are wondering if it would be the century of the women. Several factors that will bring this about include education, more women in the workplace and more female role models in corporate and political positions.

For the 21st century to really be the century of the women, a new generation of women would have to be groomed by the current high-fliers.

Folashade Ambrose-Medebem,

the director of communications, sustainability and public affairs at Lafarge Africa PLC is one such woman.

“My experience with multinationals such as LafargeHolcim and others has led to many requests for mentorship from female teenagers and young professionals, I have found myself inevitably mentoring these women,” she said. Supporting women in their career ambitions, giving them real world experience has been her own way of reaching out and connecting with other women. Her current role as an executive in the male-dominated

Folshade Ambrose-Medebem, director Communications, Public Affairs and Sustainable Development with Mentees of the WIIN Mentorship Programme during a session in Lagos, recently.

manufacturing industry could be a more compelling reason she is much sought after.

On Friday 26th, October 2018, at the American corner, Yaba, Lagos, 15 young female undergraduates had two hours to voice their concerns and aspirations, but more importantly listened to Folashade share advice and her personal experience in the corporate world.

This mentorship session was organised by Women Inspiring Impact Network (WIIN), a platform she founded to teach aspiring and career professionals how to succeed.

Adesola Ologun, one of the mentees says the meeting with Folashade has fired her up to keep going against all odds.

“It has given me the impetus to push myself and go the extra mile for what I want despite all the challenges in the country. You only see what you want to see, and being a source of inspiration to other people is what I now see,” Adesola said.

Kabirat Osilaja, an undergraduate studying Sociology observes that great ideas give birth to greater ones. According to her, “You need someone to share your ideas with someone that can motivate and put you through and cheer you on through your career milestones. I

42 BDSUNDAY

C002D5556

Sunday 04 November 2018

BrandsOnSunday SPOTLIGHTING BRAND VALUE

Udom: From banking to public sector

A

kwa Ibom State G o v e r n o r, Udom Emmanuel, has always been one that can correctly be described as a true son of the state and patriot. His interest in matters that affect the state goes back long before he began the journey that would end with him steering the ship of the state as its governor; long before he was appointed secretary to the state government in 2013.

For many years, Udom, as he is fondly called (not Emmanuel, his surname), was a frontline member of Akwa Ibom Professionals, a Lagos-based group of indigenes who see themselves as Diaspora citizens of the state, though resident in Nigeria, who have made their marks in different professions and have been silently contributing to the development of the state as a group and as individuals.

Prior to his coming into public office, Udom occupied the plum office of executive director in one of Nigeria’s high flying banks, Zenith Bank – a position that should have made a thankless job in public office an unattractive one, especially for someone not given to the politics and intrigues that are associated with political office at that level of government. While at the bank, he used his position to advance the interests of the state in any legitimate way

he considered feasible and within his ability to do.

When he was called to serve the state in an official capacity, he knew the risks involved in leaving the comfort zone of the corporate world that had been his terrain for over two decades for the unknown and highly unpredictable public sector. But he was undeterred. He had been making little contributions, even if inconsequential, from relative obscurity. If it was the will of God that he should leave the known for the unknown in the interest of the state, who was he to refuse?

Perhaps it was a Divine test and preparation for a higher calling that lay ahead.

Udom’s appointment to the third highest political office in the executive arm of government in the state was therefore an opportunity for him to further his contributions to the development of the state from inside. For the brief period he held the office of secretary to the state government, he acquitted himself quite creditably, such that the question on the lips of most people in the state was – what next for Udom?

The question itself was answered by the people of the state who felt he had more to offer the state beyond the office he was occupying at that time.

And when, by an act of Providence, he entered the history books as the fourth elected governor of the state

D

Daikin launches Africa’s first inverter air conditioning system with green refrigerant

aikin the world’s foremost manufacturer of heating, cooling and refrigerant products, has introduced the world’s first R-32 Inverter Split Wall Mounted unit, specially designed for the African market conditions.

It says this testifies to its commitment to develop environmentally friendly products by using an alternative refrigerant to R-22 with zero ozone depletion potential and lower global warming potential than R-410A. The African countries, as they ratified the Montréal Protocol, must phase down ozone depletion materials to nearly zero by 2030, including the R-22 refrigerant used for A/C equipment.

Although a limited amount (2.5%) of ozone depleting refrigerants will remain available between 2030 and 2040 for servicing already installed A/C and refrigeration equipment, it will not be sufficient to replenish the needs of old equipment,unlessconversion

JEREMIAH MBATA to alternative refrigerants in new equipment is implemented soon. The Montreal Protocol also includes drastic reduction steps between 2015 and 2030 for all HCFCs. Considering the lifetime of equipment, Daikin believes it is crucial to start using nonozone depleting refrigerant on new A/C as soon as possible.

Sana Hamdani, DX Product Manager, Daikin MEA,

Governor, Udom Emmanuel

in 2015, Udom braced up for the onerous task of carrying the hopes and aspirations of the over six million people of the state on his shoulders.

The quiet, unassuming and relatively unknown banker from the sleepy village of Awa, in Onna Local Government Area of the state had found favour in the sight of God who considered him a worthy instrument of change in a state that was in dire need of inspirational leadership. More than three years down the road, it is hardly possible to say that

said: “Daikin split ranges will be using low GWP and zero ODP refrigerant R-32, in combination with the unique Daikin Swing compressor, to offer the highest real-life energy efficiency and to minimize the impact to the environment. Casing design and other specifications have been improved, such as the voltage range and sound level, etc., to enhance the customer experience and offer the most powerful, efficient and reliable cooling.”

The new range GTKLTV1 series offers powerful and efficient cooling performances with the best built-in voltage protection. It can withstand the widest voltage range from 160-265V for an AVS free operation.

Anti-corrosion protection is offered as standard and the robustness of this unit has been designed for Africa.

he has disappointed. Indeed, the popular view in the state is that he has executed, quite creditably, the Divine Mandate on which he hinged his campaign for election, even with about six months to go in his first term.

In words and action, Udom has used his position as governor to promote the interests of the state and its people at the slightest opportunity. The areas in which he has been able to do this are quite legion, ranging from education to industrialization, sports, culture and

“Designed to meet the constraining requirements of the African market, the newly developed Daikin air conditioner will exceed the end-user expectations by offering a year-round powerful and efficient cooling without compromising on the design, comfort or reliability,” said Robert Kagabo, Department Manager- Africa Sales; Daikin MEA. Suraj Rupani, Promoter for Panaserv Nigeria Limited, the authorized distributor of Daikin in Nigeria, emphasized that the new technology incorporated into the GTKL-TV1 series air conditioners boasts the reliability and unparalleled quality that the Nigerian consumer has come to expect from Daikin products, and incorporates functionality that is beneficial given the unique requirements of Nigeria.

tourism, including religion with which the people of the state are passionately associated, perhaps in line with the name of the state that translates into Almighty God. Above all, he has been able to raise the status of the average Akwa Ibomite above what had been stereotyped for decades. He has spared no effort in doing all these.

