BusinessDay 08 Sep 2019

100 days: Buhari has started well and fast – Oshiomhole James Kwen, Abuja

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he ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), in what appears a chestthumbing exercise, at the weekend scored highly, the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari in the first 100 days of his second tenure.

Adams Oshiomhole, APC national chairman, in his assessment said, Buhari can beat his chest that he has started “well and fast” in the last four years of

Broken promises pit Ikorodu community against Lagos govt

his administration.

Oshiomhole gave the report card at an interactive session with journalists in Abuja, saying that Nigerians cannot call Buhari “Baba go slow now; this time, he is Baba fast”.

While outlining some areas which he said the President’s achievements in 100 day were evident, the former governor of Edo State said: “Everything is about comparison. Because in 2015, after a hundred days we Continues on page 4

… Over compensation 2 years after demolition Desmond Okon

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nce upon a time, a community in Igbogbo-Bayeku, Ikorodu, popularly known as Twenty-four, was a peaceful settlement. Its people lived a comfortable life with flourishing businesses enough to make a living.

They were a happy people with a “respectable” traditional ruler. But when the state government struck with a “sweet plan,” for relocation to a more conducive environment, all that

vanished.

In December 2017, the Lagos Investigation Sate government stormed the

community to demolish houses in order to pave way for the rehabilitation and expansion of roads in the Ikorodu West and Igbogbo/Baiyeku Local Development Council Areas (LCDA).

BDSUNDAY garnered that a week’s notice of evacuation was issued to residents, but the demolitions began before the notice elapsed.

Some residents told this reporter that the demolitions began three days after the notification. Others said it was within the fourth and fifth days.

“The Ijoba (government) Continues on page 30

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The Port Harcourt mosque crisis and the possible way out

Kogi guber: Violence-ridden primaries signal danger signs ahead election

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THE PROLOGUE THE

Xenophobia: When South Africa sinned …a diplomatic row ensued

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or many days now, the media has been awash with the news about the madness in South Africa. The xenophobic attacks, which have left many Nigerians dead and several others mortally injured, have continued for many years. Past and present governments in Nigeria had treated the issue with kid gloves. But it seems now that South Africa, a country that has hugely benefitted, over the years, from the big brother role of

Nigeria, has crossed the red line. The latest attacks have provoked a diplomatic row between Nigeria and South Africa, as both nations have recalled their ambassadors and shut the gates of their embassies until further notice. The large-heartedness of the Nigerian leaders prevented a reprisal that would have been catastrophic, particularly when they reasoned that it is infantile to cut one’s nose to spite own face. Events are still unfolding, but truth be told, the madness is indeed, an ill wind that blows no one any good. OBINNA EMELIKE writes:

‘Govt must take effective, not palliative actions against Nigeria’s economic problems’

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Vol 1, No. 279 N300

??Access Bank positioned for leadership as

banks rake in N339bn profits in H1’19

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pp.35 41.

Parents panic over high fees, children’s safety as schools resume …Lenders race to extend credit facility AMAKA ANAGOR-EWUZIE & STEPHEN ONYEKWELU

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s schools resume across the country from tomorrow for a new academic session, many Nigerian parents and guardians have slipped into panic mode over the

imminent heavy spending occasioned by high school fees amid inclement economic weather in the country.

Many others also are bothered by the safety of their children and wards, particularly those that will have to make interstate journeys back to their schools, as a result of the increasing wave of kidnapping and rape on many Nigerian highways

nowadays.

Checks by BDSUNDAY show that many parents have had to withdraw their children from schools far away from their location to register them in schools that are a stone throw from their residences, saying that it is better to see the children alive than to lose them in the bid to seek better education.

Aside from threat to life posed

on these children by increasing level of insecurity in the country, some parents are also withdrawing their children from schools with high tuition fees to schools with lesser fees.

According to the Nigeria’s academic calendar, public and private schools are due to resume activities from tomorrow, Continues on page 2

p. 36-37

Is Nigeria showing signs of early budget passage after years of misses?

MICHAEL ANI

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igeria appears to be fanning the fame of an early budget passage in order to achieve a complete Continues on page 4

Alake of Egbaland, Oba Aremu Gbadebo; Dapo Abiodun, Ogun State governor; Mohammed Adamu, Inspector-General of Police, and Noimot SalakoOyedele, deputy governor of Ogun State, during the handing over of 100 patrol vans and 200 bikes to security agencies in Abeokuta, Friday.

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Sunday 08 September 2019

Cover Parents panic over high fees, children’s safety...

Continued from page 1 Monday, September 9, 2019 while many others will be resuming on Monday, September 16, 2019.

Parents’ burden “I have two kids in primary school that would be moving to new classes and their tuition fees as well as books stand at over N120, 000 while my third child will be going to Primary 1having been promoted from the reception class. For him alone, I am expected to cough out over N85, 000 to pay for his tuition and school supplies,” Kayode Adedoyin, an entrepreneur, said.

Adedoyin, who runs a small bakery business in one of the suburb areas in Lagos, said: “I know that there are parents, who pay over N250, 000 for just one child because people are not equally yoked. But the truth is that low income earners like us are finding it difficult to even raise this amount to pay for three kids at once.”

The current economic situation in Nigeria is becoming worrisome as salary earners, including civil servants, whose salaries are within the range of N70,000 to N100,000 are rarely able to take care of their pressingeconomicneeds,andwhen payment of tuition fees and buying of school supplies, are added to these needs, it becomes a burden.

“I have started making plans to withdraw my two children from their present school because the school administration has increased the fees from N25,000 to N35,000 per term. This is on the high side and my husband and I do not have the financial power to cater for this addition,” Angela Ogbonna, a civil servant with Lagos State government, said.

Ogbonnahowever,saidthatshe did not mind taking her children to public school because the economic situation has made things very difficult for salary earners.

Investigation by BDSUNDAY shows that parents whose children are in premium primary and secondary schools such as Corona, Greenspring Schools, Grange Schools, Avi-Cenna Schools, Greenwood House, Vivian Fowler, Meadow Hall Schools, St Saviours’ School, Lekki British School, Chrisland and others are presently the deep pocket spenders.

In schools that fall within thecategories of the above mentioned schools, parents pay tuition fees that range from a minimum of N500,000 to N1million per term, and N1.5 million to over N3 million per session (per year) for their children in both primary and secondary school levels.

GbengaKazeem,afatheroftwo, whose children are schooling in one of the premium secondary schools listed above, told BDSUNDAY that the amount one of his kids pays as tuition fee in one term surpasses the total of what his own father used in training him throughout the four years he spent in the university.

Kazeem, who is a Lagos-based entrepreneur, blamed the poor state of Nigeria’s education system for the huge sum parents are forced to pay every term and session to the private school owners.

He said that in the 70s and 80s,

whenNigeria’sprimaryandsecondary education were still of quality standards, parents were not forced to toil so much to be able to give their children quality education.

“Today, the story is different, we have to bear the brunt of government negligence of our education system in order to give our children the kind of education they deserve, which they cannot get in the today’s public schools,” he added.

Lawrence Adekoya, a parent and businessman, said that the cost of textbooks and stationeries was quite high. He said that he has set aside funds for the preparation of his children for the new academic session that is commencing tomorrow, but expressed worry over the skyrocketing market prices of books and other school supplies.

According to him, August and September are the most fearful months in the life of many parents that have children in school. He said that some parents have three, four or more kids to cater for, and this makes the spending a bit high and demanding for such parents.

“This season requires a lot of planning and discipline because most schools do not even allow part or installment payments from parents. Meaning that parents must pay the fees in full and give the teller to their children before they could be allowed into the school premises from the first day of resumption,” he said.

Parents in the informal sector of the economy such as Joyce Oluwatobi (not real name) who lives in Ajegunle, Lagos State, are probably the hardest hit. Joyce fries and sells yam for a living, makes less than $2 a day, and finds it hard to send her children to school.

It’s almost impossible for her to meet up with the school fees demand of $22 per term (a term is three months). Neither she nor her husband makes enough. Life is hard for them, as it is for many people in Africa’s biggest economy and the poverty capital of the world. With population explosion and falling living standards, Nigeria maybe facing a future where many Nigerian parents in the informal sector cannot afford to send their children to school and this has a devastating impact on human capital development in the country.

Worries about insecurity In Nigeria today, the media is awash with news about kidnap cases involving travellers moving from one part of the country to another. Just recently, it was reported that some young men and women going to sit for post Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) in states far away from where their parents reside were kidnapped. Some of these girls, not only were traumatised by their abductors, but were also raped, despite hefty ransoms that were paid to secure their freedom by their parents.

Incidents of this nature(reported or otherwise) have put many parents in fear and panic such that many are beginning to seek alternatives for their children, especially those schooling outside states of their residency.

“MyfamilyliveshereinLagos,but

Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Lagos State governor (middle), flanked by Speakers of Southwest States Assemblies, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa –Lagos (5th right); Rt. Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin – Oyo (4th right); Rt. Hon. Olakunle Oluomo - Ogun (3rd right); Rt. Hon. Bamidele Oleyelogun – Ondo (5th left); Rt. Hon. Timothy Owoeye – Osun (4th left); Rt. Hon. Funminiyi Afuye – Ekiti (3rd left) and others during a courtesy visit to the Governor by Speakers of Southwest States Legislatures at Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja.

myfirstdaughterispresentlyschooling in the Federal Government College Nise in Anambra. She used to travelbyroadtoNiseviaOnitsha,but given the present security concern on Nigerian highways, I doubt if my daughterwillgobyroad,”Emmanuel Nwabu,aLagos-basedbusinessman told BDSUNDAY. According to him, “My initial decision was to withdraw her from schooling in the East but after preliminary search for schools in Lagos, for some reasons, I had to change my mind. That was why I decided that my daughter would be flying to Asabafrom Lagos, which is not too far from Anambra State.

He said that it was easy to pay for flight ticket than to start running around in search of millions of naira to pay to hoodlums for ransom.

Intervention by financial institutions In order to reduce the pressure on parents and guardians, as it were, financial institutions are currently aggressively marketing credit facilities online and on the streets, to facilitate the payment of school fees.

“Dear Sir/Ma, Trust your day is going on well. It’s back to school season, let Zedvance help you get that school fee settled and take the burdenoffyouwithoutstress,”Zedvance Finance Limited, a consumer finance company said in an email to random email addresses. “You can access our personal loan facility at Zedvance Finance up to 5million naira Only at a maximum tenor of 18 months,” it also informed.

Credit Direct Limited, a microfinance bank in a text message to customers quipped, “Back to School? No worries! Get an instant loan from N100, 000 – N5, 000, 000, no guarantor or rigorous documentation.”

Commercial lenders including Zenith Bank, Access Bank, Union Bank, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Diamond Bank,First Bank, and Polaris Banknow have products targeted at helping parents and guardians pay the school fees of their children and wards, respectively, in expensive private schools but many parents find it difficult to access these facilities because of the pre-conditions attached to them.

Other banks that have educational

products are: GTBank, FCMB, Sterling Bank, UBA, Fidelity Bank, Unity Bank, Wema Bank, Skye Bank, and Heritage Bank.

Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, is burdened by an alarming rate of out-of-school children (10.5 million) and recently tagged the Poverty Capital of the World by World Poverty Clock, and a projected 91.5 million of her people live below the poverty line as of March 2019.

“A large population is an asset, look at the biggest economies of the world, they all have large population: China, India and the United States of America are good examples. What we need to worry about is the quality of our population, which boils down to the level of investment in education, healthcare, and human capital development,” said Muda Yusuf, director-general, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, in a phone interview.

In order to pay the school fees, some parents are liquidating existing investments and drawing from their savings.

“We have seen increased enquiry for Short Term Loans, Salary Advance (SALAD) for salaried workers and payment cards that parents can easily access and use to pay the school fees of the wards,” a banking sector source told BDSUNDAY. Our source further observed that top on the list of most of their customers’ recent enquiries are the banks’facilities and products that could aid parents to pay school fees.

“These products are actually there, some kind of bridge finance that parents can access to pay school fees, pending when they are able to repay. It is like a salary advance and it is dependent on the parents’ income and creditworthiness,” the source further said.

“Creditworthiness means you need to look at the person’s income, the organisation they work for; you need to look at how sustainable the organisation is and the integrity of the person in question.

You see, the repayment of such facilities is dependent on the income of the parents,” said a branch manager in one of the banks, who does not want his name mentioned.

Growing poverty in Nigeria

to blame Nigeria’s population has risen by 43 million in the last ten years; figures from the National Bureau of Statistics show. The figures captured in a report, ‘Demographic Statistics Report 2015’ available on the website of the NBS, show that the country’s population which stood at 140 million in 2006, had swelled to 183 million by 2015 and it is estimated to be over 200 million people currently.

Africa’s most populous nation ranked 25th out of 26 countries on theWorldEconomicForum’s(WEF) humancapitaloptimisationindexfor Africa,cominginonlybeforeChad,a countrythathasbeendestabilisedby civil unrest since 2008.

The WEF’s Human Capital Index, which measures the extent to which countries and economies optimise their human capital through education and skills development and its deployment throughout the life-course, finds that Sub-Saharan Africa, on average, currently captures,only55 percent of its full human capital potential, compared to a global average of 65 percent, ranging from 67 to 63 percent in Mauritius, Ghana and South Africa, to only 49 to 44 percent in Mali, Nigeria and Chad.

Private investors cash in on government’s failure Nigeria’s primary and secondary education has totally collapsed following low funding from government at all levels. This was why the running of both primary and secondary education is now in the hand of private sector people, who take advantage of government’s negligence to fill the gap, but at a high cost to parents. In many cases, the quality of teaching and learning does not match the exorbitant fees.

Pundits believe that poor funding has created huge problems for most public schools in recent years with implication ranging from low quality teachers, insufficient teachers, dilapidated school infrastructure,to poor learning environment for students.

This is why only pupils and students, whose parents cannot afford tuition feesin private schools, are left to learn in an unconducive and dilapidated environment in today’s public schools.

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News

100 days: Buhari has started well and fast...

Continued from page 1

did not have a federal cabinet, the President had not appointed ministers. This time, in hundred days, from my interaction with a number of ministers, even the budget for 2020 is already being prepared.

“Ministers have been assigned to their various Ministries. They have already started the process of taking over and trying to understand the challenges. Government is already affectively on ground. So, even that alone shows a remarkable departure if you compare what the President has done in

2019 to what he has done in 2015.

“Even the current issues in South Africa, the prompt manner in which the President reacted and took bold steps sent a clear message to South Africa that we are not about to accept Nigeria being humiliated in their businesses. I think the bold step he has taken is refreshing”.

He further maintained that, “The President has been engaging various groups.Recently,hewastalking to the Nigeria Society of Engineers, several professional groups, reminding all of us that we have our role to play in the Nigeria project.

“As a party, we have every access to the President, we see him

any time we want to see him and share with him whatever we want to do. You notice that this time, the President also organised a retreat for ministers immediately they were appointed.

“That retreat was not about entertainment, it was to discuss about Nigeria and the administration’s policy choices. And of course, reminding the ministers about the fact that there is huge expectation out there at a time of dwindling resources. Now, government challenge is where do we cut cost so that we can find resources we need to sustain investment in infrastructure?”

FG debunks bomb blast at South African High Commission Godsgift Onyedinefu, Abuja

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he Federal Government has debunked video currently in circulation of a purported bombexplosionattheSouth AfricanHighCommissioninAbujaon Saturday, describing it as fake news.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, said the video which is being circulated on the social media, is that of the bombexplosionatEmabPlaza,near Banex, in Abuja on June 25 2014.

The Minister in a statement by

his aide, Segun Adeyemi, accused the opposition for circulating the video in an attempt to cause panic and chaos among the populace. ‘’A pattern is emerging of the antics of the desperate opposition to latch on to the use of fake news and disinformation as a strategy to triggerchaosinthecountry”,hesaid.

TheMinisterwarnedthosebehind the“orchestratedfakenews”anddisinformation campaign to stop forthwith or be made to face the music.

He also appealed to Nigerians to beverydiscerningatandchecktheveracityofanyinformationtheyreceive.

Imo revenue service solicits Is Nigeria showing signs of early budget passage after years of misses? financial autonomy from House …as FG targets sending 2020 appropriation bill to NASS by September end GODFREY OFURUM, Aba Continued from page 1 cycle after years of misses that was due mainly to late submission and a power tussle between its legislative and executive arms.

The Executive under the control of President Muhammadu Buhari says it is working towards sending the 2020 appropriation bill to the National Assembly by end of September, in order to get it approved on time so as to return the economy to operate the January – December budget cycle.

First was a pronouncement by President Buhari, through Boss Mustapha,thesecretarytothegovernment of the federation (SGF), givingamarchingordertothenewly inaugurated ministers to work on the 2020 budget to ensure that it is submitted in September, as soon as the National Assembly resumes; then later, a statement made Thursday by Zainab Ahmed, minister of Finance, Budget and Planning affirming that the 2020 appropriation bill is underway and would be senttothelegislaturebymonthend.

“The 2020 budget preparation processiswell-underway,andweintend to finalise and submit the 2020 appropriation bill to the National Assembly by the end of this month,” ZainabsaidataRoundtablemeeting on National Donor Coordination held in Abuja. Nigeria in the last five years has shown a penchant for submitting the budget as late as December of every year which has in turn delayed the passage.

Since the return to civil rule in 1999, the country has only achieved a complete budget cy-

cle—in 2001, 2007, 2009 and in 2013—where implementation commenced January of every fiscal year, prompting analysts to cast a doubt on the possibility of getting it right this time.

Year in, year out, it takes an average of four months behind the January fiscal year before a budget starts running in Nigeria and in fact, under the administration of President Buhari, the distortion of the budget cycle has risen to about six months, making Ministries, DepartmentsandAgenciesofgovernment starve of budgetary allocations. The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has on several occasions missed the release of data due to lack of funds.

“A major implication of a distortion in the Budget cycle process is that development will be slowed down because the capital expenditure will hardly be implemented and without the capital expenditure budget,youcannotimprovetheease of doing business in the country and thiswillresultinalowlevelofproductivity as the economic environment won’t be attractive to investors as a result of shortage in infrastructure.”

Ayo Akinwumi, head of research, FSDH, told BDSUNDAY. The question is whether the 76-year-old president can change the narrative, since his anointed candidates are now at the helm of affairs inboththelowerandtheupperchambersofthelegislatureunlikewhenthe legislature was under the leadership of perceived “political foes”.

Earlier in July, Femi Gbajabiamila, speaker of the House of Representatives, urged the executive arm of government to present the 2020

budget to the National Assembly by the September 2019, saying that he wants every budget to run from January to December fiscal year.

ButeventhoughPresidentBuhari might be having the backings of the legislature to move the needle, he is still confronted with a shortfall in revenue that has been the country’s biggest fiscal headache since the collapse of crude oil prices in 2014.

Execution of budgets has continued to be constrained by low and unstable revenue inflow to the government. This has particularly continued to hinder higher execution of capital budget and efforts at driving higher growth in the country. It has also made the government to resort to excessive borrowing to be able to meet up with financial obligations in the budget.

Data from the Budget Office of theFederationshowsthatbetween 2016 and 2018, only an average of 31.13 percent of the budget was used on capital expenditure while the rest was spent on recurrent expenditure and in servicing debt.

In order to close the gap in infrastructural deficit, Nigeria is using a system of tax credits to encourage private companies to share the cost of infrastructure projects, Tunde Fowler, executive chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), said in an interview with Reuters, Wednesday.

He noted that more than 10 local companies had applied for the scheme to receive 50 percent of expenditure in tax credits. The tax regulator also plans to impose a 5 percent tax on every online purchase from next year.

Group condemns attacks on Nigerians in South Africa, berates AU over silence

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Iniobong Iwok

he Guild of Public Affairs Analysts of Nigeria (GPAAN) has condemned the xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa.

In a release to the media at the weekend, after an emergency meeting at the instance of the president, Ayo Oyoze Baje, the group expressed dismay over the attack, stressing that the attacks were premeditated.

Recall that acts of violence such as; burning of shops owned

by Nigerians, maiming and killings have become a recurring decimal over the years.

For instance, in February 2017, five buildings and a mechanic garage with 28 cars owned by Nigerians in Pretoria were razed to ashes.

A Nigerian pastor was seriously wounded. Ever since, some prominent Nigerians have fallen victims to such mindless attacks.

The group further, berated the Federal Government for not taking any proactive measure to protect the lives of Nigerians home and abroad, while frowning at the African Union for its continuous silence over the attacks on Africans in South Africa.

The group urged the South African government to take measures

to curb the attacks, while condemning reprisal attacks on South African businesses in Nigeria.

According to the statement, “The conspiracy of silence on the part of the host government runs against the AU Charter and it reflects ingratitude from a nation that Nigeria spearheaded its freedom from the iron grip of the infamous Apartheid regime.”

On the way forward, members of the Guild admonish the South African government to take a critical look at the root causes of the violence as provided by the Human Sciences Research Council and tackle them head on.

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zeh Charles Onwunali, chairman, Imo State Internal Revenue Service (IIRS), has made a passionate appeal to the State House of Assembly to grant an administrative and financial autonomy to IIRS. The request was made as he received the members of the House Committee on Revenue in his office, weekend.

Onwunaliexplainedthatsuchautonomy,ifgrantedandapplied,would helptopromotetransparencyandaccountabilityinrevenuegenerationfor the government and also enable the establishment deliver on the values for which it was set up and the state to join the billionaire club.

He stated his preparedness to reposition the Agency for maximumefficiencyandservicedelivery in Revenue Generation. He also claimed to have met a moribund and decadent structure on assumption of office two months ago, saying that the agency had since commenced series of reforms to promote due process and transparencyinthepaymentofgovernment

revenue through the bank to make the process cashless, with a subsequent alert of payment into the Account of the Agency.

“We need modern tools such as electronic modern systems to smoothen our operations,” he said, dismissing as ridiculous, untenable and contentious claims by the immediate past administration in the state of N900 million monthly revenue generation by the Agency, saying that available data do not lend credence to this claim.

From a paltry monthly revenue generation during the previous administration of former governor Rochas Okorocha, he said that the Agency now rakes in over N6 billion monthly and it had decentralised motor licences and had trained tax officers and pleaded with the lawmakers to look into the recruitments into the agency in 2016 by the departed Rochas Okorocha administration to ascertain if they wereinconformitywithexistingCivil Service Rule. He stressed that the Agency was interested in ethics and good governance to attract support and assistance from some internationalbodiessuchastheWorldBank.

Abia orders arrest of illegal revenue agents …condemns illegal sealing of private properties in Aba GODFREY OFURUM, Aba

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bia State Government has ordered security agencies in the state to arrest and prosecute persons found to be harassing and sealing private premises in Aba, in the guise that they built on sanitary lanes, in the state’s commercial hub.

OkeiyiKalu,state’scommissioner for Information, stated that the state government did not authorise anybodyorgrouptoharassandlock up residents of Aba, in their premises for such an issue and urged victims to report the matter to the nearest police station for action.

He also directed security agencies to arrest and prosecute anybody or group, engaging in illegal revenue collection, stressing that Abia State Government will never support such lawlessness.

Residents of Aba now live in fear, as persons claiming to be government agents from the Ministry of Urban Planning have been going aboutsealinguppeople’sproperties.

The group claimed that the sealed premises failed to regularize their sanitary lane fees, ranging

from N100,000 to N200, 000, depending on the size of the building.

A resident, Paul Udenta, alleged that whenever the State Governmentneededmoneythattheywould resort to intimidation of residence.

He advised government to demolish shops built on the sanitary lanes, if such shops are unwanted, instead of disturbing innocent tenants, who are not landlords responsible for such alleged breaches.

Udenta,whowasangeredbythe action of government agents, wondered why they acted lawlessly, by lockingupresidentsintheirpremises, becausetheywanttocollectmoney from errant landlords.

“Justbecauseofashop,youlocked up several families in a four storey building.Isitnotanactofwickedness?

“They only need their N100,000 or N200,000 bribe and that is why you are seeing this drama.

“That shop pays for sanitation, security and other levies, but when they need money, it becomes illegal; the residents they locked up inside, are they the landlords?

“There was no initial notice to remind people of anything before they came for this embarrassing enforcement.”

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News We published 2019 elections results in one week, INEC replies critics James Kwen, Abuja

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he Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has revealed that it published the 2019 general elections results on its website a week after the announcement.

INEC, which was responding to contrary views in some quarters, said it published the results long after the elections, said results of the Presidential and National Assembly elections were published on its website, www.inec.ng.org early enough.

According to Section 71 of the 2010 Electoral Act as amended, INEC, “shall cause to be posted on its notice board and website a notice showing the candidates at the election and their scores, and the person declared as elected or returned at the election”.

However, there have been concerns as to whether the Commission has fulfilled this legal obligation or not, long after the conduct of the February/ March general elections.

Idayat Hassan, director, Centre

for Democracy and Development (CDD), while expressing reservations on why the Commission has not published results of the recent polls said, “Unfortunately, INEC neglected to make public, detailed breakdown of the election results—including voided votes.

The trend is worrisome”.

Hassan noted that, “One of the most noticeable and avoidable blunders INEC has made following the 2019 election, is its refusal to publish detailed election results on its website.

“Much like it did in 2007 general elections, INEC has only published national-level totals for 2019 presidential elections, choosing to keep sub-national results data”.

Again, the CDD director, while presenting a post mortem report on 2019 general elections, urged INEC to transparently and promptly publish, via its website and through civil society organisations, official results for all election contests, showing a full and accurate breakdown of figures down to polling unit level.

But reacting to the concerns, Rotimi Kayode, chief press secretary to the INEC chairman,

questioned which other results the Commission is being demanded to publish other than what is already on its official website.

Kayode told BusinessDay that the results are published with breakdown state by state and encouraged the public to visit the website and click on www. inec.ng.org to see the published results.

“Have you gone to the website and the results of the 2019 general elections are not there? So, when people say we have not published the results, I just wonder. We have published the report with the breakdown, state by state, a week after results were announced, so what exactly are they looking for?

“If you go to INEC website, the results of 2019 presidential election, Senatorial and House of Representatives are all there. But if you are looking for a pulling unit in Bayelsa that one is not there. So it is a different process.

“The result of 2019 presidential election is on the website. This is what the constitution asks us to do and we have done so, people are just playing to the gallery.

L-R: Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi, former minister of Health and Social Service; with Oloye Fola Omolayo; and managing Partner at Gbenga Badejo & Company, Gbenga Badejo at the 70th birthday celebration of Oloye Omolayo in Lagos

Glo cooks customer-reward promo, ‘my own don beta’

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lobacom, Nigeria’s leading telecommunications company, is cooking up an initiative that is bound to send shockwaves of excitement amongst Nigerians.

Feelers from the company indicate that finishing touches have been put to a massive consumer promo designed to significantly empower subscribers who have supported the telecom company with patronage.

The promo will create thousands of Nigerian entrepreneurs by doling out tools of trade and other equipment that can be useful for establishing businesses.

Globacom has already commenced a teaser campaign to sensitise members of the public for the arrival of the promo. The campaign

promises telecom users that their lives will never be the same after taking part in the promo.

“The promo is designed to empower Nigerians to create wealth and even become employers of labour rather than dishing out money to them. The trade-establishment tools to be won are such that will have direct bearing on the people.

It promises to be the most exciting people-focused empowerment promo we have activated. Nigerians should not miss the promo for anything”, Globacom announced.

One of Nigeria’s most popular actors, Odunlade Adekola, social media sensation, Samuel Perry Animashaun, alias “Broda Shaggi”, Funky Mallam and Victor Osuagwu play key roles in the teaser campaign.

UNEC, CLICE want better education system in Josephine Okojie

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he student affairs department of the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus (UNEC) in collaboration with Comfort Literacy Intervention &Capacity Enhancement (CLICE) Foundation, Consumer Advocacy & Empowerment Foundation (CADEF) and Achsah Growth Initiative have called on the Federal Government to provide a better education system for Nigerians.

The call was made at an event organised to mark the 2019 United Nations International Youth Day recently in Enugu State recently.

“Youth unemployment seems to be defying solutions, not minding the various palliatives governments at Federal and State levels have introduced. Drug abuse and suicide have increased among youths” said Elochhukwu Chukwuekezie Moka, associate dean of student affairs, UNEC in a statement.

“It is well known that any society, community or country without youth has no future; preparation for that future depends largely on what is done today for the development and betterment of the youth,” Moka said.

Speaking extensively on how education can be a transforming

anecdote, Professor Chinedu Nebo in his key note speech, states that complete transformation through education is key in any society.

He stated that it is imperative that Nigeria as a country provides a better education for her people if it truly wants to transform its societies.

Speaking further, Professor Nebo linked proper transformed education to Christianity. “A Christo-centric view of education makes all the difference in the world, owning to the fact that Christianity is the source of modern education.”

“Education on the other hand, is the bedrock of change and transformation; Education may be applied to obtain either positive or negative result,” he further said.

He identified servant spirit, server humanity, tenacious faith, discipline, conviction, competence, being teachable, focus, character and integrity, discernment, humility and meekness, compassionate, persistent, visionary, confidence, amongst others as attributes of a transformed society.

He also admonished students to emulate positive peer pressure, that is, one that inspire them to achieve academic excellence rather than the negative ones that make them lose focus, feel depressed and attempt to committing suicide.

ICAN to partner KWSG, EFCC to fight Corruption SIKIRAT SHEHU, Ilorin

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he Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) has expressed its readiness to collaborate with Kwara State government, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and National Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), on anti-corruption war.

Mohammed Baba Ibrahim, the Chairman of ICAN Ilorin and District Society, stated this at his Investiture/Award Dinner held

recently at Banquet Hall, Ilorin.

According to Ibrahim, the move will complement anti-corruption efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari administration and minimise fraud activities within the state civil service.

“We intend to collaborate with the Public Account Committee of the Kwara State House of Assembly, EFCC and NFIU to organise a continuous workshops for our members and other heads of Accounts from the local governments and State service on how to combat financial crime,” he said.

According to him, ‘’Any member found wanting in misappropriating public fund or abetting politicians in financial crime, if reported to the Institute would be made to face the Investigating panel of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria.

“However, if he is found guilty, the panel would send him to face the disciplinary tribunal for proper hearing and thereafter, he would be blackmailed, while his/her certificate would be withdrawn and his/her name would be published in the National dailies.’’

Ibrahim disclosed that as part of his agenda, Ilorin and District Society will embark on ‘Catch Them Young Programme’ where the Secondary School Students will be sensitised, encouraged, and exposed to the rudiment of the profession, and most especially on a way to become chattered Accountant.

In his address, the Kwara State Governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq solicited for citizen’s support in the administration drive to tackle corruption and ensure prudent management of resources.

Abdulrazaq, who was represented by his deputy, Kayode Alabi revealed that the state government will use available resources to build infrastructure, improve health sector, uplift standard of education, rather than spending public fund to satisfy few people.

The governor called on members of the Institute and the people of the state to join its campaign for a regime of prudent management of public resources as the government would not spend a kobo on anything except it serves the interest of the overwhelming majority.

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BDSUNDAY 7

News

Rural poverty, insecurity deepen on misuse of LG funds ...As states, LGs shared N15trillion in 12 years Tony Ailemen, Abuja

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he endless battles over who controls local government funds continue to take toll on rural dwellers as poverty and insecurity intensify.

BDSUNDAY Investigations revealed that despite sharing over N15trillion in the last twelve years, there has been a sharp increase in rural urban migration as life practically becomes “meaningless” in Nigeria’s erstwhile bustling rural areas.

Crises of underdevelopment, poverty, insecurity have become the major push factors responsible for the recent high rates of migration from the rural areas to the urban centres.

Crises of local government administration in Nigeria is fueled by their pauperisation, through the State and Local Government Joint Account system (SLGJA), operated by state governments to control resources at the area councils.

Despite persistent efforts by the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) to wriggle the local governments out of the quagmire, states continue to rely on Section 162, subsections 5 to 8 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended), to deprive the local government councils of their funds.

According to Section (5), “The amount standing to the

credit of local government councils in the Federation Account shall also be allocated to the state for the benefit of their local government councils on such terms and in such manner as may be prescribed by the National Assembly.

(6) Each State shall maintain a special account to be called “State Joint Local Government Account” into which shall be paid all allocations to the local government councils of the State from the Federation Account and from the government of the state.

(7) Each State shall pay to local government councils in its area of jurisdiction such proportion of its total revenue on such terms and in such manner as may be prescribed by the National Assembly.

(8) The amount standing to the credit of local government councils of a state shall be distributed among the local government councils of that State on such terms and

in such manner as may be prescribed by the House of Assembly of the State.

Provisions in Section 7 of the same Constitution guarantees a system of local government by democratically elected local government councils and assigns powers to State governments to establish structures for good governance at the grassroots level.

Thus, while Section 7 (6) (a) & (b) of the Constitution mandates the National Assembly to make provisions for statutory allocation of public revenue to them, the same section empowers the State Houses of Assembly to do same with respect to allocation of resources within the state.

The Joint Accounts Allocation Committee (JAAC) at the state level is used to make huge deductions which further put pressure on resources on major cities.

The Act historically states that: any amount which shall

Kwara governor flags off e-registration for immigrants ...says exercise will boost national security, devt SIKIRAT SHEHU, Ilorin

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he Kwara State Governor, Abdulrahman Ab d u l r a z a q h a s flagged off the electronic registration of non-Nigerians residents in the state, describing the exercise by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) as a key step in national security and socioeconomic development.

The programme, which is beginning in eight Nigerian states, would see NIS officials documenting all non-Nigerians living in the country as part of the larger efforts to keep accurate data and curb crimes in the age of transnational terrorism and other security threats.

Abdulrazaq says the initiative offers an opportunity for effective national security and socioeconomic planning, congratulating the NIS for the foresight.

“This is another milestone

in our collective efforts to secure our country in this age of transnational terrorism and other crimes that threaten our national security. But I also see it as an opportunity to properly document people who live within our borders for effective planning, development and mutually beneficial collaborations.

“The programme is to ensure proper registration of migrant in the country and

Abdulrahman

targeted at generating a robust personal profile and electronic biometric data base of all foreigners that intend to stay in Nigeria beyond the period of 90 days.

“It is a thing of pride to us that Kwara State is among the eight selected States to pilot this noble scheme. I therefore call on all migrants in Kwara State to key into this programme by immediately submitting themselves at the Nigeria Immigration Service office in Ilorin, the State Capital, and all designated centres for proper documentation and registration. This will help the State to ascertain identities of migrants and what they do. It will also create a strong synergy with migrants who are in to legal businesses,” said the governor.

He pleases government’s support for the exercise and urged officers doing the capturing to ensure it is done professionally and in the overall interest of the country.

be set out by the committee at any time for distribution from the amount standing to the credit of Local Government Councils in the Joint Account shall be distributed among the local government councils by the Joint Account Allocation Committee (JAAC) in the following manner; 40percent on the basis of equality, 25percent on the basis of population, 20percent on the basis of primary school enrollment, 10percent on the basis of internally generated revenue, 5percent on the basis of landmass.

The deductions provided for under the Joint Account Law tagged ‘First-Line-Charges’ include the following; Local Government Education Authority gross salary, Local Government Education Authority overhead, Total Education Fund payable, Pension Fund allowance and Training fund.

