BusinessDay 25 Oct 2020

Attack on protesters is a declaration of war against Yoruba -YWC Page 4 Sunday 25 October 2020 • www.businessday.ng •

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N300

businessdayng • Vol 1, No. 334

Poor infrastructure, welfare package worry health workers in Abia

We’re not the same: Highlighting the uniqueness of each child

‘We overrated this administration while it was coming to power’

Page 15

Page 16

Page 21

#ENDSARS: Ogu calls for Super Eagles to boycott AFCON qualifiers

How FG underfunds police, waters ground for brutality

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See page 2

How organisations, businesses can help their employees

4 How cost reflective tariff will be a win-win for all Nigerians, by Aiyela

18 Ukiwe @ 80: The Akajiofor Ndigbo

Counting the cost:

Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Lagos State governor, visits different parts of the state for an on-the-spot assessment to ascertain the level of destruction to the public assets and private properties by hoodlums during the #EndSARS protests, Friday.

How increasing jailbreaks expose loopholes, internal security risks in Nigeria OBINNA EMELIKE

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n 2009, the Nigerian Prison Service witnessed an unprecedented jailbreak when over 150 inmates broke free from the Enugu State Maximum Security Prison, a sad incident, which also

resulted in the attack and rape of three female prison guards.

But the Enugu incident was a pointer to the many and more notorious breaks that are going to happen.

Shortly, Nigeria recorded the Continues on page 11

Endless protests, degenerating Republic We must not be patient with non-performing leaders – Yunusa Nigeria is still a country in transition – Yabagi Our govt lacks sense of urgency - Fadahunsi

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igeria is not new to protests and demonstrations but it appears that the nation has continued to move from bad to worse in terms of leadership. Many protests have been held since 1993, but Nigeria

has not fared better.

In 1993, there was a June 12 protest, on that basis the 4th Republic was born in 1999, but the nation has not fared better since the return to Continues on page 10

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Sunday 25 October 2020

How FG underfunds police, waters ground for police brutality police out of N345.7 billion budgeted and approved by the National Assembly.

Arase said the police had been expanding in terms of geographical and numerical spread, yet funding was declining—a phenomenon that was unhealthy for a fast-rising population.

The situation is yet to change today, with Nigeria’s fiscal state worsening on the back of COVID-19, and growing insecurity and unrest.

Odinaka Anudu

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he Nigeria Police Force has become a thorn in the flesh of the citizens of Africa’s most populous country. Known for brutality and recklessness, the force is perceived as the most corrupt institution in the country, with its members demanding bribes from the public without compunction.

A 2019 public survey by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) revealed that the police was the most corrupt among five institutions surveyed. The second most corrupt in the country was the power sector while the judiciary, education and health ministries were third, fourth and fifth in ranking. Transparency International survey in 2019 also found the police as the most corrupt institution in the country, followed by the legislature and the judiciary.

The defunct rogue police unit known as the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) did irredeemable damage to many families.

There are hundreds of tales of young people killed extra-judicially by the brutal unit, with many of the deceased parting with hundreds of thousands of naira before their gruesome murder.

Underfunding the Police However, the Nigeria Police Force is grossly underfunded, according to data analysed

by BusinessDaySUNDAY. Between 2010 and 2019, which is a 10-year period, the Federal Government budgeted N3.47 trillion for the remuneration and welfare of police officers and for police stations across the country.

With 371, 800 police officers in the force, the data imply that each officer has had a total of N9.336 million for salaries, emoluments and welfare packages in the last 10 years.

The N9.336 million was not just for one police officer. An officer shared that allocation with his/her police station and other police academies in 10 years. This money, therefore, amounts to N933, 557 per capita in the police force per year. Broken down further, it means that one police officer’s salary and allowances, shared with his or her police station, amounted to N77, 804 per month. Depending on the exchange rate, the amount is equivalent to just $216 or $172 per police officer per month.

The budget for the police force in 2021 is N447.6 billion, which means N1.2 million per police officer and his or her police station throughout the year. The money contains the salary, the welfare as well as budget for the station for the year.

When compared with the incomes of National Assembly members, one would realise why well-meaning Nigerians are calling for a unicameral legislature or making the National Assembly a part-time job. In 2021, budget for 469 members of the National Assembly was N128 billion, which translates to N273 million per legislator. This means that the salary of a legislator in Nigeria’s grossly expensive National Assembly can pay N227 policemen in one year—with a balance.

To understand how much waste goes into the national budget, the National Assembly has budgeted N910.5 billion for itself from 2015 to 2021. This means that each of the Senators or House of Representatives members has received N1.94 billion in 2015 to 2021. On the other hand, the police force has received N2.48 trillion within the same period. Each police officer and his/her station plus police

academies have got N6.66 million within these seven years. By implication, within this period, a National Assembly member could afford to hire and pay N291 police officers and have them at his/her beck and call. Moreover, a legislator could afford to pay the minimum wages (N30,000) of N64,712 youths in the country with his/her salary and allowances. In Nigeria, unemployment rate is 27.1 percent, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). Rough estimate says that youth unemployment is over 50 percent.

“One wonders why we still run a bicameral legislature in a country where extreme poverty rate is nearly 50 percent,” said Frank Umeh, co-founder of Vista.ng, an online news platform.

“Why not make the National Assembly a part-time job and use the money for the security and the youth clamouring for change,” he suggested.

Money not even fully released One of the often ignored facts is that the so-called budget is not always fully disbursed.

In 2016, Solomon Arase, then inspectorgeneral of police, submitted a document to the House of Representatives Committee on Police Affairs. The document detailed how the Ministry of Finance under-funded the police by releasing paltry sums to the force.

The document showed that in 2011, the

police needed N46.7 billion for overhead expenditure but got only N5.5 billion, representing barely 12 percent of the approved fund. In terms of capital project, only N6.4 billion was released out of N57.9 billion earlier approved by the National Assembly. This was just 11.05 percent of the approved sum. In 2012, the police allocated N52.3 billion for overhead costs, but got merely N8.1 billion, representing 15.5 percent of the approved budget. Similarly, out of N49.9 billion slated for capital expenditure, only N7 billion was disbursed to the security outfit, representing just 14.02 percent of the entire budget.

The situation was not better in 2013, as the security outfit received only N8 billion for overhead costs out of N56.6 billion budgeted and approved by the National Assembly, representing just 14 percent.

In 2014, N56.6 billion was budgeted and approved by the National Assembly for overhead costs, but only N5.2 billion was released by the Ministry of Finance, representing just 9.1 percent.

For capital projects, just N3.4bn was released to the police out of N218.8 billion approved by legislators. This amount represented just 1.5 percent of total capital projects.

In 2015, the police allocated N71.8 billion for overhead costs but got N4.8 billion, representing just 6.6 percent. In terms of capital projects, only N8.9 billion was received by the

South African example In Nigeria, 371, 800 police officers are safeguarding the lives of 200 million people. The police budget of N447.6 billion represents $1.24 million per officer annually. Mathematically, one police officer protects the lives of 538 Nigerians. In South Africa with a population of 58 million, a police officer guards 383 people. This is still inadequate but better than Africa’s biggest economy. Coming to the budget, a police officer receives N1.2 million in 2021 budget, which is 50,000 rand. In South Africa, police budget for 2021 is 97.53 billion rand ($6.015 billion). For 150, 950 police officers, South Africa gives each police officer 646,107 rand, meaning that a South African cop can pay 13 Nigerian police officers. In Egypt, 500,000 police officers are guarding 98.42 million people, giving the country a ratio of 1 officer to 197 Egyptians.

Police and basic needs The basic needs of man are food, shelter and clothing. Most policemen in Africa’s most populous nation cannot afford these basic things with their salaries. For example, a new inspector in the police earns N73, 231 monthly and N878,772 annually. The inspector is eight steps ahead of grade 1 recruit, yet he or she cannot afford a decent accommodation. A two-room accommodation in a city like Lagos costs N350, 000 to N500,000 in Lagos. For an inspector to afford it, he/she must save 50 percent of the salary monthly—which is sometimes a tall order given a double-digit inflation rate of 13.71 percent in September 2020 in the country. For the inspector to build a house valued at N10 million, he/she will spend 11 years and 3 months, and this is if he/she does not spend a dime from the salary. With 50 percent savings possible, it means the police officer will spend 22 years and six months in total discipline to be able to build a decent house.

A police officer who spoke with BusinessDaySUNDAY in anonymity said, “If you die in the job, your wife and family will be pushed out of the ‘dirty barracks’ six months after.

Does it make sense anywhere for an inspector with enormous responsibility to earn less than most office workers he/she is expected to safeguard?”

Dirty barracks and absence of a clear future are clear risk factors in a country with surging insecurity risks.

Muhammdu Buhari on Thursday pledged to increase the salaries of the police, but analysts expect him to improve their equipment.

“Again, give them a living wage,” Ike Ibeabuchi, a budget analyst and managing director of MD Services Limited, said.

“With the way the country is now, security, education and health should get 50 percent of all budget,” he suggested.

A security analyst, however, said even if police recruits earn N1 million each in a month, it would not stop them from taking bribes.

“What you need is a reform, but also strong laws against erring officers. Yes, raise their pay, but also ensure they communicate better with the public. Prosecute erring officers without fail.”

Sunday 25 October 2020

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Attack on protesters is a declaration of war against Yoruba - YWC ... Seeks urgent dialogue on future of Nigeria Iniobong Iwok

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he Yoruba World Congress (YWC) h a s c on d e m n e d Tuesday’s attacks on protesters at the Lekki tollgate, saying that it was also an attack on Yoruba nation.

The group called for the setting up of a committee to begin the immediate negotiation on the future of the country, saying that Buhari’s silence on the Lekki shootings, casualties, was an evidence that the attacks were well-coordinated by external forces to bring down the region.

In a statement to newsmen after a virtual emergency meeting of the organisation held on Friday morning and signed by the President-General of the group, Banji Akintoye, he urged the United Nations, European Union, US and other world leaders to come assist the country renegotiate its future.

The group said the wanton destruction of properties and monuments across Yoruba land in the last few days without any form of resistance from security agencies is evidence that the amalgamation of 1914 between the South and the North has already expired.

Akintoye

According to the statement, “President Buhari addressed Nigerians on the serious crisis now confronting Nigeria, the crisis which started with peaceful protests by Nigerian Youths but which suddenly grew into wide spread violence in Lagos State, in some other parts of the Yoruba South West and other parts of Nigeria, and which the international press has been valuably reporting on.

“President Buhari’s address s ounde d li ke a reluc t ant address crafted to touch mostly on inconsequential and to avoid the most compelling

Green Essence seeks more plant-based cure to boost healthy living, marks third anniversary Iniobong Iwok

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hiamaka Oragwu, f o u n d e r, G r e e n E s s e n c e He a l t hy Lifestyle, has advocated more plant-based cure as a secret to healthy living.

Oragwu made the call at the third anniversary of Green Essence Healthy Lifestyle and official launch of Green Essence Wellness Centre in Lagos.

She said the mission of the outfit was to reduce lifestyle illnesses, prevent lifestyle illnesses, help to manage it better and to tell people to return to their roots.

Oragwu added that people can stay healthy without modern medication, by what they consume, their lifestyle, advocating that people stay more on a plant-based diet and eat little animal protein.

“I decided to venture into this when I realised that a lot of people were sick, a lot of people were suffering from illnesses

that could have been prevented if they know what to do and take on time, and they know the illness caused by unhealthy eating.

“And so far, we have someone who had fibromyalgia who is better now by maintaining plant-based diet, we have people who had arthritis and they got healed by taking natural products, we have people who had kidney stones who didn’t have to go for surgery, also sickle cell patients get their crisis reduced, asthmatic patients also get healthy by taking our alkaline water.

“The whole idea is to try to load the body with nutrient and the moment the body becomes alkaline, it gets better and heal itself,” Oragwu said.

She added that besides getting the products, people should exercise, reduce intake of animal protein, cut off unhealthy meals, and keep their mental health in check, stressing that cutting off unhealthy drinks could also help healing to start.

aspects of the crisis. To the surprise of all Nigerians and the whole world, President Buhari did not acknowledge that the youths’ protest started p e ace f u l ly and re mai ne d commendably peaceful until the protesters were shot at in Lekki, Lagos. “ The whole world had watche d as t he yout hf u l protesters conducted themselves in an orderly manner, and even as they cleaned up the trash that was generated by them in the streets. Most Nigerians accept that the demands being made by the protesting Youths were reasonable and justified in the interest of Nigeria.

“We are all witnesses to the fact that in admiration for all these, Nigerian citizens and even non Nigerians from abroad rushed food, drinks, and money to the protesters in the streets. We are all witnesses to the fact that the Youths were sitting, holding small Nigerian flags and singing the Nigerian national anthem at the Lekki Toll gate when some troops dressed in Nigerian Uniforms suddenly began to shoot at them.

“We all saw on the video the deaths and injuries that the shootings caused and we are shocked that President Buhari

did not say anything about the shooting at the peaceful and unarmed protesters. He did not say anything about the killing and wounding of the Youths. He did not express any concern or sympathy with the victims, their parents and relations.

“President Buhari also said nothing about the very troubling questions that have g row n around t he L ek k i shootings. The Lagos State Governor, who is the Chief Security Officer of Lagos State, has said that the shooting was done by forces beyond his control. The Commanding Officer of the Nigerian Army in the Lagos Area has denied authorising the shooting. The Nigerian Army has also denied ownership of the whole action.

Many troubling questions have now arisen. Who authorized the shootings? What are the true identities of the shooters who were clothed in the Nigerian Army Uniforms?

The group further expressed dismay at the level at which state sponsored hoodlums distrusted and damaged cars and attacked peaceful protesters in Abuja and other cities across Nigeria with the aid of security agencies, while seeking urgent intervention to save the future of Nigeria.

How organisations and businesses can help their employees

Emen Nwogwugwu

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ensions are high as citizens are crying out for Justice against bad governance, killings poor educational facilities, neglect of the health sector and lack of trust in the security personnel. These issues are not just local issues they are national issues that affect us all as citizens of the country.

Recently there has been peaceful protest going on across different parts of the country and a few States like

Lagos, Oyo and even the Nation’s capital Abuja have experienced a standstill in all activities both economic and movement. As organisations you need to look for ways through which you can help your employees to still stay on track and be productive even while they deal with the stress, pressure and effects of the recent happenings.

As organisations, adjusting work schedule, giving time offs or shortening the work days to give chance to those of the employees who want to partake in the Peaceful protest or take time to rest is one way you can help your employees. Organising group therapies to help protect the mental health is also another way and also Coaching /Consulting sessions that help you re-strategise is another way to help your employees in these times.

Until next time keep safe, protest peacefully, stay away from Danger, protect yourself and your neighbours, take a Break, look after your mental health and keep calling for Justice

businessdayng

Sunday 25 October 2020

Iwuanyanwu appeals to Nigerian youths to sheathe their swords SABY ELEMBA, Owerri

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o n s e q u e nt u p o n chains of protests and violence trailing the #ENDSARS nationwide, an elder statesman and frontline politician, Emmanuel Chukwuemeka Iwuanyanwu has appealed to the Nigerian youths to sheathe their swords, he has also urged the President, Muhammadu Buhari administration to fulfil the demands of the Nigerian youths since the government has accepted to do so.

In a statement made available to newsmen in Owerri, Iwuanyanwu who is the grand patron of most youth organisations in the country, expressed apprehension that the situation, if not halted now, is capable of plunging the nation into chaos and confusion which would create more hardship, suffering and bloodshed for the people.

By the demonstrations, the elder statesman argued that youths in the country had taken the right step while the Federal Government from media reports had openly acknowledged that it had failed the youths, apologised and promised to take every step to remedy the situation.

Iwuanyanwu, a member of the board of trustees (BOT) of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), noted with regret that the events of the past few days where institutions were being vandalised by hoodlums had been very unfortunate.

He said it clearly that the

Iwuanyanwu

hoodlums perpetrating the violence, hooting, burning and destruction of government institutions, release of prisoners from prisons and killing of innocent people were not the Nigerian youths.

“The youths of Nigeria in the past few weeks have made history. They have been able to do what the elders were unable to do. The youths courageously and boldly confronted the problem of insult, brutality, neglect and injustice Nigerian youths and majority of Nigerians have suffered in our country Nigeria.

“What impressed the whole country and the Free World is that the youths carried out their demonstration in a very civilised and peaceful manner devoid of any violent or bloodshed,” he said.

According to him, “All men of good conscience in Nigeria and indeed the whole world have seen that by this act, Nigerian youths comprised men and women who are amply qualified intellectually and morally can take up leadership not only in Nigeria but in any part of the Free World.

ActionAid aims to tackle Violent extremism in Kogi, trains 500 Kogi youths on skills acquisition, others VICTORIA NNAKAIKE

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ive hundred (500) youths in Kogi State have been trained in the areas of skills acquisition, attitudes in human rights education, prevention of violent extremism and fostering of intercultural and religious learning and dialogue.

ActionAid Nigeria Director, Organisational Effectiveness, Camp Director 2020 Youth Peace Camp, Fumilayo Oyefusi, who gave the insight during the opening ceremony of the year 2020 youth camp in Lokoja, Kogi State recently, said that from last year youth peace camp in the state, the organisation had recorded so much progress in the communities in terms of peace building and prevention of violent extremism, adding that most of the campers in last year’s exercise have become peace ambassadors in their various communities. He also pointed out that some of them who were trained on some skills were already using the skills to earn a living.

She said: “We believe that if our youths are economically

empowered, it would be difficult for them to engage in violent activities; it would also be difficult for anyone to use them or engage them as thugs in their various communities”.

The youth peace camp is being sponsored by Action Aid Nigeria in partnership with Participation Initiative for Behavioural Change in Development, (PIBCID), with funding from, Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund, (GCERF).

The Project Officer for System Structure Strengthening Approach against radicalisation to violent Extremism (SARVE11), project, Anicentus Atakpu disclosed that other objectives of the youth camp “is to stimulate participants’ understanding of their personal and collective identities and their roles in preventing conflict.

“To enable participants to share personal experiences of conflict and violence and coping strategies in a positive and safe atmosphere of living and learning together. “To motivate and support participants in their role as multipliers and peer leaders in peace building activities with young people.”

Sunday 25 October 2020

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Senior citizens’ association appeals for government’s support Ngozi Okpalakunne

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resident Senior Citizens Association of Nigeria ( S C A N ) , Ti m ot hy Ore has appealed to government at all levels and well-meaning members of the society to assist the older persons in the country.

Speaking at a forum organised recently in Lagos by the United Nations Association of Nigeria (UNAN) to commemorate this year’s International Day for the Older Persons, Ore, alleged that the government had not supported the elderly in society, adding that some of the older persons were really facing difficult situation.

He l aude d UNAN for remembering the aged and explained that the health screening exercise which was part of the forum would go a long way in helping the older persons to manage their health properly.

Also speaking at the event which came under the theme, ‘Pandemic: Do change how we address age and ageing’, Secretary General of UNAN, Ganiyu Owolabi affirmed that the screening exercise was necessary so as to enable the aged ascertain their health status in order to take necessary precautions.

Quoting the United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, Awolabi said: ‘’The Covid-I9 Pandemic is causing

untold fear and suffering for older people across the world.

Beyond its immediate health impact, the pandemic is putting older people at greater risk of poverty, discrimination and isolation, it is likely to have a particular devastating impact on older people in developing world.’’

He further explained that the health screening was in line with the Goal 3 of the SDGs which hoped to ensure healthy lives and promote well -being of all at all ages. On her part, SecretaryGeneral of SCAN, Christiana Adefagbemi–Akintoye stressed the need for government to ensure that the senior citizens in the country are respected and regarded in the public places such as banks, hospitals, among others.

Akintoye also appealed to government at all levels to ensure that the aged are financially supported. ‘’Most of the elders are very poor, their families cannot afford to take care of their needs, we need government intervention. In the advanced world, government takes care of the older persons, but here in Nigeria, nobody is talking about them, they are abandoned. We need government assistance,” she added.

Adebowale, who also spoke at the event, described ignorance as one of the major challenges facing the aged in society.

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he Lagos State government has been urged to ensure proper implementation of rape laws as such will help to check rape-related crimes in society.

President Women’s Wing of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos chapter, Violet Uche Obiora who made the appeal at a forum organised by the group recently in Lagos to mark this year’s International Civility Day of the Girl Child also called on the state government not to let any rapist go free without facing the wrath of the law.

Obiora however, condemned pervasive violations of human rights particularly against female children and women in the society which she said include; gender inequality, victimisation; rape, abuse, inhuman values among others.

“Today, we stand for support and injustice for every girl child or woman that is or was abused, raped and assaulted. We stand to give hope and raise fighters like us and together we stand to speak out, enough is enough to those wicked act against girl children and women. Enough of sexual harassment and rape.

Every woman no matter the colour, race, location and belief

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Army caught between ethnic militias in battle to save Port Harcourt …Oyigbo is battleground, pockets of cult groups go on looting spree Ignatius Chukwu

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he fight to save Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital and headquarters of the south-south, is taking ethnic coloration and nothing near the #ENDSARS or good governance demands.

It has turned to burning of police stations, killings and huge rioting which is now along ethnic divide in the boundary town between Rivers and Abia states.

The violence at the heart of the city, Mile One to Mile Three seems to be between cult groups and the police in the apparent attempt by the hoodlums to raze the Mile One police division buildings.

Shooting has been going on in Diobu in the past three days even after curfew was imposed in the area by the state government.

Banks have remained closed for over three days, but the governor, Nyesom Wike, has ordered the ones hosting the state government accounts to reopen or face review of

Group urges Lagos govt to ensure proper implementation of rape laws Ngozi Okpalakunne

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should be involved in this fight,” she added.

On the International Civility of the Girl Child Day, the president of the Women Wing, said it was created based on the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations Women which she said include the following; achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls; end all forms of violence against all women and girls everywhere; eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls in the public and private places; and eliminate all forms of discrimination against all women and girls.

Wike

their relationship with the government.

The main battleground, Oyigbo, has been boiling, frequently spilling into Iriebe up to Eleme Junction and nearby communities such as Elelenwo, Woji, and Rumukwurushe.

Residents have fled into calmer communities as youths from ethnic groups charge for action and threaten attacks on various settlements in a kind of mutually assured destruction fashion.

Distress calls raged all of Thursday night from Oyigbo where residents said soldiers were shooting indiscriminately.

Many families said they fled into nearby bushes as they said persons were being shot by uniformed men.

Other security sources said youths from Aba area were pushing to attack Oyigbo.

Pockets of looting have been reported in Oyigbo.

A very senior police officer of eastern origin hinted to this reporter’s source that the invading youths (he called them IPOB) pushed all night to overrun Oyigbo.

He s ai d t h e s e c u r it y agencies withstood them.

“We did many things to save Oyigbo this night”. He refused to disclose what they did.

The Army Public Relations Officer of 6 Army Division in Port Harcourt, Charles Ekeocha, who never picked calls most of the night said Friday morning that the soldiers were there to protect innocent lives.

Militar y sources said reinforcement would come Friday morning. This appeared real as soldiers have lined up all roads in northern PH, triggerhappy.

Rumours seem to have

taken over. Families call each other raising hell. The most rampant is ‘revelation’ of one ethnic militia or the other planning to attack one community or the other.

So far, some persons have been killed in Oyigbo and Eleme Junction areas and their wares looted.

Sources said about three soldiers were killed last night.

Both police and military spokesmen have so far not issued any statement. They have also not been ready to brief the press on happenings.

The Rivers State police command le d by Jos eph Mukan has issued an official statement heaping the blames on IPOB. He stated Friday noon that two police officers have been killed, but he gave no number of civilian casualties.

He also said two police stations in Oyigbo had been burnt down and arms taken.

The CP reported how his men defended the Mile One police facility, saying reinforcements have come.

He assured of ability of his men to defend the state.

Nigerian receives international leadership, excellence award UDOKA AGWU, UMUAHIA

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zoma Onyema, the National Coordinator of Foundation for Creativity in Agriculture, Science and Technology (FOCAST), a non-governmental organisation based in Abuja, with branch offices in Umuahia, and Lagos, has received a Special Award for leadership and excellence from the International Society for Innovation and Advanced Skills, Toronto, Canada.

This honour was bestowed on Onyema on September 30, 2020, in recognition of his contributions as an International Committee Member of the recently-held global inventions competition in Toronto, Canada.

The award, which acknowledges the contributions of Foundation for Creativity in Agriculture, Science and Technology (FOCAST) in promoting innovation, creativity and inventiveness among students and youth in Nigeria, is coming on the heels of laurels won by Nigerian students at an international invention fair held in Singapore earlier this year, tagged Asian Invent 2020. Nigeria’s participation at the international event was facilitated and coordinated

by Foundation for Creativity in Agriculture, Science and Technology (FOCAST).

FOCAST is an NGO that is committed to promoting creativity and innovativeness among Nigerian students; and inspiring

Uzoma Onyema

youth interest in research and development. The Foundation identifies young Nigerians with creative and innovative skills and talents, grooms them, and showcases them to the word through international creativity competitions and exhibitions. This promotes reputation and image of the country, and provides the youngsters with opportunities to excel at an international level.

To prepare students for such international events, and ultimately to groom them for excellence in the study of the sciences, agriculture and technology, FOCAST holds summer camps every year. The FOCAST Summer Camp is a supervised program for secondary school students’ that trains the students on creativity and inventiveness using the Project-Based Learning (PBL) approach.

Project-Based Learning (PBL), according to FOCAST, is a teaching method in which students learn by actively engaging in real-world and personally

meaningful projects. FOCAST also trains teachers to make learning come alive for students.

Through Project-Based Learning, FOCAST trains students to work on projects that engage them in solving a real-world problem. As they learn, students are groomed to demonstrate their knowledge and skills through presentations before large audiences.

The result is that students develop deep content knowledge as well as critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, and communication skills.

FOCAST is affiliated with international organisations in Europe, Asia and North America that promote Project-Based Learning (PBL) for effective and result-oriented teaching and learning of agriculture, science and technology; and promotion of youth interest in research and creativity. FOCAST draws on intellectual capacity-building resources and exchange programs with her affiliates and partner organisations across the world, to keep up-to-date with international best practices in research and development.

Parents are encouraged to take advantage of the FOCAST Summer Camp training program to groom their children to develop skills of creativity and innovativeness, as well as, of research and development.

These summer camp programs are held in central locations in cities across the country during the long vacation periods.

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Food markets open in Lagos despite curfew but prices increase owing to roadblocks

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meat sellers opening for business although in limited numbers. Yam traders along Alasalatu Road Street were also seen open for business, but customers were still not as much.