The governor has, in the last three and half years, championed the political and economic emancipation of the people of the state, such that today, the Akwa Ibom man and woman can rub shoulders with other Nigerians in every area of endeavor as equals.

Shortly after the commencement of the present political dispensation in the country, border skirmishes between Nigeria and Cameroun reared their ugly heads, prompting President Muhammadu Buhari to visit the central African country to explore ways of sustaining the cordial relationship that had existed between the two countries for more than a century. Udom was a member of the federal government delegation to that country.

It was an occasion that afforded the then newly elected governor the opportunity to participate in high level discussions on issues that border on the welfare and security of

the people of Akwa Ibom and, indeed, Nigerians living in border communities between the two countries. Discussions at that level were highly essential, considering the decadesold interaction between the people of the state and Camerounians in trade and commerce, and the need to preserve that relationship.

That national assignment marked Udom out as a governor that would not toy with the security, welfare and the very existence of the people of the state.

Udom has changed the narrative of the politician as a brash, no nonsense and sometimes rude public official who takes delight in using his office to trample on the rights and privileges of others, simply on account of holding public office, especially one as high as a state chief executive. He has demonstrated, in every way possible, that one can be a political leader and still uphold the basic tenets of democracy that include respect for the rule of law and the rights of others.

His quiet mien may be a sharp contradiction of the perception by some people of what politicians are known to be, but it has been the secret of his string of successes since he took the plunge into the murky waters of Nigerian politics in 2014.

Aniedi Uko lives in Uyo

MultiChoice slashes DStv Explora price at Lagos International Trade Fair

V

ideo Entertainment Company, MultiChoice Nigeria, is slashing the price of its DStv Explora bundled with one-month Compact subscription from N52,100 to N29,900 for customers who come to the 38th Lagos International Trade Fair.

The trade fair which is holding from Friday, 2 November to Sunday, 11 November 2018 at the Tafawa Balewa Square, Onikan will also see a reduction on the HD Decoder, dish, plus onemonth compact subscription to N9,900. Speaking on the special offers, Chief Customer Officer, MultiChoice Nigeria, Martin Mabutho, said in a statement “As a customer first organization, our core aim is to improve our customers’ experience, whenever and wherever they engage with us. The Lagos International Trade Fair is always a great opportunity for us to

fulfill our brand promise of providing the best entertainment that will suit different lifestyles and pockets”.

Mabutho also said that the recently revamped Compact package boasts of over 120 channels consisting of live front row football action from the Premier League, Serie A, La Liga and perfectly picked local drama series, action movies and other lifestyle channels.

Meanwhile, customers stand a chance of winning exciting prizes such as 1.5 KVA generators, 6kg camp gas with stainless steel burner, five-piece aluminum pots and 32-piece dinner set via daily lucky dips at the fair. In addition, GOtv brand ambassadors, Daddy Showkey and Mr. Ibu and other Nollywood and Big Brother Naija celebrities will be on ground to meet and greet customers who come to the DStv and GOtv stands.

Sunday 04 November 2018

43

C002D5556

EquityMarket Unity Bank’s unimpressive results cost investors N1.2 bn loss in 5 days ... as NSE suspends Fortis, 4 others TELIAT SULE

F

ollowing the release of unimpressive audited financial statements for 2017, and unaudited financial statements for the nine months ended September 2018, investors in Unity Bank of Nigeria Plc have lost N1.16 billion in market capitalisation.

The loss followed a -12.3 percent slide in its share price which moved from N0.81 per share on Monday 29 2018 to close the week at N0.71 per share on Friday 2, 2018.

The management of the bank released the audited financial statements for 2017; unaudited financial statements for the period ended March 31 2018; unaudited half year financial statements for the period ended June 30 2018, as well as the unaudited financial statements for the nine months ended September 30 2018, all on November 2, 2018.

The full year results for 2017 and the results for the first and second quarters for 2018 were released after the regulatory grace days have lapsed.

Consequently, the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) on November 1, 2018 suspended trading in the shares of Unity Bank and other five stocks.

However, following the compliance with the NSE rules and regulations, the suspension on Unity Bank was removed while that on other five stocks stays.

“The delay in filling the financial statements was occasioned by certain corporate actions, including the ongoing discussions with the bank’s prospective investors undertaken by the bank which necessitated extensive reviews by our primary regulator. In furtherance of this, the bank consulted extensively with both the NSE and CBN and obtained extension up to October 31, 2018 to file the accounts for which it remains appreciative.

“We are pleased to inform our stakeholders that discussions with our prospective investors are progressing according to plan and will be

concluded shortly, following which necessary regulatory approvals would be sought and announcement made”, Unity Bank management said in a note to the Exchange.

In the audited financial statements for the period ended December 31, 2017, Unity Bank realised N86.63 billion as interest income, representing 24.9 percent increase over N69.38 billion made same period in 2016.

However, a 78 percent spike in interest expenses from N19.9 billion in 2016 to N35.5 billion in 2017 caused net interest income to witness a marginal increase of 3.4 percent to N51.2 billion as at December 2017

compared with N49.5 billion in December 2016.

Impairment losses or credits loss expense for the year, N27.8 billion, and goodwill, N16.5 billion, both added up to N44.3 billion, further reduced the Unity Bank’s net operating income to N10.2 billion in 2017, as against N28.2 billion made same period in 2016.

Although, the bank’s total operating expenses fell by 7.2 percent to N24.5 billion in December 2017, down from N26.3 billion in comparable period in 2016, Unity Bank’s total comprehensive income of for 2017 was a loss of N13.8 billion. That was in contrast to

N532.4 million profit it made at the end of 2016.

Loan and advances to customers in 2017 nosedived by 97 percent from N277.2 billion in December 2016 to a paltry N9 billion as at December 2017.

Consequently, total assets fell by 68 percent from N492.7 billion in 2016 to N156.5 billion in 2017.

Deposits from customers remained flat at N252.3 billion in December 2017 as against N264.2 billion in 2016, representing a marginal decline of 4.5 percent.

The unaudited nine months results for the period ended September 30, 2018 were in no way a source of suc-

cour to investors. Gross income fell by 60 percent to N26.1 billion from N65 billion made in similar period in 2017.

Net interest income further fell by 74 percent to N9.9 billion by September 2018 compared with N38.5 billion in similar period in 2017. The net operating income for the period was N16.1 billion as against N21.3 billion in 2017. Unity Bank reported a profit of N585.8 million in contrast to N2.45 billion same period in 2017. However, the bank reported a net loss of N699 million from the sale of financial assets, and that made the bank to report a loss of N114.1 million for the nine months ended September 2018, compared with a loss of N1.54 billion in similar period in 2017.

The other stocks on which NSE’s suspension order stands are Fortis Microfinance Bank, Thomas Wyatt Nigeria, Multi-Trex Integrated Foods, Golden Guinea Breweries, and Deap Capital Management & Trust.