Suleiman Lamorde, a

legal expert, who spoke to BDSUNDAY on the development, called on the National Assembly to “explore every means possible to set the local governments free from state governments’ control.”

According to him, “They will continue to frustrate efforts at achieving decentralisation and devolution of powers and consequently, development at the grassroots, by holding tenaciously to local government funds, unless something drastic is done.”

Suleiman noted that the 1999 Constitution as amended recorded a “fundamental error by placing Local Governments under the control of state governments,” adding that “it must have to be rectified if democracy is to be enshrined in our local governments.”

A recent data sourced from Dataphyte website show that states and local governments in Nigeria raked in about N15.5 trillion

(N15,505,489,701,816) in twelve years.

The report is based on analysis of the 12-year data sourced from the websites of the National Bureau of Statistics and the Office of Accountant-General of the Federation, covering 2007 to 2018.

The data further indicated that “an average of N20 billion accrued to local governments in Nigeria between 2007 to 2018 with the least Council having a total of N12.8 billion and the highest Council, having N56.3 billion in the same period.”

The study however, stated statistics are difficult to confirm, as local government chairpersons did not confirm the amount they received from the state government and constituents cannot attest to the exact value of the services they received from their local government.”

The monthly LGA transfer is the statutory allocation distributed by the Federation Account Allocation Committee. While Abuja Municipal with the highest allocation has had a monthly average of 391.1 million naira (N391,103,922) or an annual average of 4.69 billion naira (N4,693,247,062), Ifedayo Local Government in Osun State, with the least allocation, has accrued a monthly average of 88.56 million naira (N88,560,331) or an annual average of 1.06 billion naira (1,062,723,969).

AUN marks 29th uninterrupted semester with matriculation of new students in engineering, others

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he American University of Nigeria, Adamawa, Yola State on Monday, September 02, 2019, marked the beginning of the Fall 2019 semester with the matriculation of new students who took the traditional AUN Community Pledge.

The colorful event, which was attended by parents and relations of the matriculating students, coincided with the University’s uninterrupted 29th semester and the official roll out of its recently approved six Engineering programmes.

AUN has enjoyed 14 years of academic continuity since it admitted the first batch of 124 students in the fall 2005 semester, a feat that excites the University President, Dawn Dekle.

“The number 29 is very significant. Twenty-nine semesters, even though we’ve had many challenges in North east Nigeria, we have never closed our doors, nothing has ever forced us to close our doors, and we never will close

our doors. Twenty-nine just means we are well and away to making 50, 75 and a 100.

“What a day, a very historic day for AUN. We have a record number of students, but more importantly, we have Engineering students for the first time. Now, we are going to have female Engineers; so for AUN, we are very happy today because we are no longer the best kept secret in Nigeria,” Dekle said.

Among the new enrollees who formally kicked off their careers at AUN were four students from Chibok in the University’s New Foundation School. Three of them will be studying Communications & Multimedia Design (CMD); one enrolled to study Natural & Environmental Sciences (NES).

Also, among the students who took part in the Convocation and Pledge Ceremony were Master’s and doctoral students studying Computer Science, Information Systems and Business Administration.

All the new students had enthusiastically participated

in their first Community Service the previous Saturday, rebuilding dilapidated classroom blocks at the Wuro Chekke Primary School in Yola South. Taking part in Community Service is a compulsory requirement for graduation at AUN. President Dekle, who formally accepted the students into the AUN learning community, also guided them through the Community Pledge before she presented them with their class sashes.

“We welcome you with open arms and with the support you need to make your first year a success. If you commit to excellence, integrity and service, AUN core values, the unexpected would happen.”

Prior to the presentation of sashes, President Dekle advised the students to be conscious of their actions.

“The plaque on the wall says: Life is a do-it-yourself project. Your life tomorrow would be the result of your attitude and the choices that you make today.”

8 BDSUNDAY

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Sunday 08 September 2019

News

Sanwo-Olu’s 100 days in office cheering - Razak IniObong Iwok

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chieftain of the Al l P r o g r e s sives Congress (APC), in Lagos, Lanre Razak has said that Lagos State Governor, Babajide Olusola SanwoOlu’s 100 days in office is heart-warming and cheering, saying however that, “he needs further support of all to succeed in the onerous task of moving the state forward to the next level.”

The elder statesman, in a chat with newsmen in his Lagos office, thanked God for guiding the Lagos residents to make the right choice by voting the APC candidate presented to them by the leaders of the party under the leadership of the party’s National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Razak, who expressed delight that, Sanwo-Olu has started on a very good note within the first 100 days in office, however urged the Lagos residents to double their support for him, enthusing that, “from the looks of

things, Lagos people are in for a good time under this workaholic team player.”

The Epe, Lagos State born former Public Transportation Commissioner in the state said one of the major ways to assist any government to succeed is payment of taxes as at when due, reminding that, it is through tax that the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), could be shored up to guarantee more dividends of democracy to the people.

“I hereby appeal to the

Sanwo-Olu

good people of Lagos to uphold their civic responsibilities through payment of their taxes for more development, growth and progress of the state to enable it maintain its position as one of the most viable economies on the African continent. And I can assure you that, any revenue accrues from such social responsibility would be prudently managed because of Sanwo-Olu’s financial frugality,” Razaq assured.

Razak, who is a member of the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC), also urged the people sustain the peaceful co-existence among the various ethnic groups and religious adherents in the state, reminding that chaos is antithetical to economic growth, social comfort and religious harmony.

On the newly inaugurated cabinet, Razak congratulated the Lagos people on the assemblage of the starstudded team, enthusing that, “with the team, Lagos people can go to sleep with their eyes close as the tested and trusted hands in the cabinet would perform wonders.

Foundation holds one year memorial lecture for Umezulike …Peter Obi to chair event IFEOMA OKEKE

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he Justice Innocent Umezulike Foundation has announced the one-year memorial lecture and book presentation in honour of the late quintessential jurisperitus, Hon. Justice Innocent Azubike Umezulike, to be held at Justice I.A. Umezulike Auditorium, inside Enugu State High Court complex on Friday, September, 27, 2019.

Umezulike was the best, masterly in his knowledge of the law, distinguished for his expertise in land and property law, had to his credit 23 law books before his eternal bow in June 2018. He was the longest-serving Chief Judge in South Eastern Nigeria and is remembered for receiving over 100 distinguished Legal Honours and Awards for excellence in service as a distinguished Judge of Enugu State High Court for over 23 years.

A statement from one of the foundation’s trustees, Victor Azubike Umezulike, confirmed that the event would be chaired by Peter Obi, former governor of

Umezulike

Anambra State.

Emeka Chianu, head of Department of Private and Property Law, University of Benin, will be the guest lecturer to discuss ‘The overriding Role of the Judiciary in Contemporary Democracy.’

Rosaline Patricia Irorefe Bozimo, the administrator, National Judicial Institute (NJI) and former Chief Judge of Delta State, will deliver the keynote address. Discussants consist of Judges, Senior Advocates of Nigeria and Professors of Law. In addition to the legacy, the foundation marks his

Lordship’s one year memorial with a book presentation.

The book with the title ‘Hon. Justice Innocent Umezulike: A Chronicle of Leading Judgments Volume 1;’ forward is written by Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad, the Chief Justice of Nigeria.

The book is a three-part volume, offering in-depth analysis of the landmark judgments of an intellectual giant and one of Africa’s most prolific writer on land and property law.

The book chronicles a meticulous and comprehensive selection of notable cases spanning from Umezulike’s stellar career on the bench. A judicial activist, Umezulike, therefore, utilised the law for its real purpose in the interest of fairness and justice.

The one-year memorial event will conclude with a church service on Saturday, September 28, 2019, at the Cathedral of Good Shepherd, Independence Layout Enugu. The service will be officiated by Emmanuel Olisa Chukwuma, the Archbishop of Enugu Province and Bishop of Anglican Communion Enugu Diocese of Enugu.

‘How Enyo is leading technological innovation in Nigeria’s downstream sector’

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eeping businesses afloat in the downstream oil and gas sector has become extremely tough.

A lot of companies have divested and the few existing ones have reduced their labour force to stay in business. In a space of three years, two of Nigeria’s biggest indigenous players in the downstream sector sold out their interests. It is instructive for both current and prospective players in the sector to explore opportunities in innovation. It is never enough to ‘just sell fuel’. Downstream companies need to start selling innovation and excellent customer experience.

Interestingly, new entrants in the sector are already demonstrating the possibilities of changing the industry with technology-led innovations. Early this year, Enyo Retail and Supply, an indigenous oil and gas company declared its resolution to disrupt fuel retailing in Nigeria and subsequently launched the ‘Fuelled by Trust – 1 litre is 1 litre’ initiative. By investing in technology and mulled by trust, the company has

taken a massive step away from the orthodox fuel retailing practices in Nigeria.

This approach is in a bid to change the narratives surrounding the downstream sector about unethical fuel dispensing practices in the country. In the past few months, Enyo has tremendously scaled up operations

and expand its businesses by entrenching higher operational efficiency, less downtime and optimum safety.

To this effect, the Chief Executive Officer of Enyo, Abayomi Awobokun, indicated that technological innovation is the major differentiator that Enyo is

striving on. “We see already existing downstream stations slipping into becoming too comfortable and forgetting to come up with new ideas. We are not here to just sell petroleum products to our customers, we are conscious of customers’ satisfaction, and to this effect, we are investing in

smart stations.” Other than fuel retailing which is the company’s mainstay, Enyo has introduced value-added products at its stations such as the ‘Reelax’ - Enyo’s bespoke convenience store where customers can shop as they refill.

The company has also initiated the establishment

of a Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) centre for children which is conducive for learning about robotics, 3D printing, everyday technology, solar energy and its uses.

In a move to address the peculiarities of consumers in the downstream sector, Enyo has initiated a mobileenabled diesel request and delivery service called Diesel2Door. This service was established to deliver seamless requests and delivery of diesel within 24 hours across the country. Clearly, the Diesel2Door, would in the long-term, become the most reliable solution of diesel delivery for all categories of diesel consumers.

Enyo’s CEO, Abayomi Awobokun, foresees the company providing a 24hour service in the near future, with a combination of pumps such that consumers can either serve themselves or be served by attendants. Enyo’s strategic entrance into the nation’s downstream sector and consistency in disrupting the sector is a much-needed revolution in the petroleum industry.

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BDSUNDAY 9

News

EFCC arrests 48 suspected internet fraudsters in Benue, decries upsurge in crime Benjamin Agesan

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he Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Makurdi Zonal Office said it has arrested 48 Internet fraudsters in the Zone in the last nine months.

The Zonal Head of Operations, Johnson Babalola disclosed this while briefing newsmen on the activities of the commission in the last nine months, in his office in Makurdi.

The Zone covers Benue, Taraba and Plateau states.

The Zonal Head told newsmen that one of the new faces of financial crime is internet fraud, adding that it is a matter of common knowledge that Nigeria has also been in the news for the same reason recently.

He however, stated that between January and September, 2019, the Office has embarked on a vigorous manhunt of fraudsters (‘yahoo yahoo’ boys) and investigation leading to the arrest of 48 suspects.

According to him, “13 out of the 48 suspects, were already in court at various levels of prosecution, while three have been convicted.”

Babalola also recalled that the FBI released a list of fraudsters that are under investigation and expressed regret that substantial number of those on the list are Nigerians.

Babalola said: “We have the list and we are monitoring the names on the list”.

He lamented that “the activities of these fraudsters are capable of eroding credibility of Nigeria and Nigeri-

ans and causing problems for the integrity of our business men abroad and also causing problem for the nation.”

He said the commission is in collaboration with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI and INTERPOL to rid the country of economic and financial crimes.

He also noted that besides launching frontal attacks on fraudsters, the commission has also embarked on sensitisation campaign to NYSC camps, schools and motor parks and other locations within the zone to sensitise the public, especially the youths, on financial crime.

OIC reaffirms internationally recognized status of Jammu, Kashmir dispute, calls for plebiscite Innocent Odoh, Abuja

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he Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has reaffirmed the internationally recognized status of Jammu, Kashmir dispute even as it expressed concerns over the unilateral decision taken by India on August 5, revoking Constitutional Article 370, thereby removing the special status of the Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir.

The General Secretariat of the OIC in a statement made available to our correspondent by the Pakistani High Commission to Nigeria further restated its position on the United Nations Security Council Resolutions on a UN-supervised plebiscite in the region- contrary to India’s claims that the issue was a bilateral one.

The statement said the OIC had been “following with concern” the developments in Jammu and Kashmir after New Delhi’s unilateral decision to revoke Indian-

administered Kashmir’s constitutionally assured special status on August 5th, and declare it a part of mainstream India.

It recalled that at the OIC Summit decisions and Council of Foreign Ministers resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir, the General Secretariat reiterated the solidarity with the people of Jammu and Kashmir. It called for the immediate lifting of the curfew, restoration of communication and the respect for the fundamental rights of the Kashmiris.

“Recognizing the centrality of the issue of Jammu and Kashmir dispute between Pakistan and India and the need for seeking a durable and just solution according to the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council, the General Secretariat stresses the need for the resumption of dialogue process between Pakistan and India, which is a prerequisite for development, peace and stability in South Asia,” the statement said

NewsFeature Despite all odds, Abia Polytechnic is geared towards being more technically-driven – Rector UDOKA AGWU, Umuahia.

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riday Ezionye Eboh, a professor of Management, and rector of Abia State Polytechnic, Aba, who mounted the saddle of leadership of the institution on February, 7, 2018, has pledged to take the school to a greater height.

On assumption, he met a decayed system, ranging from many months of unpaid salaries, allowances and staffers’ whose morale was at the lowest ebb.

Eboh disclosed that the staff strength was overbloated with 1,400, with over 100 part-time lecturers, whose monthly wage bill was in excess of N5.5million.

Three TETFUND intervention projects were equally abandoned which, he hinted, led to the suspension of TETFUND interventions to the Polytechnic.

The Rector noted that before his arrival to the institution, recurrent industrial actions were the order of the day which led to interruption in academic activities, while overdue bank facility of N164million with Union Bank was yet to be settled. In addition, there was a court judgment debt of N119million in favour of EO Jonas & Associates, and

several others hydra-headed problems hanging on neck of the Polytechnic.

Undaunted by the challenges, the Eboh-led management team swung into action by first reducing the staff strength to 1,252 through age and certificate verification exercises, while parttime lectures were reduced to 60.

With thestaff verification exercise, monthly wage bill was equally reduced to N165million and average monthly pension increased to N6.5million.

The professor further disclosed that arrears of honorarium to part-time lecturers has been paid up to 2017/2018 session in most departments, while staff salaries for 10 months in 2017 and 2018 respectively have been totally paid.

He sa i d ap a rt fro m paying staff salaries for the period mentioned, 10 months’pension arrearsin 2017 and nine months in 2018 have equally been paid by his administration.

Equally, the Union unremittedmany months’checkoff dues have been settled up to 2018, while the management has reached an understanding with the Board of Internal Revenue (ABIR) on PAYE arrears and has since been remitting in line with the

agreement.

In order to checkmate truancy among members of staff, the institution has introduced a biometric clock-in system which would be fully effective after its forthcoming rationalisation exercise.

The present administration in its bid to drive effective admissions, screening, fee payment, e-receipt, course registration, clearance and on-line result functionalities has activated the hitherto dormant school management portal.

According to Eboh, his administration has eliminated revenue leakages through the use of this portal as all fee collections now go through

Eboh

the portal and direct to the bank.

Before Eboh’s arrival, TETFUND had withdrawn its interventions to Abia State Polytechnic toabandonment of its projects in the institution.

The Rector revealed that TETFUND has restored interventions to the Polytechnic with the construction of three new blocks of classrooms and offices going on simultaneously at Osisioma.

He also said that work has commenced on the three abandoned TETFUND intervention projects, adding that as at now, the auditorium is at painting stage, the two-storey classroom block

at Osisiomais at plastering stage, while the Science block has been roofed.

The administration within this period has attracted most academic staff training sponsorship to employees, both teaching and nonteaching, including overseas scholarships.

The Professor also said that the institution has enrolled its students to a Tertiary Institution Students Health Insurance Programme (TISHIP) for their health care services, while the management has equally deployed and launched a campus wide wifi internet facility for the community.

In order to shore up its internally generated revenue (IGR), the institution under Eboh’s watch has reactivated key business units of the institution such as; the bakery, pepperoni, and bookshop with improvement in its EED programmes.

Eboh, within the short period he assumed office, has attracted more courses to the institution which include Mass communication, College of MaritimeStudies for courses in Maritime and Shipping, as well as Minda Technologies for courses in cell phone repairs- both on PPP arrangement.

He told BDSUNDAY that the institution has also part-

nered ASFAT and LEGMA (Fashion designers/ tailors and shoe and leather work manufacturers in Aba for certificate programmes.

“As at today, and against all odds, we have completed the first semester examinations of the 2018/19 academic session. It can only be God,” enthused the Rector.

He also said that against all odds, the institution has been growing from strength to strength in Science and Technology, adding that in the past the institution was named as the best technically-driven instituton in the country.

“The National Board for Technical Education gave a standing ovation last year to Abia Polytechnic as the best Polytechnic in Nigeria that is technically-driven,” Eboh said.

The Rector noted that it was not a mistake on the part of the founding fathers of the institution to choose Aba because of the ingenuity of artisans in the city.

He revealed that Aba, being the commercial nerve centre of South-East and home of SMEs in Nigeria, the Polytechnic would always provide the needed training for the artisans to ensure that they meet up with the needed quality and global standard in modern technology.

10 Inside Lagos

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Sanwo-Olu strengthens capacity of security agencies with 155 patrol vehicles, motorcycles ... to unveil new policy on Okada operation

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stories by JOSHUA BASSEY

o further strengthen the capacity of security operatives in the fight against crimes and criminality, Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has presented 120 patrol vehicles and 35 motorcycles to security agencies in the state.

The vehicles were acquired through the auspices of the Lagos State Security Trust (LSSTF), an initiative of the government, with strong support from corporate organisations and well-meaning individuals.

At the event, Thursday, which was part of the activities building up to the 100 days in office of Sanwo-Olu, the governor reaffirmed the resolve of his administration to continue to tackle crimes and make Lagos more attractive to businesses and residents.

According to SanwoOlu, the idea behind the establishment of the LSSTF has remained fascinating 13 years after.

“Security and good governance happens to be the sixth pillar of our ‘THEMES’ policy agenda and we have attempted modestly to ensure that we engage each and ev-

Some of the 120 Vehicles and 35 motorcycles presented to security agencies in the state by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

ery of those pillars, and what we are doing today is a demonstration of our commitment to good governance by ensuring that the dividends of democracy are not just felt but are also things that people can feel, see and we can act on,” he said.

The governor, while reacting to the recent reprisal attack against xenophobia in Lagos, warned residents to shun criminality and lawlessness, saying, “That no one should be found on the other side of the law”.

He assured that Federal Government was already handling the issue diplomatically, urging Lagosians to remain peaceful and orderly at all times.

“Security of lives and property is not only critical to us it is something that we will not turn deaf ears to.

“Lagos will continue to remain safe, Lagos will continue to be a place security will not be taken for granted and based on the incidents that have happened in the last two days, the government will certainly not condone any incident where we have break down of law,” he said.

Chairman, board of trustees, LSSTF, Oye Hassan-Odukale, observed that Lagos was the safest place in Nigeria.

Hassan-Odukale thanked individuals and corporate organisations

that have continued to contribute to the fund, noting that the support has been coming without recourse for LSSTF to appeal or send reminders to them for donations.

Meanwhile, the state government is to unveil new policy and guideline for the operation of motorcycles around the Lagos metropolis within the next few weeks.

Sanwo-Olu stated this while addressing Lagosians who gathered at the LTV Blue Roof, Ikeja, to mark the 100 days in office of the government. The governor said this has become necessary to ensure that operators of motorcycles obey the laws of the state.

LASG launches ‘Blue Box’ to promote waste management SEYI JOHN SALAU

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agos State Government has launched the ‘Blue Box’ programme, an initiative to promote proper refuse management and encourage the culture of waste sorting at points of generation across the state.

Th e b l u e b o x p r o gramme is a move away from the old habits of dumping all kinds of waste in one container for eventual evacuation to transfer loading station or landfill sites in the state. With this new initiative, Lagosians would be required to sort their waste by dropping trash into the appropriate boxes based on the characterisation indicated by the state Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA).

At the launch of the blue box, the state gov-

ernor, Babajide SanwoOlu said it was a single stream recyclable collection programme that will encourage separation of recyclable materials from the general waste at the point of generation.

According to SanwoOlu, the bags will be collected on designated dates by the assigned recycler and transported to the sorting hubs on designated days of the week. Respective recycling companies who are franchise holders (PSP operators) would come to pick up the boxes.

Tunji Bello, the state commissioner for environment and water resources said, the dearth of sufficient land space has adversely affected waste management in Lagos, hence the old way to waste management cannot be sustained.

According to him, the launch of the blue box

programme involves the modernisation of waste management system in Lagos.

“This will ultimately minimise our waste and drastically reduce what is left to be transported to the landfills and also eliminate illicit disposal via our drainage system,” said Bello.

Olumuyiwa Gbadegesin, the managing director/CEO of LAWMA, said colour-coded bags would be distributed by recyclers and environmental volunteer corps who will educate and encourage participation and also collate data on the field.

According to him, the collected recyclables will then be transported to the community recycling centre within the locality for further sorting and sale to off-takers.

Therefore, as a way of encouraging compliance,

LAWMA will promote the sorting culture with a reward system where participating households would accumulate coupons distributed by the franchisee that will be exchanged with several redeemable options, which include but not limited to reduction in amount paid for waste bills.

Gbadegesin further explained that the community recycling centres will be a platform to harness the expertise of the scavengers, where LAWMA will re-orientate and reintegrate them as resource managers, thereby allaying the negative impact of their means of livelihood.

“We will engage respective communities and deploy massive public enlightenment and sensitisation, to encourage public support and general compliance”.

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Sunday 08 September 2019

LAHA gives condition for NURTW to continue in Lagos

L

agos State House of Assembly has threatened the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) with proscription if the wave of violence by the union continues in the state.

Recall that some members of the union last week staged a protest to the assembly complex to denounce the emergence of Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly known as M.C Oluomo, as the caretaker committee chairman of the union in Lagos. The protesters alleged that Akinsanya was imposed on them.

They also alleged that Akinsanya and his supporters were working against the constitution of the union, insisting that being one of the contenders for the union’s chairmanship, he (Akinsanya) should not have been appointed chairman of the caretaker committee.

But the house of assembly, while deliberating on the protest by the aggrieved union members, following a motion moved

by Victor Akande, who represents Ojo I constituency, during plenary, warned the union against violence in the state.

Akande said that the protesters allegedly threatened that there would be bloodshed in the state if the government did not intervene in the issue.

But contributing, to the motion, Olawale Olayiwola representing Mushin constituency II, urged his colleagues to as a matter of urgency, look into the matter.

According to Olayiwola, issues involving NURTW is one that requires urgent intervention.

“We should ensure adequate security whenever

they want to conduct their election and we should counsel them to accept whatever the outcome of their election is,” he said.

On his part, Rotimi Olowo representing Shomolu I, said it was high time the union members were cautioned on their activities.

“We should let them know that we will not continue to condone violence from their end. They cannot continue to kill in the name of electing a chairman.

“We should let them know that if they engage in any other form of violence again, we will proscribe their union,” he said.

Abiodun Tobun, representing Epe 1, said that the union members had been killing themselves because of the money they were making in the state.

“They are making too much money from the state and that is why they are engaging in violence and killing every time.

The deputy speaker of the house, Wasiu SanniEshinlokun, said his constituency, Lagos Island had been in chaos in the past few days because of violent clashes among members of the union.

Speaker of the house, Mudashiru Obasa, said that if they were earning a living from the motor parks, they should be able to maintain peace and orderliness there.

“Their election should not cause crisis and whenever they start their crises, innocent people are always the ones to suffer.

“If they should continue to engage in any crisis, we will not hesitate to place a ban on them. We will write Governor Babajide SanwoOlu, to warn them not to engage in violence, else we will place a ban on them,” he said.

Police arraign 2 for stabbing neighbour in stomach

T

wo friends were on Friday arraigned before an Ogudu Magistrate Court, Lagos, for allegedly stabbing their neighbour in the stomach with a broken bottle.

The police charged Sukunmi Osoloye,33 and Afeez Sani, 30, who reside in Ifako area of Lagos state, with conspiracy and causing grievous harm.

The prosecution counsel, Donjour Perezi, told the court that the defendants committed the offence on August 29.

Ihiehie alleged that the first defendant, Osoloye and Sani stabbed Oyindaramola Oyetoro, during an argumen.

He alleged that the complainant sustained life threatening injuries as

he was left there to bleed to death.

The offence, he said, contravened the provisions of sections 173 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised).

Section 173 prescribes a three-year jail term for offenders if convicted.

The defendants, however, denied the charges.

The magistrate, Bukola Mogaji, admitted the defendants to bail in the sum N100, 000 with two sureties in like sum with a proviso that the sureties must be a clergy man or a community leader with three years tax payment to the Lagos State government.

Mogaji adjourned the case until October for mention.

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Okumagba and the call for greater service at NDDC

EDITOR Zebulon Agomuo

When Okumagba is inaugurated, he will be presiding over the NDDC that sits atop N300billion annual budget, and will be taking decisions on hundreds of ongoing projects and programmes with thousands of contractors and consultants milling around his office.

He will also, on a weekly basis, be inundated by an avalanche of proposals and hundreds of requests. And right decisions he must make.

Observers are already forecasting that development in the Niger Delta region of the country will soon witness a boost with the coming of Olorogun Okumagba.

This renewed optimism by the people of the region is as a result of Okumagba’s track record as an achiever, team player and a highly dedicated professional that does not compromise efficiency in the delivery of mandate.

His nomination by President Muhammadu Buhari has also been described as appropriate and one which did not come to Niger Deltans, and indeed, Nigerians, as a surprise given his track record as a tested and trusted manager of public resources.

The incoming NDDC boss is highly professional in discharging his duties, de-tribalised, target-oriented and is known to pay attention to details in order to get the best in his line of duty and with limited resources.

The reconstitution of the

Frank Aigbogun

DEPUTY EDITOR John Osadolor, Abuja EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, OPERATIONS Fabian Akagha EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, STRATEGY, INNOVATION & PARTNERSHIPS Oghenevwoke Ighure ADVERT MANAGER Ijeoma Ude FINANCE MANAGER Emeka Ifeanyi MANAGER, CONFERENCES & EVENTS Obiora Onyeaso BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER (South East, South South) Patrick Ijegbai COPY SALES MANAGER Florence Kadiri DIGITAL SALES MANAGER Linda Ochugbua GM, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT (North)

Bashir Ibrahim Hassan

GM, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT (South) Ignatius Chukwu HEAD, HUMAN RESOURCES Adeola Obisesan

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD

FESTUS MASAJUWA Masajuwa, a public relations expert, writes from Lagos

W

hen the Senate resumes from its 8-week recess, one of the urgent assignments it will attend to is the confirmation of the appointment of Bernard Okumagba as substantive chief executive officer of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NNDC).

NDDC was established in 2000 with the mission of facilitating the rapid, even and sustainable development of the Niger Delta into a region that is economically prosperous, socially stable, ecologically regenerative and politically peaceful.

The Federal Government had recently announced Okumagba from Delta State, as the new boss of the Commission.

NDDC has been running for some months now, on an interim basis, following the resignation of Nsima Ekere, who left to try his luck in the last gubernatorial election in his native state of Akwa Ibom on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Board of NDDC by President Buhari and the appointment of the new CEO have received the approval of many Nigerians who hailed the development, irrespective of some pockets of agitations bordering on tribalism and politics as against merit and objectivity.

Okumagba is just the best man for the job at this material point in time. For many of us from the Niger Delta, it is a disaster that NDDC has not lived out its purpose of establishment despite huge allocations that had been appropriated to it since inception. It was a Commission that was well-thought out, but the people of the Niger Delta have not really drunken to the fullest of the abundant milk that flows from that Commission. Year-in, year-out, there are sad stories of shattered dreams, gross mismanagement of funds and allegations of mindless looting. I am very optimistic that the nomination/appointment of Okumagba will put laughter on the faces of people of the Niger Delta.

Over the years, selfishness has been the major factor militating against quality service at NDDC. But Okumagba , having established himself as a trusted Nigerian with an enviable record of success in his areas of operation, will continue on the right trajectory that endeared him to the President. I am persuaded that his coming on board this time

around will mean that the Niger Delta people are in for a nice time. And I have no doubt that he will not disappoint.

A distinguished former senior banker with the United Bank for Africa (UBA), Okumagba also served as commissioner for economic planning and later finance in the Emmanuel Uduaghan administration between 2007 and 2015.

He also served as commissioner for Economic Planning, Delta State.

Presently, Olorogun Bernard Oboatarhieyeren Okumagba holds the position of chairman of Regents Consults Ltd, and chairman, Noly Insurance Brokers Ltd. He is also on the board of Abbey Mortgage Bank Plc and Associate Member at the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria.

He had also occupied the position of senior manager at First Atlantic Bank Plc and head, Risk Management Department & Banking Division at Fidelity Bank Plc. He received an undergraduate degree from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), and also passed through Government College Ughelli, Delta State.

Meanwhile, pending the confirmation of the nomination by the Senate, Akwagaga Lelegima Enyia, from Tombia, one of the few upland towns in Bayelsa State, is in acting capacity at the NDDC.

Imo Itsueli Mohammed Hayatudeen Afolabi Oladele Vincent Maduka Opeyemi Agbaje Amina Oyagbola Bolanle Onagoruwa Fola Laoye Chuka Mordi Mezuo Nwuneli Charles Anudu Tunji Adegbesan Eyo Ekpo Wiebe Boer Paul Arinze Boye Olusanya Ayo Gbeleyi

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PhotoSplash

L-R: Tokunbo Olukunle, head, lubricants marketing, OVH Energy; Jacob Omonide Fayehun, chairman, National Automobile Technician Association (NATA); Morufdeen Arowolo, chairman, Motormechs and Technician Association of Nigeria (MOMTAN), and Gbola Oba, chairman, Automedics, at the Oleum Academy Alumni Reunion held in Lagos.

L-R: Evelyn Agbonifo, 1st vice president, Ikeja Metro Lions Club; Simeon Akindele, club service chairperson; John Oriazowan, club president; Ahmed Olusi, club secretary; Ruth Nwachukwu, club tamer, and Kehinde Shoguwa, international convention chairperson, at the September Activity on Childhood Cancer Awareness Campaign held at Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu Primary Health Centre, Ikeja.

L-R: Ayodele Okeniyi, fixed income product analysts, The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE); Sunday Aroni, National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) Lagos State Coordinator, and Ekechi Ogwo, retail investor coverage analyst, NSE shared with Corp members the various investment opportunities in the capital market at the NYSC Lagos Camp.

L-R: Udeme Ufot, MD, SO&U Saatchi & Saatchi; Ore Famurewa, corporate affairs director, FrieslandCampina WAMCO/winner, Women In Marketing and Communications Conference and Award (WIMCA) for Outstanding Female Corporate Communications Professional of the Year 2019 (FMCG category), and Bunmi Oke,CEO/lead consultant, Ladybird Ltd at WIMCA 2019 in Lagos, recently

L-R: Tochukwu Ezeukwu, SMEs consultant; Yetunde Moito, manager, Murtala Mohammed Way Branch (Ilorin, Kwara State), First City Monument Bank (FCMB); Paul Adebo, head SME Liability of the Bank; Oluremi Agboola, head SME Assets, and Success Sanmi, official of Kofsol Group, at the Business Enterprises and Sustainability Training (BEST) organised by the Bank for SMEs in Ibadan, Oyo State.

Lion Wesley Kafidiya (m), district governor 404B2 Nig; Ademola Adesoye (6th l), 1st vice district governor 404B2 Nigeria; Kayode Oshinuga (4th r), 2nd vice district governor 404B2 Nigeria flanked by members of Ikeja Exclusive Lions Club with them is Opeyemi Labake 200 level Biology Student of University of Ibadan who was presented with a wheelchair, at the Club Public Presentation of a new President and Fundraising for Community Projects

L-R: Bola Ajibola, chairman, Senior Citizens Care Foundation; Olusanya Dosunmu, Olowu of Owu/ chairman, SIFAX group; Taiwo Afolabi, group executive vice chairman, SIFAX Group, and Jide Taiwo, executive director, Senior Citizens Care Foundation, at the induction of Afolabi as an ambassador for the Rights and Care of Elderly in Nigeria by the foundation in Lagos.

L-R: Adedayo Ojo, vice president, Public Relations Consultants Association of Nigeria (PRCAN); Jaiye Opayemi, president, PRCAN; Martha Okpeke, assistant secretary General, PRCAN; Bolaji Abimbola, publicity secretary, PRCAN, and Raheem Olabode, treasurer, PRCAN, during the inauguration of new executives of PRCAN in Lagos

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BDSUNDAY 13

THE PROLOGUE

Xenophobia: When South Africa sinned ‌a diplomatic row ensued

F

or many days now, the media has been awash with the news about the madness in South Africa. The xenophobic attacks, which have left many Nigerians dead and several others mortally injured, have continued for many years. Past and present governments in Nigeria had treated the issue with kid gloves. But it seems now that South Africa, a country that has hugely benefitted, over the years, from the big brother role of

Nigeria, has crossed the red line. The latest attacks have provoked a diplomatic row between Nigeria and South Africa, as both nations have recalled their ambassadors and shut the gates of their embassies until further notice. The large-heartedness of the Nigerian leaders prevented a reprisal that would have been catastrophic, particularly when they reasoned that it is infantile to cut one’s nose to spite own face. Events are still unfolding, but truth be told, the madness is indeed, an ill wind that blows no one any good. OBINNA EMELIKE writes:

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Sunday Magazine

Xenophobia: When South Africa ‘sinned’ …a diplomatic row ensued I OBINNA EMELIKE

f there is one news item that has trended on social media and reported in the print version more than any issue in recent time, it is the recent xenophobic attacks.

Going by Google analytics, in just four days, xenophobia has been searched 27, 700,000 (twenty seven million, seven hundred thousand) times by people across the world seeking to catchup with the ugly development in some parts of South Africa.

As at today, many African countries are protesting the killings of other Africans and destruction of their properties by their South African brothers.

Some countries like Rwanda, DRC Congo, and Malawi boycotted the World Economic Forum in Cape Town in protest to the killings, others like Nigeria have gone ahead to recall their ambassadors to South Africa, issuing travel advisory, corporates and individuals are calling off trips amid blockade of South African drivers along the Southern-Eastern Africa highways.

With the many killings, lootings and destruction of properties in some parts of South Africa this September, flags should be flying at half-mast across the continent because Africa is bleeding from stabbings by one of her own.

While Africa cannot throw away the baby with the bathwater, the successive governments in the country (apart from Nelson Mandela) are to be blamed for providing poor leadership, which has overtime resulted in uneven development, and lack of confidence by the people who are now taking laws in the hands.