Along Market street which is right next to Wey Street in Mushin, more traders could be seen open for business although many stalls were still not open. At all these

opened market areas, prices increased between 50 and 100 percent, as tomato and pepper traders for instance said roadblocks mounted by hoodlums meant trucks had to part with more money before conveying goods to them.

BusinessDay SUNDAY also learnt, although not physically verified, that the Daleko Market, the country’s

largest market for rice has also opened yesterday and today but only for brisk activities in the morning only.

Driving through most neighbourhoods, from Abule Egba, through Ikeja to Mushin, and some parts of Surulere, residents go about their activities in few numbers even as a fewer number of youths have maintained roadblocks and extorting road users.

USAID provides additional N52bn for Nigeria to tackle HIV/AIDS, peace, security Innocent Odoh, Abuja

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he United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has announced a d d it i ona l d e vel opme nt assistance of $136.5 million (NGN 52 billion) to continue its support to Nigeria under a bilateral Development Objectives Assistance Agreement (DOAG) with the United States signed in 2015.

The USAID in a statement on Friday, said most of the assistance, nearly $133.5 million, will go to HIV/AIDS control under several new and existing awards that focus on prevention and treatment in

some of the most vulnerable areas of the country.

With this most recent notification to the government of the incremental funding increase, USAID has provided Nigeria $1.94 billion (NGN 743 billion) in assistance under the seven-year DOAG. Another $3 million boosts activities to combat trafficking in persons, mitigate conflict, peace, and counter violent extremism, and $219,566 will expand USAID’s efforts to increase access to potable water and reduce water borne diseases in Nigeria, the statement said.

USAID new Mission Director, Anne Patterson, said “As the most populous country in Africa with the largest economy, Nigeria has

tremendous potential and influence over the future of the continent. “With this a d d it i ona l f u nd i ng , t he United States continues to demonstrate its commitment to supporting development programs that will benefit the Nigerian people.”

T h e Un ite d St ate s i s responsible for 80 percent of the AIDS treatment provided in Nigeria. About 1.9 million Nigerians are living with HIV/AIDS, according to the U.S. supported Nigeria HIV/ AIDS Indicator and Impact Sur vey (NAIIS) of 2018.

In 2020, USAID tested 2.4 million Nigerians for HIV, and placed 89 percent of the 119,000 who tested positive on antiretroviral therapy, bringing

the total number of Nigerians on USAID-supported HIV/ AIDS treatment to 377,500.

Other activities provide care and support for more than 600,000 children and family members orphaned or otherwise impacted by the virus. Through the President’s Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) initiative, over 5.4 million Nigerians have been tested for HIV and one million put on therapy.

“For the first time in modern histor y, we have the opportunity to control HIV without a vaccine. “In partnership with government, civil society, the private sector, and communities, we can help Nigeria overcome this disease,” Patterson said.

Agro-processing support project targets 10,000 direct beneficiaries in Kaduna Abdulwaheed Olayinka Adubi, Kaduna

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h e s t at e P r o j e c t Coordinator, Kaduna State Agro-processing, Productivity Enhancement and Livelihood Improvement Support (APPEALS) project, Yahaya Aminu has said that no fewer than 10,000 people are expected to benefit from the Women and Youth Empowerment Program (WYEP).

The state Coordinator,

explained that 35 percent of the direct beneficiaries will be women, while 5-10 percent will be people with d i s a b i l i t i e s , w i t h g r a nt threshold of N2million per beneficiary.

He made the assertion during the Inception Meeting of the Technical Assistance for the Preparation and Review of Business Investment Plan (BIP) for Women and Youth in Kaduna.

According to Aminu, the programme is to support business planning and facilitation of business name

registration and certification, and also to enhance agricultural productivity.

While speaking, he admitted that impact of COVID-19 pandemic has slowed down and delayed the programme.

The Deputy Governor of Kaduna State, Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe, who was represented by the Deputy Chief of Staff, Barrister James Kanyip said the state is committed to support the programme and actualising the empowerment of women and youths.

According to him, the

project will not only be beneficial to the state, but Nigeria at large.

He said, the programme is timely and apt, considering the fact that the country is now diversifying its economy, hence the effort of government in giving its citizens other opportunities through the various value-chains.

“Since the country now is diversifying from oil to agriculture, the Agro-Processing Productivity Enhancement and Livelihood Improvement Support Project (APPEAL) is a good project,” he concluded.

Sunday 25 October 2020

LSETF, Coursera partner to upskill workforce for employment opportunities KELECHI EWUZIE

CALEB OJEWALE

espite the curfew, some markets in Lagos are gradually reopening as consumers desperately try to restock on food items following the curfew announcement that came unexpectedly.

B u s i n e s s D a y S U N D AY observed customers cautiously t r y i ng to c ondu c t t he i r shopping as briskly as possible, in market areas that are also only operating skeletally as they attend to customers.

Opposite the Arena shopping complex in Oshodi, some foodstuff sellers were seen displaying their wares along the road, even as a truck was seen offloading plantain bunches this afternoon.

The Mushin market also opened for skeletal activities, with foodstuff traders from tomato, to vegetables and

businessdayng

etermined to equip the workforce with competitive, employable skills and training for global relevance, The Lagos State Employment Trust Fund has announced its partnership with Coursera, one of the world’s leading learning platforms, to provide free access to high quality and job-relevant courses and certifications.

The programme tagged “LSETFxCoursera Wo r k f o r c e R e c o v e r y I n i t i a t i v e” i s a f u l l y sponsored online learning pro g r am m e w it h a c c e s s to 3 , 8 0 0 c ou rs e s a c ro ss 400 specialisations in key sectors such as digital and IT upskilling, healthcare, tourism, language learning and several other job sectors.

Teju Abisoye, executive secretary/CEO, Lagos State Employment Trust Fund while commenting on the initiative, said “We are pleased to work with a global and foremost learning platform; Coursera in creating an impactful and scalable learning programme focused on offering high quality, job-relevant online learning opportunities. This partnership aligns with our quest to equip our young population with relevant skills and capabilities that are par with their global counterparts.

Abisoye opines that this initiative is in line with the global educational approach of remote learning and as a state striving to build a 21st Century economy, we are conscious of global solutions and are poised

to apply similar approaches to create these desired results.

L S E T F ’s v i s i o n i s to create employment and entrepreneurship opp or tunities to reduce unemployment in L agos St ate and it fo c us es on promoting entrepreneurship by improving access to finance, strengthening the institutional capacity of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), formulating policies and actively intervening to improve the business environment.

According to Statista, “49 p ercent of students worldwide stated they had taken an online course in the last 12 months. This data, therefore, indicates that with the new normal necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic, t he ne e d for e-le ar ning has increased, which this Coursera’s partnership will help us fulfil”, she said.

The benefits of the Coursera Workforce Recovery plan includes; free access to content from 160 leading global universities and 30 industry partners; certifications upon completion; becoming part of a community of over 50 million global learners; learning new skills; learning on-the-go, and unmatched competitive edge.

Coursera is the world’s premier learning platform (or MOOC - Massive Open Online Courses). It brings online educational content from the best universities and industries delivered in an easyto-use online platform. We at Coursera envision a world where anyone, anywhere can transform their life by accessing the world’s best learning experience.

Axa Mansard Insurance offers free mental health support to Nigerians EMMANUEL UDOM

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xa Mansard Insurance Plc has offered free mental health supports to the estimated 200 million people living in Nigeria, as nationwide following the #ENDSRAS protest in the country, and the entire world in recovering from the economic and social effects of Coronavirus.

The company, in a statement sent to BusinessDAYSUNDAY, stated that it had trust that people were doing well and keeping safe.

It further explained that Axa Mansard had followed with deep concern the events that had unfolded over the last couple of days regarding the protests across the country.

It also noted that it was sad indeed that the situation degenerated in the last few days.

“At this time, we would like to urge everyone to take all necessary precautionary steps to ensure your safety and wellbeing; remain calm and do not make irrational decisions.

Validate every information you receive before you share them, if at all you must share,” the company said.

It also cautioned Nigerians to engage on social media with caution.

“We understand the effect situations like this might have on the mental wellbeing of people. To this end, we would like to remind you that our FREE mental health support is still available for support if you would like to talk to a licensed practitioner,” it said.

Sunday 25 October 2020

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Crime Watch

EFCC tightens noose against internet fraudsters, others

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INNOCENT ODOH, Abuja

he Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has strengthened the onslaught against the ubiquitous internet fraudsters popularly known as ‘yahoo boys’, who operate by scamming unsuspected members of the public using the internet.

The anti-graft agency has made impressive strides in the last three months bursting the wire criminals in their hideouts and seizing the proceeds of their illicit trade. The EFCC has also arraigned and obtained numerous convictions against the yahoo boys and other criminal elements, whose stock in trade is to scam innocent people across the country.

The Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Zonal office of the EFCC, on Tuesday, October 20, 2020 arraigned one Igwe Prince Chukwuebuka before Justice I.M. Sani of the Federal High Court, sitting in Port Harcourt, on a threecount charge bordering on internet fraud and obtaining money under false pretense to the tune of N2, 400, 000. 00 (Two Million, Four Hundred Naira only).

One of the charges read: “That you Igwe Chukwuebuka Prince, (Alias Andrews Grant and Collins Williams) on or about the 3rd March, 2019, at Port Harcourt, Rivers State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did use the sum of Two Million Four Hundred Thousand Naira (N2,400,000) to purchase a Toyota Camry 2008 model with registration number Imo NGN 240 MX and chassis number 4TIBK46K371155669 which sum you reasonably ought to know form part of proceeds from an unlawful act to wit: obtaining by false pretense thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (1) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibitions ) Act No 11, 2011 ( as amended) and punishable under section 15

…Warns public on increasing antics of criminals

(3) of the same Act. Justice Sani however, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N5, 000,000, (Five Million Naira) and a surety in like sum. He ordered the remand of the defendant in the EFCC custody and adjourned the matter till January 19, 2021 for continuation of trial.

According to the Head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, Chukwuebuka ran into trouble when, upon credible intelligence, a team of EFCC operatives raided a hideout of suspected internet fraudsters in Omoku, Port Harcourt, where he was arrested. Items such as a white 2008 Toyota Camry car and an infinix X571 mobile phone were recovered from him.

Further investigation showed that he was involved in the impersonation of foreigners to defraud both local and international victims.

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In a related development, the EFCC obtained the conviction of another internet fraudsters, Babuwa Christopher, who bagged five-year jail term in Kaduna state.

Justice Mohammed Tukur of the Kaduna State High Court sitting in Kaduna convicted and sentenced Christopher, a student of Quantity Survey, Kaduna State Polytechnic, to five years imprisonment for fraud.

The defendant was convicted after he pleaded guilty to an amended one count criminal charge.

The charge reads, “that you Babuwa Christopher of No. 3 Maha Close, Barnawa, Kaduna sometime in July, 2020 in Kaduna within the judicial Division of this Honourable Court with intent to commit an offence, had in your possession documents containing false pretence to wit; Union Bank Visa Card bearing Maduka

M.O, Union Bank Visa Card with name Peter, Union Bank Visa Card of Jatau Richard, United Bank of Africa( UBA) debit card bearing the name ThankGod and Diamond Bank Master Card with unidentifiable name and you thereby committed an offence of attempt to commit cheating contrary to Section 57 of the Penal Code Law, 2017 of Kaduna State and punishable under section 307 of the same Law”.

Justice Tukur, convicted and sentenced Christopher to five years imprisonment with an option of One Hundred Thousand Naira (N100, 000) fine.

The anti-corruption agency then shifted focus to Makurdi in Benue State, where its operatives at the zonal office there nabbed a serial impostor named Patience Simon Robert, who, while posing as an officer of

the EFCC, allegedly defrauded many people with propositions of employment in the EFCC and Nigeria Customs Service.

According to Uwujaren, Patience was arrested following a complaint by a victim whom he collected N1.5million from under the pretext of helping to secure jobs for his children in the EFCC. The complainant equally revealed that the suspect tricked his younger brother to part with the sum of N300, 000 after promising to get his children employed in the Nigeria Customs Service.

Investigation revealed that the suspect had severally been arrested for impersonation and fraud by the Nigeria Police and other agencies.

It was discovered that she had been charged to a Magistrate Court in Minna, Niger State for impersonation and obtaining money under false pretence. She allegedly obtained over N11million from several victims with propositions of job offers in various agencies while parading herself as a staff of the EFCC. The suspect also defrauded another victim in Abuja to the tune of N4.5 million while posing as ‘Director of Civil Intelligence’ in EFCC. She would be charged to Court as soon investigation is concluded, Uwujaren noted.

In the South West, the Ibadan Zonal Office of the EFCC, on Tuesday, October 20, arrested two ladies, Jumoke Ayodele and Opeoluwa Temitayo, for an attempt to smuggle substances believed to be hard drug to suspects in the custody of the zonal office. The substance, according to a medical officer with the Commission, is ‘colorado drug’ noted for having dire psychological effect on its abusers. The ladies on their part admitted that the substance was a hard drug, meant for the consumption of the detainees.

To convey the drugs, the duo wrapped them in small cellophane packs, and tucked them inside sausages they brought for the detainees.

Though EFCC detainees are fed by the Commission, they are nonetheless allowed to receive meals from their visiting relatives, which are carefully evaluated by the Commission’s officers to ensure that the detainees do not come to harm as a result of what they ingest.

No inmate escaped during attempted jail break in Delta - Tonwe FRANCIS SADHERE, Warri

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he Director-General, Delta State Security, David Tonwe, on Friday debunked online report that some inmates escaped during Thursday failed jail break at the Nigerian Correctional Service, Warri, otherwise known as Okere Prisons.

Tonwe, who spoke with our correspondent outside the burnt administrative building, disclosed that the prison authority just concluded the head count of the inmates both males and females in the facility and none of them have been confirmed to be missing.

He however, urged the government to as a matter of urgency commence the reconstruction of the administrative buildings, security posts and main entrance of the facility as well as inmates cells that were set ablaze by the irate inmates during the attempted jail

break.

“I’m here today to observe the development. I want to make it clear that yesterday during the failed attempt to break the prison we are here and the insinuations that some inmates ran away, i want to correct that motion that no escapee was recorded.

“The military prompt action during the incident was able to force the hoodlum to retreat and normalcy was restored to the facility. We have being inside where the head count of the inmates was carried out and there was no record of any missing inmates at the facility,” he said.

“I want to appeal to government to as a matter of urgency commence the rebuilding of the burnt administrative buildings so that the prison officials can have a roof over their heads to work and also the reconstruction of the inmate cells that were razed, so that the congestion

currently being witnessed in the facility can be sorted out,” Tonwe further said.

Meanwhile, a detachment of soldiers from Sector 1 Command of ‘Operations Delta Safe’, have been stationed at strategic points within the facility vicinity.

This security beef up at the facility location coincided with a confirmation by the Delta state government that all the 1007 (one thousand and

seven) inmates of the Correctional Centre were intact and there was no record of an escapee during the attempted jail break melee.

Our Correspondent who visited the Correctional centre observed that all the access roads the facility had been cordoned-off by a team of military personnel and mobile policemen from the Delta state police command, apparently to forestall further havoc by the hoodlums who may likely be reinforc-

ing to stage a comeback.

The Commander, Sector 1, Colonel Sanni Ahmed, whose timely arrival at the scene of the attempted jail break on Thursday, repelled the hoodlums, was seen at the Correctional centre in company of Mr. David Tonwe, Director General (DG) Security, to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, conducting an on-thespot accessment of the facility.

In a similar Development, soldiers attached to the 3 Battalion of the Nigerian Army Barracks, Effurun near Warri, have succeeded in dispersing the #EndSARS protesters that had earlier occupied the major NPA Expressway to the Effurun and DSC Roundabouts.

The Commanding Officer (Area) of 3 Battalion, Major Ismael Hussain, was reported to have led a team of soldiers who moved around late Thursday night to tell the protesters to vacates the major expressway they had occupied since the beginning of the protest.

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#EndSARS protests and season of curfews in states

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h e s e, i n d e e d, are troublesome times in Nigeria, especially in Lagos, the country’s commercial nerve centre which prides itself as a mega city and Centre of Excellence.

The state is bleeding amid uneasy calm.

On Tuesday evening, this state was coloured in red with the blue blood of innocent Nigerian youths when, according to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, forces beyond state government’s direct control moved to make dark notes in its history with the shooting and killing of some #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki Toll Plaza.

The spontaneous reactions and events of the past few days in the country reflect what William Shakespeare, the celebrated English playwright, described as insurrection the cause of which, he explained, was either that there was civil strife in heaven or the earth, too saucy with the gods, had incensed insurrection.

In Nigeria, contrary to Shakespeare’s society, the insurrection we have seen in the last five days has nothing to do with the gods, but everything to do with failure of leadership which is at the core of every agitation in the country including the #End-

SARS protest.

Till date, 72 hours after, there’s no clue whatsoever to where the faceless elements alleged to be soldiers from the Nigerian army are. Nobody has been arrested and nobody is being brought to account for that dastardly act. What we have seen is an emergency season of curfews in many states of the federation.

We are alarmed at the speed with which many state governors are imposing curfews in their states as though it were a fad or an antidote to violence. Regrettably, even in the midst of the curfews, looting, arson, chaos, anarchy and destruction are everywhere, particularly in Lagos and a few other states where individuals, institutions and government are counting their losses including lives of loved ones.

So far, Lagos, Edo, Delta, Rivers, Osun, Ogun, Abia, Imo, Plateau, Ondo, Ekiti, Imo, etc, have imposed curfews on their states, some not even stating the period and when it will end.

A curfew is an order issued during troubled times, specifying a time during which certain regulations apply. Typically, it refers to the time when individuals are required to return to and stay in their houses.

But what we have seen and continue to see is a situation where curfews are imposed in states and yet hoodlums, masquerading as genuine protesters, continue to occupy the roads and highways, killing, maiming, and destroying properties without any challenge

from security agencies.

This, in our view, is not how and why curfews are imposed. The aim of imposing curfews should be to keep people at home and more to stop escalation of violence where it exists. That is not, at the moment, playing out particularly in Lagos.

Before imposing a 24-hour curfew, later extended to 72 hours, Governor Sanwo-Olu had noted that criminals had hijacked the #EndSARS protests “to unleash mayhem,” adding that he had “watched with shock how what began as a peaceful #EndSARS protest degenerated into a monster threatening the wellbeing of our society”.

“Imposing this curfew was difficult, especially as we have just returned from a Covid-19 required lockdown; this curfew will allow security officials to immediately restore order to the state, arrest thugs and miscreants that have disrupted the peace,” the governor added, howbeit, fruitlessly.

Regrettably, this did not happen and so, from Tuesday evening when the curfew was imposed, up to the weekend, the state witnessed the reign of terror and massive destruction that have kept its residents in cow and awe.

To our dismay, the security agencies, not even those who shot at peaceful protesters, were anywhere to be seen to take control of the situation.

We recall that, earlier, Mohammed Adamu, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), had ordered na-

tionwide deployment of riot officers to end two weeks of increasingly violent protests, explaining that Police Mobile Force (PMF) was needed “to protect lives and property of all Nigerians and secure critical national infrastructure across the country.”

It is sad to note that all the state and national assets that were destroyed happened after IGP’s decision and directive to the Commissioners of Police in various states, raising concerns as to whether action was delayed or the decision was reversed.

The ensuing mayhem, in spite of the curfews, tells us that the people, including the hoodlums, have no more regards for the police. It also shows that there is something fundamentally wrong with the Nigeria’s security architecture such that the command and control have a lot of issues.

It is simply laughable that some governors have imposed curfews in their states without any clear, urgent or justifiable reasons for doing so.

That, in our opinion, is very wrong.

Curfews should not be imposed just for its own sake. There must be a need.

We urge both the federal and state governments to rise to the occasion and stem the rising tide of anarchy and destruction, build confidence in the people and secure their lives. After all, the central aim of governance is the protection of lives and property of citizens. Nigerians don’t deserve anything less.

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Perspective

Lekki shooting: When President Buhari spoke loudly, we ignored him; Thursday he sparked Ikeddy ISIGUZO Isiguzo, a major commentator on minor issues wrote from Abuja

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OME Nigerians spend their time searching for moments to blame President Muhammadu Buhari. Nothing will make them change their minds about a man who sacrificed his retirement for unparallel service to his fatherland.

A major challenge Nigerians face with the President is a refusal to accept that his ways are not ours. He is honest, transparent, incorruptible; a principled man of impeccable character. Who among those who question his judgments possess these qualities? Should we not be grateful to have him at the critical moment of our history?

He spoke loudly about the shooting in Lekki on Wednesday.

We ignored him because as usual, we wanted him to do things our ways. Did the President not chair the Federal Executive Council meeting on Wednesday 21 October 2020, just a day after the Lekki incident? What did he say about it?

Nothing. His silence was deafening. Some of the greatest speeches are rendered in silence.

The President did.

We failed to hear him since he did not say what we wanted to him to say. We all carry on as if we are the President. We even ignore hints.

Senator Ita Enang, the highranking presidential Senate Liaison Officer in response to Channel Television’s morning programme, Sunrise Daily about a statement from the President, Enang said, “Well, the incident happened last night and we are just waking up”. It was the same Wednesday the President held his FEC meeting, did other things without a word on Lekki.

If we thought Enang meant the President was sleeping on Lekki - thinking about it - we should have known differently.

People who have been haranguing the President to speak about the shooting (killing) at Lekki Toll Gate, including the Senate, were part of the problem.

They took the President’s action on Wednesday for granted.

When the President finally spoke, he did not mention the Lekki incident in his 1071 words spread through 10 minutes. He did not sympathise with families who lost lives or property in the fires that have been raging through the country, especially since Tuesday 20 October 2020.

There was no Lekki. The preci-

having concluded a meeting with all the Security Chiefs,” the President said. Was he otherwise not concerned?

The President was aware of important incidents like the condemnable violation of the palace of the Oba of Lagos. He called the Oba a peace maker. The palace incident took place a day after Lekki. The President did not utter a single word on what happened

made public.

The President rather announced planned review of emoluments for security agents, possibly his interpretation of reforms that would curb their brutality. Would one then conclude that the brutality of the security agencies including the one on Tuesday night was caused by their poor pay? Was it permitted for them to kill innocent civil-

pice the peaceful protests were pushed off on Tuesday night.

Lekki was a figment of the imagination. The President admitted the protests were hijacked. He was not put a timeline to when the peaceful protests turned to the mindless mayhem that has left many places ruined and cost more lives.

Governor Babajide SanwoOlu of Lagos is the only official to admit there was such incident.

The army says it was not in Lekki and did not fire any shots. Is the President unaware of Lekki or he has taken a position without taking calls from Sanwo-Olu? The President’s opening line sounded as if he was forced to make the broadcast. “It has become necessary for me to address you having heard from many concerned Nigerians and

in Lekki which precipitated the chaos that elicited threats from the President.

Another important matter for the President was his presentation of the management of COVID-19. He scored himself high for pulling Nigeria through the pandemic.

President Buhari did not forget his social security policies which would see 100 million of Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years, seven years after he must have left office. No administration has been as considerate in dealing with the plight of Nigerians.

Yet he would not discuss killings across the country. There was no mention of sanctions against security agents who have been accused by name and allegations massed against them

ians over their poor condition of service?

As far as the President was concerned, he addressed the demands of the protesters on Monday 12 October 2020. How many addresses did we expect him to make in one month, on one issue? Were we simply not being unreasonable?

He appeared to have regretted that 12 October 2020 broadcast.

“Sadly, the promptness with which we have acted seemed to have been misconstrued as a sign of weakness and twisted by some for their selfish unpatriotic interests.

“The result of this is clear to all observers: human lives have been lost; acts of sexual violence have been reported; two major correctional facilities were attacked and convicts freed; public and private

properties completely destroyed or vandalised; the sanctity of the Palace of a Peace Maker, the Oba of Lagos has been violated.

So-called protesters have invaded an international airport and in the process disrupted the travel plans of fellow Nigerians and our visitors,” the President lamented.

What has his administration not done for ungrateful, selfish, unpatriotic Nigerians? He made a list of some of his measures at addressing poverty, for those who have forgotten - Paying three months salaries of the staff of 100,000 micro, small and medium enterprises; Paying for the registration of 250,000 businesses at the Corporate Affairs Commission; Giving a grant of N30,000 to 100,000 artisans; and; Guaranteeing market for the products of traders.

Other Buhari achievements are - Farmermoni, b. Tradermoni, Marketmoni, N-Power, e.

N-Tech and N-Agro. His interest in the future failed to deal with the pains of grieving families, lost businesses, and the pall that his manner of addressing the issues cast on the country.

Should we really blame Buhari? He warned us but too many were lost in the euphoria of change to listen. Barely a month after his inauguration, he told Nigerians that old age would hamper his performance.

The Punch and other media reported him telling Nigerians in South Africa on Monday 15 June 2015, “I wish I became Head of State (President) when I was a povernor, just a few years as a young man. Now at 72, there is a limit to what I can do.” He is 76, and two months shy of 77.

“Our government is determined to secure the country, manage the economy, create employment and fight corruption. Some articulate writers have said if we do not kill corruption, corruption will kill Nigeria. This APC administration intends to kill corruption in Nigeria. We will do our best, I assure you,” Buhari had told his audience in Johannesburg.

Who has forgotten “I belong to everybody, and I belong to nobody”? It was the most memorable line from his inauguration speech on 29 May 2015.

The President finally spoke on Thursday 22 October 2020, two clear days after the shooting in Lekki. He left us with more presentiments about our complications.

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Sunday 25 October 2020

Endless protests, degenerating Republic OBINNA EMELIKE and INIOBONG IWOK (Lagos); INNOCENT ODOH, Abuja

Continued from page 1

civil rule in 1999. Although Nigeria has experienced a number of other protests on account of bad governance, particularly the 2012 #OccupyOjota which lasted for days, it is getting worse with the current #EndSARS protests. It means that Nigeria has not made reasonable progress since the birth of the 4th Republic.

Although the #EndSARS protests rage amid loss of lives, property, the present administration seems to forget the lessons from past protests.

As Enough Is Enough, a civil right organisation, puts it, in protests, especially in a democratic setting, the people always win, and using force against unarmed protesters will rather escalate issues and withdraw people’s confidence in the government, than stop the protests.

Obviously, if the Nigerian government had learnt from the June 12 protests, #OccupyOjota, the IPOB protests, among others, it would have handled the current protests maturely, saving lives and property lost due to its failure to react on time and appropriately.

Speaking on the increasing degeneration of the nation despite the attempt to make it better, a former presidential aspirant under the platform of the National Conscience Party (NCP), Tanko Yunusa, said that going forward Nigerians must ensure that this opportunity presented by the #ENDSARS protests is not frittered away like the previous ones. He also called for restructuring and constitutional reforms as the panacea to the current crises facing the nation.