The last financial statement by Fortis Microfinance Bank was its nine months unaudited financial reports for the period ended September 30, 2017 which was released on November 13, 2017. On August 14, 2018, the management of the bank notified the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) of the sudden resignation of its interim managing director, Bunmi Lawson, and no information since then on the appointment of a substantive CEO for the bank.

Thomas Wyatt latest financial statement was its full year audited financial statements for the period ended March 31, 2018 released on October 10, 2018. There are no records of its first and second quarters for 2018.

Deap Capital released its audited financial statement for December 2017 on July 16, 2018 and no records of its results for first, second and third quarters of 2018. Similarly, Golden Guinea Breweries released its audited financial statements for the period ended march 31, 2018 on October 3, 2018. There are no records for the first two quarters of the New Year.

Guinness Nigeria appoints Ajogwu, Gallagher as Non-Executive Directors

G

uinness Nigeria, would like to notify the Nigerian Stock Exchange and general public that the Board of Directors of Guinness Nigeria Plc at its meeting held on Wednesday, 24th October 2018 approved the appointment of Fabian Ajogwu and Paul Gallagher as a Non-Executive Directors of Guinness Nigeria Plc with effect from 1st November 2018.

Fabian Ajogwu , a professor and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria(SAN), practices law at Kenna Partners; and is a Lagos Business School Professor of Corporate Governance. He is an Alumnus of the Said Business School

of Oxford University, and an Alumnus of the Lagos Business School. He holds a Doctorate degree in Law from University of Aberdeen, Scotland; an MBA from the IESE Business School, Barcelona; and Law degrees from the University of Nigeria, and University of Lagos.

The learned senior advocate has been lead counsel to the Federal Government of Nigeria in several cases of national importance. He is the author of the books – ‘Ship Acquisition & Finance: Law & Practice’; ‘Corporate Governance & Group Dynamics’; ‘Corporate Governance in Nigeria: Law and Practice’; ‘Commercial Arbi-

tration in Nigeria: Law and Practice’; ‘Fair Hearing’; ‘Mergers & Acquisition in Nigeria: Law and Practice’; ‘Law & Society’; and co-authored “Oral & Written Advocacy: Law & Practice”; ‘Petroleum Law & Sustainable Development’; and ‘Collecting Art: A Handbook’.

He serves on the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria 2018 Technical Committee on the National Code of Corporate Governance, having assisted the Securities and Exchange Commission in drafting Nigeria’s pioneer Code of Corporate Governance in 2003.He was appointed to the Board of Guinness Nigeria Plc

as a Non-Executive Director with effect from 1st November 2018. He resides in Nigeria.

Paul Gallagher is a seasoned global supply and procurement expert with over 25 years’ experience, he obtained an honours degree in Mechanical/Electrical Engineering from Trinity College, Dublin Ireland. Paul joined Diageo in 1993 and is currently the Global Supply and Procurement Operational Excellence Director for Diageo responsible for the end to end procurement and supply chain across Africa including global accountability for excellence in

operations.

Prior to this, he has held several senior leadership positions across Diageo including President North America Procurement and Supply Chain; Asia Pacific Procurement & Supply Chain Director; Diageo North America Senior Vice President, Customer Service & Supply among other roles. He is a Non-Executive Director of East African Breweries Limited, a publicly quoted Diageo subsidiary in Kenya. He was appointed to the Board of Guinness Nigeria Plc as a Non-Executive Director with effect from 1st November 2018. He resides in Ireland.

44

C002D5556

Sunday 04 November 2018

Travel

‘Rivers is beyond oil, we are safe for tourism, investments’ Riding on the successful hosting of over 7,000 party delegates, the recent hosting of Mr. President and delegates from over 25 states for the National Festival of Arts and Culture in Port Harcourt, Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers State insists that the state is safe for tourism. In this interview, the governor speaks to Obinna Emelike on efforts at making the state a thriving tourism economy, security and other related issues.

H

ow safe is Rivers State, particularly Port Harcourt for tourists?

Let me sincerely thank you. Luckily, you have stayed here for some days and have also seen for yourself that the state is safe for investment and tourism. You should now speak from an eye witness perspective that Rivers is safe.

All the stories of violence are not correct. That is why I told Olusegun Runsewe, director general, National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) to give us the opportunity to host the National festival of Arts and Culture (NAFEST 2018) in the state.

Probably, if this event was not hosted here, many Nigerians may not have had the opportunity to come here. But this event has given them the opportunity to be here and see things for themselves.

Therefore, what you used to hear about the state on violence is not correct.

So, there is no new narrative that we can give other than you have come and you have seen for yourself that it is not correct.

So, you now go back and give the narrative that it is not correct.

For the one week that people from across Nigeria stayed in the Port Harcourt for the NAFEST event, nobody was kidnapped; there was no armed robbery attack or loss of belongings by any of the visitors.

The People Democratic People (PDP) had it national convention here with over 7, 000 delegates present and there was no incident here.

I have hosted international events and no one incident has ever happened here. I hosted the President some days ago when he came to commission the terminal of Port Harcourt International Airport. I told Mr. President that if Port Harcourt was safe, if Port Harcourt was not secured the company could not have completed the job started by former President Goodluck Jonathan.

So, why do we play politics with everything? Why do we have to rundown our country and our state? So, the new narrative is for you to go back home and say that this NAFEST has shown us that all these stories that we have been hearing are not correct.

They are all political games and must we play politics with everything? Should we continue to bring Nigeria down because of politics? So, I have to thank Runsewe for bringing the event

Governor Wike down to Port Harcourt.

Away from oil revenue, are there plans to turn your abundant resources into a thriving tourism economy?

Rivers State is actually endowed and that is why I have said to the commissioner of tourism that every year, we must have cultural activities to showcase the cultural and tourism potential of the state.

Of course, ‘Rivers is beyond oil, we are safe for tourism, investments.

You went to Jim Rex – Lawanson Cultural Centre, and Obi Wali Cultural Centre, mention one state that has such facilities. We have a partnership with most of the artistes to come and showcase their trade from time to time at these centres.

If you have gone to the Pleasure Park, you would have seen what is available in this state, which was done by this administration. For me, culture and tourism are keys to development.

Everything must not be politics, because politics has failed us in terms of unification as a country.

The unifying factors today are sports and culture. So, I have no apology because if I have my way, I will continue to host this

festival because when you know your potential you have to let the world know about it as well.

If I have potentials and I do not let the world know that these are the potentials that I have or that exist in this state then I have a problem.

Anything that I have to do to promote my state, I will do it.

So, one will have to do what is necessary to promote culture and tourism in Rivers State and that is what I will continue to do.

Do you see Port Harcourt becoming a tourism destination soon?

No foreign tourist will come here without the federal government approval by giving visa.

Today, we have lost so many investors because the federal government believes that River States is in the opposition.

But that is not supposed to be because whether you like it or not if investors come in to develop tourism the federal government will get revenue from the tourism investments, but that is not the case here.