Sadly, xenophobia would have been a thing of the past if government had taken decisive action when it first reared its ugly head in January 1995 in Alexandra Township outside of Johannesburg, when armed youth gangs destroyed homes and properties of migrants and marched the victims to the local police station, demanding the immediate deportation of the foreigners.

Those youths who started these avoidable attacks are probably living large and free today to witness series of more violent attacks across the country in 1998, 2000, 2008, 2009, 2013, 2015, 2016, and 2017.

But the attacks have continued in spite of several promises of safety and prosecution of culprits, which the South African government never kept until this current episode that Africa is fiercely rising up against.

In view of the fact that over the years, many of the victims of the attacks have been Nigerians,

the Nigerian government has received many bashings from her citizens at home and abroad for not taking decisive action to protect her citizens and assert her leadership role in Africa, instead always referring to her foreign policy that seek to protect other African countries’ interest before her own.

At the height of the killing of Nigerians abroad, Bola Akinterinwa, a professor and former, director general, Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, lamented that Nigerians abroad have continued to be the target of attacks because they were not protected by the nation’s foreign policy.

In the 2013 xenophobic attacks, former President Goodluck Jonathan signed a Memorandum of Understanding with South Africa to re-enforce diplomatic ties, yet the attacks continued. In 2015, the Senate Committee on Diaspora came up with a motion on the floor of the Senate on the matter, but no action followed their deliberations.

Senator Rose Oko, the Senate Committee Chairman on Diaspora, then urged the Fed-

eral Government to take harder stance against South Africa, as well, Rita Orji, the then chairman, House Committee on Diaspora Matters, decried the Federal Government’s attitude towards the protection of Nigerians outside the country, saying the government paid more attention to remittances from citizens abroad than their welfare.

The lawmakers vowed that even if the government decided to keep quiet in the midst of the incessant attacks on Nigerians, especially in South Africa, they would not keep mute, but more Nigerians died the following year in another series of attacks and nothing happened, even the MoU did not help.

But the country seems to have woken from her slumber in the face of the present attack, especially with the recalling of the Nigerian ambassador to South Africa, issuance of travel advisory, boycott of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Cape Town, offer to evacuate Nigerians resident in the country with Air Peace offering to fly them back, threat of sanctions, among others

expected to be announced if the meeting of the Special Envoy of President Muhammadu Buhari with the South African president did not bear good fruit.

It seems everybody has woken up. On Wednesday, Adams Oshiomhole, national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), fired from all cylinders, calling on the Federal Government to fight back using diplomatic tools, particularly nationalising South African businesses in Nigeria.

“In order to send a very strong message to South African authorities and the South African people, it is worth it for the Nigerian government to take steps to take over the remaining shares of MTN that are owned by South Africans so that MTN becomes fully Nigeria-owned.

“If Nigeria decides at least for the next 30 days to stop using MTN, they would have sent a clear message,” the party chairman said during an emergency National Working Committee (NWC) meeting of the ruling party in Abuja.

Some people, who bought the nationalisation idea of the APC chairman, said a complete takeover of businesses owned by South Africans in Nigeria would force the country to take the needed action to stop attacks on other Africans in their country.

They think government can start by revoking the licenses granted to banks owned by the South Africans in the country.

“After Independence, Nigeria nationalised all British Companies in the country and the ‘Great Britain’ did not go to war, So, we can do same with South Africa and nothing will happen”, Michael Atama, a lwayer said.

In same vein, top Nigerian business executives who were at the World Economic Forum in Cape Town, were seen rushing to catch their flights back to Nigeria on hearing the issuance of travel advisory by the Nigerian government. Observers noted that this is happening for the first time, but should be sustained now the wound is still fresh in order to force the South African government to take actions that would put a stop to xenophobia in the country.

“We should no longer sacrifice our own national interest just because we want to be the big brother of a people that do not recognise the role, the enormous and the huge sacrifices that other countries made over the years to protect and defend the interest of black South Africans and the African continent”, one of them said.

Of course, South African businesses are getting heavy punches from supposedly customers across Africa. From Zambia , Tanzania to Nigeria, South African brands and franchise shops are closed to curtail evasions, looting and destructions by angry mob who are going violent in their protests against the September xenophobia attacks, regarded as the worst ever because of the huge human casualties and loss of properties worth millions of dollars.

With the ensuing development, it seems more African countries are going to isolate South Africa this time, and sadly offering her the opportunity to walk alone and probably back to her old shackles and chains.

While that may sound impossible in this 21st century, many people argue that it is only political freedom that is secured in the country as sadly; the economy is still in hands of the whites South Africans.

Again, the sad thing for many observers is that South Africa, which many African nations made different sacrifices that aided her freedom and the end of the infamous apartheid regime by the white occupiers in 1994, is now turning against fellow African brothers.

Mark Izembi, a Zimbabwean history lecturer, explained that if there is place black people should call home in the world, it should be South Africa because of the love other Africans showered on them during their most difficult era in history.

“I think xenophobia is a show of ungratefulness to other Africans, while the whites who killed their ancestors are free on the African soil”, he said.

However, the history lecturer blamed the sustained xenophobic attacks on the failure of black South African leaders to tell the

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Sunday Magazine younger generation the sacrifices of other African countries that helped in freeing them from the racist apartheid regime.

“I think history is no longer taught in schools today. If it is taught, the curriculum should be broadened to meet African specifics and not tailored to suit the half-baked stories of the western world”, he suggested.

But in the case that the younger generation were taught and they refuse to learn, recognise and appreciate the good gestures of other Africans, Ferdinand Adama, a Nigerian resident in South Africa, said the government should have taken decisive action at the first attack in 1995 to stop further occurrence.

“If the youth gangs who started it were prosecuted then, nobody will hear of xenophobia today. Somehow, they were celebrated and now the situation is out of hand, hence the series of attacks”, Adama said.

For those who argue that the perpetrators were attacking foreigners for taking their jobs, Prince Agaye, a Ghanaian spray painter, cried out in self-made video after his mechanic workshop, which employed over 10 South African youths, was burnt by the attackers.

“I offered them job, pay all dues, and befriend them, yet they watch their brothers burn our workshop. They will go back to the streets, where most of them came from, while I return to Ghana”, the auto painter lamented.

He is more concerned about those who have impressed him on the job because with no workshop to hone their craft and earn a living, they may likely go back to the streets.

“My worry is not for the over 20 cars the owners brought for repairs, which were burnt, because everybody witnessed the attacks.

I am concerned about the boys who I think are good on the job.

They will be vulnerable to crime if they are not engaged for some time,” he said.

Agaye’s worry is part of the post xenophobia impact on the poor local economy, coupled with the growing level of unemployment.

But the impact is going to spread to the economy of the entire country if citizens of other African countries heed to the travel advisory and several boycott calls.

Currently, Tiwa Savage, a Nigerian singer and songwriter, who was billed to perform at the DStv Delicious International Food and Music Festival this September, has called off the concert

in solidarity with the victims of the recent xenophobia attacks in South Africa.

The songstress, who was born as Tiwatope Savage joined the protest on twitter and gave reason for calling off the concert in South Africa on her twitter handle; @TiwaSavage, saying, “I refuse to watch the barbaric butchering of my people in SA. This is SICK. For this reason I will NOT be performing at the upcoming DSTV delicious Festival in Johannesburg on the 21st of September. My prayers are with all the victims and families affected by this”.

Aside the DStv Delicious festival, the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz (JOJ) is also taking place this month-September 26-28 at Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg.

As well, Etuk Ubong (Nigeria) and Kyekyeku (Ghana) are two West African jazz artistes who are among the line-up of artistes for the jazz concert.

Already, fans of Etuk Ubong are calling on him to call off the event in South Africa as Tiwa Savage did, while Ghanaian fans of Kyekyeku are expected to do same in solidarity with the victims of the September xenophobia attack, especially fellow West Africans who lost properties and lives while the attacks lasted.

However, musicians from countries in the Southern African Region (SADEC), especially Zambia and Zimbabwe are also calling off jobs in South Africa for now.

This is a bad trend for the South African and African music industry as artistes begin to reject offers that ordinarily would have impacted their career, the industry and the African economy at large.

While most Africa music artistes are likely going to shun events in South Africa, also artistes from the country would be scared stepping out to other African countries for fear of being mobbed.

Yesterday, the organisers of the 16th Abuja International Film Festival suspended all South African film entries submitted for the festival.

Fidelis Duker, the founder of the festival, said the painful decision was in solidarity with the global outcry against xenophobia and call for boycott South African products and services in Nigeria.

With the development, South African filmmakers whose films were expected to win big at the awards slated this October are going to lose out.

As well, tour operators and

travel agencies are crying as the travel advisory issued by Nigeria is already working against South Africa with many clients canceling their trips to South Africa. If nothing is done to assure safety of other Africans in South Africa, more people will be looking elsewhere for holiday, education and business while flights will begin to decline, leaving most airlines, especially South African Airways, which is struggling, with empty seats.

“Knowing that South Africa is a holiday destination, the country should have done whatever it takes to ensure safety of visitors. Now, Africans that constitutes 70 percent of their tourist arrivals are not coming again.

The numbers from traditional markets of Europe and Asia are declining because of Brexit and trade wars. South Africa should have been smart enough not to spill African blood on her soil no matter the level of provocation”, Tunji Amoda, a tour operator said.

According to Hajia Bilkisu Abdul, national president, Nigeria Association of Tour Operators (NATOP) and founder/CEO, BBOOG Travels and Tours, South Africa has proven to be unsafe and tour operators cannot take clients to unsafe destinations because they are paying money to enjoy good experiences and not to be killed.

Religious tourism is also impacted as many South Africans planning to visit some Nigerian churches on pilgrimage, particularly The Synagogue run by Prophet Temitope B. Joshua in Lagos, are likely going to call off the trips, as well, Nigerian pastors billed to preach in South Africa this time are likely going to call off the trips.

However, the recent attacks have resulted in huge economic losses on the part of the victims, and especially South African businesses across Africa.

In Nigeria, many aggrieved citizens made attempts at breaking into MTN shops, DStv offices and even targeting some branches of Stanbic IBTC Bank. Investors of MTN Nigeria Plc. have lost about N40 billion in two days over xenophobic attacks.

The most impacts were at Shoprite stores at the Lekki Mall,

Abuja, Ibadan and other places where aggrieved mob attacked, some looted items and others threw any object in sight at the stores just to express their displeasure over the killings of fellow Africans in some parts of South Africa.

The attack at the Lekki Mall resulted in one casualty. The reprisal attacks on some South African businesses in the country was further fueled by the comments of some politicians such as Orji Uzor Kalu, a senator, who said recently that MTN, DSTV, Shoprite deserve to be shut down, if attacks on Nigerians persist.

On an interview he granted to Sahara Reporters, Kalu said: “If the South African government does not do more to protect the lives of Nigerians, there should be no reason to allow them to operate freely in Nigeria. All their enterprises deserve to be closed down including MTN, DSTV, Shoprite, among others”.

It would be recalled that MTN Nigeria had, on Wednesday, confirmed attacks on its offices, saying that all MTN stores and service centres would be closed until further notice.

The company stated this in a letter sent to the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) by its Company Secretary, Uto Ukpanah. Ukpanah, in the letter, confirmed that over the last day, “our facilities, customers and some of our stakeholders have been the subject of attacks in retaliation for the ongoing xenophobia situation in South Africa.”

He said that the company had confirmed reports of attacks in Lagos, Ibadan and Uyo, hence all

the stores and service centres would be closed until further notice. “While we remain committed to providing uninterrupted services, the safety and security of our customers, members of staff and partners is our primary concern.

“All MTN stores and service centres will, therefore, be closed as a precaution, until further notice,” Ukpanah stated. As well, DStv, a sister company, is partially closed as most customers are urged to go online for their transactions.

Stanbic IBTC Bank branches across Nigeria are now heavily guarded by armed security.

Elsewhere in Zambia , aggrieved citizens have also attacked Shoprite outlets, as well as, in Johannesburg were some attackers broke in to loot from the shop’s outlet.

South African Airways is also receiving a full measure of the bashing as Nigerian passengers are cancelling their bookings in mass. The cancelation, according to a staff of the airline, would force the airline to shutdown if it persists as the Nigerian passengers make over 60 percent of their customers.

However, South Africa branded hotels are few now with the acquisition of Protea Hotel Group by Marriot International, so guest do really care for now.

However, everybody will be impacted as most cultural, business and educational exchanges are suspended for now, as both countries look at each other as enemies. Truly, Xenophobia is the ill wind that blows no one any good.

16 BDSUNDAY

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Sunday 08 September 2019

Focus

The Port Harcourt mosque crisis and the possible way out

•Did Gov Wike demolish a mosque or unknown structure? •Who owns the land: Govt, Edward Amadi, or Moslems? •Does the building have approved building plans and other documents?

•The religious and political implications and underlying factors? •Rays of hope: The way out Ignatius Chukwu

T

Introduction: he ‘mosque’ demolition saga in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has continued to rage as tempers continued to flare across the country. This has raised the issue of whether or not a ‘mosque’ was demolished or it was an unknown structure. The Nyesom Wike administration has continued to deny destroying any mosque, saying they were not aware of any mosque under construction at that part of the high-brow area of Trans-Amadi, in th sense that government did not approve any mosque building plans.

This has also raised the issue of who actually owns the three plots upon which the contentious structure was being raised; the state government, the seller Edward Amadi of Amadi-Ama or the Mosque trustees? Many investigators want to know if the builders had approvals and land papers, and they insist they had. All of this has generated tensions touching on politics and ethnicity. The governor admitted one week ago that he has been receiving calls from very prominent Nigerians and northerners on the matter. This may be true as the South-South chapter of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has taken over the matter and may have briefed Aso Rock, the Sultanate who is regarded as Wike’s fan, and the Emir of Kano, and many more; at least, this is what the ordinary Moslems in Port Harcourt believe.

BDSUNDAY gathered that some consultations and invitation to ACF leaders are also going on in Port Harcourt, raising hopes that the matter may be resolved soon, especially going by the tone of the trustees. Wike may use the opportunity of the celebration of 100 days in office to take a second look at the matter and use his powers to reach a political solution instead of use of only bulldozers and courts.

Did Gov Wike demolish a mosque or unknown structure?

The most important question on the lips of most Nigerians over the mosque saga is whether or not a mosque was demolished before going into the merits and demerits of the demolition. On August 6, 2019, the special adviser to Wike on electronic media, Simeon Nwakaudu, issued press statement after the governor took reporters to the location.

He stated: “Governor Wike said there was no Mosque on ground,

After demolition; before demolition: Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike at Biambo Street Off, School Road by Mami Market Junction, near Rainbow Estate on Monday, site of the non-existent Mosque, a few misguided persons claimed was demolished by the Rivers State Government

hence, nothing was demolished.”

“I received calls from several prominent Nigerians on the fake news being circulated online. I have come here with reporters and you can see there was no Mosque here.

“It is most unfortunate that fickle-minded persons will claim that a Mosque was demolished at this place, when no Mosque existed here. The story was concocted by mischief-makers to score cheap points,” he quoted Governor Wike.

What the government believes is that some persons started erecting illegal foundation at the disputed land, even though they had no approval to embark on any construction work. “The persons who started the foundation had already dragged the State Government to court on the disputed land.

The Rivers State Government won the case. What they attempted to do was to start the illegal construction to tie the hands of the State Government”.

The governor was so confident to ask the Muslim community in Rivers State to show him where a Mosque was demolished in the state, but advised them not to allow themselves to be used by politicians to peddle false stories against the Rivers State Government.

Other voices: Ethno-religious issues deteriorate fastest in Nigeria especially in a highly charged political situation. Thus, as Muslim leaders were studying the matter and calling for calm, not all supporters observed

the counsel. The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) joined the fray immediately and threatened that Governor Wike would not be allowed to rise politically beyond Rivers State, a statement that raised consternations in the oil region and made the Trans-Amadi Mosque Trustees appear to be fighting Wike.

MURIC declared the demolition as an attack on Islam and said: “The demolition is the most offensive and insidious attack on an Islamic landmark in that part of the country in recent times. This demolition exercise is illegal, unlawful and unconstitutional. It is an exhibition of gross, undiluted Islamophobia”.

MURIC said they had interviewed the Mosque leaders and that both the Chief Imam of TransAmadi Central Mosque, Haroon Muhammed, and the Secretary, Aliyu Sadiq, had provided evidence proving that due process was followed in purchasing the land.

The governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, and his predecessor, Shakarau, have pushed out strong words against Governor Wike, with Ganduje threatening to go to court. This has brought strong counters from the Rivers State Government House.

The Niger Delta ex-militant and an Alhaji, Asari Dokubo, has weighed in the matter, pouring venoms on his state governor. This has provoked the governor’s earlier declaration of Rivers as a Christian state. On the other hand, some persons have come to the defence

of Gov Wike. The member representing Khana/Gokana Federal Constituency, Dumnamene Dekor, stated that no mosque existed on the said land ab initio, as insinuated by critics of the governor.

The federal lawmaker and former Commissioner for Works in Rivers State said at no time was a mosque built on the said site, adding that no records from his predecessors showed that a mosque existed on the said land all through his period of service as works commissioner. He frowned against the unsavory comments of those he described as political desperadoes with no other aim than to incite the Muslim community against the State governor.

The lawmaker in a statement issued in Port Harcourt, Monday, wondered why these critics would continue to mouth over a matter which predated Governor Wike, having been resolved by a subsisting court judgment in Suit Number PHC/986/2012 between Registered Trustees of Trans Amadi Mosque, Port Harcourt (claimant) versus the Commissioner, Ministry of Urban Development and Physical Planning, Rivers State, the Governor of Rivers State and the Attorney General of Rivers State (defendants).

Dekor affirmed that the court in that judgment ruled that the claimants had no approval to build on the disputed land.

Government House fights back As the attacks flew from all

sides, home and outside, the media aides in the Port Harcourt Government House fought back through Nwakaudu.

He released the court judgment on which the governor hinged his demolition action.

The Judgment: Ruling in Suit Number PHC/986/2012 between RegisteredTrusteesofTrans-Amadi Mosque, Port Harcourt (Claimant) and the Commissioner, Ministry of Urban Development and Physical Planning,RiversState,theGovernor of Rivers State and the Attorney General of Rivers State (Defendants), Justice G.O. Omereji on Tuesday, 27th November, 2018 said: “It is very clear that from the above authorities, the effect of Exhibit K, the Certificate of Title in the instant case, the defendants, especially the 2nd and 3rd defendants have valid title to the land in dispute because the acquisition of the land as in Exhibit K by the Government extinguishes every prior existing title over the said land”.

Justice Omereji stated that it was clear that the claimant’s plan AI/ RV/2009/013 was charged on both the Ortho-Photo map and Greater Port Harcourt Acquisition of 1959 and that the said land is within the Greater Port Harcourt.

The Court declared that Exhibits J1 and J2 clearly show that the claimant purchased a a land from Dr. E.E. Amadi, which was already owned by the State Government following its acquisition by the Eastern Nigerian Government in 1959.

Justice Omereji held that: “The defendants have in Exhibits J, J1 and J2 inclusive of Exhibit K, which is the Certificate of Title, established that the land, the subject matter of this suit, was acquired in 1959 by the Government.

“My humble opinion is that the claimants have not established that they have better title to the land, the subject matter of this suit and they have not established that at the material time they were in possession and that the defendants do not have better title to the land”.

The Judge ruled that the defendants established that they have better title to the disputed land. “My humble opinion is that the claimants in this case have not established that they have better title to the land in dispute in this case. The issue I have considered in this suit is to be resolved in favour of the defendants (Rivers State Government) as against the claimants (Registered Trustees of Trans-Amadi Mosque, Port Harcourt)”, Justice Omereji ruled.

Sunday 08 September 2019

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BDSUNDAY 17

Focus

Shakarau

Ganduje

Rivers as a Christian State: This is the object of attack by Shekarau and all those under his sponsorship.

As governor of Kano State, Ibrahim Shekarau introduced Sharia and officially made the state a Muslim State. This action, according to him, was premised on the fact that over 95 percent of Kano people are Muslims. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo did nothing to stop him.

In 2008, Kano State Government under the leadership of Ibrahim Shekarau demolished Christ the King Catholic Church. The Kano State Urban Planning Development Agency (KANUPDA) demolished the Church because the Church lacked Certificate of Occupancy.

Shekarau’s administration said the structure of the church at Na’ibawa in Kumbotso Local Government was removed, after serving them a notice, advising them to prove its legitimacy or remove it within time.

In November 2003, Shekarau swore-in Hisbah, Zakkat, Sharia Commission Members to Consolidate his declaration that Kano is a Muslim State. The establishments’ members were sworn-in at Sani Abacha Stadium after a bill was passed into law by the state House of Assembly for the creation of the establishments. These were agencies of Kano State that promoted one religion to the detriment of others.

As Governor of Kano State, Shekarau compelled all Christian girls in his State to wear Hijab. Those who refused to wear hijab under the leadership of Shekarau were asked to withdraw and leave Kano State. As governor of Kano State, Shekarau burnt books believed not to promote the Islamic religion.

While Shekarau as governor emasculated the practice of Christianity in Kano State, Governor Wike has continued to promote religious tolerance. His declaration that Rivers is a Christian State is a statement of fact. Well over 98 percent of the indigenous population are Christians. Should Governor Wike apologise for stating the obvious?

Since assuming leadership in 2015, Governor Wike has continued to promote religious freedom and tolerance. There is religious harmony in Rivers State.

Origin of the Mosque BDSUNDAY gathered by interview of many Moslems that then governor, Peter Odili, demolished the Slaughter Market area and the place was lying fallow for years.

“Our people were praying in the area now serving as Rainbow Estate. It was acquired by then Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi for Rainbow Estate. We now contributed money to buy this plot of land in 2002 from Chief/Dr. Amadi so we could be praying there. It is three plots of land. It is this place that has been an issue.”

Legal history Legal adviser of the Mosque Trustees, G.B Sanusi throws some light Most actors in the saga have refrained to talk but after several levels of clearance, Sanusi agreed to field questions. He said his partner was kidnapped and did not return even after payment of ransom, leading to tension and fears. He gave insight into the legal steps of the saga since 2002.

We were actually building a 3-storey house, so it needed huge investment in the foundation work,

to the Government. In law, the evidence someone gave against himself caries highest weight. Based on this, we went ahead to begin construction and perfect our various papers. When the government later came under Amaechi to scatter our container in 2012, we sued for damages. It was the suit that G.O. Omereji ruled on in 2018 and said we lost. He ruled on title or ownership while what was before him was claim for damages. In law, such a suit is not weighed on ownership because even a tenant can sue the landlord but it is ruled on occupation. So, we filed for appeal because the Supreme Court is clear on that principle. You do not award what is not pleaded in court. We filed a claim, you ruled on land title.

For the appeal, we filed a motion to stop action on the mosque but the state government came and demolished it. In law, once a party has filed a motion and served you, you do not go ahead even though the motion is yet to be heard in open court.

Land papers: We have all the approvals needed because we know where we are. We have Deed of Conveyance, Building design approval, Charting declaring the place is not government land, etc.

What the Urban Ministry people are saying is that we should come

piling, etc. When they were demolishing it, calls were going round the country. This is because, three days earlier, they came to demolish it, but our people were taking photos. The men that came arrested our boys, beat them up, and took them away.

They were actually from Government House and so when they became uncomfortable, they took the boys to Amadi police station.

The DPO saw the papers and the said offence of the boys and chased away everybody; that he did not see any case there.

Land: We bought the land in 2002 from Chief/Dr. Edward Amadi from the Amadi-Ama community. I prepared the deed of conveyance.

When we moved to site, disturbances came, so we reported to him (Chief Amadi). He said he had gone to court against the state government.

Su i t s : He t o o k o u t Su i t No.PHC/2103/2002. The Rivers State Government filed a counter claim which in law is seen as a separate suit. Therefore, two suits existed. The suit by our landlord was struck out because it was found that he did not sign one of the documents. So, only one case remained on the matter, which was the one the Government filed.

The one the government filed was later dismissed because of the evidence given by their lawyer that the land actually did not belong

for revalidation, but this demand is not in writing. We are not aware that when you have your land papers, when you want to build, you go back for revalidation. We have approval to build fence which was given to the land seller signed by a director in Urban.

Amaechi: It was Amaechi that confiscated our 40ft container there to this day. He also did wirefencing around the area. We complained to the court about what the government did, and the court made an order for the government to repair it. The government complied.

Wike: When Wike took over, he did not disturb us all through his first tenure as most Nigerian governors do. They lie low till they get second term ticket. Now that he has won his second term, Urban people came and when we showed them all the approvals, they now talked about revalidation.

Charting: We paid the charting fee for over 10 times but it would hardly be issued to us. Some officials told us that the survey map was okay and showed it was not on government land. One day, we met the woman in charge and she asked us for the chart but we said we had paid severally without getting it.

She asked if we were ready to pay now, we said yes and paid. When her director learnt of it, he accused us buying the place he used to play

football as a child. He said it was Nkpogu people that owned it and that an Amadi-Ama man went and sold it to us. He made some personal vows. The matter ended in shouting match and we went away. At last, however, we got it.

The Omereji judgment: The Omereji court ruled that the land belongs to the Rivers State Government from the Eastern Nigeria Government which purportedly acquired it in 1959. But, the map shows clearly that the land is not within the place belonging to the Eastern Nigeria Government and Rivers State Government. The map shows it is at the corner. Besides, the seller did not sell only to the Moslems but he sold to churches and three churches are there now.

There is no dispute in those lands.

Why must it be only the one sold to build a mosque that is now called Government land?. That is where this matter moves from a land dispute to religious dispute.

Demolition; The next day, bulldozers came and demolished the upcoming building and dug out the foundation stones and pillars. Now, the Government says there was no mosque there. The congregation understands with us. Yes, they contributed all this money but they console us and said we have tried.

DSS: The DSS came to look into the matter for security implications.

To us, there is no security threat because we are not terrorists; we are not insulting anybody. We are not even trying to win at all cost because if you are doing this for God, do not fight for man. I am not charging any kobo for all this work I am doing for the Moslems. It is my own service to God. I do not go to look for these cases but they come to me. We are not out to show that we can humiliate the State Government, not at all.

The case at the UST is same.

Strong academic voice (The professor, Abduleazaq Kilani, Department of Religious & Cultural Studies, Faculty of Humanities, University of Port Harcourt) The professor delivered a Ramadan lecturer there this year. His interactions with the Trans-Amadi Muslims won his sympathy in the saga.

He said: Governor Nyesom Wikeactuallydemolishedamosque in Trans-Amadi. The place was barracks in the past. Look, Moslems are not opposed to development and do not protest demolition of mosques for development. Two mosques were once demolished in Borokiri area for schools and some other developments, but Moslems will always sacrifice for the sake of development.

Note also that Islam is a visible religion (we pray five times a day, plus once a week on Fridays). So, wherever Moslems are in numbers, they will have a mosque nearby. The land was bought from the Amadi family. Gov Amaechi was passing one day and stopped and asked; who is building on my land. Note the word, ‘my land’. So we still wonder if the land in question is government or personal land. This was why Moslems went to the Ministry of Lands for charting.

At a point, the owner/seller took the Government to court. Two cases are involved; one is between Amadi and the Government; the

other is between the Moslems and State Government. We found that there is a resolution between the Nkpogu and Amadi communities that mosque must not be built there, just for ego. The land is in between them. The same man (Amadi) sold land there to other buyers, and in fact, there are three churches there.

None was demolished. We sank a borehole there but we had to abandon it for some boys.

Was the place a mosque?

It was work in progress. The area is swampy, so piling work had to be extensive. That is why huge funds were sunk into piling work and this made it look like a dwarf building yet with pillars, columns and piling.

Approvals: There is nothing we did there that has no approval, from Amaechi time. We are law-abiding people.

Ourconclusionisthattheydonot want a mosque in that area. We are facing same thing at the UST (now RSU). It was demolished during Amaechi time. We took the matter to court and won. They went to appeal and we won. It is surprising that it is the State Government that now went to Supreme Court instead of the UST. Imagine the state government going up to Supreme Court for a small mosque in a university. Everywhere you go, you will see Catholic, Protestants,andPentecostalchurches and then a mosque. In the UST, there is no mosque. If universities weretrulyuniversalstudycentres,so you will tell Pakistanis teaching there that their children will not practise their faith?

We strongly believe there is a link between the UST matter and the Trans-Amadi matter. We believe the governor has been misadvised by interested parties from the two communities.

History of Islam in PH: In 1896, Lord Harcourt met Moslems in Elele. A mosque was in use in 1933 in Port Harcourt. Islam is not new in Rivers State. The impression is that Moslems are Hausa, poor and illiterate. It is not true that Amaechi relocated the Trans-Amadi mosque to Bori camp. There is only one mosque in Bori Camp. Moslems do not have two mosques in one place.

Wike declared Rivers State a Christian State, contrary to Section 38:1 of the 1999 Constitution he swore to defend. This is recipe for anarchy.

Certificate of Occupancy?

It is a community land, so you cannot ask for a Certificate of Occupancy. Besides, Rivers State Government does not issue land papers. It is only the Deed of Conveyance between you and the seller that you have. For 12 years, some of our people have asked for C/O to no avail. (But the Rivers State government said it issued hundreds of certificates of occupancy in the governor’s first one year in office, and keeps issuing). The Omereji court hinged its ruling on absence of C/O. Look, government officials always tell us that the place is not Government land but that they will not allow anybody build mosque there. Documents we have include: Charting; Approved Design to build. Court papers. I am close to that mosque because I was guest lecturer there at the last Ramadan fasting.

18 BDSUNDAY

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Sunday 08 September 2019

Politics

Kogi guber: Violence-ridden primaries signal danger signs ahead election

A

Iniobong Iwok

fter several months, weeks of campaign, lobbying and horsetrading, candidates of the leading two major political parties in Nigeria, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the main opposition, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for the November 16th gubernatorial election in Kogi State, have emerged.

Incumbent governor of the state, Yahaya Bello is seeking a re-election for a second term in office.

The Kogi governor has been heavily criticised over his style of leadership.

Political observers are of the view that his administration has failed to implement meaningful policies that would impact on the people or initiate infrastructural projects across the three Senatorial districts across the state.

His treatment of workers in the state leaves much to be desired, as civil servants are being owed salaries for several months.

His emergence, as the APC flag bearer, perhaps, did not come as a surprise to observers.

This is because, before the primary, there were speculations that the governor had the backing of top hierarchy in the party and the presidency for a second term ticket.

After days of intrigues, and reports of alleged disqualification of some of his opponents, he emerged winner of the APC governorship primary in the state, polling 3,091 votes from 3,596 delegates who participated in the indirect primary.

10 other aspirants participated in the primary, while one of them, Hassan Bewa, a member of the House of Representatives walked out of the venue of the primary, alleging high level of manipulation.

In the last few days, after the primary election, several of the gubernatorial candidates have rejected the result of the primary; they claimed that the process was rigged in favour of the governor.

Some of the aspirants were reported to have defected to other political parties to realise their ambition, and observers say that there could be more intrigues on the APC gubernatorial primary in the days ahead.

Also, in the camp of the opposition PDP, the battle for the party’s gubernatorial ticket was perhaps expected to be fierce.

Days to the primary, all eyes were on Senator Dino Melaye

Mahmood Yakubu

who represents Kogi west in the upper legislative chamber of the National Assembly.

In the last four years since dumping the APC, a platform he won the Senatorial election in 2015, to join the PDP; he has been one of the fierce critics of the Buhari administration.

His ability to survive all the efforts to ‘pull him down’ perhaps, appears to have garnered him more public sympathy and support among Nigerians.

Po l i t i c a l o b s e r v e r s h a d predicted Melaye’s victory in the PDP primary; they said he had large grassroots support, enough finance, and so was the best candidate capable of matching the antics of the incumbent governor of the state.

However, the result of the primary turned out to be in the contrary, as relatively unknown, Musa Wada, emerged victorious, scoring 748 votes to clinch the party ticket.

Wada , who is a younger brother of the immediate past governor of the state, Idris Wada, was closely followed by Abubakar Mohammed Ibrahim, the son of a former governor, Ibrahim Idris (Ibro), who polled 710 votes.

The immediate past governor of the state, Idris Wada, came third with 345 votes while Senator Dino Melaye polled 70 votes to emerge fourth.

The PDP, has however, accused Bello and the APC of being behind the sporadic shooting that left one person killed during the exercise. The PDP had alleged that the decision of the ruling party to resort to “violence and bloodletting” cannot save the failed governor and his party during the forthcoming gover-

Mohammed Adamu

norship election in the state.

In a statement by its spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan, the opposition party insisted that the people of Kogi State were firm in the irreversible resolve to use every means available in a democracy to confront and vanquish APC’s evil plots ahead of the election.

“It is clear to all that Governor Yahaya Bello has become chaotic in the face of his rejection by the people as well as the soaring popularity of the PDP in Kogi State, and has now resorted to violence in a failed desperate attempt to prevent our party from presenting a candidate for the election.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the PDP had a peaceful, decent, clean, clear, credible and transparent process in the conduct of our primary.

It is clear to all that Governor Yahaya Bello has become chaotic in the face of his rejection by the people as well as the soaring popularity of the PDP in Kogi State

“Accredited delegates had voted and the balloting had been concluded in a very orderly manner before the vicious attack by the gunmen, who were shouting pro-Bello mantra and accompanied by known APC faces.

Following the gunmen invasion of the venue of PDP primary election, Governor Bello had directed security operatives to get to the root of the matter,” the spokesman said.

But the governor in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Muhammed Onogwu, stated that the attack may not be unconnected with the usual do-or-die politics of some of the opposition aspirants whose desperation to win at all costs has led to so violence and crises in the state, including this one.”

Meanwhile, the emergence of Wada who hails from Kogi-east Senatorial district as the candidate of the PDP has thrown up hope in the opposition camp about the chances of the PDP in the election and Wada’s ability to defeat incumbent governor of the state in the November poll.

In an interview with BD Sunday, a Political analyst from the department of Political Science, Kogi State University, Ibrahim Bala, said his concern was not about who would win the governorship election, but the impartiality of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in conducting a free and fair poll, stressing that it was obvious that people of the state where tired of the Bello’s administration.

“Personally, I would be out of my mind to go and vote for Bello base on what we have seen in

this state since he became governor in 2015; come and visit the state, there is no projects that he has executed.

“Security is at its worst in Kogi, nothing is working, and civic servants are not been paid; so in a free and fair governorship election how would Bello win?

“I am not saying he does not have his own support from his strong bases and remember there is incumbency power. But what I am saying is that if INEC remain impartial Kogi people would vote Bello out, mark my word”.

“Any governorship candidate the PDP present now would defeat Bello, they say he has the backing of the presidency and you know what that would mean,” Ibrahim said.

Also speaking, a political commentator in the state, Shola Bello, predicted that with the dismay performance of the Bello’s administration in the last four years, Wada would floor him in the election.

Bello said, he was confidence Wada would clear the votes in Kogi-east and Kogi-west to give him victory in the election, stressing that the PDP would equally get significant part of the votes in Kogi central where the Governor hails from.