He said: “The truth about it is that it has now been established that there is no part of the country that we have not tested its leadership and that means there is incapability of capacity of leaders. So, we need to take the protest forward by examining the kind of people that we vote for to lead us in this country. Not only voting for them we need to also to commit them into a kind of social contract that can remove them from office immediately they show incapacity of performance.”

He said that sometimes Nigerians may vote for some people they think are credible who later failed to deliver as it has happened with the government of President Muhammadu Buhari under the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“At a point, a lot of people were hoping and are so sure that things will turn for the better but from the first two years that the APC took over power, it showed that they did not have a clue on how to lead this country. At that point we needed to find a singular way to assess leaders within the first two years and if we see that they are not performing in the interest of the Nigerian people, they will be forced to leave office,” he said.

According to him, “There is no doubt that a lot of issues need to be addressed. There has been clamour

#EndSars protest

#OccupyOjota protest

for restructuring; there has been clamour for all kinds of things in Nigeria. What I expect the government of President Buhari to do is to dust all constitutional conferences that we have had over the years and move them to the National Assembly to start enacting laws that will make this country better based on the recommendations that have been made over the years.

“That will definitely calm nerves.

When you bring all those documents and talk sincerely about electoral reforms, talk about structural defects and agree on how to run the government, we will now have a new constitution that everybody must abide by. And the moment the leader comes in and follows those constitutional provisions then the country will start looking better”.

Also contributing, the National Chairman of the Action Democratic Party(ADP), Yusuf Yabagi Sani, said Nigeria is still a country in transition but urged that the youth must not relent on the gains they have made with the ENDSARS protest in order to move the nation from endless transition. He believes that the protests should be turned into a political movement otherwise it will lose its essence.

He said: “that is why these protests now as far as I am concerned must key it into the political development in the country. It should not

end at just police brutality- police brutality is just one of the effects, the cause of it is what we must address and the cause of it is how to rescue ourselves from the clutches of poor leadership.

He said further: “I believe the protests should be turned into a political movement and once it becomes a revolutionary political movement that will bring about genuine democratic changes.”

He said that if the youths relent on the gains of these protests, it would be another setback. He said “they should not go back; they should find themselves effective in politics so that they can help this nation out of this transition that never ends. If we are going to continue with the APC or the PDP we can never get its right.

He blamed the endless transition of Nigeria on the strong vestiges of military rule over the years, which made deleterious impact on national institutions and the people’s mentality with the attendant corruption and erosion of values.

He said: “There are fundamentals that we should not lose sight of. One of the fundamentals is the fact that Nigeria is still in transition, we are transiting from military autocratic administrations to democratic governance, which has not taken place yet. At every point of our development so far, the military is at the helm of affairs, they are the ones

running the show since after the First Republic.

“The military vestiges have not allowed democracy to nurture and grow and deliver its benefits to the people of this country and if we keep having the military spearheading democracy then we will never get it right because they are not democrats in the first place. Even the present administration is a military administration in civilian dress. So, this is why things are not working and they cannot work until we are able to find a bonafide civilian heading a democratic government and this bonafide civilian should not be at the instance of the military.”

According to Rotimi Fadahunsi, a constitutional lawyer and human right activist, the Nigerian government has always lacked a sense of urgency in dealing with national issues no matter how critical the situation is.

“If government had stopped the Inspector-General of Police from unveiling SWAT shortly after SARS was officially ended, then insisted on reforms, ensured the naming, immediate prosecution of errant SARS officers, and compensations for their victims, the protests would not have escalated to this magnitude and the huge youth casualties would have been avoided”, Fadahunsi said.

The lawyer noted that using force on protesters, especially in a nationwide scale would only fire them to sustain the protests instead of calling it off.

“The June 12 protests were manageable until soldiers started killing protesters who returned with reprisal attacks.

The blood of the innocent protesters fired others to continue in the struggle and fight for justice for June 12. I don’t see the #EndSARS protests ending soon because innocent blood has been shade”, Fadahunsi lamented.

Toeing the same line with the constitutional lawyer, Ofuma Emordi, an independent petroleum marketer, whose petrol station was burnt during the June 12 protest, noted that he joined the protest after losing his life investment, and many others who lost relations and investments, did same.

“I was 25 years during the June 12 protest and was managing my late father’s fuel station in Mushin. I didn’t know I could raise hand against someone until our fuel station was burnt.

From my experience, the killing of #EndSARS protesters will only fuel the energy to sustain the protests”, Emordi said.

Speaking from the legal perspective, Olumide Apata, president, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), decried that the Lekki shootings were a carefully calculated and premeditated attack, as well as, a wrong way of addressing the issue.

“Even if the protesters at the Lekki Toll Plaza were in breach of the curfew imposed by the Lagos State Government, such a misdemeanor or breach did not warrant the use of live ammunition by the Nigerian military to confront otherwise peaceful, unarmed and defenseless protesters”, the NBA president said in a statement he signed in condemnation of the killings by the army.

For the failure of the government to learn from past protests, the NBA vowed to commence legal proceedings, both locally and internationally, against the government, Nigerian Military and other relevant authorities, on behalf of the families of the victims, “for abuse of power, disregard of rules of engagement and the infringement of the fundamental rights (including the right to life) of the affected citizens”.

On the other hand, James Onyeyiri, a olitical Science senior lecturer at Abia State University, Uturu, disclosed that protest is normal in any system of government and it is a fundamental human right to express displeasure over bad governance or injustice through protests.

He regretted the suppression of the #EndSARS protests, noting further that it is against democratic principles and breach of fundamental human rights of the protesters.

“Clearly, the killing of innocent protesters at Lekki Toll plaza and in other parts of the country by soldiers should never be seen or considered as normal in any democracy. It is a breach of fundamental human right, which this government swore to uphold”, Onyeyiri said.

Trailing the history of protests in Nigeria, Linus Fadaka, a retired civil servant, who runs a fish farm in OkeAfa, Lagos, said the worst brutality on protesters all happened during military regimes because military rulers are brutal, they suspend the constitution, abuse human rights and use force to get anything they want.

According to him, the Lekki Toll shooting was not necessary because Nigeria is no longer under military rule

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and democracy allows freedom of expression and protests to put government on its toes when things are going wrong.

“It is sad that civilians pushed the military away through sustained protests, especially the June 12, now politicians are using the military against civilians instead of ensuring justice, good governance, and development, which are some of the dividends of democracy people should enjoy,” Fadaka decried.

Considering the many wrongs, degeneration, abuses, and underdevelopment, Fadaka insisted that the Nigerian republic has not fared better since the return to civil rule in 1999.

Fadahunsi also think same. “If we cannot express our views freely, what is the difference between military and civilian rule then. If after Abacha’s loot, politicians are still stealing from our national treasury unchecked, and no development to show for the 20 years of democracy, then we have gotten worse than we were under military rule”, Fadahunsi said.

Speaking further, Fadahunsi said that if politicians are calling in soldiers in an issue they could handle if they had acted on time, then Nigeria has not fared better since the return to democracy in 1999.

Fadahunsi also thinks that the present protest is one among the many before the 2023 elections, while more await Nigeria in the next 10 years if politicians continue with the neglect of the masses, looting, and underdevelopment of the country.

On possibility of more protests in the future, Onyeyiri said that protests are part of life, always in any form of government, and will rather increase.

“There will always be reasons to protest. Even in advanced world

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where everything seems perfect, people still protest. But they are allowed to freely do so in abroad unlike here in Nigeria where politicians do not welcome criticism and that is why our development is stagnant because government needs criticism to improve,” Onyeyiri said.

Emordi also thinks that protests will continue and even get worse in the next 10 years because he does not see politicians changing soon.

“There are many issues to protest about in Nigeria today and even tomorrow. From unemployment, neglect of national quota, silence over herdsmen attack, importation of fuel, bad roads, erratic electricity supply, restructuring, then IPOB is still pressing for Biafra and you saw the Oduduwa Republic campaign recently. Protests will increase in 10 years time because of the many issues to address”, Emordi said.

Tade Adeola blamed the government for not managing the protests before it gets out of hand, saying that the carnage could have been avoided.

He however, advocated for reforms to save the nation from future anarchy in the country, stressing that the current protests across Nigeria was born out years of frustration by the youths.

According to him, “Of course the government should have done better. This result of Tuesday’s shooting in Lekki has brought more damage to them if they are seen to have arrested culpable officers with evidences and said they are undergoing in-house trials. But IGP just changed names and felt he has done well.

“More so, video evidences show recruitment and deployments of thugs.

They failed woefully in their response bringing in ethnic coloration into it.

“I know this is a repeat of ‘un-

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known soldier’ experience, the presidency can’t say anything now because they over played it and al-

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lowed political gladiators to fill in the gaps. The damage can’t be quantified both human and mate-

MKO Abiola, presumed winner of June 12, 1993 election

Another protest

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rial properties. There has to be reforms as you can see the youths are hungry and angry because of years of frustration”.

Ayo Kusamotu, a legal practitioner, condemned the attack on protesters and resultant looting and destruction of goods and properties across the state, while urging government to do more to protect Nigerians and properties.

“It is unfortunate really. The shooting at the toll gate was unwarranted and loss of life unacceptable.

Having happened, the looting, arson and destruction of property is just criminal. Billions of naira worth of damages with people’s entire life savings wiped out over night.

“Government has a responsibility to enforce peace by providing adequate security and also assuage the concerns of the genuine protesters”.

Also speaking, analyst and activist, Adeola Adeoye blamed the government for the escalation of the crisis, saying that the administration was not serious about meeting the demands of the protesters.

“The crisis that erupted from EndSARS is avoidable if we have had a proactive and responsible leaders in government, recall that this protests started about three weeks ago, by Nigerians agitating for end to police killings, extortion, kidnapping and so many other grave crimes against humanity by the police. “I believe there are lessons to be learnt from this crisis, people should rather face the government and ensure that the demand of people are met, and not turn the blames on protesters, which is what I can see going on, to avoid further escalating tension, the government should be tactical in the way the matter will be handled.”

How increasing jailbreaks expose loopholes, internal ...

Continued from page 1

highest prison break in history on September 7, 2010, when 50 gunmen suspected to be members of Boko Haram attacked Bauchi Prison, and released about 721 prisoners, leaving 5 people dead with 6 injured persons.

Since then the number of prison breaks has been on the increase with more than 2,200 prisoners escaping prison custody between 2009 and 2014.

Following the manner of Bauchi break, in 2011 almost 500 prisoners escaped from the Maiduguri Prison.

On January 4, 2013, Shagamu minimum prison in Ogun State was attacked, resulting in the escape of 20 prisoners, while on June 30, 2013, the Olokuta Medium Security Prison in Akure, Ondo State, was attacked by 50 unknown gunmen resulting in the escape of 175 prisoners.

Also on November 2, 2014, another prison break was reported in Koto-Karffi Federal Medium Security Prisons in Kogi State, by gunmen suspected to be members of Boko Haram, resulting in the escape of 144 prisoners from the prison.

There were also attacks on the federal prison at Ado Ekiti and Minna Medium Prison.

On November 30, and December 6, 2014, 341 and 271 prisoners

respectively escaped from the two prisons.

One of the incredible escapes was at Koton-Karfe Correctional Centre, last year when over 200 prisoners escaped after a heavy downpour resulted in the collapse of part of the prison.

Recently, Nigeria’s jailbreak history was boosted with a series of breaks in less than a week.

On October 19, 2020, hoodlums broke into Benin Prison and released about 200 prisoners, while 58 prisoners escaped on October 22 after the National Correctional Service Centre Okitipupa in Ondo State, was attacked. In the same week, there were foiled attempts on Warri Prison and Ikoyi Correctional Centre.

While a few of the escaped prisoners were recaptured, the sad reality is that most of the escapees are still at large, and some have long reintegrated with the society, while remaining security risks to the country.

Speaking on the reason for the spike in prison break, Okunola Alade, a former prisons spokesperson, while airing his views on BBC Pidgin, noted that the cases of breaks escalated with the Boko Haram insurgency in the North East of Nigeria.

According to the retired officer, most jailbreaks in the last 10 years

have been orchestrated by the Boko Haram Islamic set.

But Juma Afezi, an indegine of Okene, who witnessed two prison breaks in Kogi State, blamed the rise on compromised prison officials.

He noted that the prisoners were aided to escape through the fallen walls at Koton-Karfe Correctional Centre by the officials who had understanding of later settlement with them.

He also attributed the increasing compromise and corruption by prison officials to the poor welfare and salary of the workers.

“If someone is offering you money that can buy you good life, you will likely jump at it if your condition of service is deplorable. I don’t blame them”, he said.

But an anonymous source at prisons headquarters noted that with the over 63,700 inmates across 31 prisons in the country, the prisons are congested. For him, though escape is not the best option, it decongests the prison.

But many lawyers think that the congestion is due to the unnecessary delay by the judiciary in handling and concluding cases.

“A lot of people have been awaiting trial in prisons and the years are not counting in their jail term. It is wrong; even if they are criminals, they are still humans and have right to justice,” Kunle Fijabi, a forensic

lawyer, decried.

However, security experts warn that the increasing prison breaks puts Nigeria’s internal security at risk.

“An escapee from prison is the worse person to habour because he will do everything to remain illegally free, even killing relations who want to divulge his whereabouts”, Alade said.

Moreover, the forensic lawyer noted that as the freedom of the escapee prisoner is not legal, he will go back to the dark world where his folks will protect him.

“These are the set that can easily get recruited for kidnapping, assassination jobs, robbery, internet scam, among other crimes,” Fijabi said.

Beyond reintegrating with criminal gangs, Fijabi noted that escapee prisoners are likely going to lead attacks to release their folks in the prison.

But Alade called on government to improve on the condition of service of prison staff, especially remuneration to boost their morale and focus on their job.

He also advised prisoners who have served far in their jail terms and those with good cases to always resist the temptation to escape during jailbreak.

“You will start all over as punishment for attempted escape”, he

warned.

Some others who spoke with BusinessDay SUNDAY on condition of anonymity blamed erosion of values in society as part of the reasons for increasing jailbreaks.

“In the past, someone who was jailed for criminal reasons was seen as a pariah even by his/her family members. Today, we see things from a very narrow prism. People no say, ‘after all, are other people who committed the same offence not walking freely in society?’ So, are now more sympathetic to criminals than they are to having a safe society,” a school proprietor said.

The school administrator also pointed out that the high level of corruption by those who claim to be leaders in society are sending wrong signals.

“While there should be no moral justification for jailbreak, it is important to point out that the high level of corruption among the political elite has emboldened criminals to be more daring. You see a politician that stole the whole money meant for the development of his constituency or his state as the case may be, walking freely, whereas someone who stole a bag of rice for the sake of hunger is rotting in jail.

There is no justice here, but as I had pointed out, no one should justify jail break for whatever reason,” he further said.

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Art

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Recovering art sector suffers setback amid #EndSARS protests

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OBINNA EMELIKE he Nigerian art sector, which has been hugely impacted by the coronavirus pandemic for over six month is facing yet another challenge that may likely erode gains made since the easing of the lockdown and full opening of the economy.

With the challenge posed by the #EndSARS protests, especially the curfew, the recovery of the sector may be delayed further going by the cancellation of many events by the organisers, suspension of production and other artistic rehearsals due to the protests.

Sadly, most of the events that are cancelled now were those slated for earlier part of the year, but could not hold because of the pandemic. The reality is that while patronage is beginning to improve across all art enterprises, businesses are opening up and practitioners back to the studio, theatre, and movie locations, the protests and curfew are likely going to erode those gains if normalcy does not return soon.

Many ongoing exhibitions have been suspended, and even virtual ones because attention is focused on the protests now.

Alexis Galleries was lucky to have hosted Phases of Reflection, its joint exhibition, earlier both virtually and at its Victoria Island gallery from October 10-17, 2020. But the gallery, which held over 20 exhibitions last year, can hardly hold up to seven this year because of the pandemic, as well as, other galleries.

Also, Being Free, an exhibition of paintings and pastel drawings by Deborah Segun, a rising female visual artist, is affected by the protests.

Curated by Sandra Obiago and presented by SMO Contemporary Art, the exhibition, which is slated from October 3-31, 2020 at Temple Muse, Victoria Island, Lagos, has suffered from

poor visitation since the beginning of the protests and no visitation with the curfew. The protests have prevented art loves and collectors from visiting to see the exhibition, which features works that celebrate the diverse bodies of women through shape and color, portraiture and narrative.

It will also impact the anticipated awareness and monetary gain for Deborah Segun and other artists whose exhibitions are supposed to run within the period of the protests, while galleries and artists alike are already rescheduling planed exhibitions in November to December and even first quarter of 2021. Mydrim Gallery, which is hoping to launch its reopening after the lockdown with a major exhibition, is considering the situation on ground too.

Meanwhile, Aké Arts and Book Festival, Africa’s leading arts and book event, will suffer low participation because it is holding virtually for the first time, coupled with the protests. The art festival, which holds from October 22-25, 2020 features amazing free programme of 65 inspiring book chats, workshops, panel discussions and performances from the most exciting

voices across Africa and the African Diaspora.

But the challenge for most concerned would-be participants is how the virtual engagement would be considering the many programmes, which are better done physically.

“The physical presence, meeting the artists, authors and other stakeholders is where the fun lies. I don’t think virtual platform will offer such experience”, Fabian Osaro, a theatre practitioner and a regular at Ake Festival, said.

Apart from Ake, there are many other festivals and theatrical productions that will not stage because of the protests.

The posters of plays staging at the National Theatre Iganmu, Lagos are no

longer given attention as protests present more important issue to discus.

Terra Kulture Arena, the one-stopshop for theatrical performances, still awaits visitors to see some of the finest stage performances. But the lockdown also affected the volume of productions

by BAP Productions, the resident production company at Terra Kulture.

Moreover, the cinemas, which opened just last months since the lockdown, are hard hit with the closing of their doors again because of the protests-induced curfew.

The ugly development is coming after meeting all safety protocols for post pandemic business, refreshing offerings, updating facilities and spending

Sunday 25 October 2020

on campaigns to woo customers back to the cinemas.

“We are in bad times; from one challenge to the other. With the protests, we are considering leaving our cinema outlets that are not opened yet till early 2021 because the year is gone and business has not been good”, Margaret Ofili, a cinema manager at Lekki Mall, decried. Ofili regretted that the cinemas are not going to make profit from the many blockbuster movies they have just acquired after the lockdown from movie distributors, both local and international.

“Movie distribution business is cash and carry and we have invested in movies acquisition hoping that there will be stability after the lockdown. As it stands, we may loss money on those movies because people are not going see them in cinemas if the situation on ground persists”, she explained.

Movie producers are lamenting also because of the cancellation of most movie premieres slated from middle October. One of such producers in Native Media whose movie Voiceless, which was slated for premiere on October 21st was rescheduled for October 27th. But the producer fears that that tentative date may not work going by the persisting protests.

Book launch and readings rescheduled earlier because of the pandemic are likely going to wait till 2021 as guests will not come under the near anarchy situation in country.

Emeka Ugala, an author, has since shelved the launch of his second novel, Whistle because of the pandemic, but went ahead to give Amazon right to market it on its platform.

“My second novel was due for launching by January this year, but I chose April to tally with my birthday.

Unfortunately, I have rescheduled twice and could not do that again. I have done a soft launch of the novel with my family members and also gave Amazon the right to market it globally”, Ugala said.

Like every other business, art enterprises are truly going through challenging times amid unprecedented lull in business occasioned by the pandemic.

But the stakeholders hope for the best if the current protests are short lived.

#EndSARS is a good movement by youths - Ebenezer Obey OBINNA EMELIKE

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benezer Obey-Fabiyi, legendary Nigerian musician, has said that the EndSARS Movement by Nigerian youths is a good one and showing that Nigerians can be truly united for good.

He made the statement while celebrating members of the Gtext Homes family on their fifth anniversary recently.

Speaking at the event, which took place at Gtext Homes head office in Omole, Lagos, the music maestro who stated that there is no way anyone can please the world, said that what the youths are saying, many people have said it in the past. “This protest is a big surprise and no one was expecting it.

Everyone was pushed to the wall. #EndSARS is a good movement because that is the only way we can correct many ills and things that

are not right in the country. Our leaders should see this and think that something is wrong beyond our imagination. I pray God would help us”, he said.

Obey, who also advised artistes of the day to sing meaningful songs that would stand the test of time, while speaking on investments said, “People should invest in landed property. When you buy a land today, by next year, it has appreciated in value. In five years, it is higher. The house you build or buy today is an investment. A popular Yoruba adage says that ‘the money a young man first makes he does not invest but eats it’ and that is not the wisest thing. Lands and houses are the most secured investments.

Lands cannot be stolen, but cars and other things can be stolen.

I built my first house when I was 27 years old. My father died when I was 38 and I had built a lot of houses by then,” he said.

Chief Commander also added, “That is why I like Gtext, they are securing the future for a better tomorrow. Immediately I stepped into Gtext, I saw the pursuit of excellence, and that shows that the organisation will continue to grow.

To have 10 estates within five years is no small achievement.”

Also speaking at the event, Stephen Akintayo, managing director, Gtext Homes, said, “For us at Gtext, we like to celebrate people when they are alive. One of the things I have noticed about this generation is that we do not put emphasis on learning from elders, particularly people whose careers have spanned years. Baba’s career has spanned for 65 years and we are hoping a day will come when Gtext will celebrate 65 years as a company. We are 12 years as a group of companies, but Gtext Homes is five years today, and we hope to stay around for a long time.”

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Politics

The North is not helping Nigeria by rejecting restructuring - Ogunleye Biodun Ogunleye is a former deputy governor of Lagos State in the Bola Tinubu-led administration.

In this exclusive interview with INIOBONG IWOK, he speaks on the nation’s 60th independence and what Nigeria must do to avoid disintegration, among several other issues. Excerpts:

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What is your take on Nigeria’s 60th independence anniversary? here has been some progress in the country, but we have been slow in certain things.

When you look at the size of the country and the resources, this is not what we expected. Well, we should thank God that we are still together at 60. The tendency for dividing forces is there.

are owned by the Northerners and yet they don’t have oil.

But the party leadership should be advising the president, or what would you tell him if you see him?

I don’t know; I can’t see him; he does not consult the party. Things have changed now; they don’t consult the party anymore, or take it important unlike when Jakande was in power. Back then, every Sunday the leadership of the party would meet with the governor and council of cabinet, board members, LG chairmen and secretaries they would discuss anything that is the problem in the state. Right now, that has to be replicated across the country. I can’t imagine what has happened, the party is not being taken seriously, but you can’t control the will of the people if they decide to take their destiny into their own hands.

But some of our peers that started together have now gone far ahead of us?

Yes Malaysia came here to take our oil palm fruit and they have made money from it, but our own is diminishing. We abandoned agriculture and went for oil, it is a big problem. Right now Nigeria is not settled.

Some observers say that the economy is in bad shape, compared to 2015; do you think so?

Well, before Jonathan came we used to go to petrol stations to fight for fuel, we know how it was, even electricity is improving, I am not using generators like before, it is better than before.

But it is not what it should be and what we should have, because there are some areas that do not have light. Our electricity, fuel is cheaper than other surrounding countries, they took theirs to sell and that is why they are fighting now. Though the cost of living may be up, poverty is up, it is the leadership problem. I am an APC man; certain things have to be corrected before you can move up. We were not moving well, things have improved, and you can’t eat your cake and have it, there are many things that would be put in place before the nation can move up. One of those things is restructuring of the country; yes they are saying the truth, as I sit down here I am in support of restructuring Nigeria. People have complained that the President is making appointments from certain parts of the country. They are not allowing restructuring; that is why I worry. Our Kaduna State Governor headed a committee on restructuring that submitted its report to the party over two years now, nothing has been done.

I am convinced that it was the way forward. That is why even some South-eastern people, even Yorubas are calling for secession

Biodun Ogunleye

of the country. This is dangerous, but it is because ills and injustices continued to be perpetrated; then you are calling for the disbandment of the country. Look at the unity schools, there is a certain percentage for some parts of the country and different numbers for others. You are favouring one part of the country for another, rather than look for a way of encouraging others; you are sowing the seed of division.

The President and some Northern leaders are not in support of restructuring Nigeria?

Some of my friends who are not politicians have been calling me to say; go and tell your colleagues let everybody go their separate ways. If Banji Akintoye is talking, he is speaking the mind of us. My family Doctor is from Niger Delta, he told me the other day; Yorubas are the one holding us together, the day you are gone the country is gone. Those who say we should not restructure are saying so for their selfish interest. Mandela once said, let us support Nigeria’s development, so that the black man can raise his head. I don’t know if our leaders know that.

How do you react when some

people say 2023 would be the deciding year for Nigeria?

Look at the protesters. Why should you wait for some people to be on the street before you correct what is wrong? What the SARS men are doing is wrong. The police officers are posted to areas where they don’t understand the language at all; even the governors are not in charge of the police. What we are saying is that the President has too much power, which is why everybody is running to Abuja to take from the top. The Northerners and the President are making a big mistake on their continued opposition to restructuring of Nigeria; you cannot determine the rights of certain people or rule them by force. Look at the Soviet Union they broke up and today they are still having border issues. Look at the railway to Niger Republic project; they have been asking me why? Even when people here cannot move freely, I was in London during the Covid-19 lockdown and I saw all the Amajiris in the North and the challenge they are facing on television. They should decentralise this function and give more autonomy to the states and local government areas, then there would be competition. They said about 90 percent of the oil blocks

Do you really believe in the power shift in 2023?

I don’t really believe in that because it does not give good people the opportunity to rule. I can only buy that view where there are injustices. Zoning to me does not produce the best. Even when Awolowo was around, the party leaders would say, it is between three people and everybody knows that some people must be ready to make sacrifices.

You don’t believe there are injustices in the way the presidency has been rotated among the major ethnic groups in Nigeria?

What it means is that we don’t have parties, because if we do, the structure would be there; if one is leaving another candidate would be taking over. Look at the former APC chairman, the crisis; you called Ize-Iyamu a thief and you brought him again to contest.

I have a cousin who told me some days before the election that we were going to lose and it came to pass.

But Bola Tinubu supported him?

He has his reasons for doing that, but some of us were looking far.

Somebody who is right-thinking would not believe him; there has to be a way for the party to reexamine and re-examine itself when there are issues.

Are you surprised APC won in Ondo?

I was scared we would lose, considering what has happened there

in APC, except for some friends who told me we would win and I said ok. The party still has to work collectively.

The APC has not been able to resolve its crisis with the Fouad Oki faction in Lagos, are you aware of this?

I did not know they would have another congress in Lagos State. Oki knows me and I know him, there is no time that he has complained to me that he has grouses to settle with the party. He has been in positions in the party given to him; I don’t know what he is doing this for. If he is fighting for the party to be run properly, let them come and tell us.