The truth of the matter is that everything is done to frustrate us. We produce the wealth of Nigeria but nobody supports us and that is why you hear the cries

for restructuring.

Yes, I have the mind that tourism should grow but I also have a limitation, a restriction that is dependent on the government in power at the centre level.

If you have a government that is hostile to the state government how can you achieve big tourism milestone? You cannot achieve it, and that is not what is supposed to be.

So, having the mind or having the idea is different from actualising it because of the hostile nature of the government at the federal level. We must be able to tell ourselves the simple truth.

The federal government does not like my state. In fact, I am surprised that this event was held here because I never believed that the federal government will allow the event to take place.

That is why I thank Olusegun Runsewe, director general, National Council for Arts and Culture for the effort he puts in to see that the event held here in Rivers State. This state government signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) to host matches here.

But people said why is it that it is Rivers State that is hosting

international matches and they took it away even when we have paid.

That is the Nigeria we are. Nobody wants to do the right thing.

But we are moving forward with our development efforts. Unfortunately, politics has taken the centre stage in everything we do in Nigeria, but it will not stop us.

Do you think our culture should be part of the educational curriculum?

How can we have a curriculum without integrating our culture?

How does any society grow without history? For me, the policy of education in our country is anchored on the federal government.

How can I have a child who does not know the culture of his people? Because culture is part of development, culture is part of growth. Yet we allow our children to imbibe foreign culture.

I think that our culture should be embedded in the educational curriculum because if we do not do that, we have killed the culture of this country.

It is important that our children know their culture and culture of the various people of Nigeria. It will help to boost tolerance.

Sunday 04 November 2018

45

C002D5556

Travel Things you should be eating before and during a long flight Stories by IFEOMA OKEKE

W

hat you eat before and during a flight can make a huge difference on board.

A long flight can be a taxing experience even when you’re feeling 100% healthy.

If you’re not doing so great, the hours can drag by even slower, leaving you feeling trapped and miserable.

And while sometimes there’s nothing you can do to control feeling bad on a flight, your fate is partly in your hands.

Knowing what you eat before a long-haul flight can make a huge difference in your experience. Eat the right thing and you can easily fall into a blissful experience.

Chow down on something else and you may spend the next hours of your life is a state of regret and discomfort.

Flight attendants have revealed what you should be eating before a long-haul flight.

Small meals Don’t overdo it. If you’re looking to sleep on your flight, don’t overeat beforehand.

While you may be thinking

that eating a lot will ensure you aren’t reliant on plane food, your plan will likely backfire. Flight attendant Kara recommended eating a small meal before your flight to ensure comfort and easier sleep.

Nut butters Nut butters can save you in a pinch. Flight attendant and Reddit user ukulelehey said they swear by nut butters to get through the hunger pangs of a long flight.

“I tend to bring a whole jar of natural peanut butter in my bag, and then if I eat any snacks, I add the peanut butter,” they wrote. “Protein bursts help!”

If you’re not a flight attendant, be warned that you likely won’t be able to take the peanut butter on the plane because of aviation regulations, but you can enjoy it before your flight.

Hummus Flight attendant and Reddit user snowaurora said they recommend hummus to stay full on a long fight.

“One of the bloggers I watch on YouTube suggested hummus,” they wrote. “It is supposed to help you feel fuller. I was at Trader Joes recently and bought some with chips. Either it’s in my

mind, or it’s true, but when I eat it I do feel full after a few bites. Plus it’s cheap!”

This is another snack you want to be sure to eat before you go as opposed to bringing it on the plane.

Sandwiches and wraps You can’t beat a classic.

Sometimes you can’t beat a hearty sandwich. Flight attendant and Reddit user Laumein suggested chowing down on a classic sandwich before or during your flight.

Tuna Tuna is best enjoyed before you enter the cabin. Reddit user and flight attendant GIFTH0RSE said they swear by portable tuna packets and avocado for a hearty in-flight or pre-flight snack.

“I love packing the premade tuna tins/packets,” they wrote. “My fave is the thai chili one. I also bring two avocados with me. They’re perfect for protein and I eat them right out of the skin (they go on the top).”

While you may be able to bring these on the plane, your flight-mates probably won’t appreciate the smell too much, so maybe this is best snacked on in the airport.

Quinoa This can help fill you up.

In order to survive a long flight, you’ll need fiber and protein. Flight attendant and Reddit user Samijowaslike suggested eating grain bowls that include quinoa to keep full on the go.

“I live off of quinoa and just add different stuff to it daily. I’m on a four-day and have had all I these meals so far: quinoa with roasted chickpeas and baby kale, quinoa with oatmeal and blueberries, quinoa with avocados, carrots, lemon juice, and chicken and quinoa with chicken and lentils.

Brown rice Brown rice is full of fiber.

Similarly, flight attendants swear by portable rice packets to make on-the-go grain bowls, according to Bon Appetit. If you’re just a passenger, you can follow suit by making your own grain bowl before the flight or picking one up in the terminal.

Chia seeds This can help at breakfast.

Chia seeds are a great additive for any breakfast, and they’ll keep you full through your long-haul flight and beyond. Flight attendants keep these on hand to bulk up their morning meals and feel better throughout the flight, according to Bon Appetit.

Crackers This is great to have on the go. If you’re running late or need a quick snack during or before your flight, crackers a great option, cabin crew member Carola wrote on her

blog C The Sky. Smoothies Don’t be afraid to drink your nutrients. For a quick, easy, and filling pre-flight snack, you can’t go wrong with a smoothie, Carola wrote. She said that many terminals will carry pressed juice or smoothies, but passengers can also make their own and drink them on the way to the airport.

Bland food Don’t get too spicy. Along with not overeating, Kara also suggested avoiding foods that cause gastrointestinal issues. Bread or toast is a good, bland option that will keep you full while not upsetting your stomach.

Drink lots of water Whatever you eat, stay hydrated. While traveling on a long flight, you’re susceptible to some serious dehydration, Kara pointed out.

She recommended drinking a lot of water before your flight. It may not seem like the greatest idea if you don’t want to keep getting up to use the bathroom, but it really is worth it.

Prepare your body by being proactive with your liquid intake and you should feel a lot better when you arrive.

Qatar Airways cargo rolls out automated mail management system across network

Ethiopian flight from Addis Ababa to Los Angeles to transit via Lome

E

thiopian Airlines, the largest Aviation Group in Africa and SKYTRAX certified Four Star Global Airline, has announced that it has changed the ultra-long haul route from Addis Ababa to Los Angeles to transit through Lome, Togo as of 17 December 2018 and will start new route from Addis Ababa to Dublin via Madrid as of 15 December 2018.

The new route will be the only and first of its kind to connect West Africa with the West Coast of the USA with a direct flight.