He berated the administration for lacking purpose, stressing that the state had retarded since he assumed office.

According to him, Bello may not get 30 percent of the votes in a free and fair contest; we pray INEC stays neutral in the election. But if the Osun episode repeats itself that is where there would be problem.

The vote in Kogi east and Kogi central is enough to give Wada the victory; he would also get a sizeable number of the votes from Kogi central where Bello hails from.

“Giving the antecedent of Bello, there is no infrastructure that he has executed in the three Senatorial districts in the state, so how can he win?

“Even the ones he met on ground have deteriorated; the state is worse than he took over in 2015, and civil servants are not being paid salaries.

“It was when the primary election of his party was close that he hurriedly went to pay some months, even then he is still owes salaries. Even within the APC camp some people are not happy with his style of government,” he said.

Meanwhile, as INEC prepares for the November poll, the commission must be at alert and be prepared to deploy enough security personnel to all polling units.

Sunday 08 September 2019

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BDSUNDAY 19

Politics

Kogi: Odds against APC’s Bello as PDP chances brightens James Kwen & Solomon Ayado, Abuja

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espite winning his party, the All Progressives Congress ( A P C ) ’s s e c o n d term ticket, many odds still stand against incumbent Governor Yahaya Bello ahead of the November 16 governorship election in Kogi State.

Already, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is heaving a sigh of relief as Musa Wada has won the ticket of the party. While Bello is from the minority Ibira and Wada from the majority Igala ethnicity, the Kogi politics holds that the Igala has the majority and can always spring a surprise by turning out the majority votes.

Bello became governor in 2015 by divine providence, following the death of Abubakar Audu, the then APC guber candidate and the declaration of the election inconclusive by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Unfortunately, Audu died shortly after the election was declared inconclusive and after a lot of rigmarole, APC brought in Bello who came second in the primary election conducted ahead of the governorship polls as James Faleke, late Audu’s running mate was pushed out.

For the 2019 Kogi guber poll, Bello may not be as lucky as in 2019 as he had faced stiff opposition right in his party before getting the return ticket he contested with nine aspirants cleared by APC. In the build up to the primaries, about 50 aspirants indicated interest in the APC ticket and have

through different groups asked the APC leadership not to allow him become governorship candidate for a second term as this would lead to the defeat of the party at the polls, and it is not clear whether these aspirants will team up with Bello to avoid the defeat they predicted.

Bello’s ‘enemies at home’, had in one of their protest letters to the national leadership of APC accused him of various anti-people activities, ranging from suicidal deaths amongst the state civil servants whose salaries have not been paid for many months, institutional dearth in the land, misuse of state resources, hunger and perceived molestation of people who believed not to be supporters of the present administration in the state.

“Salaries of civil servants for November and 60percent of December, 2017 are yet to be paid, this is despite receiving N20 billion as bailout funds, over N21billion from the Paris Club refund and money from the monthly federal allocations as well as the internally generated revenue.

“As a result of nonpayment of salaries, about three civil servants took their own lives because of their inability to meet up with their family needs, while over a hundred have died due to lack of funds to continue treatment,” the protest letter read.

Dan Ali, spokesperson of the protesters had also said: “Businesses have folded up, people are leaving for other states to seek refuge and workers have become paupers, feeding from hand to mouth. You will believe me that on no account will the people support and vote for a governor that

Yahaya Bello

operates draconian policy of this nature”.

“Workers in Kogi State are now living like IDPs; Kogi State has become hunger/poverty capital of the country as nothing seems to be working due to the sorry state of salaries.

“In Kogi State today, there are no public primary schools for the past two years as they only exist in structures without teachers to teach the pupils due to nonpayment of salaries, no primary health centres for the past two years, pensioners are not being paid for the past 12 months; there’s no judiciary for the past eight months due to nonpayment of their salaries and no development anywhere in the state. Everything in Kogi State is in comatose and the people of Kogi State are despondent,” Ali further said.

Another group, Kogi State APC Stakeholders Forum in a petition also said: “Governor Yahaya Bello was never elected by the good people of Kogi State. The death of Abubakar Audu made it possible for Bello to be Kogi State Governor.

He has shown everyone that he lacks leadership abilities. He can’t fight for the rights and privileges of Kogi people.

“For the past 38 months, including February 2019, Governor Yahaya Bello has not paid full salaries to the workers of Kogi State, despite the fact that the state received full allocation from the Federation Account as detailed below: Statutory allocation, Excess Crude and Value Added Tax (VAT) (N132b); Internally Generated Revenue by the state (N51b); total allocations to local governments (N111b).

“Total funds received by the state and local governments: N294 billion. The other funds received by the state are as follows: Bail Out (N20b); Paris Club refunds 1, 2, and 3 (N19b); and refunds for road construction by previous governments (N11b).

“The governor had conducted multiple staff screening for both the state and the local governments. And from the report of the screening, the monthly wage bill (state, local governments and pensions) at the inception of the administration stood at N5.8 billion. After screening, this figure reduced to N4.4 billion.

“It is evidently clear that the total revenue received by the state government was more than enough to settle all salaries, pensions and gratuities with huge balance remaining for overheads and capital projects,” he said.

The governor, also known as ‘the white lion’, is not spared by the main opposition PDP which is bent on sending him packing out of the Lugard House as the party’s State Publicity Secretary, Bode Ogumola recently said: “It is shameful that in

four years, Bello could not invite President Buhari for inauguration of any project nor any of the governor’s colleagues to inaugurate projects initiated and completed by his administration.”

Ogumola asked Bello to forget a second term after his monumental and woeful performance as, “Kogi people are wiser and so are not ready to go through another round of no salaries, no pension, harvest of suicide, no infrastructure development, but government sponsored thuggery and violence”.

Beyond poor performance and intra as well as inter party opposition mounted against Bello, his ethnic background as an Ibira man is a serious factor standing on his way to success after winning the APC ticket.

In the PDP, there were all moves to ensure that an Igala indigene emerged winner of the party’s ticket to lock horns with Bello. In the build up to the party primary, seven aspirants had stepped down to pave the way, through the instrumentality of the former governor of the state, Captain Idris Wada. The aspirants, who stepped down are from the eastern part of the state.

After the maneuvering, the younger brother of the immediate past governor of Kogi State, Musa Wada emerged the PDP flagbearer.

Wada scored 748 votes, followed by Abubakar Idris with 710 votes, the former governor Captain Idris Wada came third, while Senator Dino Melaye came fourth.

The PDP, through Kola Ologbondiyan, the national publicity secretary, has said the party is sure of victory in the governorship poll coming November.

Remembering Mugabe: Not all about negatives Iniobong Iwok with agency report

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ormer Zimbabwean leader, Robert Mugabe, who ruled the country for thirty-seven years after taking power from white minority rule in 1980 died in Singapore at the age of 95 at the weekend.

Mu g a b e ’s d e a t h w a s a n nounced by the country’s current leader, Emmerson Mnangagwa, via Twitter.

Mugabe, who was the son of a carpenter, Robert Gabriel Mugabe, was born on February, 21, 1924, in the village of Kutama in what was then the British colony of Southern Rhodesia.

He was educated in Jesuit missionary schools and in 1951 graduated from South Africa’s University of Fort Hare, Nelson Mandela’s alma mater and the incubator for a generation of activists who led the struggle against white-minority regimes throughout southern Africa.

Mugabe later earned several other degrees, some while in prison.

He returned to Rhodesia in 1960 and joined the Zimbabwe African People’s Union, the dominant black liberation movement led by Jo sh u a Nkon o, s t if le d by Nkomo’s autocratic leadership,

Mugabe and a group of insurgents walked out three years later to form the rival ZANU-PF. However, after ruling for more than three-and-a-half decades, Mugabe was forced to resign as Zimbabwe’s leader in 2017, which was days after the army staged a coup, at the time, he was world’s oldest head of state and one of Africa’s longest serving leaders.

Mugabe, who as an ex-guerrilla leader, took over power after a protracted civil war pledging democracy and reconciliation; however, after a promising start, the country once known as the breadbasket of southern Africa descended into a nightmare of widespread unemployment, political instability, hunger and disease.

Soon after taking over power, as Prime Minister and the country’s first colonial leader, he enjoyed strong support among the population and even among the Western countries.

Mugabe’s popularity among some section of the Zimbabwean’s began to wane, partly, because of his disdain for the opposition, this was made worst by the collapsed of the economy and increased human violations.

In 2000, he initiated a controversial land reforms policy of

violence and forceful takeover of whites owned farms. The policy, however, did not help him his popularity, the lands were owned by the whites, and it’s received international condemnation and criticism which pitched him against Western nations.

In the 90’s Mugabe and his cronies’ unleashed gangs of armed thugs to, beat up, torture and kill their political foes, while suffocating Zimbabwe’s fledgling democratic institutions.

The regime used food aid as a way to reward supporters and starve opponents. Epidemics of AIDS and cholera ravaged rural areas, and the country’s once-thriving commercial farms were gutted.

Cities swelled with hundreds of thousands of displaced people from the countryside. In 2005, Mugabe pitilessly carried out Operation Drive Out Trash, an urban beautification effort that made hundreds of thousands of slum dwellers homeless.

Cars waited in line for days outside filling stations, rationing left most people with electricity only every other day, and residents went shopping with suitcases filled with almost worthless currency, its value falling by the hour.

Despite Zimbabwe’s decline

during his rule, Mugabe remained defiant, railing against the West for what he called its neo-colonialist attitude and urging Africans to take control of their resources, a populist message that was often a hit even as many nations on the continent shed the strongman model and moved towards democracy.

Mugabe enjoyed acceptance among peers in Africa who chose not to judge him in the same way as the United Kingdom, the United States and other Western detractors.

Towards the end of his rule, he served as rotating chairman of the 54-nation African Union and the 15-nation Southern African Development Community; his criticism of the International Criminal Court was welcomed by regional leaders who also thought it was being unfairly used to target African leaders.

However, Mugabe blamed the trouble with his government on his enemies, foreign and domestic, while portraying himself as an African hero.

He said the opposition, farmers where conspiring with their evil governments in London and Washington to destabilise his government.

However, after years of outcry

and condemnation of his despotic regime, Mugabe trouble started not from the alleged Western nations, but from his once-loyal generals. They rebelled against his attempt to install his wife, Grace Mugabe, as his successor, and placed him under house arrest.

Within days the crisis escalated, resulting in thousands marching in the streets to support Mugabe’s ouster, while his former allies in the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) expelled him from his role as party chairman, an ignominious collapse for the only elected leader Zimbabwe had ever known.

However, amidst the criticism of his administration and personality, some Analysts credit the Mugabe’s administration for the high literacy rate among blacks in Zimbabwe, during the early years of his administration.

“As a former teacher, he really tried to make sure as many blacks as possible got education when he came to power. He is credited for one of the highest literacy rates on the continent,” Mutasa said.

“Meanwhile, many others blame him for the things that have gone wrong in Zimbabwe. Many blame him for ruining what was ones a prosperous economy,” she added.

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Politics Why governors must be held partly responsible for the insecurity in their states, by Yabagi SANNI YABAGI is the national chairman of the Action Democratic Party (ADP) and a presidential candidate of the party in the 2019 election.

In this exclusive interview with INIOBONG IWOK, he said there was the urgent need for President Muhammadu Buhari to be proactive in dealing with the worsening insecurity across the country. He also spoke on several other issues in the polity. Excerpts:

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ow satisfied are you with the way government is handling the worsening security situation across the country?

The insecurity is a big challenge; our hope is that the President would in this last term in power show that he is in power. This is because I am sure that if he comes out with all that he has and fight, definitely it would be checked. Things would not be as bad as they are today; because currently, it looks as if we have lost the fight.

If you talk to people who are suffering due to the state of insecurity, they would tell you the truth. How can it be beyond governors to deploy necessary security personnel to stop it?

What we have now is affecting everything, the economy, investments. If the rate of insecurity is high, there is no way people would come and invest in your economy; because you have to be alive to enjoy your investment, that is why it has to be dealt with. The President has the capacity, experience and know-how to deal with it, but it also has to do with his service chiefs; there should be some changes. Sometimes, when you allow the young ones to come up, they have the skills, ideas to deal with these issues. Someone who has been there for ages; there is nothing to excite him or spur him to think beyond what he has been doing. But when you appoint someone else there, he would be pushed to think out of the box. Definitely, new ideas would come in because he believes the ideas of his predecessor did not work. Truth be told, the men there now cannot help the country.

Are you saying the President is not doing enough?

Yes, to me he is not doing enough.

Once you challenge people they would be spurred to do more. It is all about promotion and in the military promotion is one of the key motivating tools they use.

So, if you don’t have that, there is bound to be a similar problem; like where there is lack of new ideas. The President should be able to retire them, their idea is not working again, even if it is working it is too slow. Can you imagine, in the President’s

ruptive, so why do you want to give power to them?

home state they are killing people without any action from the President, it is bad and it does not make sense to me.

What is your view on the activities of IPOB? IPOB issue is a different cattle of fish. When a leader fails to attend to what you call inconsequential matters, that is what happens.

The IPOB issue is political and economic. There is the side of politics; they are people thinking that what is due to them has not been given to them. If the economy is working, I don’t think people would want to leave Nigeria, but because they have seen that nothing would change, that is why they are aggrieved. The political aspect is what the President should solve. But my message to the South-east people is that; if you want to be enthrusted with the leadership of the country, you should not behave like people who lack discipline; you have to exhibit maturity. Today, we are talking about power shift, what people may think is that when we give you power you can dismantle the country.

This is why the Southeast must understand that the activity of IPOB is giving them bad name in the political consideration, If they must be considered in the political sphere of the country, that is, in who becomes the next president.

Some people are of the view that the President is not hard enough on Fulani herdsmen and bandits?

Buhari being a former head of state of the country, I cannot see why he cannot take decisive ac-

tions against them. Either they are Fulani herdsmen, Boko Haram, that is why we have government; if government cannot take care of insecurity and the welfare of the people it is bad. Whatever is standing in front of the President from taking decisive action against these things; it is time he jettisons it.

Do you believe in power shift in 2023?

As a political party, we are for all-inclusiveness; we believe in justice, democracy. We believe in allowing power to have its way.

Democracy should have its way, When it is done you can begin to talk about good governance. But what I am saying is the reality of what is unfolding at the national level. I think the Southeast would do well if they begin to show that sense of maturity and seniority, because what is four years in the life of a nation? Because if by four years’ time you are going to have opportunity to rule the nation, why not play smart and say let’s wait until it comes to us, then we can do what we want to do. But if you start now giving the country a bad name without minding the consequence, when the time comes to give leadership, we can say; can’t you see the way these people have been acting. Is it good for the country?

Do they share the sentiment of one Nigeria?

What I am saying is that; if care is not taken, because of the impatience of the southeast, the Yorubas may take it in 2023. But our party believes in fairness and justice. If you want to be sincere, if you say IPOB activities is dis-

But some people may call IPOB pressure group?

You asked earlier why President Buhari as not taking action against Fulani herdsmen, that is why I am saying that some people would also ask; does this mean that Southeast leaders cannot caution these IPOB men?

Just like what you said that Buhari is not doing enough; we can now say that the Igbos are treating the IPOB issue with kid-glove too.

Just like the governors here are using the OPC, even today they are still using them. It would be well for the Southeast people if they can call IPOB to order, after all, they are your people. Just like we are asking the President to call the Fulani herdsmen to order, they would have to behave.

Some northern leaders said the region would not hand over power to the South in 2023; what is your take?

Whoever said that is speaking for himself; but in our party, we believe in fair play and equity.

Is it fair for the President to say that the governors of Taraba and Benue states should account for the recent ethnic conflicts and killings in their states?

Yes, because they are chief security officers in their states.

Administratively, the Commissioner of Police takes orders from the governors; so functionally, IG is under them. The governors should use that power to make sure that what is happening in their states should not happen.

They can say; this Commissioner of Police should be removed from my state. They have to do something about the crisis. The governors do security meetings together with the Commissioners of Police; so if the President asked them to account, I don’t think he is wrong in that.

You were a candidate in the 2015 presidential election, are you going to contest in 2023?

If constitutionally I am not barred from contesting I would. But the constitution guides our aspiration; if they say go ahead and contest I would contest. But like I said, we believe in equity and fairness.

What differentiate ADP from

other political parties in the country?

We are different from them.

Just like what we are doing now holding youth’s summit. Our aspiration is that; our youths should key into decision making. We give them room to show this, because they have done it outside politics. That is why in our constitution, we have given them 50 percent positions in the party. With all this, they can take part in decision making, so that they can begin to take decisions in who rules us eventually.

The ADP is different, look at the composition of the other parties, we are different, and the reason is that we want people who would provide solutions to the killings and banditry. The current leadership in the country is in the past, there are new ways of doing things. Countries that are moving forward have moved against establishment. You can’t take someone from PDP or APC to public office, they can’t perform. Why is Buhari not able to perform? It is because he is surrounded by people who have nothing to offer the country.

There are insinuations that the APC already know who the President would hand over power to in 2023 in the South?

That does not concern us, we believe in democracy and who takes over Nigerians can decide who they want. We have so many parties now and Nigerians would decide. We have to make sure that the electoral laws are amended. We have to make sure that people are involved; if you do that things would change, Nigeria is not an island. But the press should help us to create that Nigeria; other countries went through this system and came out, we had Obama in US and now Trump. Change is possible if we can mobilise people.

Do you believe Atiku would get a favourable judgment from the tribunal?

It is part of constitutional democracy, if Atiku wins or Buhari wins, it would be documented and we would learn from it. We have a country and this country is bigger than all of us, issues of power, goes beyond dynamics that is more than me and you, nobody thought Buhari would rule the country.

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Ogun Watch

AFDB to establish Africa’s biggest agro-processing zone in Ogun

T Abiodun commissions 100 patrol vans, 200 bikes

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he Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun weekend commissioned 100 patrol vans and 200 motorcycles to strengthen internal security in the state.

The governor, who applauded the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, for his swiftness at ensuring that normalcy was restored to the state when kidnappers struck in the state between the 23rd and 24th of July and the 1st of August said that the state would henceforth continue to have a zero tolerance for criminality, cultism, kidnappings and other unwholesome attitudes in the state.

Abiodun made this known at the presentation of one hundred vehicles and two hundred motorbikes at the arcade ground of the Governors’ Office, OkeMosan, Abeokuta, saying that the helicopter that was released for surveillance on the instance of

the President helped the state in curbing the issue.

The governor affirmed that no part of the State would be a safe haven for criminals and criminality in whatever form, adding that with the reconstituted security trust fund which had being moribund, his administration amended the law setting it up, with a view that the reconstituted security trust fund won’t have governance issues, as it had in the past.

“We reconstituted our security trust fund which had been moribund, we amended the law setting it up so that we can have in the fund people who can make it successful and also ensure that it has the right governance, so that it can be autonomous and independent,” he said.

In his response, the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu noted that he came to sensitise and encourage men of the force in the state to continue to add

more value to issues of security, saying that the federal government was doing a lot in terms of equipping the Nigerian Police.

He said that the Federal Government, having noticed that the force was lagging behind in terms of weapons and other equipments, had embarked on the purchase of equipments, which he said would help the men discharge their duties properly.

Adamu also added that the Nigeria Police would be introducing a community policing across the country, adding that, when the time for recruitment comes, he would come and ask the state government for assistance in the area of recruiting best hands.

He also disclosed that the Nigeria Police would be leaving behind a special task force to be headed

by Fimihan Adeoye, a former commissioner of police in Osun State to help the state in bringing an end to criminal activities.

Ogun introduces special immunisation to prevent meningitis epidemic

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YEMISI FASHOLA & ADESOLA OGUNBANWO,

s part of efforts to protect children against meningitis and to forestall its epidemic spread, the Ogun State Primary Health Care Development Board (OGPHDB), in collaboration with development partners in the health sector, has introduced Meningitis-A (Men-A) vaccine into the national routine immunization schedule across the State.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony held at Mowe Health Centre in Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Ayinde Adesanya stated that meningitis is an infectious disease capable of crippling the central nervous system which can affect vision, hearing and the ability to maintain balance, adding that it was more prevalent in the Northern region of the country but had over time, spread to the South due to human movement.

“Before, meningitis used to be rampant in the North but we know that overtime, it is crippling down South, in order to forestall the epidemic spread of the disease, Meningitis-A will be taken along

side yellow fever and measles at nine months. It will protect children against meningitis”, he assured.

Executive Secretary of the Board, Elijah Ogunsola, said meningitis is a major public health challenge caused by different pathogens with the highest global burden seen in the bacterial meningitis, stating that the vaccine would be administered as an injection into the left upper outer thigh at nine months alongside Yellow Fever and Measles vaccines.

He appealed to mothers and caregivers not to be apprehensive but allow their children and wards to be given the three injections at the same time, assuring that the vaccines were safe and without side effects.

In their separate remarks, the State coordinator, World Health Organisation (WHO), Sunday Abidoye; National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Victoria Adebiyi; and the representative of the United Nations Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF), Florence Molokwu stated that Nigeria had 25 States, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), that fell within the Men-

A belt, which in effect, had about 26.7 million people between the ages of 1 and 7 years at the risk of the disease, noting that the introduction of the vaccine was another giant stride at improving the health and well-being of children in the State.

Abiodun Sorounke, head of Local Government Administration (HOLGA), ObafemiOwode Local Government, appreciated State government for the introduction of Men-A vaccine into the routine immunisation schedule, urging parents and caregivers to bring their children and wards to health facilities and be immunised free of charge.

Also speaking, the Olu of Mowe, Oba Babatunde Ojelade represented by Olusegun Adebayo, commended government for giving priority to children’s health.

Azeez Temitope and Taiwo Abidemi, on behalf of mothers and caregivers, thanked government for providing the vaccine aimed at improving the overall health status of children, just as they promised to inform others to make their children available for immunisation.

h e Af r i c a n Fi n a n c e Development Bank (AFDB) is putting machineries in place to site the largest Agro-Processing Zone in Ogun State.

The State Governor, Dapo Abiodun gave the hint while flagging off the State Anchor Borrowers’ Scheme at the June 12 Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta, saying that the development was as a result of several engagements by the state government with officials of the bank who had been in his office twice in the last two months and a half.

“The African Finance Development Bank is headed by Adewunmi Adesina, an indigene of the state. The bank decided that they were having two AgroProcessing Zones in Nigeria and Prof. Adesina decided that the biggest must be sited on Ogun State.” This is the result of our constructive engagement with the Bank over the last 70 days or so,” he said.

He said the Anchor Borrowers’ Scheme was another avenue to boosting the nation’s self-sufficiency in food production, which is in line with the Federal Government’s agenda on food security to save foreign exchange spent on food importation which could be produced locally.

The governor, who expressed surprise that despite the success of the scheme in other states, Ogun has never accessed the funds from the scheme, hence the setting up of the State Anchor Borrowers’ Committee to

ensure that farmers in the state are partakers.

Abiodun said 2000 beneficiaries have been selected and would be given Certificates of Acceptance and a Leasehood, adding that adopting the scheme in the state, would help in addressing food security and creating employment for women and youths.

The governor noted that the scheme was a tripartite agreement between the state as facilitator, Central Bank of Nigeria as financier and the beneficiaries calling on the beneficiaries to be committed and responsible in repayment plan.

Speaking earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Abosede Ogunleye, described Agriculture as a viable sector that could absorb the teeming unemployed youths, expressing delight that the state has signed its counterpart fund and keyed into the scheme.

Head of Developing Finance, Central Bank of Nigeria, Oluyemisi Olukoya, said the state has not done well in accessing the scheme as only 5,249 are in the scheme as against 20,000 from Kebbi State.

Chairman, Ogun State Anchors’ Borrower Programme, Prof. Bola Okuneye, said the programme was designed to link off-takers of agriculture produce with producers so that farmers would know that there was demand for their produce at an agreed and beneficial price to improve production so as to guarantee abundant agricultural

It is too early to assess us; we don’t plan to celebrate 100 days in office - Abiodun RAZAQ AYINLA, Abeokuta

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overnor Dapo Abiodun has declared that milestone can’t be celebrated within 100 days of governance as present administration in the state has no plan to celebrate 100 days in office.

Go v e r n o r Ab i o d u n , w h o spoke at the inauguration of free medical screening scheme held at Ilishan High School in Ikenne Local Government Area of the state, added that his government might not celebrate its first 100 days in office, but has however, achieved a lot within the short space.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) governor said he did not believe in the celebration of a milestone since he had planned to use the period to share his performance within the first 100 days in office in form of foundation-laying for the agenda within the first 100.

He said, “I don’t know whether our administration will be marking a milestone. I think what we believe is sharing with you what we have been able to

achieve in 100 days and those things are the foundation of our vision.

“As we have shared with you during campaign, we have put together their foundation in place.

And all those things you begin to see them like the roads we are doing, the ICT, Tech-hub. They will be unveiled to you in the next few days.”

The governor however, said that his administration was committed to preventive medicine rather than its curative aspect, adding that the state government lays emphasis on preventive medicine since it’s cheaper and also helps to detect and stop partial or permanent damage to health.

“We cannot afford to allow ailments that are preventable to continue to make our people bedridden or take their lives. This is why we must continue to have health screening and monitor the health status of our people.

“In doing this, we will be able to detect early such ailments, prescribe drugs and if needed make referrals to specialist hospitals for proper treatment”, he said.

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Sunday 08 September 2019

Sunday 08 September 2019

BDSUNDAY 23

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Arts Knock on Wood, a group exhibition, debuts at Alexis Galleries this month

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OBINNA EMELIKE lexis Galleries is pleased to present Knock on Wood, a group exhibition of wood etching by Samuel Tete-Katchan, Chukwuemeka Michaels Osisiego, David Taiwo Olatunde, Kelvin Chukwudi Ubani, Francis Agemo and Darlington A. Chukwumezie.

The exhibition opens from September 14-26, 2019, at Alexis Galleries.

As in the tradition of Alexis Galleries in donating part of the exhibition proceeds to charity, the Victoria Island, Lagos-based gallery will be donating part of the proceeds to Child Life-Line, an NGO that helps children living on the streets of Lagos.

“We are partnering with Child Life-Line, an NGO that helps children living rough and on their own on the streets of Lagos, seeking to reconnect them with their family and get them back into school or vocational training”, Patty Chidiac-Mastrogiannis, CEO Alexis Galleries and The HomeStores, said.

Expressing appreciation to Alexis Galleries for extending its generosity to

the NGO, Sally Udoma , president, Child Life-Line, said the NGO offers daytime reception centre for boys and girls at Gbagada, which provides two meals a day, a place to shower and wash, counselling and

family tracing. At Child LifeLine’s residential home for boys in Ikorodu, Udoma explained that children are put back into full-time education or vocational training and cared for until they can be reunited with family

or until they complete their chosen course of study or training.

On what to expect at the exhibition, Michaels Osisiego, one of the exhibiting artists, said he looks forward to more exposure for his works, which he describes as unique and also for viewers of the exhibition to buy his works.

“I love wood and especially the smell each time I work on wood. Also, I have a unique style; cubism on wood, which Madam Patty Chidiac-Mastrogiannis saw, like their designs and said we are going to work together.

I appreciate her for offering young artists platform to excel”, Osisiego said.

For David Taiwo Olatunde, one of the exhibiting artists, said his expectation is to be exposed, make sales, tell his collectors that something is happening at Alexis Galleries and that he has mastered another medium of artistic expression.

“Majority of my collectors know that I paint, but now I am picking up wood etching into my styles of painting and it is exciting”, Olatunde said.

Knock on Wood is curated

by Patty Chidiac-Mastrogiannis and sponsored by Pepsi, Tiger, Indomie, Mikano and Delta Airline.

Thrills at Budweiser football show, viewing parties

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udweiser, the King of Beers, has once again, showcased its uniqueness at creating relevant, grand and memorable experiences that bring people together with a new lifestyle football show that made its debut on SuperSport on August 23, 2019.

The show, which has been christened Kings of Football show is the first magazinestyled show that gives football fans a sneak peek into the lives of the kings of the game, especially what they do off the pitch. It highlights their lifestyle, fashion style, how they impact their communities, their influence on fans across the globe and much more.

The latest episode of the show featured fans favourite, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu who, along with Jimmie Akinsola ‘Jimmie the Entertainer’ and ‘That football girl’, the delectable Osereme Inegbenebor, hosts of the show, showcased

their football stars, including Nigerian international players.

Budweiser’s Kings of Football show will help fans to connect more with their football heroes on a weekly basis”, he said.

The Kings of Style segment of the show will be very engaging for fans. This is the segment of the show where the trends in fashion, cars, houses, haircuts and other lifestyle trends of the footballers are revealed. Also, the segment, ‘Know your Kings’ highlights peculiar information about players not known to the public.

Budweiser has also provided viewing parties in different recreational facilities across major cities in the country. Celebrities like DJ Babus, L.A.X, Hypeman Best, Dj Consequence and many others will be visiting the venues to watch EPL, La Liga matches and party with the fans of the winning teams. Fans can

exciting moments in the world of football and also discussed trending topics, news and updates from the English Premier League and La Liga.

The weekly show is billed for 8:30pm every Friday on SuperSport 3 with repeat broadcast on Saturdays on any of the time slots - 8am, 10am and 2pm across Super Sport Channels. The show promises to be fun as fans’ predictions on social media are revealed giving them the opportunity to see firsthand how they fared and an opportunity to be celebrated on the show when their predictions are successful on the ‘King of the Match’ and ‘Take your Shot’ segments.

According to Franscoe Bouwer, high-end marketing manager, International Breweries, the English Premier League and the Spanish LaLiga have achieved worldwide popularity and acceptability.

“Nigerian football fans follow their clubs passionately and show a keen interest in

easily check out the weekend viewing party venues from the social media handles of Budweiser.

Tolulope Adedeji, marketing director, International Breweries, said, “Footballers all over the world, including our local footballers, aspire to play in these leagues. Through the Kings of Football, fans and our local footballers will be able to glean some useful tips from the stories of the personal lives of their heroes especially in the area of their value to communities and the sacrifices they made to become stars of the game”.

“Our viewing parties provide us the opportunity to celebrate with fans in an exciting way only Budweiser can bring to life”.

The Kings of Football show and Viewing Parties are two of the activations by Budweiser in Nigeria to celebrate the global multi-year sponsorships with two of the top international football leagues, the English Premier League and LaLiga.

AFRIMA says no to xenophobia in Africa ....Lack of education, preventable diseases, extreme poverty are the enemies of Africa

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he International Committee of the All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) is saddened by the xenophobic attacks on other Africans living in some parts of South Africa, as widely reported in the media since Monday, September 2, 2019.

The International Committee also unequivocally condemned the reverberating reprisal attacks in some countries in Africa such as Nigeria and Zambia. The scourge of xenophobia in its entirety is a cancerous threat to Africa’s unity, peaceful co-existence and economic growth that AFRIMA is known to have championed for years through the instrumentality of culture and music.

Speaking of behalf of the International Committee of AFRIMA, Mike Dada, president and executive producer, AFRIMA, expressed displeasure over the widespread, calculated violence, hate and xenophobia on African migrants in Africa.

“While we view these unfortunate attacks and counterattacks on fellow Africans as by-products of anti-poor policies of most successive governments in Africa, which create huge inequalities and lack of

opportunities for millions of young people on the continent, Africans should note that the myriads of common problems of joblessness, diseases, hunger, lack of quality education, extreme poverty, homelessness and lack of access to finance are the true enemies of Africa that can only be defeated only if there is a united, collaborative and peaceful Africa”.

Dada noted that the bigger picture by AFRIMA is to see a borderless continent where individuals live freely, trade and coexist in unity and leverage on music, which is one of the most powerful tools that bind Africa together.

Lekunutu Seboko, AFRIMA country director for South Africa, added that there should be no justification for hating on a fellow human, “I say no to Xenophobia, African unity must not be a vain word. There can be no justification for any South Africans to attack people from other countries, let’s allembrace Africanism”.

AFRIMA, in partnership with African Union Commission, AUC is committed to achieving the AU Charter objective of promoting social integration in the five regions of Africa, while recognising and rewarding the work and talent of a myriad of the artistes in

the African music and cultural industry.

AFRIMA calls on political leaders, business leaders, traditional leaders, artistes, players in the creative industries and people of good conscience in Africa to condemn this act of hate and needless xenophobia, embrace and propagate peace and harmony through their actions and utterances on this volatile issue. As well, the cycle of violence must stop for us to move forward as a people.

The All Africa Music Awards is a youth-focused music property that celebrates Africa, recognizes and rewards the work and talents of a myriad of African artistes across generations.

AFRIMA is committed to the stimulation of conversations among Africans and between Africa and the rest of the world about the potentials of the cultural and creative economy for real enterprise on the continent, contributing significantly to social cohesion and continental integration as well as sustainable economic growth and development in Africa by lending its voice to promotion of education and campaign against extreme poverty and preventable diseases.

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Arts

Kainebi Osahenye; acclaimed experimental artist OBINNA EMELIKE

K

ainebi Osahenye is a mixed media artist who works across painting, sculpture, installation, drawing and collage. He incorporates an assortment of basic materials to address issues about spirituality, consumerism, identity and the environment. His ability to work across different genres, turning every material as canvas and still coming out with something unique speaks volume of him as an experimental artist.

Born in Abgor, Delta State, in 1964 Osahenye studiedatAuchiPolytechnic and Yaba College of Technology, majoring in painting in 1989. In 2012, Osahenye received a Masters of Fine Arts(MFA)fromGoldsmith College in the UK. He is one of Nigeria’s foremost contemporary artists who see everything as canvas. His works have developed from large-scale neo-expressionistic paintings into a process of experimental appropriation using found objects to tackle the issues about life among other subjects.

He has used burnt and crushed beverage cans, water bottles, newspapers, chicken wire, fabric, juice packs and many other found objects to create huge installations and sculptures, as well as, paintings. Osahenye’s trademark of layering, stacking, and sequencing objects, sometimes in their thousands, creating repetitive, multimedia works, has gained him critical acclaim, as he transforms simple objects into intricate, sometimes monumental art works.

He has taken part in numerous international residencies including at the Vermont Studio Center, the School of Visual Arts in New York, as well as, at the Harmattan Workshop led by Professor Bruce Onobrakpeya in Nigeria.

Osahenye has showcased his work at many international fairs and exhibitions including at the Biennale Jogja 2015; Johannesburg Artfair; Art 14 London; the Center for Contemporary Art Lagos; the Nigerian National Museum, and E-week in Freiburg, Germany.

Others include; Afropolis; RautenstrauchJoest Museum, Cologne, Germany, as well as, the Skoto Gallery in New

York. His works are regularly featured at international auction houses including Philips de Pury, Bonhams, and Arthouse Contemporary.

Osahenye was included in Okwui Enwezor and Chika Okeke-Agulu’s book Contemporary African Art since 1980 and Phaidon’s book Art Cities of the Future: 21st Cen-

tury Avant-Gardes.

In a joint exhibition of paintings and mixed media works with Rom Isichei in April 2015 at Temple Muse, Victoria Island, Lagos, Osahenye stole the show with works featuring intense exploration of texture, colour, scale, style, and technique.