They are against the imposition of candidates on the party in Lagos?

They should not be saying that the system started from all of them, I don’t want to mention names, but they were part of the people advising Bola Tinubu then. By the time they were put into positions they were not the best. So, they cannot be talking. For me, whatever happens in my party if I leave, I stay in my house.

You were one of the leaders in the state who met a former commissioner who resigned recently from APC. Is this not also a sign of discontent in Lagos APC? There is no time that you have a party that there would not be disagreement; it is the way you managed it. When they tell you Action Group, it is not as if there were no issues, it was the ability to manage them. That is why we talk about mechanisms to manage crises. When we had a crisis in Lagos it was Ajasin that used to come to Owo to solve our problems. Some people said; don’t let us allow Ajasin to be coming from Owo to solve our problems all the time, let resolve them; by that time Awolowo was gone, but Ajasin said the crisis is normal. But by settlement we have achieved, but these days any trouble is in the paper. We advised him to return to the party; that the issues would be looked into, that is the party and he returned. So, when you are talking of Oki, when we started he was there. A friend was part of the executive and I asked them why.

I have not seen Oki for two years now; he does not talk much, but is very intelligent. If he has grievances he should come to us.

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Politics

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Analysts demand true federalism, gender equality, e-voting as NASS set for another constitutional review James Kwen, Abuja

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s the 9th National Assembly is set to embark on another constitutional review, analysts have demanded for more inclusivity, true federalism, gender equality and improved electoral process through the adoption of electronic voting.

They also called for community policing which could be more effective as against state police that could be hijacked

by State Governors, clear separation of powers, amongst the three arms of government to deepen the county’s democracy and restructuring of the current arrangements to meet contemporary demands.

Like previous Assemblies, the 9th National Assembly too has began the process of constitution review with the formation and inauguration of Committees for the exercise with Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ahmed Wase for each Chamber.

At the inauguration of the House C onstitution Review Committee, its Chairman, Wase said the House would consider the creation of states, state police, true federalism, local government and judicial autonomy in the review of the 1999 constitution.

Wase, said: “There has been several attempts to amend the 1999 Constitution, yet the agitations for a much more fundamental amendment has not stopped.

This is because there are very critical aspects of our Constitution that touch on our continued existence as a strong, indivisible Nation. Until these critical areas are resolved, we may continue to face clamour for a new Constitution.

“The burning issues include, the federal structure (true federalism), local government autonomy, state policing, state creation and judicial autonomy.’’

“Some have stated that our federal system is more unitary than federalist especially with the number of items on the exclusive legislative list where the federal government regulates even simple items like primary education and agriculture. Hence, there has been clamour for more devolution of powers from the centre to the states in order to makes states more viable and economically sustainable”.

Speaking to Business, a Senior Lecturer in the Department of History, Benue State University Makurdi,Elijah Ikpanor who noted that the clamour for

Ahmad Lawan

constitutional review started with minority agitations for inclusion into the Nigerian project called for restructuring and inclusiveness to give all sections of the country a sense of belonging.

According to the scholar : “When uprising started in the South South, the midwstern region and the middle belt region it was as a result of lack of national integration of minority groups.

Since then, what we have been hearing about constitutional review is restructuring, we the minorities hope that if powers are not over concentrated at the national level we will also have the benefit to participate in the national politics better.

“When you have powers concentrated in the hands of those who control the federal government there is bond to be that marginalization. For instance Nigeria right now is just about three major ethnic groups - the Hausa/Fulani, Igbo and Youruba.

Every discussion about the Nigerian project focuses on these three ethnic groups.

“So we feel that for us to have a very objective and reliable constitutional review, we must take care of concerns of minority groups, especially those in the South/ South and Middle Belt regions.

While calling for the amendment of the current Electoral Act to paveway for electronic voting, Ikpanor said: “We have seen how elections are conducted, especially in this period of COVID-19 pandemic. We have seen how at least to some reasonable extent results have reflected the wishes of the people. It is because of the attempts of the Independent National Electoral Commission

Femi Gbajabiamila

(INEC) to adopt some forms of electronic collation system of results. If we have done that trial and discover that it worked, then why can’t we adopt electron voting system.

“I will say that the Electoral Act that was not assented to by the President should be a major issue to be considered in this current exercise of constitutional review so that results will reflect the wishes of the people. It is the collation process that is the issue. When you have results transmitted electronically from the polling unit to a central system it gives that confidence in the system. You don’t have issues of people hijacking results. So I am completely for electronically voting system. I am completely for the Electoral Act that is at the table of the President it should be assented to”.

Auwal Rafsanjani, Executive Director of Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) suggested a critical consideration of issues such as indigeneship, true federalism, fiscal federalism; revenue allocation, electoral process to restore the peoples’ confidence.

He recommended that the Committee should listen to Nigerians from all nooks and crannies on so many issues that require serious constitutional amendments so that the country’s democracy can be deepened for Nigerians can have a sense of belonging “Again, I want to also appeal to the National Assembly to ensure that critical voices are also consulted and their views been taken on board so that many Nigerians will feel that they are actually part and parcel of the

constitutional making process in the country. I think civil societes can provide a lot of resources for the Committee. We are happy to support the Committee. We have been on this since the previous efforts of constitutional amendment and I believe that we can do more.

“They should ensure that they reflected the views and yearnings and aspirations of Nigerian people on those contentious issues that require serious constitutional reforms that will address the perceived injustice or the maladministration and malfunctioning of Nigeria. We need to deal with those issues that will make Nigeria work”, Rafsanjani.

One her part, an Abuja based Lawyer and political activist, Georgina Dakpokpo sought legal backing for gender balancing in leadership positions, expatriates quota, independence of the judiciary and strengthening of state institutions.

Dakpokpo emphasized that: “Essentially, the burning issue right now is restructuring so that is something that should be critically looked into in the review of the constitution. Not just restructuring for every region to have its independence. I believe that if there is proper restructuring in the real sense of the word it would help revive the economy, it will help revive healthy competitive among the regions. It will help revive some independence away from the centre. What we have now is Governors waiting for the end of the month to share the allocation. If there is restructuring it will help our economy.

“Another issue is quota for expatriates coming into the country. One of the requirements ac-

cording to our guidelines is that they must have a bank account before they can get the quota.

Meanwhile they cannot have bank account without expertriate quota so it makes people start forging documents to get that quota so they should look into that and correct that error. It is nominal error but it is something that should be looked into.

“For gender equality, women have year in year out have advocacy on the need to include women in government. It is my firm believe that we can only accomplish that in Nigeria if we have it in the constitution. They should bring reforms in the Electoral Act so that before any party gets registered in Nigeria, it must have a certain percentage for women in the executive.

“There are women out there who want to be go into politics but they have not found a platform for them to do that. If this becomes law, it will not be difficult to get women to fill those positions.

We can have one in every three executives to be a woman, apart from the traditional Woman Leader they give to women. Even for proper governance itself in politics, we must have a certain percentage for women. Women form at least half of the population of Nigeria and let’s have that represented in government as well. It will go a long way to help this country to develop.

“I firmly believe in community policing and not state policing. For example in my locality in Edo State, let the police officer in that locality be from the locality, they know the people, they know the criminals, they even feel free giving them the information”.

Sunday 25 October 2020

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News Feature

The state of healthcare in Abia:

Poor infrastructure, welfare package worry health workers The bad state of public hospitals in Abia State and lack of encouragement from government have combined to kill the joy of health workers in the state, writes GODFREY OFURUM

H

ealth workers in public hospitals in Abia State have expressed worries over the poor state of infrastructure in general and cottage hospitals, which they said have not been renovated for 15 years.

Some doctors, who spoke with BUSINESSDAY, stated that government’s carefree attitude towards them and their welfare is also a cause for concern, especially with government owing them 13 months’ salary arrears.

BUSINESSDAY checks revealed that structures in most of the hospitals are dilapidated and not conducive to accommodate patients.

In Isiala Ngwa General Hospital at Okpuala Ngwa, which serves Isiala Ngwa-North and Isiala Ngwa-South Local Government Areas, the women and children ward is the only functional ward in the hospital and it was renovated and equipped, by MTN Nigeria.

The male ward is dilapidated and out of use and so the hospital has no facility to keep male patients.

The facility, which sees about 150 to 200 patients monthly, is understaffed with only 10 nurses, 1 pharmacist, 3 pharmacy technicians, 2 scientists, 3 general doctors and 2 ophthalmologists (eye doctors).

Consequently, the health workers in Isiala Ngwa general hospital work extra hours to ensure that their patients are well managed.

World Bank Housing Estate

Isiala Ngwa General Hospital

Cottage Hospital, Abayi, Aba is surviving on donations from corporate bodies and non-governmental organisations; however, most buildings in the hospital are dilapidated.

General Hospital Oke Ikpe in Ukwa West Local Government Area has been overgrown by weeds. This is even as the Obehie-Akwete-Azumini-Ukanafun highway, which leads to the hospital, is now a death trap.

Ahaba Health Centre in Isiuk-

Abandoned Male Ward at Isiala Ngwa General Hospital

15

wuato Local Government is also in a bad state with just one medical personnel.

For Aba General Hospital, one of the biggest hospitals in the state, which was renovated in 2018, the kitchen and laundry departments are not running.

Our staff, work with empty

Ahaba Primary Health Care Centre

stomach, having been owed 13 months’ salary arrears, Bamachy Onyemachi, medical director, Okpuala Ngwa General Hospital, Isiala Ngwa North, explained.

He stated also that the state government has not taken their safety seriously, especially under this period of coronavirus pan-

demic, in which they were not equipped to work.

According to him, out of six staff, who were supposed to participate in the Covid-19 training from the hospital, only one was trained.

“We received only five facemasks”, five bottles of what he termed as “local sanitizer”, packaged in small bottles and no hazard kits”.

He lamented that a hospital that serves Isiala Ngwa North and South LGAs and sees about 150 to 200 patients monthly, has only three doctors, 10 nurses, one pharmacist, two ophthalmologists and two laboratory scientists.

He stated that the state of the hospital affects both patients and staff as it does not allow them to observe shifts as should be the case with proper staffing.

Samuel Ukoh, medical director, Aba General Hospital, said: “The foremost challenge of workers in Abia now is the poor remuneration and salary debts owed them,

by Abia government.

“They slash our salaries, pay some staff and leave out some; there is no vehicle to move or bring patients.

“Even during the Covid-19 lockdown, we were all on duty and many of our staff without vehicles, were trekking to work.

“Another challenge facing us is that they have not been implementing our Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS), our male surgical ward and old maternity wards are in dilapidated state.

“We do not have an X-ray machine, no chemistry machines and no hematology analysers, no Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), no masks and no Covid-19 trainings for our staff; it is that bad”, he said.

Ukoh said if Abia government should set Aba General Hospital up and equip it appropriately, it would improve the lives of residents in the city.

Chima Okeugo, medical director, Aba Cottage Hospital, World Bank Housing Estate, Abayi, Aba, stated that his hospital functions with equipment mostly donated to it by corporate bodies and nongovernmental organisations.

Okeugo, who is Abia chapter chairman of the National Association of Government General Medical and Dental Practitioner (NAGGMDP), however, noted that some issues the government failed to attend to are troubling the system.

He observed that huge salary arrears owed medical staff in Abia is hampering progress and asked the government to pay them their 13 months’ salary arrears and other benefits.

Okeugo also lamented the imposition of non-career personnel at the leadership levels in Abia’s Health Management Board (HMB) as a problem, which needs urgent attention to save the system from collapse.

He also urged government to allow for career progression among the HMB staff to encourage accountability, healthy competition and hard work among them.

16

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Sunday 25 October Sunday 25 October 2020 2020

Sunday25 25 October October 2020 Sunday 2020

I

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Imad EdusoEDUSO IMAD

mad Eduso is a Lagos based womenswear brand, established in September 2015.

The brand focuses on creating sophisticated, vibrant and

We are Not not the same We’re The Same

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functional pieces designed for the modern woman.

The brand’s aesthetic is focused on creating classic styles using contemporary trends and colours to create versatile pieces.

I dare you to try any of the outfits without walking with your shoulders high and easily commanding attention.

17

businessdayng

Keto Blueberry sauce (Low carb blueberry sauce)

• • • • • •

•

…Highlighting the uniqueness of each child

1 Tbsp Baking powder 2 1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese 2 Tbsp Cream cheese scoop it when soft 2 large Eggs beaten 7 g active dry yeast 1/2 Tbsp Sesame seeds or Everything but the bagel seasoning optional 1 Tbsp erythritol INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF 2. Mix dry ingredients (almond flour, yeast, erythritol, and baking powde together and set aside.

Women, force behind Nigeria’s historic protest DESMOND OKON

A

BY DEBORAH LONGJOHN

I

am tired of you. What exactly is wrong with you; why are you so different? I never had issues raising your siblings. You just don’t listen. You always want to do things your own way, even after I give clear instructions.

Why are you like this? The same principles I used in raising up your older brothers, which made them turn out right by the way, is the same I used on you, but for some strange reason, you’ve chosen to give me nothing but headache. You won’t kill me this child, because I didn’t kill my mother...” These were the words of my mother to me. She truly was angry and exhausted, and the reason for that...well your guess was right; Me! Growing up, I discovered my mom and I were almost always at loggerheads. She just didn’t seem to understand me and to be honest, I too wasn’t helping matters; maybe because I couldn’t or didn’t know how to. She seemed to always be at peace with my older brothers but when it involved me, it was something else. I don’t know if it’s because I always tried to understand a task before embarking on it or because I questioned her, like all the time.

We were just off and honestly, I felt she hated me. Dad on the other hand didn’t seem to disturb much. Well, I was an only girl, so I was practically his pet and he wasn’t always around

Kemi Ajumobi Associate Editor, BusinessDay kemi@businessdayonline.com TEAM: Desmond Okon Osaromena Ogbeide Designed by Aderemi Ayeni

to see me “act up”. And even when things went sour with mum and I, he’ll just say “can I please have some peace?” So, my major issue was my mother. She always wanted her instructions to be carried out exactly as ordered, without any addition or omission, even when sometimes, it needed that.

Joe and Tim didn’t seem to have any problems with that, they just did as they were told...blindly I must say (at least that was how I felt). But that’s not me. I just can’t do it, even when I try (and I must say, I really try), I always seem to see something to alter. Is there something wrong with me; or am I just plain stubborn?

My answers came when I attended a conference organised by my school and the speaker that came talked on “Train up a child”. He went on to explain that the instruction was “A Child” (Unique, specific, particular) and not “the children” (general).

Reason being that every child is unique and each child had a specific way they’re going, so the training should be in respect to that and the child’s uniqueness.

He went on to explain the different temperaments and how a successful training pattern for one could be a serious disaster for the other.

He explained how a Phlegmatic child could be easily persuaded compared to a Choleric child. He explained how it’s easy to get the Sanguine child to talk but with the Melancholic, a huge amount of patience was required. Having explained all these I got a different understanding of my predicament.

I understood why Joe and Tim were easily persuaded to do something and I wasn’t.

I understood why when mom threatened to flog, they behaved themselves and I just went on with my business, prepared for the worst.

I now understand why mom and I couldn’t be friends, it’s not because

she hates me, it’s because we are both choleric and we always want to have our way. I now understand why it was always difficult for me to say sorry especially for something I didn’t do.

I was happy when the speaker went on to explain the various measures to take in celebrating the strengths of your temperament while working on the weaknesses. Now I know better...I wish mom had known this, we wouldn’t have had all those avoidable issues and we wouldn’t have grown so far apart. Well, it’s not too late to make amends and be the sweet daughter that she deserves.

I had those issues with my mom because she didn’t understand that you can’t use same method for all children. She didn’t know that like fingerprints, each child is unique and should be raised uniquely. Of course as parents, there are general rules in raising your children depending on your personal standards and principles; however, if you must be successful at it, you have to be deliberate enough to know the “way” of that child. You need to ask yourself questions like “what’s my child’s temperament; what’s their love language; what are their passions and so on”.

Like a course, each child ought to be studied and understood, so as to be raised specifically in the way they were meant to go. If every parent took out time to actually prepare to be parents, by studying, attending conferences, speaking to older “successful” parents and all, we’ll have more peaceful homes and less stiff-necked teenagers.

Truth is, in actual fact, it becomes difficult to raise any child, if you haven’t understood their uniqueness; their specific needs, strengths and weaknesses. So you don’t give them the wrong meals and expect them to come out healthy.

rguably, the first revolution Nigeria has ever had was credited to women.

The Aba Women Riot, a landmark event in Nigeria’s history which started in November 1929 and ended in January 1930.

However, 90 years later after the riot, also called ‘The Women’s War,’ women are doing it again, but differently this time.

For the past two weeks, Nigeria’s youths have taken to the streets to protest against police brutality and correct the rot percolating the police structure.

While they have achieved the scrapping of SARS, a section of the police department whose unlawful activities including killing, extortion, sexual harassment had earlier triggered the unrest, there are more demands still keeping youths in the streets.

Women are not left out in the struggle for a better country with some older women (allegedly widows) joining other protesters w i t h p l a c a rd s t h a t r i g h t l y convey their grievances against President Mohammadu Buhari’s government.

Young women have also been extremely active, showing strength and resilience in this fight to preserve the youth and birth a new country where their brothers, husbands and women would be safe.

But beyond being physically present at protest venues, women are still playing the ‘mother role’ (looking out for protesters) in tandem with marching with others.

The protest, which has lasted for over two weeks and gained global attention, has been sustained by donations manned by a group of women called the Feminist Coalition, which created a portal for donations to help sustain the protest.

The funds have been disbursed into the feeding of the youths demonstrating in the streets, providing medical services to the injured, repairs of damaged cars, and taking care of other things that

could hamper the success of the protest and ultimately lead to low morale of the youths.

Feminist Coalition is a group of young Nigerian feminists formed in July 2020 with a mission to champion equality for women in Nigerian society with a core focus on education, financial freedom and representation in public office.

The coalition is fighting injustice t h ro u g h p e a c e f u l p ro t e s t s, fundraising, and social media organisation, with “a vision for a Nigeria where equality for all people is a reality in our laws and everyday lives.”

This team of feminists has raised a total of N73.4 million and have disbursed a total of N32.7 million. It has supported 100 peaceful protests in 25 states, paid N759,080 in medical bills for injured protesters, and donated N400,000 to the families of victims murdered by police officers while protesting peacefully, with the funds.

They have also paid N500,000 in legal aid and spent N11.3 million on supplies including food, water, mask among other things for the peaceful protesters, according to the group’s progress report.

The organisation said it decided to play its part and help fight the injustice through fundraising in order to sustain the peaceful protests and ensure the safety of Nigerians exercising their civic rights - by providing food, water and other refreshments, masks, medical aid, and legal aid for protesters.

“Our initial plan has been to strategise (find the best ways to keep Nigerians safe during this period, while using their voices), organise (to encourage Nigerians to exercise their constitutional rights) and sustain (support the peaceful end SARS protests until the demands of Nigerian youth are met).

“We have sustained this so far through an unwavering team of women, fundraising efforts, a network of volunteer lawyers, business ow ners and w ellmeaning Nigerians,” the group said.

MEALS TO ENJOY

BY CHICHI UGURU

L

ow carb Keto blueberry sauce that’s perfect for cheesecakes, waffles, pancakes and breads.

This is a perfect sugar free treat that takes baked goods from bland to amazing. It’s so good you would need to restrain yourself from licking it off your spoon as you scoop it out INGREDIENTS • • • •

12 oz blueberries 1/4 cup powdered sweetener 2 Tbsp lemon juice 2 Tbsp water INSTRUCTIONS

1. Add all ingredients to sauce pan and stir to combine. Turn heat on to medium low. Cook till blueberries break down and sauce thickens.

3. Put the cream cheese and shredded Mozzarella cheese in a microwave safe bowl and m i c rowave i n 3 0 s e c o n d s intervals until cheese is evenly melted. Remember to stir in between (helps to distribute the heat. ) it usually takes me about 1 min 30 secs in total sometimes 2 mins.

4. Pour dry ingredients into the microwaved cheese. Mix with your hands or with a spatula then add the cold eggs. Mix till a ball of dough forms.

5. Depending on your needs, divide the dough into 4 or 6 equal parts and transfer into well greased mini pie dishes.

6. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top, Then bake in the oven for 10 to 12 mins or until the top is golden brown 7. Bring out of the oven, allow to cool.

2. If you want a smoother texture, mash with a potato masher or purée with a stick blender.

3. Let it cool and use on pancakes and other deserts.

ASSEMBLING THE BURGER 1. Cut the bun into half, spread a light layer of butter on each surface.

2. Place buttered surface down on a heated up skillet to toast lightly.

3. Place your burger fillings (lettuce, cooked mince beef ) in between the burger buns and enjoy.

FATHEAD KETO BURGER BUNS Thes e Keto Burger Buns are definitely a winner. They are soft, filling with the right texture to help you stay on course with your keto goals. You won’t even know it’s low carb. Now you can eat your burgers again, guilt free.

INGREDIENTS •

1 1/2 cup blanched almond flour

18

Interview

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How cost reflective tariff will be a win-win for all Nigerians, by Aiyela Afolabi Aieyela, managing director/chief executive officer of Welbeck Electricity Distribution Limited, in this interview with ZEBULON AGOMUO, Editor, believes that the cost reflective tariff regime will lead to development in Nigeria. He says with three IPP’s ranging from 2.5MW to 5.5MW in Lagos and more upcoming this year, the company is in the right position to offer customers an independent source of uninterrupted power. Excerpts:

M

ay we know your core area of operation?

Our core area of operation is independent power. We are known as an IPP company, which is an independent power producer. We use gas to generate electricity and then sell that electricity and then sell that electricity to end user.

In recent time, the issue of cost reflective tariff in the power sector has been a contentious one.

Now, how do you see the development and the campaign against it?

I think it is a difficult issue, because it is a bitter pill to swallow for the populace; to say that tariff is going to increase; on the basis of promise that service will get better.

But when you look into it, especially someone that is in the industry, we cannot get the investment that is needed to improve the service without cost reflective tariff. This is because one thing government has made clear is that the term is ‘cost reflective’. We have to take account the cost of gas; cost of generating; cost of transmitting; and the cost of distributing, and then you have to remember that at each of those stages, we need to attract investment, so that each of those areas in the delivery chain will be improved.

That’s the only way we can achieve stable power in the country. But as an independent producer again, even for our side of the industry; cost reflective tariff means that we too will see a lot of investment. We will see more people going into independent power which will help the overall situation.

The major problem Nigerians seem to have with the cost reflective tariff promise is trust deficit.

They seem not to believe that they would get value for their money even when the regime comes into effect. What would you say to those who may be this pessimistic?

I think if you look at all of us in the value chain, we are private business owners on behalf of shareholders, people going into business to make money. Let me put it this way; you have someone that bags and sells rice. If he knows that after clearing, polishing, bagging it and then taking it to market the margin he receives is barely enough to cover his rent and feed his family, he is not going to be motivated to expand that business any more.

In fact, if there is something else he can also do on the side he will be also working on that. But if the cost of rice goes up and he now sees that the margin is very attractive, he would want to do more. He would want to buy more rice, more bags; he would want to expand the business. At that point, maybe, he

Afolabi-aiyela calls his brothers or cousins from the village to come help him in the business and you now see more rice in the market. I think the same can be said of the power sector. Government is not the one driving the sector, it is the private sector; investors that want to make money; and you have to remember that there are investors outside of the country who like things like public utility, power sector, etc. Until now, they have looked and said without cost reflective tariff, it doesn’t worth it. We now expect that with that kind of motivation we will see investments in the sector that will also drive improved service.

What are the feedbacks from your major customers on the issue of cost reflective tariff?

I think for customers such as MTN, GAC Motors, FAMAD and some other customers, they have keyed into our service long before the tariff increase and they are happy with our service. So, what it means to a big company like MTN that is always looking at the budget; looking at, are they doing things in the most cost-effective way; when they now look at the tariff increase and alternative to us; I think they would be more grateful that the service they are getting from Welbeck Electricity is saving them even more now that the tariff has gone up.

You recently said that Nigerians would see better service next year when the cost reflective tariff would have come into effect. Why do you sound so confident?

You have to remember that what is going to drive the improvement in the sector are private investor, equity and banks. You will be sure that with the new tariff, banks will be more willing to lend to DISCOs GENCOs, and gas producers.

So, we are expecting that this year we should see agreements being signed whether for funding; whether through equity, or local fund or through debt. You expect that equipment, upgrading and retooling should happen next year, and may be, toward 3rd, 4th quarter we start to see some of those improvements.

This is an ambitious business you are running. May I ask who is behind the CEO of Welbeck?

Let me start by giving you the story of Welbeck. I used to work for Bank of Industry. I wanted to set up a business, and because I was involved in giving funds to manufacturing firms. When I learnt that their major need or concern is powering themselves or their plants. Some of them, the most important reason they find it difficult to compete with Chinese import is because of power. For instance,

you are producing shoes; one of our customers FAMAD, is producing shoes, they are former Bata Shoe; they are competing with the imports from China where they are getting 24/7 electricity; where the cost of power isn’t that a huge factor. So, seeing that, I then registered this business and signed my first agreement with my first customer in 2016 and as a banker, I knew that the money I needed to build a site, I wasn’t going to be able to get as at then, which was why I then went to look for investors which I was able to find. There are four of us. My other partners, one is in Oil and Gas; one is in vehicle sales, another is a member of the Ibru organisation. So, essentially, I was able to sell shares to them. They brought in their money. We pulled our money together to build the first site. Our second site, we were able to seek funding from the bank and we also used suppliers’ credit. When you have a blue chip customer like MTN and you are telling your contractors who are doing your electrical work, your civil works, etc, and you tell them you are going to pay 60 percent, the remaining 40 percent to be paid over three months once the site is commissioned and they are sure that once MTN pays us we are able to pay the balance. So, in a situation where you are not able to get all the funding, I guess you have to think outside the box and see what you can do to make sure the site is delivered and commissioned on time because a company like MTN, you don’t mess up. If you say, you are going to commission, and you are one day late, they will charge you.

Where do you expect to see Welbeck in the next five to ten years?

Our business model so far has been to be completely independent from the grid. We have agreement with our customer, we go to NERC to request for licence and once we receive the licence, we build the site and supply that customer power.

The way we are operating now, we are working independently; we want, with a couple of Discos, if we supply power to any of their sub-stations, then all their customers that are reached by that sub-stations can enjoy good service, possibly even 24/7. I also know that there’s something the Lagos State government was working on under the previous administration. Yes, if you say in the next five years, I do see us working together with Discos to possibly crowd sub-stations to ensure that the power they get from the grid as well as independent power from us can now translate to 24/7 power for the people. Even if we can start that with Lagos State, this is something that can be replicated in other Discos in other states.