Tewolde GebreMariam, group CEO of Ethiopian Airlines said, “We are delighted to launch yet another long-haul direct flight which takes passengers’ experience to a new level by availing connectivity

between West Africa and the West Coast of the USA. “On board our flights on the new route, passengers will as always enjoy our premium, award winning services on the most technologically advanced B-787 Dreamliner aircraft. In line with our growth roadmap, Vision 2025, we will keep expanding our vast international network, and create better air connectivity options within Africa as well as between Africa and the rest of the world.”

Africa’s leading carrier, Ethiopian Airlines, has been expanding its international destinations which have now reached more than 116. Manchester, Moscow, Istanbul and Mogadishu are just some of the new destinations the airline is set to launch soon.

Q

atar Airways Cargo has rolled out an automated mail management system at more than 50 stations across its global network, making it the first in the industry to introduce this major enhancement to its business.

The cargo carrier has also signed an agreement with leading logistics solutionsprovider Descartes, and

integrated its Descartes vMail solution with its inhouse cargo management information system, Cargo Reservations, Operations, Accounting and Management Information Systems (CROAMIS) for electronic data interchange messaging.

Guillaume Halleux, Qatar Airways Chief Officer Cargo, said: “The roll out of the automated mail management system

across several destinations in our network will immensely benefit our customers and the flourishing e-commerce business. Our dedicated teams have been working hard for months to ensure the seamless integration and interface between the two data-heavy systems, Descartes vMail and our inhouse CROAMIS system.

“This is certainly a game-

Business Head of Simba Group Manish Rohtagi, middle, flanked by participants at the event

changer in the industry as we move forward with our automation and digitalisation initiatives that not only enhance the customer experience, but also demonstrate our contribution to the environment by implementing 100 per cent paperless operations.”

Jos Nuijten, vice president of Network Integration Strategy at Descartes, said: “We are excited that Descartes vMail™ is helping Qatar Airways Cargo to fully automate mail management. As international e-commerce growth continues to increase demand for air mail transportation, our technology improves operational productivity and provides greater visibility essential to transforming the customer experience.”

The Descartes vMail team provides support to each of the cargo carrier’s stations on demand 24 hours a day. This seamless integration enables the complete automation of the airmail logistics chain from origin, through to the hub and onto the final destination, making manual entries a thing of the past.

46 BDSUNDAY

C002D5556

Sunday 04 November 2018

Health&Science

What to know about HPV and fertility

H

uman papillomavirus or HPV is the name for a group of viruses transmitted by skinto-skin contact. HPV can affect fertility in both men and women.

It is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI), but people can also acquire it in other ways.

According to the United States’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 80 percent of people will have an HPV infection at some point in their life, many without realizing.

Doctors consider different strains of HPV either low- or high-risk. The two most high-risk strains of HPV are HPV 16 and HPV 18, which are more likely to cause serious complications, such as cancer.

In general, however, 90 percent of HPV infections clear up without treatment within 2 years, without causing any adverse effects.

In this article, learn about how HPV may affect fertility in both men and women.

HPV and women’s fertility The HPV virus may affect the fertility of both sexes, making conception more difficult.

In general, research shows that any infection, including HPV, makes it more difficult for a woman to conceive and remain pregnant. However, it is important to remember that most cases of HPV clear up without any need for treatment.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) list scarring and blockages in the fal-

lopian tubes as potential risk factors for infertility.

treatment.

This type of damage can sometimes be due to STIs, such as HPV, but the ACOG do not list HPV as a specific contributor to infertility. How much HPV influences a woman’s fertility still needs more study.

HPV and men’s fertility HPV can also affect fertility in men.

According to a 2018 study, the presence of HPV in sperm negatively affects pregnancy outcomes, either by contributing to infertility or increasing the risk of pregnancy loss.

Men with fertility issues are 3 to 4 times more likely than other men to have HPV. The HPV virus affects fertility in men by binding with the head of the sperm cell, which hinders the sperm cell’s ability to move freely.

Women with HPV may experience: Difficulties getting pregnant: HPV may reduce the embryo’s ability to implant itself in the wall of the womb or uterus. HPV infections can also damage the embryo.

Increased risk of miscarriage: There is a link between HPV and the risk of pregnancy loss and spontaneous preterm birth, but these risks depend on the type of HPV a person has contracted. Studies show a significant association between cervical HPV infections and pregnancy loss.

It is vital to remember that the body’s immune system clears most HPV infections without any additional

Olive oil protects memory loss, helps prevent Alzheimer’s – study Private physicians propose media outreach to fight quackery medical practitioners in Ogun

RAZAQ AYINLA, ABEOKUTA

A

pparently disturbed by illegal medical activities of quack medical practitioners in Ogun state and attendant hazards created for the wellbeing of the residents, the Association of GeneralandPrivateMedicalPractitioners of Nigeria has proposed a media outreach designedtoreachpeopleatthegrassroots on the health hazards inherent in consulting quack medical practitioners.

The Association noted that simple health issues always degenerate to complications as a result of non professionalism and quackery that have crept into the clinical and medical activities of illegal and unqualified medical practitioners who parade themselves as real and authentic ones, saying it is high time government supported the bodies of medical practitioners in the country to jointly fight quackery.

BusinessDay reports that Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria, Ogun state chapter held its 25th Annual General Meeting in Abeokuta during the out gone week where they unanimously elected Kushimo Adeleye as Chairman as well as other members of the executives who are expected to steer the wheels of the Association for the next two years.

Speaking at the inauguration of new executives of the Association held in Abeokuta on Wednesday, Kushimo Adeleye, Chairman of the Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria, Ogun state chapter, declaredthatprivatemedicalpractitioners had come to complement clinical and

medical services offered in the public clinics and hospitals and would held in fighting the perceived quackery which hinder the growth and development of healthcare delivery in Nigeria.

He said, “Very soon, the Association would be launched on Radio and Television in this tenure, so that we would be able to offer free services by way of Radio counselling and advice to timid Nigerians who reside in Ogun state. I hope to get this done and I hope that from time to time, people would benefit from services that we would provide freely in other locations in Ogun state.

“When you say quackery, you are talking about somebody who is not qualified, therefore not competent to do what he is doing. Two things are helping the quack doctors in our environment, the first one is the ignorance of our people. When you saysomebodyisadoctor,ourpeopledon’t want to know if the person is truly a doctor and we have a lot of people that are just working in the hospital environment, but, many people refer to them as doctor in the environment.

“Also, we have not been able to come together to let government know how to assist us. The government also does not help us, if they do, we can fight quackery in our environment. If the government should support us, they ought to have the list of allied medical practitioners so that if a list of all approved names are with the Ministry.(MinistryofHealth).Allyouneed to know is to confirm from the Ministry about the identity of any hospital owners in the state. “ If the government can work with regularizedbody,quackerywouldbecome a thing of the past.”

How does HPV affect pregnancy?

HPV in men, women, or both can negatively affect the pregnancy outcome by increasing the risk of pregnancy loss.

Assisted reproductive technologies (ART) IVF may be less successful if a woman is HPV-positive.