While Rom Isichei’s

artworks were mostly figurative in composition, focusing on society’s self-obsession and excess consumerism while searching for ideal beauty. These works are juxtaposed with Kainebi’s intense exploration of the human condition through intricately layered, small and large collages of hundreds of eyes which have

been cut out of paper and stuck across canvases painted with acrylic, enamel, and spray paint.

However, Osahenye, an internationally recognised experimental artist, avoids thinking about money in his work; rather he focuses on improving his creative ingenuity anytime he is working in his Lagos-based studio.

Park shortly after Hemingway finished writing Papa: A Personal Memoir, a book recounting his troubled relationship with his celebrated father. The two likely bonded over their experiences in Africa, where Gregory retreated for three years after traumatic fallout with his father in the early 1950s.

In 1975, Gaisford rented the antiques centre space to host the launch party for Hemingway’s memoir and filled it with pieces from his African art collection. The show sold out and Gaisford kept the space open under the Hemingway name as a tribute to his friend.

Among the highlights of the collection are handcarved Shona sculptures dating from the 1950s to

today and sourced from selftaught artists in a northern pocket of Zimbabwe. “They are all incredibly dense, semiprecious stones that are insanely hard to carve and there are no power tools involved”, according to Logan Gaisford, who runs the gallery with her brother Tuck Gaisford. The collection also includes artefacts such as ritual implements, masks and sculptures, silver and beaded jewellery and painted panels, as well as contemporary holdings of decorative art and furniture.

The storefront was “a natural progression for the gallery”, Gaisford says. “Tribeca has become a bit of an arts hub in general and there’s a great momentum and excitement around African art right now”.

African Art Gallery opens Tribeca storefront

H

emingway African Gallery and Safaris, an enterprise co-founded

by Gregory Hemingway, the late son of the American novelist Ernest Hemingway, and the South African-born dealer and safari operator Brian Gaisford, has opened a storefront in New York’s Tribeca at 88 Leonard Street after more than four decades in the Manhattan Art and Antiques Centre. The art and design gallery, which has doubled as a no-kill safari business since the 1980s, holds a vast trove of African artefacts and contemporary art collected

by Gaisford in various trips across sub-Saharan Africa.

The gallery has a colourful history: Gaisford and Gregory Hemingway met while playing tennis in Central

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Sunday 08 September 2019

Travel

Daring the Kalahari

A

OBINNA EMELIKE voyage to the Kalahari is akin to catapulting into a parallel universe.

It is a surreal slicethrough-the-looking-glass experience where you feel really small and everything around you looms larger than life. Timeless and magical, solitary stretches of space spin on into infinity, and shapes distort under a blanket of scorching desert heat.

A mystifying collage of fiery sunsets and shifting crimson sands of lush green fields and gushing waterfalls, magnificent wildlife reserves and tidy vineyards, this region will enchant long after you depart. Make sure you check out these highlights.

The Northern Cape’s rugged northwest is a land of immense sky and stark countryside, and it is a long, hot jostle down dusty crimson roads to reach magical Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, located largely within the southern Kalahari Desert, and one of the world’s last great, unspoiled ecosystems. But once you step foot inside Africa’s first multinational park, tucked away

between Botswana and Namibia in the country’s extreme north, you will understand why journeying to the end of the earth is well worth the effort.

The Kgalagadi is a wild land of harsh extremes and frequent droughts, where shifting redand-white sands meet thorn trees and dry riverbeds.

Yet despite the desolate landscape, it is teeming with wildlife.

From prides of black-manned

lions to packs of howling spotted hyenas, there are more than 1,100 predators here, including around 200 cheetahs, 450 lions and 150 leopards.

Add in those giant orange-ball sunsets the continent is famous for, and black-velvet skies studded with millions of twinkling stars, and you will feel like you have entered the Africa of storybooks.

It is another long, hard drive down a corrugated road to reach the remote village of Riemvasmaak, but for adventure junkies searching for a soulsoothing retreat, the journey is worth every bump. The light in this magical mountain desert wilderness is otherworldly and intense, capable of shifting shapes and changing colours.

Donkey-carts remain the main mode of transport across the cracked expanse of frosted orange rock and sand in Riemvasmaak, and semi-nomadic locals herd sheep and goats go the same way they have for

centuries.

Traversing its terrain ranges in a 4x4 can be anywhere from easy to super challenging - be ready for deep sand, rough tracks and rocky plateaus. Besides four-wheeling, there are three hiking trails and a sand-and-rock mountain-bike trail. Just beyond the village is the Molopo River gorge, a spectacular rough-androcky canyon home to a pair of rare black eagles and a very cool, totally solitary hot mineral pool (your party will likely be the only soakers) on the dry riverbed’s floor. You can camp right by the hot springs.

This area also hosts Namakwa, the kind of vast, empty place where the roads stretch on forever, the stars seem bigger and brighter than anywhere else and you can tumble off the map without anyone noticing.

From exploring the misty shipwrecked diamond coastline on the country’s far western edge to four-wheeling through an otherworldly mountain desert,

experiences pile up fast here.

Namakwa is also a proficient magician, who performs her favourite trick each spring. That is when she shakes off winter’s bite with an explosion of colour, covering her sunbaked desert in a multi-hued wildflower blanket so spectacular you will leave believing miracles do happen.

A further 200kms east, the Witsand Nature Reserve is based upon a white sand dune which stands out in stark contrast to the typical red Kalahari sands surrounding it. Bizarrely, this one also comes with a soundtrack - when the wind blows here the sand sings.

Known as “roaring sands” the effect is created by the movement of air across the dunes and creates a bass, organ-like sound; walking on the sands produces a muted groan.

One of the coolest things to do here is rent a sand-board (a snowboard for the sand), hike up a dune and ride down. You can also fly through the sand on a cycle. Wannabe astronomers will want to check out the night sky - this is one of Africa’s finest stargazing spots.

Also known for its great noise is the Augrabies Falls National Park, whose waterfall has a thunderous roar, nothing short of spectacular. You won’t find any big predators here, but this is the world’s sixth-tallest waterfall, which gets fat with rainy-season run-off.

Once you have finished the hard work exploring the region, taste the wines of the Senqu (Orange) River, which belong to the irrigated, fertile banks of the “Green Kalahari.” Still, there are plenty more wide open spaces in which to get lost, should you choose.

Gambia returns to Nigeria for tourism marketing at Akwaaba 2019 ...To appoint destination manager

A

fter taking a break from the scene, The Gambia is returning to Nigeria to promote her tourism potential and also woo Nigerian tourists.

Explaining the rationale for the return, Abdoulie Hydara, director general, Gambia Tourism Board, said that Nigeria is a very important market for Gambian tourism and the reason for attendance at the Akwaaba trade fair. “Nigerians are known as high spenders and with the close proximity to the Gambia we have an opportunity to penetrate fully in this market. Many meetings are lined up during our presence in Nigeria to showcase what the Gambia has to offer to

Nigerians”, the director general said.

Due to the importance the country put in Nigeria, the tourism boss said that the Gambia Tourism Board will be appointing a destination manager to represent the Gambia towards the promotion and marketing of destination Gambia in Nigeria.

Beyond tourism, the tourism boss explained that The Gambia has lots of investment opportunities to offer to potential investors in Nigeria.

As well, Adama Njie, director of marketing, Gambia Tourism Board, confirmed the importance of the Nigerian market in terms of the board’s all year round tourism strategy.

With only four hours flights, the Gambia is an ideal place for Nigerians, offering world-class facilities and standards, which most Nigerian travellers want in a destination.

From shopping, honeymoon, conferencing, unbeatable gastronomy, good and standard hotels to name a few, the board assured that The Gambia awaits Nigerians in the Smiling coast of Africa. “We hope that more businesses will come to the Gambia after our visit in Nigeria and by extension Ghana. The Gambia values a lot in sub-regional tourism, which is the reason for our attendance of Akwaaba in Nigeria every year”, the board said.

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BDSUNDAY 27

Travel Best outdoor walks and views for travellers across the UK and America Stories by IFEOMA OKEKE

Y

ou don’t need to go far to see woods with wow factor - the UK has many stunning panoplies of Autumnal shades. This year marks the bicentenary of poet, John Keats’ “Ode to Autumn”, believed to have been inspired by an Autumn walk in Winchester in 1819. Follow in his footsteps with a two-mile walk from Winchester to St. Cross through the landscape that inspired his timeless and much quoted classic tribute to “the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness.”

You can wake up to some colourful scenes with a stay at the National Trust’s newest rental Welbeck Cottage, or Sheffield Park Garden in Uckfield, East Sussex. In the early 20th century, the garden was planted by Arthur Soames with vivid Autumnal displays in mind – you can wander the grounds after the last visitors too. It sleeps up to four and costs £519 for a three-night stay.

An autumnal city break can also offer the perfect chance to catch a glimpse of some seasonal shades with a simple trip out of town. Just a short, 20-minute train ride north of the Danish capital, Copenhagen,

the Unesco World Heritage-listed, The Deer Park is drenched in golden tones as the days draw in.

Originally used as a hunting escape for the Danish royal family, it has barely been touched for over 350 years and is dotted with ancient woodland and roamed by large herds of deer. This summer, Ryanair introduced new flights between London Southend and Copenhagen, and also flies there from Liverpool, Edinburgh, London Stansted and London Luton.

For many, the Holy Grail of leaf

peeping are the states of New England on America’s Eastern seaboard. In mid to late September, the forests of Maine and Vermont are set ablaze with wondrous tones of sugar maples, silver birch beech and oak trees, which gradually spreads south through Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Connecticut.

The peak, or most intense colours can usually be seen in mid-October.

New England Tourism issues up to date leaf peeping maps for all five states. Vermont’s Route 100, which starts at the Canadian bor-

der and wends its way through the unmissable 11-mile route through the Green Mountains then on to Massachusetts is one for plenty of insta-eye candy as is New Hampshire’s Kancamagus Highway.

For return visitors The Catskills are a fashionable weekend retreat for New Yorkers, with hundreds of miles of trails through the woodlands and mountains.

Japan might be well known for its cherry blossom viewing season, but many would counter its autumnal hues known as “koyo” and red leaf hunting called “momiji-gari” are every bit as trip-worthy. Leaf-loving rugby fans could combine both with a trip to the Rugby World Cup, which starts on 20 September and ends on the 2 November with the final in Yokohama.

In April, British Airways introduced new flights between London Heathrow and Osaka. From here, you are well-placed to visit the Unesco World Heritage-listed former Imperial city of Kyoto, dotted with over 1,600 Shinto and Buddhist temples. The leaves start to change colour in mid-October and reach their peak around mid-November.

Most of the temples with proliferations of maple and gingko have

explosions of blazing hues like the Nanzen-ji and the Kiyomizudera temples. The Japanese love viewing Autumnal foliage, so try and visit early on weekday mornings to beat the crowds.

Further north, there’s a new spin on forest bathing at the Kai Alps Ryokan in Omachi Onsen in northern Nagano. Here guests can take a Bath of Fallen Leaves surrounded by vibrant maple, mountain maple and gingko leaves instead of the customary hot water, as well hike through the countryside of the Japanese Alps admiring the tones.

One night’s stay costs from £161 per person, based on two sharing including dinner.

From mid-September, the New York State Tourist Board issues a constantly updated fall foliage report.

New England might get all the attention for its flamboyant shows, but neighbouring New York State also has vivid displays of leaf colour with a slightly longer season.

Some good spots are within easy reach of New York City, which could be combined with a long weekend in the Big Apple. From mid-September, the New York State Tourist Board issues a constantly updated fall foliage report.

Gambia returns to Nigeria Sabre, Babcock commence MBA for Tourism Marketing at Programme in airline studies Akwaaba 2019

T

he DG of the Gambia Tourism Board, Abdoulie Hydara has confirmed that Nigeria is a very important market for Gambian tourism and the reason for our attendance at the Akwaaba trade fair every year.

Nigerians are known as high spenders and with the close proximity to the Gambia we have an opportunity to penetrate fully in this market. Many meetings are lined up during its presence in Nigeria to showcase what the Gambia has to offer to Nigerians.

“Due to the importance we put in Nigeria, the Gambia tourism board will appoint a Destination Manager to represent the Gambia towards the promotion and marketing of destination Gambia in Nigeria. The Gambia has lots of investment opportunities to offer to potential investors in Nigeria and the need to sell this among others In Nigeria,” Hydara said.

Adama Njie, director of marketing of the Gambia Tourism Board has confirmed the importance of the Nigerian market in terms of its all-year round tourism strategy. With only four hours

flights the Gambia is an ideal place for Nigerians.

The facilities available in the Gambia are in line with what most Nigerian travellers wants in a country.

This ranges from shopping, Honey Mooners, conferencing, unbeatable gastronomy, good and standard hotels to name a few. We hope that more businesses will come to the Gambia after our visit in Nigeria and by extension Ghana.

The Gambia values a lot in subregional tourism and the reason for our attendance in Nigeria every year.

Abdoulie Hydara

F

oremost Airline distribution solution provider, Sabre Network West Africa has commenced its Masters in Business Administration (MBA) partnership programme with the College of Postgraduate Studies Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State, Nigeria, in Airline and Travels Management, two years after signing a Memorandum of Understanding.

The 2019/2020 session will kick off on September 8, 2019.

In light of this, Babcock has become the first university in Nigeria to offer such a course in Aviation and the programme is expected to run for 18 months.

Students who enroll for the programme will be trained on ManagerialEconomics,Organisation Behaviour, Management Theory, Aviation Safety and Security, Essential of Airline Training and Technology, Fundamental of Airline Operations, amongst others.

Gbenga Olowo, the President, Sabre Network West Africa, said the MBA programme is open to all holders of the first-degree certificate in any discipline across the world.

Olowo also gave an assurance that the programme would be of great benefit to Nigeria’s aviation industry. He further explained that the company chose Babcock because of its integrity and willingness to work with the

Gbenga Olowo, President, Sabre Network West Africa

organisation.

“We are expecting as many as many people. In fact, we are thinking of 180 million Nigerians. Luckily, there is no university in Nigeria or on the continent that runs this programme. So, we are pioneering his programme,” Olowo said.

MBA Programme with professional certification in Airline and Travel Management, 2019/2020 Academic Session.

“Nigeria has placed a huge emphasis on pilots and engineers

training which constitutes its major cost. Hopefully, the economic health of our airlines will improve with the influx of would-be graduates into the industry,” Olowo added.

Sabre has been desirous in filling the gross manpower shortage especially in commercial aviation where AIRLINE WEALTH is generated. The failures in this sector in Nigeria has been, regrettably, due to an aging work-force and a very poor knowledge of Airline Economics.

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Sunday 08 September 2019

MyBookWorld

ExecutiveBookshelf

My book world:

Agenda for funding and relevance of private universities

‘I love the feel and smell of a good book’ My name is Mercy Nnenna Okoronkwo a.k.a. Nelly Sylva, which has become more or less a brand name. I am a 30-year-old lady from Achara-Uturu in Isuikwuato L.G.A of Abia State, based in Lagos. A freelance sportswriter, analyst and aspiring legal practitioner, a dyed-in-the-wool bibliophile.

Nelly Sylva coordinates an online platform for book lovers called The Bibliotheque Nigeria.

I

What are you reading currently? ’m reading SecondClass Citizen by Buchi Emecheta.

What informs your choice of a book to read?

I read what I like and tell people the same when they come to me for suggestions on what to read. I make sure to research books and preview them before getting down on it because if there is one thing I hate? It is a boring book; it could scare me, so I avoid it at all cost. A book MUST have an arresting theme for me even to consider it worth my energy and time.

What books would you rate as your Top 5 or Top Ten in your reading experience?

I always find it difficult to answer this question because I’ve read a trailer load of books I can consider the very best. Asking an avid and voracious reader this question is like asking a mother to choose between her children. However, and for the benefit of this interview, these are My Top Ten. 48 Laws Of Power by Robert Greene; Animal Farm

by George Orwell; Othello

by William Shakespeare; Arrow Of God by Chinua Achebe; Surfacing by Margaret Atwood; To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee; How Europe Underdeveloped Africa by Walter Rodney; The Godfather by Mario Puzo; Devil On The Cross by Ngugi waThiong’o; Second-Class Citizen by Buchi Emecheta.

What books would you return to again and again?

Easily 48 Laws Of Power

by Robert Greene, arguably the most powerful, technical and tactical book ever written, one every human MUST read. Then of recent Origin by Dan Brown, then, of course,The Godfather by Mario Puzo, amongst others.

Which books would you consider essential or critical in your profession or line of business?

48 Laws Of Power, Laws Of Human Nature, and 33 Strategies Of War, all by Robert Greene.

Do you prefer hard copy or digital books?

Hardcopy till hell freezes over back and forth. There is nothing as enduring as a good book. Books will al-

ways stand the test of time while gadgets will come and go. One of the things I’ve set out to do is build a library in my youth; I’m thankfully on my way there because I’ve invested heavily on books the whole of 2019 than I have on clothes, shoes, bags and other feminine frivolities. I do digital sparingly whenever I can’t readily lay my hands on a book I desperately want to read. It’s a useful invention but not one I indulge in much.

What are the significant differences and appeal of each in your view?

The significant differences in my point of view areendurance and physicality. Hardcopy is safe and stands the test of time more than digital copy will ever do despite its convenience, not forgetting security as well which is stronger with hardcopy than it is with digital.

Then the appeal for me with hardcopy is the physicality.

I love the feel and smell of a good book, especially old ones, pure classics and new ones too.

Any preference between fiction and non-fiction?

No preference at all, I read either.

Who are your all-time favourite authors?

1) William Shakespeare, 2) James HardleyChase, 3) Robert Greene, 4) Dan Brown 5) Sidney Sheldon, 6) Robert Ludlum, 7) Margaret Atwood, 8) Chinua Achebe, 9) Ernest Hemingway, 10) George Orwell, 11) Ken Follet, 12) Jeffrey Archer, 13) John Grisham, 14) Agatha Christie, 15) Jackie Collins, 16) Stephen King, 17) Irving Wallace, 18)

Mercy Nnenna Okoronkwo

Ngugi waThiong’o, 19) Buchi Emecheta, 20) Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Do you do audiobooks?

What are your thoughts on audiobooks?

Never done an audiobook so can’t give an informed opinion on it.

Any preference between Nigerian or foreign authors in your choice of books?

Which ones predominate your library and why?

As much as I do my best to keep promoting African Literature, I don’t have a preference for I don’t limit myself to anything whatsoever. Variety, they say, is the spice, so it is always advisable to broaden your horizon. I read any good book, whether it is Nigerian, African or Foreign. On which one that dominates my library? Lol, of course, it’s the foreign books, as good as we think we are, they are still superior to us when it comes to Literature, mainly the English/British and to an extent the Americans. I have almost all Shakespearian plays.

I have about 15 of Ken Follett’s books and even looking to add to that. I have about 30 books from John Grisham. I have all six of Robert Greene’s books, allsix of Dan Brown’s books. I have about 12 books from Jeffrey Archer and Robert Ludlum.

I have about 27 books from James Hardley Chase.

I have some classics like War And Peace by Leo Tolstoy, Crime And Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky and many others I can’t readily recall. I have my fair share of African Literature, but they are not as much as the foreigners.

Private University Education in Nigeria: Case Studies in Relevance. Peter A. Okebukola (2017). Lagos/Slough: Okebukola Science Foundation/Sterling Publishers.

161 pages ISBN: 978-978-947-660.

Reviewed by Chido B. Nwakanma, School of Media and Communication, Pan Atlantic University

P

rivate universities are the future of higher education in Nigeria.

Twenty years after the first three private universities took off; universities in the private sector model now number more than those of the federal or state governments. Their number will grow even more.

At the time of writing in October 2017, this book documents 59 private universities in Nigeria. The Federal Government accounted for 40, while state governments had 44 universities. These are the assertions of the author of this book, an expert on the subject.

Why are universities run by private sector players doing well? What do they contribute and what justifies their existence and continued growth? How can society assist such a positive development?

Private University Education in Nigeria: Case Studies in Relevance is an advocacy book that justifies the presence and growth of private universities in Nigeria and the need to extend to them the financial assistance of the Education Trust Fund that public universities alone currently enjoy. The lead advocate has solid credentials for the case.

As a former Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, Prof. Peter Okebukola brings to bear in-depth knowledge and experience of the Nigerian university system. As a regulator of the system, he understands both the requirements and the challenges. He has also served on the Council or Boards of no fewer than four private universities. He thus makes an informed case.

Private University Education in Nigeria proclaims that those institutions provide access to candidates who would have been shut out, reintroduced quality in higher education and offer efficient student-focused service delivery. They also infused healthy competition into the system and are focused on delivering quality research outputs. Private universities, he adds, operate a delivery system wrapped around small class sizes and well-resourced classrooms that stimulate the production of good quality graduates and run a predictable academic calendar.

It lists seven positive attributes. They are contributors to high-level human resource development, train persons with better values and represent a model of university governance in observance of due process, accountability and discipline. They also mostly have a Board of Trustees as an additional layer for accountability. The

institutions model financial autonomy as they sink or swim from the income from ventures and other sources that supplement tuition.

Discipline is the language in private universities for both staff and students while they are adventurous in exploring new courses that go beyond the NUC’s Benchmark Minimum Academic Standards (BMAS).

Nigeria had an initial false start with private universities when promoters established 24 private institutions between 1980 and 1983.

Criteria were unclear. The Federal Government cancelled the process in 1984.

The nation then commenced a new operation with Decree 9 of 1993 that allowed individuals, organisations, corporate bodies and local governments to establish and run private universities once they meet the guidelines. The book outlines the 14-step process that the National Universities Commission applies for the licensing of private universities.

The first set of universities licensed and opened in 1999 are Igbinedion University, Okada, Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo and Madonna University, Okija.

Despite their positives, subscription of candidates to private universities has been very low, the book discloses.

Babcock University in 2017 UTME received 2645 applications, Covenant University 2633 and Afe Babalola University 1240. All others had less than 1000 applications each.

The relevance of private universities is the central thesis of Private University Education in Nigeria. The book explores this relevance in nine areas. These are national and global economy, agriculture and food security, education, and manufacturing. Others are power, youth employment, peacebuilding, religious harmony and conflict resolution as well as research, innovation and development of new products.

Sixteen universities reported on their contributions as the basis for the case studies. A revised edition of the book should have actual case

studies and not the brief notes that some of the institutions passed on. When you hear case studies, you expect diligent reporting “involving an up-close, in-depth, and detailed examination of a subject of study, as well as its related contextual conditions”. This section requires the application of rigour.

Private University Education in Nigeria offers perspective with a look at the trajectory of private universities in the USA, Britain and Europe. It features Harvard University, MIT, Stanford and Yale. There is the University of Buckingham, Ukrainian Free University, and the Catholic University of Sacred Heart, Milan. It reports that Japan has 597 private universities that constitute 78percent of its universities. Indonesia has 1200 or 60percent while the number for China has exploded from 20 in 1997 to 630 in 2017. Prior to 1995, only Ghana, Zimbabwe and Kenya had privately-owned universities in Anglophone Africa.

The book could do with better editing and attention to detail in this area. This extract on Stanford University, for instance, states, “It has evolved from making global impact to devising a mutually beneficial means that ensured that by 201578percent of its undergraduate graduated debt-free, that is a rare feat in the nation’s tertiary education system” (p78). Which nation? There is no attribution either.

The case for TETFUND support is persuasive. Okebukola argues that since the private sector is the goose that lays the golden egg of TETFUND, private universities should also benefit from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund. The pillars of the case are history, the relevance of the institutions and the need for equity.

The author then suggests modalities for the inclusion of the private sector. These include deploying the same formula as used for the public institutions, basing it on defined performance criteria, or differentiated funding that gives a higher percentage to public schools. Others are finance based on survivors of a stress test or providing low-interest loans to the institutions.

Private University Education in Nigeria: Case Studies in Relevance delivers on its assigned task of making a case for the existence and contributions of higher institutions promoted by the private sector. The reader would find abundant material in the history of higher education in Nigeria, the growth of private funding and the projection that private universities would eventually dominate.

Sunday 08 September 2018

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VOX-POP

Nigeria’s image and citizens’ alleged criminal activities abroad Recently, the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) had arrested and also on watch list some scores of young Nigerians over high level of internet fraud they committed in America. It was also reported that a number of Nigerians are on the waiting list in Saudi Arabia to be executed over drug-related offences. ESEOGHENE AYOMAH went to town to feel the pulse of citizens on the disturbing developments. She wanted to know their takes on what many people have described as “Nigeria’s sliding image on the global scene.”

F

idelis Espanyol- Entrepreneur What I think about Nigeria’s image on the global scene is that it has already gone to the bottom. Somehow, Nigerians have managed to perpetrate crime all over the world to the point that they have become notorious for that. We’ve already built that image, so if a news item comes up tomorrow, today or wherever that Nigerians were caught in different crimes, it is no longer new to us. I think, it’s a reminder to the world that this is what we do, and it’s bad for the community or society at large.

And it all boils down to the government, our leaders. I’m not putting it on one government or the present government in particular, but this is a problem that has already been there for a long time, because Nigerian youths are not empowered enough; they are not skilled enough.

They are not given the right education that makes them less dependent on others but to be job creators. They go to the university and come back stranded.

They are not skilled enough to go out there to harness the society and create wealth for themselves legally; instead, after coming out of college or out of higher institutions they end up doing funny businesses, cyber crimes and the rest of them. So, I just think that it has come to stay until the government takes a firm stand on it. If nothing is being done urgently, I guess, most countries of the world will start placing embargo on Nigerians coming into their domain. The situation is bad already. Like I said before, it is a reminder to the world that this is what we do, and who we are, and that there is no change in that for now.

Mathias Prowess - Student It is going to tarnish Nigeria’s image because it will definitely give other countries more reasons to ban Nigerians from coming into their country to reside, even the innocent Nigerians would also be victims of what does not concern them. Make no mistake about it, Nigeria’s image would be tarnished more and

more on the global scene.

Ahijo Farida- Business woman It’s really portraying a bad image of Nigeria. But what is the government doing about it? I will say that it might be because of the high level of unemployment in the country. If the government can provide job opportunities, build vocational places for training for youths, I think the crime rate will reduce.

Sheriff Bankole - Banker All I can say about this is that Nigeria’s image has already hit rock bottom. We hear news everywhere about Nigerians exploiting the society fraudulently in other to gain wealth for themselves.

It’s a menace that has come to stay amongst the youths in Nigeria at large. Graduates everywhere, after graduating from their institutions the only thing they can think about is how to perpetrate evil, cyber crimes; how to extort money from foreigners and even locally. I don’t think anything will change on Nigeria’s image globally because foreigners already know Nigerians and how we do things. So, we are just reminding them that we are still here. I don’t think it can get any worse because its already worse and I blame this

on the government because I don’t think the government is well-equipped, or maybe, they are equipped but they are not maximising it to the full potential because if the Nigerian government is up and running, the operational sector of economy should also be powered in the interest of citizens.

If government were proactive, the education sector should have been reformed in such a way that rather than making graduates to be job-seekers, they should be job-creators for themselves and for other people.

But instead, we have an army of unemployed, or sometimes, unemployable youths (graduates) who now go into crime to eke out a living.

Who is fooling who here?

The system is bad and what do you expect of the masses?

It is said that, “an apple doesn’t fall far from the tree”.

Nigeria is in a state of degradation and it will only take a campaign, a massive action by the Federal Government, state government, local government and every sector to come together to put a stop to this.

Michelle Okon- Civil Servant It is not a good report that 77 Nigerians have either been

arrested or kept on watch list over crime they allegedly committed. It is a bad image for the country. Already, some countries are saying that they don’t want to do business with Nigerians because of fraud-related issues. It’s really a bad thing for us and its putting a dirt on our image as a country. For instance, the execution of some Nigerians in Saudi Arabia is also bad because you can’t have good countries speak well about us, you can’t have good leaders of other countries speak well about us as a country, and that’s really bad.

What will happen to the generation to come, what will happen to the younger ones looking up to us? what will happen to the good ones that are striving everyday to make sure they make a living? It will be difficult for them to travel outside the country or do business outside the country.

I’ll like all Nigerians to focus on building themselves and making genuine money because there are lots of ways to make genuine money.

Henry Festus- Student It hasn’t really been the best thing for us; for example, some of us that are based abroad can’t seem to have the freedom of movement or even the ability of being employed cause a lot

of things happened and then when you go over to your work place everyone will look down on you and call you all sorts of names. It just doesn’t make sense. We Nigerians are very smart; it’s a given fact, but then again, if we keep on using our smartness to do things that will paint a bad image of ourselves, it just doesn’t seem right.

I’m someone who like playing football, and imagine if I decide to travel outside the country to further my football career, then what happens? I probably might get denied or not get the recognition I well deserved because I’m a Nigerian, why! Because they think even if you get there, it’s either you start doing drugs or drop out of school or football and a lot of things. And because the fact that you are a Nigerian, they tend to discriminate and scrutinise you a lot more than you ought to be. We are all Human beings, but right now what a lot of us are doing is actually affecting us and the way our country is, it just doesn’t make sense. If there are things that need to be done to stop or eradicate crimes, we need it to be done as soon as possible because the image of Nigeria on the global scene is really bad and it is nothing to write home about.

Michael DominionWell, many Nigerians just actually get into such troubles simply because they want to make money by all means. Some even drop out of school, go abroad, anyhow, and begin to do all kinds of things just to make quick money. This get-richquick mindset is killing Nigerians. They think they are in competition with anybody.

They engage in all kinds of things, just to make money.

Many Nigerians within and abroad are really manifesting uncivilised behaviours, engaging themselves in very disappointing activities. Our image abroad is already tarnished. This is not the first time it’s happening; if I can recall well, there was also a time when some Nigerians were caught committing such crimes abroad and they were also punished for it. So, this same issue happening again for the world to see; it’s really disgraceful.

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Broken promises pits Ikorodu Continued from page 1 came and said they wanted to do the road, and that we should allow them to clear some places that the road is going. After that, they gave us seven days. But before you know it, five days, they came and started demolishing the houses,” said Adeshina Adekunle Ojoye.

Recounting the event which rendered many homeless, Ojoye, a metal bender, told BDSUNDAY that the people of the community did not resist, nor argue with the government officials.

“No one fought with them, they allowed them to do what they wanted to do,” he said.

This was probably due to the promise made by the government to compensate those affected- a promise which they swallowed in good fate.

“The government said they would compensate us for the demolition. But it’s two years now, and we are still expecting the government to pay our compensation and make us happy, but nothing,” he further said.

In Igbogbo, it is common to see houses built with shops. As a result, affected residents did not just lose shelter, but also their means of livelihood as BDSUNDAY learnt.

“I am just hanging around. I found a place to keep my things. As I speak now, my wife and children are not with me because I don’t have a place to stay with them.

I don’t have money to rent an apartment.

“Someone borrowed me a room where I’m staying now, and

because I can’t stay with my wife and kids, I scattered (separated) all of them. My load too, I scattered everything,” Ojoye said.

The loss is huge for some residents. While Ojoye lost his sixrooms-and-two-shops apartment, Temitope’s loss was a big deal.

“Out of ten rooms, and two shops, they demolished six rooms, and the two shops. This is my father’s house,” said Temitope, a photographer.

Currently living in squalor, their only hope of survival now rests on their compensation and that is what they want. That is what they demand.

“This house, (points to the remains of the structure), was my father’s house. Around December, two years ago, they (government) asked us to remove anything important that could affect us from the house because of the demolition. All the tenants that were here ran away.

“They demolished two of my shops and the place I was leaving. I didn’t know where to go and had to come back to my father’s house,” Shukurat Olukoya said, trying to hold back tears.

Stating one way it is affecting residents, she revealed that since the event took place, the community had lost its peace as thieves now prey on the vulnerable.

“I was attacked in front of this building because of this demolition. They shot my daughter, as I am talking now, I came from the hospital to cook for my daughter.

There were no thieves around this area, all these places had lights, but now everywhere is dark. This is too

Remains of a building where some residents now live

much for us. Since how many years now, they have not done anything,” she said.

“The government should help us, they should give us our money.

They told us they would give us money to build again, but they did not give money to us. And we don’t know what to do. This is painful to us,” Olukoya said.

Speaking to BDSUNDAY, Toyin, who now sells roasted plantain under a giant umbrella by the rubbles of some demolished homes, said her house did not get to the road but it was marked and destroyed.

“I cried for three months,” she said. “I have nowhere to go with my four children and till now, I still don’t have a place to go. They said they will give us money but they’ve not, even the road has not been constructed. You demolished our houses and promised us roads and compensation but nothing has been done. Sanwo-Olu should help us.”

protest at Alausa, demanding for their pay. But were asked to go home, and promised a positive response.

In a report by NAN, the landlords said they were invited on May 5 by the state government to submit documents that showed house ownership as it had approved its payment.

“They asked us for the documents of the house and the plan.

I’ve not seen anything from them since then. We don’t know what was on ground before Ambode left, but now Sanwo-Olu has come, and promised to settle us so that we would not regret the demolition, but since then, I’ve not seen anything. We are still on that now,” Ojoye, (earlier mentioned) told BDSUNDAY Providing more details on efforts to get compensation, Omogoriola Oshilaja, a business woman, said she did not have documents for demolished building. She also explained that her business suffered greatly.

“They asked us to bring the plan for the house, but we didn’t have it because the house was 100 years old. They asked us to snap the house and the shops and NEPA bill. I went to Alausa to submit the documents. They promised us money. After two weeks, the

Oshilaja’s shop where now sells after losing her house and shops

Efforts to get the compensation For nearly two years, the people have been making efforts to get their compensation. These efforts were championed by the landlords’ association in the community.

Multiple sources told the reporter that the landlords held a

Shinna, a resident who lost him home and shops

Demolished structures in the community

landlords’ association went there, but again, we were promised compensation, but nothing has been done till now,” she narrated.

Moruf Maja, another affected resident who spoke to BDSUNDAY, said: “On one occasion we went to meet them at Alausa.

While we were doing the rally there, they gave a promise that we should go back home and be expecting the compensation, and that they would be starting the road.

“But since that time, we didn’t hear anything from anyone of them, the road has been pending since. We have not seen any signal at all (as to) whether they want to construct the road or pay.”

However, sources claimed that some people have been compensated, but efforts made by this reporter to speak to some traditional rulers and further verify this claim failed.

“Some people have collected their money, but some are still suffering. I’ve managed to rent a house, but what if I don’t have money to rent,” Oshilaja queried.

A search for displaced residents Sources say that after the demolitions many people died, some went back to their parents’ houses, other whose parents were affected are now on “exile”.

But those who are resilient enough to choose life now live in the remains of their broken structures; as BDSUNDAY observed within the community.

“Some went to sleep at a primary school, but they were sent away. Some also went to Fashola’s Estate to sleep, but were also sent away,” a source said.

This journalist visited the primary school—Eleja Primary School, in search of displaced resident, but a teacher who resumed work at the primary school eight months ago said nothing of sort ever happened.

A former civil servant who is now a businessman, Akim Kalejaye, said some were now in “exile

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community against Lagos govt because they do not have money to stay there.

“Some have gone far away to Agbado because the place they had was their father’s house and they are old and don’t have money to rent house.”