Sunday 25 October 2020

How do you source your gas?

We receive gas from Axxela.

Axxela has the concession to pipe gas within the Lagos Metropolitan area. So, that gas comes from the Escravos Lagos pipeline. You have two lines that bring gas from the Niger Delta up to South West.

One is owned by Shell, the other is being operated by Nigerian Gas Company. So that’s where we receive our gas from. And as a way of back up, we use compressed natural gas.

How intense is the competition in the industry at the moment?

I think competition is quite intense. What we have seen is that over the past one year or two, there have been more and more entrants into the industry. Being in the independent power part of the industry, the privatised PHCN has largely remained the same. But in the independent power sector, we have seen new entrants coming in; but what customers have to remember is that it is a very technical business; running and operating a gas generator or a gas turbine takes a lot. You know, if your diesel generator is the one that you can put in your house and your guard can come and switch it on and switch it off, you don’t need to be trained, but with the gas engines; our technical staff are sent for special training on installation, operation and maintenance from time to time, on the units and even with that, we do have issues, which is why we have redundancy. At the site in Ojota for example, we have 4.4 megawatts that we are using at every one time, and 1.1 megawatt of redundancy.

From time to time, there are issues and corrective measures that we need to take either involving software or mechanical issues on the engine itself. So, it is a technical business.

It has always been said that the problem of lack of power has contributed in the rising youth unemployment in the country; do you see the cost reflective tariff system bridging that gap?

Definitely, most certainly, power supply is needed in the development of any economy. Whether you are talking about independent or grid power, with the cost reflective tariff, you will have more investment, improved services in gridconnected power. You will also have more investment in independent power. So, take for example, there is something we are working with the state government for youths that want do light manufacturing; small scale industries. We entered into discussion with them, and said the only way it is going to work is, if they have all utilities and amenities, they require, if you give them the equipment/amenities, they may set up somewhere but they will never have light; so they are running their petrol generator and the cost is too high and business fails. We said, why not set up an industrial park that you’ll run and operate, you provide the source of constant power; do the other utilities such as water, security and so on. If you demarcate spaces and put them there – in an environment that will not fail; we need to set up an industrial park in order to encourage development. So, whether we are talking about independent power or grid power, cost reflective tariff should translate in the end to economic development; more people, youngsters going out setting up barbing saloon, and things like that.

Sunday 25 October 2020

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Travel

Fighting back: How will tourism industry win the war against COVID-19?

OBINNA EMELIKE

W

hile the opening of international borders by several African countries is extremely positive news for ailing travel and hospital sectors in sub-Saharan Africa - and for economies as a whole, this may not, in and of itself, be sufficient to resuscitate the industry in the wake of the havoc wreaked by the COVID-19 lockdowns.

According to Mark Havercroft, regional director Africa, Minor Hotels, the hospitality and tourism industry in sub-Saharan Africa must adopt a new “adapt and innovate” modus operandi to meet the challenges produced by the COVID-19 pandemic if it is to help prevent further contraction of severely impacted economies in the region.

He observed that not only are many of the international tourists who operators are relying on to return quickly still locked down in their own countries, but even if they are not, there are still very high levels of insecurity around travellers who are not sure whether they are prepared to get back out there into the world just quite yet.

Reopening borders and airspace, according to him, will boost recovery. Nigeria reopened its airspace for international travel purposes at the beginning of September 2020, joining other African countries that have begun reopening airports, removing curfews and slowly resuming international tourism. These include South Africa, Namibia, the DRC, Egypt, Kenya, Zambia, Rwanda, Liberia, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone and Sao Tome.

Obviously, the industry as a whole faces a continuing uphill

battle; earlier the United States government warned its citizens against international travel due to the risks associated with the potential spread of the virus. A recent study by the World Economic Forum also suggested that business travel is far more likely to survive the pandemic than international leisure travel, which it predicted will rebound only much later owing to the uncertainties related to health and safety concerns. In short, the industry can expect to rely heavily on domestic leisure travel markets for the immediate future.

The important question now, according to Havercroft, is how to optimally leverage the domestic leisure and business travel markets, while continuing to encourage the international market to confidently travel to Africa.

Of course, this requires a dual approach from the industry that relies on offering the essential assurances around health and safety for all travellers, while also creating reasonably priced, market-related packages that prove too alluring for the domestic market to ignore.

So how can this be achieved?

Havercroft noted that firstly, it is important for the industry to collaborate with governments in the region to facilitate a marketing strategy that will ensure the worldwide dissemination of information about how African countries are managing to control the pandemic, including statistical proof in order to build confidence.

The 2019 hospitality report by Jumia identifies the tourism and hospitality sector as one of the

key growth drivers of the regional economy, contributing 8.5 percent (or $194.2billion) to the GDP in 2018, and placing the continent as the second-fastest growing tourism region in the world - with an annual growth rate of 5.6 percent.

Leisure remains an important component of the tourism industry, comprising 71 percent of all tourism-related expenditure in the region, with business travel accounting for the other 29 percent.

The African Union has said that the region lost $55 billion in travel and tourism revenue in the first three months of the regionwide lockdowns, with devastating knock-on effects considering the industry contributes significantly to the regional economy.

“This points to the urgency of reopening borders and reactivat-

ing the sector if we are to save ailing economies across the region.

We know it will take time for the industry to get back into full swing, so we need to innovate in every way possible in the meantime in order to shorten that lead-in time”, Havercroft explained.

For him, the hospitality industry has for many years prided itself on the safety and hygiene measures it applies to keep guests safe and comfortable. But the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath, he noted would demand so much more, and establishments would have to go above and beyond in demonstrating - and applying both existing and more stringent safety measures.

“For the industry, our value propositions can no longer be focused only on getaways, experiences and cuisine (whether it be luxury and otherwise). That will continue to be a focus, of course, but along with how associated air travel is managed in the safest possible way”, he said.

Safety-first is top priority.

According to research by McKinsey, it will take at least three years for the industry to reach full recovery. In the meantime, to maximise on the reduced number of tourists, the industry, according to him, will need to create completely new options too, including those specifically designed to encourage longer hotel stays by both the international and domestic travel markets.

This is not the time to continue doing things like they have always been done. Innovate and adapt must be our watchword within our “new normal” if we are to not only reignite the industry, but see it grow from strength to strength in line with the pre COVID-19 forecasting, he concluded.

Birmingham to host maiden African festival in 2021

B

irmingham, England in the United Kingdom will, in August 2021, host the maiden edition of the Africa Heritage International Festival (AHIF). The festival will be a threeday international cultural splash to celebrate African culture. It will also be used as a platform to attract sustainable investment and development to Africa. Participants will be drawn from Africa and the Diaspora.

Speaking on the AHIF, Emmanuel Akapo, head of the project, said the festival will be an African event but with international collaboration with people from all over the world.

“It is an African global social enterprise to promote the African culture and black heritage in the diaspora. AHIF is an international movement that promotes, preserves, and supports the African culture and people, with the aim of attracting sustainable development to Africa”, he explained.

Akapo said the events planned around the festival will assemble and connect black people and friends of Africa from around the world to celebrate the beauty and the emerging future of Africa. Explaining further, he said, “The three-day festival will feature three major events: Africa Forward Conference, Africa Heritage International Awards (Bantoo Awards) and an open-air international African Heritage Festival.

Africa Forward Conference, the day one event , will assemble stakeholders and thought-leaders from around the globe to share ideas and innovations about building the Africa of our dream in front of a globally selected audience.

The speakers and panelists will include; renowned heads of government and governmental agencies, African civil societies in the diaspora, key policymakers from African countries, African country ambassadors to the UK, African Union(AU) delegates, young African thoughtleaders, successful African entre-

preneurs, innovators, and changemakers.

“The conference hopes to host a minimum of 1000 participants, comprising of interested individuals, corporate representatives and media organizations from across the globe”, he said.

Bantoo Awards, the second day event, is an award and gala night organised to honour Africans around the world, who are significantly contributing to development in Africa and promoting the African cause on the international scene. It will be an incredible opportunity to reward and honour Africans who are doing amazing works and making Africa proud globally.

On the last day, there will be an open-air festival celebrating the rich African culture and arts.

Highlights, according to Akapo, will include performances from renowned African troupes, arts and culture exhibition, food and drink exhibitions, parades, networking, among others.

He said visitors would be expected to experience a rare display of the beauty and splendor of Africa - from the sounds of the drums to the taste of African delicacies and sights of breath-taking arts and crafts.

On why the festival is conceptualised, Akapo said Africa is the world’s

second-largest continent by both land area and population. It stretches across 30.3million km2 of land, is home to 1.2 billion people and has a GDP of $2.45trillion (2019).

Yet millions of people around the world today still think of the whole of Africa as one dark, tiny country, with people living in mud houses and walking around naked.

“When many hear Africa, they think elephants and lions, diseases and desolation, corruption, and extreme poverty. Some of these might be true, but that is not the entire, authentic African story. There is unfathomable beauty in Africa and its people are some of the world’s most amazing.

This is the essence of the festival–to project the true image and potential of the African continent and attract the much-needed global partnerships into it, and in the end, foster sustainable development across all key sectors on the continent. The festival will be annual”, he concluded.

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Sunday 25 October 2020

Ukiwe @ 80: The Akajiofor Ndigbo DIMM UCHE OKWUKWU

Introduction

O

n 26th April 1993, Dr. Obi Wali was brutally and heinously assassinated and a sudden eclipse descended on the entire Igbo speaking parts of Rivers State. His death created a big vacuum in leadership as there was no preparation for a successor.

Naturally, the mantle of leadership fell on three Igbo leaders from different places.

In Ikwerreland it fell on His Royal Majesty, Eze Sunday Nnanta Worluchem, the Eze Apara Rebisi/ Paramount Ruler of Port Harcourt, trained lawyer and astute administrator. In the Ekpeye speaking tribe of Igbo, it fell on Eze Clifford Chukwucheta Nwuche, foremost nationalist and statesman. While in Ogbaland it fell on the iconic Senator Francis Ellah, principled statesman who resigned from the Second Republic Senate over the Igbo question. Their emergence triggered a new era of Igbo agitation for the creation of a new state out of Rivers.

For years, 1974-1993, the Ijaw stiffly opposed state creation.

But following Dr. Wali’s death, they suddenly agreed that Rivers be divided on condition that the Igbo speaking areas, particularly Ikwerreland, be also divided into two to make them inconsequential minorities on both sides. This was a death sentence considering that Ikwerreland is Ndigbo’s tongue to the sea. Under this life and death condition the only people frontline Igbos of Rivers could look up to for succour were their brothers in the hinterland.

In 1986, Commodore Ebitu Okoh Ukiwe was forced out of the Navy because of his opposition to the smuggling of Nigeria into the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). But he still had a huge contact within the armed forces. He became our single most important person in reaching out to General Sani Abacha, Nigerian military Head of State. Together with Arthur Eze and Arthur Mbanefo, Ukiwe successfully reversed a potential disaster for Igbos in Rivers.

The Ijaw-born Dan Etete, Nigerian Minister of Petroleum, was in the forefront in the struggle to divide Rivers into two states. On being briefed by Ukiwe, Abacha asked Etete the language spoken by the Ikwerre, Ekpeye and Ogba peoples. Etete tried to muddle things up but he had a formidable opponent in Arthur Eze who shot down his argument. Abacha intervened by declaring he would never divide the Igbo speaking areas of Rivers. That whatever state the

Ijaw wanted they could take but the Igbo people of Rivers will remain in one state.

We were lucky that Abacha was in charge. A minority Kanuri in Kano dominated by majority Hausa/Fulani, he was like a fish out of water and understood injustice from an ethno-geographic perspective. His sympathy was with the Igbos of Rivers. That was how we escaped being balkanised when Bayelsa State was carved out of Rivers by Abacha.

To a large extent, therefore, what the Igbo speaking people of Rivers enjoy today, especially their ability to produce governors, they owe Ukiwe, Arthur Eze and Arthur Mbanefo. Ukiwe represents the old Igbo of “Onyeaghalanwanneya,” forget-not-your-brother.

Citation Ukiwe was screened and found worthy by our ancestors, gods and God Almighty for the overarched title of Akajiofor Ndigbo, conferred on him by the Eze Nri himself. I was present at his coronation. This title qualifies him as the custodian of the Spectre of Authority and Mystery of the Igbo race with the power to make war and peace. As the nucleus of our race, the Akajiofor is one of few Igbos you can call upon if Igbos in Igbanke, Osimili, Ekpeye, Arochukwu, etc, are in trouble and he’ll be there in person.

Before Ukiwe emerged Nigerian 7th Chief of Staff, no Igbo attained a high office in the military since the1966 assassination of General JTU Aguiyi-Ironsi. This means that if we do things rightly and win the trust of other Nigerians we can reach the pinnacle of leadership. Professionally, his success made possible the emergence of Air Chief Marshal Paul Dike and Lt. Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika as Chiefs of Air and Army Staffs at different times.

Politically, he believes Ndigbo will do better in a negotiated Nigeria that aggregates variable interests, dispensing equity in response to the demand of every group. He may be misunderstood but he’s certainly not one who believes in violence likely to deepen the mistrust against us. As former Director of Legal Services of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, (MASSOB), he advised us to do things only to the extent of compelling Nigeria to dialogue with every ethnic group.

He spends time and resources educating Ndigbo on the need for unity, followership and leadership. Time and again, he urged us to forge ahead and forget the past, particularly the thorny issue of abandoned property. In his immortal words, “No one gets justice on all fronts.”

He was among our core national leaders who negotiated Nigeria

Why can’t we use him at the top most level as the Yoruba use Asiwaju Bola Tinubu? The Yoruba identify their most charismatic politician with firm character and present him as their leader. What stops Ndigbo from rallying round the incorruptible Ukiwe?

Ebitu Ukiwe out of potential crisis in 2015.

They made President Goodluck Jonathan sign an agreement with Muhammadu Buhari that at the appropriate time Jonathan would congratulate Buhari; and vice versa. That was how Nigeria was saved needless violence. Even the June 12 imbroglio, he believed annulling that election was a big injustice and joined the National Democratic Coalition, NADECO. Ukiwe completely dematerialised his soul to serve. Nothing stopped him from compromising the interests of Ndigbo and Nigerians to become a billionaire.

He never did that as he was never obsessed with wealth. His ascendency should teach our youths you can get to the pinnacle of your career on principle; especially in an age where a poor man with integrity is not respected.

He lives within his means. I slept in his Abiriba home one day with Comrade Chika Onuegbu. By 11pm the generator was switched off and that gives you an idea about his true character. Even when you eat with him you’ll still see moderation. There was no extravagance and nothing is thrown away. His empathy for the common man is overwhelming and he’ll always tell you that whatever is not used on his dining table is needed by someone out there.

Ukiwe is one of few Igbo greats with a broad spread. In the Igbo parts of Rivers he’s already a messiah. As the most senior and active leader alive after Alex Ekwueme, are we respecting him as the revered Akajiofor? Do we make recourse to him when there’s problem in Igboland or do we fight one another like a leaderless race?

Documenting Ochiagha Ukiwe It is left for our generation to document the Akajiofor Ndigbo now that he’s alive. We must draw closer to him for first-hand information on his life and times as community leader, administrator and soldier. I am precisely talking about anchoring his biography.

Again, Ndigbo must learn documentation from the proactive Yoruba.

If you go to any bookshelf in Yorubaland, you’ll see works on all their great sons and daughters.

But in Igboland there’s no book on Dr. Wali, Emmanuel Aguma, Sam Mbakwe, RBK Okafor or the just departed Samuel Mbata. So, we must take steps to do the needful and timely too. We must constitute a committee to document Ukiwe, especially his secret diplomacy serving Ndigbo and Nigeria.

In Igboland, age confers legitimacy. People call you “Dede,” “Onyeichie” or “Nnaanyi” when you are old. None addresses you by your real name. It is believed that the older you are the more stake you have in the family and society.

Even if we have never accepted Ukiwe as our leader, his age has automatically addressed his leadership role. You can never address him by his name but titles.

Having attained the grand age of 80, the Akajiofor Ndigbo, by virtue of that rite of passage, has been admitted into the council of elders and can easily communicate with our ancestors. We believe the dream of an old man is clearer at the spiritual realm than that of a young man.

Assuming without conceding that he did not attend school, had no title, money and was never a soldier, he still deserves the title of Dede or Onyeichie. He can never be side-lined in any gathering because his age automatically qualifies him for the high table and first recognition. God in his infinite mercy and wisdom has elevated him to the council of elders and that is why we must address him as “Ochiagha, Dede Ebitu Okoh Ukiwe, the Akajiofor Ndigbo.”

Ochiagha Ukiwe is not an ordinary person. He respected Worluchem, Dr. Wali, Mbakwe, Ellah, Nwuche, Akanu Ibiam, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Okafor, etc; and must be respected. We pray God Almighty to give him long life considering it would be difficult finding his replacement in this Age of Anxiety.

Okwukwu is secretary-general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo. Phone: 080 3708 7483.

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businessdayng

TheWorshipper

‘We overrated this administration while it was coming to power’ As Nigerians continue to condemn the Tuesday ugly incident at the Lekki toll gate, Reverend Olusola Idowu, Pastor, The Ajayi Dahunsi Memorial Baptist Church, Lagos, speaks with SEYI JOHN SALAU on the importance of the prayer walk embarked upon by some Christian faithful and the slow response of the government to national issues. Excerpts: Some Christian organisations recently staged a ‘prayer walk’ across the country: what is your take on this? think the prayer walk is a good development. It is important that we do not take God out of whatever we are doing particularly a protest of this nature. I do not think the nation has witnessed anything like this in the past. Even the agitation for the realisation of the June 12, 1993 Presidential election didn’t attract the Youths of this nation in this manner. So, I am of the opinion that the prayer walk is good. It shows that our youths are not just depending on their youthful strength but upon the strength of the Almighty God who is able to turn this nation around for good.

Many argue that the aim of the prayer walk is not clear; as many Christians do not want to be identified with protesters?

Well, people always have different views about almost everything.

I believe the aim of the prayer walk was clear enough, namely, seeking Divine intervention in our national matters. The prayer points were clear as the participants prayed to God on behalf of our nation to turn the terrible situations in our country around for good. They prayed for security, economy, education and so on and so forth. As to whether they should have prayed in their closets, I think that would have been the case if the prayers were personal prayers. But, this was a national prayer walk. They didn’t pray for themselves, they prayed for the nation. There is nothing wrong with this. We see youths like Daniel

I

Reverend Olusola Idowu

and Nehemiah leading a public prayer for the nation of Israel in the Bible.

In addition to the prayer said during the prayer walk, I also believe that the action of the participants should also draw the attention of the rest of us to God because He alone has the solution to the predicament of our nation.

Back to the #EndSARS protest: the protest was high jacked by hoodlums and now the whole country is in pain. Do you think #EndSARS was a right approach by the youth?

Personally, I am of the opinion that the #EndSARS/Police Brutality protest is a very good development for our nation for the following reasons: First, the protest shows that our youths are not as naive or unserious as many older people think. We see many older people today talking about these youths as though they are totally unserious and distracted. Second, the protest also shows that our youths are ready to occupy their rightful position in the scheme of things. It is important for us

to note that the youths are not just leaders of tomorrow but of today. Most of the political leaders in our nation today started holding positions of authority right from their youthful days and do not want to leave the stage again.

Third, the protest also shows that our democracy is growing. Democracy is the government of the people, by the people, and for the people. So, youths should be able to be involved in formulating policies that will guide their lives, including the kind of outlook they expect of their Police force.

Fourth, the protest has also sent signal to the political class that the people they govern can actually place demand on them. This is because those in power/government are actually the few privileged and they are expected to occupy these positions with a high sense of responsibility.

However, I like to encourage the youths to stay focused and continue to adopt the non-violent approach as they air their views on this matter and others. Also, I like to encourage the political leaders to do the needful, not only in this matter but on the entire polity.

In solidarity with the protesting youth, the Church indicated its support. Is the Church not late in speaking to power?

Well, I believe the Church is speaking at the right time. This is because the Church should not be seen as fomenting trouble or inciting violence. Having said that, I must also say that usually whenever the Church (or Church leaders) calls the attention of the government to any issue needing urgent action, they are labeled as

anti-government or working for the opposition party. So, this may be a factor why some Churches and Church leaders are reluctant to passing public comments on national issues.

This government seems slow in responding and relating with citizens; what is your view on this?

I think this government is known to be usually slow in their response to issues. Remember that it took this administration almost one year to appoint ministers in their first term.

It took the presidency a long time to admit that the then Secretary to the Government was corrupt. Again, it is taking them a long time to implement their campaign promises. For me, I am of the opinion that our expectations of this government was out of place. This is because the President has repeatedly said he is doing his best. That means we shouldn’t expect more than this from him and his team. Nigerians went out in 2015 to vote out of office an incumbent president with the expectations that this current administration will offer them their desired change. But if a leader says this is my best, I think the followers should begin to realise that they may not get more than this.

So, it is not only on this matter that this administration is slow but almost on everything. They were slow in being proactive in the case of Covid-19.

They are slow in resolving matters with ASUU. They are slow in bringing the matter of restructuring of the nation to the front burner. I think it is high time we realised that we overrated this administration while it was coming to power. The truth is simply that they may not be able to offer more than this.

#EndSARS protest: CAN wants immediate resolution of ASUU-FG conflict ...Offers suggestions to end nationwide protest

T

he leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has demanded for an immediate resolution of the Academic Staff Union of Universities and the Federal Government (ASUU-FG) conflict, as it calls on churches in the country to pray for the deliverance of the country from all self-inflicted problems.

In a statement personally signed

by Samson Olasupo Ayokunle, president, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), he commended the youths for embracing peaceful approach in advocating for the reform of the Police either through #EndSARS protests or nationwide Prayer Walks.

“We condemn in strong terms every attempt being made to stop or disrupt the peaceful protest which is lawfully allowed and guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

We are monitoring the #EndSARS protests nationwide and we are praying that their unprecedented efforts to have a decent society will not be in vain. We call on the Military and Police to resist the temptation to intervene in a civil protest in order to avoid a harvest of deaths. We have had enough of mass burials without fighting a war in the recent past,” said Ayokunle.

CAN also called on the Federal and state governments to walk their talk with a view to restoring the lost trust to the governed by doing the following: “Immediate inauguration of judicial or quasi-judicial panel with representatives of the Civil society at all levels with a view to bringing all the criminals in uniform to book.

“President Muhammadu Buhari should immediately send an Appropriation Bill to the National

Assembly for the compensation of all victims of the Police brutality and other extrajudicial killings in the last 10 years.

“Fresh recruitment into police should take background check of those being recruited into consideration so as to avoid recruiting criminals into the force as we had seen.”

According to him, “Similarly, semi-literates should never be recruited into the Police again. Well educated, morally and mentally sound people are good enough to wear police uniform in Nigeria.”

Ayokunle also suggested that: “All the three tiers of the government should stop paying lip service to the welfare of the people and immediately begin the welfare programme that will bring succour to the suffering masses occasioned by the increase in the fuel pump price and the power tariff.

“Each of the 36 state governors including the FCT Minister should set up a committee to dialogue with the representatives of the protesters to douse the tension in the country.

“The Inspector-General of Police should suspend the implementation of the establishment of SWAT until sanity is restored to the Police. All the officers and rank and file who were members of SARS should be screened administratively to unmask the rotten eggs among them with a view to sanctioning them.”

He further said that “The mass unemployment of our teeming youths who graduated from higher institutions and continued closure of our universities as a result of unresolved University lecturers’ welfare and infrastructural demands have fuelled this current #EndSars protest. The government should wake

up now and provide a future for our youths through provision of gainful employment or enabling environment for their employment.

“Federal Government should do the needful to reopen all the closed tertiary institutions in the country with a view to addressing the rot in our educational system. All things necessary should be done urgently to resolve the deadlock in negotiations between the Academic Staff Union of Universities in Nigeria and the Federal Government.

“Our roads must be made motorable throughout the country for ease of moving human and economic goods while interrupted electricity supply should be ensured among other infrastructures requiring urgent attention in our nation. Our leaders need to wake up to pragmatic and task-oriented leadership now so as to save our nation.”

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Sunday 25 October 2020

EndSARS protest: What critical lessons for Nigeria?

Daniel Obi

T

he two weeks endsars protest around the country has many critical lessons for the Nigerian government officials and the citizens. Largely, the protest was staged by the youth, especially those born from 1990s usually called the New Generation.

This group of youth is dynamic, resilient and fearless. They are not afraid of the gun unlike the older folks, the generation X and generation Y who were intimidated by the gun.

The present youth want change and they want it faster. The new generation is “confident, ambitious, and achievement-oriented. They also have high expectations and aren’t afraid to question authority”. The protest which lasted for over two weeks was not only to end police brutality but to instill good governance.

Though the Federal Government attempted quickly to address the demands of the youth but the two weeks delay by President Buhari in addressing the nation when the youth was in arms against the state was not in the spirit of the dynamism and fast approach sought by the youth in seeking solutions to the various malaise which has engulfed the country.

It is therefore expected that after the protest, government officials, both at the federal, state government levels and all citizens need to readjust to good governance as many of them were jittery and afraid of the youth.

This new generation of youth who is exposed to different lives abroad through many channels is wondering why Nigeria is not measuring up in spite of abundant resources. They are asking many questions.

There is heightened apprehension among the citizens on the very dismal rankings of Nigeria in many economic indices used in measuring development. To the youths who have energy to protest, this is not acceptable.

From high level of insecurity, huge infrastructure deficit, struggling FDI inflows and to poor GDP growth at 2.7 percent against population growing at 3.5 percent, high external debt profile of over $27 billion, 27.1 percent unemployment rate to inflation, which stands at over 13 percent among others, the odds are against the country.

Moreover, over 93 million Nigerians are not connected to electricity, while the country holds the record for extreme poor people in the world, according to the World Poverty Clock report published in 2018.

The report further revealed that over 86.9 million Nigerians live in extreme poverty; a figure that represents about 48 percent of the country’s estimated 200 million population. The most frightening

fact about the report is that six Nigerians enter poverty bracket every minute, a figure that has increased since two years, when the report was released.

As well, with 15 million children out of school, Nigeria has the highest number of out-of-school children globally, while infant and under 5 years mortality rate, according statistics is high in Nigeria.

Again, insecurity has stripped the country the little respect it has in the international community.

Nigeria is regarded as the third most terrorised country in the world after Afganistan and Iraq and, according to Peter Obi, former governor of Anambra State, who spoke at University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) 60 years lecture recently, it is speculated that Nigeria would soon overtake the two countries in terrorism.