For people using assisted reproduction, research shows that HPV-positive couples may have more difficulties getting and remaining pregnant, using intrauterine insemination (IUI) or in vitro fertilization (IVF), than HPVnegative couples.

A 2018 systematic review found that in cases where the male partner had HPV, it negatively affected pregnancy rates and increased the risk of miscarriage.

One 2016 study found that HPVpositive women were six times less likely than HPV-negative women to become pregnant after using IUI. Prevention There are several ways to reduce the likelihood of contracting HPV. Get vaccinated: HPV vaccines are highly effective for both men and women, and provide close to 100 percent protection against several types of HPV and genital warts.

Make sure partners are vaccinated: Sexual partners can easily transfer HPV between each other. If one partner has HPV, it is likely that the other partner will get it. Making sure partners are vaccinated can help prevent transmission.

Practice safe sex: Using condoms reduces the risk of getting and transferring HPV. However, condoms are not as effective at preventing HPV infection as they are at preventing the spread of other STIs, as HPV can affect areas not covered by a condom.

Get regular Pap smears: Regular Pap smears help screen for HPV, including strains that may increase the risk of cervical precancer and cancer.

HPV-positive? Get vaccinated

Dennis Ashley wellness clinic holds outreach in fight against non-communicable diseases MICHEAL ANI

I

n a bid to join in the fight against the spread of non-communicable diseases, Dennis Ashley wellness clinic recently held a Community Health Outreach to enlighten people on how best to stay safe.

The medical outreach themed “Fight on non-communicable diseases,” was which was held at the Onikan health center on Tuesday, hosted medical practitioners and stakeholders in the sector where free medical consultations as well as treatment were given to participants.

Speaking on the need for education of the public, Oge Ilegbune, principal clinician Dennis and Ashley wellness clinic said that “As general practitioners, we are faced with lots of people who come in with complications of diseases that are preventable and easily controlled. It seemed a bit selfish to stay in the clinic, have patients pay and we keep dealing with complications all the time. We then realized that education and awareness is a key part of mission, vision and vocation”.

Stating that health care is holistic in nature, Ilegbune said that doctors needed to do more in educating their patients about their health and the need for routine health check-ups.

“In a society like ours with poor access to health and lack of the right information, the country is a long way from where it should be, and there should be more partnership amongst medical practitioners as against prevalent competition currently being experienced,” Ilegbune added.

Chima Oti, co-director, Dennis Ashley wellness clinic who also spoke at the event said the outreach was very important as proper enlightenment about these non-communicable diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, cancer, amongst others has not been attained.

“For example, hypertension doesn’t really come with symptoms so a lot of people are walking the streets with hypertension and they don’t know. If we take the blood pressure of two hundred people and we are able to educate those whose blood pressure is high, we can save lives and prevent a complication like stroke. There is a lot of work to be done but it is worth the time if a life can be saved,” Oti added.

According to the organisers, the Onikan health center was chosen because of its location on the island and its level of professionalism. There is a serious need for public private partnership in the health sector especially in creating awareness as private hands can only do so much.

The outreach that is in its second year usually holds in May and October every year and the organizers are hoping that this could create a better awareness of the importance of proper health care and knowledge of the things that people should do in order to stay healthy.

Activities at the outreach included blood pressure check, blood sugar testing, drug dispensing, clinical breast and cervical cancer screening, visual inspection with acetic acid, prostrate evaluation, basic eye check, glasses prescription, dental check, nutritionist and physiotherapist consult amongst others.

anyway: One study showed a positive association between vaccination and higher pregnancy rates and lower rates of miscarriage, even in people who already had HPV. Other risks of HPV Certain strains of HPV may put people at risk of developing some types of cancer.

Some strains of HPV, particularly HPV 16 and HPV 18 are known risk factors for cancer. Research found that people had HPV in 96 percent of cervical cancer cases and 93 percent of anal cancer cases.

People with certain strains of HPV may have a higher risk of developing the following types of cancer: cervical, anal, throat, mouth and genital.

Summary Getting vaccinated is the best way to prevent HPV. If vaccination is not possible, or if a person already has HPV, practicing safe sex or choosing vaccinated partners helps to reduce risks.

If a person or couple is having fertility issues, they may wish to speak to a doctor about HPV testing. Even if they already have HPV, vaccination may help improve fertility and pregnancy outcomes.

However, in most cases, HPV clears up without treatment and will not cause any lasting effects, including fertility issues.

The complications of HPV depend on the particular strain. People with HPV should know which strain they have and become familiar with the risks to help avoid HPV-associated cancers.

Culled from Medical News Today

Breast cancer accrue to 40% of all cancers in Nigerian women` SIKIRAT SHEHU, ILORIN

T

oyosi Aibinuomo, a medical consultant has disclosed that breast cancer account for more than 40 percent of all cancers in women within the reproductive age.

According to her, the cases of breast cancer has over taken cervical cancer as the leading cause of malignancy in females, thereby, calling for proactive measures.

Aibinuomo, in her speech tittle “ Breast Cancer,Awarness, Prevention and Control” delivered delivered at a Seminar, organized by Nigerian Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Kwara State chapter in collaboration with Medical Women Association of Nigeria in Kwara State to commemorate World Cancer Day. While describing Breast Cancer as an abnormal growth and division of cells in the breast tissue, explained that it is complex disease caused by multiple interacting factors, including gens, hormones and environmental exposure that interact across the life span.

“The health of a woman of representative age (15- 49), is important as it affect the health of the next generation.

Approximately, 7 per cent of women with Breast Cancer are diagnosed before age 40.

“However, Breast Cancer account for more than 40 per cent in all cancers in women in this age group. The peak incidence of Breast Cancer is 40- 45 years, some cases has been reported below 30 years, “ she said.

Sunday 04 November 2018

C002D5556

BDSUNDAY 47

Sports Champions League: UEFA raise safety concerns over Wembley pitch M

Sterling to become Premier League highest earner

… agrees new Man City deal worth £300,000 a week pay

U

Stories By ANTHONY NLEBEM

EFA will carry out extra pitch inspections at Wembley pitch on Monday, November 5th as officials pile pressure on Tottenham and the Football Association (FA) to ensure the playing surface is improved before their Champions League match against PSV Eindhoven.

European football’s governing body will check the pitch twice in 24 hours to ensure the pitch is dramatically better than it was for Spurs’ 1-0 defeat against Manchester City, when NFL markings and damaged turf were clearly visible.

The Wembley groundsmen had refused to wash away the markings following Sunday’s match between the Philadelphia Eagles and Jacksonville Jaguars. because they believed it could cause damage to the grass.

Monday’s Uefa inspection will prioritise playability over aesthetics, a source said. Meanwhile, a spokesman for the governing body said: “Uefa

is closely monitoring the situation at the Wembley Stadium and working together with the club, The Football Association and the management of the stadium, to guarantee safe playing conditions for the upcoming Uefa Champions League match.”