“Some people are just hanging around, while some will just build shacks with planks, which is wrong. You destroy homes, you did not give them money, and you are allowing them to suffer and they part and parcel of Lagos State. You destroy their property without giving them anything, it’s not done,” Kalejaya said.

In a phone conversation, the chairman of Igbogbo Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Sesan Daini, said “the government is on it.” ‘It’ as said by Sesan means settling the people.

“Like the governor rightly said some weeks ago, when the rain stops, he will resume the Ishawo and Igbogbo road construction.

So I’m sure that he is on it, and they would start as soon as possible,” he said.

Just as ignorant as the residents, the chairman said he does not know what exactly is responsible for the delay in the construction of the road.

“You know government is a continuous thing. This project was inherited by the past administration. So what is holding it I don’t know, what I just know is that this government has promised that he would start immediately rain stops and they are working towards it,” he said.

However, he confirmed to BDSUNDAY that some residents had been compensated. According to him, the compensation started before the end of the last government.

No respect for kingship BDSUNDAY gathered that even the king’s palace will be demolished, though it is still standing.

Residents who spoke to the journalist confirmed his tenacious efforts to bring succour to his people. They say he is doing something.

Specifically, the Kabiesi (king) is trying a lot about the demolitions and trying to get his people paid. He goes to Alausa from time to time, according to Ojoye who spoke earlier.

He further revealed that when the landlords’ association went to protest in Alausa and were told not to worry about it, and returned disgruntled, it was Kabiesi who calmed them down.

“They came back to Kabiesi, he (too) told them not to worry about it, that he’s making effort on it,” Ojoye told this reporter.

But despite his effort to bring a spark of smile to frowning faces in the community, he too stands a chance to be like them—but with royalty.

“Yes, they want to break the

A demolished struction near the Oba’s palace

The remains of Shukurat’s house

palace too, but before they start the works, they must provide one place before they open the palace because that is the place that Kabiesi and the people do their meetings. But it affected the palace,” he said.

Putting it mildly, Sesan Daini, chairman Igbogbo LCDA, said: “The palace will be partly affected.”

Antecedents/ past demolitions in Lagos With the streams of demolitions that Lagosians have witnessed in the past, one may assume that the Lagos State government has a penchant for rendering its people homeless.

In July 2012, 30,000 people were evicted from their homes in Nigeria’s Makoko community through demolitions. One was shot dead and many were injured.

In 2017 armed officials of the Lagos State Task Force stormed Otodogbame, a waterfront community in the Lekki area, to demolish structures.

In the process, a resident was shot and killed. Premuim Times reported that the demolition rendered an estimated 5,000 people homeless.

Despite criticisms from human rights, and Amnesty International, Lagos State government defended its actions, saying the demolition was done to keep the waterfront “free from environmentally injurious and unsanitary habitation few

A section of the road in Igbogbo to constructed

months after it was consumed by fire and rendered uninhabitable.”

But before the report was made

by Premium Times, Reuters estimated that 300, 000 could be left homeless in 2016.

Examples of demolitions are many, as a result of the State’s megacity project. But still fresh in the hearts of Lagosians is the recent demolitions of over 80 homes on Lagos Island following the Ita Faaji building collapse.

Also, massive demolition of illegal structures took place in Eric Moore to Trade Fair complex corridors.

Reacting to this, popular journalist, Kadaria Ahmed took to her Twitter handle on to condemn the move. She wrote: “Watching the demolishing of poor people’s homes at Eric Moore by a Lagos task force. I am disappointed in @jidesanwoolu Lagos and all other Nigerian cities must stop their anti-poor policies.

Before evicting people should we not provide low-cost housing?”

Also condemning the Lagos Island demolition, the Lagos AntiDemolition Movement has said: “The Lagos State government has embarked on an unscientific and unempirical demolition of 200 houses…”

The demolitions, which usually occur in low income environments, have given human rights activists reasons to believe that the government is being unjust to low income population.

Victoria Ibezim-Ohaeri, the director of research and policy at Spaces for Change in an article published by BusinessDay wrote: “There is evidence that stateordered demolitions often target low-income neighbourhoods.

Nearly all the mass demolitions in the state have occurred in the informal settlements, or neighbourhoods populated by low-income and extremely poor residents.

“In other words, no amount of flooding in the highbrow communities can ever result in stateordered demolitions despite overwhelming evidence showing that affluent neighbourhoods in the Lekki and Ajah axis, for instance, experience flooding more frequently and with greater intensity.”

What the law says Section 55 of the Lagos State Urban Renewal and Policy Development Law enacted by the Lagos State government makes provisions for demolitions scenarios.

Parts of the section states thus: Section 55 (1) The Renewal Agency shall, in an improvement area, have power to: (b) grant, guarantee or otherwise facilitate the granting of loans to a person or group of persons to; (i) assist in the improvement, repair or renovation of houses within the area as may be directed by the Renewal Agency; or (ii) provide, improve, repair or renovate social and communal facilities within the area;

(c) subject to the provision of this Law, demolish or order the demolition of a building or part of it and, where appropriate, recover the cost of the demolition from the owner of the building or part of it; (d) Improve, repair or renovate or order the improvement, repair or renovation of a building or part of it and where appropriate, recover the cost of the improvement or repair from the owner of the building or part of it; and (e) Pay compensation within 90 days on such terms and conditions as may be prescribed, to a person who suffers a loss or damage through the exercise of its powers in the area.

But according to Ibezim-Ohaeri, as previous demolition practices in the state clearly demonstrate, official adherence to statutory safeguards is uncommon.

“Calling for demolitions without safeguards is an invitation to anarchy. Mitigation measures— including compensation, resettlement, or provision of temporary shelter, and humanitarian assistance—aimed at lessening the deleterious impact of mass displacement on vulnerable groups such as women, aged, and young children, are rarely ever considered and adopted,” she said.

“Demolitions should only happen within the confines of the law,” Ibezim-Ohaeri added. But do they?

Abiodun Baiyewu, executive director, Global Rights Nigeria, told BDSUNDAY that government policies should be pro-poor, lamenting that Nigerian government has continued to make even more vulnerable citizens it should protect.

“The act of ridding cities of the poor does not reduce poverty in the city, it deepens it. What the government did in the instance of this community is against the rule of law and raises even more questions,” Baiyewu said.

He wondered if they obtain a court order sanctioning the demolitions; why they did not respect the traditional land title holding of this indigenous community, and if they prove they took over the land for “public good.”

“Every Nigerian community is indigenous to ancestral land and once you kick them out, they become ‘settlers’ wherever you rehabilitate them to. This is often the cause of lots of conflicts. The Constitution mandates that the natural resources of a community must be used for the good of the community or not at all. Land is a natural resource. I fail to see how dispossessing these communities of their lands and access to shelter, and thereby impoverishing them will be for public good. There were children in that community. Now they sleep in the open. How does government justify their right to be protected from such vulnerabilities? I have more questions than answers,” Baiyewu said.

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TheWorshippers Inspiration With Rev. Yomi Kasali

info@yomikasali.com

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he Vice Chancellor received a call from someone at the other end and was all shaking saying, ‘yes sir, okay sir, No Problems, anything for you sir, You are my Oga sir...’, silently, I wondered who he was talking to but no sooner had the thought come did my mother who was a very good friend of his blurted out the question and the VC replied her, ‘that is my Oga o, he wants admis-

Godfatherism... The Nigerian way sion for a person who flunked Jamb and I had to oblige him’.

The above scenario is a typical display of ‘godfatherism’ which is very evident in our Nigerian society. The Nigerian Church today has also presented our God in Heaven as a Godfather rather than our ‘Father God’ to the teeming masses that attend our weekly services. We infer that this ‘Godfather’ in heaven will ‘lift’ up people that have no qualifications, not prepared for any position, lacks character in life, mediocre in attitude and basically lazy.

We have erroneously taught people that the ‘Godfather’ will use His Divine Connection to get us and our children admissions into University Without passing exams, get us our Breakthrough jobs without passing interviews, give us our big dream contracts without experience, give us our houses without down payments, give us ‘Favour Without Labour’, Provide our dream cars for us without a job. The list is endless of what this ‘Godfather’ in heaven will provide for His children on earth.

The Lord’s Prayer explains in details how our Father God operates from heaven which

is totally different from the Nigerian Way; ‘Godfathersim’.

After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

(Matt 6 v 9-11) Reading the above passage, it is obvious that God is our Father in Heaven and we should pray that His will be done on earth as it is in Heaven not the other way around, we have taught that

‘His Will be done in Heaven as it done on Earth’ Or Nigeria more specifically. It is sad and unfortunate.

5 Ways God is not a GodFather Promote mediocrity above competence: I am sure you have noticed that the Nigerian Way is who you know not who you are. In different spheres; politics, business, education religion, we have seen ‘Competence’ thrown into the trash can in exchange for who you know; godfather. A recent occur-

rence is what happened in the Lagos State House of Assembly when they dropped one of the brightest minds in the hallowed chamber for thugs disguised as technocrats.

Work before you eat: Paul told us that ‘...he that does not work should not eat’ (2 Thess. 3 v 10-12). In fact it is a commandment of our Lord Jesus but the Nigerian Godfathers love to give food to thugs and arm them with guns while those who work are owed salaries and sometimes starved as well.

We should encourage dignity of labour so that anyone who is lazy is flushed out of the welfare structure we have created.

Dishonest gain is evil: Our Heavenly Father shuns dishonest gains but our Nigerian Godfathers thrive on corruption which we have fuelled appropriately by singing their praises everywhere including our churches and mosques. In fact we give them titles and celebrate them which is why we have the Yahoo Boys Building their own empires from internet fraud and proceeds of dishonest transactions.

Go and repeat a class and don’t skip the process: This is

very lamentable because it’s the parents that have taught their children that one can get admission into schools without passing exams. They go and bribe their way through for their children instead of telling them to repeat the classes and subjects they failed. It is not good but evil and we are The Godfathers from home that these children see and want to be like.

I know the police: Some People Encourage truancy and thuggery because they have the police in their pockets and so we live a life of Godfatherism but our Father in Heaven will have all men face the music for their crimes and offenses without skipping the process. He said we should ‘visit the prisoners’ meaning He expects them to be sent to Prison not bribed out of prisons.

My heart is saddened with the fact that we have built a corrupt system in Nigeria and expect an American society… it will not happen until we change our ways. The Nigerian Way is not a good way but the Heavenly way.

I do expect to read your feedback on how this article has blessed you.

Be Inspired!

Mkpat Enin LG trains 210 youths in Christians in government urged oil and gas industry skills to be Christ-like ANIEFIOK UDONQUAK, Uyo

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hristians in politics, especially those in government have been urged to be Christ-like in their dealings and undertaking as portrayers and ambassadors of Christian faith to non-believers as a means of winning more souls for Christ.

The admonition was made at the ninth Kingdom Life Assembly of Lagos East Baptist Conference (LEBC), held recently at the First Baptist Church, Agbowa, Lagos. At the end of the four-day event, themed, ‘Following Jesus as a steward’, the conference issued a communiqué urging that “Christian brothers and sisters who are in political circles and other market places should represent Christ in line with their confession in the Lord Jesus Christ.”

The statement also condemned negative use of social media by Christians, warning them “to desist

from this unpatriotic act which is fast polluting our society.”

The Lagos Baptists also expressed worry about the rising cases of suicide in the country as it called on government at all levels to create job opportunities for the teeming unemployed youths and reduce the psychological trauma people are passing through, by creating the enabling environment for citizens to operate.

The conference noted that lack of jobs among the teeming youth population was part of the reasons the country is being bedeviled by all kinds of crimes. It however, urged the government to intensify the war against corruption. “… government to intensify her efforts not only at fishing out corrupt individuals and institutions and prosecuting them but also ensure that the looted funds are recovered and channeled to developmental ventures.”

M

kpat Enin Local Governm e n t Ar e a of Akwa Ibom State has trained 210 youths to equip them with skills required in the oil and gas industry.

The youths were trained in a facility run by the local government which has a capacity to provide various skilled needed in the oil industry.

Speaking at the graduating ceremony commended Ekanem Brown, the local

NEWS government chairman for his vision and commitment to human capacity development in Akwa Ibom State.

Represented by Ufot Ebong, special assistant to the governor on technical matters, he expressed confidence that the local administration in the area will meet the yearnings of the youths in providing them with skills for employment.

Graduands of the oil and gas skills training facility in Mkpat Enin Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State with Ufot Ebong, Senior Special Assistant to the governor on Technical matters.

The governor, who decried the absence of a petroleum training institute in Akwa Ibom despite being the highest oil producing state in Nigeria, commended the council boss for making a move that could lead to the establishment of the first petroleum training institute in the state.

“Before coming here, I spoke with chairmen and senior directors of multinational oil companies and they have promised to visit this facility very soon and give support,” he said.

He also applauded the graduands for seeking to learn lifetime skills, expressing confidence that in no distant time, they will form major manpower force for the industry across the country.

Earlier, the council Chairman, Ekanem Brown applauded his predecessor, Ephraim Akpan for conceiving idea of the academy, he added that knowing the value of the facility to Nigerian youths, he decided to continue with the project.

He said the training of

210 youths in skills relevant to the oil and gas sector is aimed at creating a pool of young minds trained in technical skills to provide manpower for the oil and gas companies operating in the coastal area in the state.

“The aim of this programme is to make Oil and Gas academy Nya-odiong a centre of excellence in technical and vocational skills training across Nigeria and to create a pool of specialised skills relevant in the industry operating here in our coastal areas,” he said.

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TheWorshippers Integrity will sustain you and keep you going in ministry – Prophet Nwachukwu Prophet Anene Nwachukwu of Rhema Deliverance Mission International during the recent annual conference of the church spoke on the state of the nation; he also disclosed the secrets of staying away from scandals as a preacher. Excerpts by SEYI JOHN SALAU who was in attendance.

The church organises this conference annually; how can the conference impact your church membership and the society at large? ell, by the special grace of God this conference has been an annual event and God has been showing himself mighty to his people through the men of God that have been part of this programme. That of last year was powerful; this year’s edition was super.So, the people who attended left with testimonies and with smiling faces. The kingdom of God needs to expand and by the special grace of God, we are still moving forward.

What is the significance of asking members to appear in white and come along with leaves to the conference?

White is a symbol of light and a celestial symbol. The Lord instructed that we appear in white and come with leaves. The significance of the leaf is that whatsoever the enemies have done against us will be cleansed because native doctors work with leaves. They cannot do anything against you without entering the bush to collect leaves, which is why our people say that ‘when you feed a native doctor well, he will go into the evil forest and bring out roots which he will use to work for you.’ So, we use leaves so that anything that anyone has done to us with leaves will be countered through prayers. There was no sword in the hands of David when he fought Goliath; David used the sword of Goliath to cut off his head, so we use our own leaves as we are praying that whatever they have done to us with their own leaves that their leaves will fight against them, which is the significance.

How do you tackle challenges of the ministry, especially staying away from scandals?

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Prophet Anene Nwachukwu

One thing you must know about ministry is that ministry is ruled by integrity; I always tell people that anointing can make a way for you as a man of God but integrity will sustain you and keep you going. Of course, when you see a man, whatever he does, you look at his foundation; foundation is very important. I came out of a priestly family: my father is a Bishop; my father’s father is a Bishop and in my family, we grew up learning how to pray. We grew up learning how to sing, if you see me now though I’m a prophet, but I know how to sing because your foundation matters in whatever you. I have female members, I have male members and I know how I

interact with every one of them, as a pastor, the bible says that you should flee from every appearance of evil, something that will make me to begin to pokenose or backbite, I avoid it. For example, as a pastor, if you see me every day with my female members coming out of my car, going here and there or maybe coming out of a hotel with my female members and I say that I’m on a visit, what kind of satanic visit is that? If you want to go to a hotel, go with your wife; if you want to eat in a hotel, go with your wife.

Is there an underlying factor to your generosity?

You see, one thing I know is the way we were brought up, I wasn’t born with a silver spoon, I know

what it means to trek from Mile 2; I know what it means to trek from Iyana Iba to Ikeja. One thing I learnt from Jesus is that he cannot heal somebody without first having compassion on that person because Jesus is a compassionate man.

The best gospel you will preach to people is the gospel according to yourself; when you are generous to people, you should also be very careful about it. The generosity I am talking about here is not expecting something in return from the person you give to; it is not the generosity to take advantage of anyone. I believe that any gift that you give to a man that doesn’t have an attachment will have the best reward.

Anyone attending your service for the first time is not unlikely to be dazed by the prophecies and revelations; what is your secret?

Some of the people I was talking to during the conference came for the first time. You know why we do that is to showcase the supernatural power of God even to the doubting Thomases. A man was once present in the service and said in his heart that my power is in the ring I was wearing; I heard him in my spirit and gave the ring to him. Another man in the service also said in his heart that my power was in the ‘agbada’ I was wearing; I likewise heard him and chose to remove the ‘agbada’ and gave to him. He did not know why I did so, until I told him. That’s why I tell people to go for the mantle, don’t go for the title; the mantle is not for sale, it is the mantle that will give you the title, it is what you do that will announce you not the noise you make. We don’t make noise; ministry is not by making noise. As Jesus Christ humbled himself, we as ministers also need to humble ourselves so that God can continue to lift us up.

What is your stand on the now suspended RUGA settlement project of the Federal Government?

RUGA in my own definition is ‘ruling under gun attack’. I don’t believe in RUGA, if there should be RUGA, they should also give us our own land where we can build our church in a place like Sokoto. Handling herds is the private business of the herdsmen which should not obstruct other people’s businesses or activities. So, let’s not deceive ourselves because RUGA simply means ruling under gun attack.

State of nation: what is your message to Nigerians considering the level of insecurity?

Well, I want to encourage Nigerians that there is still a better tomorrow, we should not give up on our nation, Buhari appears to be slow, Buhari appears to be confused but we pray that the Lord will use the men around him to get him through. Why did I use that language confused? I thought that immediately after the inauguration in February or March, let’s assume he has spent almost four months to constitute his cabinet, I thought that immediately after the National Assembly has been inaugurated, the following day he will present his ministerial appointment. So, I think we need prayers in this nation because it appears that we are in a flight that has an auto-pilot. What I mean is that the pilot is flying by twisting the aircraft so we need to pray for the man because Nigerians are really suffering. Buhari said that by 2020 or thereabout he’s going to lift over 100 million Nigerians out of poverty; the journey of a 1000 miles begins with a step, if you are going to lift us out of poverty in the next two to five years, at least, you will begin from now. Let us see samples of what you have been doing, for example if Buhari can fix our roads, those who have their own cars and use it for transport can feed their families, for example you cannot go to Apapa and drive freely because of the bad roads and tankers.

Insecurity: Bishop’s wife backs call for state police

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ollowing the incessant killings and destruction of property across the country and the recent killing of a Catholic priest in Taraba State, the wife of the Bishop of Lagos West, Church of Nigeria, Angelical Communion, Lydia Odedeji, has supported the calls for state police as part of the solutions to address the lingering insecurity in Nigeria.

Odedeji stated this at the 20th Annual Women’s Conference of the Diocese of Lagos West held recently in Lagos, at the Caroline AdefiolaAdeboyi Memorial Women Conference Centre, Ipaja, Lagos, while calling on the Federal

Government to reconsider the recommendation of the 2014 National Conference on state police.

“The Boko Haram insurgency

Lydia Odedeji

in the North East is still with us.

The Fulani herders and farmers’ clashes in the middle belt and other areas still persist,” said Odedeji, stating that it is sad that Nigeria is listed as the fifth dangerous countries to live in.

According to Odedeji, banditry is all over states like Kaduna, Zamfara, Sokoto, Kastina and Niger, while states in the southern part of the country that have hitherto been peaceful have witnessed unbelievable spate of killings and banditry by gunmen. She however, opined that this has compounded the situations in some of the southern states with cases of armed

robbery,kidnapping and ritual killings.

She pointed out that although the crime so listed are the ones under the purview of the Nigeria Police, from all indications, the Nigeria Police have not been able to cope; hence, the need to drag the military into the issues of internal affairs. “…the involvement of the army and navy coming to complement the efforts of the police is commendable because crime is still on the increase across the country”.

The wife of the Lagos West Bishop also used the occasion to solicit for international support

to help in tackling the power sector challenges in Nigeria. “The informal sector, comprising mainly the artisans and technicians who can as well drive the economy with their low and medium capacity productivity, have jumped into strange profession such as Okada riding, street hawking due to inability to source and maintain alternative power like generator,”Odedeji stated.

She stressed that the power sector is critical to Nigeria’s economy as many known viable industries have had to relocate to Ghana and some other African nations with steady power supply.

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Sunday 08 September 2019

BrandsOnSunday SPOTLIGHTING BRAND VALUE

Who is Andre Iguodala, and what will his visit to Lagos mean for entrepreneurs?

Daniel Obi

A

ndre Iguodala is a full time professional American basketball player and a part-time tech enthusiast/investor. He started his NBA career in 2004. He played a leading role in each of the Golden State’s championship seasons.

During the 2017 championship run, he established his legacy as one of the NBA’s premier players.

In 2015, he received the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award.

He was an NBA All-Star in 2012 and was named to the NBA AllDefensive Team twice.

He was also a member of the United States national team at the 2010 FIBA World Championship and 2012 Summer Olympics, winning the gold medal both times. He was named the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) First Vice President in 2019.

In addition to his numerous basketball achievements, he has also found success in the business world with entrepreneurial ventures in technology and ecommerce. Off the court, he has been at the forefront of navigating the worlds of venture capital and technology in the Bay Area. He became a member of the Board of

Andre Iguodala

Directors for Jumia Technologies (NYSE: JMIA) in 2019.

Prior to becoming a member of the Jumia Board, Andre had invested in over 40 companies through F9 Strategies, including GOAT, Zoom, HIMS, Lime, Thrive Global, AllBirds, Casper, STANCE and Carta. In 2017, he partnered with Bloomberg on the creation of The Players Technology Summit which convenes top executives and leaders in the technology,

venture capital and sports communities to exchange ideas and share expertise in an educational and empowering forum.

Andre and other Board members of Jumia Technologies will be in Lagos on a business visit this week. During this visit, Andre will be interacting with tech entrepreneurs at an event tagged: ‘Moving from zero to growth’. The objective of the event in Lagos, according to reliable source is to help

Consumer forum identifies key issues, potential solutions in electricity sector Daniel Obi

A

rbitrary electricity billings, energy theft, issue of metering, group disconnections and poor power sector regulation have been identified as key issues creating frustrations and aggravations between electricity providers, especially discos and consumers.

Over the years, Nigerian electricity consumers and providers have lived with these challenges including lack of state-of-art to distribute electricity, exhibition of violence by consumers against service providers, delay in addressing consumers’ complaints and discriminatory distribution of electricity.

But in an attempt to fashion a new chapter in the sector, Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, FCCPC has initiated a forum between consumers and electricity providers address grey areas.

At one of those town hall meetings held between FCCPC, Ikeja Disco, consumers and electricity regulatory bodies, CEO of FCCPC, Babatunde Irukera said the meeting is to allow the discos to hear the consumers, recognise what their

grievances are and to improve on how they address those grievances.

For instance, he said there is no excuse of billing consumers for power that they did not use. “An estimated billing itself seems to have been redefined, abused and mis-characterised. We use to have estimated billing in Nigeria before the discos and it was not such a contentious but the real challenge is that this estimated billing has become arbitrary and crazy and that is why people are resisting it.

That is why metering seems to be the only option”.

Irukera further said that consumers are dissatisfied because of poor quality of service, and that dissatisfaction becomes aggravation when service providers are not sensitive.

However, he said the forum is part of efforts designed to enlighten consumers against the abuse to field workers of discos. “We must find solutions to achieve restraint

on violence and again police neighbourhoods to check energy theft and illegal connections”.

Speaking at the forum, Princewill Okorie, National President, Association for Public Policy Analysis said the problem in the power sector is the failure of Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC to enforce the Electric sector reform act of 2005 without being partial.

Okorie said section 32 (1) F says regulation should be just and balanced to all consumers, investors and licensees, but “what you see is that NERC operates in support of the discos against the consumers.

The act approved that competition should be encouraged in the sector but NERC goes behind to frustrate competition”, he said.

According to him, FG, States and LGs own 40 % of the shares in the electricity value chain, but he regrets that most ministries of power in the states don’t know much about the regulatory act.

Okorie beckoned on President Buhari to set up a committee to review the performance of NERC in the electricity sector to understand how NERC is enforcing electric power sector reform act stating that the partial implementation of the act is creating problems in the sector.

startups understand what they need to do to attract investment.

Such interactions, no doubt is crucial and significant to Nigerian startups and SMEs, regarded as vital agents of economic development and transformation but are going through excruciating times engendered by lack of national infrastructure, limited financing options, poor training and poor access to market.

The Small and Medium Enterprises SME sector, including micro businesses have generally been described as engine of economic growth. This has been proven in many economies such as USA, China, India, Malaysia and Singapore where the countries have leveraged the contribution of SMEs to advance their economies.

Size and definition of SME enterprises depend on the magnitude of economies but the general understanding is that SMEs are businesses that have a number of employees below a certain threshold and certain revenue and assets level. In Nigeria, Bank of Industry, BOI defines medium scale businesses as firms that their workforce is less than 200 but above 50 with total assets of less than N500 m but above N100m.

On the other hand, small businesses are firms with less than 50 employees but above 10 staff

with total asset base of less than N100m but above N5m while micro businesses, according BOI are enterprises with less than 10 employees and total assets of less than N5m.

MSMEs numbering about 37 million have not been able to grow as expected and are not attracting external investments due to various reasons. That is why is commendable that Jumia founded in 2012 that sells 6 million products from more than 50,000 brands in 14 African countries, including Nigeria, Morocco, South Africa and Egypt is bringing Iguodala, a successful basketball player and a business savvy personality to engage Nigerian MSMEs on ways forward. It is expected that the interactions will elicit questions and answers on business growth, especially in a challenging environment.

Jumia co-founder Sacha Poignonnec, in a statement said: “We appreciate his commitment and passion for the tech industry and for Africa, and we can’t wait to collaborate and accelerate our impact on the continent. Having Andre join our board sends the world the message that Africa has successful companies and great entrepreneurs, and that athletes can play a key role in contributing to their success.”

Why fruit juice is important in your diet

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he first step on the journey of wellness is a balance in our diet which is achievable by evaluating and taking advantage of readily available and affordable nutrient fillers. Experts have recommended the regular consumption of fruits as a key ingredient to providing important nutrients for overall health and wellness.

Achieving the recommended goals of five fruit portion per day can be challenging and become hindered by availability, convenience, and affordability. This is what makes fruit juice a smart choice since it is a delicious and nutritious way to consume a range of exciting variants of whole fruits every day.

Experts say 100% fruit juice with no added sugar, but contains only the naturally occurring sugars found in the fruit from which the juice is squeezed is good for diet. When included as part of your healthy diet, 100% fruit juice can help meet recommended daily goals for fruit intake because it is a nutrient-dense drink that provides vitamins, minerals (folic acid, thiamine and magnesium) and beneficial plant nutrients like polyphenols.

It is also vital to educate yourself on facts that will help you select a healthy product made from real fruit and not some concocted chemicals mixture. The first place to start is to go with time tested and trusted

brands and whilst also paying attention to the nutrition facts on the label.

According to Folakemi Adeyemi, a nutritionist with Healthyliving International, consuming 100% fruit juices with no added sugar can reduce calories associated with added sugar without compromising quality nutrition.

“Globally, products with added sugars have come under severe scrutiny because they are believed to provide what is mostly referred to as empty calories without adding nutritional benefits. The natural sugar in fruit juices come with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidant.

They are a convenient way to reach your daily fruit intake recommendations,” she stated.

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Equity Access Bank positioned for leadership as banks rake in N339bn profits in H1’19 ...Access accounts for 70% increase in loans and advances, deposits

T

Stories by TELIAT SULE

he merger that produced the current Access Bank has started to pay off in view of the N63.02 billion profit after tax it announced last Friday for the half-year ended June 2019.

The half-year profit after tax amounted to an increase of 59.1 percent when compared with pre-merger N39.6 billion announced last year June. This improvement, as well as in other metrics, has positioned Access Bank for the banking industry leadership in the country.

Spurred by the desire to become a market leader, Access Bank executed a seamless merger with Diamond Bank between late 2018 and early 2019, culminating in the establishment of the biggest tier-one bank by assets in the country. The decision was supported by shareholders and endorsed by a court of competent jurisdiction. As at the close of business last Friday, its share price closed at N6.90 per share and it is worth N245.3 billion on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

The significant rise in Access Bank’s PAT or an additional N23.4 billion profit, surpassed 15.4 percent industry growth in profits by the five tier-one banks at half year 2019. The five tier-one banks - Access Bank, Zenith Bank, GTB, FBN and UBA, realised N339.41 billion as profit after tax compared with N294.2 billion realised by same banks in June 2018.

The benefits of the merger also manifest in other areas of Access Bank’s operations.

The combined net-interest

Index

All Share Index(ASI) NSE Premium Index NSE Main Board Index NSE ASeM Index NSE 30 Index NSE Banking Index NSE Insurance Index NSE Consumer Goods Index NSE Oil/Gas Index NSE Lotus Islamic Index NSE Industrial Index NSE Pension Index

Market Returns Jan 31, 2019

Market Returns Feb 28, 2019

Market Returns Mar 29, 2019/Q1

Market Returns June 28, 2019(H)

Market Returns July 31, 2019

Market Returns Aug 30, 2019

-­‐2.78%

0.93%

-­‐1.24%

-­‐4.66%

-­‐11.81%

-­‐12.42%

-­‐3.05%

1.21%

0.40%

9.17%

4.17%

5.40%

-­‐2.57%

0.71%

-­‐1.37%

-­‐13.11%

-­‐22.55%

-­‐0.60% -­‐4.04%

0.87% 0.53%

1.69% -­‐1.73%

-­‐1.45% -­‐11.39%

-­‐2.49%

3.05%

1.26%

-­‐3.26%

5.37%

6.91%

Market Returns Sept 6, 2019

A Year Ago: Market Returns Sept 7, 2018

-­‐13.63%

-­‐11.00%

3.50%

-­‐3.57%

-­‐23.88%

-­‐24.55%

-­‐12.38%

-­‐1.80% -­‐19.60%

-­‐1.87% -­‐23.25%

-­‐1.87% -­‐24.28%

-­‐25.51% -­‐12.97%

-­‐8.04%

-­‐16.49%

-­‐19.49%

-­‐19.33%

-­‐14.05%

-­‐0.40%

-­‐2.16%

-­‐8.49%

-­‐15.52%

-­‐14.82%

-­‐0.45%

-­‐2.61%

-­‐5.15%

-­‐16.89%

-­‐26.74%

-­‐29.74%

-­‐30.69%

-­‐18.27%

-­‐7.27%

-­‐1.20%

-­‐3.87%

-­‐16.21%

-­‐25.26%

-­‐34.35%

-­‐34.36%

-­‐13.14%

0.72%

2.41%

1.51%

-­‐12.03%

-­‐20.11%

-­‐22.25%

-­‐22.99%

-­‐5.17%

5.77%

2.84%

0.14%

-­‐12.12%

-­‐13.26%

-­‐11.85%

-­‐11.33%

-­‐17.16%

-­‐3.12% 0.31% -­‐1.16% -­‐12.35% -­‐19.85% -­‐23.34% -­‐22.69% -­‐8.95% Market -­‐2.78% 0.93% -­‐0.41% 12.67% 15.25% 14.25% 12.68% -­‐8.69% Capitalisation Computed by BusinessDay Research and Intelligence Unit (BRIU). For enquiries, please call 08098710024 or teliat.sule@businessday.ng ; biodunteliat24@gmail.com

was recorded by Ze- UBA income(NII) of Bthe banksfor income FBN increased their Access ank five positioned leadership as banks rake in N339bn profits in and H1’19

nith Bank percent and total assets by 4.8 percent and stood at N670.9 ...Access abillion ccounts fat or half 70% increase in loans at and 33.6 advances, deposits year, representing 8.6 percent followed by GTB at 30.6 per- 1.8 percent respectively.

increase over N617.90 billion cent. UBA grew its net fee Total equity of the top TELIAT last SULE year June. and commission income by banks increased by 6.7 perthey all made From this, Access Bank made 10.6 percent while First Bank cent to N3.09 trillion in June The merger that produced the current Access Bank has started to pay off in view of the N155.1 billion as net interest Holdings recorded 15.8 per- 2019 as against N2.90 trillion N63.02 billion profit after tax it announced last Friday for the half-­‐year ended June 2019. income, implying that its post- cent growth in its net fee and same period last year. Only The interest half-­‐year profit after tax commission amounted to an income increase of at 59.1 percent when cBank ompared ith outpermerger net income Access andwUBA half N39.6 last year June. This improvement, as well the as in industry other soared bypre-­‐merger 82 percent overbillion pre- announced formed growth year 2019. metrics, h as p ositioned A ccess B ank f or t he b anking i ndustry l eadership i n t he c ountry. period, Acmerger NII of N85.3 billion, Total assets of the tier-one rate. During the meaning Spurred that an additional banks rose by 8.6 percent cess Bank grew its equity by by the desire to become a market leader, Access Bank executed a seamless merger N69.8 billion was contributed to N26.8 trillion at half year 19 percent from N491 billion with Diamond Bank between late 2018 and early 2019, culminating in the establishment of to the industry NII in the first 2019, an addition of N2.21 to N584 billion. UBA’s equity six months of 2019. trillion to N24.6 trillion re- rose by 7.9 percent to N542.5 The industry net fee and corded in June 2018. Growth billion up from N502.6 billion commission income grew by in Access Bank’s assets was in June 2018. Other tier-one 23.2 percent only that three outstanding at 31 percent banks performed below the tier-one banks were respon- when juxtaposed with the pre- industry average on this metsible for this growth. Access merger N4.95 trillion to post ric.

Bank grew its net fee and com- merger N6.5 trillion. Other The total loans and advancmission income by 24.8 per- banks that recorded increase es of the tier-one banks added cent during the period, which in their total assets include up to N9.2 trillion in June 2019, is above the industry growth GTB, whose assets rose by 9.5 representing 8 percent inrate. The highest growth in percent to N3.60 trillion from crease over N8.47 trillion the net fee and commission N3.3 trillion last year June. in June 2018. Again, Access

Bank’s loans and advances rose by 32.9 percent, making it the only bank within the tierone group that outperformed industry growth rate in loans and advances. In addition, Access Bank accounted for 96 percent of the total growth in industry loans and advances during the period.

Further, customer deposits of the tier-one banks rose by 13.9 percent from N15.36 trillion last year June to N17.5 trillion by June 2019. Again, only Access Bank surpassed industry growth rate as its customer deposits jumped by 63.1 percent from N2.56 trillion in June 2018 to N4.18 trillion by June 2019. This implies that out of the N2.14 trillion additional deposits made by the customers of the tier-one banks, Access Bank accounted for N1.62 trillion, which amounted to 76 percent of the additional deposits mobilised by tier one banks in the first six months of this year.

Access Bank, in line with its tradition, has proposed to pay shareholders an interim dividend of 25 kobo per share.

The register of members will close on September 24 while payment date is October 3, 2019.