Also, inequality is high in Nigeria as less than one percent of the population controls over 90 percent of the nation’s wealth. “Inequality impacts negatively on health, education and the economy, but government is incapable of fighting it”, says Peter Obi, who vied to be Nigeria’s vice president in 2019 presidential election.

These statistics are enough to cause anxiety considering that Nigeria had fallen deeply from its annual GDP growth rate of 25 percent in 1970s with FDI inflows now accounting for 0.5 percent of the GDP, and food exports, which accounted for 31.34 percent in 1970s has crashed to 1.95 percent in 2018.

In addition to all this, Nigeria in the last few years has divided along tribal and religious lines more than ever before. This is also a time bomb.

Olusegun Obasanjo, former president of Nigeria, who has shown interest in the wellbeing of the nation since he left office in 2007, after eight years administration of Nigeria’s economy, has consistently expressed worry on the fast drifting of the economy. He usually makes his intentions known through personal letters to the successive presidents.

We are close to extinction as a viable comity of people, supposedly bound together under an equitable set of protocols of co-habitation, capable of producing its own means of existence, and devoid of a culture of sectarian privilege and will to dominate In a recent comment, Obasanjo expressed worry that Nigeria is slowly becoming a failed state. Many Nigerians agree with this view as statistics correspond with the statement.

“Today, Nigeria is fast drifting to a failed and badly divided state, economically our country is becoming a basket case and poverty capital of the world, and socially, we are firming up as an unwholesome

and insecure country. And these manifestations are the products of recent mismanagement of diversity and socio-economic development of our country”, Obasanjo said.

Speaking while delivering a speech entitled, “Moving Nigeria away from tipping over” at a consultative dialogue in Abuja recently, the former president said he had never seen Nigeria so divided, adding that many of the problems plaguing the country were due to the recent mismanagement of Nigeria’s diversity.

Some socio-political groups such as Afenifere and Ohaneze and other top Nigerians also backed Obasanjo, as Wole Soyinka, a professor and Nobel Laureate, regretted that the country is close to extinction.

“We are close to extinction as a viable comity of people, supposedly bound together under an equitable set of protocols of co-habitation, capable of producing its own means of existence, and devoid of a culture of sectarian privilege and will to dominate,” Soyinka said in a report.

Assessing the pathetic condition of the economy, Tunde Lemo, former deputy governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), who also spoke at the University of Nigeria’s Founders’ Day, recently, said at Nigeria’s Independence in 1960 , there were high hopes given the abundance of natural and human resources that we had as a nation with economic indices better than many countries.

The general believe was that in less than no time, the newly independent country would not only lead Africa, but the entire black race.

“Unfortunately, 60 years on, we do not have much to show for it as a nation. Nigeria is today more divided as a country than in 1960. We have unfortunately become the poverty capital of the world with more number of extremely poor people than in India and under-employment at over 30 percent.

“We have frittered away as much as N3.3 trillion in oil revenue in the past 50 years with not much to show for it other than fractured infrastruc-

ture, epileptic power supply and a whopping national debt of over $28 billion. Insecurity has gone worse as never before”, Lemo said.

He said it is fashionable in the past to blame the woes of this country on the military regime engagement. That argument is no longer tenable because the cumulative engagement of the civilian administration now accounts for 52 percent of the 60 years of our post-Independence era while the military accounts for 48 percent. We now have over 21 years of Civilian rule and we should by now wean ourselves over from the hangover of military interruption, he said.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), recently raised alarm over the current state of affairs in Nigeria, saying that the African populous country is almost at the verge of collapse.

Most Reverend Augustine Obiora Akubeze, president of the CBCN, who, according to a report addressed all the faithful of the Church in the country; and other Nigerians, on behalf of the Bishops’ Conference during Nigeria’s 60 years anniversary, lamented that after years of existence as an independent nation, Nigeria has nothing to show for it, especially in the area of making life worth living for majority of Nigerians.

He added that many Nigerians cannot afford to eat amid plenty of natural resources and human endowments, while the Covid-19 pandemic has further crippled the already poor Nigerian economy.

Buttressing this point, Peter Obi said there is nothing else Nigeria is celebrating about apart from being alive as a nation.

As stated by many people, the protest is beyond EndSars. The new generation wants to see their country progress and develop. They want to be proud of Nigeria. They want to understand Nigeria’s vision so that they can key into it.

Many Nigerians are today disconnected from Nigeria’s visions, if any. Many citizens of other countries know where their countries are headed to economically and politically and they make conscious efforts to key into that movement.

But, when you randomly ask about 10 Nigerians what Nigeria’s visions are; the answers will startle you. Therefore, the inability of average Nigerian to know the visions and goals of the country in the short or long term produces different behaviours most of which are anti-state.

The Nigerian youths are getting bolder and fearless. Ill-gotten wealth, misrule and bad governance are under question especially in the face of high rate of unemployment. With division in the land as acknowledged by some stakeholders, this protest could have been religious or tribal rivals but for the maturity of Christians and Moslems and different tribes. Let’s make conscious efforts to unite, develop the economy, reduce unemployment and avoid future protests that may be worse.

Sunday 25 October 2020

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Imperative of Organic farming for food safety Food & Beverages With Ayo Oyoze Baje

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igeria’s determined drive for the implementation of the twin policies of food security and safety has brought to the fore the imperative of bio-safety and environmental protection in line with internationally accepted best practices. The issue goes beyond mass production of sundry food items. What more, there are multiplicity of challenges to be overcome. These include poor funding, low mechanisation level, lack of involvement of the stakeholders in policy formulations and the unwillingness of banks to offer longterm loans, especially to rural farmers.

Organic farming is therefore, seen as significant means of providing people with healthier food choices. It is considered a sustainable agricultural practice since it does not use harmful

chemical fertilizers and pesticides that deplete the nutritional value of foods and have deleterious effects on the environment.

One of the persisting challenges however, is that many Nigerian farmers are not familiar with organic farming methods. Most still grow fruits and vegetables with the use of chemical fertilizers and still apply pesticide that may be harmful to the consumers.

According to agric experts commercially produced foods, especially those treated with chemical fertilizers and pesticides that leave our foods with toxins which could lead to life-threatening diseases.The Environmental Protection Agency of the U.S. government claims that some of the most common pesticides and fertilizers have been linked to cancer and other diseases. In fact, 60per cent of all herbicides, 90 per cent of fungicides, and 30 per cent of insecticides are considered carcinogenic.

F r o m t h e environmentalperspective, those pesticides and chemicals find their way into our drinking water and deplete the land of nutrients. In addition, the fruits and vegetables grown through organic farming can becarriedout domestically with virtually all family members taking part. This inadvertently imbibes the culture of healthy farming and eating methods.

In addition, it is economically wise since the amount of money spent on fuel to get the produce from the farmlands to the home is drastically minimized.When also considered from the organoleptic platform such foods are fresher, more appealing and have better tastes. On the nutritional

content, The Journal of American Nutrition says studies have shown that organic foods have between 10 to 250 times the nutritional value compared to the non-organic varieties.

Even though the size of fruits may be smaller for organic fruits, it was discovered in 2001 that the nutritional content of such fruits grown in the US had 30 per cent more nutrients especially vitamin C than the non-organic types. According to Oluwatomi Olatoye, a journalist many approved pesticides were registered long before extensive research linked these chemicals to cancer and other diseases. It prevents any more of these chemicals from getting into the air, earth and water that sustain us.

The elimination of polluting chemicals and nitrogen leaching, done in combination with soil building, protects and conserves water resources.

This type of agric practice respects the balance demanded of a healthy ecosystem: wildlife is encouraged by including forage crops in rotation and by retaining fence rows, wetlands and other natural areas.

Every food category has an organic alternative. And non-food agricultural products are being grown organically – even cotton, which most experts felt could not be grown this way.

Don’t forget, the best way to get fresh, organic fruits and vegetables is by growing them in your own garden.

The Indian experience Globally, India is recognized as one of the leading lights in organic farming. According to Nishika Patel, budding interest in organic food offers farmers soaring incomes and higher yields, but critics say it’s not the answer to India’s fast-rising food demands

India’s struggling farmers are starting to profit from a budding interest in organic living. Not only are the incomes of organic farmers soaring – by 30% to 200%, according to organic experts – but their yields are rising as the pesticide-poisoned land is repaired through natural farming methods.

Organicfarming only took off in the country about seven years ago. Farmers are turning back to traditional farming methods for a number of reasons.First, there’s a 10% to 20% premium to be earned by selling organic products abroad and in India’s increasingly affluent cities, a move towards healthy living and growing concern over toxic foods and adulteration plaguing the food market.

Second, the cost of pesticides and fertilisers has shot up and the loans farmers need to buy expensive, modified seed varieties are pushing many into a spiral of debt. Crippling debt and the burden of loans are triggering farmer suicides across the country, particularly in the Vidarabha region of Maharashtra.

Organicfarming slashes cultivation and input costs by up to 70% due to the use of cheaper, natural products like manure instead of chemicals and fertilisers.

Third, farmers are suffering from the damaging effects of India’s green revolution, which ushered in the rampant use of pesticides and fertilisers from the 1960s to ensure bumper yields and curb famine and food shortages. Over the decades, the chemicals have taken a toll on the land and yields are plunging.

“Western, modern farming has spoiled agriculture in the country.

An overuse of chemicals has made

land acidic and hard, which means it needs even more water to produce, which is costly,” says Narendra Singh of OrganicIndia. “Chemicals have killed the biggest civilisation in agriculture – earthworms, which produce the best soil for growth.”

UmeshVishwanathChaudhari, 35, a farmer in the Jalgaon district i n M a h a r a s ht r a , s w i t c h e d t o organicfarming seven years ago after experiencing diminishing yields from his 8-hectare (20-acres) plot. He came across a book on organicfarming techniques using ancient Vedic science.

He started making natural fertilisers and pesticides using ingredients such as cow manure, cow urine, honey and through vermicomposting – the process of using earthworms to generate compost. Since then, his yields and income have risen by 40%, and worms have returned to his soil. He sells lime, custard apple and drumsticks to organic stores in Pune, Mumbai and other cities, while his cotton is bought by Morarka, a rural NGO. He plans to convert another 2 hectares to organic cotton and buy 10 cows to make his own manure, rather than buying it.

More Nigerian farmers should therefore, be trained on how to maximize the immense benefits of organic farming not only to feed the growing population expected to explode to 400 million Nigerians by 2050 but to protect our increasingly fragile environment.

Baje is Nigerian first Food Technologist in the media ayobaje@yahoo.co.uk; 07068638066

Tukur, Martin, Ojukutu, Birmah, others endorse book on ‘Retirement in Nigeria’ …Commend author

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minent Nigerians have taken turns to commend the latest book, ‘Retirement in Nigeria: A Management Approach’, authored by Felix Ohiri Amadi, chairman Crown Insurance Brokers, and an advocate for retirees, Amadi, who has enjoyed a successful career spanning over three decades in the insurance sector of the economy, having worked closely in chatting lasting solutions towards pension management, is about to launch the new book into the market.

In the book, he highlights the need to build a robust retirement sector, where professionals would be trained on the intricacies of managing and caring for the aged.

He knew exactly what the senior citizens go through after their active service years in accessing their pension benefits.

The author noted that the trauma retired people go through in Nigeria was well known.

“For over 20 years now, being in retirement is to live face to face with poverty, neglect and most likely, sickness. This is at the age in which support is most needed by the individual who has made invaluable contributions to society building. I am aware that state and local government retirees seem to be the most affected by this retirement trauma,” he noted.

According to him, “In my various personal and public engagements, however, I have equally come across erstwhile friends and associates who retired from the federal public service and the private sector who are supposed to be living on ‘good’ pension for life but noticed the same pattern of physical, psychological and social depreciation.

“This generalised anguish for senior citizens should worry every living soul in Nigeria. It needs to be subjected to serious social research so that a proper ‘ElderCare’ management process can evolve for future generations at the least.”

The eminent personalities, who gave their commendation in the Foreword part of the book, also recommended it for one and all, particularly, scholars in that academic field.

In his commendation of the book, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Most Rev. Alfred Adewale Martins (The Metropolitan See For The Ecclesiastical Province Of Lagos In Nigeria), said: “The book titled ‘Retirement in Nigeria (A Management Approach)’ by Felix Ohiri Amadi is a well written, very comprehensive and highly informative text which in content and structure will benefit the legions of retirees in Nigeria in particular and the world in general.”

According to the cleric, “At its pre-production stage, this book upon evaluation attracted several comments from both the academic and non-academic quarters. Some of these are quoted as footnotes coming from a brilliant hands-on professionals; the book has brought to the fore critical issues which have remained outside our social policy framework. Let the legislators and policy makers know it is time to begin to consider the welfare of the elderly as is obtainable in all civilised societies.”

Rasheed Kola Ojikutu, a professor and a former dean, Faculty of Management Sciences, University of Lagos, wrote, “The book is a compendium for students offering a course in

Pension and Social Insurance in the tertiary institutions in Nigeria”.

Bamanga Tukur, Tafidan Adamawa, said: “It is, therefore in the light of my convictions concerning retirement in Nigeria that I commend this unique book, ‘retirement in Nigeria (A Management Approach)’. It fills a wallowing literature gap and supports capacity building efforts for retirement planning and management. The book positions retirement as a process that is amenable to general management principles and I wish to recommend a comprehensive study of this process. I also agree with the author and publishers in their clear opinion that pension administrators should see beyond pension fund investment and its due returns and pay necessary attention to the subject of every contribution and action which is the employee or retiree.

“Beyond the need for a greater focus on the employee, the book has also announced the emergence of a core industry that will fulfil the growing needs of retired people and senior citizens of our country. This industry, when it blossoms, will have pension managers, retirement advisers, trainers, investors in retirement homes, care managers etc., all focused on giving value to people in retirement.

“Hopefully, it will be fully de-

veloped in our lifetime. Whether as text or reference, this book will be the companion of leaders, planners, learners, trainers and researchers where the subject is pension and retirement. I wish to specially recommend it to the Nigerian law makers as they work to improve the structures of our social security programmes for the people.”

In his commendation, Dauda Birmah, a political economist and former minister of Education, said: “The author notes in his preface the duty of care for retirement every individual owes himself which comes through savings and diligent planning. Much as it is important for everyone to understand and follow the management process advocated in this book, the process must also enjoy the support of economic growth and social investments necessary to create employment and alleviate pervasive poverty in the land.”

According to the Sarkin Gabas Adamawa, “Social investment for old age security as a global practice guided by international conventions should take preeminence more so that people now in extreme poverty seem increasingly in the bracket of senior citizens. The author did well to have for the purpose of useful lessons, compared the pension and allied social policies of Nigeria with those of other countries”.

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SundayBusiness How NMRC is innovating to build mortgage industry

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et up as a secondar y mortgage institution that is private sector-driven with the public purpose of developing the primary and secondary mortgage markets, the Nigeria Mortgage Refinance Company (NMRC) has its work cut out for it.

The company has the mandate of, among other things, increasing liquidity in the mortgage system and lowering interest rate on housing loans. It is also expected to break down barriers to home ownership by providing liquidity, affordability, accessibility and stability to the housing market.

Armed with these in a very challenging business environment, the refinance company is left with no option but to innovate, believing that innovative ideas are needed to build the mortgage industry.

Besides pushing the mortgage foreclosure law with vigour such that, increasingly, it is gaining traction with many more states of the federation passing the law, the company has come up with what it calls Electronic Mortgage Assets Registry.

This has financial backing from the Work Bank and, according to Kehinde Ogundimu, the managing director and chief executive officer of the company, the registry is aimed to facilitate seamless transfer of real estate assets from an old to a new

owner.

The company’s cost optimization measures is another innovative taken by its managers that has led to a significant reduction in all its expense heads. The impressive 2019 financial year which the company recorded is chiefly linked to this idea.

Through these measures, the company was able to grow its profit before tax (PBT) to N3.09 billion as at the end of its financial year ending December 31, 2019, representing a 60-percent increase in the ₦1.94 billion it recorded in the corresponding period in 2018.

Additionally, its earnings per share increased to N1.43, up from N0.93 recorded in 2018, making it possible for the shareholders to approve a dividend payout of ₦0.43 per ordinary share. Similarly, its gross earnings increased by 36 percent from ₦7.09 billion in 2018 to ₦9.62 billion in 2019 while total assets increased from ₦69.29 billion as at December 31, 2018 to ₦72.87 billion in the period under review.

On the basis of this performance, chairman of the company, Charles Adeyemi Candide-Johnson, assures that, even though progress is being made, the company remains committed to its mandate of making housing finance more accessible and affordable for Nigerians, particularly in an era when housing availability has come to play a critical role in

mitigating the spread and impact of Covid-19.

This performance has also enabled the the CEO to look at 2020 with optimism despite the ravaging impact of coronavirus pandemic, “We will continue to do our best for the company and for the industry; this is the first time, since inception, that we are paying dividend. Our shareholders will be expecting the same feat this year. But we have to temper expectations with reality,” he said.

Before now, buoyed with the vision to be the dominant housing partner in Nigeria by providing liquidity and access to affordable housing finance, the company came up with innovative initiatives aimed to improve mortgage market transactions.

Housing/Mortgage Market Information Portal (MMIP) is one of such initiatives aimed to enable the company to gather data for intelligence and profiling of federal, states civil servants and informal sector operators (off-takers) for affordable housing.

This is an effective policy and decision making tool on land allocation, infrastructure and concessions. Former CEO of the company, Charles Inyangete, explained that “MMIP enables decision on creating polycentric cities in order to decongest major urban centres”.

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Talking Mortgage with CHUKA UROKO (08037156969, chukuroko@yahoo.com)

Another initiative the company has had is the NMRC Mortgage Market System (MMS) which is a transformational change that integrates the entire housing market, covering construction finance, primary and secondary mortgage.

The system, made available to all players in the housing industry, has the benefit of removing duplications of effort in gathering data and documents; improving the turnaround time, reducing the cycle time of transactions and helping in making homes more affordable.

Described as a world class system that brings all players in the mortgage and housing market into a centralised technology ecosystem, MMS allows a systematic market to operate and concentration of activities to take place.

What the system seeks to achieve, besides bringing credibility and attracting investors to the mortgage

market, is also to let players and sundry individuals know what is going on in the market. It creates a marketplace where there is information flow and people can see what is going on.

MMS also allows market operators to track all the activities within the construction industry. With it, they can see which developer is doing what and in which location. It also allows them to begin to compare prices and know which property is being sold and in which location.

This way, the developers will begin to be more competitive in the way they do their developments.

For the mortgage banks, the new system allows them to begin to manage their own systems by themselves using the uniform underwriting standards, which NMRC has produced and, with that, they can evaluate their applications based on the underwriting standard.

Frozen account: Companies decry job losses as House of Reps orders review Hope Moses-Ashike

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ome of the companies the accounts of which were frozen by banks under the directive of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) have raised concerns about job losses and closure of businesses.

A federal high court in Abuja had in August ordered the freezing of 65 bank accounts belonging to 12 firms and another individual suspected to be involved in manipulating Nigeria’s foreign exchange market.

Ahmed Mohammed, the judge, made the order following an ex-parte application brought by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) against the firms. In the application marked FHC/ ABJ/CS/979/2020, the CBN claimed that activities of the firms and Adekunle Alonge, the individual, are “the cause of the current volatility and imbalance in the foreign exchange regime in Nigeria with the attendant negative impact on the economy.”

On September 5, 2020 the

CBN directed all deposit money banks to place 38 companies on post-no-debit with immediate effect.

The CBN said it does not sell dollars to Gaming companies making the companies to source for their dollars on the black market.

In a circular dated September 4, 2020 and signed

by Bello Hassan, director banking super vision, the regulator said banks should revert with the account names, numbers, currencies, and balances of all accounts placed on post-no-debit.

Investigations show that the number of accounts placed on “Post No Debit” pending t he conclusion of CBN’s investigation on the activities of the owners have continued to increase ever since the first directive.

African wax print producers and distributors Vlisco Group, as well as a herd of companies some of which belong to the Manufacturers Association o f Ni g e r i a ( M A N ) h av e expressed concern over what they described as possible rise in unemployment following

restrictions in operations as their various accounts remained under freeze.

Affected also are independent FX mediators that account for not less than 500 companies and employ not less than 10 Nigerian youths, each.

One of the affected firms, Vlisco Group said it is currently concluding plans to relocate its Nigerian arm to Cote D’Ivoire due to inability to source funds from the independent foreign exchange (forex) market mediators.

These forex mediators according to them play in the parallel market where large volumes of forex demands that could not be met at the official window are conveniently sourced, albeit at higher cost.

Vl i s c o G roup’s br a n d portfolio consists of four br ands : Vl is c o, Wo o d i n , Uniwax and GTP. A s ource clos e to the company said the decision to relocate was born out of the latest clampdown on the alternative source of foreign exchange which they claimed is legitimately supplying its dollar needs as the CBN supplies have

not been enough.

How e v e r, f u r t h e r investigation by BusinessdaySUNDAY show that the company is not a member of MAN. “I have thoroughly investigated the status of the company. It is not on our database and hence not our member”, a source from MAN told BusinessDaySUNDAY. An independent FX market operator who spoke with BusinessDaySUNDAY under anonymity said the decision of the CBN to place a post-nodebit instruction on the bank accounts, which currently stood at over 100 companies, was an attempt to kill companies who rely on the supply of foreign exchange from alternative sources.

“When the CBN placed forex ban on importation of some items, it called on investors that they can source forex from the parallel market and we operate in parallel market. What the CBN has done is to say that those companies should fold up and ask their workers to go home.

“If our activities are illegal, government cannot take taxes

from us. We pay our taxes to government and this shows that we are not illegal and that we don’t deal with illicit funds. The CBN’s policy on forex is wrong.

It is killing industries and it is not surprising to me seeing some companies planning to leave the country,” the operator said.

“We are not in conflict with the CBN. We are partners in progress with CBN. What we are saying is that we do not think it is fair for the CBN to wake up and start freezing our accounts,” the FX operator further said.

However, the House of Representatives has asked the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to within 48 hours commence a review of all currently frozen accounts in Nigeria and to after one week remove the freeze order on accounts frozen in violations of the provisions of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal R e p u b l i c o f Ni g e r i a ( a s amended) and Section 608 of Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act (BOFIA 2004).

The lawmakers said deriving from the Constitution and

BOFIA, it is offensive to freeze accounts such as: “Accounts frozen before a valid court order was obtained; Accounts f rozen without obtaining a court order from the required court of competent jurisdiction.

“Accounts frozen without providing the opportunity for fair hearing to the account hol d e r. Ac c ou nt s f roz e n but till date have not being referred to the Nigeria Police Force, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency or any other appropriate regulatory authority for investigation.

“Accounts frozen that are unconnected to the account suspected for involvement in the commission of crime.

Accounts remaining frozen after court authorised period of freeze has elapsed without obtaining a fresh order from a court of competent jurisdiction.

“A c c o u n t s r e m a i n i n g frozen even after concluded investigation has not indicted the account holder. Accounts frozen without documentary proof of petition or reason for suspicion of involvement in the commission of crime”.

Sunday 25 October 2020

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Candlelight Foundation partners Coca- CHI Limited Launches Hollandia Cola, others to donate food to Lagos slum Slim Evap Milk AMAKA ANAGOR -EWUZIE

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he C and lelig ht Foundation, a non-governmental organisation has in collaboration with Coca-Cola and others, donated food items and relief packages to residents of Oridulu, a slum community in Ajegunle area of Lagos State.

Other firms that partnered with the NGO to mitigate the increasing hunger the residents were experiencing include Nestle, Providius Bank, First Trust Mortgage Bank, and Lagos Food Bank to mark World Food Day in Lagos.

Speaking on the level of hunger in the country, Uzoamaka Okeke, executive d i re c tor of C and l el i g ht Foundation, said the hunger emergency in Nigeria is one that food alone cannot cure.

“The issues are deeper than

needing a meal. We need a change of mindset, motivation, inspiration, and education. We need to teach these people that they can dream and create. But while we try to teach them these things, they must eat to even have hope for tomorrow. That is why we are here,” she said.

According to her, this initiative will help them hold on for just one more day and mitigate the pressure of becoming a nuisance in the society.

On whether the foundation is receiving any government support, Okeke explained, “ There are currently no plans with any state or local aut hor it i e s . S ome l o c a l authorities have even asked us to donate items to them.

This is why the reform the youth are fighting for in Nigeria is so important. We are in a very critical point in Nigerian history.”

She further said that the foundation hopes that in three years, the government would

have finally opened their eyes to this initiative and help spread soup kitchens across Nigeria.

She added that there is also hope to be able to re-introduce numerous people as productive and creative members of society.

Also speaking, Christian Agadibe, programme director stated that the donation was one of the programmes that the Foundation carryout every quarter to give those who cannot come to the Foundation every week to eat an opportunity to benefit.

“It is also an opportunity to show them that someone still cares for them. Some of these people cannot afford one meal a day and some of them cannot cater for their families. We use the opportunity provided by the World Food Day to reach out and bring hope to them,” he said.

According to him, reaching out to the less privileged under the bridges and shanties in Lagos is a part of the annual package for the needy.

LG commits to expansion strategy in Middle East, Africa as most trusted HVAC partner

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ee Kam-gyu, head of LG’s Air Solution business unit, has communicated the company’s intention to expand its presence in the Middle East and Africa HVAC industry.

At a virtual conference recently, Kam-gyu explained LG’s brand philosophy to become a trusted partner in the region based on the values of integration, expertise, and commitment as well as a new portfolio of air purification solution products for residential, office and commercial environments.

“Most people may think of LG as a washing machine and refrigerator brand but we provide solutions in many sectors that consumers don’t see,” Kam-gyu, said.

According to him, “LG is constantly investing in capabilities to raise the trust of our customers and we will reinforce this commitment through better integrated solutions, expert insights and more dedicated support to become a trusted partner for HVAC in the region.”

He noted that since the

pandemic outbreak and the increasing time spent indoors, concerns over indoor air quality have grown. Needs for high quality HVAC and air management solutions have increased due to the pandemic with LG’s products – which not only meet but surpass guidelines for clean air in the region – seeing unexpected demand.

“To further raise the value for MEA customers and enhance the level of trust in the brand, LG is focusing on its three core values of integration, expertise and commitment. As an integrator, LG will deliver even more optimised HVAC and energy management solutions for each and every project to achieve the minimal total cost of ownership (TCO) for its clients,” he said.

“With its deep expertise, LG will advise its customers with its technological experience-based knowledge to find the most effective and efficient solution to any problem. And as a committed partner, LG promises to go beyond the installation of its solutions to service, maintain and help manage its products

through the system’s lifecycle,” Kam-gyu added.