City manager Pep Guardiola said the pitch did not represent “football conditions” after Monday’s match. The insertion of extra Tottenham fixtures placed extra strain on a pitch that also hosted Anthony Joshua’s world-title fight last month.

Having failed to finish their new stadium in time for the initial opening date of Sept 15, Tottenham had been tentatively working towards completing it in time for the Burnley game on Dec 15.

However, Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy last week confirmed the club’s new stadium will not be ready for that date and that Spurs will finish the year playing at Wembley, where 56,854 fans – below the 90,000 capacity – watched the defeat by City.

The delays have led to suggestions that the

Manchester United game on Jan 13 could be a new target, but construction experts have told Telegraph Sport that February is a more realistic move-in date.

Tottenham have a number of electrical issues to resolve and the sheer scale of the work still left, along with the Christmas and new year break, make it difficult to complete in time for the visit of United.

The team have two home league fixtures in February, against Newcastle United, on Feb 2, and Leicester City seven days later.

Schools showcase young talents in swimming

anchester City forward, Raheem Sterling is set to become the highest-paid English footballer after he agreed a new five-year contract deal worth up to £300,000 a week.

The new deal represents a considerable hike on his existing £180,000-a-week deal in a move that is a major coup for Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola.

Sterling, 23, has agreed to sign the contract, which will run until the end of the 2022-23 season, and City are expected to make a formal announcement in the next 48 hours.

Pep Guardiola has made no secret of his desire to tie Sterling down to a long-term contract, having watched the England international become an integral member of his squad last year.

“It’s well-known that we are delighted with him, we would like him to continue,” Guardiola said, when asked about Sterling’s contract situation in September.

“What’s important is that Raheem and his people know how delighted we are with him.”

Sterling will follow the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Fernandinho, Sergio Aguero, Gabriel Jesus and Ederson in signing a new contract at the Etihad this year.

The England international played a major part in City’s record-breakingPremierLeague title win last season, scoring 23 goals in all competitions.

Sterling has made a total

of 152 appearances for City since joining from Liverpool in a high-profile £49million move in 2015.

The size of new contract dictates that he will become the first Englishman to ever surpass £100m in career earnings – including commercial deals and bonuses - before he reaches the age of 25.

His wages will rise considerably as a result of his outstanding performances under Pep Guardiola over the past two and a half years. The England international presently earns about £175,000 a week but under the terms of his new deal he could earn £300,000 a week if bonuses are factored in. Such a pay packet makes him the highestearning English footballer, and one of the club’s…

Sterling, who was raised by a single mother in the shadow of Wembley and wants to offer opportunities for disadvantaged kids.

After signing a new deal with Manchester City, Sterling is planning on opening a new London football academy for kids from deprived areas.

… as Loya milk, Nigeria Aquatics Federation partner on swimming development

N

i g e r i a Aq u a t i c s Federation has disclosed that it would work with Loya Milk, a premium brand of Promasidor Nigeria Limited and sponsor of the yearly Loya Milk Swim Meet, in identifying and nurturing young professionals in swimming.

Secretary General of the Federation, Sani Mohammed said this during the Abuja edition of the Season

Three of the competition, which was hosted by American International School.

The competition is sponsored by Loya Milk brand of Promasidor Nigeria Limited, makers of Cowbell Milk, Miksi Milk, Top Tea, Onga and other quality products.

Mohammed, who was part of the officiating team, said the partnership was necessary following the commitment Loya Milk has

demonstrated towards the development of the sport in the past three years.

He noted: “Loya Milk has taken the responsibility of identifying and showcasing great talents. There are a number of such talents and we are going to groom them. I have penned down some of the names we are going to pay close attention to.

“I appreciate Loya Milk

Tony “Sugar” Salam lands a right paunch on Chomunorwa “Sting” Gonorenda at the WBF African Cruiserweight title at the Kwesé and Kalakoda Boxing Promotions “Chaos in Lagos” on Friday, October 26th, 2018.

of Promasidor. It has shown sufficient commitment and I think other companies should be involved. Henceforth, we will involve the brand in our programmes.

We will organise competitions they can sponsor. As part of this, we will be doing some routine marketing in partnership with the brand.”

Acknowledging the rise of Nigerian swimmers at international competitions in recent times, Mohammed said that he had identified five students at the Abuja competition whose names he would present to the Federal Ministry of Sports and Youth Development for follow-up and possible inclusion in the Nigerian team for subsequent swimming events.

American International and Chrisland School, both from Abuja, won 15 out of the contested 18 medals.

The host school came top with three gold, four silver and two bronze medals, while its rival won three golds and two silvers.

Lead British International School and Premier International School went

home with the remaining three bronze medals.

Other schools that showcased their talents were Bankys Private School, Raberto Schools, Capvile Schools, Lightway Academy, International Community School and Devine Mercy Secondary School, all located in Abuja.

It was the first time the Federal Capital Territory would host the three-yearold inter-school tournament. Yet the participation and organisation of the event were adjudged impressive by both Nigerians and foreigners who witnessed it.

A total of 92 students from 10 schools were registered for the six events, including 25 metres freestyle for boys and 25 metres freestyle for girls.

The other categories were 50 metres freestyle for boys, 50 metres freestyle for girls, 100 metres relay for boys and 100 metres relay for girls.

Marketing Manager, Promasidor, Biodun Ayodeji said the connection between Loya Milk and

swimming is natural, a reason the brand is sponsoring the initiative. According to him, Loya Milk is fortified with 50% extra calcium to help consumers achieve optimum physical wellbeing and build stronger bones, tougher teeth and healthy heart.

Ayodeji said: “The interest of Loya Milk in swimming resonates with its unique brand identity. Loya Milk is fortified with 50 per cent extra calcium, which makes it the choice milk for individuals who desire to live healthy and remain physically fit. Swimming is a 360-degree sport, meaning that it requires a lot of energy and fitness. That is where the path of Loya Milk and swimming meets.”

Loya Milk Swim Meet started in Lagos in 2016 with 10 schools participating. Season Two was held in both Lagos and Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital. The ongoing season has been hosted in Ibadan, Oyo State, and Port Harcourt before it moved to Abuja last weekend. The grand finale will be held in Lagos.

BDSUNDAY 2019: Hinge of a remarkable past and future 20 years NEW YOU CAN TRUST

T

he last 20 years have not been a great period for Nigeria. If you disagree, take a look at what some emerging market peers have been up to in the same period; especially some of the Next Eleven (N-11) countries. In 2018 for example, GDP growth in N-eleven peers such as Indonesia was 5.1percent; Pakistan, 5.8percent; Egypt 5.3percent but Nigeria 1.9percent. Given the scale of the challenge and the collective failure of governance in Nigeria for decades; whoever emerges from the forth-coming presidential election among President Muhammadu Buhari, Atiku Abubakar, Prof. Kingsley Moghalu and the many other notable Presidential aspirants, will have to understand and embrace the unique and hinge nature of that year. Standing in the 2019 spot with both hindsight and foresight, it’s exigent that this country be steered towards business and away from politics. The next 20 years could either be totally eventful from an economic and development perspectives or totally unremarkable and catastrophic. Growing market integration in Africa and unrestrained population growth in Nigeria, coupled with stagnancy, if not retardation in Infrastructure, technology and human capital can permanently rewrite the history of this country in this time frame. How exactly?