As at the close of business last week Friday, Access Bank’s share price, which closed higher at 1.5 percent year to date, is the only tierone bank that recorded appreciation in its share price.

The share prices of other tierone banks closed in the negative territory. FBN Holdings closed the week at -45.3 percent YTD; GTB, -24.1 percent YTD; UBA, -20.8 percent YTD and Zenith Bank, -21.9 percent YTD.

Equities shed N184 billion in first week of September 2019

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isted stocks on the floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) shed N184.5 billion in the first week of trading in September 2019. Coincidentally, this is the week the nation’s data agency , the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) announced the second quarter gross domestic product (GDP) figure for the nation, with clear signs that un-

less the nation’s managers think outside the box, the Nigerian economy may be heading for a recession.

In the second quarter of 2019, real GDP growth rate slowed to 1.94 percent as against 2.10 percent in Q1 2019.

The market capitalisation of all the listed equities closed the week at N13.21 trillion compared with

N13.39 trillion on the last trading day in August. Similarly, the All-Share Index (ASI) of the NSE ended the week at 27,146.57 points, implying that it depreciated by -1.38 percent week to date and -13.63 percent year to date.

Stocks listed under the main board continued to receive serious bashing as its sectoral index closed

at -12.28 percent YTD. But the worst hit are stocks quoted under the consumergoodssubsectorwhichclosed at -30.69 percent YTD and oil and gas sub sector which ended the period at -34.36 percent YTD. Regardless of the market enthusiasm, investors traded 1.10 billion shares valued at N17.08 billion in 15,431 deals as against 713.14 mil-

lion shares valued at N13.29 billion in 16,237 deals in the previous week.

The financial services sub sector was the most active and the shares of GTB, Access Bank and Zenith Bank drove the volume benchmark in the market. It should be noted that the three banks have declared interim dividends for the half year ended June 30,2019.

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Interview

‘Govt must take effective, not palliative actions ANTHONY IHEUKWUMERE NWABUGHUOGU is a professor of History and retired university don. He was recently recognised by the Abia State Government during the 28th anniversary of the creation of the state, for his great contributions to the development of the state.

In this interview with ZEBULON AGOMUO, he decries the level of poverty in the land; speaks on the areas of focus in the much-talked about restructuring; insists that corrupt persons should be punished in line with the laws of the land, and that government must check the unemployment level among the youth as a way of checking crime in society. He also expresses gratitude to the Abia State government for the honour done to him recently. The Professor also speaks on other issues. Excerpts:

O

ne of the major criticisms against the current government at the centre is its alleged poor handling of the economy. As a Nigerian, may we know your perspective on how best elected politicians should handle economy?

There is no doubt that the current government is handling the nation’s economy very poorly that is why all the indicators for assessing the development status of an economy – the level of poverty, inequality and unemployment- are reporting in the negative.

All are growing uncontrollably. It is not that the Government is not doing anything about the problem, rather it is because government seems not to have full grasp of the problem and for the much it knows it has been applying palliative measures to them.

My perspective on how elected politicians should handle the economy is for them to, first of all, understand the causes of our economic problems and then take effective not palliative actions against them. In my Inaugural Lecture titled ‘Charting a New Path to Nigerian Development: Lessons From History’, delivered in Abia State University, Uturu on 2nd December, 2008, I analysed the problems in the Nigerian economy and proffered solutions to them (of course, elected representatives of the people hardly pay attention to these products of research). The findings and prescriptions in that lecture are still relevant for today’s elected leaders to follow.

We found out that the main causes of our economic problems are that: we have been investing in an environment of instability, insecurity and greed (disturbances of the political system, dislocations of movement of goods and services and massive corruption all of which promote economic slowdown and poverty); we have been engaging in extravagant and wasteful spending of our resources (look at what we spend in running a bicameral legislature, what we spend on contracts, etc; we have been promoting anti-development attitudes and characteristics (penchant for easily acquired wealth while neglecting hard work, oil bunkering, love for conspicuous consumption, accommodation and worship of rich criminals and ethnicity/statism as dominant factor in human relations all supervised by inept leadership); we have refused to integrate our traditional institutions, values, knowledge and culture to our development policies such as traditional institutions for capital formation.; we have also been executing our developing programmes without the people’s participation.

The present Government seems to have concerned itself with part of

Frank Okiye

these causes essentially corruption and poverty and attempted to fight them with palliative measures. Effective action against corruption must go beyond arresting and jailing the culprits; it must include destroying their fame and importance in society by reorienting our people to return to the traditional values and attitudes of shunning questionable wealth. Similarly, the elimination of poverty cannot be achieved by sharing money to traders in market places but in providing education, including skill acquisition to citizens, and enhancing the earning of workers and paying them as at when due. When these go on with ensuring stability and security in the polity by promoting social justice, elimination of extravagance and waste in our public sector activities, encouragement for hard work, ensuring that the people are full participants in the execution of projects meant for them, and recognising and integrating our traditional institutions (Isusu, Extended Family Resource Pools) to serve as institutions for capacity building and capital formation to replace or supplement the commercial banks in the rural communities, we would be charting an appropriate path to the development of our economy.

There has been some bickering over restructuring. Now, how critically does Nigeria need restructuring and what should be the areas of focus?

If this country must survive as an entity, it is very critical to restructure it now. My idea of restructuring is that which returns the country to a federal structure where there are no groups born to rule and no groups born to be ruled. This will involve making the six geopolitical zone equal in the number of states and local governments; devolution of power to the states so that the states take full control of their

resources and internal defence while surrendering a percentage of their financial resources to a Federal Government which should only limit itself to the conduct of foreign policy and external defence. In this way, we will retain our large market, respect each other and have a healthy competition among states which will boost our economy.

How would you rate the fight against corruption by the government?

I believe that the fight against corruption is on course, at least, for high profile corruption. At least, those who live by looting our treasury now know that it is no longer business as usual.

But we need to expand the scope to also deal with low level corruption.

What is required is to make the fight more effective by blending the arrest, detention, imprisonment of culprits and recovery of stolen loots from them with traditional methods of handling evil doers which make it mandatory for culprits to face stigmatisation and ostracism in their own communities. This will reduce their importance in their communities and at the same time bring the lesson home to the younger people that corruption does not pay.

There is need also to pass legislation to prevent those with proven cases of high profile corruption from ruling at any level of government. Workers should be paid above subsistence wage for their labour to prevent them from falling into the temptation of corruption.

How would you rate the level of development in the south east? Are you satisfied with the level of Federal presence in the zone?

When one uses the main indicators of the development status of any economy namely: the rate of poverty, inequality and unemployment, it can

be said that the South East geopolitical zone is at the average level. Only Ebonyi State in the zone is included among the ten poorest states in Nigeria. Inequality is not much pronounced in the area as many young men and women engage themselves in trade and local manufacturing of household equipment. The agricultural sector provides enough food to feed the population. There is however, high level of unemployment and poor infrastructure but these are also found in the other geopolitical zones. Federal presence is almost non-existent. The area has been at the periphery of the Federal Government economic programmes. None of the heavy industries that generate high employment, such as iron and steel, fertilizer, newspaper manufacturing and aluminium companies is located in the southeast. The two federal companies located in the area - coal corporation and motor assembly plant - are moribund.

Although the Federal Government has continued to neglect the zone in terms of economic development (except for the recent Buhari administration intervention on the highways which should be commended), self-help efforts of the people and their governments have continued to keep the zone afloat, at least, to an average level, when compared with other favoured zones of the country.

May we know your highest point in your career days, as well as your lowest point?

My promotion to the rank of Professor in October 1994 by the Abia State University marked the highest point of my career.

It was the climax of a memorable career which started in the University of Calabar in 1981. The lowest point came in the few years before my retirement in 2010, when political interference from outside started taking over university administration and students were no longer enthusiastic to learn.

You were honoured by the Abia State government as a result of your contributions to the development of the state.

How satisfied are you with the state of Abia decades after its creation?

Yes, I was honoured by Abia State Government and invested with the ENYI ABIA award in recognition of my ‘contributions, achievements and commitment towards the development of Abia State’. It was an exciting experience and I cherish it. It is a call for greater commitment to the affairs of the state and I hope it should spur younger people to work for the state. Abia State was created in 1991 so it is yet to clock three decades. By all standards, the state has made modest achievements in all areas of human endeavour within the limit of resources available to successive governments. Abia is one of the safest states to live in Nigeria today. On the other hand, the state is facing serious challenges in road infrastructure, pipe-borne water supply, inadequate housing, poor electricity

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Interview against Nigeria’s economic problems’ supply and poor welfare services (irregular payment of salaries and pensions to some category of workers). It is also regrettable that some industries have either closed down or moved out of the state to other states. Unemployment is high.

This is not therefore, the state of affairs that one can be satisfied with. If there is any satisfaction at all, it is not so much on what has been achieved so far but in what we hope to achieve from the focus of the present government on the Enyimba Economic City Project which is at the verge of taking off and the construction of durable network of roads in the urban cities now on-going.

It appears that something has gone wrong with the value system in the country. How bothered are you over the quest for quick wealth by the youth of today. In your days, the mantra was ‘suffer before pleasure’.

Today, everybody seems to be in a haste to make money without work?

The penchant for easily acquired wealth, especially liquid cash, is a post-colonial development among Nigerian youths. It has manifested in many forms such as colluding with multinational corporations and foreign businesses to siphon massive funds out of the country for some fee; oil bunkering that goes on in high seas through which the country losses billions of naira annually and Advance Fee Fraud, also known as 419. In recent time, kidnapping and internet fraud also known as yahoo-yahoo have been added to the list.

I have not only been very much bothered over this development because of the damage these attitudes do to the economy and to nation building but also I have discussed the matter and suggested how it could be stopped. As far back as 2008, I averred in my Inaugural Lecture cited above that acquisition of easy wealth kills the spirit of hard work which is a sine qua non for economic development. I then suggested that there was need for government to mount ethical reorientation campaign to discourage Nigerians from adoring people with proven corrupt records or those stupendously rich through unknown source (which is the main reason for this craze for easy wealth). I also called on the then Federal Government to implement the Report of the National Ethical Reorientation Committee submitted to President Shehu Shagari in July 1983, by

reactivating the Ministry of National Guidance then created by Shagari’s Government to implement the recommendations, but which did not take off before the military intervened on December 31, 1983. I still stand by those recommendations.

The issue of youth unemployment in the country appears not to be given the necessary attention it deserves.

What threat does this pose to elections in the country?

There is no doubt that government is not doing much to provide employment to the youth of this country. On the average, less than 10 percent of tertiary institution graduates get jobs in the first year of their graduation.

Thus, all over the country, there is an army of unemployed youths who are frustrated and willing tools for evil. The effect of this on elections in the country is that there will continue to be willing thugs in the employ of politicians whom they use to cause confusion during elections and also to rig elections.

The youth population is estimated at close to 40 percent of the nation’s population. How do we get this population productively engaged?

We can do this by training and retraining these youths in skills acquisition so that they can feed themselves and grow to be entrepreneurs. Look at what Tony Elumelu Foundation is doing. We can engage them in modern agriculture by providing them the necessary tools, capital and land. We can also establish industries to employ some of them. The monies recovered from looters of the nation’s treasury should be utilised to attain these objectives.

Some people say that as long as poverty remains endemic in Nigeria, elections may not be free and fair; that politicians would continue to lure voters with money. What in your opinion is the permanent cure for electoral fraud that has to do with poverty?

This claim is predicated on the belief that human beings lack self-control

and must succumb to evil when they are poor. The truth is that not all poor people are ready to do evil because of their poverty. Admittedly, some poor people can be bought by politicians during elections to vote for them but they are not in the majority. Many middle class Nigerians also collect money from contestants. The real reason why many Nigerians take money from politicians during elections is not necessarily because they are poor, but because they believe that politicians do not keep promises and that they do not represent the people but themselves. They therefore, believe it is only proper to take what they can

get from the politicians before electing them.

The cure for electoral fraud, in my opinion, is to be found in intensification of voter education. Let the people know why they should vote; why they should not sell their votes. If the poor voter who ordinarily would sell his/ her vote, is made to understand that voting for a credible candidate would end his/her poverty, he/she would not sell the vote. Perhaps, the National Orientation Agency will do this job better than the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) which is saddled with enormous responsibility of conducting credible elections.

HIS PROFILE Born on 22 November, 1945, Professor Anthony Iheukwumere Nwabughuogu hails from Mbutunta in Osisioma Ngwa Local Government Area. He did his primary school education at the SS Peter and Paul’s School Mbutu Ngwa in today’s Isiala Ngwa South L.G.A. of Abia State. He had a stint with St. Peter Claver’s Seminary, Okpala, after which he enrolled with Wolsey Hall Correspondence College, Oxford, United Kingdom, which enabled him earn the University of London, General Certificate of Education Ordinary and Advanced Levels.

He entered the University of Ibadan in September 1971 and graduated in History, topping his class in 1974 and winning both the Departmental Prize for the best graduating student and the Irving and Bonar Prize for the best undergraduate researched project that year. He was recalled by the University of Ibadan for postgraduate scholarship- an offer which he declined, preferring to take up a teaching appointment with the Kwara State College of Technology, Ilorin as lecturer in their School of Basic Studies in 1975 after serving the National Youth Service Corps 1974/1975.

He was awarded the Federal Government of Nigeria postgraduate scholarship in 1978 which took him to the prestigious Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada where he obtained his Ph.D. in Economic History in 1981.

He joined the University of Calabar as lecturer that year and in 1984 he moved to the then Imo State University, now Abia State University, Uturu. There, he rose through the ranks to become a Professor of History in October, 1994.

Nwabughuogu’s life has been spent in rendering services to society in many capacities. In Abia State University, he dedicated himself to the upliftment of the university; he served as Coordinator School of Humanities, Dean Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Director Institute of Distance Education, and Deputy Vice-Chancellor 1995-1999. He was also member of Senate and was twice elected by Senate and Congregation to represent them in the Governing Council. He is the author of four books and many articles in reputable journals in three continents- Africa, America and Europe- essentially on economic and social issues.

Nwabughuogu has served Nigerian Governments in various capacities. At the Federal level, he was a member Committee to draw up curriculum for the National Orientation Institute in 1991; State Secretary, Abia State Care-Taker Committee of the Social Democratic Party, 1992/1993; Member Presidential Visitation Panel to the Federal University of Technology, Akure and Member Nigerian Universities Commission Accreditation Team, 2006. At the Abia State level, he served as: Member, Planning Committee, for the First InterState Film, Culture and Tourism Festival, 2000; Member, Planning Committee, Ohanaeze Ndi-Igbo Abia State Education Summit, 2004; A resource person at the workshop, organised by Abia State Government for commissioners, permanent secretaries, special advisers/assistants, heads of non-ministerial departments and parastatals in Abia, State, 23 October 2003. He is a member of the Abia State Elder’s Council.

Nwabughuogu’s services have been extended to other areas of public interest. He served The Catholic Men’s Organisation (CMO) as chairman at St Augustine’s Chaplaincy, Abia State University 1988-1989; patron, Deanery 1 CMO Umuahia Diocese and he is Ugwu Ndi Nna of Aba Diocesan CMO. For his numerous services to his people, Professor Nwabughuogu was conferred the Chieftaincy titles: Omereoha 1 of Ovokwu by Eze Elijah Adindu in 1988; Okeosisi 1 of Nenu by Eze Senator Nguma Iroegbu in 2002 and High Chieftaincy Title, Osisi Eji Ama Mba 1 of Mbutu Ukwu by His Royal Majesty, Eze Gauis Ihejiamaizu, now late.

Nwabughuogu is a member of the Historical Society of Nigeria; a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Sales Management and a Fellow of the Institute of Industrial Administration of Nigeria which in 2007 conferred on him the Educational Leadership Award. He is listed in “Who is Who in Igboland” 1997.

Professor Nwabughuogu is married and blessed with five children

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SundayBusiness Dearth of mortgage products and challenge of homeownership

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n most economies of the world, including Nigeria, housing is one of the major economic indicators that shows how well the economy is performing.

The growth of the housing sector is buoyed by the existence of a functional mortgage system that offers mortgage products and services.

The immediate fall out of the banking sector consolidation in 2005 which saw the emergence of 25 ‘strong’ deposit banks, was the increase in the number of mortgage institutions set up mainly by these consolidated and recapitalized banks.

Almost all of these mortgage institutions were ‘doing well’, churning out mortgage products and services that enabled their customers buy or build houses, or renovate existing ones. There were also products that enabled customers to acquire home equipment and other consumer products.

But in the last decade, for a combination of factors and, sometimes, inexplicable reasons, most of these institutions and their products are no longer seen on the streets, which speaks much about Nigeria.

Nigeria, most times, exhibits what could be termed growth paradox. As the country progresses, many of the things that could be used to measure growth and development are either retrogressing or diminishing. And the country’s mortgage market comes handy as an example.

The banking sector consolida-

tion and recapitalisation led to the evolution of a competitive business environment and a culture of efficiency and innovation among the operators.

Institutions had to develop this competitive spirit not only to remain in business but also to increase and make good returns on shareholders’ funds such that innovative ideas, especially in product origination, became the norm.

The market was awash with products, especially those that would enable consumers have easy access to homeownership. Some of the mortgage institutions took it a step higher with the creation of products that would enable property owners build wealth from their property and yet enjoy the comfort of such property.

The First City Monument Bank (FCMB)’s ‘Unlock your Cash’ and defunct Bank PHB’s ‘Home Owner’s Advantage’ readily come to mind here and these are the kind of products that consumers need today in the face of the crippling economic downturn.

Unlock Your Cash, a variant of the bank’s flagship mortgage product, ‘MyHome’ was one of the most popular refinance products in Nigerian mortgage market then. People who have worked hard to build or buy their homes had the opportunity of letting those homes work for them by releasing the funds commensurate to the value of the property towards meeting other life needs.

Procurement and Supply Chain

with Gob-Agundu Uche Branch chair (CIPS), Nigeria

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Definition o l l a b o r a t i v e procurement is not easily defined but one definition comes from Colin Cram. Cram defines collaborative procurement as being when two or more groups of people, or organizations, engaged in procurement, work together for mutual benefit. This definition can be extended to create a new dimension known as c Commerce or “collaborative commerce”. A simple definition of c Commerce is “performing commerce collaboratively with trading partners using Web Based Information Integration (WBII).”

Background The concept of collaboration is not new. Professor Maria Rey explainsinherreport“SupplyChain Collaboration” that Japanese companies in structures called sogo-shoshas are “clusters of related companies with common ownership and strong single leadership that offer each other privileged access to products, services and personnel.” This concept is similar to that of a virtual

organization and derives from another Japanese concept Keiretsu; an organizational collective of manufacturers, suppliers, trading and finance companies, that is based around mutual shareholding and cooperation. The virtual organization is defined as: “A temporary network of independent organizations linked by information technology to share skills and costs in pursuit of a common goal.”

Asthecorporateworlddevelops g l o b a l l y, a n d m a n a g e m e n t structures flatten and become more agile, collaboration between organizations becomes increasingly common to facilitate the realization of corporate and public-sector goals. The use of technology has increased the ability of organizations to collaborate not only in their supply or value networks, but also in the use of collaborative planning, forecasting and replenishment methodology (CPFR). CPFR seeks cooperative management of inventory through joint visibility and replenishment of products throughout the supply chain.

Some customers who had been forced in the past to borrow short tenured loans of 3 to 5 years had the opportunity, through this refinancing option, to access the product where the bank paid off the offending loan owed the financial institution and provided more manageable repayment amounts that eased customer’s cash flow through the bank’s longer tenor.

For existing home owners, the bank allowed them to unlock up to 70 percent of the value of the property if they lived in it and 60 percent if they didn’t. It also provided home owners the opportunity of registering their titles making their properties mobile and ensuring that they were working for them just like share certificates made stocks fluid.

“We have been able to offer long tenured loans to the Nigerian mortgage market. Our observation before we entered the market was that only short term loans were available, making mortgages very unaffordable to the average salary earner. Now, with a longer pay back period, repayments are more manageable, with the option of reducing one’s principal outstanding when his economy improves or even leveraging more funds as the property price appreciates”, Ladi Balogun, former GMD/CEO of the bank, explained.

Home Owners Advantage was a wealth building product that, by its name, gave advantage to homeowners to build wealth on such homes.

The product was different from

Talking Mortgage with CHUKA UROKO (08037156969, chukuroko@yahoo.com) traditional mortgage financing in the sense that it allowed those who owned their homes and had legal titles to them, to raise finance out of their property for a fixed period. The finance they raised could be used to buy new assets or create new investments, grow their wealth and have a good life.

The foregoing are just a few examples of the kind of products that the mortgage market enjoyed in “those good years” and both home owners and those who wanted to own one enjoyed them. Today, several years after, there is hardly any mortgage product that gives that kind of advantages or opportunities these ones offered.

Most of the products in the market today are those that enable subscribers pay house rent or school fees, and they come with impossible conditions and at outrageous interest rates.

Consumers are insisting that mortgage products should be able to meet ds their needs.What obtains in the market presently are generally

unaffordable and do not give any advantage to existing and prospective homeowners.

However, not too long ago, Safetrust Mortgage Bank, one of Nigeria’s leading primary mortgage banks (PMBs), offered small business, traders and professional firms what it called Safe Annual Rental Scheme (SARS) to enable them pay rent for their homes, shops and offices The facility is for subscribers who have established business relationship with the bank for a minimum of six months while a fixed amount is saved monthly with the intention of taking twice their contribution for rent purposes.

The product which offers a maximum amount of N1.5 million, a repayment period of 9 months, attractive and competitive interest rate, is coming on the heels of the company’s call on federal government to put in place measures to ensure lower interest rate regime so as to support economic activities that will lead to sustained growth of the national economy.

Collaboration between organisations Efficiency is therefore created through the decrease in costs that result from the electronic sharing of processes across the supply network, e.g. logistics, merchandising etc.

Virtual organizations are based on co-operation facilitated by technology and underpinned by trust, core competencies, equality, and a shared vision.

Explanation Collaboration in the supply chain Business today involves a far greater degree of collaboration and this is largely the result of technology enablers such as the Internet, the reduction of communication costs and the increase in cloud computing.

Collaboration is also seen as a new enabler that can help business create competitive advantage.

Today’s technology is undoubtedly one of the principal enablers at the application level as it facilitates the integration of business processes, but this must be supported by both information systems and people-based decisions. The CIPS therefore believes that there are two fundamental requirements for collaboration to work: • Technology must deliver the right information to the right people at the right time and in the appropriate context to make quality decisions, and, • Technology must enable people to use information effectively, so this can be used at the appropriate points in the business process.

There is no doubt that today’s

technologies facilitate process integration which enables disparate companies to collaborate and yet still achieve their company objectives. Interdependency between supply chain partners is continually increasing and this means that information, such as forecasting and planning, must be shared between organizations so market expectations can be met. Global competition is forcing companies to form alliances and to collaborate, so they can differentiate themselves in an increasingly consumer driven market place.

There are many different collaboration structures, some formal, but many others informal in their structures and we will consider some of the more common ones in this section.

Shared Services is a form of public-public partnership and is of particular interest to smaller public bodies that have less capacity to deal with procurement and back office functions in a corporate way.

Some of the most common are the operating or delivery models where the shared service uses a common operating and service delivery framework. Another example is a lead organization where an organization consolidates and centralizes a business service that is then shared with other organizations. An example of this is “SCOTS Connect”, a range of IT products and services offered by the Scottish Government.

There are a variety of models for joint procurement including, but not limited to, purchasing consortia

and centre led action networks (CLAN). Mary M Aylesworth in her paper “Purchasing Consortia in the Public-Sector Models and Methods for Success” identified five structural models of purchasing collaboration operating across Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom. The “Local Network” is usually a relatively informal relationship often between a mix of public entities. They join to obtain better pricing, share information and in some cases share resources.

The “Voluntary Co-operative” is the most common form of purchasing consortia and can range from informal groupings to highly structured groups. In this model purchasing managers source products and services based on needs defined by the participating organizations. The Central Buying Consortium (CBC) is an example of this model and is a loose confederation of 17 local authority members. The work of the CBC is carried out by a Management Committee and Technical Panels.

More information can be found on the CBC web site4. The third model is the “Regional Purchasing Agency”. This is a pseudocooperative type of consortium where central government bodies receive services from the Agency, but their control and input are limited. The fourth and fifth models are Member Owned Service Bureau and For-Profit Enterprise.

These models are commonly used in North America but their use in the UK public sector is limited by statute.

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SundayBusiness Local food machine production for economic growth Food & Beverages With Ayo Oyoze Baje

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Benefits he quest for self-reliance in food production, processing, preservation and packaging can be fully realized when the issue of local fabrication of food machines and equipment is brought to the front burner by relevant policy makers as well as stakeholders and adopted holistically. Nigeria cannot be talking about sustainable revolution in the agric sector if we continue to import sundry food machines, most of which could be produced locally if the enabling environment is provided.

The advantages are enormous.

The technological ingenuity of our local scientists, mechanical engineers, systems designers, food technologists, agric economists and even welders would be put to good use. Thousands of jobs would be created. It would enthrone and sustain the culture of technological acquisition instead of the distant dream of the so called technology

transfer. No country worth its salt would willy-nilly transfer its money-spinning technological knowhow to another, least of all Nigeria which has refused to use what it has(abundant natural and human resources) to get what it wants(economic stability).

Similarly, we would save scarce foreign exchange and reduce capital flight. Indeed, experts are agreed that if the near comatose Ajaokuta Steel Company which kicked off on July 13,1979 with a global contract agreement signed between the Federal Government and Messrs Tyajzh–Prome- Export(TPE) of the defunct USSR, had been seen through to its logical conclusion, Nigeria’s manufacturing industries would have reached a high level of capacity utilisation. By now we would have been making more money by processing our cocoa beans, coffee, cashew nuts, cassava chips and sesame seeds before exporting them. This would strengthen the value chain.

Unfortunately, we still import most of the machines required for virtually all the processes that would enhance food security.

Apart from hoes and cutlasses, most machines needed for modern agricultural practices, including tilling of farmland, weeding, sowing, irrigation, crop spraying and harvesting are imported to the detriment of our national economy.

For years, the Manufacturing Association of Nigeria (MAN) had asked the Federal Government for the lowering of tariffs for this equipment without focusing on the gains inherent in local production.

Yet, the rolling mills, thermal power plant and mechanical repair shops of the Ajaokuta Steel Company would have taken good care of production of several of these.

The missing link

On paper, we had policies in this direction. But lack of adequate funding and lack of synergy between the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources and that of Science and Technology, as well as Trade and Investment has led us to a situation whereby we depend on foreign technology to solve our immediate challenges.

For instance, PRODA in Enugu meant as an intellectual incubator for our technological leap was frustrated due to lack of funds and sustained political will. As part of its mandate on Engineering Services, the Engineering Division of FIIRO was to meet the needs of research and development work in addition to industries and general public. But most of its noteworthy inventions and innovations are stalled due to inadequate fund injection.

If it had been fully funded as it happens in China, India, the United Kingdom and United States, the various designs and fabrication of Machinery and Equipment(M and E) needed to demonstrate the technical feasibility of completed Research and Development(R and D) would have been earning reasonable revenue. How many Nigerians know that it is also involved in cutting of various types of gears, machining of spare parts, production of cast components of iron and aluminum materials up to 200 kg weight? Glass blowing, refurbishing of spark plugs, electroplating of metals, metal forming, cropping, aluminum welding, heat treatment and foundry casting all fall within the ambit of its core functions.

Amongst the machines locally fabricated are cabinet tray dryer, extruder, cassava mash mixer, solar dryerandcassavachippingmachine.

Others are oil filter press, hydraulic press for cassava processing,

Carbon, AppZone partners Open Banking on financial service innovation in Nigeria SEYI JOHN SALAU

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riven by the desire to achieve improved customer-centric digital services and increased consumer control of data and unprecedented levels of innovation, Carbon, AppZone, have collaborated with Open Banking Nigeria, towards the attainment of non-partisan and non-financial Application Programming Interface (API) standards for financial services in Nigeria.

The two financial technology (fintech) players respectively announced their collaboration with non-profit Open Banking Nigeria.

Carbon, formerly PayLater, and AppZone join other industry players like Paystack, Flutterwave, Interswitch, Ernest & Young, Fidelity Bank, Global Accelerex, TeamApt, PwC, and Sterling Bank who have partnered with Open Banking Nigeria.

The collaboration would, among others, further advance ongoing efforts by various financial industry stakeholders in Nigeria for the maximisation of the rapid

increase in digital and mobile payments, with the objective of meeting the yearnings of consumers for flexibility and convenience.

“At Carbon, we know that data is more important than oil.

We also understand that open banking presents a tremendous opportunity to unlock financial access for millions of consumers and has the potential of transforming the financial services landscape, not only for banks and fintechs but for everyone across the ecosystem,” said Chijioke Dozie, the Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of OneFi, the parent company of Carbon.

According to Dozie, Carbon and AppZone will actively participate in diverse phases of the development of common API standards for Nigeria, testing the APIs for certification, and stimulating the adoption of Open Banking standards across the country.

“It follows our innovative leanings as a brand committed to providing credit to the financially under-served and excluded individuals around Africa. We believe that, with Open Bank-

ing, we would be able to extend consumer credit to the 40 million unique bank customers across the nation,” said Dozie.

Obi Emetarom, the CEO of AppZone said, “We find open banking critical to the future, especially as we support over 300 financial institutions on BankOne, our banking-as-a-service platform.

“Our partnership with Open Banking Nigeria also comes as a result of our understanding that in our fast-rising digital world, the use of standard APIs is crucial to empower verified third party players to securely leverage technology. Moreso, the adoption of standardised APIs is known to cut cost, reduce connectivity complications and improve turnaround time.”

This fintech-Open Banking Nigeria collaboration, according to Ope Adeoye of Open Banking Nigeria, would “enable further innovation in our financial services industry where the lack of common APIs standards currently constitutes a barrier to innovation, especially in the areas of digital payments expansion and financial inclusion.”

essential oils distillation plant and groundnut Sheller. Therefore, if the Ajaokuta Steel Company was in full operation the afore-stated would have been mass produced to fast track food processes that are carried out manually at the rural areas.

Types With the benefit of local technology we now have mechanized cassava flour production, production of fufu, dry milling of grains and legumes, fruit juice extraction, cassavawheat flour composite flour bread making and instant pounded yam production. Others are soygarri production, soy-ogi, soydawadawa, starch production, edible mushroom production and bottling and preservation of palm wine.

To maximise the huge potentials in this largely untapped sector of the food industry a lot still has to be done from both the public and private sectors.

Master plan The Federal Government should embark on assessing the areas of inventions and innovations from various departments of food science and technology, agriculture, agric engineering and related arms of engineering across the country and their financial implications for mass production. What types of food machines have been invented and fabricated? Who invented or innovated them-individuals, universities or research institutes?

Where are they located? What are their uses? Where, if possible can we obtain local raw materials for their production?

In essence, we need to have far-reaching plans of an industrial revolution far beyond Vision 202020.We have to itemize the

food machines we are currently importing but which we have the capacity for local production. These have to be categorized into the following: 1. Machines for food production.

2. Machines for local food processing.

3. Machines for food preservation.

4. Machines for food packaging.

Human Capacity Development Without doubt we cannot talk of food security and job creation without the human element.

Instead of allowing the best of our brains to relocate to foreign lands, thereby denying our dear country the economic growth and development from their creativity, the enabling environment must be provided for the products of their intellectual energy to see the light of day.

We should identify local food machine fabricators who need bank loans to facilitate the commercialization of their products .Where necessary, industrial villages could be created across the six geo-political zones, equipped with stable electric power, access to Bank of Industry loans, access to foreign markets and security for their ideas to thrive.

There should also be a workable synergy between food research institutes. The salutary aim is to see the areas where there are similarities in their inventions and innovations and what assistance the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology as well as Ministry of Agriculture could provide.

Baje is Nigerian first Food Technologist in the media ayobaje@yahoo.co.uk; 08057971776

VDT Communications opens experience centre to deepen market penetration SEYI JOHN SALAU

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n a strategic move to deepen market penetration and improve customer service, VDT communications Limited, a 4G Lte broadband internet communications provider recently opened its flagship Customer Experience Center for its 4G Lte Advanced internet Service along Awolowo road in Ikoyi, Lagos.

The experience center comprises customer service desk, customer waiting area, experience console, technical help desk, with a 24/7 call centre attached. The center is to give its customers hands-on experience of 4G Lte Advanced products and services.

“By the opening of the experience center, VDT Communications has taken its customer service a notch higher; offering a platform to showcase its customer-centric disposition and friendly attitude aimed at always adding value and keeping the customers delighted,” said Abiodun Omoniyi, the MD/

CEO of VDT Communications Limited, stating that “This is just one of such experience center to be opened in strategic areas in Lagos and other parts of Nigeria as our 4G Lte Advanced internet coverage expands”.

According to him, the VDT experience center promises to offer a holistic and total premium experience for pre, during and after-sales services to customers. “The experience center is an off-shoot of the culture of quality customer service of which the VDT Communications brand is synonymous with. VDT Communications is ISO 9001: 2015 certified. It is also the first ISO 20000:2011 certified telecom company in west and central Africa for excellent IT service management,” Omoniyi stated.

Olabiyi Durojaiye, the chairman of the Board of Commissioners of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) said Nigeria can leverage ICT in bridging its huge infrastructure deficit, as he pledged the commission’s resolve to collaboratively work with players in the telecom sector.

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SundayBusiness

Hospitality industry stakeholders identify consumer experience, good work culture as key to business growth Modestus Anaesoronye

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o enhance sector competitiveness, business sustainability and growth, stakeholders in the hospitality industry have identified the need for players to take their jobs beyond service delivery to consumer experience.

They also believe that building a positive and strong work culture among employees in the industry will enhance value creation that impacts the performance and growth of the hospitality business in Nigeria.

At a panel discussion during the 3rd Edition of the Quarterly Forum organised

by Women in Hospitality Nigeria (WIHN) the stakeholders pointed on the need for women to move out of their comfort zones and take leadership position in the

L-R: Belinda Nwosu, research consultant, W Hospitality Group, Shijil Unnikuttan, GM LilyGate Hotel; Khadija Junaid, principal, Deft Consult; Amaka Amatokwu-Ndekwu, founder/ president, Women in Hospitality Nigeria (WIHN); Justina Ovat, CEO Calabar Hospitality House; Eric Mekwuye, CEO, Horecabb Mentors/ Hospitality Business school (HBS); and Peter Idoko, GM Legend Hotel Curio by Hilton during the WHIM 3rd Edition Quarterly Forum held in Lagos

industry.

The Conference held in Lagos with the theme: ‘Raising the Bar: Developing a Service Delivery Improvement Model’ saw participants across the industry value chain including hotels,

tourism, consultant, trainers and academic.