James Lee, president of LG Middle East and Africa, reinforcing LG’s experience and commitment in the Middle East and Africa, said: “The key reason behind our success in this region to date is our commitment to understand and respond to the real needs of the MEA market,” said Lee. “Expanding beyond this will require significantly more technology, more innovation and especially more customer service.”

Consistent with this strategy, LG has introduced products and solutions in the region that are designed to deliver the best technology that the company as to offer. For example, a new, ceiling-based DUAL Vane Cassette lineup boasts a powerful five-step air purification process that is seamlessly designed into the unit itself. With its new air purification-inclusive design, this advanced product delivers various airflow modes that are optimally customised for all spaces, delivering clean, filtered air to its indoor destination. What’s more, LG’s innovative Round Cassette for commercial spaces not only provides a luxurious design that makes a space look more inviting, it also covers large areas with flexible airflow compared to conventional 4-Way cassette. Its increased airflow and detailed wind direction makes it possible for its cool breeze to spread widely and evenly.

“As a global total provider of HVAC solutions, we look forward to enriching both human life and nature in the Middle East and Africa,” Lee said.

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taying true to its passion for innovation, CHI Limited has rolled out yet another new product, Hollandia Slim Evaporated Milk – a partially skimmed evaporated milk product. With its offer of 50% less fat, higher protein, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, seven B-Vitamins and Vitamin D3, the new Hollandia Slim Evaporated Milk is the first of its kind in the low-fat segment of the evaporated milk category in Nigeria!

As consumers evolve and become more conscious toward adopting healthier lifestyles, the desire for healthy products is higher more than before.

Availability of a full range of milk product choices that help them meet these lifestyle needs, while allowing them indulge in pleasant eating and drinking experiences, has been a source of concern for many consumers.

This is the gap that Hollandia Slim Evap Milk intends to fill.

With the new Hollandia Slim Evap Milk, consumers have the opportunity to achieve and maintain their “body goals”, without missing out on the fun of life. They can enjoy the complete, healthy, and nourishing benefits of milk, but with reduced

fat, which can help them stay healthy, trendy, maintain a good body shape, exude positivity and maintain self-confidence.

Hollandia Slim Evap Milk offers consumers the great option of including a milk product with moderate fat quantity in their diet, thereby supporting a healthy regimen without compromising on great taste and nourishment.

Rich in Calcium, Protein, Vitamins and Minerals, Hollandia Slim Evap Milk is essential for good health, strong bones, energy, and a stronger immune system. It comes in aseptic and hygienic Tetra Pak packaging and is expected to be a regular feature on breakfast tables in homes and offices around the country. It can also be used during tea and coffee breaks with snacks, and/or with other beverages.

According to CHI Limited Marketing Director, Mrs. Toyin Nnodi, “Exercising regularly, eating healthy, and adopting a healthy lifestyle are the inthing today. We are therefore, introducing Hollandia Slim Evaporated Milk to cater to a large number of consumers who are very conscious of their health and desire to have the optimum

weight and body shape they can reasonably achieve.”

“We believe that Hollandia Slim Evap Milk will be warmly received by all consumers, but even more so by those persons who desire to stay healthy, trendy, confident, whilst indulging in the goodness, richness and nourishment of milk without any guilt.

In addition, we have made this product available at the right value price points to make it affordable and accessible to all consumers”, she added.

Hollandia Slim Evap Milk is available in 60g, 120g, and 190g pack sizes which retail for N50, N100 and N150 respectively.

The products can be purchased in supermarkets, departmental stores, markets, neighborhood stores, and kiosks across Nigeria.

Businesses need contingency plan to survive post-covid - Alade Obinna Emelike

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onsidering the complexities of growing and sustaining businesses during and after the global coronavirus pandemic, Nkechi Alade, principal consultant at Elvaridah, a leading business and consulting firm, has advised on the need for businesses to have contingency plan.

Apart from the contingency plan, Alade, a seasoned business analyst with years of building and growing businesses, also noted that businesses also need to invest and continually update their business model to ensure that they have services or goods that are considered relevant to the evolving needs of their target market.

She regretted the impact of coronavirus on companies in Nigeria, which has led to employee redundancies and layoffs, stressing that the pandemic came at a time when companies did not expect it and the effect hit many industries hard.

She advised that it is better to start up a company that serves the needs of the society at this time. “This period has been called essential and nonessential by some enterprises, so the emphasis should be on developing enterprises that serve the needs of established consumers within a country”,

she said.

She explained that most people start businesses to make a profit without having a concrete plan, and are usually distorted when their friends and families do not patronize them as much as they would like. “Before going into business, the first question a business owner has to ask is why, after which you decide who it is for, then how this is being offered to these individuals. As a prospective business owner, the enterprise would have a better chance of profitability, survival and market adaptability when you can tick any of these boxes”, she advised.

On the increasing number of SMEs and their contribution to nation building, she reiterated that, with the growing number of small and medium-sized

Nkechi Alade

enterprises in the country, companies built on the right foundations can stand the test of time and would grow Nigeria.

“My team and I at Elvaridah are continually working with new and established businesses to ensure that they are designed to last by ensuring that they are structured, accountable, designed on specified processes and implemented by the right people. Few days ago, the nation was celebrating the Paystack deal, their success is hugely tied to the amount of structure they have built over the years and its contribution to the country through employment, seamless payment platforms and better technological development for businesses”.

She also highlighted the need for business owners to provide better customer service, as that is one of the biggest business killers in the country.

“Customer service issues are usually as a result of no proper laid down processes that eventually lead to a lot of disorganisation and invariably displeasure from the customers.

There needs to be a proper process to execute business, constant communication with the customers and training of staff to ensure they are able to deliver on the company’s promise. Without customers, there is no business,” she concluded.

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Akwa Ibom counts losses after night of rage by hoodlums

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ANIEFIOK UDONQUAK, Uyo eeling under a 15-hour curfew imposed by the Akwa Ibom government, many people have come to grips with the reality of huge losses after a night of rage by protesters.

It left on its trail several damaged buildings in Uyo, the state capital, as hoodlums unleashed mayhem on the city.

This led to a curfew announced Thursday night after the protest turned violent with reports alleging that at least two persons have been shot dead. It all began in the morning of Thursday when those claiming to be protesting against police brutality under the aegis of #EndSARS campaign blocked major roads in the state capital forcing motorists to make detours within the city centre.

Consisting mostly of young boys, carrying placards, the protesters accosted motorists and extorted money from them and also robbing them of valuables including phones and other accessories.

The protest got to a head when they attempted to block a vehicle conveying inmates from Uyo correctional centre to Ikot Ekpene covid-19 isolation centre.

It was gathered that an official of the Uyo correctional centre reportedly opened fire which hit one of the protesters who layered died on the way to hospital.

However, authorities of Nigerian Correctional Service, Akwa Ibom State command have denied that one its officers shot dead a protester, saying the reports making the rounds were fake.

The command’s Public Relations Officer Ogbajie Ogbajie in a statement acknowledged that “Correctional officers at Uyo Custodial Centre were transferring inmates on admission to the Covid-19 isolation centre at Ikot Ekpene Custodial Centre today 22nd October, 2020 by 1520hrs.

“On their way to Ikot Ekpene Custodial Centre, they were accosted by an angry mob at Akpakpa Street off Barracks road Uyo,” but did explain how the protester was killed, denying any knowledge about alleged shooting by an official of Uyo custodial centre.

“The officers on sighting the angry mob, quickly reversed in order not to allow the mob release the inmates and went back to Uyo Custodial Centre.”

According to him, “Controller of Corrections, wants to inform the general public that, after a thorough investigation by the officer in-charge of Uyo Custodial Center this evening, that no protester was shot or killed by men of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Akwa Ibom State Command.”

With the attack on government

Governor Udom Emmanue

buildings which saw the imposing Anchor Insurance building in the heart of Uyo go up in flames including the administrative office of the state broadcaster being touched as well the privately owned Access bank office along barracks road set on fire, the people are obviously counting their losses Other facilities Zenith Bank, Aka road, De Choice Mall, Techno House by Ikpa road, LG Showroom, Ikot Ekpene Road among others.

Vice chairman, Uyo local government council, Ukai Udeme said the attack has escalated to worrisome levels and has led to loss innocent lives in addition to the property destroyed.

He described the attack as “barbaric act orchestrated by some miscreants under the guise of #EndSARS protesters.”

According to Charles Udoh, commissioner for environment and petroleum resources, “Government is looking desperately for more ways and means of creating jobs in Akwa Ibom and a few senseless miscreants are destroying

already existing jobs outlets!...and you are watching?

He said: “Anybody burning properties in the name of protest is an enemy of the Akwa Ibom People adding that “only mercenaries will destroy properties that put food on the table of our brothers and sisters.” Drawing an analogy of what happened years ago, he said the facilities of a football club in Eket were attacked and set ablaze saying the consequence was the loss of many jobs.

“Mobil Pegasus Club was bubbling and it attracted so many people including employees, contractors of the oil giant and friends.

“That facilities created both direct and indirect job opportunities mainly for Indigenes of Akwa Ibom State. “I once played football for Mobil Pegasus Football Club to support myself in school. That’s one the reasons I have a voice today.

“Today, many more young people would still have the opportunity I had but what happened?

“In one of the protests between ExxonMobil and host community

of Eket, some youth burnt down Mobil Pegasus Club sacking all their sons and daughters who were employed in that facility.

“This happened about 20 years and all promptings for the company to put back that facility failed on deaf ears and till date, the place is only inhabitable for street urchins and criminals.

“

Mobil Pegasus Club was bubbling and it attracted so many people including employees, contractors of the oil giant and friends

“Who were the losers, Akwa Ibom State Indigenes. Dear people of Akwa Ibom State, do not allow anyone or groups to push you to destroy any business premises or infrastructure for whatever reasons.

“Do not allow criminal elements or aliens living in our midst to push you to destroy your home.

You will have no place to hide your head.

“Don’t destroy businesses that have employed our sons and daughters. Don’t be foolish in your reasoning. “No level of provocation should lead you to destroy what you have. Don’t be foolish to copy nonsense as you may be unlucky to survive the consequences.

“When you join hoodlums to loot people’s businesses and set government properties and other infrastructures ablaze, we are the losers. Let’s defend what we have or we lose it and pay dearly for it.”

Meanwhile, the state government has extended the curfew till 7 am on Saturday, 24th October.

Ini Ememobong, commissioner for information and strategy said in a statement that ”the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel has extended the curfew, which was initially due to expire by noon of 23rd October, 2020 till 7am on Saturday, 24th October , 2020.

According to him, “it is due to developing situations being monitored by the state government and security agencies and the inevitable need to protect citizens and property, based on overriding the public interest.

“This curfew has statewide effect. Expectedly, there will be a total cessation of movement, except for those on essential duties, who must show a proper identification.

“All law abiding citizens are advised to remain at home, as security agencies have been briefed to strictly enforce this order.”

Condemning the attacks, the state council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, said the attacks on the administrative building of Akwa Ibom Broadcasting Corporation (AKBC) located along Udo Udoma Avenue, Uyo and other facilities within the metropolis by hoodlums masquerading as #ENDSARS protesters were senseless and misguided.

“These attacks are uncalled for and meaningless. Certainly, this is not the way to go. It is a classic case of blaming the doctor for the disContinues on page 29

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Remembering the Black Tuesday in Lekki, Lagos

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BY OUR REPORTERS

“

voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation.

Rachel, weeping for her children and refused to be comforted because they are no more” (Jeremiah 31:15).

In the days when Christ was born, King Herod had heard that a king was born. He thought the newborn King was after his (Herod’s) earthly kingship. After a desperate search to find where the King was born with the aim of killing the baby, he ordered the massacre of children from the age of two and under, in and around Bethlehem. A lot of innocent children fell by the edge of the sword in one fell swoop. It was during that systematic slaughtering that Rachel lost many grandchildren and was heart-broken.

Nike Fawowe, one of the #EndSARS activists at Lekki, Lagos, was heart-broken when she appeared on the SunriseDaily programme of the Channels Television on Wednesday, October 21,2020.

The young woman, who wept openly dressed in black, decried the bestial activity of the military in Lekki. For two weeks, protesters had daily massed out at the toll gate in an orderly manner,

demanding an end to SARS and general police brutality.

From the blues came an order

by Babajide Sanwo-Olu of a statewide 24-hour curfew in Lagos starting from 4pm of the same day. The announcement had engendered panic across the state, raising question as to what the governor expected those who had left their homes for their work and

business places would do in a state with a history of gridlocks occasioned by bad roads.

Although the commencement time of the curfew was reviewed to 9pm, analysts believed the brutal attack on the peaceful protesters at Lekki at about some minutes past 7pm, was premeditated.

Those who hold the belief said that the hasty manner of pro-

nouncing the curfew bore a signature of some form of pressure from higher powers on Sanwo-Olu to take the route and to find an alibi to the massacre that later took place.

Although the military apparatchik has continued to deny involvement in the shooting, observers have insisted that it was difficult to dissociate government

and the military high command from the sad episode.

It was also said that prior to the shooting some men were seen dismantling the CCTV at Lekki toll gate, ostensibly to shield the would-be trigger-happy soldiers.

The shooters were also said to have switched off all the lights at the Toll Gate before carrying out the shooting.

Wearing of Army camouflage is illegal in Nigeria, critics say that the fact that the shooters moved confidently in Army uniform showed they were on official mission to kill.

Dennis Amachree, a former assistant director, SSS, believes that the military must work on its image and that saying that the photos on the social media were photo-shopped was not the true position of things. He noted that the bullets picked up at the scene of the shooting were the type used by the military. He said that even AK-47 assault rifle does not use that type of bullet.

It has also been noted that today, the system is so porous in Nigeria that people get all the paraphernalia and insignia of the military and begin to impersonate military personnel. Although some of such criminals have been arrested and punished, many others are still actively doing such criminality.

Lekki shootings: How Buhari snubbed UN, US, EU concerns in broadcast

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INNOCENT ODOH, Abuja

fter intense pressure from the international community and prominent Nigerians, President Muhammadu Buhari finally gave a nationwide broadcast on Thursday October 22, following the fallouts of the reported shooting of unarmed #ENDSARS protesters at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos by armed soldiers on Tuesday leading to deaths and injuries.

The United Nations (UN), the United States (US), the European Union (EU), the United Kingdom (UK) and many other International organisations, have denounced the killings and called on the Government to investigate the dastardly acts and bring the perpetrators to account.

But Buhari in his broadcast to the nation on Thursday appeared to have refused to recognize the killings and apparently warned the international community to verify their facts before jumping into conclusion.

Disturbed by the shootings, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR) Michelle Bachelet had on Wednesday condemned the use of “excessive and disproportionate” force by Nigerian armed forces to attack peaceful protesters, who were demanding an end to brutality of the now disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad

(SARS).

The UN human rights chief in the statement urged the Nigerian government to take urgent steps to deal decisively with the underlying problem of persistent violations committed by the security forces, and make a far stronger effort to bring police and army personnel guilty of crimes against civilians to justice.

“There need to be immediate, independent, transparent and thorough investigations, not just into last night’s killings, but also into all the previous violations committed by security forces,” Bachelet said.

Reacting to the Lekki bloodbath, the United States (US) Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo in a statement on Thursday, said the “US strongly

condemns the use of excessive force by the military forces who fired on unarmed demonstrators in Lagos causing death and injury.

He said further that the US “welcomes immediate investigation into any use of excessive force by members of the security forces. Those involved should be held to account in accordance with the Nigerian law.”

The US insisted that the right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression are essential human rights and democratic principles, even as it called on the demonstrators to remain peaceful.

Also speaking on the Lekki massacre, the High Representative/Vice President of the European Union (EU), Joseph Borell, in a statement on Wednesday condemned that attacks.

He said” it is alarming to learn that several people have been killed and injured during the ongoing protests against SARS. “It is crucial that those responsible of abuses be brought to justice and held accountable.

“Following the government’s will to deliver on reforms, we expect to see decisive implementation,” he added.

However, President Buhari, apparently denying the reported Lekki massacre, told the International community and world leaders not to make hasty conclusions on the crisis.

He said” to our neighbors in particular and members of the international community, many of whom have expressed concerns about the ongoing development in Nigeria, we thank you and urge you all to seek to know all the facts available before taking a position or rushing to judgment and making hasty pronouncements.”

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Was Lekki massacre connected to Operation Crocodile Smile?

I

DESMOND OKON n May 2012, Muhammadu Buhari, who was the presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), in the 2011 election, was so disappointed at his defeat at the time that he said: “If what happened in 2011 (alleged rigging) should again happen in 2015, by the grace of God, the dog and the baboon would all be soaked in blood.”

Buhari, who painted a gory picture of Nigeria as that of a hound and a monkey engaged in a battle for survival, said: “God willing, by 2015, something will happen. They either conduct a free and fair election or they go a very disgraceful way.”

When the then President Goodluck Jonathan quickly conceded defeat, saying his ambition did not worth the blood of any Nigerian, he alluded to the threat and imagined the possible bloodshed that could result if he insisted on sitting still on his seat, which many people had advised him to do. By so doing, Jonathan saved the “baboon and the dog from soaking in their own blood.”

When a few days ago, the Nigerian Military rolled out its plan to begin its Operation Crocodile Smile, many Nigerians smelt blood.

Well-meaning Nigerians had cried out, pointing out that such a show of force may not be appropriate at a time the #EndSARS protests were going on across the country.

The leadership of the military allayed the fears of Nigerians, explaining that the operation had nothing to do with the protests or the protesters, as it had been planned before the protests.

Unlike Jonathan that took the threat in 2012 seriously, the youthful protesters across the country, particularly, those who massed out at Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos, made light of the dangerous “coincidence” of the two events- one subtle, the other show of force.

The Lekki massacre In a video shared on social media by a Nigerian news channel, Tobi (not real name) explains how he survived the military assault on peaceful protesters in Lekki axis, Lagos’ commercial hub, which left many dead and hospitalised.

“In my presence, three people were down. One person was injured on the leg; I had to rescue the guy and took him to the back,” Tobi an eyewitness, said.

The world woke up to the gruesome news of the killing of peaceful protesters at the Lekki Toll Gate on October 20, 2020.

Following an impromptu curfew announced by the Lagos State government to quell violence perpetrated by hoodlums who hijacked the peaceful protest to cause mayhem, soldiers reportedly opened fire on Nigerians protesting police

brutality in the Lekki district of Lagos, killing many people on the spot and injuring others.

Before the sad incident, for days, thousands of Nigerians had demonstrated nationwide every day for nearly two weeks against the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), a police unit accused of years of extortion, harassment, torture and murders.

The unit was disbanded on October 11 but the protests had persisted with demonstrators calling for far-reaching law enforcement reforms, and especially so due to continued killings and manhandling of protesters by security agents, minutes after the unit was announced to have been disbanded.

As the protests went awry in Lagos State largely due to the infiltra-

“

In light of the above, all security agencies have deployed adequate personnel to take charge and enforce the curfew across the state

tion of thugs, Lagos State’s Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu had ordered everyone to be in their homes by 4 p.m. This 24-hour curfew imposed by the state was announced by 12 noon. This then was followed by a ban on protest by the Lagos State Police Command contained in a statement by Muyiwa Adejobi, Lagos Police public relations officer.

“Due to the new development of violent attacks on police officers and men and formations including innocent Nigerians in Lagos State, and the 24-hour curfew imposed by the Lagos State Government with effect from 4pm today October 20; the Lagos State Police Command wishes to inform the public that henceforth, no protest or gathering or possession under whatever guise, is permitted in Lagos State.

“In light of the above, all security agencies have deployed adequate personnel to take charge and enforce the curfew across the state,” the statement read in part.

However, in exercise of their

human rights to protest, Tobi and thousands of other Nigerians remained at the Lekki Toll Gate protest ground, making their displeasures known till around 7p.m when the soldiers invaded the place in military formation and opened fire.

“Bullets flew past my head,” he said; “it was God that saved me yesterday (Tuesday).”

Speaking to Arise News in the video, Tobi said, he hid behind Oriental Hotel, adding that they shot the two other guys with him “at once.”

The eyewitness, who attributed his escape to Divine protection and his swimming skills, said he dived into the water and swam to safety when he sensed they were going to shoot him.

But that did not stop the soldiers from releasing bullets into the water to make in an attempt to kill him, or at least get him injured.

“They sprayed bullets into the water, at least seven bullets,” he narrates, “I swam from the back

of Oriental Hotel to Lekki Toll Gate. That’s how my life was saved yesterday.

“What have we done to these people? We’re demanding our rights; we have not done anything wrong to them. We voted for you, not for us to serve, but for you to serve us.”

Multiple reports backed by visual evidences said that before the shooting began at 7 pm, the street lights within the area were switched off as well as the CCTV cameras by government officials, “clear attempt to hide evidence,” said Amnesty International.

The soldiers then began shooting at protesters who had assumed a sit-in position, holding the national flag and singing the national anthem.

A popular disc jockey, known as DJ Switch who was very instrumental in capturing the attack in a live Instagram broadcast said 78 people died in the shooting.

Eyewitness also said that the soldiers carried away some bodies, meaning that the death toll from the military bombardment surpassed the current figure circulating on social media.

“78 dead from one protest in one place in one day in Lagos. This is not including the dead from other protests in Lagos or Nigeria as a whole. This is not including the bodies the military dragged away.

78 people…78 grieving families,” a twitter user said. This number has however, not been confirmed.

The Lekki massacre was witnessed by thousands of Lagosians.

DJ Switch’s live Instagram documentary alone, was streamed by hundreds of followers up till 11 pm, and the link to her page was shared virally, inviting others to view the incident in real time.

While international media reported the mayhem, human rights group, Amnesty International, said it confirmed that the Nigerian Army and police killed at least 12 peaceful protesters at two locations in Lagos on Tuesday.

But the Nigerian military denied being involved in the killings, describing it as “fake news.” Similarly, Sanwo-Olu also said there were no fatalities resulting from the killings in a live broadcast. “…we pray for the swift recovery of the injured. We’re comforted that we have not recorded any fatality as against the widespread circulation on social media,” he said in a statewide broadcast Wednesday.

Reacting to the attack, Gbenga Sesan, executive director of Paradigm Initiative told BDSUNDAY that the Nigerian government has confirmed, again, that it does not care about the lives of citizens it swore an oath to protect.

Not only is the government opContinues on page 29

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Individuals, businesses recount losses in Lagos

...N12m worth automobiles destroyed in Surulere ...Warehouse looted in Amuwo-Odofin

A

SEYI JOHN SALAU

s Lagosians moved from the COVID-19 induced lockdown to the 24 hours curfew imposed by the state government last week, businesses and individuals in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital are beginning to count their losses following the carnage and citywide looting by hoodlums that followed the shooting of #EndSARS protesters on Tuesday 20 October at the Lekki toll gate.

The hoodlums, hiding under the umbrella of the #EndSARS protesters went on a looting spree across Lagos, as both private and public properties worth millions of Naira in choice areas were looted to the ground.

A government warehouse in Amuwo-Odofin area of Lagos used to store COVID-19 palliatives from CACOVID was looted by angry youth. The hoodlums on a looting spree carted away food items like spaghetti, macaroni, sugar, salt, garri and rice stored in a 600 by 600 warehouse in Monkey village, Amuwo-Odofin, Lagos.

Similarly, in Surulere, hoodlums looted the Shoprite, Spar and other shops along the Eric Moore, Bode

Was Lekki massacre connected ....

Continued from page 28 posed to dissenting opinions, Sesan said, we have also seen how it does everything to cover up its wrongs through lies and manipulation.

Nigeria’s security agency has a record for human rights violations; this has raised questions on whether they are adequately trained, or their depth in understanding of human rights issues.

Sesan, however, argued that while it is possible that they have been trained “their mindset has clearly not been changed to understand the value of human life and why dignity is such a central a thing in human existence.”

Before the shooting Before the military invasion, President Buhari held a private meeting with the Minister of Defence, Bashir Magashi and the Chief of Defence Staff, Gabriel Olonisakin.

The meeting was held earlier at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on the same day of the shooting. According to a national newspaper, the meeting’s agenda was not disclosed, but

it coincided with the time protests against scrapping of SARS peaked and turned violent.

Prior to the closed-door meeting, the Nigerian army announced that it was set to commence its Operation Crocodile Smile.

The operation, which aimed to identify, track, and counter negative propaganda on social media and the cyberspace, was meant to last for two months—beginning from October 20 to December 31.

Described as the first ever cyber

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Thomas and the ever busy Adeniran Ogunsanya axis of Surulere.

One of the looted shops is an automobile workshop at the Conoil petrol station on Eric Moore road, as the hoodlums and miscreants went on total rampage, vandalising, looting and massively destroying all cars owned by the company and customers at the automobile shop.

Biodun Osokoya, the owner of Fix Factor Automobile Services at the Conoil Carcare, Conoil Service Station, Eric Moore Road, Surulere, disclosed to BusinessDaySUNDAY that the total loss suffered from the hoodlums attack on his workshop cannot be less warfare exercise in the history of African Armed Forces, the news of the operation was met with criticism on the suspicion that it was a ploy to intimidate protesters who, at the time, were protesting both online and offline.

The Pan Niger Delta Forum, (PANDEF), described the military exercise as “most provocative,” adding that the deployment of soldiers at a time Nigerian youths were agitating for an end to police brutality as another unnecessary misadventure.

PANDEF urged the army to refrain from involving itself in the

than N12 million from an initial assessment carried out.

According to Osokoya, all the customers’ vehicles were destroyed and looted. All tools and repair equipment were also carried away from the automobile shop.

“My official laptop, printer and even food vacuum machine for proof of Concept for a new food production company were carted away,” Osokoya said, adding that he can only come up with the actual cost of damage after the curfew imposed by the state government is lifted.

Residents of the Alimosho area of Lagos State also recounted their loses as the hoodlums left behind stories of pains, tears and sorry, as businesses, mostly MSMEs recounted their loss after the rampaging youths carted away goods and office equipment from the neighbourhood.

An eyewitness told BusinessDaySUNDAY that supermarkets and several shops were looted in Ikotun area of the state. One of the residents in the neighborhood who spoke with our reporter, said he lost most of his office equipment to the hoodlums.

Wole Olarinde, publisher, Christian Benefits Magazine, while weighing the set back suffered by his publication, said, “Counting our losses: Baba Buhari do something. Lives have been regrettably lost in this #EndSARS upheaval.

I returned to office this morning only to learn that the two production computer laptops of Christian Benefits magazine with our system technicians have been looted by miscreants. Regrettably, all our document files have been lost with the looted laptops.” peaceful #EndSARS protest, but the army said the operation was not targeted at protesters.

Although the army denied being involved, events mentioned above raise more questions about the military’s position and the original intention of Operation Crocodile Smile.