One great way to visualise Nigeria’s future as a populous but struggling and inefficient economy is to visualise what might have been the implication of a present day poor China, both for the Chinese, the Asia Pacific region and the globe; which is unthinkable, if that nation with 1.386 billion people was to be living in extreme poverty! In lifting hundreds of millions of people out of poverty in the last forty years - one of the greatest economic development feats in recent time - China has averted the greatest all-time global economic and security crises and saved the world from tens of other very ugly situations that would have been the alternative. What would have been the case, if the four decades of transformation that began in China in 1978 had been unsuccessful?

Nigeria is sure not as populous as China yet, but it is a nation with a disproportionate amount

I

Sunday 04 November 2018

Nigeria’s 2019 general election is remarkable in several ways. It marks 20 years, since the democratic journey that began in 1999 and heralds the forward journey to our scary 400 million population by 2050

of poor people. Nigeria’s 2019 general election is remarkable in several ways. It marks 20 years, since the democratic journey that began in 1999 and heralds the forward journey to our scary 400 million population by 2050. It’s unavoidable therefore, that the Nigerian electorate should ask for business and not politics in 2019. Modern infrastructure, production technology and human capital development, which are mostly undeveloped, are the business of the electorate.

These three elements should form the core of the electioneering conversation, the bedrock of any meaningful step to create a desirable next 20 years for the country. Peer economies and even junior states in Africa (by all measure) are stealing the glory in the region, at Nigeria’s expense.

While the needed competitive edge is not there, it can still be built, if only we will talk business in 2019 and not politics. Should the electorate ask for business (and they rarely do) in 2019, politicians will have no option but to give just that. As the most populous country in Africa the rest of Africa should be our market; where Nigerian products and services from different sectors

Chijioke Mama Mama is the founder of Meiracopp Nigeria Limited (MNL) and a Doctoral Researcher at University of Port Harcourt (m.chijioke@ meiracopp.com)

should be holding sway in a bullish manner. That’s still a far ambition today and that ambition requires but lacks the technology, infrastructure and human capacity needed to actualize it.

Relatedly, when Nigeria joins the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) beyond 2019, the current inferior competitive state of the economy may deliver yet some surprises, unless meaningful business/ entrepreneurial capacity midwifed through optimal infrastructure, technological capability and human capacity is guaranteed through better governance.

The scale of the challenges facing Nigeria is under reported for several reasons. Several communities and cities in Nigeria are largely outside the radius of any accurate economic monitoring radar, data gathering or reporting mechanism. This provides a superficial perspective to several problems. However, like all latent problems which pass through a seemingly harmless incubation period before bursting to reveal unanticipated levels of damage; this nation may have to deal with very serious unpleasant scenarios, if business continues as usual. In that scenario, those who are hoping to run for office in 2023 and 2027 may have one but one promise to make to the electorate; cubing migration!

Nigeria is one of three countries – along with India and China – projected to account for 35 percent of global growth in urban population between 2018 and 2050. Without a radically transformed economy, what presents today as a mild but rapidly growing exodus of people - through legal and illegal migration - may expand to colossal economic problems of previously unseen proportions. And from an economic and development point of view; we may create for ourselves and for the world– in the next 20 years - the problem that China averted for its people and the world, forty years ago.

Quick Takes

Off the Cuff

Trouble in the ruling house

A

fter a long drawn battle which seems like a Nollywood soap-opera, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) finally submitted the names of Dapo Abiodun and Hope Uzodinma as its gubernatorial candidates for 2019 general election in Imo and Ogun States, respectively, to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

This submission however, ended the dreams of Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State and Rochas Okorocha, of Imo State, to impose their anointed candidates for next year’s election in both states.

Okorocha had vehemently insisted, despite strong opposition within and outside the state, on his son-in-law, Uche Nwosu.

In Ogun State, Amosun had hand-picked, Adekunle Akinlade as the gubernatorial candidate of the party in a ‘shambolic’ primary which was allegedly conducted by his Chief of Staff.

In the last few days, slanging match had been on in the broom party between the aggrieved governors and the National Chairman of the

C002D5556

party, Adams Oshiomhole. The matter had degenerated to the point that the governors called for Oshiomholes sack, alleging that his emergence as the APC boss may have become a huge deficit for the party.

But speaking to journalists, after the submission of Uzodinma and Abiodun’s names to INEC, Friday, Oshiomhole, berated the two governors for the wide allegations and accusations against him and the wrong signals their utterances had sent to people.

Oshiomhole said that Amosun was acting like an “Emperor” in his state, while also accusing Okorocha of trying to build a “political dynasty”.

The former governor of Edo State also said that the National Working Committee (NWC) decided to adopt the result of the Ahmed Gulak Committee, which declared Uzodinma as the winner of the governorship primaries conducted on October 1.

“Amosun is an Emperor. He is asking for an unlawful thing. In the case of Imo State, NWC has met and we have upheld the result of the Gulak

N5.5trn committee and we have prepared the name of Uzodinma to be submitted to the INEC. “If Governor Rochas chose to relocate to the Villa and use the ground of Villa to try to intimidate me to create a dynasty I will even on one leg uphold truth in the best interest of APC members and indeed of APC people in Imo State.”

According to him, “Yesterday, I watched Rochas saying I should obey court orders. In this country, memories fail people.”

There have been increased speculations, that both Governors have finalised plans to dump the APC to realise their political ambition, this have also been denied by the camp both Governors.

However, as the impasse between the two governors and the national leaders of the APC continues to attract attention, political observers have wondered if the party did not know the negative implications of going into a general election as a house divided against itself.

This is the total amount of money said to have been spent on infrastructure in Nigeria between 2014 and 2017 according to Adekunle Oyinloye, MD/CEO, Infrastructure Bank.

How degraded is Boko Haram?

While we are hoping for the safe return of the abducted Chibok Girls and Leah Sharibu of Dapchi, members of the Islamist sect, Boko Haram, are still taking in, unrestrained, more women.

The other day, they swooped on an internally displaced persons (IDPs’) camp in Maiduguri, killed and led some more women away as captives. Who will save Nigeria from this madness?

Published by BusinessDAY Media Ltd., The Brook, 6 Point Road, GRA, Apapa, Lagos. Ghana office: Zion House, Shiashie, OIC-Galaxy Road, East Legon, Accra.

Tel:+ 233 243226596, +233244856806: email: bdsundayletter@businessdayonline.com Advert Hotline: 08034743892. Subscriptions 01-2950687, 07045792677. Newsroom: 08054691823 Editor: Zebulon Agomuo, All correspondence to BusinessDAY Media Ltd., Box 1002, Festac Lagos. ISSN 1595 - 8590.