Amaka Amatokwu-Ndekwu, president of WIHN in her opening remarks said her group is committed to changing the narrative on position of women in the industry,

Access Bank: Trader, 1,015 others win big in DiamondXtra Season 11 Moses-Ashike

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wogu Ijeoma, a trader in Alaba international market and one thousand and fifteen customers across Nigeria emerged winners at the second quarterly draw of the DiamondXtra season 11 reward scheme powered by Access Bank Plc. Speaking shortly after receiving the N1 million prize cheque, Ijeoma while expressing excitement at winning, told newsmen that she had been a customer of Access Bank for years, adding that Nigerians should partake in the initiative as it was real.

She said, “I have been banking with Access Bank for a long time now. The first time I got a call from the Bank, I did not even listen I hung up the phone but when they called again, I decided to give them a listening ear only to discover I have won a million naira.

I am excited and I would encourage my friends and family members to bank with Access Bank so that they can partake in this initiative”.

Also speaking at the prize presentation ceremony, Head, Retail Product

insight and capabilities, Access Bank Plc, Rob Giles, noted that the bank has stuck to its promise of keeping the initiative growing and ongoing.

Giles revealed that over N5.4 billion in prize money have been doled out while adding that Access Bank is trying to make the prizes more accessible so that more Nigerians win every year.

He said, “The special thing about DiamondXtra season 11 is the difference we are making for people by giving rent allowance for a year and we had winners today who won in that category as well as education grant for 5 years, that is something that is really impressive in this season. we are also helping our youths get education which help makes more businesses grow.

This product has been a successful product since the launch in 2008 and you do not have to have a large amount to save. for every N5,000 you save, you get one entry into the prize draw and that entry could win you any category of our prizes”.

Corroborating him, Head, Retail Market and Analytics, Access Bank, Chioma Afe, explained that

the motivation behind the DiamondXtra initiative was born out of the need to transform the lives of its customers.

“We have 31 million customers across all our various products and for DiamondXtra, we have about 2.7 million customers and we want to ensure every single one of these customers have been impacted positively by this initiative in some way. We have also launchedDiamondxtra on USSD *901# to make it easier for new customers to open accounts and for the existing customers to increase their deposits to grab more winning opportunities.

The beauty about DiamondXtra is that today we see these winners but the draws that happen in the markets, we reward our customers with N10,000 - N50,000 because we realise that not anybody can be a millionaire but every kobo counts and I think after banking with us for such a long time, it would not be bad if we reward our customers. The motivation is that for every time we do this, we find that these monies are used to transform their lives. So we want to keep doing that”.

She said.

with focus to bring women in leadership position in the hospitality industry”.

According to her, WIHM is about going into partnership with an international firm ‘Castle Project’ with specialty in capacity build-

ing for women in hospitality industry, nothing that this will enhance the role of Women in the industry.

The panelist including BelindaNwosu, research consultant, W Hospitality Group; Misan Rewane, CEO, Wave Academics; Shijil Unnikuttan, GM, Lilygate Hotel; Khadijah Jumaid, principal, Deft Consult and Justina Ovat, CEO, Calabar Hospitality House who shared their view, unanimously agreed that hospitality is a life style and not a service, and so requires that players bring in their human nature to intuitively make customers experience rewarding.

To also enable customers get more satisfaction, players should move from standard operational procedures (SOP) to minimum operational procedures (MOP), so that organisations could go beyond certain limits to make the customers happy.

Besides, they also pointed on the need to improve em-

powerment guidelines to enable some level of staff take certain decisions to facilitate consumer experience, without having to wait on topmost authorities within a given short time.

The panelist also emphasised the need to embrace quality human resources management in the hospitality industry to ensure employees satisfaction, increased productivity, and reduction in employee turnover in the sector.

WIHN is a group of strong women operating in the hospital and tourism industry in Nigeria, and primarily support and unify women in the industry as well as other practitioners through educative, expository and engaging initiatives.

Its quarterly forum is gathering of the best minds across various sectors that are associated or affiliated with the hotel and tourism industry in Nigeria.

MindBody & Soul

with Chioma Nwosu

Mental … Shh! don’t say that word!

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hilst speaking at one of my sessions, I asked, ‘Do you have mental health? If yes, kindly put up your hands’; an obvious wave of confusion engulfed the room, mutters and side talks taking over, changes in countenance, like their minds had just been charged to make war in a battle field. Some defeated, put up their hands, slightly above their heads, ready to withdraw if they were incorrect.

Laughing sarcastically, I relieved them of their misery, explaining to them that we all have mental health.

The word mental as we know it in Nigeria has a considerable amount of spookiness to it, just like the three wise monkeys; ‘See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil’, the word ‘mental’ is considered evil, a taboo, with an uncountable amount of ‘God forbid’ to follow! This is my daily struggle as a mental health/positive psychology advocate where I constantly explain that everyone has mental health, just as physical health.

Mental health relates to a person’s condition with regard to the individual’s psychological and emotional well-being. Mental health ex-

ists in a continuum. Adjusting to your environment and being wacked back and forth by these little demons called life stressors can really tug on your mental state, your coping skills may not even be able to save you, continuous decline of your mental health may lead to a mental disorder/illness. One definition of mental illness is a dysfunction within the brain that negatively affects someone’s thoughts, emotions, and/or behaviors and interferes in his/her ability to live a full life in society.

How easy it is for us to visit the optician for our eyes, the dentist for our teeth, even the dermatologists for our skin, but flee when it comes to dealing with issues that have to do with our minds.

A person’s wellbeing comprises the Mind, the Body and the Soul, all interconnected.

One cannot work properly without the other.

Let’s make a resolution henceforth, to begin to take into consideration our mental health, be a voice for those who might be suffering from a mental illness and remove the stigma around these phrases. “Anything that’s human is mentionable and anything that is mentionable can be more manageable.

When we talk about our feel-

ings, they can become less overwhelming, less upsetting and less scary”- Fred Rogers.

APA Reference 1. Peterson, T. (2015, October 12). Mental Health Definition: What Is Mental Health?, HealthyPlace. Retrieved on 2019, September 4 from https://www. healthyplace.com/other-info/mental-illness-overview/ mental-health-definitionwhat-is-mental-health 2. Writer, H. (2009, January 2). Adult Symptoms of Mental Health Disorders, HealthyPlace. Retrieved on 2019, September 5 from https://www.healthyplace. com/other-info/psychiatricdisorder-definitions/adultsymptoms-of-mental-healthdisorders Nwosu is a Mental Health/ Positive Psychology advocate and speaker Founder, OLAMMA CARES FOUNDATION, cnwosu@olammacares.com@_olamma_ She is a mental health and positive psychology advocate, on this basis she founded Olamma Cares Foundation; an NGO focused on encouraging the social acceptance of autism and mental disorders, as well as finding and implementing long term solutions of these conditions through training, capacity building, advocacy and intervention.

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BDSUNDAY 41

LifestyleHomes&Suites

Paul Ojenagbon pauloje2000@yahoo.com

Meranda Estate wears Yaba new look

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aba is no longer about old, dilapidated houses as many perceive it to be but also going through various activities of urban renewal through the perspective of real estate development.Carter Heights and Meranda Estate are some of the numerous projects that are redefining and changing the outlook of

Yaba. Carter Heights is located at 11/ 13 Carter Street,off Herbert Macaulay Way, Ebute Metta and comes on the exquisite stable of Mainstone Construction Limited.

Mainstone Construction is a construction company with a vision to create contemporary living for discerning individuals within small communities or estates.

Incidentally, most of their projects

at the moment are based in Yaba including George’s Colonade among others.

The Carter Heights project which is ongoing comprises 14 units of 3-bedroom flats on 3 suspended floors with sufficient parking for all residents within the premises.

The location is a well planned neighborhood with proximity to Lagos Island through the Third Mainland Bridge. Other unique selling points, according to the developer,is that it is a secured area,the project attracts short pay back period,high quality finishing, efficient facility management as well as access to relaxation, leisure and lifestyle.

Highlights of planned finishing include wooden doors with architraves, bullet proof security doors at the external entrances, steel railway, quality light fittings and sanitary wares. Others include vitrified tiles for the floor in living rooms and bedrooms, POP ceiling with cornices at the boundaries. Kitchens are fully fitted with well polished cabinet and wardrobes. Although the sales price is N35million per unit,the off plan price was N28million and required initial deposit of N10 million with balance to be paid over four quarterly payments during the construction period.

Meranda Estate is another development of the developer recently completed. It is bigger

one seated on 13000 square metres of land, strategically located in Yaba, positioned and bounded by the access road to the 3rd Mainland Bridge.

It comprises 143 units of 2/3/4 /5 bedroom housing units with excellent amenities. It features innovative architecture and abundant green. It is secluded to offer families a perfect place of rest while boasting seamless access to nearby communities and amenities as well as to Lagos Mainland arteries.

Recreational facilities put in place include swimming pool, elaborate gym basketball and 5 aside astro turf pitch.There are green areas, walkways,lay-bys, central drainage,signposts and road markings. Electricity is guaranteed round the clock 24/7 and potable water is from bore hole with treatment plant. The major entrances have bullet proof doors.

The prices are N20million,N30m illion,N40million and N50million for the 2/3/4/5 bedroom flats respectively.

Overlook Condominiums for stunning views at Ikoyi

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he Overlook Condominiums is an ongoing 9-storey residential development being undertaken

by Brookstone Property. The delivery is slated for June 2020.It was launched in July 2018 in partnership with North Court,a real estate research, management and brokerage company. Brookstone also partners with award winning South Africa based interior designers, MI Designs to design and deliver the gold standard in first class luxury finishing for the Overlook. It is designed to overlook the rarest views in Lagos and was designed by design firm,Ana Design.

It is conceived with a vision to deliver a new standard to the market including views of an 18-hole golf course and international polo ground, residences with grade A standard finishes plus stunning common area amenities and large living spaces with attention to detail on the most efficient layout.

The Overlook is nestled at Okotie Eboh street and centered between the Ikoyi Club Golf Course and the Lagos Polo Club. It encompasses 31 exclusive residences comprising of enormous all ensuite 2-bedroom flats, 3-bedroom flats and 3-bedroom duplexes.

Residents are privileged to view

live action of an 18-hole golf course during international tour aments.

There are even more privileges for residency at the Overlook.It offers stunning views from the

24-hour concierge to the 9th floor roof terrace overlooking Ikoyi and Victoria Island. There is an expansive leisure deck with swimming pool and heated jacuzzi at

podium level. There is an equally expansive club house with TV,bar, living area and games facilities.

The Overlook features a fully equipped,technologically driven, advanced fitness center. Other highlights are contemporary custom designed,open floor plan kitchen and bathrooms, walkin closets, balconies in all living rooms and bedrooms,washer/

dryer hook-ups in all units,covered residents parking plus guest parking. Atop is a roof top terrace/ sitout area with gulling station.There is staff quarters for every unit.

Electricity supply is uninterrupted, round the clock on 24/7. Over 50 percent of the units have been sold already. Overlook Condos carry a minimum price tag of N120 million for the smallest unit.

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Sunday 08 September 2019

Health&Science Nigerians have more preference for imported drugs than locally produced ones – Nebe

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ANTHONIA OBOKOH

hristopher Nebe, chief executive officer, Phamatex Group, has lamented on the high preference of imported drugs over locally manufactured ones by Nigerians to meet their health needs.

Nebe disclosed this recently during a facility tour of Pharmatex Group premises.

“Many Nigerians do not appreciate what the local manufacturers of drugs are doing; they do not know that drugs made in the country are better than the imported ones,” he said.

He urged the government at all

levels to encourage local drug manufacturers in the area of funding and provision of critical infrastructures to drive down production cost to enable local manufacturers compete.

Phamatex Group the sole distributor of Hovid products in Nigeria, a multi-billion naira ultra-modern pharmaceutical factory to increase local manufactured drugs.

Phamatex Industries which has been in existence for about seven years is ready to meet the challenges of increased product demand by investment and use of automated packaging lines, thus improving output and efficiency.

AlsospeakingduringthetourEzekiel

Ibidapo, a Pharmacist at Pharmatex Industries warned Nigerians against uncontrolleduseofdrugs,sayingitcould result in the issue of drug resistance.

He advised Nigerians to always get a correct prescription from a qualified doctor before going to a pharmacy to buy.

“One of the problems we have in Nigeria, which leads to drug resistance is the uncontrolled use of drugs. Some peoplegotothepharmacytobuydrugs based on other people’s experience and by the time they use it they may experience resistance,” Ibidapo said.

“Nigerians must cultivate the habit of storing drugs in a cool environment,” he advised.

L-R: Matthew Asoji, MD/CEO, Neimeth International Pharmaceuticals Plc; Ade Ppoola, MD/CEO, Reals Group; Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, president, PSN and Ignatius Anukwu, national chairman, Association of Industrial Pharmacists of Nigeria (NAIP), during the 2019 CEO’s Forum organised by NAIP, held at Radisson Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, recently.

IBEDC advocates against neonatal, infant mortality in Nigeria

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he Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) has donated a Draeger incubator, baby Apnea monitors, beddings, to the pediatric ward of the University of Ibadan College Hospital and renovated the children outpatient clinic play area (CHOP).

This gesture is part of “IBEDC’s changing lives, one child at a time” Corporate Social Responsibility Campaign to care for the Nigerian child as we have done with the education career fair day and Energy club activations in partnership with USAID in various schools to promote safety, energy conservation, career awareness for young girls and boys through mentorship by young IBEDC subject matter experts, sponsorship of Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) School quiz competition, we have also extended this gesture to the Rest Anchor charity foundation for indigent children.

IBEDC also identified with Nigeria’s gallant soldiers fighting insurgency in the North-East by supporting the Nigerian Army Wives’ Association (NAOWA) 2nd Division Chapter Ibadan with items for their annual Children’s day party Our care for the children also pours out to their mothers, the women, in partnership with USAID, the D.I.S.C.O for women conference was held with over 500 women drawn from various professions and walks of life for talks on empowerment.

Importantly, IBEDC is joining in the fight against Neonatal, Infant and Under Five morbidity and mortality in Oyo state first and gradually to other franchise areas of Osun, Ogun and Kwara.

Neonatal, Infant and Under-five mortality rates remain high in Nigeria; the country has the third highest mortality rate in the world accounting for 9 percent.

According to the UNICEF “one in every five Nigerian children never reach the age of five, a child born in Sub-Sahara Africa and South Asia is nine times more likely to die in the first month than a child born in a high- income countries.

Millions of babies are born too early every year the world over and preterm birth complications accounts for over 1million deaths in 2015.

These mind boggling but preventable deaths prompted IBEDC to given incubator and Apnea monitors to keep the preterm babies and babies born with special needs safe and stable to increase their chances of survival.

Globally, the Neonatal mortality rate fell 49% from 37 deaths per 1,000 live births in 1990 to 18 in 2017, but that decline is slower compared to other mortality rates (WHO) 118 countries already had an Under-five mortality rate below the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) target rate of 25 deaths per 1,000 live births and 12 per 1,000 live births in new births.

What different eating disorders are there?

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n eating disorder can affect almost anyone, regardless of whether they are underweight or overweight. Eating disorder is a term that covers a range of conditions involving abnormal or disrupted eating.

According to the National Eating DisordersAssociation,anestimated10 million men and 20 million women living in the United States will develop an eating disorder during their lifetime.

The exact cause of eating disorders remains unclear. However, experts believe that sociocultural, biological, and psychological factors all play a role in their development.

Many people may think of anorexia or bulimia when they think of eating disorders.Althoughthesedisordersare the most common, there are several other types. Read on to find out more.

Below, we provide information on some of the most common eating disorders, including their typical signs and symptoms.

Bulimia nervosa Bulimia nervosa, which most people refer to as bulimia, is a condition that typically develops during adolescence or early adulthood. According to a 2016 study, bulimia is more common among women than men.

Individuals with bulimia tend to eat large quantities of food very quickly, which people often call “binge eating” or a “binge.”

After binge eating, a person with bulimia typically takes steps to purge their body of the extra calories. Common purging methods include: selfinduced vomiting, taking diuretics and taking laxatives

Not everyone with bulimia will use these methods of purging. Some people try to counter the high calorie intake by fasting or doing excessive amounts of exercise.

Signs and symptoms The characteristics of bulimia include the following thoughts, feelings, and behaviors: an obsession with body weight and size, repeat binging episodes that accompany a sense of loss of control, purging episodes to prevent weight gain and a general fear of gaining weight Some people with bulimia lose weight, but others maintain their body weight. In either case, a person may develop the following side effects: acid reflux, a sore or inflamed throat, tooth decay, severe dehydration, electrolyte imbalances that can lead to stroke or heart attack Anorexia nervosa Anorexia nervosa, or anorexia, is one of the more well-known eating disorders.

As with bulimia, anorexia tends to develop in adolescence or early adulthood, and it is more common among women than men.

There are two recognized subtypes of anorexia: Binge eating and purging type: A person with this type of anorexia typically purges after eating. They may sometimes eat large amounts of food.

Alternatively, the person might engage in excessive exercise to burn off the calories that they have consumed.

Restricting type: People with this type of anorexia do not binge eat.

Instead, they turn to dieting, fasting, or over exercising in an effort to lose

weight.

Signs and symptoms Typical signs and symptoms of anorexia include: very restricted eating habits, being underweight compared with others of a similar height and age, a fear of gaining weight, even when already underweight, an obsession with being thinner, a distorted view of the body, basing self-esteem on body weight or shape, the avoidance of eating in public or with others and obsessive-compulsive tendencies, in some people Rumination disorder Rumination disorder is a condition in which a person regurgitates partially digested food and chews it again before either swallowing it or spitting it out. According to the Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, rumination occurs within 15–30 minutes of swallowing food.

Unlike self-induced purging, rumination is an involuntary reaction.

The first episode typically begins in response to illness, physical injury, or psychological distress. Under these conditions, food regurgitation may provide the person with some relief.

After the physical illness or injury has passed, the person’s body may continue to regurgitate food as a response to discomfort.

Rumination disorder can start as early as infancy. Infants who develop rumination often get better without treatment. However, persistent rumination can lead to potentially fatal malnourishment.

Rumination in older children and adults typically requires psychological treatment.

Signs and symptoms A person with this disorder may experience the following symptoms shortly before regurgitating food: nausea, a need to burp and a feeling of pressure or discomfort Other symptoms of rumination may include: bloating, heartburn, abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation, electrolyte imbalance, headaches, dizziness, sleeping difficulties, weight loss and malnourishment.

Other disorders Some eating disorders that scientific literature reports on are less common or do not have formal recognition.

Examples include: Orthorexia: the primary characteristic of this eating disturbance is an obsession with eating healthful foods.

Healthcare professionals do not recognize it as an official condition.

Other specified feeding or eating disorder (OSFED): a person with OSFED has some of the signs and symptoms of bulimia or anorexia but does not meet the diagnostic criteria for either condition.

Unspecified feeding or eating disorder (UFED): a condition in which a person does not meet the criteria for any particular eating disorder but presents with similar symptoms and psychological distress.

Laxative abuse: though not technically an eating disorder, laxative abuse involves the excessive use of laxatives to lose weight and become thinner.

Excessive exercise: people may do an excessive amount of exercise to burn calories and achieve unhealthy weight loss.

Treatment options People should seek treatment for eating disorders as soon as possible.

Eating disorders increase the risk of both physical health complications and psychological disorders, such as depression and anxiety.

The type of eating disorder that a person has will determine the treatment. In general, people usually receive one or more of the following treatments: psychotherapy, which may involve family counseling or cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), medications, such as antidepressants, antipsychotics, and mood stabilizers, nutritional counselling and medical care and monitoring If a person suspects that a loved one has an eating disorder, they should encourage them to speak to their doctor.

A doctor may refer the person for psychotherapy or psychiatric treatment.

Theymayalsomakeareferralforcareat a specialist center for eating disorders.

Summary Eating disorders are common among people living in the U.S. Familiarity with the symptoms can help people recognize the disorders in themselves and others.

Ideally, eating disorders require early treatment to prevent health complications and additional psychological issues.

People who suspect that they have an eating disorder should see their doctor, who will be able to direct them to the appropriate healthcare services.

In many cases, the right treatment can help people make a full recovery.

Curled from Medical News Today

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BDSUNDAY 43

Sports

Ronaldo to earns whopping $139m in new Nike deal

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Anthony Nlebem

ive-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo will earn $139million from his contract with Nike, according to documents in latest Football Leaks revelation carried by Der Spiegel magazine.

His most recent deal, which is to run until 2026, also included a bonus of four million euros for winning the individual award, according to a draft contract.

Ronaldo, who joined Juventus in 2018, after trophy-laden spells with Real Madrid and Manchester United, has had a contract with the US clothing giant since 2004 which guaranteed him a base fee of $3.9million.

“For as long as Ronaldo plays for a Category A club, he was to be paid $17.9million each year,”

the German publication said.

Nike responded to the reports saying: “We do not comment on athlete contracts.”

The best-paid German included in the report is Arse-

nal midfielder, Mesut Ozil, earns $1.3million a year from Adidas. The figure dropped by $882,840after he retired from international football in 2018.

— AFP

Unilever wins 2019 Remita Corporate Champions Cup ANTHONY NLEBEM

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xhilaration was the feeling at the Yabatech Sports Complex last Sunday as fans of corporate football witnessed endless entertainment at the grand finale of the 2019 Remita Corporate Champions Cup (RC3), where Unilever edged Nestle to win the trophy.

Unilever defeated FrieslandCampina and IHS Towers en route the final while Nestle bested First City Monument Bank (FCMB) and Union Bank to make the final of the RC3, a tournament regarded by pundits as the Champions League of corporate football due to eligibility granted to winners and runners-up of sectorial championships.

The event was graced by top dignitaries, senior executives including the managing director of SystenSpecs, John Obaro; managing director, Wema Bank, Ademola Adebise; executive

director, SystemSpecs, Deremi Atanda; former tournament ambassador, Peter Rufai; chief operating officer, Media Vision, Jimmy Shogbesan, Ola Ehinmoro, HR Director, Ghana & Nigeria, Unilever; Sola Akinsoye, Country HR Manager, Nestle and an array of Ex-Super Eagles and Falcons Internationals.

Reacting to the quality of football on display and the commitment of his organisation to promoting worthy CSR, Managing Director of SystemSpecs, the tournament sponsors, John Obaro said: “We are committed to the promotion of a productive workforce capable of accelerating advancement in Nigerian, African and global economies as a whole.

“Through RC3, for five seasons we have reinforced our commitment to provide a fun-filled platform for workforce across various brands in diverse industries in Nigeria to relax and bond in a way that ensures work-life balance,

without official duties coming in the way” Also remarking on the tenacity of both teams, ex-Super Eagles international, Peter Rufai noted: ’’The quality of football seen so far has been great and I will like to applaud all the teams for putting so much effort in ensuring a great tournament. I will also like to thank SystemSpecs and Media Vision for hosting such a tournament” Unilever and FCMB competed for third and fourth places in the tournament, with the bankers defeating its on-field adversary 1-0 in a fastpaced game.

Ebuka Daniel of Unilever was adjudged Most Valuable Player of the tournament and Best Midfielder while Yusuf Rasheed, also of Unilever, was named Best Goalkeeper.

Anthony Nlebem

S

outh African Olympic gold medallist, Caster Semenya, has joined a South African women’s football team.

The 28-year-old is unable to compete without taking testosterone-reducing drugs following a rule change by the IAAF, athletics’ governing body, ruling her out to defend her 800m World Championship title in Doha this month - though she is fighting the rule change through the courts.

The two-time Olympic gold winner is set to become a footballer and has resumed training with Gauteng-based women’s football club JVW. The three-time world champion, who announced in July that she would not be defending her 800m world title, cannot start playing for JVW until the 2020 season, having joined outside the South African transfer window.

“I am looking forward to this new journey. I appreciate the love and support I already get from the team,” Semenya said.

National women’s team captain and owner of JVW, Janine van Wyk, said she was “thrilled Caster had chosen to join her team”.

“She’s had two training sessions with the team and you could see her football is there, but we still need obviously to work on her a little bit because it’s very different to track and field.

“She’s made it really clear to me that she’s not giving up running at all.

“It’s amazing for the football club. The recognition women’s football in South Africa will get is massive.

“To have her play in the league over here is incredible and I think young girls and her team-mates will draw a lot of inspiration from Caster.”

International athletics body the IAAF ruled this year that females like Semenya who have differences of sexual devel-

opment have a competitive advantage.

It barred such athletes from competing in races between 400m and the mile unless they took testosterone-reducing medication.

Semenya refused and won a legal battle, enabling her to compete in 800m races, before a Swiss court overruled the decision, forcing her to miss the upcoming world championships in Qatar.

Semenya is not the first athlete to switch to football after retiring in 2017, Usain Bolt trained with Norwegian club Stromsgodset and Australian side Central Coast Mariners, but did not secure a contract.

Semenya is also following in the footsteps of her former coach Maria Mutola, who also turned to football after athletics.

The IAAF introduced its rule change because it argues female athletes with differences of sexual development (DSD) - such as Semenya - have “a competitive advantage”.

HiFL 2019: UAM Tillers, ESUT Explorers shine away …as OAU Giants and UNIBEN Royals claim home wins ANTHONY NLEBEM

2

John Obaro, managing director, SystemSpecs, owners of Remita (middle); Emmanuel Ocholi, director, board of SystemSpecs (2nd right); Jimmy Shogbesan, chief operating officer, MediaVision limited (right) and Peter Rufai, tournament ambassador, Remita Corporate Champions Cup (RC3), presenting the trophy to Akintade Ekundayo, captain, Unilever football team at the finale of the 2019 RC3 tournament in Lagos.

Banned Semenya joins South African football club

018 winners of the Higher Institutions football league (HiFL), UAM Tillers started the quarter final round of 2019 season on a bright note, all thanks to an 85th minute strike from Tillers Talisman and Kano Pillars forward, Ebuka Odenigbo.

Visitors UAM Tillers struggled in Kano for most of the first 45 minutes, as BUK stallions comfortably dictated play to the delight of their home fans. The second half saw increased action and

aggression from both teams, however Tillers have Kano Pillars, Ebuka David to thank for the away win as the prolific goal scorer, punished BUK in front of their home fans with an 85th minute strike to give his team an edge for the return leg in Makurdi.

In Calabar, 2018 season’s runners-up, UNICAL Malabites, couldn’t contain the piercing heat from ESUT Explorers as they lost 0:1 before their home crowd. Nnamani Favour’s 38th minute strike gave the Enugu side, who are yet to lose a match, an advantage to take along to Enugu.

Elsewhere in Benin,

UNIBEN Royals delighted their home fans with a 1:0 win over visitors, UNILORIN warriors, a 56-minute strike from Odion Daniel was enough to close out the game in favour of the royals, despite pressure from the warriors from ILORIN. OAU Giants were proud victors at home over lagos side, LASU Blazers in Ife. Adeyemi Opeyemi scored twice in the 47th and 90th minute to gift the home fans a comfortable victory. LASU Blazers will now have to overturn thire fate in the first leg, when they take on OAU Giants in front of their home fans in Lagos, or bid the 2019 season good bye.

BDSUNDAY

NEW YOU CAN TRUST

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Sanwo-Olu: 100 days of the greater Lagos initiative

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eadership, in any human endeavour; be it social, economic or political sphere is anchored on the critical element of Trust. That is, between the leader who drives the vision and the people he leads. How he keeps to his promises in actions rather than wishful words would determine his level of success. To begin with, such a leader must be adequately prepared for the onerous tasks ahead. Strengthening this, especially in a democratic setting is the ability to enunciate such vision from the most pressing needs of the people, prioritising them and carrying his team and the people along as the related policy programmes and projects evolve.

It is against this backdrop that one analysis the performance of the highly determined, focused and self–effacing Governor Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, within the matrix of his vision. These are encapsulated in the THEMES format which fall in tandem with Traffic Management, Health and Environment and making Lagos State a 21st Century hub for Economic development, Entertainment and Tourism. As the wise one says, the morning shows the day.

So, to hit the ground running, the governor’s first statutory duty was the signing of the Executive Order onthe Indiscriminate Refuse Dumping, Traffic Management and Public Works. “Wow, our new governor certainly knows his onions. He is beginning to tackle the most sensitive issues that touch the lives of the good people of Lagos because he knows that health is wealth. A cleaner Lagos would just do that!”A reputable public affairs analyst expressed his delight. It was like a magic wand,because within a few weeks of the order, workers of the Lagos Waste Management Authority(LAWMA) were back at work. The heaps of redolent refuse dumps that had come to define the landscape of the acclaimed City of Excellence began to disappear.

To add the needed fillip, works on the expansion of the Olusosun Dump Site began in earnest, widening it to 42 acres.

This timely move would no doubt ensure a quicker turnaround of waste manage-

ment.What more, a new building right in front of the site has been erected to serve as the training venue for the staff on modern recycling methods for all manner of wastes.As for drainage, the governor has directed the Department of Drainage to move from LSPWC to the Ministry of Environment.

In a similar,speedy move to take the challenge of the recurring ugly decimal of traffic gridlock head-on in the fastdeveloping city, traffic management was restructured to two shifts ending at 11.00 pm on daily basis. And wait for this,the members of staff were instantly elevated by the motivation of the doubling of their monthly salaries! That is a first of its kind, not only in Lagos State but Nigeria as a whole. With the warning that acts of bribe-taking would no longer be tolerated, those who violated this were summarily dismissed.

With the full realisation that the civil servants are the catalysts or engine room to fast track government’s policies, the governor paid a memorable visitto the famed AlausaSecretariat.There, he ad-

“Lagos must rise and help lead this nation to fuller progress and to a closer realisation of the greatness that exists within all Nigerians” — Governor Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, while explaining the six pillars of development, THEMES.

vised workers to be change agents, assuring them that their concerns would be addressed. He equally enjoined themto reciprocate his good intention through hard work and innovations, to bring about the desired changes and development.

“I know that when we take care of you, you will take care of Lagosians…I have been here before but let us begin to think and innovate on how we are going to bake a bigger cake; let us begin to think out of the box and when we do that it becomes available for all,” he said. So far, not only has he begun to provide the enabling environment for them to excel, salaries and allowances are being paid as and when due.

Recently, he handed over 35 brand new buses to civil servants for transport to-and-from work. A visit to the secretariat shows that the workers are in high spirit, ready to offer their best.

The template for good governance has been boosted by the swearing inof a cabinet that analysts hail as made up of toptechnocrats, with a spectrum that isgender-sensitive without ethnic bias. This is commendable!

As for infrastructural development, good access roads, which account for more than 90 percent of the movement of people, goods and services are being taken seriously. Work is already on with road rehabilitation by the Public Works Department including the 10-lane Lagos-Badagry Expressway and the resumption of work on the Pen Cinema, Agege overhead bridge.There are ongoing efforts to key into the Masterplan for Lagos Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority (LAMATA) for integrated transportation system, entailing road, rail and water.

In the Housing sector,the governor recently inaugurated the 492-flat project, at the Igando Housing Estate started by former Governor BabatundeFashola. This comes under the Lagos Homes Ownership Mortgage

AYO OYOZE BAJE Baje is Nigerian first food technologist in the media and author of ‘DRUMBEATS OF DEMOCRACY’ 07068638066

Scheme. It is another welcome development.

As for the education sector, the governor has increased budgetary allocation from 12 percent to 18percent and keyed into the STEM technology to reengineer the workplace of the future. Through it, schools embrace the holistic approach to learning by combining physical, mental, social-emotional and cognitive development with traditional academics while bringing prestige to the teaching profession.

Research shows that STEM jobs are growing at 17 percent compared to other jobs growing at 9.8 percent. Also, STEM degree holders have a higher income even in non-STEM careers and presently, there is a skill shortage of about 2.4 million qualified persons required to fill STEMrelated jobs worldwide. And talking about job creation, the governor has launched ‘LSETF W-Initiative’ to provide funding for women entrepreneurs in the state to achieve their growth objectives and create jobs for the youths.It is a special intervention fund contributed between the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund and Access Bank Plc, to provide access to affordable finance for female-owned businesses in Lagos State.The scheme, which targets between 5,000 and 10,000 women, also deserves commendation.

The morning shows the day. For the Sanwo-Olu administration, it is so far, so good. He should keep the focus, the passion and the commitment for a Greater Lagos vision.

Quick Takes

Off the Cuff

A mockery of 100 days’ report card

I

n everything, Nigerians are unbeatable.

They take their own things to a ridiculous height, and they introduce costly humour in everything, no matter how serious. Celebration of 100 days in office by elected public office holders (particularly those who occupy executive office, such as president, state governors and local government chairmen) is not new to Nigerians. From where the concept was copied, the thinking is that 100 days are enough to read the mood of a government and to tell if there is need to expect anything from that government. While some of the newly elected governors have come out to sincerely tell their people that there’s nothing much to celebrate, many other have remained their pretentious selvesand are rolling out the drums in celebration of nothing. From the centre to most of states of the nation, the executives are still “settling down”. Some newly elected ones are yet to wake up to the reality of their job specifications.

As we speak, most state governors are yet to constitute their cabinet. Some of them have busied themselves badmouthing and lacerating the character of their predecessors, showing

everyone who cares to listen how profligate their predecessors were. Since the governments at the federal and state levels were inaugurated in May, Nigeria has not moved an inch. Businesses have remained unimpacted as businessmen and investors have adopted the “wait and see” posture.

Practically, nothing is happening. At the Federal level, the President nominated his ministers and sent the list to the Senate for confirmation. Some of the ministers were shocked and surprised that they were assigned portfolios they knew nothing about. For keen observers, performance was impaired from day one. It was dead on arrival! Today, what do we hear and read as some of the achievements in 100 days? “I was able to constitute my cabinet”; “I signed many documents”; “I inspected some abandoned projects”; “I received many visitors who came on solidarity visit”; “I smiled at my staff when they expected me to frown”; “I initiated policy to block financial leakages”; “I changed the furniture in my office and made sure the vestige of past administration is never ever seen again”; “I attended outside summits and several meetings”, and “for the first time, I spoke furiously against the killing of Nigerians abroad”, even though we are

still trying to halt senseless killings in Nigeria.

It is absolutely insulting how our leaders treat us. In case our President and governors have forgotten; this “100 days”assessment thing was birthed by Franklin Roosevelt, the 32nd president of the United States of America, who within 100 days in 1933 rolled out A NEW DEAL for the country. He initiated a turnaround in the economic fortunes of a country that was writhing in pain of the Great Recession. He did not do this alone, but he carried along the legislature, rolling out programmed legislative activities that featured job creation, expansion of public works, anti-poverty initiatives, and visionary social engineering. It was this fantastic posting that initiated the 100 days’ assessment.

Since then, successive American presidents and governors have tended to measure themselves, in one way or the other, by their capacity for hitting the ground running and for indicating the tenor of their tenure. I doubt if it is what our leaders purport to do here in their own brand of marking 100 days in office. If you ask me, it is a grandmother of hypocrisy!

$3.2bn

This is the amount said to have been lost by the Nigerian economy as a result of decline in investment inflow from $8.48bn in the first quarter of this year to $5.82bn in the second quarter.

Tragic!

“Nigeria is tragically living on borrowed time, a typical case of robbing Peter to pay Paul. For instance, each time we spend money to import rice, Nigerian local rice farmers are negatively affected in terms of morale, sales, and realisable income.”

- Adetunji Oredipe, senior Agriculture Economist, on the consistent neglect of the agriculture sector by the Nigerian government.

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