More so, Sanwo-Olu, while reacting to the murderous act, said “forces beyond our direct control” had moved to make dark notes in “our history.” Nigerians said the statement suggests that the authorities were involved in the massacre.

When BDSUNDAY sought to know if killing of innocent protesters was connected to Operation Crocodile Smile, Sesan had this to say: “A Yoruba adage says, if a child dies at night after a witch cried, it is certain that that witch killed the child. The timing of the announcement by the military was ill-advised.

Even if it’s on their own calendar, I believe they should have applied common sense after reading the mood of the nation.

“There is also the fact that they claim Operation Crocodile Smile is not for cybercrime. How on earth is cybercrime related to having boots on the ground the way they did?”

Akwa Ibom counts losses after night of rage ...

Continued from page 26 ease of the victim.

“We urge security agencies to be on top of the situation to prevent further wanton destruction of lives and property and also ensure that perpetrators of these dastardly acts are brought to book in accordance with the laws of our State,” the group said.

Amos Etuk and Dominic Akpan, chairman and secretary of the council, respectively, said in a statement that “the Union further commends Governor Udom Emmanuel for the swift response to the ugly development by imposing a curfew in the State to control the situation.”Press Release Lamenting the losses, Emmanuel Ekuwem, secretary to the state government said: “The people whom the peaceful demonstration sought to protect have become the victims of violent protest, because in a mob action, no one is safe.”

In a statement titled ‘Akwa Ibom is all we have,’ he noted that the youths in the state had gathered in Uyo last week to register their solidarity with victims of police brutality and to draw attention of the world to the prevalence of these issues.

“In response, the Governor, has swiftly taken steps to assuage the protesters by setting up and inaugurating a Judicial Panel of Investigation.

“As at today, we have witnessed scenarios where the protests were clearly hijacked by hoodlums who were attacking public and private property and looting business premises, which confirm the earlier intelligence available to us on the planned hijack of the peaceful demonstrations.

“To this end, we appeal to all genuine protesting groups to please suspend their protest due to the obvious hijack by negative minded elements.

“The protesters and other victims should rather use the opportunity provided by the Panel of Investigation. “We cannot therefore, allow strangers to invade our state and destroy our public and private property, which we laboured strenuously to build and acquire over decades.

“To allow these unpatriotic elements to destroy private or public property, will be to surrender our land to evil plunder and we will have ourselves to blame, when all of this is over.

“Like we have seen in other parts of the country, today we witnessed the protests take a violent turn, where innocent citizens have been brutalised and property destroyed.

“As the curfew imposed by the Governor subsists, we ask all Akwa Ibom people to be on red alert and report to the police and other security agencies, any suspicious movements and persons.

“We are trusting that God, who has been our help in ages past and our hope for years to come, will continue to keep our state and citizens safe.

“Akwa Ibom is all we have as God’s piece of real estate for us and we must take practical steps to protect our collective heritage.”

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Health&Science Your age, egg quality and fertility are directly connected Abayomi Ajayi, Md/Ceo Nordica Fertility Centreinfo@Abayomiajayi.

Com.Ng,

D

o you know that you were born with all the eggs that you will ever have?

Yes, you were. In short, your eggs are as old as you are.

Just like every other woman, you came into the world with an average of between 1 million to 2 million immature egg follicles, however, only about 400,000 of those eggs would remain at the time you started your menstruation (periods), which must have occurred around age 11 or 12.

Do you also know that with each menstrual period that you have been having, several hundred of your eggs are lost? It may also interest you to know that only the healthiest of your follicles will ever have the chance to become mature eggs. Your body breaks down and absorbs the rest.

There is nothing you can do about this because that is the way Mother Nature planned it for every woman.

The case for a man is quite different. Every healthy man continues to create new sperm for most of his adult life, but it is the contrary for a woman.

As your body ages, it has fewer follicles.

What this simply means is that your follicles have fewer opportunities to create healthy, strong eggs for fertilization.

This is a stark reversal of what happens when you are younger.

In your teenage years for instance, your supply of follicles is robust, but by your late 30s and early 40s, your supply of follicles starts waning. Interestingly, this is actually the age when more and more women are attempting to start a family.

As you age, a higher percentage of your eggs in your ovaries contain genetic abnormalities.

Older eggs are more likely to accumulate errors leading to genetically abnormal eggs.

Your ovaries are naturally programmed to allow just one egg to grow, mature, and be released (ovulated) each cycle (each month). That one egg represents the one chance for pregnancy in that particular menstrual cycle.

That egg ovulated may be either normal or abnormal. If it’s normal, you may have a healthy pregnancy. But if it’s not, you would have challenges. Abnormal egg cells typically don’t fertilize or implant in the uterus, but in the rare case they do, they can result in miscarriage or genetic disorders like Down syndrome.

It is hardly surprising therefore, that there are problems if the age of your giving birth for the first time extends beyond your mid to late 20s (25 to 28) years.

This age band has been steadily increasing in recent years as parenthood is postponed for one reason or the other.

The difference in egg quality between a 25-year-old and a 40-year-old is a matter of the statistical likelihood of the one egg ovulated being normal.

In your late 30s and 40s you

have a higher percentage of abnormal eggs, it’s why natural fertility declines with age, and why infertility, miscarriage, and genetic disorders increase more often with women over 35.

In view of the foregoing, it is important that you are well informed about how the decision of waiting to start a family can affect your fertility.

As a woman, it is often debated that the age of 18 to 24 is a good time to procreate purely from a physical standpoint. The reason here is obvious.

It is at this period that your body’s strongest ovarian follicles are well positioned to mature into eggs for ovulation, so the eggs you produce in your younger years are more likely to be high quality.

Essentially, having a child at this age reduces the risk for birth defects, chromosomal problems and some other fertility issues. But do not get the message wrong. Even though it is less risky to have children when you’re aged 18 to 24, it’s not entirely without risk.

Your fertility chance, also known as fecundity rate, will

wax and wane throughout your life but’s at its strongest in this younger age period.

Between ages 20 and 30, the natural fertility rate each month isaround 25 percent. This dips to below 10 percent after age 35.

What is this so you may ask?

There are a number of explanations but a major reason is that many women are foregoing starting families to pursue careers until they’re in their 30s and 40s.

With each passing year, your chance of naturally conceiving a child falls. When you are in your late 20s, your chance of getting pregnant without intervention remains fairly steady, but you may benefit more from fertility intervention.

If you are a couple that is under age 30 and you are otherwise healthy, you are likely able to conceive in your first 12 months of trying 40 to 60 percent of the time.

After age 30, your chances of getting pregnant begin to decrease every year.

Assuming that you haven’t started a family yet, don’t worry!

You still have a generous supply

of eggs to utilize when the time is right.

But if you’re trying to conceive and you have been unsuccessful for at least three months, you need to have a talk with your doctor. It is true that most couples at this age will be able to have a baby without intervention, but some guidance may be helpful.

By the time you are in your early 30s, the chances that you’ll be able to have a baby on your own, that is naturally, are still high.

This is understandable because you still have a lot of highquality eggs to offer, but the fact remains that your odds will start to decline steadily at this age.

Your fecundity rate decreases gradually until your mid-30s. As from age 37 or thereabouts, your fertility rate drops dramatically.

In fact, in your 30s, you’re about half as fertile as you were in your early 20s.

This does not mean that you can’t have children once you’re in your 30s. As a matter of fact, up to 25 percent of women are believed to have their first child after age 35. In addition, 1 in 3 couples in their 30s will experience some type of infertility issue.

It should not surprise you that the greatest reduction in your fertility occurs in your late 30s and early 40s. Your chances as a female conceiving spontaneously in your late 30s is about half that of a female in her early 20s.

At this age, you may still conceive naturally within a year of starting to try, but your chances drop even further as you add more years.

There are risks however. At

this age, the risks of chromosomal issues with eggs are higher and increase with every additional year. That means the risks of miscarriage or abnormal pregnancy are also higher.

Your child birth rates when you reach ages 45 to 49 drop further. Keep in mind that while more couples are giving birth at these ages, the overall percentage of births to older parents is still much lower than in younger ones. That is due, in part, because it’s tougher to get pregnant if you’re over 40.

By this age, your body is preparing for menopause. Your ovaries have likely exhausted their follicles or are nearing the end of their supply. With each passing cycle, more follicles will disappear. By the time you reach your early 50s, you’ll have almost no follicles left.

Babies born from people in this age range are also at greater risk for a number of birth defects and pregnancy complications. It is common for miscarriage and chromosomal abnormalities to increase significantly during this period.

Older age also increases the risk of complications, but it is no secret that people are waiting longer to start families.

However,with advancements in fertility treatments, such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), there are more successful pregnancies at this later stage.

While your natural window gradually closes with increasing age, fertility treatments can extend this window and even make your chances of successful conception higher.

Everything you need to know about NMA cautions against Dental Caries’ interpersonal therapy …Kwara rates 4th in COVID-19 response -Commissioner

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nterpersonal therapy (IPT) is a type of psychotherapy that aims to cultivate strong attachments. Research suggests that it can help improve the symptoms of several mental health conditions.

IPT is a form of psychotherapy that can treat depression and some other mental health issues.

Two psychotherapists developed it in the 1970s to help with depression, and clinicians have since used it to treat a variety of mental health issues. Learn more in this article.

What is it?

IPT is a short-term form of therapy that usually lasts for fewer than 12–16 weeks. It focuses on cultivating communication and interpersonal effectiveness skills; practitioners believe that many mental health issues stem from relational deficits or role conflicts.

IPT practitioners endorse the notion of depression and other mental health conditions as real illnesses requiring treatment.

They focus on this in therapy to prevent clients from blaming themselves for their challenges.

Proponents of IPT also argue

that mood and life situations, especially relationships, are closely related. Improving relationships can improve a person’s mental health.

In IPT sessions, a person learns and practices skills that may help heal relationships and prevent the development of additional relationship issues.

Strengths and weaknesses Some strengths of IPT include: a focus on relationships, communication skills, and life situations rather than viewing mental health issues as things that occur in a vacuum a structured, formulaic approach that makes it easier to track progress an ability to build a strong relationship with the therapist, which may enable the client to test new skills Research has consistently shown that IPT works well for depression and relationship transitions and conflict. Although many studies have shown that IPT works well for some other issues, the evidence there is less consistent, and some other therapies may work better.

One potential weakness of IPT is its shorter timeline, which may not offer enough support for

people with chronic or relapsing mental health issues. That said, IPT practitioners recognize that maintenance sessions may be necessary for recurring symptoms.

Also, its formulaic approach may mean that therapy does not offer relief if a person drops out early or cannot pay for continued treatment.

Summary Like all forms of psychotherapy, IPT can empower a person to change the way they think about and interact with others.

The focus on relationships may be especially helpful for those grieving lost relationships or struggling to make their relationships work.

For people with depression, IPT is a highly effective treatment option that may be an alternative to medication.

No matter which treatment a person chooses, it is important to work with a licensed mental health counselor with experience in treating the specific issue for which the person seeks care.

Culled from Medical News Today

SIKIRAT SHEHU, Ilorin

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he Nigerian Medical Association (MMA), has cautioned Nigerians against neglecting a public health disease, called ‘Dental Caries’, said to be ravaging communities.

Baba Issa, a professor of Medicine and Chairman NMA Kwara State chapter stated this Thursday at the association’s 2020 ‘Physician’s Week’ held in Ilorin the state capital.

Dental caries or cavities, commonly known as tooth decay, are caused by a breakdown of the tooth enamel. This breakdown is the result of bacteria on teeth that breakdown foods and produce acid that destroys tooth enamel and results in tooth decay.

According to Issa, Nigeria developed a national Oral Health Policy in 2012 which included plans to provide ideal oral health care to more than half of the country’s residents, “but this policy is yet to be fully operational in the country.

“This can only become operational and target met when there is awareness about oral

health, strategic research, workforce development and coordination of oral health activities.”

Issa, who encouraged Nigerians to continue to be vigilant and maintain COVID-19 guidelines especially now that Nigeria seems to be flattering the curve and the rate of new infection declining, appreciated the state government under the leadership of Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq for rendering supports to Frontline health workers in the state.

Raji Abdulrazaq, Commissioner or Health and the Chairman of the occasion disclosed that Kwara State is rated number four out of 36 states in terms of

preparedness and proactiveness during Covid 19 out break in the country.

He says the present adminstration has laid down solid foundation for health sector in the state and needs people’s support and cooperation to achieve his good motive.

The health Commissioner announced that Governor Abdulrazaq has approved N2.5 million to equip the recently constructed NMA Sport Centre at Doctor’s House saying, “We are playing an active roles and parts in the medical re- engineering programme of this government which is aimed at reshaping the state health sector”.

Sunday 25 October 2020

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31

Sports

#ENDSARS: Ogu calls for Super Eagles to boycott AFCON qualifiers

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Stories by Anthony Nlebem uper Eagles midfielder, John Ogu, has called on his team to boycott upcoming matches in protest against police brutality.

Ogu, who has 26 caps, said a boycott would “make a statement”.

On Tuesday Manchester United forward, Odion Ighalo, called Nigrian government “a shame to the world”.

There have been weeks of protests in Nigeria with mostly young people demanding the disbandment of a notorious police unit, the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

Nigeria’s army has denied killing demonstrators and the country’s President Muhammadu Buhari has urged protesters to stop demonstrating and engage with the government.

Rights group Amnesty International said security forces killed at least 12 people in Lagos, Nigeria’s largest city, on Tuesday.

Nigeria have Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers in November and Ogu said that even if the country lost its place in the tournament “it would be a price worth paying”.

“What is the point in representing the country if this is what the politicians, the people we’re representing, can do to us?” Ogu, 32, told the World Football show on BBC World Service radio.

“I feel like this is the best thing

Son to sign new Tottenham contract, says Mourinho

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to do right now until they get back to their senses and listen to us.

“We want a good government, the police brutality to stop, we want the SARS to stop, we want the killings to stop, we want good laws, and we want job opportunities. It’s just crazy.

“I believe most of my colleagues understand where I am coming from, I wish we can do this. There are games coming up and if we boycott these games I’m sure they will know we’ve made a statement.

“I haven’t really spoken to any of my teammates about this.

They feel for the people here, their loved ones, those that have died.

I’m sure the players are aware.”

Ogu is back in Lagos having left Saudi Arabian club Al-Adalah

in September.

“In Lagos it’s brutal now, burning banks, cars, police stations. It’s dangerous to go out.

The country is in shambles.

“I’ve been in the protests six or seven times. It’s always peaceful.

“I don’t know [whether there will be a boycott]. I don’t know what is in the heart of the other boys. I’m sure everyone is thinking about this now. We have a match next month. If this thing continues to next month we won’t play.

“How can I go to the national team to represent my country to represent the government and the people when I think of the lost souls of those who have been killed?”

ose Mourinho says Heung-min Son is set to become “part of the furniture” at Tottenham by signing a new long-term contract.

Son came off the bench to score for the ninth time this season as Spurs began their Europa League group with a comfortable 3-0 win over LASK on Thursday night.

After wards, Mourinho said the 28-year-old wants to sign an extension to his current deal, which expires in 2023, and the Spurs manager is confident that “sooner or later” it will happen.

“I would love [him to sign a new contract],” Mourinho said.

“Son has three years of contract, so it’s not like we’re in an extreme situation of everybody being worried. It’s more that Son loves it here, I believe that he would like

to commit his future to the club for a long time.

“Everybody at the club is totally in love with this player and this boy and is trying also to make him feel part of the furniture. It’s normal the club tries to go from three years to four or five or six, I don’t know. It’s normal.

“But it’s a very calm situation because Sonny has three more years of contract. But I wish [for him to get a new contract]. He deserves one. The club knows that and sooner or later, without any pressure, they will arrive into a decision.”

Son has improved in ever y season since joining Spurs from Bayer Leverkusen in 2016 and Mourinho said the South Korean is already operating at the highest possible level.

Guardiola says ‘crazy’ schedule will take toll on players

You are not alone- NBBF assures bereaved Gumel

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he Nigeria Basketball Federation has assured the President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee, Engr Habu Gumel of their unflinching support during his trying times following the loss of his wife.

In a condolence message by the NBBF President, Engr Musa Kida to Gumel who recently lost his wife, Hajiya Khadijat Ahmed Ladi Gumel after a brief illness affirmed the federation’s commitment to providing the needed moral and emotional support.

Kida noted that the loss of a loved one is not an easy burden to carry as he prayed for the repose of the departed soul.

“We are deeply touched about this unfortunate incident which nobody saw coming. Though we have all accepted the inevitable, nobody is prepared for the pains that come after the loss of a loved one.

“As a federation under NOC, we owe our president support while praying to God to give him the strength to bear this irreparable loss”.

Kida while extoling the virtues

of the deceased said, “We take solace in the fact that despite her brief stay in this realm, she shone brightly and was a strong pillar of support to her husband, immediate environment and people around her. “Over the years, Engr Gumel has been providing quality leadership for sports development in Nigeria in various capacities as a retired staff of the Federal Ministry of Sports, President of Nigeria Volleyball Federation, NOC, Nigeria

Sports and the Executive Secretary/CEO Nation Lottery Trust Fund amongst other positions which would not have been possible without the support of his wife”, Kida commented.

“Accept our deepest and sincere condolences as you count on us for our maximum support”.

The late Hajiya Gumel who died at the age of 56 is survived by 4 kids.

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anchester City manager, Pep Guardiola, fears the “completely crazy” schedule facing teams playing in Europe will take a heavy toll on the fitness of players.

City have had a number of injury problems already this campaign and Guardiola believes that is down to the demands being placed on his side.

The season is being compressed into a shorter period than usual after the late finish to last term because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“The schedule is completely crazy for everyone, especially the teams that play in Europe,” he told reporters.

Guardiola is convinced the gruelling schedule for teams in the Champions League and Europa League will put them in a difficult position when they try to challenge for domestic honours.

“This league is always so difficult and everyone can lose everywhere. The teams who have seven, eight days to prepare game by game, they have a huge advantage,” he said.

“On the other side, the teams who compete to win titles and be on top, it is the way we have to live.

If we cannot adjust or accept or handle this situation, you cannot be the manager or play in these teams.”

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Sunday 25 October 2020

Lekki massacre and God’s anger

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o nation that sheds so much INNOCENT BLOOD of its voiceless citizens can ever know peace or progress. That was the crisp, clear message that came to me through the Spirit of the Most High God, precisely on Sunday, 22nd September, 2013.

No nation that sheds so much innocent blood of its voiceless citizens can ever know peace or progress. That was the crisp, clear message that came to me through the Spirit of the Most High God, precisely back on Sunday, 22nd September, 2013. That informed my opinion essay then titled: ‘God’s warning: There is too much bloodshed here!’ published by some newspapers on 7th and 19th October of the same year.

Now, I am angry that the warnings given back then were not heeded by our political leaders. So, as some Nigerians who still have human heart beating in them agonise over the recent brutal and barbaric massacre of unarmed protesters at the Lekki Toll gate by fully armed soldiers(though they are denying it), let me remind them and those who sent them the revelations that I was given.

It was a tour de force as I was led through several biblical verses as God, the all-powerful and all-wise Creator decries the wanton wasting of precious lives, by those who value their own but not that of others. If you do not want to die, do not kill. It is as simple as that!

The Holy Bible says: Thou shall not kill (Deut.5 vs 17).So, what happened to Cain, the first recorded murderer? He received an instant curse from God, too terrible to experience.

And he said, what have thou done? The voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground(Genesis 4 vs 10- 14).What this implies is that each time a Nigerian takes the life of an-

“Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil, that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes and prudent in their own sight” -Isaiah 5:20-21. other, the voice of the victim cries unto his/her maker. It does not matter the means employed.

It could be through premeditated killing based on the dangerous dogma of religious extremism, as with Boko Haram insurgency, political differences and intolerance, inter-ethnic clashes, armed robbery or kidnapping and killing the victim because the ransom was not paid.

It could also be through hideous ritual murder for mindless money or fleeting power and fame, or on account of some old pensioners who die from years of not being paid their terminal benefits. Not excluded are the so-called men of God who make the worshippers poorer by the imposition of many levies and others who bury human beings alive in churches all for mundane reasons. Both the motive and method are crude, conscienceless and unjustifiable. A murderer has no other name.

Back to the curse on Cain. And now are thou cursed from the earth, which had opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand. When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield her strength, a fugitive and vagabond shall thou be in the earth (Genesis 4vs10-12).Cain, who was supposed to be a possessor of land, according to the meaning

of his Hebrew name spent a better part of his miserable life running away from the treasures that should have been his. Let those Nigerians who love to kill fellow citizens learn from this.

And to the Christians who have had to bear the brunt of the Boko Haram blood-letting over the past few years, God had predicted it in the bible. Read this carefully: They shall put you off the synagogues (churches).Yea; the time cometh that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. And these things will they do unto you because they have not known the Father, nor me.( St John 16 vs 2-3).But there is comfort on the way. Consider this: But I will remove far off from you the northern army, and will drive him into a land barren and desolate with his face towards the east sea… and his stink shall come up… because he hath done great things. Fear not, O land be glad and rejoice for the Lord will do great things.(Joel 2 vs 20-21).

Furthermore, remember the promise of God: For thus said the Lord of hosts…for those that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eyes. (Zechariah 2 v 8).Similarly is this charge: Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh. For the LORD shall be thy confidence and shall keep thy foot from being taken.(Prov.2 vs 25 -26).For the Lord your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.(Deut. 20 v4).Also: The Lord shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face; they shall come against thee one way and flee before thee seven ways (Deut. 28 verse 17) .

Agreed, we live in the End Time when

Ayo Oyoze Baje Baje is Nigerian first food technologist in the media and author of ‘Drumbeats of Democracy’

terrible things have become the rule rather than the exception. But we must not join the fray all for material benefits because there is nothing hidden now that will not be revealed.

For instance, both the King of Moab (11 Kings 3v27) and King Manasseh (11 Kings 21 v7) sacrificed their sons to win war and for spiritual power respectively, but were punished for their crimes. Moreover, Manasseh shed INNOCENT BLOOD VERY MUCH till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another. As a result God said: Behold, I am bringing such evil upon Jerusalem and Judah that whosever heareth of it, both his ears shall tingle.(11Kings 21 v 12).

We should remember that power ultimately belongs to God through the people. We must learn from history. Most of our wicked rulers of the past ended up in disgraceful deaths. We must all therefore, shun wickedness because there is: No peace unto the wicked (Isaiah 48 v22) and: The wicked shall die (Isaiah 60v14).

God hates the shedding of INNOCENT HUMAN BLOOD so much that he refused that King David, whom He once confessed was after his heart to build house for God. (1 Chron.28v 3).As Jesus, the Christ would admonish his disciples, those who have ears let them hear the warning of God.

#EndSARS as hope in the future Bunmi Makinwa Makinwa is the CEO of AUNIQUEI Communication for Leadership.

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ays of protests have shaken Nigeria in a way that is different from any other protest since “Alli Must Go” in 1978, a nationwide student protest against military government over increased costs of feeding on college campuses that rocked the country to its roots.

The apparent lack of organisational structure for #EndSARS is unique. It has no visible arrowheads, no visible locations of its births and no prior building blocks. “Ali Must Go” had university students’ union leaders in charge, it had tertiary institutions for convergence of ideas and tactics, and it had many years of fervent student unionism and activism against the then dictatorial military governments.

What #ENDSARS owns is the Internet and its limitless uses. Even more important to the burgeoning protest is the sudden awareness that real power belongs to the people.

Our young people should have known this

fact. They waited, watched, lost direction as the leadership in all sectors failed the nation.

But it is better late than never.

In a country where 70 percent of its 200 million people are below the age of 35, young people must seize the moment and turn the tide in their favour. They can shape the country to make their future a place not just to survive, but also prosper. The young people are the future, and it starts today.

Although #ENDSARS started as a robust reaction to wicked, abusive and oppressive policing by a special arm of the force, it has become a staging platform to review the excesses of governments, poor leadership, loss of values, economic hardships and corrupt systems.

Due to the trend in number of deaths and births, Nigeria has more young people than old. About one-third of Nigeria’s population are between the very active age of 15 to 35.

This is a potent force for good, but if it is abandoned to its fate, it can turn deadly and become a rampaging troop of destruction.

In a well-managed economy, the country’s large working age population with a low dependent non-working population should translate into a development boom. But Nigeria has lost the time and the essence of the demographic dividend as a large part of its young vibrant population of working age is left out of its economy. Young Nigerians between age 25 and 34, the most vibrant working class, have 30 per cent unemployment. One in every three employed Nigerian is under-employed. This means that only about half of the productive workforce is actually fully making contributions to the

economy.

Nigeria has some of the lowest indicators of social, economic development. #ENDSARS should be a beginning for meaningful turn-around. Leadership is about making life have meaning for people, and making tomorrow a pleasure, or, at the minimum, tolerable.

Young people in Nigeria do not have any future to look forward to. Not unless you have access to the few plum jobs, not unless you have parents or mentors who open the doors, not unless you are “lucky” and somehow get access to something that gives you a break.

The number of young people keeps diminishing who can have a normal life, even as the population of young people increases.

A people who do not have today and cannot dream of a future that is worthy of existence is a danger to itself and to others. The Nigerian young people are getting desperate and are boxed into hopeless, cynical corners. Young people are on their knees. They beg for grades in schools and colleges, they beg for jobs no matter that they are qualified, they beg for living wages even when they are employed, they beg to deploy their acquired skills after being well trained.

Young people, especially women, even pay to emigrate to become prostitutes who sell their bodies in expectation of jobs, income and support. Many choose to engage in any dastardly act as a means of survival or for a better life.

They do not pray for God “not to lead

us into temptation”. The temptation to sin has been legitimised by a society that makes normal routes impassable. They do not see hope in the future.

When young people know what power they have, Nigeria will change. As I have written elsewhere – “Young people overwhelmingly constitute the largest majority of the population. They have no meaningful future ahead of them. They have no means of running out of the country. They may have to force renewal and give the country a new breath”.

The power to choose who leads us has been taken away by the systemic corruption that makes access to political office available only to higher bidders. Scholarships and funding support to study at tertiary institutions is often used as political patronage and not granted to the needy. The way to get a decent job is made impossible no matter how well a young person performs in his/ her studies. The opportunity to own a business is closed because the banking system and financing is laden with insurmountable obstacles.

In systems that open doors to its young people, it is possible to plan to have a job, have a home, have a vehicle, or afford organised public transport, and look after one’s children within one’s means. In such situations, and in most cases, entry to jobs is merit-based, mortgage facilities are available for use throughout one’s working life. #ENDSARS should become the beginning of making Nigeria a great country, not one that is crippled by wanton looting, poor leadership, and deep-seated corruption.

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